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2021

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Measuring Brazilian Pepper’S (Schinus Terebinthifolia, Anacardiaceae) Allelopathic Effects On Native & Invasive Species, Thomas Smith Jan 2021

Measuring Brazilian Pepper’S (Schinus Terebinthifolia, Anacardiaceae) Allelopathic Effects On Native & Invasive Species, Thomas Smith

Theses & ETDs

Some plant species release organic chemical compounds (allelochemicals) in order to hinder the growth of other organisms. This adaptation is known as allelopathy and is relatively widespread among both native and invasive species. Brazilian Pepper, Schinus terebinthifolia, Anacardiaceae (BP) a notoriously damaging invasive plant in Florida, exhibits allelopathy on multiple fronts; the compounds in the leaves, roots, stems and seeds suppress germination and growth in native plant species. The allelopathic effects of Brazilian Pepper (BP) against native species have been well documented, but there is a dearth of research concerning how other invasive plant species in Florida react to BP …

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Day-To-Day Artist: Photography, Music, Web Development, & Writing, Timothy Abramov Jan 2021

Day-To-Day Artist: Photography, Music, Web Development, & Writing, Timothy Abramov

Theses & ETDs

This thesis explores the methods, mindsets, and experiences of the daily practice of art. Beginning from a natural interest in photography, music, and web development, I explore a project that combines these interests on a multimedia website (timsas.github.io). The primary technique for this creative work was to cultivate a daily practice and to reflect on the incremental but steady growth and progress that this daily work achieved. As a result of the application of this daily routine to several different areas of activity (photography, piano practice, composition, web development, and writing), I arrived at a simple but startling conclusion: artistic …

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An Illustrated Guide To Some Of The Neuroscience Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Elizabeth Bates Jan 2021

An Illustrated Guide To Some Of The Neuroscience Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Elizabeth Bates

Theses & ETDs

Most beings who live on earth will at some point experience stress that is potentially traumatic. Some humans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’s persistent impacts on their neural functioning which may disrupt aspects of their cognitive, physical, and social abilities. This work explores some of what the field of neuroscience currently understands about the systems and processes that underlie the development, symptomatology, and theories of healing of post-traumatic stress disorder. Chapter one is centered around how the sensory system informs the stress response, and introduces key brain regions - namely the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus - and concepts such …

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“You Do Know I’M Aware This Is All A Game, Right?”: An Exploration Of Brechtian Video Games Through Doki Doki Literature Club!, Scarlett Taraschi Jan 2021

“You Do Know I’M Aware This Is All A Game, Right?”: An Exploration Of Brechtian Video Games Through Doki Doki Literature Club!, Scarlett Taraschi

Theses & ETDs

This thesis proposes Brecht as a way for analyzing games that break the fourth wall through an analysis of Doki Doki Literature Club! (2017) In Chapter 1, I introduce the visual novel and discuss immersion and choice in video games before expanding this to the theater through the ways video games utilize catharsis. In Chapter 2, I definite Brecht’s concept of the epic theater and show examples of it through four video games: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2005), The Stanley Parable (2013), Undertale (2015), and YOU and ME and HER (2020). Chapter 3 contains a close reading of Doki …

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Detection Of Brevetoxins At Low-Concentrations Via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Griffen Hoo Jan 2021

Detection Of Brevetoxins At Low-Concentrations Via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Griffen Hoo

Theses & ETDs

Red tide occurs naturally during harmful algae blooms which cause tremendous issues in ecosystems and the economy. Excess nutrients flowing into waters can feed into harmful algae blooms which increase the production of brevetoxins exponentially. Brevetoxin is a common neurotoxin that affects the respiratory systems of animals by activating their sodium channels. Although there are systems that can detect toxins at low concentrations like HPLC-MS and ELISA these are usually: not portable, very costly instruments, and their operation requires skilled labor. To target this issue, attempts were made to take the first steps at fabricating a toxin screening system that …

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Toys For T’S: The Impact Of Enrichment On Captive Tarantulas, Tliltocatl Albopilosus, Alexandria Anderson-Whittaker Jan 2021

Toys For T’S: The Impact Of Enrichment On Captive Tarantulas, Tliltocatl Albopilosus, Alexandria Anderson-Whittaker

Theses & ETDs

Enrichment is the act of providing animals in captivity with stimulation outside of the basic necessities of food, water, and shelter. The study and implementation of enrichment in zoos and aquariums is increasing, but there is still a distinct absence of research on the enrichment needs of invertebrates. Tarantulas and other arthropods are often considered too neurobehaviorally simplistic to need cognitive stimulation, despite evidence of decision making and behavioral syndromes. This study examines the effect of environmental enrichment on the stress behaviors of the tarantula Tliltocatl albopilosus. Though no evidence was found to support the hypothesis that tarantulas in enriched …

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A Close Reading Of Alejo Carpentier’S The Kingdom Of This World: Violence, Memory And A Uniquely American Representations Of History, Renee Carpenter Jan 2021

A Close Reading Of Alejo Carpentier’S The Kingdom Of This World: Violence, Memory And A Uniquely American Representations Of History, Renee Carpenter

Theses & ETDs

This thesis is a reading of Alejo Carpentier’s 1949 novel The Kingdom of This World. Chapter one, divided in two parts, will be focusing on the representation of violence through the configuration of different perspectives and voices. The first part will examine the representation of slaves’ bodies as sites of violence; the second part will examine the generalization of violence, articulating the parallels between social revolts and natural illnesses. The second chapter focuses on the representation of memory: how memory aids in the formation of identity through storytelling and the emergence of slaves’ religion; and how memory manifests as haunting. …

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Vaccination: Religious Exemptions And Reasoning Of Individuals With Vaccine Hesitancy, Emmelia Lukensbull Jan 2021

Vaccination: Religious Exemptions And Reasoning Of Individuals With Vaccine Hesitancy, Emmelia Lukensbull

Theses & ETDs

Vaccination is a major public health accomplishment that acts to protect citizens, but it also acts as an exertion of state control that citizens may resist for multiple reasons. My thesis explores the intersections between religion and vaccination with a focus on religiously motivated vaccine hesitant decision making. I conducted a general population survey and a series of interviews with vaccine hesitant individuals. The goal of the interviews was to understand motivations around vaccine decision making, particularly religious motivations. The survey outcomes were focused on religion’s impact on vaccination, mass vaccination opinions, and new vaccine decisions making. My findings suggest …

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The University Of New Mexico Compost Initiative’S Role In Establishing Community Based Environmental Justice, Francesca Galliano Jan 2021

The University Of New Mexico Compost Initiative’S Role In Establishing Community Based Environmental Justice, Francesca Galliano

Theses & ETDs

My thesis project regards the creation of the University of New Mexico’s Compost Initiative (UNMCI), a newly emerging compost program that has been decades in the making. This was made possible through the partnership with UNM’s Sustainability Studies Program, Lobo Gardens, and UNM Recycling. The UNMCI offers an efficient, resilient on-campus solution to organic food waste management and fosters environmentally friendly loci of control. While compost programs and the action of composting hold fundamental value, our current society presents challenges, some of which are cognitive blocks concerning willingness to engage with sustainability efforts, such as composting, and other greater than …

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The Role Of Adr-2 In Regulating The Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Signaling (Iis) Pathway In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Sean Wollard Jan 2021

The Role Of Adr-2 In Regulating The Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Signaling (Iis) Pathway In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Sean Wollard

Theses & ETDs

The insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IIS) pathway and adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) have both been found to be highly conserved in eukaryotic species and in their importance to aging and lifespan. The proposed research suggests that an up stream regulator of the IIS pathway, ASNA-1 ATPase, which is also highly conserved, may be regulated by the ADAR, ADR-2, in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This would provide a mechanism in which ADARs act as regulators of the IIS pathway, which has been hypothesized by previous research. This research utilizes C. elegans adr-2/null mutants and RNAi suppression of the gene coding …

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The Fox In Between Wolves And Dogs, Katherine Moore Jan 2021

The Fox In Between Wolves And Dogs, Katherine Moore

Theses & ETDs

Katie Moore explores the social dynamics of atheists and Catholics through an allegorical play script authored by herself. Within the play atheists and Catholics are represented by wolves and dogs based on academic research of the two canines including, behavioral experiments, history, anthropology, and biology of both as well as the additional fox character. The basis of Katie’s interpretation of atheists and Catholics is mostly based on rich personal experience with both groups. Katie puts forth that atheists and Catholics should interact more and know and accept each other as individuals, which while they live by different beliefs are no …

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The Little Goldfish That Could: A Study Of Chaining And Sequential Memory In The Goldfish (Carassius Auratus), Jillian Weisselberg Jan 2021

The Little Goldfish That Could: A Study Of Chaining And Sequential Memory In The Goldfish (Carassius Auratus), Jillian Weisselberg

Theses & ETDs

This study aims to answer two questions: Can goldfish learn complex behaviors through a simple association sequence taught through chaining? If so, what did the goldfish learn, the path that was taught or the sequence of behaviors taught? This was done by training experimentally experienced goldfish (N=3) to perform three behaviors: swim through a hoop, through a tunnel, or up a chimney. Over a total of 68 days of training, it was determined that all three subjects were able to learn a sequence of two behaviors through chaining. There were then two days of extinction testing in which the second …

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Globalized Wedding Traditions Of Contemporary Istanbul’S Urban Elite, Isabella Cibelli Du Terroil Jan 2021

Globalized Wedding Traditions Of Contemporary Istanbul’S Urban Elite, Isabella Cibelli Du Terroil

Theses & ETDs

Weddings are a microcosm for which larger sociocultural forces can be studied. Factors that influence society will influence culture, which consequently will affect a major cultural affair such as a wedding. In Turkey where the fall of the Ottoman Empire gave rise to the Turkish Republic, the political, economic, and societal changes that developed during this transition and beyond profoundly affected the Turkish culture and its traditions, especially among secular urban elites. In this thesis, I will discuss and analyze how Turkish wedding traditions among the urban elites of Istanbul have been transformed, from the late Ottoman Empire to contemporary …

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Distribution Of The Bigg’S Killer Whale Ecotype In The Salish Sea With Regards To Seasonality And Pinniped Vulnerability, Marena Long Jan 2021

Distribution Of The Bigg’S Killer Whale Ecotype In The Salish Sea With Regards To Seasonality And Pinniped Vulnerability, Marena Long

Theses & ETDs

The Bigg’s killer whale ecotype (Orcinus orca) is found in the coastal waters of the Northeast Pacific and is the only ecotype known to prey on other marine mammals in the Northern Hemisphere. Studies on the population of Bigg’s killer whales in the Salish Sea have been conducted, almost continuously, since 1994. However, few studies have looked at density distribution in regards to season and pinniped haul out sites. In this study, the relationship between the Bigg’s killer whale and pinnipeds was mapped according to season to determine if there are any patterns of spatial use, particularly with density. Location …

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The Phenology Of Humpback (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Blue (Balaenoptera Musculus), Fin (Balaenoptera Physalus), Sperm (Physeter Macrocephalus), And Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) Determined By Passive Acoustic Monitoring Near Barkley Canyon, Karianne Kapfer Jan 2021

The Phenology Of Humpback (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Blue (Balaenoptera Musculus), Fin (Balaenoptera Physalus), Sperm (Physeter Macrocephalus), And Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) Determined By Passive Acoustic Monitoring Near Barkley Canyon, Karianne Kapfer

Theses & ETDs

Cetaceans are often found far offshore and require continuous observation, making them difficult to study using traditional methods. To combat these difficulties, we used a passive acoustic monitoring dataset from a bottom-mounted hydrophone (average depth: 391.67 m) deployed by Ocean Networks Canada near Barkley Canyon off the West Coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, to determine when various cetacean species were present. Each cetacean’s presence was based on the detection of their vocalizations in time-stamped recordings from the first four days of each month in 2014, though additional data from 2013-2014 was used for killer whales. The main call types detected …

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Protein Modeling And Binding Characterization Of C. Elegans 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate Dehydrogenase, Nicholas J. Hall Jan 2021

Protein Modeling And Binding Characterization Of C. Elegans 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate Dehydrogenase, Nicholas J. Hall

Theses & ETDs

Amino acids have many important roles in biology. For example, amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds to form proteins. Also, in metabolism, amino acids can be broken down via the process of transamination, in which they lose their amine group and are converted into keto acids. Keto acids can then be converted into precursors for many other biological pathways, such as to produce energy, fat or glucose. 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that plays a role in amino acid metabolism, specifically the catabolism of L-valine. In humans, this is encoded by the HIBADH gene and is responsible for …

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Directional Discrimination Of Goldfish Conditioned Under Pure Blue To Pure Green Light Spectrum, Shelbe Chenoah Dubree Jan 2021

Directional Discrimination Of Goldfish Conditioned Under Pure Blue To Pure Green Light Spectrum, Shelbe Chenoah Dubree

Theses & ETDs

The visual sensory ability of comet goldfish (Carassius auratus) was investigated using operant conditioning for discrimination between gradients of pure blue and pure green light. This study was conducted to further investigate their ability to differentiate between different saturation and hues of color, adding to previous works investigating the color vision from researchers such as Neumeyer and Arnold. The vision of goldfish can be used as a model for other aquatic species, especially teleost fish. Their ability to detect differences in color saturation in a controlled laboratory environment, based on conditioning, can predict how fish in the wild are able …

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Impacts Of The Diet And Behavior Of Hemidactylus Mabouia On Florida’S Native And Invasive Species, Carson Broadwater Jan 2021

Impacts Of The Diet And Behavior Of Hemidactylus Mabouia On Florida’S Native And Invasive Species, Carson Broadwater

Theses & ETDs

Hemidactylus mabouia, the tropical house gecko, is an exotic reptile species introduced to Florida in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Little is known about its behavior and impact on Florida’s herpetofauna. In this study, I examine the foraging behavior of wild H. mabouia on the campus of New College of Florida, and perform gut content analysis in order to identify niche overlap with native and invasive species, including Anolis carolinensis, A. sagrei, and Osteopilus septentrionalis. Data from two previous gut content studies were also used in the niche overlap analysis (Meshaka 2000, Meshaka 2004). H. mabouia was found to …

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Reading Emerson To Save The World: American Transcendentalism And The Search For Identity And Virtue In The Anthropocene, Kendall Southworth Jan 2021

Reading Emerson To Save The World: American Transcendentalism And The Search For Identity And Virtue In The Anthropocene, Kendall Southworth

Theses & ETDs

This thesis introduces a living lineage of Transcendentalist philosophy, one which has historically inspired the most influential cultural revolutions of the nation. I suggest that the ethical and ideological frameworks which blossomed during the Transcendentalism Movement directly paved the way for the revolutionary social movements of the mid-1950s through the 1970s. From the genesis of the movement in the 19th Century to the modern epoch, I trace the peak revivals of American Transcendentalism through historical and philosophical contexts, underscoring the causal influences from one emergence to the next. Concluding the paper, I include excerpts from interviews of a diverse array …

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Addiction: Critique Of The Bdma And Development Of A Transdisciplinary, Biopsychosocial-Ecological Model, Alia Quadir Jan 2021

Addiction: Critique Of The Bdma And Development Of A Transdisciplinary, Biopsychosocial-Ecological Model, Alia Quadir

Theses & ETDs

Addiction is a pervasive public health problem, with around 20.4 million Americans struggling with some kind of addiction. Currently, our understanding of addiction is dominated by the “Brain Disease Model of Addiction” (BDMA), which posits that addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease resulting from the dysfunctional neurobiological changes in the brain caused by chronic drug use. I review the evidence for drug-induced neurobiological changes in the brain and provide a critique of the BDMA. I evaluate the usefulness BDMA from the perspective of the ongoing Opioid Crisis and sketch the outline of an alternative model of addiction, a trauma-informed, …

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From Chili Peppers To Big Macs: A Historical Survey Of Western Foods And Foodways In China, Dylan Freeman Jan 2021

From Chili Peppers To Big Macs: A Historical Survey Of Western Foods And Foodways In China, Dylan Freeman

Theses & ETDs

Western foodways have had significant impacts on Chinese foodways and culinary traditions, but many of these influences are not widely known. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive survey of Western influence on Chinese foodways from the late Ming dynasty to the contemporary era. To this end, the thesis starts by providing an overview of the entry of new world foodstuffs into China. Then, it chronicles the history of Western impacts on Chinese food culture during the 20th century. Finally, it surveys the impact of Western fast-food chains on China and the development of China’s fast food industry. Overall, this …

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Examining And Assessing Big Cat Welfare: A Review And Proposed Set Of Guidelines For Big Cat Enrichment, Danielle Whiting Jan 2021

Examining And Assessing Big Cat Welfare: A Review And Proposed Set Of Guidelines For Big Cat Enrichment, Danielle Whiting

Theses & ETDs

Captive big cats - defined here as Panthera Leo (Lions), Panthera Tigris (Tigers), Panthera pardus (Leopards), Puma Concolor (Cougars), Acinonyx jubatus (Cheetahs), and Panthera Onca (Jaguars) - are understudied in the enrichment literature. This raises concerns about the number of big cats in captivity in the United States and the conditions they are housed in. Enrichment of big cats needs to be further understood in order to provide better captive care to big cats held in zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers. Enrichment practices can also be used in breed-and-release programs to increase the survivability of endangered species, such as Panthera …

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Simply Grow Anger Alongside The Lemongrass & Eucalyptus Accompanied With Critical Introduction —Silence An Act Of Self-Hanging, Jo Nguyen Jan 2021

Simply Grow Anger Alongside The Lemongrass & Eucalyptus Accompanied With Critical Introduction —Silence An Act Of Self-Hanging, Jo Nguyen

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

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Reigning Cats And Dogs: Women, Pets, And Agency In Colette, Woolf, And Zola, Tyler Grubb Jan 2021

Reigning Cats And Dogs: Women, Pets, And Agency In Colette, Woolf, And Zola, Tyler Grubb

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines what female characters’ relationships with their pets reveal about their romantic relationships with men in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century fictions by Colette, Virginia Woolf, and Émile Zola. These interspecies connections reveal the amount of agency that the female protagonists have both in their romantic relationships and in society at large. Analyzing interactions between human characters and their animal companions is a unique way to explore topics such as a woman’s level of independence or the viability of a romantic relationship. In Colette’s The Vagabond and Woolf’s Flush, pet dogs serve as proxies for the female protagonists; the differences …

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Predicting Elasmobranch Habitat Partitining In A Coastal River, Simon Bustetter Jan 2021

Predicting Elasmobranch Habitat Partitining In A Coastal River, Simon Bustetter

Theses & ETDs

River systems are an understudied habitat type for elasmobranchs. In order to predict habitat use and partitioning across maturity states within the Manatee River, Florida, elasmobranch catch rates and environmental factors were analyzed using data from the 2018 to 2020 Gulf of Mexico Shark Pupping and Nursery (GULFSPAN) gillnet and longline survey. Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) analysis was conducted to determine the major environmental factors that impact species presence. General Linear Model (GLM) analysis was conducted on the principal species to determine significant environmental factors across species’ lengths. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), Bull Shark …

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Unilineal Evolution On Display: Three Case Studies On British Museum Display, Jenna Courtade Jan 2021

Unilineal Evolution On Display: Three Case Studies On British Museum Display, Jenna Courtade

Theses & ETDs

The British Museum has displayed a majority of non-British artifacts since its inception in 1753. This thesis explores the messages implied in the way the British Museum displayed non-European artifacts in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Specifically, this thesis argues that the British Museum's display of artifacts from non- European cultures reflected the theory of unilineal evolution. This argument is expanded on through three case studies on the display of three specific non-European collections in the museum: the Benin Bronzes, the Amaravati Marbles, and the Rosetta Stone. Through the use of British Museum guide books and newspaper articles …

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Broke Down And Broke: Views From The Passenger Seat Of A Chevy G20, Margaux Albiez Jan 2021

Broke Down And Broke: Views From The Passenger Seat Of A Chevy G20, Margaux Albiez

Theses & ETDs

Broke Down and Broke narrates a sporadic West bound road trip through a series of landscape paintings that foreground the wild and absurd ways humans and nature interact. As a concept, the road trip is a continuation of romantic sentiments concerning nature that were popularized by 19th-century American landscape painting. The representation of humans in the landscape was carefully staged to align with a rhetoric of nation building anchored in American exceptionalism, resulting in distilled visions of nature that continue to influence modern values. Broke Down and Broke subverts landscape traditions and highlights the absurd, resulting in a distinct representation …

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Making A First-Person Shooter In Unity, Chief Nelson Jan 2021

Making A First-Person Shooter In Unity, Chief Nelson

Theses & ETDs

The goal of this project was to create a first-person shooter that was both enjoyable and easy to play, using the Unity Game Engine. This game was given a realistic visual style, and design choices were made to emphasize immersion and realism. Planned to be included in this game were a first-person player, a monster enemy with a custom pathfinding algorithm, items for the player to pick up, multiple game levels, and sounds. Not all of this could be implemented within the time available. The final game was able to include a fully animated first person character, complete with a …

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Gaston’S Chair: An Exploration Of Disney Nostalgia And Falsified Memories Through Props, Autumn Schwers Jan 2021

Gaston’S Chair: An Exploration Of Disney Nostalgia And Falsified Memories Through Props, Autumn Schwers

Theses & ETDs

This thesis is an investigation into my own creative process based on a case study of theatrical properties (props) manufacturing of one chair. This thesis is also a study into Disney’s ability to invoke nostalgia and to create an emotional attachment to fictitious worlds. For my prop design and creation, I began with research into nostalgia marketing, emotional branding, performance studies, Disney heritage, and prop development. Through my research I discovered what nostalgia is used for, what questions need to be asked when applying emotion and nostalgia to your work, and how Disney answers those questions in their own manner. …

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Flitter, Fly, Flock Analyzing The Parallel Migration Patterns And Shifting Life Cycle Stages Of The Red Admiral Butterfly, European Pied Flycatcher, And Human Climate Migrants In Relation To Climate Change, Lily Tanner Jan 2021

Flitter, Fly, Flock Analyzing The Parallel Migration Patterns And Shifting Life Cycle Stages Of The Red Admiral Butterfly, European Pied Flycatcher, And Human Climate Migrants In Relation To Climate Change, Lily Tanner

Theses & ETDs

Climate change and rising global temperatures are already having observable effects on small migratory species. The short lifespans of butterflies and extensive research on fall migratory birds makes them excellent species to observe for changes in life cycle and migratory patterns related to climate change. This meta-synthesis and accompanying animation analyzes literature on the Red Admiral Butterfly and European Pied Flycatcher, with a goal of finding whether one can use these patterns as a way to predict the movement of human climate migrants in a similar geographical area. Although there are significant patterns present in the research, it is impossible …

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