Digital Commons Network^™

Remembering An Invasion: The Panama Intervention In America’S Political Memory, Dave Nagaji

Senior Theses

In December of 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, a military invasion of the country of Panama, capturing Manuel Noriega and overthrowing his government. This research project examines how Colin Powell, Richard Cheney, James Baker, and George H.W. Bush presented Operation Just Cause in their memoirs. It attempts to determine how these senior leaders’ depictions of this invasion incorporated it into the Bush administration’s overall foreign-policy strategy. The research finds that their general approach was to present the Panama intervention as an isolated incident which had no intentional link to other major events at the time, was not …

The Sea Ranch: Unforeseen Failures And Statewide Successes Of An Ecologically Conscious Coastal Community, Robert Daley

Senior Theses

The term “residential development” or “planned community” brings to mind images of a stereotypical suburbia. The planned community of The Sea Ranch, along the Sonoma County coast in Northern California is a direct challenge to the suburban ideal. Construction of the nearly 1500 homes began in the late 1960s and continues to present day. All of the homes must meet specific design requirements including being ecologically sound and they must fit within the landscape. The strict architectural elements is what provides the distinct look of the community. The construction of a housing development along a ten-mile strip of untouched and …

Abraham Lincoln: Making A Man Of A Legend, Owen Martinelli

Senior Theses

Abraham Lincoln’s legacy has been in a near-constant state of flux since his death. Despite his status as one of the most notable presidents of American history, modern day historians have been unable to develop a complete understanding of Lincoln’s character. In various biographies of Lincoln throughout history, he has been portrayed in every way from a melancholic, faithless, and depressed nobody who fumbled his way into crisis after crisis, to a puritan driven by God to abolish an evil institution. Public views of Lincoln have varied dramatically from veneration to disgust, and everywhere in between. In this essay, I …

Statistical Design Of Experiment Techniques In Manufacturing, Caroline M. Kerfonta

Senior Theses

There are many statistical techniques used to design experiments. These techniques are used in many different fields. This thesis will focus on the use of the three most common techniques used to design statistical experiments in manufacturing.

The three techniques that will be investigated are completely randomized design, randomized block design, and factorial design. These techniques will be compared, contrasted, and explained. Research examples will be presented along with sample R code for each technique. These examples will be accompanied by analysis of the techniques as well as an overview of the uses and history of experiments in manufacturing

An Analysis Of Rating Systems Used By Watchdog Organizations For Nonprofit Charities In The Health And Human Services Sector, Sara Strathmann

Senior Theses

In the United State, lack of trust and accountability are developing trends among donors in regard to charitable nonprofits in the health and human services sector. Watchdog organizations are working diligently to provide useful data to donors to combat this growing issue. While some watchdog organizations focus on quality of statistics, others focus largely on quantity of metrics. Additionally, some rating systems are solely based on financial data, while others consider nonfinancial data as well. Although different methodologies concentrate on varying metrics, this thesis seeks to find a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use rating system that allows users to understand both financial …

Cryptocurrencies: Their Current Validity And Future As Currency And As A Part Of An Investment Strategy, Austin R. Johnson

Senior Theses

This paper examines the current and future prospects of cryptocurrencies with a focus on the most well-known and highest valued cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. Specifically, it will address how Bitcoin can be utilized as a currency and as part of an investment strategy and whether its utilization makes financial sense now and will in the future. The paper showcases the past behavior of Bitcoin, how the Bitcoin system functions, how Bitcoin acts as a currency, how Bitcoin can be used as an investment asset, and why it will continue to be employed as such in the future. This paper will show that …

Assessing Columbia's Homeless Court, Andrew Wilson

Senior Theses

This report provides relevant background information on the state of homelessness in Columbia and describes the problems that criminal offenders who are homeless faced under traditional modes of correction. It then outlines the concept and history of the homeless court model and explains how these programs are intended to improve legal outcomes for individuals facing homelessness. The collection of perspectives from government and nonprofit stakeholders and homeless court participants brought together in the thesis form a qualitative framework for considering how successful the homeless court has been in accomplishing its goals and what opportunities exist for improving it. Additionally, this …

From Ruby Ridge To Oklahoma City: The Radicalization Of Timothy Mcveigh, Allison Reese

Senior Theses

The Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995 was a watershed moment in American history and indelibly changed the way Americans viewed terrorism and public safety. While the effects of the bombing are well-documented, not as much attention has been paid to the motivations of the bomber, Timothy McVeigh. He was spurred to action by the events of the Waco siege, where the FBI engaged in a 51-day standoff with the Branch Davidians, a small religious group suspected of owning illegal weapons. However, this was not the first incident that inspired his later actions. In 1992, the Weaver family entered …

Languages Of Reality, Sarah Lindquist

Senior Theses

Spiritual and philosophic systems and constructs are embedded in the matrix of reality to explicate what cannot be known, but only experienced: Absolute Reality. Religious and spiritual traditions exist to serve as a kind of interface with ultimate reality, or, a unitive state of consciousness, by using symbolic form and language to impart teachings about the nature of reality to spiritual aspirants. The use of symbolic language is integral to these teachings because unitive states of consciousness are not possible to convey to the spiritual seeker using ordinary language; a bridge between the known and the experienced is created with …

Nature's Paths, Chloe Switzer

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains a lyric essay, short story, and poetry by Chloe Switzer.

• Love of Place
• Lost in Venice
• The Willow's

The Role Of Light In Creating Space, Tor Strand

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains a series of poems by Tor Strand.

Light

• The Role of Light in Creating Space
• A Light
• 99 and Brumback Street
• Tell Me The Precise Size of That World
• Sunday Creation, Lutheran Church
• Wood Chips
• What Remains
• Audenhaus
• Ex Nihilo, Celebration

Blood

• Burnt Rubber
• little spell with jaw and colosseum
• Recipe Writing on Birch Bark
• Portage Lake, Late March
• The Contents of Fire
• Name Me
• little spell with backbone
• Wash Bay
• My Attic
• Still Life: Grandfather and Saint

Body

• Two Years of Collected Light
• so we were
• Cornucopia
• little spell, little ray
• Distance
• Don't Touch …

Climbing The Cerulean Butte, Emma Knudson

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains third-person memoir writing by Emma Knudson.

• What Did the Loss Mean to You?
• How Do You Experience Your Grief?
• What Kind of Strategies Do You Use to Cope?
• What Kind of Guidance is Helpful?
• With Whom Do You Share Your Loss?

"Give Me Your Tired..." And The Government Will Decide Who Stays: Examining The U.S.'S Inconsistent Responses To Immigrant Groups Seeking Protection, Clare Deck

Senior Theses

What accounts for the inconsistencies in the way the U.S. responds to large scale influxes of immigrants who are seeking protection within the U.S.’s borders? The author comes to conclusions that the political interests of the United States are largely responsible for how the U.S. responds to large scale immigrant groups seeking protection. The author further argues that the inconsistencies of the U.S. response from case to case is due to the protection gap that exists within the UNHCR’s definition of refugee, and the resulting ease with which the U.S. can apply the definition, when, where, and how it chooses …

Impact Of The West On The Middle East And North Africa: American Exceptionalism?, Mackenzie Voke

Senior Theses

This paper examines why American universities in the Middle East are very popular, despite anti-American sentiment throughout the region. In analyzing this apparent paradox, I give particular focus to the American University of Beirut and the American University in Cairo.

Women's Roles In Peacebuilding, Yu Nagahama

Senior Theses

How can we restore peace after conflicts? And how can we maintain it? The institution of successful peacebuilding has been a critical task for the international community since the end of the Cold War. The United Nations, the Member States, scholars, and civic organizations have been searching for the perfect solutions to establish sustainable peace. However, in many cases, conflict resolutions are fragile, and many of them end up with the recurrence of violence. According to the United Nations, countries that have experienced wars are more likely to have successive wars within a decade (United Nations 2017). In 2000, the …

America's 'Just Wars' In The 21st Century: Implications Of Just War Theory On The Middle East, Sara Bakhtiar

Senior Theses

This paper will examine the presence of just war theory in the rhetoric and actions of U.S. leaders and policymakers. I look at Afghanistan to highlight the United States' misuse of just war doctrine, which led to highly destructive consequences. I then look at Syria and how just war language is already being used to justify a potential intervention in the state. Last, I assess the United States' intervention in Yemen to argue that the U.S. does not intervene in the Middle East for strictly humanitarian purposes, but rather to pursue and advance its own interests like policies of regime …

Female Labor Force Participation And Tertiary Education: A Case Study Of India And Brazil, Consuelo Alina Bills

Senior Theses

Female labor force participation (FLFP) is important for the socio-economic development of a nation because it promotes efficiency and equity. Generally, high female participation in the labor market implies: advancement in the economic and social standings and empowerment of women. These things promote equality and utilize all available human capital, which create a greater capacity for economic growth and poverty reduction. Understanding women's decision to partake in the labor market, as well as the factors that encourage to either participate in or refrain from the workforce, is imperative for policy makers to create legislation to help an economy develop and …

Representation And Global Power In A Multicultural Germany: A Discourse Analysis Of The German Response(S) To The Presence Of Syrian Refugees, Kyle William Zarif

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to assess the German political response to the presence of Syrian refugees from 2015-17 within the cultural context of Germany and the overall EU political approach to the Syrian conflict. To this end, it examines the German media conversation surrounding Syrian refugees, using a quantitative media study done by the UNHCR. In turn, it compares the rhetorical and political approaches of the mainstream German center (Merkel's Christian Democratic Union Party) and the right wing (the Alternative for Germany Party and PEGIDA) within the context of shifting popular German sentiments towards refugees. Considering the internal response, cultural context, …

Miles Apart: A Comparative Case Study Analysis Of The Acculturation And Socioeconomic Status Of Former Colonized Populations In Post-Imperialist States, Mariea Melanie Sekijima

Senior Theses

This undergraduate thesis assesses the impact of government policies and acculturation strategies on the current socioeconomic status of former colonized populations living in their respective post-imperialist states. Despite a shared colonial history, the current positioning of Zainichi Koreans in Japan and British Hindu Indians in the UK is vastly different. I argue that this can be linked to two factors—the government strategy in response to these populations and the existence of other minorities within the same state. Using a case study approach to analyze these contrasting experiences, this thesis contributes to a wider conversation on the continual legacies of imperialism …

Striking An International Balance Of Power: Does The United States Undermine The United Nations?, Alexia Dionne Seepersaud

Senior Theses

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of the United States' unilateral actions on the credibility of the United Nations. There is a focus particularly on the United Nations' ability to maintain international peace and security through multilateral decision-making when states decide to take action outside of the organizations' authorization. In order to analyze this stand, the United States' actions in Iraq and Syria are studied. In both 2003 and 2017, the country took forceful action outside of the United Nations in response to threats to international peace and security. Analysis of states' responses to the United …

The Effect Of Visual Performance On Music Performance Evaluation In High School Marching Band, Kathryn D. Brimhall

Senior Theses

At marching band contests, bands are usually judged on both their music performance (ensemble, individual, and general effect) and visual performance (ensemble, individual, and general effect). Phenomena such as the McGurk effect (McGurk & MacDonald, 1976) indicate that people often prioritize visual information over aural information; however, until now there have not been empirical investigations of how this phenomenon might affect high school marching band evaluation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of visual performance on the music performance evaluation of high school marching bands. To study this effect, I recruited college students who were randomly …

The Middle Of Fucking Nowhere, Vera Heidmann

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis incorporates memoir writing by Vera Heidmann.

• The Big House on the Hill
• Real Monsters
• Ragdoll
• Heart-shaped Box
• Beautiful

The Importance Of Interdisciplinarity: Redefining The Health Belief Model, Ross F. Lordo

Senior Theses

Throughout academia, there lacks an existence of a commonly utilized multicomponent and interdisciplinary approach in understanding our outside world. This thesis provides an analysis of the current state of interdisciplinarity and the need to develop interdisciplinary theory. Through this effort, the researcher utilizes the health belief model as a framework that is severely limited in applicable scope due to its constructs. Contrastingly, systems theory and game theory are validated as examples of theories with an interdisciplinary nature. Through the coding of the literature pertaining to the qualitative characteristics of the health belief model, game theory and systems theory, guidelines in …

A Human Powered Micro-Generator For Charging Electronic Devices, John Adam

Senior Theses

A hand-pulled generator has been designed and tested. A preliminary result has been obtained and discussed. This device was created to provide outlet-free charging. Electronic devices are useful when going out into the wilderness. A portable power supply is necessary to keep an electronic device alive. This project created a device that converts human energy into electricity to charge electronic devices. This thesis overviews the device’s design, build, and tests. Two different tests were run to determine that the device is capable of charging the storage battery. The device presented can provide 14 minutes of charging time with one hour …

Increasing The Longevity Of Tungsten Filaments In A Zone Refiner, Byron D. Greenlee

Senior Theses

Zone refining is used for its ability to purify material and grow single crystals. To produce these single crystals, a suspended molten zone, generated by electron bombardment, passes along the polycrystalline stock. During a zone refining run, the filaments that produce the electron bombardment can fail. In this project, the longevity of tungsten filaments in a zone refiner was investigated. A new bombardment geometry was constructed to attempt to increase the longevity of the filaments. The new geometry had a shield machined into it to prevent line-of-sight impurities originating in the molten zone from striking the filaments. It was found …

Effects Of Tension On Resonant Frequencies Of Strings, Blake Burnett

Senior Theses

This project tests and explores resonance of strings. Since all materials and mechanisms are affected by vibrations, it is important to know the frequencies at which resonance occurs. To explore this subject, strings were used as a model material to test the effect tension has on resonance. The fundamental frequencies and the corresponding modes of resonance were used to analyze the data. The results of this experiment show that increasing tension on a string increases its resonance frequency. Understanding the physics behind resonance frequency allows systems to be designed to take advantage of resonance properties, or to avoid resonance where …

The Effects Of Surface Pace In Baseball, Jason Farlow

Senior Theses

A baseball travels across different surfaces at different paces. The goal of this experiment is to find a percentage difference in speeds the ball will reflect off a given surface. The energy lost on the turf surface was far more significant than on dirt surface as the turf lost an average of 26% of its energy as compared to just 16% of the energy on dirt. In the Northwest conference, teams play on four turf-based infields and five dirt-based infields. The results of this study suggest that kinetic friction forces are more significant in reducing ball rebound speed than in …

Thermoelectrics And Thermoelectric Devices, Benjamin T. Erck

Senior Theses

The field of thermoelectrics has many applications, and more are found in everyday systems. From its current studies, it is apparent that improving the figure of merit zT (which defines a good thermoelectric material) is important in the effectiveness of power generation. Another important part of thermoelectrics is the duality of these devices. They can both move heat and generate power, depending on their role in the system. In this thesis research, a process was made to test these thermoelectric relationships for a few Peltier devices in order to understand their efficiencies and what systems they can be applied to.

Measuring The Double Layer Capacitance Of Electrolytes With Varied Concentrations, Geoffrey Rath

Senior Theses

When electric potentials are applied from an electrolytic fluid to a metal, a double layer capacitor, C_dl, develops at the interface. The layer directly at the interface is called the Stern layer and has a thickness equal to roughly the size of the ions in the fluid. The next layer, the diffuse layer, arises from the gathering of like charges in the Stern layer. This layer is the distance needed for ionic charges to return to equilibrium. This distance, called the Debye length, λ, depends on the square root of the electrolyte concentration. To study the properties of …

Measuring The Double Layer Capacitance Of Electrolyte Solutions Using A Graphene Field Effect Transistor, Agatha Ulibarri

Senior Theses

When operating graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) in fluid, a double layer capacitance (C_dl) is formed at the surface. In the literature, the C_dl is estimated using values obtained using metal electrode experiments. Due to the distinctive electronic and surface properties of graphene, there is reason to believe these estimates are inadequate. This work seeks to directly characterize the double layer capacitance of a GFET. A unique method for determining the C_dl has been implemented, and data has been obtained for three electrolytes and one ionic fluid. The results yield dramatically lower C_dl values than …