Digital Commons Network^™

Costuming The Californian Apocalypse: Sartorial Speculations Of Los Angeles's Future, Isabel Kramer

Scripps Senior Theses

With this project, I use fashion design as a medium to visually speculate a range of futures that exist in relation to different temporal apocalypses and dystopian world endings under the current capitalist structure. Three questions guided my thinking and creation of this project: What will people be wearing in 100 years in Los Angeles if we continue down our current path of late capitalism-induced climate change? How will this look differently for people who exist alongside different axes of oppression and who are affected by environmental racisms that manifest in the built environment of Los Angeles? How do dystopian …

Nitrate Contamination In Two California Groundwater Basins: What Creates Disparities?, Catherine Protiva

Scripps Senior Theses

Nitrate contamination is a major problem within California groundwater basins. A form of nitrogen, nitrates leach into groundwater aquifers from the surface where they remain for many decades. The most common source for the contaminant is agricultural sources like nitrogen fertilizer. Consequently, the problem is concentrated in regions of the state with a history of large-scale agricultural production. When water is pulled from contaminated basins and used as drinking water, the nitrates can cause serious negative health consequences, most commonly methemoglobinemia, also known as blue baby syndrome. In this thesis, I will examine what factors contribute to a region’s ability …

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

Greening The Grounds: Mitigating Compost Contamination And Expanding Onsite Composting Practices In A Small Liberal Arts College Setting, Loren Mello

Scripps Senior Theses

In response to the growing need for sustainable waste management practices, the Farm Manager at Pomona College proposed redirecting food waste from offsite industrial composting to onsite composting at the Pomona Farm, expanding beyond kitchen waste to include student plate scrapings. This research aimed to address the anticipated challenges associated with this transition, including increased compost contamination, Farm staff labor, and operational work hours. To gain insights, a pilot program was conducted at Frank Dining Hall for one week, focusing on compost contaminants, food waste weight, collection and composting time, and additional qualitative measures. Findings from the pilot indicated that …

Transition Towards A Brighter Future: Energy Usage Analysis At Pilgrim Place And Recommendations For Decarbonization, Zhuoyao Wu

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis summarizes the semester-long project I and other Environmental Analysis major students collaborated on for the EA 190 Capstone Project aims to find effective methods to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency. Our group partnered with the Climate Resilience Initiative team (CRI) at Pilgrim Place, a social and environmental justice-focused retirement community in Claremont, CA. As the demand for effective methods for energy efficiency in communal spaces increases, we have conducted an energy analysis and researched potential functional technologies to replace high fossil fuel consumption sources. Our final deliverable is a written report that analyzes the data we collected …

Migration-Associated Variation In Blood Parasitism, Body Condition, And Stress In Gambel’S White-Crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia Leucophrys Gambelii), Julianna Deibel

Scripps Senior Theses

Migration is a widespread behavior in animals which both causes and is motivated by fluctuations in nutrient availability. Migration is ecologically important, as it connects areas of differing primary productivities and carries pathogens over distance. The relationship between migration and disease is complex, sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, and influenced by ecological cycles as well as host, vector and parasite life cycles. Four central migration-infection mechanisms have been proposed: migratory susceptibility, migratory exposure, migratory escape, and migratory culling. These mechanisms may yield increased or decreased infection post-migration, based on migration’s physiological tax and the concentration of pathogens along migratory pathways.

To …

Fashioning Sustainability At Scripps: An Analysis Of Scripps College Students' Clothing Acquisition And Disposal Habits In The Era Of The Free Closet, Serena David

Scripps Senior Theses

The fast fashion industry presents an array of environmental and humanitarian concerns,

and, while this is not the fault of individual consumers, collective action can help to mitigate the negative impacts of the industry. At Scripps College, the Scripps Free Closet seeks to aid in this action by accepting clothing donations from students and providing clothing to students free of charge. A survey among Scripps students sought to answer the question “Is the Scripps Free Closet an effective sustainability initiative on campus by a) decreasing the amount of clothing students buy and/or b) decreasing the amount of clothing students dispose …

Reddening, Amelia Rae Gross

Scripps Senior Theses

This collection of poems examines the author's shift into womanhood in four sections.

Effect Of Cross-Modal Odor-Color Associations In Stroop-Like Paradigm, Anadel Ahlvin

Scripps Senior Theses

The investigation into synesthesia and its underlying mechanisms prompts inquiry into the prevalence of cross-modal associations within the general population and their influence on our lives, yet this domain remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to elucidate the impact of odor-color associations on odor recognition utilizing a Stroop-like paradigm. Participants were tasked with establishing odor-color associations, then subsequently recalling the odors paired with congruent, incongruent, or neutral colors. Reaction times and accuracy of odor recognition were recorded, and analysis revealed a significant effect of congruent versus incongruent color condition on odor recognition accuracy, with congruent color and odor having a …

Stage Clutter: An Interactive Journey Following A Theater’S Existential Ponderings, Taylor Tsiamas

Scripps Senior Theses

“Stage Clutter” is a devised, interactive theater piece that focuses on accessibility in theater, as well as questioning what theater is by deconstructing the divide between the “audience” and “performer”. The event consisted of audience participation and exploration, as well as solo performance and puppetry, along with other accessibility features. It aims to center community and joy and subvert Western theatrical “norms” in order to help decolonize theater spaces.

A Petrographic And Geochemical Study Of The Rangataua Lava Flows, Mount Ruapehu, Aotearoa New Zealand, Lucy Smith

Scripps Senior Theses

Mount Ruapehu is a large stratovolcano on the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Rangataua lava flow is situated on the southern flanks of Ruapehu, and extends for 15-16 km. The flow is of andesite composition and comprised of three units: proximal, medial and distal. Mount Ruapehu is both scientifically and culturally significant.

Geochemical analyses of 13 whole rock samples, Electron Microprobe analyses of three polished thin sections, and geothermobarometry calculations were conducted to obtain data on pre-eruptive intensive parameters. Petrographic observations were used to investigate disequilibrium textures and shed light on magma chamber processes.

Results of this study …

Elite Foreign Policy-Making Regarding Israel: A Comparison Between Jordan And Lebanon, Mishaal B. Ijaz

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis argues that external foreign powers, namely the United States and Syria, influenced foreign policy elites in Jordan and Lebanon to either pursue or reject normalization agreements with Israel throughout history. This thesis also examines how elite foreign policy-makers shape Lebanese and Jordanian public opinion through their policies with Israel.

Decoding Job Market Trends: Chatgpt’S Influence On Soft And Hard Skill Demands, Larkin Barnard-Bahn

Scripps Senior Theses

As the abilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) grow, automation anxiety (the fear of being replaced by technology) has plagued the workforce—especially after the launch of the advanced Generative AI tool ChatGPT. To avoid structural unemployment, workers may need to invest in developing skills not easily replaced by AI. Some scholars argue that AI is less able to replicate soft skills than hard skills, but the literature lacks studies that indicate a causal effect across industries and occupations. This paper investigates how the public release of ChatGPT has influenced the demand for soft skills relative to hard skills in the U.S. …

Queer Formations Of The Self In Woolf And Forster, Margaret M. Bancroft

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines queerness and the Bildungsroman in three novels by Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster: Jacob’s Room (1922), Maurice (1971), and Orlando (1928).

Interrogando El Espejo Distorsionado: La Tipificación, La Estereotipificación, Y La Interseccionalidad En Representaciones Ficticias Del Trujillato, Meadow Jones

Scripps Senior Theses

Un estudio sobre la historia y literatura de la República Dominicana sería incompleto sin considerar los impactos de la dictadura de Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, 1930-1961. Como nota Ana Gallego Cuiñas en su tesis doctoral sobre el dictador, “Trujillo sigue vivo en la sociedad y en la literatura dominicana dentro y fuera de sus fronteras” (1). Los trabajos sobre las representaciones literarias del Trujillato se tratan de temas como la mitificación de Trujillo, el feminismo, revoluciones y resistencias individuales, y las construcciones del poder del régimen. Además de los temas mencionados, mi tesis considera las maneras en que cinco fuentes …

Geographically Dependent Thermodynamic And Geochemical Evolution In The Post-Batholith Upper Mantle Beneath The Sierra Nevada: Analysis Of The Blue Knob Xenoliths, Eleanor Ruos

Scripps Senior Theses

Xenoliths entrained in recent (Miocene) volcanics from the Sierra Nevada provide insights into a continuously evolving upper mantle during post-batholith generation periods (early Cenozoic–present). Hypothesized mantle refertilization followed by subsequent delamination of the lithospheric root beneath the Sierra provides a contextual framework for analyzing how the upper mantle responds to such events. This study contributes new geochemical data from the ultramafic xenoliths of Blue Knob, including bulk-rock major and trace element data, thin-section petrography, mineral chemistry and thermobarometry, and oxygen isotopes (delta¹⁸O). Blue knob (Eastern Sierra) data are compared to previous works on xenoliths from Chinese Peak and …

Ability To Reduce Gram Scams Through Educational Intervention, Ellis Garel

Scripps Senior Theses

Objective: This study aims to understand why people fall for scams and seeks to explore what interventions for scam prevention are the most effective in older adults. Participants: Approximately 686 participants aged 65 and above will be randomly assigned to view one of four intervention types: celebrity endorsement PSA, community-based PSA, personal advice from a family member, or the control group. Method: A path analysis will be conducted to examine how the type of intervention, gender of the participant, and history of financial fraud, mediated through concerns and susceptibility to scams, impact the propensity to fall for a hypothetical scam …

Resilience Amidst Barriers: Understanding The Plight Of Undocumented Filipino Tnts Navigating Restrictive Us Immigration Laws From 1986 To The Present, Eileen Linchangco

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the plight of undocumented Filipino immigrants, referred to as “TNT” or “tago nang tago” (hiding and hiding), within the context of an increasingly restrictive US immigration system. I argue that two key factors have driven more Filipinos to pursue unauthorized entry into the US since the 1980s despite heightened risks. First, US immigration policy changes enacted in the 1980s and 1990s implemented stricter numerical caps that severely limited available visas for Filipino immigrants to use legal immigration pathways into the United States. Second, enduring sociocultural constructs propagate the notion that Filipinos represent immigrant desirability for US citizenship. …

The Evolution Of Attractiveness: A Comparative Analysis Of Beauty Norms At Scripps College, Molly Craig

Scripps Senior Theses

This undergraduate thesis investigates the beauty norms present at Scripps College, a historically women's college in California. The study extends previous research by introducing the concept of the 'beauty gap' between the Real Beauty Standard (RBS) and the Perceived Beauty Standard (PBS), highlighting the influence of meso-level norms within the college community. Utilizing a newly developed scale, the Attractiveness Standard Norms (ASN), in addition to the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale and the Self-Objectification Questionnaire, the research examines the evolution of beauty norms between Freshmen and Senior year. A sample of 57 respondents from the Freshman and Senior classes participated in …

Improving American Men's Quality Of Life By Economically Empowering American Women, Margot Rosenblatt

Scripps Senior Theses

In this paper, I explore the relationship between women’s economic empowerment and men’s quality of life in the United States. I created an index of women’s economic empowerment based on county-level data on labor force participation rates, rates of pay, teen birth rates, and families in which a woman is the primary income earner. I then created an index of men’s quality of life based on financial, physical, and mental health indicators. Adjusting for income, dominant industry type, age, population density, race variables, and environmental factors, I found a statistically significant positive correlation between women’s economic empowerment and men’s quality …

Redefined Influence: An Exploration Of Social Media And User Agency, Sydney Ghobadian

Scripps Senior Theses

In recent decades we have seen the expansion of media to realms unimagined- where human interaction comes with the touch of your finger. With this accessibility comes uncharted territory and persisting questions: How do we engage with the media? How does it dictate our actions? What is true and who do I trust? In this exploration, I weave the relationship between social media and emotions with the long-standing marriage between media and capitalist agenda to understand the power of media and how we as a society can use it to evoke change and reclaim control over our actions.

Fabriquer La Reine: Les Limites Et Pouvoir De La Mode De Marie Antoinette, Hannah Murphy

Scripps Senior Theses

Cette thèse focalise sur comment Marie Antoinette utilisait la mode d'obtenir et maintenir le pouvoir de son règne. En outre, elle focalise sur la façon dont la reine créait les symboles influencés, et comment le perdre de ses symboles a causé sa ruine.

The Impact Of Museum Curation On Community And Identity: Japanese Culture At The Japanese American National Museum And The Huntington Library's Japanese Gardens, Cate Hasler

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores Japanese culture and its representation in two museum sites, the Japanese American National Museum, and the Huntington Library's Japanese Gardens. It examines the history of the sites and the curation of exhibits to determine the impact on Japanese identity and community within the Los Angeles area. Through ethnographic interviews and research, this thesis concludes that museums can be locally embedded cultural processes, where the ideas of identity and community are contested, challenging the authoritative and top-down operations of a museum as a public institution.

Autism-Related Support Services On Mental Health And University Connectedness, Adeline E. P. Rogers

Scripps Senior Theses

College is notoriously challenging, with many student concerns associated with adapting to the new expectations for lifestyle, workload, and socializing that come with transitioning to college and/or university (Gelbar et al., 2015). For college students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the impact of these changes can be far more challenging, as their needs can be different from their neurotypical peers. This study implemented an online survey to gather data on autistic students’ feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, university connectedness, experiences with university autism support programs, and basic demographics. Unfortunately, the results found from this study were contaminated by a large …

The Holy Abject: The Narrative Arc Of Female Christian Martyrdom And Its Implications For Subjecthood In The Roman Empire, Gillian Murdock Gardner

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis aims to utilize modern critical theory to reveal how the hagiographies of early female Christian martyrs follow a standardized narrative arc. The martyr’s body is hyperfeminized, transformed, and eventually eclipsed in a simultaneous process of unbecoming in the corporeal realm and becoming in a divine register. The martyr’s augmented femininity signals her ability to endure as far as womens’ abject position in the Empire allows, while her bodily transformation conveys a transgression of the ontological pairings of active masculinity and passive femininity that govern Roman social order. Finally, the martyr’s death communicates an imperial attempt to reestablish the …

Reimagining The Costume: The Role Of Fashion In Adaptations Of Euripides’ "Bacchae", Clementine Farnum

Scripps Senior Theses

Euripides’ Bacchae and its reception embody the subversion of identity that codifies my 21st-century understanding of fashion. This project is interested in this subversion and examines how characters’ identities have been portrayed through the costume choices for Dionysus in ’69, The Bacchantes, and The Backanterna. Specifically, I scrutinize the transition of compliance as a physical representation of how this play is a constant struggle of excess vs. modesty, gender binaries vs. gender fluidity, and worship vs. condemnation.

My interpretations of the costumes for Dionysus, Pentheus, and the Maenads demonstrate the vital role costumes play. The costumes I …

You Are What You Eat: Social Media's Influence On Health And Beauty Practices For Young Latinx Women, Anaís Martínez Castañeda

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis delves into the experiences of young Latinx women, exploring how they internalize societal messages propagated through social media that equate whiteness with wellness and beauty standards. Conversations with young LatinX women reveal that performances of whiteness intertwine with dietary practices and notions of thinness, influencing their perceptions and behaviors. This internalization leads to harmful tendencies of body surveillance and diet restriction in an attempt to conform to dominant social media norms. Furthermore, this messaging can result in the rejection of ethnic foods and adversely impact their overall well-being. However, amidst these challenges, participants reevaluated their internalized beliefs and …

Investigating Factors Contributing To Differences In Air Pollutants Between Metropolitan Areas In The Us, Ellen Hu

Scripps Senior Theses

Densely populated regions around the United States exhibit varying concentrations of air pollutants that can impact the health of urban populations and surrounding ecosystems. Understanding why these differences exist can be important in addressing health issues as the human population continues to increase and communities across the globe move to accommodate these trends. To investigate the impact of natural processes and anthropogenic sources on pollutant concentrations, EPA daily fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) pollutant concentrations from seven metropolitan regions across the US for 2018-2022 were used. A Spearman Rank-Order …

A Comparison Of Muscle Function Between Female And Male Mice With A Deletion To The Pevk Region Of Titin, Amelia Adsen

Scripps Senior Theses

Titin, the third most abundant filament in muscle, serves many roles. It underlies muscle stiffness and functions as a signaling hub particularly during muscular growth. The PEVK region of titin contributes to muscle stiffness and is suspected to play a role in hypertrophic signaling. Most skeletal muscle studies have only used males, leaving a need to include females and investigate muscle physiology sex differences. To investigate sex differences in these functions, soleus muscles from mice with a deletion to the PEVK region (Ttn^∆112-158) and wild type (WT) mice around 100 days old were extracted and attached to an …

The Psychological Impact Of Collegiate Athletes Quitting Their Sport: A Multiple Case Study, Taliana Abadi

Scripps Senior Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess the lived experience of collegiate athletes quitting their sport and transitioning from active engagement in an organized, collegiate-level sport to non-participation in the sport at that competitive level. To do so, five to seven participants, pretested for athletic identity to gather a diverse sample, will participate in a semi-structured interview to gain an understanding of their feelings regarding the loss of athletic identity and how it impacted their well-being. Through these interviews, the data should signify trends among participants such that 1) The participants’ loss of athletic identity is perceived to negatively …