Digital Commons Network^™

“Police Perceptions Amid The Black Lives Matter Movement”, Eadoin Grim

Honors Theses

In 2014, following the police-involved deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, researchers focused their attention on the existence of a “Ferguson Effect,” such that rising homicide rates could be attributed to a reduction in proactive policing due to concerns over heightened public scrutiny. While UCR data would eventually refute the existence of such an Effect, previous research has found that there does appear to be evidence of a perceptual belief in the Ferguson Effect among municipal officers. To date, very little research concerning officer perceptions or experiences has been conducted with campus police departments, creating a substantial gap in …

Density Dependent Growth Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens In The Presence And Absence Of C. Elegans Predation In Liquid Media, Jack Landmann

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the predator-prey relationship between C. elegans worms and P. fluorescens bacteria in liquid media. We were aiming to create a predation model of the relationship between these two species.

This study was performed through three experiments. Using 96-well plates, we were able to measure the change in optical density (OD) of these wells and calculate the growth rate. This growth rate was then graphed and analyzed. The first experiment contained P. fluorescens and KB liquid media, this study demonstrated that the bacterial population has a carrying capacity. We were also able to …

Hybridized Spirituality In Singaporean Christians, John Lim

Honors Theses

Background: The doctrine of the incarnation and the “scandal of particularity” are central to Christian theology – that the transcendent God became immanent within time and space. Likewise, the church, being the contemporary expression of God, incarnates within and reflects the culture around it. How this incarnation happens is not always clear or acknowledged.

Purpose: I conceptualize the process of incarnation as the hybridization of various streams of influence. I examined the lived experiences of hybridized spirituality among Singaporean Christians.

Method: I conducted semi-structured interviews with six Singaporean Christians from the same congregation in Singapore. I used thematic analysis, informed …

Accounting And Sustainability: Cost And Benefit, Emma Smith

Honors Theses

In today’s busy, complex, and technically advanced world, it is too easy to get caught up in day to day activities that distract from what needs to be accomplished and conserved. Therefore, there is a needed emphasis on sustainability in all industries, more specifically in the realm of accounting with respect to protecting the environment and citizens. Whether it be material, information, or human capital sustainability, appropriate practices are important and require attention (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board). This thesis will (a) document information regarding the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, (b) discuss sustainability practices businesses can take to benefit the environment …

Crisis And Catalonia: An Analysis On The Impact Of Crisis On The Public Opinion Of The Secessionist Movement In Catalonia, Rachel Ducker

Honors Theses

Catalonia, the autonomous region of Spain has seen an increase in secessionist sentiments in recent years. While the past inclination toward independence has been centered on economic autonomy and cultural identity, there has been a recent emphasis on political independence, particularly in the times of crisis. In this thesis. I analyze the relationship between the economic changes during the period of a crisis and the public opinion about the potential Catalan secession. Specifically, it investigates the relationships between the economic change and public sentiment during the financial crisis of 2008, the political crisis of 2017, and the pandemic crisis of …

Assessing Arthropod Responses To Volatile Organic Compounds From The Algal Microbiome Of A Sloth Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Lilli Gordon

Honors Theses

Sloths contain an unexplored ecosystem of microbial diversity in their fur, including algae, fungi, bacteria, and arthropods. These symbionts are able to communicate through the chemicals they release, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can lead to unique ecological interactions. The VOCs released from the algal polycultures of sloth hairs merit further investigation in their ability to cause a response from other organisms in this microbial community and within a broader ecological context. This research team aimed to assess the response of Drosophila melanogaster as test subjects when exposed to VOCs of the algal microbiome of a sloth. Exploratory research …

The Importance Of Leaders In The Time Of Covid-19, Lindsay Pett

Honors Theses

This capstone examines if leaders mattered during the time of COVID-19. I analyzed this by examining the effect of the stringency of leaders’ policies on total cases and deaths per million from COVID-19. This initial analysis found that a decrease in the stringency index was associated with increases in both cases and deaths. Next, I ran additional statistical analyses examining if leaders had an effect on COVID-19 outcomes independent of the economic situation, health infrastructure, and cultural norms of their respective countries. It was found that the stringency of leaders’ policies still had an effect on cases and deaths independent …

Factors In Disaster Response In Mexico, Central America, And The Caribbean, Ashleigh Daugherty

Honors Theses

This research examines the impacts that existing factors can have on the outcome of natural disasters. In order to study this question more thoroughly than previous research, this paper conducts a small n study on the Middle America region through case studies in Mexico, El Salvador, and Haiti. Each of these case studies are evaluated by their outcomes of severe earthquakes and the conditions in which these earthquakes occurred. These conditions being: their economies, governances, and pre-existing natural disaster plans. The analysis of these indicators attempts to understand why certain countries perform better in natural disasters compared to others. In …

Anti-Police Movement Survey, Julia Peisker

Honors Theses

Due to many highly publicized instances of excessive use of force by the police, namely those associated with George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, law enforcement agencies have recently come under much public watch and criticism. Although anti-police movements have existed since long ago, there has been a new wind of them since these events. This backlash and outrage that have come as a result from these instances of police excessive use of force have led to many changes within police departments across the country, which has likely had far-reaching effects on police officers. Through the use of an online, anonymous …

Velocity Electric Mobility Platform, Austin Gilbert

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to develop an IOT connected micro mobility platform to be used in electric personal transportation devices such as scooters and longboards. This initial platform will be used as a starting off point for Velocity Research to continue with future development.

The first main requirement of the design is that it must be able to control two independent three phase brushless DC motors using field oriented control. These motors must be controlled based on input from the user via a handheld remote control. The second main requirement is that the device must also send and …

Examining The Role Of Wnt Signaling In Vascular Calcification, Kaylee Bundy

Honors Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a worldwide epidemic. As the leading cause of death across the world, many researchers are working to better understand the causes and mechanisms resulting in the disease [1]. One of the predictors of and contributors to cardiovascular mortalities is vascular calcification, the buildup of hydroxyapatite deposits within the arterial wall. The mineral deposition can occur in either the intimal or medial layers of the arteries; the location depends upon the causative factors and can create different effects within the body [2]. Conditions conductive of calcification include but are not limited to hypercalcaemia, hyperphosphatemia, and mechanical stress …

The Politics Of Everyday Subversion: Crisis, Covid-19, And Coming-Of-Age In Córdoba, Argentina, Abby Flickinger

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to explore the impact of converging political, economic, and public health crises in Córdoba, Argentina in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on youth and practices of protest and resistance. Utilizing interviews, participant observations and ethnographic data in addition to economic and public health statistics, media coverage, and government statements I establish the basis and context for this triple crisis, as well as the tactics appropriated to criticize the government and expression disillusionment — protests and subversion. Despite modifications to public health concerns, the Argentine democratic tradition of protesting returned against government wishes, and …

Moving The Monument: The University Of Mississippi’S Decades-Long Journey To Relocate Its Confederate Monument, Hadley Hitson

Honors Theses

This thesis tells the story of how thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and other members of the university community banded together to relocate The University of Mississippi’s Confederate monument. The movement for relocation officially began in the spring of 2019 with the unanimous vote by the Associated Student Body Senate to move the monument to UM’s Confederate cemetery, but long before that, change happened at the university that paved the way.

This creative telling of recent history explains how national and local events — including pro-Confederate marches in Oxford and the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis — …

The Societal Impact Of Capital Punishment And Its Future Role In Modern Day America, Laurel Lee

Honors Theses

Capital punishment has been a well-established, although extremely controversial, practice throughout American history. It has been the subject of much criticism and debate both nationally and globally, dating back to ancient times. This study intends to research the historical, legal, and social changes of capital punishment in the United States that have occurred since the dawn of the practice in order to detect any trends, and if so, whether these trends allow a realistic prediction of the future of capital punishment. The chronology of capital punishment is first examined in this study in order to indicate that the controversy surrounding …

When Attraction Becomes Addiction: A Study In Video Games, Camille Garden

Honors Theses

Since their inception, video games have been accused of everything from encouraging violence to ruining the mental health of children, adolescents, and adults alike. The adverse effects of video games have been studied scientifically to prove their negative qualities. Yet, this criticism is not new or unique to video games. With the birth of every new media format, including but not limited to novels, magazines, and movies, there is some level of controversy surrounding the validity and inherent goodness of the given format. Video games are not the exception to this rule. This research questions the validity and truth behind …

Theory And Practice: Selecting And Implementing Effective Framing To Present Climate Science To A Lay Audience, Lauren Wilson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the advantages and effectiveness of using storytelling in the form of narrative journalism to communicate the topic of climate science to a lay audience. The thesis combines personal experience with secondary research in order to support the claim that framing the issue in such a manner effectively communicates the severity and impact of climate change.

Through my research I discovered that storytelling is not only a social tool for humans, but a means to safely and efficiently pass on vital information to those unfamiliar with certain knowledge. The use of narrative has …

The Portrayal Of Race And Gender In Revolutionary Cuban Cinema, Sarah Bartley

Honors Theses

Cinema has been one of the most useful tools to portray the political and social beliefs prevalent during a given point in history. Following the Cuban Revolution, once-marginalized communities were given far more opportunity to participate in education, in the workforce, and in society. Institutionalized racism and sexism were combatted as Fidel Castro’s major areas of focus after the Cuban Revolution’s 1959 victory. Class issues were improved as the wealth inequality that had defined pre-Revolutionary Cuba was minimized following the nationalizing of private property. Despite these improvements, however, there remained sentiments of dissatisfaction regarding social issues in Revolutionary Cuba, including …

Just Country: A Magazine Prototype And Business Plan, Clare Wojciechowski

Honors Theses

Through this thesis, I have aimed to understand how a print magazine can be successful in the digital age of 2021. In coming up with the concept of Just Country, I saw an area of popular interest that is not served well in the magazine industry. Through thorough research of magazines and country music, I have developed a business plan as well as a prototype for Just Country: The 21^st Century Country Music Magazine.

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Chhs Students, Macey Seal

Honors Theses

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students in various ways. Students around the world / in the U.S have been impacted in financial, emotional, mental, and physical ways as COVID-19 continues to change the way the world is navigated. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the feelings and vulnerabilities of students at the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) building during the 2020 Pandemic. In order to succeed in school, students need to feel financially stable, physically stable and mentally stable. While many students have struggled with this balance in the past, the effect of COVID-19 has …

Reconceptualizing Cannabis, Julia Peoples

Honors Theses

Inflammatory rhetoric and increasingly punitive drug policies dominated marijuana politics in the past. Today, as 36 have legalized cannabis in some form and 17 states have legalized recreational marijuana, the federal government continues to perpetuate policies of the past. The following analysis investigates rhetoric and policies that led to the War on Drugs as well as their outcomes, the dramatic shift in public opinion as states began to legalize marijuana, and the successes and failures of state cannabis programs to identify gaps within the MORE Act, the ideal policy, and politically viable incremental change. State programs are incapable of …

Tractorcade: Investigating The Relationship Between Group Theory And The American Agriculture Movement's Attempt At Policy Change, Hanna M. Metzler

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to investigate the relationship between The American Agriculture Movement (AAM) and group theory, with a focus on AAM’s usage of Tractorcade as a tool to promote policy change. Gathering data through a myriad of sources - including existing literature, oral histories, newspaper articles, documents, and journal entires - this thesis analyzes AAM’s Tractorcade demonstration as a social movement aimed at influencing policy change. Utilizing Charles Tilly’s worthiness, unity, numbers, and commitment (WUNC) social movement framework, we find that although AAM employed strong unity and numbers, they failed in displaying substantial worthiness or commitment, ultimately leading to a …

Associations Between The Chemical Constituents Of Fine Particulate Matter And Human Health Outcomes: A Literature Review, Lenora Davis

Honors Theses

Exposure to fine particulate matter, PM_2.5, a component of air pollution, has known systemic effects on the human body. Research on the specific chemical constituents of PM_2.5 that impact human health is fairly new, however. This literature review aims to draw connections between the chemical constituents of PM_2.5 and their implications on human health. We conducted an online search for scholarly articles using a number of key-terms, and created a system to filter the search results. We focused on 69 articles pertaining to PM_2.5 and its effects on different health systems. We found positive associations …

Do Autocratic Regimes Excel In Natural Disaster Relief? A Case Study Of Political Institutions And Covid-19 Exposure, Jane Kay

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has challenged what we know about the politics of public health. In this research study, I investigate the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural disaster and hypothesize if authoritarian governments are more adequate at disaster control and relief. I hypothesize that the more autocratic a government structure, the better they would be at handling COVID-19 exposure and outbreaks due to their centralized decision making, unified media, and their ability to make unpopular decisions without repercussions. In order to test this theory, I gather data from the Johns Hopkins database for three key dates in the pandemic …

Investigating The Economic Effects Of Food Affordability, Food Access, And Education On Obesity Rates In Mississippi Counties, Youssef Osman

Honors Theses

The growing rate of obesity across the United States is a topic of great concern considering both the health and financial costs associated with the disease. Many researchers have sought to determine the major causes of obesity so that policy suggestions can be made to reduce its occurrence. Some of the referenced drivers of obesity include high food costs, poor access to healthy food, and a lack of knowledge regarding nutrition. This thesis seeks to find the effects of county-level food prices, income, food access, and education level on obesity rates in Mississippi counties. The analysis uses cross-sectional data from …

The Impact Of Technology On The Developing Visual And/Or Auditory Memory In School-Aged Children, Cameron Mayer

Honors Theses

This study aimed to determine whether time spent on technology impacts the developing auditory or visual memory in school-aged children. A survey was completed with the child participants to acquire a catalog of time spent on both technological devices and non-technological activities. Tests included a visual and auditory memory assessment adapted from the Preschool Language Scales Fifth Edition (PLS-5). The results indicated that there was no significance between the time spent on technology and the visual and auditory memory scores. However, the researchers did find that the auditory mean scores were significantly different from the visual mean scores across the …

Modulation Of Apoptosis In Breast Cancer Cells Mda-Mb-157, 93a And 93b By Aqueous Extract Of Chinese Medical Herb Scutellaria Barbata, Nathaly Manrique

Honors Theses

Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata), a Chinese herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine has been known to contain anti-cancer properties. SB has been investigated as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including colon cancer, glioblastoma, and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157 and its APC-mutants 93A and 93B are more resistant to treatment due to genetic modifications. In this study, the effectiveness of S. barbata in apoptotic modulation of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157, 93A, and 93B was investigated. Assessments were performed using green/red/blue fluorescent Apoptosis/Necrosis Detection Kit and the Human Apoptosis Antibody Array - Membrane (43 Targets) …

Comparisons Of Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Methods By Microwave And Non-Microwave Using Hydrogen Gas As A Reducing Agent, Sofia Erech Hanapin

Honors Theses

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles are of current interest. This research project describes a simple and rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles upon reduction of Silver (I) oxide (Ag2O) by molecular hydrogen (H2) at elevated temperature (70 – 100 °C) and a pressure of > 1 atmosphere by heating the aqueous mixture using a common kitchen microwave. This reaction generates naked silver colloids that contain no foreign stabilizers other than metal particles in aqueous media. Its application of an antibacterial effect was monitored by using biological cultures using the Kirby-Bauer Test.

Fact-Checking Of Claims From The English Wikipedia Using Evidence In The Wild, Aalok Sathe

Honors Theses

Automated fact checking is a task in the domain of Natural Language Processing that deals with the verification of claims using evidence. Fact checking is becoming increasingly important as large amounts of human-generated information accumulate online. In the recent past, our society has witnessed large-scale spread of disinformation via the internet that has time and again led to noticeable disruptions in the fabric of society. Fact-checking would help mitigate the spread of disinformation by allowing large magnitudes of content to be automatically evaluated for disinformation. In this work, we construe and tackle multiple subtasks of fact checking using labeled data …

The Intersection Of Art History And Graphic Design, Caitlin Anessa Childers

Honors Theses

A study of Graphic Design provides an excellent opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary field, particularly when paired with a degree in Art History. Over the course of my time at Coastal I have had a challenging time trying to unite the two parts of my degree, as well as finding a project that best suits my style of design. Both parts have inspired the other, but only now has the project been entirely focused on uniting the two. In considering my capstone I decided to create an art museum exhibition for a graphic designer.

Meat, Masks, And Medicine: Covid-19'S Impact On Supply Chains, Autumn Robinson

Honors Theses

Over the past year, the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted every aspect of our lives. The entire world saw mass shortages and shutdowns all through 2020. While 2021 has seen an exponential increase in vaccine distribution, the new variants of COVID have been running rampant through the United Kingdom and the United States. How does all of this impact our supply chains across all industries? This thesis will explore the basic foundations of supply chain management and the year-long history of COVID-19. Additionally, this thesis will discuss the current scholarly opinions regarding COVID-19’s impact on supply chains for products such …