Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing Local Food Inequity: A Youth Participatory Action Research Project In The Alternative High School In Waterville, Maine, Aanavi Patodia

Honors Theses

Food security is a global issue. As food insecurity increases, it is continually important to find solutions. Food insecurity in the United States in children is visible is partially addressed via school programs, like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). This project explores food inequity in the Alternative High School in Waterville, Maine, which participates in the NSLP and SBP to reduce food insecurity. This project used a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) process to explore school meals and, to a larger extent, food equity from the Alternative High School students’ perspectives as co-researchers. Through …

Something Punny To Precede The Colon: Marking Whiteness And Exploring Blackness In Standup Comedy, Andrew Destaebler

Honors Theses

The general goal of this project is to investigate strategies and approaches used by comedians who rely heavily on racial humor in their acts. To do so, I consider the work of Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and Dave Chappelle, all African American male comedians. The first chapter focuses on a strategy employed by all three of these comedians called “marking whiteness.” Greta Fowler Snyder coined this term in her essay, “‘Marking Whiteness’ For Cross-Racial Solidarity” (2015), and uses it to describe strategies that force the “hyper-visibility” of whiteness. This happens through the portrayal of “average” white behavior, with the understanding …

African Savannah Elephant Group Size And Behavior In The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, Katherine S. King

Honors Theses

African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), the largest elephant species, influence the structure of the environment they inhabit. Elephants exhibit complex patterns of social behavior between individuals within a population. Many behavioral studies focus on interactions among individuals within a population rather than broader trends related to group size. My study seeks to understand how male African savannah elephant group size is influenced by seasonality, age, physical condition and distance to permanent water resources. I examined the interaction of these variables in two ways: (1) a literature review of elephant behavior and conservation, and (2) an analysis of male …

Generation And Reactions Of Cyclopropyl Vinylidene Carbenes, Nguyen Nhat Thu Le

Honors Theses

This study aimed to generate cyclopropyl methyl vinylidene carbene and cyclopropyl phenyl vinylidene carbene via photochemical routes. The precursors to these two carbenes were synthesized from phenanthrene by a two-step procedure. However, these precursors could not be fully purified because the second step generated many side products with similar properties as the precursors. A crude sample of each precursor were photolyzed with UV light in the range of 315 to 400 nm. Vinylidene carbenes are known to rapidly rearrange into alkynes, so the formation of these cyclopropyl vinylidene carbenes was monitored through the formation of their rearrangement products, cyclopropyl methyl …

Developing A Predictive And Dynamic Moose-Vehicle Collisions Model In Maine, Yue Yu

Honors Theses

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a major form of human-wildlife conflict. Predictive animal-vehicle collision models have been developed to identify collision hotspots in Maine and guide mitigation strategies. However, most current models are static and unable to produce dynamic forecasts that incorporate changing climate and weather. The goal of my study was to develop a predictive and dynamic model of animal-vehicle collisions in Maine, USA. More than 6,700 moose-vehicle collisions (MVC) occurred from 2003 to 2017 in Maine, raising road safety, socio-economic, and wildlife conservation concerns. I sought to identify factors that contribute to a higher probability of MVCs by comparing two …

Beyond The Gates: Admissions In An Elite Schooling Context, Jamie Pine

Honors Theses

This project explores the ways in which the admissions process functions at an elite school in Santiago, Chile, The Croft School. The project focuses on the ways in which admissions procedures contribute to the reproduction of social classes, by only allowing the wealthy elite to have access to a prestigious education. In order to understand these structures of power, interviews were conducted with administrators and parents at the Croft School. These methods were used to analyze the administrators’ view of the school community, their role within the larger Santiago community, and how an exclusive admissions process contributes to socioeconomic divides …

Intervention And Self-Efficacy In Computing, Liane Solomon

Honors Theses

While STEM fields have been traditionally male dominated, the last few years have seen a greater push to recruit more females into these majors. While this unbalance has been partially corrected, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics still seem to favor male participants. A relatively new approach to female recruitment is the use of STEM intervention practices to raise self-efficacy and counteract stereotype threat. This technique has successfully positively influenced attitudes of both male and female students as well as the teaching attitudes of early education teachers. The Bulldog Bytes camp serves as an intervention practice for raising the computer literacy …

The Read Scare: Reading Stereotype Threat In College Aged Males, Rachel A. Booth

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Study On The Effects Of Akkermensia Muciniphilia On Akt Phosphorylation In Diabetic Pig Models, Brian Ko

Honors Theses

The onset of type 2 diabetes has been shown to affect the Akt signaling pathway, responsible for modulating cellular metabolism. The pro biotic Akkermensia muciniphilia has been recently shown to have an anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic effect on animals inoculated with it, particularly within the Akt signaling pathway. This preliminary study utilized a twofactor experimental design with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and the presence of Akkermensia muciniphila in pig models in order to elucidate the probiotic's mechanism of action on the disease. Following analysis of insulin-sensitive tissues of muscle, pancreas, and liver, there was observed a mixed response to the presence of the probiotic …

A Critique Of Environmental Rhetoric Used During World Environment Day, William Calderon

Honors Theses

Fixing environmental problems is one of the fastest-growing priorities for young generations. College degrees such as chemistry and environmental engineering contain courses where students can learn how to tackle a variety of problems, from pollution to energy efficiency. Unfortunately, fixing large problems like global warming or plastics pollution will require the help of millions of people, not just those with technical skills. For this reason, environmental remediation is increasingly becoming not just a technical problem, but a communicative and rhetorical problem as well. Social media in particular is crucial in spreading awareness and garnering support for environmental movements. This paper …

Free French "Gentlemen Of Couleur” : Reconsidering Race, Ethnicity, And Migration In Philadelphia's Catering Industry, 1870-1930, Elena G. Palazzolo

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the story of Philadelphia’s elite French West Indian catering families. It takes into consideration multiple perspectives to supplement scholarship that focuses on the families solely as West Indian refugees, Creole elites, or exceptional caterers. The history of the Augustin, Baptiste, and Dutrieuille families nuances previous works on West Indian immigrants, racial hierarchies, and foodways in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Philadelphia and builds on scholarship about people of mixed racial origins in the Atlantic world. I contend that these families carefully navigated their liminal position in segregated Philadelphia as mixed-race French Creoles to the effect that they …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy As Treatment For Child Physical Abuse : Relation To Internalizing Symptoms, Emily Kaminsky

Honors Theses

This paper explores the effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in reducing child internalizing symptoms in physically abused children as compared to the standard community group treatment. The data for this study was taken from a randomized control trial by Chaffinet al. (2004), which found that PCIT significantly reduced re-reports of physical abuse. The participants were 110 parent-child dyads referred by child welfare due to a recent report of child physical abuse. Both PCIT and the standard community group showed significant reductions in child internalizing symptoms over time, however there was no interaction effect between treatment group and time. Additionally, …

Revealing The Role Of Short Chain And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids As Regulators Of Metabolic Activity And Gene Expression In Ovarian Cancer, Abigayle Ochs

Honors Theses

Abstract

Previous research using the chicken model has provided evidence that a flaxseed-supplemented diet decreases both the severity and the incidence of ovarian cancer. Flaxseed is a source of omega-3 (OM3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly α-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is converted into longer chain OM3s, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which inhibit prostaglandins, thereby inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, angiogenesis, and proliferation. The dietary fiber component of flaxseed can be fermented in the gut to produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Butyric acid, a commonly studied SCFA, has been shown be an important metabolic regulator by acting as …

Gentry's Mississippi: The Southern Gothic In Bobbie Gentry's Ode To Billie Joe, Gentry Burkes

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Neuroscience And You: A Look Into Societal Interaction With Neuroscience Both Internally And Online, Ciarra Smith

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Start Where You Are: How American Youth Are Finding Fulfillment Through Nontraditional Forms Of Political Involvement, Johnathan Alfonzo Coleman

Honors Theses

Young people involvement in the political system has long been viewed through the negative lens of claims that the younger generation is not participating enough. Political scientists, strategists, and older citizens assert that the youth is uninvolved and uninterested. In this thesis, I sought to examine how, in 2019, young people are viewing their involvement within the political system. This was done in an effort to claim that young people are participating, but not through the traditional processes. My hypothesis is that young people are finding more fulfillment in participating in nontraditional modes of political involvement, the reasoning behind the …

The Effects Of Health Literacy On Treatment Adherence And Health Optimism In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, Heather Gardiner

Honors Theses

Health literacy is a very critical aspect of a patient's recovery, and low levels of it have been correlated to a large range of negative health outcomes. Health literacy's effects on treatment adherence and health optimism was examined in a sample of 32 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients who were recruited from a transplant center in the southeastern section of the United States. Participants had a mean age of 47.55, with 45.2% (n=14) of the participants being female and 54.8% (n=17) being Caucasian.The participants completed a survey, which incorporated the tools of Health Literacy Questionnaire, Life Orientation Tool, and the …

Leadership And Intergroup Relations : Which Leader Is More Favorable Or More Effective While Leading Distinct Subgroups?, Jieyi Ding

Honors Theses

While leading distinct subgroups nowadays, leaders need to address intergroup bias and establish beneficial intergroup relations. They could do so by promoting a collective identity that emphasizes commonality between subgroups or an intergroup relational identity that recognizes distinct characteristics of both subgroups and focuses on their dependency on each other as part of the identity. The research investigated the influence of leader's rhetoric and race interacting with moderators like identity distinctiveness threat on leader evaluation and intergroup bias. The results showed a complicated relationship between how much a leader was liked and how effective a leader could be.

"It's Part Of My Responsibility To Help" : Developing A Measure Of Motivations For Extrinsic Emotion Regulation, Sara Cloonan

Honors Theses

Previous research in the field of emotion regulation has largely focused on the ways in which we regulate our own emotions, but not as much work has been done to examine the processes by which we regulate the emotions of others. The current research aims to develop a measure of motivations for engaging in extrinsic emotion regulation (EER), with a focus on why we attempt to down-regulate negative emotional experiences of those around us. Study 1 used narrative responses to formulate and validate a qualitative coding schema for categorizing motives for engaging in EER. The wide variety of EER motivations …

Using 3-Dimensional Ffts To Simulate Cmb Maps On A Spherical Cap, Eric Goetz

Honors Theses

The current methods of simulating the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) involve either simulating the entire sky using spherical transforms or simulating a at patch with fast Fourier transforms (FFTs). For patches that are too large to be considered at but much less than the full sky, the former method is inecient and the latter is inaccurate. One alternative method of CMB simulation is to simulate the random processes behind the CMB in a 3-dimensional box that contains the part of the sphere that we want to measure. Then, we can select the points we want from the box. This method …

Polychromatic Map-Making With Asymmetric Antenna Patterns, Connor Mooney

Honors Theses

Imaging telescopes with asymmetric antenna patterns that vary with wavelength can create time-ordered data that may be processed into multiple images corresponding to different bands of wavelengths from just a single set of scans. The imaging telescope named QUBIC has this property and is the inspiration behind this project. Our goal is to quantify, both statistically and analytically, the ability of these telescopes to perform such a reconstruction given different cases. In the case that the telescope is observing the full sky, we reconstruct our maps via a spherical harmonic basis. In this way, the reconstructed images are described as …

The Downfall Of Chivalry: Tudor Disregard For Medieval Courtly Literature, Jessica G. Downie

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I have examined the notion of the gradual demise of chivalric ideals throughout the late-Middle Ages and culminating in the sixteenth century, analyzing how and why the developments of the sixteenth century both enabled and required the English monarchy and the aristocracy to redefine social identities and values, public responsibilities, political duties, and national and religious power. This thesis addresses why the Tudor monarchs appear to have disregarded the examples of chivalric behavior championed by late-medieval writers like Sir Thomas Malory and Jean Froissart, and instead, relied on new works of literature that were more relevant forms …

Placing The Stateless Refugee: A Philosophy Of Statelessness, Nationality, And Rights, Ruby J. Gould

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I many related questions regarding the fluctuating relationships between national communities and outsiders, specifically in the case of refugees and stateless peoples. After discussing the meanings of these terms, such as the definition and identities of the refugee and the nation-state, I delve into a philosophical examination of individual rights, particularly rights that are defended by nation-states, and the relationships between national communities and those existing outside of those communities whose lives may depend on their acceptance into a nation-state. I philosophically outline the likely experiences of refugees as they are faced with statelessness, including what forces …

Who Runs The World: The Impact Of The Gender Of Clerks On The Legal Profession, Taylor Bernstein

Honors Theses

This paper investigates the role of gender on law clerks from the federal appellate clerks. There has been significant scholarship on the importance of the gender of judges and on the role and influence of law clerks; however, to this date there has been no analysis of how the gender of law clerks may or may not influence the clerkship experience. This honors thesis seeks to address that question and shed light on important aspects of the federal judiciary and the legal profession. I have approached this inquiry through descriptive and qualitative analysis, focusing on law clerks from this millennium. …

Examining The Effects Of Fadrozole, An Aromatase Inhibitor, On Testosterone And Estrogen Production Of Domestic Chicken Embryos (Gallus Gallus), Abby E. Joseph

Honors Theses

The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is responsible for the production of the hormones testosterone and estradiol, and testosterone is thought to contribute to regulation of the axis through a negative feedback mechanism. Regulation by negative feedback involves the product of a pathway turning off that pathway when enough product is made. However, because the enzyme P450 aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol, estradiol may also contribute to regulation of the HPG axis and other phenomena that have been attributed to testosterone, like the inhibition of immune function. Previous studies have injected birds with an aromatase inhibitor (presumably reducing estradiol production) and shown …

A Comparative Analysis Of Counterhegemonic Environmental-Economic Projects In Latin America And The United States, Dominic Scicchitano

Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of counterhegemonic environmental-economic projects in the United States and in Latin America. The work builds on research that I conducted throughout my time at Bucknell University concerning a site known as Better Farm, which distinguishes itself as “a 65-acre sustainability campus, artists' colony, animal sanctuary, and organic farm” located in Redwood, New York (www.betterfarm.org). Better Farm functions as a locus for the surrounding community of roughly 700 residents, connecting a variety of persons interested in both formal sustainability education and informal systems whereby community members support each …

Contextualizing Sexual Assault Data Collection On College Campuses: A Socio-Technical Approach, Anushikha Sharma

Honors Theses

Sexual assault is a rampant issue on college campuses in the United States. Colleges and universities use a variety of survey instruments to collect data regarding sexual assault as a means to improve campus culture, policies, and resources. These instruments contain a wealth of associated information in the form of metadata, that is, data about data.

This project takes a human-centered socio-technical approach to understanding the data collection processes associated with sexual assault, specifically, on the campus of Bucknell University. By identifying the underlying metadata within the data collection processes, this research contextualizes and critiques the process of data collection, …

Exhibiting Class: Art Exhibition And The New Chinese Middle Class, Ziwei Chen

Honors Theses

Kanzhan, translated at “going to exhibitions,” has emerged as one of the most popular leisure activities in urban China. Contemporary art exhibitions cover a wide range of subjects, including world-renown artists, jewelry and fashion brands, and pop-up museums. More and more visitors are taking art exhibitions experience as a way to exhibit their personal taste, which reflect the rise of middle-class values such as individuality and self-development in China. This paper is an anthropological exploration of the relationship between visitors and art exhibits and what those art exhibitions tell about the new middle class in China.

My research is based …

A Cross-Cultural Examination Of Social Reproduction In Educational Systems, Annie E. Girton

Honors Theses

In the form of an extended literature review, this thesis looks at how middle-school aged, second language immigrant students are welcomed into public schools in both France and the United States through second language programs. The study details the history of language and educational policy surrounding the inclusion of immigrant, second-language students in both countries, and looks at how those have shaped the program frameworks that are actually in place to help these students today.

Analyzing The Impact Of Home Locales On Access To Tertiary Education; Trends In Students’ Access To Bucknell University, Emily Tevebaugh

Honors Theses

Access to postsecondary education has been found in previous studies to be correlated with socioeconomic status as well as with various other indicators, such as parents’ education levels and cultural expectations. However, addressing the impact of home locales and geographical proximity to colleges in addition to these individual characteristics is a crucial part of understanding college access. In this honors thesis, the following questions will be examined: how has access to college and the decision to matriculate changed in recent years? How does distance from colleges and differing characteristics of home locales influence acceptance to a university and the decision …