Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Bidirectional Tmv-Based Plant Expression Vector For Dual Gene Co-Expression, Matisse Schutten-Burgess

Scripps Senior Theses

Monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, have recently joined the growing array of biopharmaceuticals used to treat a variety of chronic, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. Antibody therapy is highly customizable, as mAbs can be genetically engineered to target specific disease markers. Traditional systems of producing monoclonal antibodies use mammalian cells, most prominently Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells. While these systems are widely used, they are time-intensive and costly. Because of this, plant-based antibody production systems have risen in prominence, as they provide a more cost-efficient and faster way to generate antibodies. One drawback that has surfaced is that the co-expression of antibody heavy …

The Role Of Satirical And Self-Deprecating Humor In Destigmatizing Mental Health In Black Women, Zoe S. Cooper

Scripps Senior Theses

Black humor has long served as a mode of resilience, critique, and emotional expression for Black communities, yet its potential to reduce mental health stigma among Black women remains underexplored. This study examined whether exposure to culturally grounded satirical or self-deprecating humor reduces internalized mental health stigma among Black women and individuals who have experienced Black womanhood. It further investigated whether humor moderates the relationship between endorsement of the Black Superwoman Schema and internalized stigma, a framework closely tied to emotional suppression and stigma in Black women’s mental health. Participants were Black/African American women ages 18–30, as well as individuals …

Climate Change In An Educational Context: A Model Addressing Psychological Distance, Hope, And Concern, Brooke E. Kasl-Godley

Scripps Senior Theses

As the threat of climate change becomes more urgent, educators should focus on fostering climate concern and action instead of simply providing climate information. These studies present a novel model of climate education where locally-framed and action-oriented curriculum increases students’ environmental concern through the mechanisms of psychological distance and hope. This curriculum was taught over two years to sixth-grade students at a school in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Study 1 examines students’ environmental concern and sense of responsibility before and after delivery of the curriculum. Study 2 is a proposed follow-up study, that will address limitations of Study 1 …

Identity Development And Resonance With Cultural Sounds: A Study Of Undergraduate Women Of Mexican Descent, Manuela S. Flores

Scripps Senior Theses

Undergraduates of Mexican descent are not a monolith; their experiences vary based on positionality and lived experiences within academia in the United States. This study explored the lived experiences of seven women of Mexican descent, ages 18 to 25, to examine how they experience and make meaning of music while developing their identities in college. A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews to explore participant’s lived experiences in relation to music. Identity development was contextualized in relation to cultural values, musical experiences, and participant positionalities. Interview questions addressed music engagement, conceptualizations of Chicanx culture, and the values participants …

Modern Psychological Distress: An Expressionist Lens, Abigail Adell

Scripps Senior Theses

“Static Overwhelm” showcases collective stress born from perpetual engagement with the internet and social media. The piece began as a personal reflection of my felt anxiety from online overuse. However, it quickly became a greater social commentary on the modern condition of internet dependence, stress, and unease.

With any basic search engine, any amount or type of information that I could ever need, is at my fingertips. We constantly experience the stress effects of the internet’s misinformation, political pressure, and addictive design.

Inspired by the expressionist movement, I have created a piece that focuses on the expression of raw emotion, …

Seeing Through The Fuzz: Understanding Conformational Diversity In The Fuzzy Coat Of Amyloids Across Fibril Polymorphs Using Solid-State Nmr, Carah K. Allen

Scripps Senior Theses

The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into amyloid fibrils is a central pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and other related synucleinopathies. Although monomeric α-syn is intrinsically disordered, the protein assembles into multiple fibril polymorphs that differ in their β-sheet core structures. Surrounding each polymorph is the “fuzzy coat,” which is a highly dynamic, intrinsically disordered region (IDR) that is not resolved by high-resolution structural techniques, such as Cryo-EM, but is thought to influence fibril interactions, propagation, and toxicity. Understanding whether different polymorphs maintain distinct fuzzy-coat conformational ensembles is therefore essential for connecting amyloid structure to biological function. To address this question, …

Madison, Wisconsin As A Climate Haven: Infrastructure, Environmental Justice, And Community Voice, Sophia N. Heffner

Scripps Senior Theses

As climate change accelerates internal migration within the United States, the concept of “climate havens” has emerged as a way to identify communities that may become receiving zones for displaced populations. Madison, Wisconsin has increasingly been positioned within academic, policy, and media discourse as a potential climate haven due to its geographic advantages, strong public infrastructure, and proactive climate policy environment. This paper evaluates Madison’s readiness for this role through an equity-centered, participatory planning lens. Drawing on planning documents, climate data, municipal policies, and interdisciplinary scholarship, it argues that Madison’s long-term success as a sustainable and inclusive climate haven depends …

Cycling For All: Designing With The "Invisible Cyclist" As A Pathway Towards Urban Sustainability And Citizenship, Eloise Heimert

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the role of “invisible cyclists” in cycling networks and practices. Through an application of the “right to the city,” spatial production, and mobility justice frameworks, this paper investigates the experiences of women and disabled cyclists in London, England. By examining a city with an emerging cycling network, this thesis offers insight into measures for increasing the inclusivity and resilience of them. The argument establishes that these lines of analysis reveal important lessons in urban design and planning for a more sustainable future. Firstly, this thesis examines social barriers to cycling participation, and thus urban citizenship. In the …

Doikayt And The Ethics Of Belonging: Lessons In Place-Making From The Jewish Labor Bund, Zoë L. Jacobs

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis traces the evolution of doikayt—the Bundist principle of hereness—from its origins in the Jewish Labor Bund to contemporary applications in North America. Rooted in a refusal of both assimilation and nationalist escape, doikayt emphasizes cultivating safety, solidarity, and belonging through collective responsibility rather than territorial claims.

Building on this foundation, the exploration situates hereness within a settler-colonial context, where ethical dwelling is complicated by Indigenous dispossession. Drawing on Alexis Shotwell alongside Indigenous thinkers Vanessa Watts and Kyle Whyte, I examine how inhabiting place requires confronting historical injustices and ongoing relational responsibilities. Chapter 3 analyzes Linke Fligl (2016–2022) as …

Boredom And Creativity: The Effects Of Unstructured Play Versus Screen Time On Creative Performance, Vivienne J. Swenson

Scripps Senior Theses

Children today spend increasing amounts of time engaged with digital media, raising questions about how screens may displace developmental experiences that support creativity. Although research suggests that unstructured play and even mild boredom can facilitate divergent thinking, few studies have directly compared unstructured, self-directed play with passive screen use in early childhood. The present study proposes an experimental design to examine whether 20 minutes of unstructured play leads to higher creativity scores on the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement (TCAM) than an equivalent period of passive screen engagement among children ages 3–5. Using matched-group assignment based on demographic, cognitive, …

"Chatcbt”: Understanding The Implications Of Artificial Intelligence In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Esther R. Goldberg

Scripps Senior Theses

The proposed study is intended to explore the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) tools when used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat anxiety in American adults. The research is designed to measure whether AI systems such as large language models (LLMs) provide sufficient therapy through the factors of empathy, coping skills, and anxiety symptom reduction. Human therapists are hypothesized to surpass chatbots in all three. Through an experimental design, participants will be placed in either an AI therapy condition or human therapy condition. Participants will undergo a 12-week CBT program, after which they will measure anxiety reduction, perceived empathy …

Art Therapy’S Effect On The Social And Emotional Skills Of Children With Autism: A Naturalized Parent Mediated Design, Abigail Adell

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examines the effect of art therapy on the social and emotional skills of children with autism. Using sensitive design and language, participants will take the CARS2 and ADOS-2 and then undergo an eight-week art therapy program. Families will attend weekly training sessions at the autism center their child already attends for eight consecutive weeks, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes. Parents will implement the assigned art activity at home five times per week between training sessions, with each home session lasting fifteen to twenty minutes. The program uses a naturalized parent-mediated design so topics and projects can …

Bilingual Beginnings: Expressive Language And Socio-Emotional Development In Early Childhood, Molly C. Mccormick

Scripps Senior Theses

Although research on bilingualism has expanded rapidly in recent years, the majority focuses on cognitive advantages or receptive vocabulary, or the words children understand. Far less attention has been given to how expressive language, the words children produce, and its potential role as the mechanism linking bilingual exposure to socio-emotional development. Although dual-language learners sometimes appear to have relatively limited expressive vocabularies in one language, these differences tend to reflect patterns of language use and input quality rather than true developmental delays. Even so, temporary differences in expressive skills can be especially meaningful during children’s formative years, when they rely …

Assessing Diagnostic Overshadowing For Co-Occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) And Eating Disorders (Ed), Eden Sweet

Scripps Senior Theses

Significant behavioral overlaps in feeding patterns are observed among individuals with eating disorders (EDs) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These behavioral similarities can blur diagnostic boundaries, contribute to diagnostic overshadowing, and consequently increase the risk of misdiagnosis and the implementation of ineffective treatment approaches. The proposed study addresses the risk of diagnostic overshadowing as it relates to the ambiguous distinction between autism-driven feeding behaviors and clinically significant eating disorders (ED) within the autistic population. Although the literature has acknowledged behavioral similarities between ASD and EDs, limited research has systematically examined how they impact diagnostic practices and influence the likelihood of …

Assessing Elemental Composition In Dry, Canned, And Fresh Dog Food Using Icp-Oes And Xrf Analysis, Lyla M. Johnston

Scripps Senior Theses

Pet food safety has become a concern due to recurring contamination incidents and limited federal regulation of toxic metal concentrations. This study investigates the elemental composition of 15 commercial dog and cat foods. Representing dry, canned, and fresh dog food types, using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The primary objective was to quantify concentrations of potentially harmful heavy metals (Cr, Pb, As, Hg, Cd) and assess the presence of abundant elements such as aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and sodium (Na). All five target heavy metals were below instrument detection limits, suggesting that …

Legal Stories Without Villains, Alison Peck

Law Faculty Scholarship

Lawyers have always been storytellers, and cognitive science is increasingly demonstrating that human beings are wired to learn through story. But legal stories may have a dark side if, as theorists have recently suggested, stories motivate pro-social action by reinforcing in-group identification and out-group hatred. In an increasingly divided polity, are we doomed to stories that drive us toward social disintegration? A solution to the legal storyteller’s dilemma may be found in an ancient source: Aristotle’s Poetics. By crafting legal stories that track the elements of the Tragedy as described by Aristotle and adapted by modern storytellers from Broadway …

Comparative Evaluation Of Conventional Ct And Dual-Energy Ct In The Detection And Characterization Of Intracerebral Stroke, Aidan Rosado, Shakiba Jalili, Hap Tain, Saleha Zafar

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Stereotactic Spinal Radiosurgery With Mr-Linac Treatment In Comparison To Ct-Linac Treatments, Kristine Raju, Javier Cabrera, Jon Ibarra, Alexis Sosa, Hoang Mai Do, Travis Salzillo, Lori Simmons

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Study For Clinical Feasibility Of Sbpt Vs Sbrt For Thoracic And Liver Disease Sites, Sasha Carolina Alonzo Grillet, Eman Hashem, Melissa Gloria Novas, Ayat Swaydan, Laura Velez, Paige A. Taylor, David B. Flint, Yuting Li, Jamie Baker

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Patient Satisfaction Outcomes In Telemedicine Compared To Traditional In-Person Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Daniela Sheppard, Karen A. Parma, Zena Altaie, Madeline P. Mcmillan, Van Nguyen

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Dna Methylation As A Tool For Early Detection Of Ovarian Cancer In Cervical Samples: A Meta-Narrative Review, Sara Galicia, Ashton Godfrin, Zoe Panagos, Tamanh Tran

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

The Gut–Brain Axis And Its Role In Depression And Anxiety: A Meta-Narrative Review, Sania Dastagir, Alina Esenalieva, Thinh Quach, Haley Sutton

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Plasma Cell Enrichment Improves The Diagnostic Reliability Of Fish In Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-Narrative Review, Chi Ngoc Vu, Hongthuy Phan, Grecia Velasquez

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Good Food In The Neighborhood: Localizing Nutritious Food Access, Joseph Pool

Honors Program Theses

Given contemporary changes to federal budget priorities and recent challenges to federal food access funding, this research explores the potential benefits of entrusting state-level and municipal-level policymakers with food access policy. More specifically, this research suggests that “localizing” food access has the unique benefit of not just addressing the affordability of food, but the physical accessibility of it. As observed in the previous literature and expounded upon here, food provisioning requires consideration of nutrition, physical accessibility, and financial affordability. Programs that only address one of these priorities fail to adequately help people receive the food they need. Through policy analysis …

When In Doubt, Dream: A Media Ecology Approach To How Presidential Campaign Ads Structure The American Dream, Amit Sewnauth

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines how presidential campaign advertisements construct and reshape the American Dream. Drawing on Jim Cullen’s understanding of the Dream as a flexible and evolving concept and media ecology scholarship, particularly Neil Postman’s writing on television and public discourse, the project analyzes selected campaign ads from 1964 to 2024 provided by The Living Room Candidate. Through close readings of these advertisements, this project finds that the American Dream is actively reconstructed by presidential campaigns as an ideal that must be protected, extended, or restored. The analysis pays attention to how television and visual media structure these messages through pacing, …

A Patient-Centered Approach To Physician-Assisted Death For Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder, Moc Lan Nguyen

Honors Program Theses

In medical ethics, the arguments for allowing physician-assisted death (PAD) access for physically and terminally ill patients are well-accepted. These arguments mainly stem from the rise of support for patient autonomy and recent criticisms of paternalism. While this notion in support of PAD is generally held in various medical disciplines, psychiatry remains staunchly couched in their conviction of paternalism. Compounded with the principle of suicide prevention, psychiatry is reluctant to accept PAD for its mentally ill patients as it goes against their profession’s role responsibilities. Furthermore, there is plenty of skepticism regarding mentally ill patients’ competency, which calls into question …

Table Of Contents, Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Indirect Effects Of Coral Bleaching On Tursiops Truncatus Diet And Foraging Behavior In Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Annabel Fiero

Scripps Senior Theses

Indirect effects, where another species or factor mediates the effects of a given species, are critical to ecosystem structure and resilience. Shifts in fish community structure, as a result of rapidly declining coral reefs in the Caribbean due to warming-induced bleaching, pose a threat to apex predators like Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphins). Branching corals create habitat niches for numerous fish species. These fish rely on coral for food and habitat, and in turn provide food for upper trophic levels. Prior research has highlighted how coral bleaching will disrupt Acroporid reef building corals and fish community structure, but the effects of …

Between Trends And Truths: Tiktok Therapy-Speak And Mental Health, Zoe Stephens

Scripps Senior Theses

The rise of therapy-speak on social media has introduced mental health terminology into everyday discourse among young adults, yet its psychological impacts remain unclear (Chevalier, 2024; Jain et al., 2025). The present study investigated the effects of TikTok videos containing therapy-speak on stigma toward mental illness, mental health awareness, and mental health literacy. Using a between-groups experimental design, 95 U.S. college students aged 18 to 24 were randomly assigned to view either therapy-speak TikTok content or neutral TikTok content. Participants subsequently completed three post-exposure measures: the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS; O’Connor & Casey, 2015), a self-constructed Mental Health Awareness …

I Am Hookman: A Reflection, Fiona E. Larsen-Teskey

Scripps Senior Theses

I am Hookman is a reflection paper on my process, experience, and growth performing in the play, Hookman, as my senior thesis.