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Summit Disease: The Ecological Horror Of Empire, Nicholas Moore May 2025

Summit Disease: The Ecological Horror Of Empire, Nicholas Moore

Theses

This project focuses on the use of insect imagery in art and media and the theories and concepts that have been instrumental in understanding the cultural and political significance of insect species extinction and decline. I center my work on the concept of ecohorror and highlight several artists whose work depicts insect species and conveys anxieties over ecoprecarity and climate dysfunction. I argue that depictions of insects in art and media can be interpreted in two ways - insects as destructive, monstrous contaminants and insects as constructive, beneficial terraformers - and I rely on Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley …


From The Bleachers To The Browser: Redefining Fan Experience With Ar And Ai In Smaller Teams, Jennifer Lee Wunder May 2025

From The Bleachers To The Browser: Redefining Fan Experience With Ar And Ai In Smaller Teams, Jennifer Lee Wunder

Theses

This project documents the creation and deployment of HootyHoo, an interactive augmented reality (AR) mascot experience designed for the O’Fallon Hoots, a small-scale collegiate summer baseball team. Built using accessible, open-source tools such as WebXR, Mixamo, Meshy, Botpress, Claude and ChatGPT, this prototype merges AI-driven conversation with animated 3D avatar interaction—redefining how fans engage with sports organizations digitally. Unlike enterprise-level applications used by professional franchises, HootyHoo is entirely browser-based, eliminating the need for app downloads and ensuring maximum accessibility for families and new fans with smartphones. The experience centers on Hooty, the team mascot, who answers questions about baseball and …


The Transformative Impact Of User-Created Mods Within Fallout: New Vegas, Tanner Webb May 2025

The Transformative Impact Of User-Created Mods Within Fallout: New Vegas, Tanner Webb

Theses

Video game modding is one of the fastest growing trends in the gaming industry and it is changing how players interact with games. Review of current literature and research shows that these modders are an integral part of the gaming market. Using the principles of participatory culture and digital aesthetics, this research investigates how modding practices serve as both a form of creative expression and an inspiration for technological innovation within the video game industry. Video game modifications serve as catalysts for creative expression, foster the development of innovative user communities, prolong the life of game titles, cultivate a pool …


Pottery As A Socio-Economic Marker In Prehistoric Burials Along The Southern Coast Of South Korea, P. Codi Shoemaker May 2025

Pottery As A Socio-Economic Marker In Prehistoric Burials Along The Southern Coast Of South Korea, P. Codi Shoemaker

Theses

This thesis investigates the role of pottery as a socio-economic marker in prehistoric burials along the southern coast of South Korea, with a focus on the Late Jeulmun to Early/Mid-Mumun Pottery Periods. Through an interdisciplinary analysis of burial sites at Janghang (Gadeok-do), Sangchonri, and Yulha-ri, the study examines how ceramic design, placement, and associated grave goods reflect evolving social structures within early Korean communities. While pottery has long been examined through functional and chronological lenses, this research considers its symbolic and cultural value in funerary contexts. Findings suggest that pottery served not only utilitarian or ritual purposes, but increasingly signaled …


Mary Kay Reimagined, Allison Terveer May 2025

Mary Kay Reimagined, Allison Terveer

Theses

This project is taking the brand Mary Kay and turning it into a new brand that would be enticing to younger generations and become a staple in everyone and anyone’s routines. Mary Kay was a huge makeup brand in the 1990s and early 2000s, but the cosmetic industry has grown tremendously, and Mary Kay has fallen behind. They mostly target the older generations, the generations that were supporting them in the 1990s and 2000s. They need to expand their target range and get younger consumers to pay attention to them. With updated packaging, new marketing and a new way to …


20th Century Graphic Design Development: Bridging Theory, History, And Practice Through Russian Constructivism, Oscar A. Gonzalez Jr. May 2025

20th Century Graphic Design Development: Bridging Theory, History, And Practice Through Russian Constructivism, Oscar A. Gonzalez Jr.

Theses

This project centers on examining Russian Constructivism as a design movement and its influence on contemporary graphic design practices. It focuses on bridging historical theory and visual style with modern studio work, particularly through the creation of LGBTQ+ advocacy posters inspired by Constructivist aesthetics. The aim is to analyze the formal visual elements of Russian Constructivism while producing original designs that engage with current issues of identity and inclusion. Additionally, the project explores how the integration of analog and digital techniques can elevate visual messaging and creative expression.


Framing Queenship: Gender, Power, And Political Representation In Holbein’S Portraits Of Jane Seymour And Anne Of Cleves, Kateryna Chernenko May 2025

Framing Queenship: Gender, Power, And Political Representation In Holbein’S Portraits Of Jane Seymour And Anne Of Cleves, Kateryna Chernenko

Theses

This paper explores the intricate relationship between queenship, gender, and political representation as depicted in Hans Holbein’s portraits of Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves, two wives of Henry VIII. By analyzing these works within the framework of Tudor England's gender dynamics, we can better understand how Holbein’s portraits transcend mere artistic expression to serve as critical commentaries on the roles of women in a predominantly patriarchal society. Recent scholarly trends emphasize the significance of gender in the interpretation of historical art, revealing how these portraits reflect, challenge, and reinforce the societal constructs of their time. This study focuses on …


Countering The Traditional Feminine: The Abject In The Works Of Johanna Hamann, María Evelia Marmolejo, And Regina José Galindo, Sierra Myers May 2025

Countering The Traditional Feminine: The Abject In The Works Of Johanna Hamann, María Evelia Marmolejo, And Regina José Galindo, Sierra Myers

Theses

This thesis explores the ways in which Contemporary Latin American feminist artists have been able to subvert the Western constructed ideas of gender that work to locate the feminine Other as subordinate and inferior. Focusing on the installations and performances by Johanna Hamann, María Evelia Marmolejo, and Regina José Galindo, there is an emphasis on the role of the abject which is used to defamiliarize our established concepts of the traditional feminine in order to allow space for a redefinition and portrayal that excludes a detrimental modern semiology rooted in a zero point epistemology. By analyzing these artists' works in …


Beatrice Wanjiku: A Portrait Of Human Vulnerability, Suzanne R. Vuoncino May 2025

Beatrice Wanjiku: A Portrait Of Human Vulnerability, Suzanne R. Vuoncino

Theses

Abstract artist Beatrice Wanjiku uses an anatomical composition to illustrate a sense of vulnerability, an element of human identity, in relation to one’s social environment. Going beyond the skin, Untitled excavates the mental and emotional aspects of the human condition and gives expression to experience. By observing her figural composition, examining the foundation of identity theory, and interpreting her use of abstraction, I will describe how Untitled speaks to a message of connectivity through a portrait of human vulnerability. This thesis argues that one’s environment affects the individual and exemplifies how vulnerability is seen as a pervasive aspect of human …


The Queen Of Heaven: Evelyn De Morgan's Transcendence Of The Soul, Sarah Victoria Eller May 2025

The Queen Of Heaven: Evelyn De Morgan's Transcendence Of The Soul, Sarah Victoria Eller

Theses

This thesis examines the religious iconography in three key paintings by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Evelyn De Morgan, The Angel of Death, The Undiscovered Country, and Lux in Tenebris, and explores how they draw on Early Italian Renaissance visual traditions to depict themes of death and the soul’s transcendence. Recent scholarship has assessed De Morgan’s oeuvre through the feminist lens and emphasized her engagement with Spiritualism and the nineteenth-century revival of Swedenborgian philosophy. The Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli has also been recognized as an influential reference for De Morgan, particularly in her mythologically themed works. This study expands on that scope …


Nextgen Humanities: A Digital Art History Pedagogical Revolution, Analisa Soverns-Reed May 2025

Nextgen Humanities: A Digital Art History Pedagogical Revolution, Analisa Soverns-Reed

Theses

In response to the urgent need for more accessible, inclusive, and technologically relevant humanities education, the NextGen Humanities project was conceived as a digital initiative to reimagine pedagogical practices within art history and the broader humanities. Traditional perceptions of humanities disciplines as elite and static have contributed to declining engagement, necessitating innovative solutions that integrate open-access resources, digital tools, and inclusive frameworks. This project developed a publicly accessible platform curating free, vetted resources grounded in artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and open educational resources (OER), emphasizing critical engagement, cultural inclusivity, and technological adaptability. Methodologically, NextGen Humanities combined extensive literature …


Trembling At The Threshold: Zurbarán's Saints And The Crisis Of Masculine Virtue, Andrew T. Epsilantis May 2025

Trembling At The Threshold: Zurbarán's Saints And The Crisis Of Masculine Virtue, Andrew T. Epsilantis

Theses

No abstract provided.


Embodied Intimacy And Social Justice: Patricia Cronin's Memorial To A Marriage, Alex Anne Mattioli May 2025

Embodied Intimacy And Social Justice: Patricia Cronin's Memorial To A Marriage, Alex Anne Mattioli

Theses

This paper examines Patricia Cronin’s Memorial to a Marriage (2002) as a pivotal work within her artistic catalogue, one that engages deeply with themes of intimacy, identity, and social justice. Created at a time when same-sex marriage was illegal in the United States, Memorial to a Marriage represents Cronin and her partner, feminist artist, Deborah Kass, in a Classical funerary sculpture, reclaiming the tradition of public monuments to center an LGBTQIA+ experience from memory. Through a critical analysis of Memorial to a Marriage within Cronin’s broader artistic practice, this study explores how the sculpture challenges the conventions of public art …


Presence Through Absence: The Ark Of The Covenant And The Aniconic Image Of God In Early Israelite Religious Art, Natalie Rivas May 2025

Presence Through Absence: The Ark Of The Covenant And The Aniconic Image Of God In Early Israelite Religious Art, Natalie Rivas

Theses

This thesis investigates the Ark of the Covenant as a paradoxical visual and theological artifact within early Israelite religious art. While the Israelite tradition has long been characterized as aniconic (eschewing anthropomorphic representations of the divine) the Ark occupied a central role in ritual, worship, and religious identity. Prior scholarship has focused either on the Ark’s narrative function in biblical texts or its formal attributes as a cultic object. However, limited attention has been given to how the Ark embodies divine presence through the visual strategy of absence. This study argues that the Ark does not merely avoid figural representation …


Cultural Constraints Of Mental Illness Among Black Males, Sabrina R. Hinton-Campbell May 2025

Cultural Constraints Of Mental Illness Among Black Males, Sabrina R. Hinton-Campbell

Theses

This research explores historical trauma, systemic racism, inequity of mental health care, and lack of access to culturally and responsive mental healthcare for the Black community, particularly Black males, therefore creating a legitimate distrust of the medical profession among Black males, which inspired this project: Cultural Constraints of Mental Illness Among Black Males. For this project, the researcher visually and explicitly depicts the literal mental health struggles using oil pastels with intentional directional strokes applied by using the sides of her fingers to blend the colors and for control and a blow dryer to bring the oils to the surface …


Unveiling: The Exploration Of The Self And Ego Dissolution, Joseph Gonzales May 2025

Unveiling: The Exploration Of The Self And Ego Dissolution, Joseph Gonzales

Theses

This project explores self and ego dissolution through painting, engaging with Buddhist notions of no-self (Anatta), Christian Mystical union, and Jungian psychology to challenge the idea of a fixed identity. Through portraiture and figurative representation, the work visually explores impermanence and the tension between the individual and the collective consciousness, utilizing transparency, multiplicity, and symbolism. This research is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, synthesizing visual art, philosophy, and psychology. By integrating Eastern and Western philosophies, this work expands the discourse on identity in contemporary art, contributing to broader conversations on the self and the ego within wisdom traditions and psychology. …


Gender Knobs, Jordan Faye Bardgett May 2025

Gender Knobs, Jordan Faye Bardgett

Theses

Gender Knobs is a performance art piece that tells the histories of both the technology surrounding pitch shifting devices like the vocoder as well as well as the personal history of the voice of the performer, Jordan, regarding their queer identity as non-binary trans woman. The performance is a combination of lecture, personal storytelling, and sound performance within a theatrical setting with musical accompaniment and projected visuals.


“For There Is Hope Of A Tree…”: A Study Of Two Historic African American Cemeteries In Pope County, Illinois, Martha Clare Buchert May 2025

“For There Is Hope Of A Tree…”: A Study Of Two Historic African American Cemeteries In Pope County, Illinois, Martha Clare Buchert

Theses

To add to a growing body of academic literature regarding historic African American cemeteries, this study examines two such cemeteries located in Pope County, Illinois: the Miller Grove Cemetery and the Hill Cemetery. Utilizing several different investigative methods, including pedestrian survey, geophysical survey, and historic research, the archaeological features and material culture of both cemeteries were studied to see what could be learned about their associated communities without ground disturbance. The results of these methods demonstrate the connections of members within these communities and the interconnectedness of historic African American settlements throughout southern Illinois and the greater Midwest. They also …


Don’T Stop Game, The Effects Of A Demerit-Based System, David Buckles May 2025

Don’T Stop Game, The Effects Of A Demerit-Based System, David Buckles

Theses

Physical activity is an essential component of an overall healthy lifestyle. It has been shown that implementing weekly physical activities reduces the risk of non-communicative diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. There have been an increasing number of studies showing that the physical activity of those with learning disabilities is much lower than that of neurotypical individuals. More studies are needed to identify effective interventions to increase the physical activity of those with learning disabilities. The current study evaluated the effect of the Don’t Stop Game on the mean number of steps taken per minute with adults …


Determinants Of Agricultural Productivity In The Leading Producing Countries Worldwide, Seidu Musah May 2025

Determinants Of Agricultural Productivity In The Leading Producing Countries Worldwide, Seidu Musah

Theses

Agricultural production is one of the widely expanded business sectors in the world. The aim of this study is to find out the driving factors behind cereal and soybean productivity as well as the production trends in the top twenty cereal and top seven soybean producing countries, respectively. Secondary data, which include both time series and cross-sectional data, were used for the analysis of 520 observations from the top twenty cereal producing countries and 427 observations from the top seven soybean producing countries.The panel data regression model was the statistical tool adopted in this study to determine the factors driving …


Crystallization Of Pyrite From Acidic Hydrothermal Solutions, Junior Osei Agyemang May 2025

Crystallization Of Pyrite From Acidic Hydrothermal Solutions, Junior Osei Agyemang

Theses

The crystallization of iron sulfides, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite, is of great significance due to their common association with most ore deposits around the world. Understanding the formation of these iron sulfides can give as insight into the genesis of the associated ore deposits. This study examines some of the factors influencing the crystallization of these iron sulfides from acidic hydrothermal solutions, with a focus on variations in solution composition and temperature. Under a well-controlled laboratory environment, the effect of variations in concentration and temperatures were studied. Analytical methods such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) …


You! Me! Dancing!, Aaron Ickler Apr 2025

You! Me! Dancing!, Aaron Ickler

Theses

YOU! ME! DANCING! is a 3-piece photo installation consisting of photographs of myself and the Rochester area furry community. YOU! contains 145 medium format slides across two light panels exploring my relation to the masculine aspects of the Furry Fandom through staged studio portraits, intimate looks into furries in their natural habitats, and moments from local meetups. ME! uses large format sheet film layered in acrylic to highlight the change of character of wearing a fursuit, featuring my own custom fursuit. Lastly, DANCING!, is a visually inaccessible 80 image slideshow in which the pace and interval timed start of the …


Embracing Unpredictability, Stella Huang Apr 2025

Embracing Unpredictability, Stella Huang

Theses

This paper explores the theory and practice of combining unpredictability in life with reverse thinking in modern jewelry design. Traditional jewelry design is often based on fixed aesthetics and strict craftsmanship. This study uses three concepts of jewelry design and clothing wear that break the conventions - a silver mask worn on the face, a skirt worn above the head and not touching the human body, and jewelry made of gallium that melts at human body temperature - as cases to analyze how to express the artistic concepts of "change" and "breaking boundaries" by breaking traditional rules and using material …


Lovejoy: Imagination And Community, Julia D'Amico Apr 2025

Lovejoy: Imagination And Community, Julia D'Amico

Theses

Lovejoy is a photographic portrait of memory, imagination and the future of a neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. For nearly a century, my great-grandparents, grandfather, uncles and cousins lived in the house on Goethe Street in Lovejoy. It was once a vibrant working-class community of immigrants from a few towns in Central and Southern Italy. In 2020, I moved back to Buffalo, regularly visiting my elderly relative who still lived there. She died later that same year. Photography, which has long been a form of self-expression for me, was the medium I had at hand when we started to clean …


Prediction Of Diabetes Using Machine Learning, Walid Abdulla Abdulrahim Apr 2025

Prediction Of Diabetes Using Machine Learning, Walid Abdulla Abdulrahim

Theses

This research seeks to compare the overall health of diabetic patients with that of their healthy counterparts based on various heath indicators obtained from a large dataset comprising of pregnancies, glucose levels, blood pressure, skin thickness, insulin, BMI, diabetes pedigree function and age. Relative to the healthy group, increased average glucose level, higher BMI, and older age are identified in the diabetic participants. Most importantly, the results show that obesity is a significant risk factor for diabetes, and many diabetics have BMIs that are elevated above healthy levels. The data also points towards the fact that insulin resistance and prevalence …


Transforming Through Art: Trauma & Domestic Violence, Bridget Provan Apr 2025

Transforming Through Art: Trauma & Domestic Violence, Bridget Provan

Theses

In this thesis, I explored bodily transformation and resilience after trauma through the lens of personal experience with domestic violence. I created sculptural installations using my imagery of bruises, scars, and injuries to convey the ideas of reclamation, healing, and empowerment. The ephemeral quality of natural dyes reflects the impermanence of bruises mirroring the organic journey of recovery. I approach my work from a personal perspective. The sculptural forms serve as fragmented representations of traumatic memory. My artistic practice is deeply tied to materiality and process—choosing natural dyes, textiles referencing care and domestic spaces, sculptural forms derived from personal documentation, …


Mundane, Ordinary And Eerie Undertones, Yixuan Xia Apr 2025

Mundane, Ordinary And Eerie Undertones, Yixuan Xia

Theses

When people encounter fear and uncertainty, their mental and physical reactions can vary. Drawing from my personal experience and the ‘Uncanny Valley’ theory [2], I explore various materials and juxtapose ordinary elements with unsettling imagery. In this project, I focus on donuts, transforming them by adding surreal details to imbue them with eerie undertones. For example, in one of my works, a delicious-looking donut appears perfectly normal at first glance. When viewers have a close look at the donut, its surface is crawling with worms, creating an unsettling contrast between the familiar and the disturbing. By altering these familiar items, …


Effects Of Emerald Ash Borer On Temperate Wetland Ch₄ Emissions, Ethan T. Potter Apr 2025

Effects Of Emerald Ash Borer On Temperate Wetland Ch₄ Emissions, Ethan T. Potter

Theses

Forested wetlands are a globally significant source of atmospheric methane (CH₄), and tree stems potentially contribute a large portion of emissions from these systems. However, tree stem emissions in temperate wooded wetlands, particularly those experiencing disturbance, remain largely unexamined. This study investigated the effects of emerald ash borer invasion on CH₄ fluxes from soils and tree stems in temperate wetlands of Western New York. Methane fluxes were measured from live trees, dead trees, and soils in wetlands with different emerald ash borer impact levels (high/open canopy and low/closed canopy). During eight campaigns carried out across the majority of the growing …


An Investigation Of Electrical Surface Impact As A Three-Dimensional Low-Energy Defibrillation Method, Rhiannan Ruef Apr 2025

An Investigation Of Electrical Surface Impact As A Three-Dimensional Low-Energy Defibrillation Method, Rhiannan Ruef

Theses

Ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency that leaves the heart unable to beat properly, and is fatal within minutes if left untreated. Furthermore, it’s the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest according to the NIH, killing over 400,000 Americans every year. Previously, we’ve proposed a new low-energy defibrillation method to restore the heart to its normal rhythm during fibrillation. Our method required further investigation due to the presence of several important dynamical processes. In this dissertation, we report the results of these investigations. First, we will present our results related to a novel behavior called “flopping,” which occurs when a …


Urban Pollinator Vertical Garden: Design Strategies For Sustainable Human - Pollinator Interaction In Urban Environments, Chungmin Park Apr 2025

Urban Pollinator Vertical Garden: Design Strategies For Sustainable Human - Pollinator Interaction In Urban Environments, Chungmin Park

Theses

The project focuses on the urban spaces as vibrant ecosystems, integrating pollinator habitats, vertical gardens, and green spaces. It emphasizes community engagement and education to promote environmental responsibility and calls for global urban stakeholders to prioritize collaboration and innovation for sustainable urban development. Ultimately, it aims to create resilient and vibrant cities for future generations.