Digital Commons Network^™

The Adirondack Chronology, Carl George, Richard E. Tucker, J. Douglass Klein, Hallie E. Bond, Margie Amodeo

Publications

The Adirondack Chronology is intended to be a useful resource for researchers and others interested in the Adirondacks and Adirondack history.

Stable Water Isotopes Provide Insight Into The Spatial Variability Of As And U In Drinking Water Across The Northern Plains, Jacob Abbott

Honors Theses

Arsenic (As) and uranium (U) contamination in drinking water affects millions of individuals across the US. This issue is particularly acute across rural populations where many people obtain drinking water from unregulated private wells. One specific location greatly affected by high levels of As and U in both surface and groundwater is the Northern Plains of the USA. However, the environmental and anthropogenic factors responsible for the mobilization and heterogeneous distribution of As and U in the waters of this region remain poorly characterized. Groundwater recharge sources and the flow path of water supplying surface water can strongly influence the …

The Role Of Nutrition In Breast And Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy, Jillian Bove

Honors Theses

Nutrition is important to sustain life. It is extremely significant for patients who are actively being treated with chemotherapy. The focus of this research is to understand how nutrition affects cancer patients. This includes the intake of beverages on breast and colorectal cancer patients. Research suggests women breast cancer patients and men colorectal cancer patients can overcome or lessen side effects from cancer treatment with a focus on nutrition. These side effects are most apparent when cancer patients are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Unfortunately, there has been limited research on nutritional support for breast and colorectal cancer patients. Therefore this study …

Mapping Hemlock Stand Distribution And Structure In Otsego County, Ny To Develop Site-Specific Mitigation Of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Emma Drake

Honors Theses

The invasive hemlock woolly adelgid insect (Adelges tsugae, HWA) threatens eastern hemlock trees (Tsuga canadensis) throughout eastern North America and is an increasing threat in Otsego County, NY. Different management strategies can mitigate the spread and effect of HWA, but landowners need information on the distribution and characteristics of hemlock stands to inform their decision-making process. We used field sampling of stand structure combined with remotely sensed data to a) map eastern hemlock in Otsego County and b) model stand structural characteristics of these stands. This information will be used to develop and disseminate site-specific recommendations on mitigation options to …

Fast Matrix Multiplication And The Wedderburn-Artin Theorem, Zachary Dubinsky

Honors Theses

Researchers Cohn and Umans proposed a framework for fast matrix multiplication algorithms. Their approach is reliant on an application of the Wedderburn-Artin Theorem: a landmark classification result in modern algebra. We show experimental success for algebras whose components all have dimension 1. We advance the Cohn and Umans framework by developing new, extendable tools to couple with their design.

Optimizing An Assistive Brain Computer Interface That Uses Auditory Attention As Input, Leonardo M. Ferrisi

Honors Theses

Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) allow individuals to operate technology using (typically consciously controllable) aspects of their brain activity. Auditory BCIs utilize principles of Auditory Event Related Potentials or Auditory Evoked Potentials as a reproducible controllable features that individuals can use to operate a BCI. These Auditory BCIs in their most basic format can allow users to answer yes or no questions by listening to either one auditory stimuli or the other. Current accuracy in intended response detection for these kinds of BCIs can be as good as mean accuracy of 77 \%. BCI research tends to optimize the computer side …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Accent And Semantic Context On Listening Effort, Avanti Khare

Honors Theses

Nonnative accented speech is associated with increased listening effort for English-monolingual listeners, even if the speech signal is intelligible. Semantic context is a global characteristic of English phrases that quantifies the degree to which words communicate a cohesive idea. Previous research suggests that semantic context may be used as a helping factor during speech perception in adverse conditions. The current work examines the relationship between speaker accent and semantic context using global semantic anomalies. Participants performed a randomly prompted recall task during lists of varying semantic context levels recorded by native and nonnative-accented speakers. Results are discussed in terms of …

The Effects Of Robot Eye Gaze On Task Performance, Haley Rose Kresch

Honors Theses

Human-Robot interaction is continually becoming more and more integrated into everyday life. This study aimed to see how meaningful eye gaze from a robot with a 2D face affects human-robot interaction when completing an object identification task. An experiment was performed to see whether directional eye gaze from a robot influences the time is takes a human participant to identify the correct shape in the correct color zone based on a verbal instruction. This was measured by comparing the mean response times across three different gaze conditions. Another goal of the study was to see if using human-like eye gaze …

Autism, The Least Restrictive Environment, And Special Education Faculty Stress And Burnout, Carly Elisabeth Mattice

Honors Theses

The prevalence of autism has increased over recent decades. Today, education is the primary intervention for individuals with autism. The ability for students with autism to receive interventions in the classroom comes from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This thesis analyzes the education of students with autism through a critical analysis of the IDEA and the least restrictive environment (LRE) provision specifically. In this analysis, I found that several variables play a key role in the implementation of the LRE, including funding, state of residence, and locale of residence. To further understand the implementation of the LRE, I …

Asking For It: An Examination Of Victim Blaming Reasons And Correlates, Jillian S. Ramey

Honors Theses

Previous research has demonstrated the relationship between masculine honor and just world beliefs on victim blaming of sexual assault victims. However, little research has investigated the specific reasons for that blame, nor how these reasons differ for male versus female victims. As such, we sought to examine how participants with higher levels of masculine honor beliefs and just world beliefs would respond to a news story depicting a sexual assault of either a male or female victim. Based on prior research on rape myths, participants read the news story and described what they had read, followed by items assessing the …

The Effect Of Weight Gain On The Neuromechanics Of Locust Jumps (Schistocerca Americana), Christopher Ringer

Honors Theses

During the adult reproductive stage, female locusts (Schistocerca americana) experience multiple ovigerous cycles during which they undergo significant weight gain. The magnitude of their weight change is thought to negatively impact the kinematics of the locust jump during the gravid phase. We hypothesized that this decrease in performance would result in an evolutionary pressure for female locusts to develop an intrinsic means to detect increases in body mass and respond with a modulation in their movement. Based on this hypothesis, we predicted that the female locusts would display a consistent jump performance in response to weight change, facilitated by a …

Liebau Pumping In Embryonic Hearts: A Rim-Piv Study Of Liebau Impedance Pumping In An Embryonic Heart Model, Natalie Shearing

Honors Theses

This work describes the design and implementation of a fully functioning, optically accessible Liebau pump with a visualization of the flow that will be generated using refractive index matched particle image velocimetry (RIM-PIV). Liebau impedance pumping is a unique way of transporting fluid by simply compressing a flexible tube; no valves are needed. The compression mechanism used in this design is a cam and follower mechanism, chosen for its ability to controllably pinch the tube, driving the flow. In this work, RIM-PIV will be used to visualize the flow within the Liebau pump. To use this technique, the flexible tube …

Senatorial Partisanship Affects Racial Disparity In Federal Criminal Sentencing Outcomes: How The Federal Judicial Appointment Process Predicts Levels Of Racial Bias, Abigail Olivia Strauzer

Honors Theses

Despite the presence of sentencing guidelines, racial disparities in federal still exist. In this thesis, I hypothesize that the senators' partisanship and states ideologies affect racial disparities. This works through institutional factors and the context of the judges in how they decision make. In this study, I examine states through their senators and the ways in which senatorial courtesy influences the appointment of federal district court judges. The hypothesis looks into this influence and suggests that the more ideologically conservative a state is and its Senators are, the more likely there will be racial disparity in the federal district court …

No Fue La Fiesta De Todos: Unidad Y Género Bajo La Dictadura Argentina En La Fiesta De Todos (1979), Basta De Mujeres (1977) Y Pelota De Trapo (1948), Anna Zdunczyk

Honors Theses

The World Cup is the best stage for soccer. The Argentinian national soccer team is home to players who have shaped the sport of soccer such as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi . Additionally, the team is the most recent winner of the Cup at the end of 2022. Soccer, at this level, is not just a way of training and pride in Argentina, but is also highly relevant to political discourse. The first time Argentina won the Cup in 1978, the country was host to this global event, with all eyes on the country for the first time in …

Retrieval Practice And Context Reinstatement, Jason M. Ayala

Honors Theses

Retrieval practice is a powerful learning strategy, but the mechanism(s) behind it are not fully understood. One account of this "testing effect" (i.e., enhanced memory for information that was previously retrieved vs. restudied) is the episodic-context account (Karpicke et al., 2014). According to this theory, successful retrieval requires contextual reinstatement which updates the target memory representation to include features of the current test context along with features of the initial study context. The resulting composite trace provides varied features that are more likely to match those on the final test. However, the specific features necessary for reinstatement remain unclear. The …

Improving Human-Robot Interaction: Modifications Of A Social Robot On Dimensions Of Gender And Personality, Daniella Massa

Honors Theses

Previous research in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) has shown that social female robots typically evoke more cognitive and affective trust. Studies also show that extroverted robot personalities are associated with desirable social outcomes. In this experiment, I tested the extent to which a robot's gender (male vs. female) and personality (introverted vs. extroverted) impact the success of a given human-robot interaction. Specifically, I evaluated if the gender of a robot has an effect on the human preference for extroverted personalities. Prior to interacting with a robot, participants completed a baseline Negative Attitudes Towards Robots Scale [9]. Then, during the interaction, the …

"Association Between Previous Mental Health Disorders And Post- Covid-19 Conditions ", Mariyam Moqbil

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be challenging to many scientists and physicians due to its rapid spread and long lasting effects. The objective of this study is to determine whether high levels of psychological distress leads to increased risk of developing post-COVID-19 conditions (long COVID). A total of 55 participants from a small family practice in New York State were the sample for this study. Patient charts were reviewed to gather PHQ-9 scores and look for diagnoses of long COVID symptoms. The results did not reveal any significant relationship between mental health conditions and long COVID symptomatology.

Development Of An Affordable Hybrid Golf Shaft Using Sustainable Materials, Kenyon Pelletier

Honors Theses

As with many industries, technology is improving in the golf world, but sacrifices made to improve performance have resulted in polluting materials and manufacturing processes. These cutting-edge designs support the specifications and playing abilities of a small professional minority while exceeding the needs of much of the golf community. To minimize the emissions created through golf shaft manufacturing, it was hypothesized that the needs of the amateur player could still be satisfied through a less capable yet more sustainable material. Research on and eventual introduction of these materials into commercial golf shafts will significantly improve the sustainability of the sport. …

From 'Cookie-Pushers' To The Cold War: U.S. Foreign Service Professionalization And A New Foreign Policy, Michael Rosenbaum

Honors Theses

The professionalization of the U.S. Foreign Service was codified by the Rogers Act in 1924. This act was supposed to change the way the U.S. practiced diplomacy, turning what had been an agency full of avaricious politicos and hangers-on, the eponymous "pin-stripe boys" and "cookie-pushers." However, within this group were those swept up in the movement of civil service reform, and they convinced the United States to engage in the act of creating a professional Foreign Service and eventually in instituting the Marshall Plan. This was a swift and shocking reversal in U.S. policy. But the more the policy changed, …

Automatic Play-Testing Of Dungeons And Dragons Combat Encounters, Fiona Shyne

Honors Theses

Dungeons and Dragons is a game where a player, the Game Master / Game Manager (GM), creates content for a set of other players. It is challenging for GMs to predict the difficulty of potential combat encounters. To aid GMs in balancing combat, we create a simulation environment where virtual agents automatically play-test potential encounters and predict difficulty. We implement several agents to simulate human players that fall into two main categories: rule-based agents that follow a pre-made set of rules and general game-playing agents that explore many potential moves. In simple scenarios, rule-based agents win at a higher rate …

Characterization Of Stream Turbidity In The Catskills, New York: Insights Into Environmental Controls, Christine Marie Swanson

Honors Theses

Elevated turbidity poses a threat to water quality, which is especially problematic in unfiltered water supply systems such as New York City's (NYC). The Catskills Region of New York, which supplies NYC with the majority of its drinking water, is especially prone to chronically elevated turbidity due to the erosion of glacial till in Catskill streams. Here, we characterize turbidity and streamflow in the Catskills to understand the drivers of turbidity in this region. To accomplish this, we examined over a decade's worth of observed turbidity and streamflow data (2010-2022, n = 88,255) at 20 United States Geological Survey (USGS) …

Evolving Difficulty Targeted Bouldering Routes, Daniel Tyebkhan

Honors Theses

The challenge of utilizing artificial intelligence to generate indoor rock climbing routes with a specific grade is an interesting and unsolved problem due to its complexity and subjectivity. We use MAP-Elites, an evolutionary, quality-diversity algorithm, in conjunction with GradeNet [8] to produce a set of disjoint MoonBoard climbing routes that sufficiently challenge a climber without exceeding their physical and technical limitations. We evaluate these routes through visual a assessment survey by climbers as well as an in-person study in which climbers attempt to climb the generated routes. While our algorithm generally performs well in producing complete or near-complete archives of …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Family Stability On Intimate Relationships, Jacob Diiorio

Honors Theses

A large focus of research on the influences of the family on child adjustment has been on the relationship between the stability of the home environment while growing up and the psychological and emotional outcomes of children, adolescents, and adults. Overall, this research suggests that homes high in stability are more beneficial for children. The purpose of the present study is to expand on this body of research by examining the relationships between aspects of family stability while growing up and relationship satisfaction and intimacy in emerging adulthood. To accomplish this, 152 participants, aged 18 to 25 years, who endorsed …

Should Sex Education Be Taught In Schools? Sex Education Within The United States: Analyzing Social And Political Factors Of Sex Education Within The United States, Elena Gerrato

Honors Theses

Sex education has been a prominent topic among society since the 1800s, coinciding with the prevention and relevance of current social issues. As years have passed, sex education has continued to evolve through the prevailing social situations. However, within the 21st century, sex education started to lack improvement and inclusion of social topics and issues that are prevalent in today's society. This thesis analyzes the history behind sex education among the United States, and defines what it is that shapes sex education in today's society. With society ever changing, and social and political concepts becoming a more central topic in …

The Effect Of Religiosity, Partisanship, And Identity-Seeking Behavior On Political Engagement, Jackson Giammattei

Honors Theses

Is politics increasingly substituting for religion as a source of identity? As organized religion is on the decline in the United States and the "nones" (those who are Atheist, Agnostic, or claim no religion) continue to be some of the most politically active people in the country, it seems that there is a shift away from religion and towards politics. The present study explored this idea by testing the relationships among religiosity, identity-seeking behavior, and political engagement. I hypothesized that people seeking an identity would become more politically engaged after a partisan threat, especially if they were lower in religiosity. …

Liberty Through The Looking-Glass: Comparative Democratic Backsliding In Response To The French Revolution (1789-1806), Michael Rosenbaum

Honors Theses

In response to the French Revolution, sections of British and American political society mobilized to curtail the influence of French-inspired radicals and enforce their own power. Between 1789 and 1806, a process of democratic backsliding occurred simultaneously in Britain and America with remarkably similar characteristics. This is notable for the British and American cases, whose political systems famously ensured liberty and tranquility. Elements of both nations remained extremely hostile to the French Revolution beginning with March on Versailles and promoted legislation seeking to directly undermine political opposition. The antipathy towards the Revolution fractured British and American society into conservatives, moderates, …

Index To The Archives Of The Association For The Protection Of The Adirondacks, 1901-1984, Donna Burton

Finding Aids

The Archives of the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks include reports, letters, maps, conference proceedings and other records pertaining to every substantial issue which has confronted the Adirondack Park and the Forest Preserve since 1901, when this Association was formed.

For some 50 years after this Association was established, it maintained an office in New York City at 19 Rector Street. In its earliest decades, it also employed a full time executive secretary, who was extremely active in investigating, reporting and lobbying on a great variety of topics, under direction of the Trustees of the Association. In 1967 …

How To Unground Academic Philosophy, Rik Pulles

Ephemeris, the Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy

No abstract provided.

Kelly Adirondack Center Spring 2023 Newsletter, Margaret Amodeo

Publications

The Kelly Adirondack Center Spring 2023 newsletter shares information on the Adirondack Research Library Postcard Collection and new exhibit, Layers of Autumn.

The Falsity Of Ideology, Santiago Faviere Prado

Ephemeris, the Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy

No abstract provided.