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Where Dreams Begin: Challenging The Architecture Of Migrant Detention, Pablo Garcia

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Today, more than 40 million people living in the US were born in another country, accounting for about one-fifth of the world’s migrants. Even though the US is a nation comprised largely of immigrants and their descendants, immigration remains one of the most fraught social and political issues of modern times. People dream of moving into the country seeking a better life than the one they are leaving behind. Yet, upon arrival, they face inhumane circumstances due to the recent influx of people seeking asylum within the US. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 3 million people arrived …

The Efficacy Of The Student Communication Repair Inventory And Practical Training Program On Adolescent’S Self-Advocacy Skills In Communication Breakdowns, Karlye Tolbird

Honors Theses

Purpose

Hearing loss can affect several aspects of an adolescent’s life, particularly their self-advocacy skills and ability to communicate their needs in the classroom. Literature shows that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years have a prevalence of hearing loss between 14.9 percent and 19.5 percent (Shargorodsky et al., 2010). Therefore, early identification and intervention of hearing loss are necessary to reduce the adverse effects on the development of cognition, verbal communication skills, and self-advocacy skills (Michael & Zidan, 2018). This research study aimed to determine if the implementation of the SCRIPT program changes the communication repair behavior …

Effects Of Acute Exercise On True And False Memory, Hanna Watson

Honors Theses

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the role of acute exercise timing on true and false memory performance. Methods: A randomized controlled, within-subject design, was employed (N=39). The five counterbalanced visits included a control visit, vigorous-intensity exercise (80% of HHR; heart rate reserve) before encoding, vigorous exercise during encoding with no delay before encoding, vigorous exercise during encoding with a delay before encoding, and light-intensity exercise (30% of HHR) during encoding. A recognition task using the DRM (Deese-Roediger-McDermott) paradigm was used to evaluate true and false memory performance. Results: With hit rate as the outcome, there was …

"The Pontotoc Dream:" A Case Study Analysis Of Rural Homeownership In Mississippi, Ian Pigg

Honors Theses

Rural communities face issues with affordable housing just like urban communities, but these problems are not often associated with rurality. Using Pontotoc County, Mississippi, as a case study, this thesis seeks to understand the extent of the affordable homeownership issue in rural communities and identify possible policy solutions. This thesis used a qualitative research approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders in the communities of interest within and surrounding Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Using the data collected from these interviews, units of meaning were grouped into categories, which were then grouped into themes. The findings of this …

Women Without Bodies: Autonomy, Empowerment, And Embodiment In Southern Women, Martha Peyton Ford

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between rural, upper-class, Southern, white women and their bodies. In my attempts to understand this relationship, I analyze sources from the fields of gender studies, philosophy, and psychology, utilizing concepts such as the Cult of True Womanhood, the newly-emerging field of body memoirs, and the long-lasting but elusive idea of Southern ladyhood to make sense of cultural expectations of Southern women and their bodies. This research, alongside my use of autoethnography and oral history, serve as an anchor for my analysis of women’s relationships to their bodies, in which I use myself, my mother, and …

Synthetic Investigations In Chemical Probe Development Part 1: Design And Synthesis Of Novel Triton X-405 Adenosine Conjugates; Part 2: Synthesis Of 2,8-Dihydroxychrysene, Rachel Irene Hammond

Honors Theses

Although not drugs themselves, chemical probes are a necessary tool in biomedical research for the interrogation of biological systems. In the present synthetic investigation, two chemical probes were developed – a Triton X-405 adenosine conjugate (TX-405A) and 2,8-dihydroxychrysene. The designed TX-405A conjugate was generated in four steps through tosylation and amination of TX-405 such that EDC-coupling of TX-amine with 2’,3’-Isopropylidene adenosine-5’-carboxylic acid afforded TX-405A following acetonide deprotection. The development of TX-405A represents the first report of the synthesis and utilization of a detergent-linked dosimeter. The synthesis of 2,8-dihydroxychrysene provided an in-depth exploration on the unique reactivity of chrysene. The desired …

Aftermaths Of Opposition: Effectiveness Of Repression Against Reformist Islamists In Saudi Arabia, Londyn Lorenz

Honors Theses

Saudi Arabia has long been considered a religious, political, and economic hub of the Middle East and North Africa as the home of the two holiest cities in Islam: Mecca and Medina. The kingdom’s leaders, the Al Saud family, have relied on their Islamic clout to remain in power since the 1700s, but their Islamic credentials were called into question following their allowance of American troops on Saudi soil and alliance with Western ideals during and following the Gulf War of the 1990s. Islamist outrage against the throne poured out across the nation, bringing demands for political change and increased …

The Case Of Santiago De Chile: Pedestrian Deaths, Neo-Liberal Urban Design, And Insufficient Traffic Policy Reform, Olivia Maurer

Honors Theses

Chile’s rate of road fatalities and pedestrian deaths, in particular, has remained a global outlier, even as comparable states have reduced occurrences. Santiago, one of the most urbanized cities in Latin America and Chile’s capital, serves as a unique product of competing urban design ideologies put forth by democratic and authoritarian governments throughout the 20th century, and the social and economic stratification created has continued to present challenges for solving urban planning issues in modern Santiago. Recent adjustments in traffic laws have begun a reduction in road fatalities, but they still do not account for the discrepancy between Chile and …

Supporting Teachers With Psychologically Diverse Populations, Morgan Wilkie

Honors Theses

While the issue of mental health management in education settings has been a focus for research for decades now, much of what is missing from these examinations is direct accounts from educators themselves on how they may be better supported as they navigate teaching psychologically diverse populations. In this study, 20 public-school teachers across the Oxford-Lafayette school district were surveyed through the use of semi-structured interviews in order to understand how they may be better equipped to manage psychological disorders in their classrooms. Each participant was asked the same prompt, and after the interviews were administered, their answers were then …

A Social Learning Perspective On Sexual Coercion, Mallory Ferrick

Honors Theses

Akers’ (2009) social learning theory proposes that individuals learn deviant behavior through the same learning processes by which they learn conventional behavior. Social learning theory has been applied as an explanation for an array of deviant behaviors; however, no known published research has explored the theory’s ability to explain the perpetration of sexual coercion. This project investigated the extent to which Akers’ social learning theory can be applied to sexual coercion. This project utilized a sample of undergraduate students enrolled in various courses at a private four-year institution in the northeast. Descriptive statistics revealed a lack of variability among responses …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ionic Liquids Using Nitrogen-Based Cations For Transdermal Delivery, Jo Galloway

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the synthesis mechanisms of water-soluble ionic liquids with nitrogen-containing cationic bases for future use in transdermal drug delivery and forensic science applications. Ionic liquids are salts with an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion. They have asymmetric structures, which means that the molecules don’t pack together as neatly as other salts do, therefore, they don’t crystallize as easily, and their melting points are lower. Ionic liquids have melting points below 100°C, and many are liquid at room temperature. Mechanistic studies reveal that the potency of ILs in enhancing transdermal …

A Systematic Review Of Music Therapy For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alana Andrus

Honors Theses

Music therapy has been suggested to be effective in Autism. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of music therapy as a potential treatment option for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. To obtain published records, a PubMed search was conducted with the search term “music therapy autism,” which generated 187 studies. Each study was evaluated for relativity to the topic at hand. The remaining 151 articles were assessed for support status, as well as other later suggested research, in order to more confidently support music therapy as a treatment option for ASD patients. Approximately …

Trends In Prenatal Care Accessibility In Rural Mississippi And How These Trends Affect Unfavorable Birth Outcomes, Maura Isabella Webb

Honors Theses

This thesis investigated the level of accessibility to prenatal care in rural Mississippi areas and how this affects or has affected Mississippi’s high rates of unfavorable birth outcomes. The research questions included specifically looked at how lack of prenatal care in rural areas of Mississippi plays a role, if any, in extremely high rates of unfavorable birth outcomes as well as what policy can be implemented to expand education regarding unfavorable birth outcomes. To understand the effects of accessibility and eligibility of rural women’s health care, seven women were interviewed. Interviews were conducted with these women who met the criteria …

The Use Of Embark In Teaching About Genetic Relatedness, Anna Bonvillain, Tori Trammel

Honors Theses

Because of the increasing importance of precision medicine, it is vital that future healthcare providers master concepts related to genetic variation taught during their undergraduate classes. However, studies have shown that physicians often lack an adequate understanding of genetics, which serves as a hindrance to effectively caring for their patients. To address this issue, we created a collaborative active-learning protocol to improve pre-health students' comprehension of key concepts such as genetic relatedness and the source of genetic variation between siblings. Our worksheet guides students to compare the genetic profiles of two canine siblings using the Embark DNA genotyping platform. Embark …

Resilience Training And Quality Of Life In Stuttering Therapy: A Systematic Review, Ashley Koehler

Honors Theses

Abstract

This study investigated correlations between resilience and quality of life relative to stuttering therapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published with focuses on stuttering, resilience training, and quality of life was conducted. Electronic databases, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were used to gain results of relevant published articles. Both search engines in this review produced relevant articles. Google Scholar produced more articles that met all 3 inclusion criteria, while PubMed produced more results that met at least 1 or 2 inclusion criteria. From both databases, numerous articles included the need for a multidimensional therapy emphasizing personal resilience. However, …

Patients’ Perspective Of Patient-Centered Approach Vs. Biomedical Approach, Lakynn Hillhouse

Honors Theses

Evidence-based practice in audiology may consist of a patient-centered approach or a biomedical approach when offering individuals the results of hearing evaluations. Boisvert et al. (2017) and the Institute for Defense Analysis confirmed that audiologists preferred to select one approach. The question was if an audiology patient is presented with two options of explaining the hearing health issues, which model/approach will be his or her preference?

Participants may have had unconscious biases related to race or gender that could have unknowingly impacted their perception of the videos. The results of this research will facilitate clinical understanding of individual preferences regarding …

The Role Of Prenatal Anxiety Sensitivity On Postpartum Anxiety And Depression, Ryann Holman

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women, with roughly 15% of women experiencing psychopathology during pregnancy and postpartum. The most common mental health concerns during this period are anxiety and depression, which have been linked to adverse outcomes on both mother and baby, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. In understanding their onset, anxiety sensitivity has been found to be a potential mechanism for the development of both anxiety and depressive disorders. The goal of the current study was to examine the association between prenatal anxiety sensitivity and postpartum anxiety and depression. Pregnant women were given a battery …

The Relationship Between The Contrast Avoidance Model And Dysfunctions Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Whitney S. Shepherd

Honors Theses

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) features excessive worry, with additional symptoms including sleep disturbances, muscle tension, concentration issues, fatigue, and irritability (APA, 2013). The Contrast Avoidance Model (CAM) posits that those with GAD maintain worry to avoid emotional shifts by engaging in contrast avoidance (CA) tendencies (Newman & Llera, 2011). Additionally, chronic worry is associated with dysfunctional outcomes of GAD such as sleep difficulties and quality of life (QoL; Henning et al., 2007; Smith et al., 2000). Although both CA tendencies and these dysfunctional outcomes of GAD have shown to be related to worry, CA tendencies have yet to be explored …

An Exploratory Look Into The Effects Of Mississippi's Population Decline On Rural Dental Care, Allen Bailey Saffold

Honors Theses

Literature reviews and interviews with dentists working in rural Mississippi counties examined the effects of population decline on rural dental care in Mississippi. With the state’s continual population decline, loss of industry follows a loss of people. Through a cascade of effects, this can further reduce underserved areas’ access to dental care. In order to address the issue of rural Mississippi continuing to be underserved, policies need to be implemented that will make rural practice at least enticing if not desirable.

Developing A Novel Place Preference Assay To Compare Drosophila Species Over Time, Martha M. Brinson

Honors Theses

Across phylogeny, integration of external factors, memory, and internal states of the organism dictate organismal behavior and mechanisms. The underlying genetic components can affect these behaviors such as in genomic changes arising from speciation. In this thesis, a new place preference assay was evaluated in the analysis and investigation of two species of Drosophila flies (D. melanogaster and D. simulans) to measure similarities and differences and their attraction to two different food substrates. Sleep and circadian measurements were also recorded during experimentation. The Drosophila Activity Monitor 5M (DAM5M) System and Sleep Circadian Analysis MATLAB Program (SCAMP) analysis were …

Lc-Ms Identification Of Serum Proteins Adsorbed Onto Ionic Liquid-Coated Nanoparticles, Anh M. Hoang

Honors Theses

Nanocarriers are promising candidates for drug delivery due to their size and tunable surface characteristics. However, when they are intravenously injected, few particles make it to their designated location. This is because upon entering the bloodstream, the serum in the blood, which is rich with a diversity of proteins, adsorbs onto the particles’ surfaces forming a protein corona. Many of the attached proteins trigger the mobile immune system and are removed by macrophages, and many particles are then filtered out by the liver and kidneys. Ionic Liquids (ILs), which consist of asymmetric, bulky components that are liquid

Hidden Connections, Yazmin Goulet

Honors Theses

As a graphic designer pursuing degrees in both Art, from the College of Liberal Arts, and Integrated Marketing Communications, from the School of Journalism, the goal of the art that I create is for it to be seen by many and connect viewers to the messages that I am trying to get across through my work. Art is a form of visual communication, and as an artist, I am always looking at the world around me and seeing how art of all forms connects art to people.

Much how like art itself is used to connect people, for this thesis …

Comparing And Contrasting Campus Sexual Assault Policies And Definitions From Universities In The Southeastern Conference, Remy Heinen

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the campus sexual assault policies and definitions in place at the 14 universities in the Southeastern Conference in order to compare and contrast them. Data was collected from each university’s online resources regarding sexual misconduct and an instrument based on a 2014 White House Task Force was used to compare the schools’ definitions and policies.

A Parar Para Avanzar: To Stop/To Stand/To Strike To Advance, Christina N. Barrera

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents the first fragments of a political framework outlining how I situate my work, which lives between “craft” and “art” models of making and between colonized and colonizing traditions. My writing proposes ways of making and being informed by practices, strategies, and organizing that work towards greater autonomy and liberation under these conditions.

New Animals, Alina Iakirevitch

Theses and Dissertations

To transfer the rhythms of the body into the earth, in Lippard’s language, one has to engage in a non verbal, illogical action. Art is the sphere of this action. Staying engaged with the unpredictable in us, the random, the primal, is the core of art making and encountering art.

Break Time, Quinlan Maggio

Theses and Dissertations

In this graduate thesis artist Quinlan Maggio describes their two-part art project in which they create site-specific private/public spaces and encounters within a larger public, specifically, that of the Hunter MFA community and its art-viewing audience.

The Screen To Desire, Joseph Parra

Theses and Dissertations

Joseph Parra reflects on our often embellished online personas and their effect on our desires. Through luscious 3-dimensional painting Parra translates the seductive desire of the hypermasculine male-presenting figure through glorification and criticality. The tactile painting also acts as a rebellion to accurately represent “real” life on the digital screen.

I Crawled Out From The Palimpsest Crater, Jessica Willittes

Theses and Dissertations

This paper is a dissection and examination of my art-making practice through the analogy of the palimpsest landscape found in Arizona’s Meteor Crater. I attempt to elucidate the process by which a “palimpsest artwork” is made through an unfixed cycle of scavenging, rupturing, joining and offering.

Entre El Suelo Y Lo Demas, Maria Jose Garcia Estevez

Theses and Dissertations

My intention is to generate a narrative that challenges the idea of place as a fixed space, a precarious equilibrium experienced through material amalgamations- a constant shift between a recognizable belonging and a casi como o así como place.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, And Toes, Pol Morton

Theses and Dissertations

My work explores ideas of transness, chronic illness, and injury. Through assemblage and repetition, my larger-than-life paintings address the dissociation and fragility of a body that is unmapped by society. These autobiographical works attempt to locate the self when it is trapped, whether in a bed, in the home, or within the body itself.