Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Publication Year
Articles 61 - 90 of 371
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
An Analysis Of Corporate Social Responsibility Websites: Seafood Production And Environmental Degradation
Stander Symposium Projects
Corporations are under increasing pressure from internal and external stakeholders to consider the social and environmental cost of their operations. To alleviate this concern, corporations have designed professional ethical codes by which to conduct business. This expanding practice is a facet of public relations known as “Corporate Social Responsibility,” or CSR. This project examines the seafood production industry. Seafood production poses unique environmental concerns, which can be addressed by producers in a variety of ways. A content analysis of the top seafood production websites investigates which environmental themes are being addressed in CSR policies and information pages,and how corporations are …
Cocoa And Chocolate: Deconstructing The Development Paradigm In Cameroon
Cocoa And Chocolate: Deconstructing The Development Paradigm In Cameroon
Stander Symposium Projects
This project focuses specifically on the neo-liberal economic iteration of international development. Neo-liberalism is the idea that the deregulation of the private sector, reductions in government expenditures, and expansion of free trade will lead to growth in undeveloped countries, which will effectively end poverty and increase the standard of living. Development is, thus, justified on the basis of its purported virtues: that economic liberalization has resulted in the prosperity of Western countries and that the same models can be replicated elsewhere to produce the same results. My ethnography in Southwest Cameroon, however, shows that the experience and embodiment of development …
The Effects Of Music On Employee Affect
The Effects Of Music On Employee Affect
Stander Symposium Projects
My thesis is concerned with the effect of music on mood in the workplace. Mood, or affect, is an important attribute in the working environment. For example, positive affect is directly proportional to employee satisfaction, which leads to more productivity and more efficiency. On the other hand, negative affect is inversely proportional to employee satisfaction. Poor employee satisfaction leads to less productivity and less efficiency. The mood of employees at a student café at the University of Dayton was assessed with and without background music while they worked. Data was collected over a two-week period from 20 student employees. Data …
A Smartphone Application For The Treatment Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
A Smartphone Application For The Treatment Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Stander Symposium Projects
This ongoing study develops and evaluates the acceptability and effectiveness of a smartphone application for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used to manage and minimize the aversive symptoms of GAD; however, studies have found only modest treatment gains when CBT is used alone (Brown et al., 2001). Previous studies have measured client acceptability of smartphone applications (Ainsworth et al., 2013; Pramana et al., 2013), but they have failed to measure the impact of the application on treatment outcomes (e.g., reductions in symptom severity). To fill this gap in the literature, the proposed study …
The Performance Of Concentrated Portfolios Of High Quality Stocks In Highly Volatile Markets: The 2008 - 2013 Experience
Stander Symposium Projects
The objective of this study is to determine how well concentrated portfolios of high quality stocks perform under highly volatile market conditions. Three different portfolios of 30 stocks each were established based on market cap: (1) mega cap (2) large cap and (3) mid cap. All of the stocks in each portfolio had Standard and Poors quality ranking of A-, A, and A+. One hypothesis tested was that concentrated portfolios of high quality stocks generate excess returns (alpha) when compared to a fully diversified portfolio of stocks such as the S&P ETF SPY. A second hypothesis tested was that portfolios …
Macro Economic Activity And Sector Price Movements: A Closer Look At Pmi Data
Macro Economic Activity And Sector Price Movements: A Closer Look At Pmi Data
Stander Symposium Projects
The purchasing managers' index (PMI) is considered a leading indicator of U.S. manufacturing activity as well as overall economic activity. Financial markets respond quickly to above or below trend movements in PMI. In this study I develop regression models that specify the relationship between PMI and each of the 10 SPDR ETFs. I test the hypothesis that b>0 i.e. that SPDR ETF prices covary directly with changes in the PMI index. Using log linear models, I also test the hypothesis that the response coefficients are relatively elastic i.e. b>1. I use monthly data to construct the models. The …
Should Syllabi And Course Materials Be Faculty Intellectual Property?
Should Syllabi And Course Materials Be Faculty Intellectual Property?
Stander Symposium Projects
In order to teach students subjects, faculty create syllabi and course materials such as course notes, outlines, PowerPoint or other presentations, learning software, texts such as books and articles, images and video, test review and assessment materials, e-mail, and discussion group or forum written comments and suggestions. If property is a general term for the rules and policies that govern people’s access to, control over, and use of valuable resources, and syllabi and course materials are regarded as valuable intellectual resources in contrast to land on the one hand and ownership shares in artificial legal entities on the other, then …
Integrating Institutional Mission Into Faculty Work
Integrating Institutional Mission Into Faculty Work
Stander Symposium Projects
The integration of a faith-based university’s mission into the curriculum and the requirements that this identity imposes upon faculty members’ scholarship are often at odds with the concept of academic freedom (VanZanten, 2011). This common dilemma is an authentic and significant part of Catholic higher education. To balance a conceptual understanding of faith integration with practical tools for academic professionals looking for resources, the University of Dayton’s Commitment to Community (C2C) document provides a community approach to education (University of Dayton, n.d.). This document could be a valued resource to assist faculty in applying mission-based values into their teaching, research, …
Transformational Learning-Improving Estimating
Transformational Learning-Improving Estimating
Stander Symposium Projects
Two students from the University of Dayton, one Chemical Engineering and one Industrial Engineering Technology major, were selected as charter students to partake in an 8 week internship abroad in London, England. The students would be working at Tryzens Group, an ecommerce solutions company. In this internship, the students were to use the classroom knowledge gained from their Lean Six Sigma course, and apply it to an unfamiliar process. This internship/project was the last step in receiving a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. Tryzens Group is an international company delivering ecommerce solutions. Their systems drive business performance and multichannel …
Research Exercise: Perceptions Of Meaning In Liturgical Music In Christian Church Communities Of Various Denominational Identities
Stander Symposium Projects
Music is a primary part of worship in most Christian churches around the world. Music, however, holds different meaning and serves a variety of purposes and functions within each Christian denomination. As a part of an independent study course focused on topics related to contemporary liturgical music repertoire, I chose to investigate how Ministers of Music in several different denominations of the Christian faith assigned meaning and purpose to music in the context of worship, and what particular styles they found to resonate most with their own congregations. In order to do this, I interviewed Ministers of Music from the …
Do You See What I See? Perceiving Distances From Another’S Perspective
Do You See What I See? Perceiving Distances From Another’S Perspective
Stander Symposium Projects
The ability to accurately perceive distances between the self and objects/targets underlies action-guidance and spatial navigation. While one can easily and accurately judge distances from his or her own perspective, it is largely unknown whether distance judgments from an imagined perspective are as accurate as from one’s own viewpoint. This study will investigate the accuracy of distance judgments made from another person’s viewpoint. To do so, participants will be asked to either adopt a confederate’s viewpoint or to imagine standing in a different location (without a confederate acting as a stand-in) and to estimate distance from these novel perspectives. As …
Research Exercise: Solving Crime Using Mathematics
Research Exercise: Solving Crime Using Mathematics
Stander Symposium Projects
Mathematics is used in almost every area of life. With the development of modern computers, mathematical modelling and numerical simulation is new synergy in scientific discovery. In this work nonlinear equations are solved in order to determine the time of death to solve a crime. The equations are solved with few methods and we compare the accuracy of methods.
Food And Beverage Trends In Sports And Entertainment
Food And Beverage Trends In Sports And Entertainment
Stander Symposium Projects
Food and beverage service is a significant revenue driver for sport and entertainment venues and recently, it has become a critical opportunity to add value and elevate consumer experiences, particularly in premium seating areas. Professional teams are signing contracts with food and beverage vendors for large guaranteed sums, like the 2012 contacts between the San Francisco 49ers and Centerplate where the 49ers receive 55% of concessions sales, a minimum of $6.8 million (San Francisco Business Times, 2012). Interviews were conducted with industry professionals to gain a better understanding of the current state of food and beverage service and trends for …
Executive Functioning Games At Home
Executive Functioning Games At Home
Stander Symposium Projects
The research problem we are studying is if classroom-based games used to boost children’s cognitive skills can be adapted to an at-home format. These games have been shown to boost the executive functioning skills (working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control) of young children when played in the classroom (Schmitt et al., 2014). This is important because executive functioning skills help children to adapt to an early learning environment and become ready to learn academic skills (Fuhs, Nesbitt, Farran, & Dong, 2014). Children growing up in poverty are more likely to struggle with executive functioning skills (Noble, Norman, & Farrah, …
Examining The Effects Of Self-Regulation On Self-Enhancement.
Examining The Effects Of Self-Regulation On Self-Enhancement.
Stander Symposium Projects
Self-regulation plays a critical role in self-presentation. The present research further examines the association between self-regulation and self-presentation by examining the role of self-regulation in self-enhancement. Research examining self-enhancement consistently finds it to be costly for self-presentation if done so in a blatant (as opposed to subtle) manner. Therefore, a common challenge faced regarding self-presentation is how to balance the desire to have and maintain a positive sense of self (i.e., self-enhance) while concurrently making a positive impression on others. Avoiding blatant self-enhancement, though, requires self-regulatory resources and depleting such resources should therefore influence the ability to fend off blatant …
Research Exercise: Animal-Assisted Intervention In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Critical Review
Stander Symposium Projects
Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) is a general term which includes the subcategories of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activity (AAA). AAI has been implemented for several centuries within both the medical and psychology fields, but there is not yet an evidence-based consensus for its use. This literature review critically examines current research on the efficacy of AAI as an intervention method for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Under Pressure? The Relationship Between Reciprocity, Intimacy, And Obligation In Self-Disclosure
Under Pressure? The Relationship Between Reciprocity, Intimacy, And Obligation In Self-Disclosure
Stander Symposium Projects
Studies of self-disclosure conducted in the lab report that individuals report greater liking for those who disclose highly intimate information; whereas field studies report that individuals report greater liking for those who disclose information of lower intimacy. One possible explanation for such inconsistent findings is that laboratory studies typically create a scenario where the recipient of self-disclosed information is expected and obligated to reciprocate. Field studies, however, remove the obligation for the participant to reciprocate, thus creating an unbiased evaluation. Thus far, research has not directly compared the level of intimacy with whether the participant is obligated to respond or …
The Relationship Of Primary And Secondary Psychopathy To Different Types Of Empathetic Deficits
The Relationship Of Primary And Secondary Psychopathy To Different Types Of Empathetic Deficits
Stander Symposium Projects
The present study examines the relationship between the constructs of psychopathy and empathy in 180 undergraduate students. This study attempts to address discrepancies in previous research concerning these constructs by assessing a number of different types of empathy concurrently. Participants were asked to complete measures of psychopathy, implicit and explicit cognitive and affective empathy, social desirability, and anxiety. To measure affective implicit empathy, participants listened to a mock news broadcast that is empathy evoking. While listening to the broadcast, the participants wore a heart rate monitor to determine if the individual experienced an increase in heart rate in response to …
The State Of El Salvador: Human Rights And Violence In The Post-War Era
The State Of El Salvador: Human Rights And Violence In The Post-War Era
Stander Symposium Projects
During the Salvadoran Civil War (1979-1992), the government of El Salvador knowingly used forms of political violence such as disappearances and torture against the political opposition and other innocent civilians, including women and children. With the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992, El Salvador has since transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democracy. This project focuses on how the change in regime type influenced the level of repression and respect for human rights in El Salvador. The research analyzes two conflict resolution mechanisms, the Peace Accords and Truth Commission, and the implementation of democratic practices such as elections …
Clothing Type Versus Color: Understanding The Role Of Dress And Ovulation On Mate-Attraction Effectiveness And Mate-Guarding.
Stander Symposium Projects
The dual-mating hypothesis suggests that mating strategies adopted by women vary across the menstrual cycle. While women are usually attracted to men who exhibit strong potential as a provider, at peak fertility women are attracted to men who exhibit stronger genes. To attract genetically strong men at peak fertility, research shows that women will alter their behavior in ways that make them more attractive to members of the opposite sex. For example, women tend to wear red clothing and clothing that shows more skin at peak fertility in an effort to attract a mate. These mate-attraction strategies not only increase …
Retrofitting Retiring Coal Fired Power Plants To Burn Rubber Tire Scraps
Retrofitting Retiring Coal Fired Power Plants To Burn Rubber Tire Scraps
Stander Symposium Projects
New legislation passed by United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 requires fossil-fuel fired electric generation units to limit the amount of toxic emissions releases by combustion. Two most important measures, known as Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards, will effect roughly 1,100 coal-fired electric generation units. These facilities are forced to decide between investing in scrubbing technology to reduce their emission rates and retiring. The number of facilities retiring is unknown but many predictions expect severe electric generation capacity reductions in regions that rely heavily on coal-fired generation. The amount of planned electric capacity …
Research Exercise: Closed Loop Container Glass Recycling In The State Of Ohio
Research Exercise: Closed Loop Container Glass Recycling In The State Of Ohio
Stander Symposium Projects
Glass recycling is one of the fastest growing recycled materials in the country; however, there is a lot that comes into play in order to determine the efficiency of glass recycling. The state of Ohio is in a unique situation due to the fact that it is in close proximity to a large amount of glass production facilities, both in state and nearby out of state. This allows glass recycling facilities to achieve a high rate of production, as well as keep a relatively high efficiency rate due to low transportation cost. That being said, there is still much that …
Research Exercise: Ethos - Appropriate Solar Technology For Bihar, India
Research Exercise: Ethos - Appropriate Solar Technology For Bihar, India
Stander Symposium Projects
An investigation of the potential for appropriate solar technology in Bihar, India, including solar thermal refrigeration systems. The feasibility of solar PV cells within a micro grid system was studied for applications to existing refrigerators. This is pre-work for an upcoming ETHOS immersion in Bihar, India.
Are Young Children’S Music Preferences Associated With The Singer’S Race?
Are Young Children’S Music Preferences Associated With The Singer’S Race?
Stander Symposium Projects
Few studies have examined Racial/Ethnic (R/E) Identity in early childhood. The current study utilizes a novel approach to measuring this construct and, further, investigates whether R/E Identity is related to cross-race acceptance. African American and White kindergarten children were asked to rate the quality of 4 female and 4 male singers, each of whom is depicted on a video clip. Among the 8 video clips are 2 pairs of female singers and 2 pairs of male singers. Within each pair of same-sex singers, one is Black and the other is White. The same sound track is used for each pair. …
An Examination Of The Relationship Between Perceived Social Support And Medication Adherence In Uninsured Patients With Hypertension
Stander Symposium Projects
Hypertension is a relatively common chronic condition that affects approximately one in three Americans. Successful management and treatment often requires individuals to take antihypertensive medications regularly. However, non-adherence to varying levels and for different reasons is rather common. Untreated hypertension can lead to serious health consequences including heart attacks, heart disease, and kidney damage. Additionally, individuals without health insurance are more likely to have uncontrolled levels of high blood pressure than those with health insurance. It was predicted that increased perceptions of social support would be correlated with higher levels of antihypertensive medication adherence. 79 uninsured individuals with at least …
Risk And Resilience: A Prospective Analysis Of The Complex Effects Of Internalizing Problems On Alcohol Use In Adolescence
Stander Symposium Projects
Previous research suggests that there exist both risk and protective mechanisms for the relationship between internalizing problems and alcohol use outcomes. The present study aims to determine whether deviant peer affiliations and risk aversion are two protective mediating mechanisms of this relationship. A risk mechanism of high negative emotionality, consistent with the tension reduction hypothesis, will also be investigated. For exploratory purposes, the mediators will be tested on three separate alcohol use outcomes: frequency of use, frequency of heavy use, and problematic use. Data from age cohorts 9, 12, and 15 (N=2,339) of the Project on Human Development in Chicago …
Postsecondary Transition For Young Adults With Traumatic Brain Injuries
Postsecondary Transition For Young Adults With Traumatic Brain Injuries
Stander Symposium Projects
Many students with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) face difficulty transitioning from high school to postsecondary settings. This presentation will share results of a study that examined the transition experience of young adults with TBIs, from the perspective of the students and their parents. Participants will learn about the transition experiences of students who sustained TBIs and discuss services that can be provided to high school students with TBIs to promote a successful transition to a postsecondary setting.
Muscle Activity With The Use Of A Compact Elliptical Trainer
Muscle Activity With The Use Of A Compact Elliptical Trainer
Stander Symposium Projects
Neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis are a leading cause of long-term disability. As a result, individuals with neurological disorders often have low activity levels and have difficulty participating in regular exercise to maintain health and fitness. Some of these barriers include safety, transportation and cost. As a result, finding a safe and effective means of exercise is difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an affordable home exercise device for promoting muscle activity in the lower extremities. Ten individuals without neurological disorders were tested in this pilot investigation. Subjects used …
Sector Allocation And Stock Selection For The Flyer Fund: A Study In Propagation And Attribution Analysis For The Year 2014: Part 2
Stander Symposium Projects
This Research Project extends the work of Eric Flanigan on Stock Selection and Attribution Analysis for the UD Flyer Fund. Flanigan used Bloomberg’s Propagation Analysis model to generate alternate stock selections for the Flyer Fund based on certain assumptions about the US macroeconomy. He assumed that oil prices would fall, interest rates would fall, and market volatility would fall with the continued steady growth for the US Economy. I build on his research by rebalancing his alternate portfolios of stocks at the end of each quarter. I also extended the analysis to include the first two months of 2015, which …
Characterization And Application Of Bubbles During Thermal Blooming In A Thermal Medium
Characterization And Application Of Bubbles During Thermal Blooming In A Thermal Medium
Stander Symposium Projects
When a highly absorbing thermal medium is heated with a focused laser pump beam, diffraction ring patterns can be observed due to self-phase modulation. When the laser power increases, the usual self-phase modulation diffraction patterns change due to bubble formation inside the thermal lens created by the focused beam. This phenomenon is called thermal blooming and can be considered as the next step to self-phase modulation. A stable bubble is formed using a focused laser beam, and the bubble is characterized using holograms made with a probe beam. A 532 nm Argon-Ion laser is used as the pump and a …