Gifted Education Commons^™

The Use Of Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy With An Infrared Biotyper To Establish Classifiers For Major Serogroups Of Moraxella Bovis Based On Spectral Profiles, Jordyn Bailey Schommer

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A classifier tool was created to identify major serogroups of Moraxella bovis based on spectral profiles collected from bacterial cells through the use of Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. M. bovis strains were selected from a group of previously sequenced and genotyped isolates, which provided the pilin sequence type for each isolate. The obtained spectroscopic profiles were analyzed through artificial neural networks to create a classifier tool that could identify the PilA type for unknown strains. Once a sufficient spectral library was obtained, the isolates were split into a training and a validation group, each containing spectra from isolates of five …

Early Intervention Within Orthodontics: The Sociological Aspects, Trenton Hammond

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Orthodontic treatment is one of the final phases of dental treatment. Its use is to provide aesthetics in some cases, yet the quality-of-life aspect that it can provide is greatly underestimated. Orthodontic care can provide proper function of teeth, improve facial structure, avoid tooth decay/loss, and improve gum health (AAO, 2024). Within this research the overarching goal is to understand the sociological aspects of families looking to start orthodontic care, what the reasons behind starting or not starting are, and providing information to the public about orthodontics that may be misunderstood or might push people away from searching for orthodontic …

Scalability And Connectivity Challenges For The Future Of Digital Radio Communication, Christopher Bayliss

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis explores future challenges in digital radio communication, particularly focusing on scalability and connectivity issues that could impede technological advancements. With the increasing production of digital technology and reliance on radio frequencies, there is a need for innovative solutions to overcome limitations in spectrum availability, interference management, and bandwidth constraints. This work evaluates current modulation techniques, spectrum allocation strategies, and advanced communication technologies such as cognitive radio systems and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces. Through a comprehensive literature review and analysis, this thesis identifies promising developments, including dynamic spectrum sharing and symbiotic radio systems, that could significantly enhance spectrum efficiency and …

Analysis Of Deck-Building Games For The Development In A Digital Medium, Eric Ian Dundas

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis discusses the game design justifications of Rift Colosseum, a deckbuilder card game developed by Eric Dundas. The research conducted intends to reinforce the design decisions for the game. The research includes systems from Trading Card Games Magic: The Gathering, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and Flesh and Blood. Additionally, research is conducted on Slay the Spire, a deckbuilder roguelike. The analysis helped to find unique mechanics that could be utilized further when combined with other systems, especially digital-only mechanics inspired by Slay the Spire.

Several concluding materials were developed, such as the card types, card restrictions and …

An Analysis Of Attending Industry Events As An Independent Game Developer: My Experience At The 2024 Game Developers Conference, Ben Laube

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The game development industry, known for its rapid evolution and competitive nature, presents significant challenges and opportunities for both novice and veteran developers. This paper provides a personal account and reflection on attending the 2024 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, aiming to demonstrate the substantial impact such events can have on independent developers. Through detailed descriptions of attended sessions and networking opportunities, including “GDC Pitch: Day 2,” “Getting Hired With a Personal Touch,” “Learn From Our Mistakes,” “Speed Networking,” and the “GDC Expo” this paper explores the value of industry events in terms of knowledge gained, connections made, …

Netflix, Inc. Strategic Audit, John Kinney

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Netflix, Inc. is a large publicly traded multinational corporation within the Streaming entertainment industry. Founded in 1997, Netflix started as a mail-based DVD rental service. Soon switching from a per-rental fee model to the subscription model they still use today. In the late 2000s the company began offering the ability to stream content directly from home and have now grown to become the most successful streaming company in the world. This report will provide an overview of Netflix’s background, its position in the industry landscape, and its ability to sustain a competitive edge. Using both Porter's Five Forces and PESTEL …

Building A Data Pipeline And Machine Learning Model For Insurance Data, Connor Weyers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Insurance telematics is an emerging and exciting field. It combines the advancements in GPS tracking, computational analytics, data processing, and machine learning into a useful tool to help insurance companies make the best product for their consumers. This is why National Indemnity looked to implement a telematics portion to their business processes of underwriting insurance policies and sponsored a School of Computing Senior Design project. In this report, we will first review existing solutions that been used to solve problems and subproblems similar to that we are given in this project. We then propose designs for the data pipeline and …

Rivian Automotive Strategic Audit, Bruno Salles

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of Rivian Automotive, a pioneering electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, focusing on its background, performance, challenges, and future outlook. Founded in 2009 by Robert "RJ" Scaringe, Rivian embarked on a mission to revolutionize the automotive industry with its innovative EV offerings, driven by a commitment to performance, utility, and sustainability. The company's journey from inception to its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2021 and subsequent challenges amid the global semiconductor chip shortage and market dynamics are examined. A detailed PESTEL analysis evaluates the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors influencing Rivian's operations and …

The Hope Venture: Strategic Audit, Bradley Sullivan

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Hope Venture is an international nonprofit headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their work is comprised of education and health projects targeted at individuals living in extreme poverty. Currently, most of their projects are located in India and Sub-Saharan Africa. A PESTEL analysis was performed to assess the external environment in which they operate, while a Porter’s 5 Forces analysis explained industry dynamics. Their competitive advantages, such as their unique 100% model, are explored, while key challenges regarding scalability are discussed. In the end, recommendations are given to overcome potential threats and to continue to sustain a competitive advantage in the …

Lockheed Martin Strategic Audit, Trevor Deboer, Gunnar Lombard, Sam Nelson, Tj Taylor, Paul Wynegar

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Abstract

This case study explores Lockheed Martin, a global leader in defense contracting. Our team performed a strategic audit using the theories of strategic management. Our research was pulled from various sources, including Lockheed Martin’s website, SEC filings, related news articles, and relevant industry analysis. The goals of this case study revolved around collecting data and performing analysis to evaluate Lockheed Martin’s potential for competitive advantage in the airplane and parts manufacturing industry.

Some of the various analyses performed on Lockheed Martin include firm analysis, industry analysis, internal analysis, external analysis, competitive dynamics, business-level strategy, corporate-level strategy, and exploring their …

An Analysis Of Child Valence Bias Trajectories As A Result Of Parental Factors: A Longitudinal Perspective, Kaylee Brooke Donner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Valence bias is an important part of how individuals perceive the world around them, and this is especially influential in terms of children’s development. This study used data from longitudinal data collection surveys consisting of 197 participants, ages 6-17, to investigate correlations between valence bias, puberty, parental conflict, emotion regulation, temperament, interpersonal regulation, trait anxiety, and personality. This research provides much sought-after knowledge in terms of how parental factors impact children’s development, specifically children's valence bias development. Previous research has shown that emotion regulation in parents, along with different parenting styles with equal levels of discipline and loving support largely …

Investigating Large Repeats In The Arabidopsis Thaliana Mitochondrial Genome Using Mitotalens, Megan Gusso

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This lab project explores the complexity of the mitochondrial genome by investigating large genomic repeats and their effect on flowering plants’ reproduction and viability. Mitochondria are the site of cellular respiration to create energy and contain their own DNA. This is counterintuitive because the byproducts of cellular respiration impose a threat of mutation for the stored DNA. The mitochondrial genome differs in size between animals and plants. Plant mitochondrial DNA is larger due to the presence of large, noncoding repeated sequences, and a large amount of DNA of unknown function. These sequences undergo high levels of recombination and rearrangement. The …

Increasing Nursing Aide Knowledge On Benefits Of Light For Sundowning Syndrome, Grace Hilfiker, Julie Masters

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this study, the knowledge of nursing aides on the benefits of light for sundowning syndrome was investigated. While dementia and sundowning syndrome is discussed during nursing aide training in the state of Nebraska, there is no discourse focused on how light plays beneficial role in lessening the symptoms of sundowning syndrome for those who are afflicted with dementia. This study asked what the current knowledge base surrounding dementia and sundowning syndrome is of nursing aides in the state of Nebraska. The aim was to justify adding a focus on concrete methods to use when caring for patients with dementia …

Topgolf Callaway Brands, Corp. Strategic Analysis, Sean Smith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Topgolf Callaway Brands, Corp. (the “Company”, “Topgolf Callaway”, “Topgolf”, or “Callaway”) is an industry-leading golf and active lifestyle company that provides golf entertainment experiences, designs and manufactures premium golf equipment, and sells golf and active lifestyle apparel and other accessories through their family of brand names. They operate under the Topgolf, Callaway, Jack Wolfskin, OGIO, TravisMathew, Odyssey and Toptracer logos for their various product and service offerings. This report seeks to understand the industries in which the firm operates, the forces present in those industries, the resources and advantages of the firm, risks associated with their operations, and recommends several …

Sarcopenia And The Importance Of Resistance Training And Protein-Rich Diets For Prevention Of Muscle Loss In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Pamphlet, Madison Steele

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The growing prevalence of sarcopenia among older adults as well as youths has prompted further research aimed at developing effective preventative measures and treatment plans. Sarcopenia is often thought to occur solely due to aging, but several other factors contribute to progressive muscle loss. Previous research studies have found an effect of physical activity and dietary protein levels on the risk of developing sarcopenia as well as its onset age. This study aims to review existing knowledge in the field to compile an extensive list of sarcopenia causes and methods of prevention. The main causes identified in this review are …

The Standards And Expectations Of The Speech-Language Pathology Field, Abbie Summers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The goal of this project was to provide individuals interested in the field of speech-language pathology with relevant information from professionals in various positions in the field. These sources were to include speech-language pathologists in education, research, academia, and medicine. Interviews were conducted with these professionals covering various questions about their experiences, salary, education, professional development, interprofessional work, and on-the-job skills. From these interviews, data collection occurred based on responses to find commonalities to include in the write-up. The article provides information on personal experiences in the field, professional certification, professional growth and development, salary expectations according to work settings, …

Mechanical Engineering Capstone: A Reflection On The Design And Prototyping Of A Portable Water Heating System, Timothy Goldsmith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis includes several documents from a Mechanical Engineering Capstone course. These include project postmortem reports written at the conclusion of each term. These reports summarize the designing and prototyping of a portable water heating system. Additionally, this thesis includes written feedback on the final presentations for six other senior design teams. In these documents, presentations and projects are evaluated and encouragement and feedback are provided for the teams. The final component of this thesis is an essay reflecting on the different leadership roles assumed during the capstone course.

An Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan Of Social Studies And English Language Arts For Third Graders, Sidney L. Yant

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

My name is Sidney Yant and I am a current senior honors student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I am majoring in Elementary Education. For my honors senior project, I have created a four-week-long unit lesson plan that focuses on English Language Arts and Social Studies. This unit starts off with two weeks of separate lesson plans for English Language Arts and Social Studies and then the last two weeks the lessons are completely integrated together into one plan.

Delta Air Lines Strategic Audit, Victoria Diersen, Rebecca Koppelman, Nicholas Lauver, Aaryan Naik, Drake Vorderstrasse

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study focuses on Delta Air Lines, a prominent company in the airline industry. We conducted a strategic audit utilizing theories and principles central to strategic management to complete the case study. Our research used publicly available information that included the company’s website, SEC filings, news articles, and industry analysis. The goal of this case study is to collect and analyze data, apply strategic management concepts to a contemporary organization, and evaluate the firm’s potential for competitive advantage.

We looked at many factors for Delta Air Lines, including firm analysis, industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, performance analysis, competitive …

A Grim End For Europe's First Civilization: The Fall Of Minoan Crete, Ashley Arp

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Early popular theories about the collapse of the Minoan civilization center around natural disasters, but geoarchaeological research from the past few decades has disproved these earlier theories. It is evident that the Minoan civilization continued to thrive for around a century after the volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that had previously been credited as the cause for the collapse. Evidence of manmade destruction has been uncovered across the island of Crete c. 1450 BCE and this period was quickly followed by a drastic cultural shift that included more Mycenaean elements than had been found on the island previously. These destructions, …

First Solar Strategic Audit, Sydney Pelster, Abigail Cota, Katherine Schoenfelder, Nolan Mauk, Eli Waring

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study explores First Solar, a global leader in the photovoltaic solar module industry. Using strategic management strategies and principles, we have curated a strategic audit to analyze the company’s competitive position. We used First Solar’s publications and website as well as general articles on the solar industry, analyst findings, and additional public findings as the basis of our analysis. Overall, our goal was to apply the learned strategic management concepts to a complex organization and identify First Solar’s potential competitive advantages.

We looked at many factors for First Solar, including firm analysis, industry analysis, external analysis, internal analysis, …

The Future Of The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries, Mikayla Gross

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a multinational and intergovernmental organization that dictates the petroleum exportation policies of 13 countries: Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela (About Us, 2023). The mission of OPEC is to ensure a stable supply of petroleum through its shared policies for its Member Countries and consumers (Our Mission, 2023). Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela founded OPEC in 1960 under the foundations and principles that dictated the international world order. Those foundations and principles …

Nonlocal Frameworks For Differential Equations--Analysis And Numerical Investigations, Layla Montemayor

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Systems of differential equations have been employed successfully in nearly every scientific field, including natural phenomena, finance, A.I. and machine learning. In a classical set up, a differentiable equation will be associated with a number of initial conditions that will help determine a unique solution to the system. The setting of classical differential equations requires assumptions on the regularity or smoothness of the input functions. Thus, we cannot produce with classical differential equations solutions which are irregular or even have discontinuities.

To overcome some of these challenges brought up by investigations of irregular or singular behavior, different formulations of nonlocal …

Lincoln's Carnegie Library: A History Of Community And Philanthropy, Emily Blomstedt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nebraska received 69 Carnegie libraries from the Carnegie foundation between 1899 and 1922. The first and most expensive Nebraska Carnegie library was granted to Lincoln in December 1899, after a fire destroyed Lincoln’s previous library. Lincoln’s main Carnegie library served the community between 1902 and 1960 before it was torn down in 1961 to build the present-day Bennett Martin library. This thesis explores the 60-year history of Lincoln’s Carnegie library, how it connects to national trends surrounding Carnegie libraries, and the role community and philanthropy played in the development of Lincoln’s public library system. These themes are examined through a …

A Strategic Audit Of Instacart, Taylor Durbin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Instacart is an online grocery delivery and pick-up service that allows users to order groceries and other household items from local and large stores and retailers through its website or mobile app. Apoorva Mehta founded Instacart in 2012 with the intent to help people conveniently access the food they enjoy, and the service now reaches over 14,000 cities across the United States and Canada. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the company as its rise to becoming a prominent player in the online grocery delivery industry has skyrocketed demand for the service and presented numerous operational challenges for the …

Final Design Of Legion Hall Revitalization In Potter, Nebraska, Madison Brennfoerder

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project was conducted to renovate and revitalize the Legion Hall community center in the Village of Potter located in western Nebraska north of the Interstate. The work completed for this project can be separated into five disciplines: Hydrologic & Hydraulic Design, Geotechnical Analysis, Structural Analysis, Environmental Analysis, and Transportation Design. Legion Hall is a historical building within The Village of Potter which was built in 1917. The Village of Potter has recently acquired the rights to the hall and is seeking to revitalize the historical community center to increase tourism in the village.

Eli Lilly And Company Strategic Audit, Isha Kishore

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm's mission statement is to unite caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. Eli Lilly is guided by three core values: Integrity, Excellence, and Respect for People. This strategic analysis evaluates Eli Lilly's macroenvironment using the PESTEL analysis, its competitive landscape using Porter's Five Forces Framework, and the company's strategy, competitive advantage, and significant issues and opportunities for expansion.

The Effect Of Sample Grinding On Color-Based Predictions Of Soil Organic Carbon, Mason Rutgers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Measurements of soil color are widely accessible and can be used as indirect measures of soil organic carbon (SOC). Sensor-based soil color measurements, frequently used in quantitative studies to predict SOC, often use ground and sieved soil samples for color analysis. However, it is unknown whether the extra steps of drying, crushing, and sieving a sample improve the quantitative relationship between color and SOC. This study was conducted to evaluate color-based predictions of SOC using intact, sieved (<2 mm), and fine-ground soil samples from northwest Oklahoma. Moist soil color was measured using Munsell color charts (MCCs) and a Nix Mini 3™ portable color sensor (PCS). The color of the soil samples was measured before processing, after crushing to pass through a 2-mm sieve, and after mechanical grinding to less than 0.25-mm. Using Munsell value (from the MCC) and CIEL* (from the PCS) as predictor variables, regression analyses were conducted to develop SOC predictive functions for each physical state. The resulting coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean squared errors (RMSE) were used to assess model fits for predicting SOC. Model contrasts were calculated to evaluate significant differences between each predictive model. All models exhibited strong relationships (0.56 < R2 < 0.70, 0.20 < RMSE < 0.25) between soil lightness and predicted SOC. Models built using aggregated samples measured with both MCCs (R2= 0.70, RMSE= 0.20) and the PCS (R2= 0.69, RMSE= 0.21) produced the best results. Models built using intact samples measured using the PCS did perform significantly better on samples dark in color (CIEL* < 30). These results suggest that grinding soil samples does not improve color-based predictions of SOC using MCCs and the PCS.

Equality In Times Of Uncertainty: Economic Downturn And Body Image Messaging Toward Women, Ritsa Giannakas

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A vast body of literature indicates that the economy and the status of women are interlinked, with higher levels of economic well-being tending to correspond with advancements in women’s rights. However, little of this research has investigated the changes in the wellbeing of women as it pertains to their physical and mental health, especially as it pertains to exploring the impacts of economics on eating disorder rates and societal messaging toward women. This thesis investigates a novel theory linking economic uncertainty and downturn to the spread of pro-eating disorder content online, positing that economic uncertainty may coincide with a “conservative …

Eli Lilly: A Managerial Strategic Audit, Colby Marsden, Ethan Domsch, Whitney Schwisow, Ryan Marlatt, Luke Buettner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This strategic audit assesses both internal and external landscapes affecting Eli Lilly; financial, qualitative, and competitive performance; strategy and governance; and recent strategic decisions. All information has been gathered from news reports, industry analyst reports, and Lilly’s investor reports, financial statements, and notes to investors. The purpose of this strategic audit is to showcase Lilly’s success in the brand name pharmaceutical industry based on the strategic decisions made in its 147 year history.