Gifted Education Commons^™

Virtual High School Physiology: Hands-On Experiences During The Covid Pandemic, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

The CoVID pandemic has forced us to rethink our curriculum and allow for many unforeseen factors. Going virtual since March has affected teaching and learning and made it almost impossible for students to perform hands-on learning. My school is a residential school for students in grades 10-12 and since we cannot have students congregating on campus, and possibly spreading the virus, we went virtual. We have had to revamp our curriculum and change our teaching to engage students online. The question then becomes - how do we promote equity, diversity and inclusion through online learning, knowing that many of our …

The Rise Of The Goddess Is Always With A Little Bit Of Help From My Sisters: An Analysis Of The Need For A Documentary On Multicultural Greek Sororities, Natalie Lopez Herrera

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This research project answers two main questions: How do women of color become empowered in a white predominantly institution? What is the best way to acquire this information beyond the academy? As a woman of color and international student, answering these questions were important to me when I began my studies here at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. The Rise of the Goddess focuses on the experience of young women of color in multicultural organizations and argues for the documentary as a means for accessing this information. The Rise of the Goddess demonstrates that multicultural sororities empower women of color …

Setting The Stage: The Phantom Of The Opera And Gothic Space, Zitaanne Reno

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

First published from 1909 to 1910, Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of Erik, the titular deformed composer, and his dark love for a beautiful soprano. Similar to Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, another French story involving a deformed man in love with a beautiful woman, the setting is a crucial aspect of the novel. Examining the Palais Garnier, a labyrinthine building composed of staircases, passageways, trapdoors, and a subterranean lake, in conjunction with Notre Dame, a cathedral utilizing traditionally gothic architecture, reveals how the opera house functions as a gothic space. Rather …

Product, Process, And Professionalism: An Analysis Of Industry Practices In Senior Design, Samuel Anderson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

One of the biggest problems facing fresh Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Software Engineering graduates intending to start their post-college careers is their lack of experiential learning and practical skills in real-world software development. From the UNL CSE Senior Design Mission Statement and Core Values, the goal of Senior Design is to “provide a project-based capstone course that gives students a design-centered educational experience,” in order to “prepare students for the most challenging, innovative, and fastest-growing careers of the 21st Century.” In short, the CSE Senior Design project is meant to be UNL students’ first “real” design-centered project experience, with …

A Mathematical Model Of Pancreatic Cancer Growth And Response To Treatment, Allison Cruikshank

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of death due to cancer in the United States. Analyzing the effects of radiation is extremely valuable in determining when a patient is allowed surgical resection, which is, presently, the only potentially curative treatment for pancreatic cancer. This study examines pancreatic tumor growth and shrinkage to predict tumor response and change of resectability for pancreatic cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. This is done using ordinary differential equations as a mathematical model. Mathematical models have increasingly been applied to various biological systems/processes to analyze the principles involved. In our project, a population dynamical …

Trader Joe's Case Study, Madisson Magee

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

My senior project is focused around analyzing Trader Joe’s business model and writing a case study focusing on the management strategies of the company. I wanted to know what made them so successful and recognizable as brand in the grocery store industry. My case study is based off of a Harvard Business School published case. Not only did I want to understand their success, but also what factors impact them and what issues they face in maintaining a successful business model. To do this, I analyzed many aspects of their company, where they stand against competitors and internal and external …

The Pósa Method: Students' Perceptions Of Hungarian Mathematics Pedagogy, Lauren Seidl

Senior Theses

This study examines the reactions and experiences of students who are educated under the Pósa method, a Hungarian mathematics pedagogy previously employed in mathematics camps designed for gifted students. The focus of this research was to analyze the experiences of students in a Pósa method class in Budapest, Hungary. The holistic approach of gathering historical, qualitative, and analytical data pursued answers to the subsequent three research questions that guided the study: What do the students at Petrik School think about the Pósa method? What do the students in the Pósa method class think about math? What do the students’ and …

Best Practices In Industry And Cse Senior Design, Conner Hallett

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The widespread use of Agile practices in the software development industry creates the need for new college graduates to be adept in Agile processes and teams. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Senior Design courses gives students an introduction to such processes, but is met with many challenges in doing so, such as time constraints and student inexperience. Following a detailed look at the Scrum Agile framework and its expanded practices in industry, potential improvements for CSE Senior Design’s practice of Agile are suggested. These include the creation of resource forums for students to accelerate the early …

Eyes On The Future, Brooke Schmidt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For my community-based thesis project, I will host a glasses drive at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in August 2020. I will reach out to different registered student organizations and colleges/education departments at the university to invite them to participate. If they choose to partake, I will set up a box for donations in a prominent location for the respective group. I will also provide a brochure or pamphlet next to the donation box to give interested and potential donors more information about the importance of donating glasses and where their donation will go. Glasses donations will be given to the …

The Importance Of Nutrition And Preventing Malnutrition In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Booklet, Sophie Johnson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Over years of studying nutrition science and gerontology, there was very little information in classes that combined these two important topics. Older adults are often classified as those above the age of 65 years old. There is a growing number of older adults in the United States, which increases the need for information on how nutrition and aging are interlaced. As humans age, multiple factors can impact nutrition. Nutrition involves consuming the proper amount of nutrients to maintain body function. There are physiological, physical, socioeconomic and medication factors that can all influence nutrition status. It is important to be aware …

Madthrifters: An Integrated Social Media Marketing Campaign With An Emphasis On Secondhand Fashion, Madeleine Leblanc

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis is a look into an integrated marketing campaign plansbook overview of my own Instagram thrifting brand account, Madthrifters. Madthrifters is a social media account dedicated to educating 18 to 24 year-old Midwest women on secondhand fashion while providing them an avenue to purchase it by selling thrifted items on the platform. One whole month of content was posted on a near-daily basis. In March, 58 feed posts and 128 stories were posted. Before knowing how to reach Gen Z on this topic and encourage them to buy from Madthrifters, several research questions were asked:

1. What is the consumer’s …

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Walmart Strategic Analysis, Christian Burbach

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This strategic analysis of Walmart touches on the factors that affect the business going forward. Ecommerce, PESTEL analyses, and other analyses come together in this article.

A Vernacular For Lincoln, Nebraska, Austin Riggins

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The contemporary vernacular architecture in the United States is a product of industrialization and globalization. One homogenous, mass produced vernacular has dominated nationwide and overshadowed the unique, contextual, and regional designs of the past. While the contemporary, industrialized vernacular has led to increases in the quality of life for many in the developed world, it has also left in its wake a homogenous and placeless environment devoid of environmental sensitivity or cultural references. There is a need for a set of new vernaculars that embrace modern building technologies while simultaneously responding more directly to local climatic needs and facilitating a …

Full Spectrum Space Deterrence: From Laws To Technology, Joshua Carlson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Conflict in space is becoming an ever-real possibility, with the potential of rendering the space completely useless for future generations. Current talks are centered around limiting or preventing any weapons deployed to space, but this is not the most effective way of dealing with the issue. The focus should shift to agreeing on how nations should act responsibly in space together instead of preventing nations from acting at all. The best way of accomplishing this goal is by improving satellite design, creating agreed upon and understood rules of engagement, fostering widespread cooperation between nations, and choosing not to be the …

Information Search And Political Ideology: Examining How An Individual’S Political Ideology Relates To The Category And Depth Of The Political Information They Pursue, Megan Elbel

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The expansion of news media in television and online allows the public to tailor their consumption of political news to their specific interests. Understanding how the public engages in political information search with respect to their political identities can provide insight into the type and amount of information an individual pursues before making a political decision. The present study examines how people of various political ideologies gather information related to political issues. Participants completed surveys gauging their attitudes toward a number of political policy issues following a task in which they were allowed to select political issue topics and control …

The Perceived Importance And Ability Of Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers Regarding Accommodating Students With Exceptionalities: A Mixed Methods Study, Raegan Ramage

LSU Master's Theses

Each year, the number of students who have a documented disability in public schools in the U.S. has increased. However, SBAE instructors continue to identify a lack of confidence when teaching students with exceptionalities. This lack of confidence is exacerbated by a lack of professional development opportunities and preservice training offered by teacher preparation programs regarding teaching students with special needs. To better understand this complex issue, this mixed methods investigation sought to describe Louisiana SBAE instructors’ previous educational experiences focused on accommodating students with special needs and describe their desired professional development opportunities regarding accommodating students with special needs. …

Personal Reflections / 3.18.21, José M. Torres

Personal Reflections

No abstract provided.

Learn, Try, Repeat: Experiential Learning In Adult Second Language Acquisition Of Spanish In Higher Education, Veronica Miller

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The purpose of this thesis is to synthesize research of experiential learning for adult Spanish learners in higher education to identify important takeaways and propose draft curriculum to improve acquisition for learners through experience-based and hands-on practices. Hopefully, this will aid in understanding, identify gaps in existing research, and better inform lesson-planning for instructors. My research does not include any comparison to other languages or other levels of education. I approach the issue through exploratory and descriptive research through open-source data retrieval by information obtained from governmental and nongovernmental resources.

Relational Dialectics In College Ldrs: Managing The Tensions Of Long-Distance Dating In College, Kenessa Copeland

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A significant population of college students have been, or are currently, in a long distance relationship (LDR). This study examined tensions experienced by college students in LDRs using Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT) and Dark Side Theory. I used a thematic analysis to analyze responses from an open-ended survey distributed to and answered by 23 students in LDRs. I found that RDT was exemplified in the study by finding tensions of connection-autonomy and predictability-novelty, as well as tensions of balancing time and FOMO-living in the moment. The most common tension management strategies used were selection, separation, and reframing. Finally, I found …

A Changing Narrative For Englishwomen's Authorship During The Early Modern Period, Erin Kruger

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis is a look into women’s authorship in the English Early Modern period, specifically looking at the time period from 1543 until 1621. The main writers of focus are Catherine Parr, Mary Sidney, Lady Mary Wroth, and Aemilia Lanyer, with supplemental texts from the period used to frame the thesis argument. Modern research on this era is also used to supplement the work. Over the course of the period, the innovation of women’s authorship led to two primary changes in the nature of women’s authorship: more inclusive women’s authorship and the expansion of topics that women wrote on. These …

Unconventional Agriculture: An Exploration Of Hydroponics And Aquaponics And Their Role As A Solution To Food Scarcity, Kai Meacham

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Unconventional agriculture includes methods of farming that are defined by unique farming practices and a focus on sustainability. Unconventional agriculture can take many forms, including hydroponic systems and aquaponic systems. These two systems are unique in the sense that they are soilless methods of growing plants. Both of these systems require careful monitoring because they do not have soil to act as a buffer and help maintain normal levels. Though these two systems are very similar they have some key differences in how they function, which ultimately leads to differing advantages and disadvantages of both systems. Additionally, these systems have …

Not-So-Full-Ride Scholarship: Analysis Of Merit-Based Aid Gpa Renewal Requirements, Samuel Brown

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper examines the potential consequences of the 3.50 GPA renewal requirement for the Regents Scholar Tuition Commitment (RSTC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). To examine these potential outcomes, I’ve synthesized several studies of Georgia’s Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) program. Additionally, I sought to compare the RSTC with other similar programs at UNL’s peer Big Ten institutions. To accomplish this, I compiled and analyzed public information on merit-based programs at the 14 Big Ten schools from their university websites. In doing so, I found that the RSTC is in the lowest quartile in terms of value to the …

Self-Determination In American Discourse: The Supreme Court’S Historical Indoctrination Of Free Speech And Expression, Jarred Williams

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Within the American criminal legal system, it is a well-established practice to presume the innocence of those charged with criminal offenses unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Such a judicial framework-like approach, called a legal maxim, is utilized in order to ensure that the law is applied and interpreted in ways that legislative bodies originally intended.

The central aim of this piece in relation to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution is to investigate whether the Supreme Court of the United States has utilized a specific legal maxim within cases that dispute government speech or expression regulation. …

Study Of Native Colombian Tribes: Art As A Means Of Inspiration, Sofia Fernandez

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Study of Native Colombian Tribes: Art as a Means of Inspiration, examines Latin American art, particularly Indigenous Colombian art as a source of inspiration for the creation of a series of artworks. This project considers two Colombian tribes: Wayuu and Okaina. It emphasizes these tribes’ ancestry, history, purpose, and traditions, with the objective of giving them a voice in a community where they are underrepresented and unknown. This thesis provides a critical look into the tribe’s traditions and artistic techniques through the creation of a variety paintings, drawings, and prints. This body of work concentrates on textiles and patterns from …

An Exploration Of Western Graphic Design Art Movements Through The Korean Lens, Hyunjung (Anna) Lee

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Art history has historically centered around Western and European art. This creative thesis explores what Western graphic design movements could look like merged with Korean themes and subject matter. The movements in question include Art Nouveau, Plakatstil, Constructivism, Pop Art, and Memphis Design. What would Alphonse Mucha’s allegorical beauties look like if they were Asian? What would Korea look like represented through Ludwig Hohlwein’s reductive planes of color? Who would the celebrity-obsessed Andy Warhol make art about if it was a Korean actress? Each movement is combined with Korean events that occurred within the art movement’s lifespan. This amalgamation not …

Free To Hate: Hate Crimes' Intertwinement With The Evolution Of Free Speech In The United States, Lee F. Paulson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In response to the growing tension between civil liberties and civil rights, this research investigates the relationship between the relative expansiveness of free speech and a the nationwide propensity for hate crimes. I argue that government’s legal limitations of speech influence the development of linguistic and hierarchical norms in a national culture. Given structural inequality’s association to violence and crimes of intimidation, I hypothesize that as the government expands the legal bounds of free speech, the national propensity for hate crimes decreases. Text analyses of 50 influential freedom of expression rulings in the United States (U.S.) Supreme Court from 1919-2019 …

Take A Look Around: An Analysis Of Food Insecurity And Awareness On A College Campus, Allison Mcelroy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The devastating hit from an unexpected global pandemic posed the question, who should we turn to? The opportunity of this thesis project motivated me to connect my passion for food and health with some source in the community around me. Not only did my own family and friends begin to struggle more with opportunities to work and provide, but many of my fellow university students did as well. I wanted to figure out how people on campus who were able, could physically participate in supporting those around them? The Husker Pantry on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was brought to my …

Advanced Technologies In Music Production And Collaboration, David Besonen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

My Honors Senior Creative Project was to compose and produce a short album of original music alongside talented musicians here at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) as well as around the world.

Mass Incarceration In Nebraska: Data And Historical Analysis Of Inmates From 1980-2020, Anna Krause

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study examines Nebraska Department of Corrections inmate data from 1980-2020, looking specifically at inmate demographics and offense trends. State-of-the-art data analysis is conducted to collect, modify, and visualize the data sources. Inmates are organized by each decade they were incarcerated within. The current active prison population is also examined in their own research group. The demographic and offense trends are compared with previous local and national research. Historical context is given for evolving trends in offenses. Solutions for Nebraska prison overcrowding are presented from various interest groups. This study aims to enlighten all interested Nebraskans on who inhabits their …

Native. A Look Into Interior Design's Impact In Rural Communities., Ashlynn Engelhard

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Rural America faces a greater set of health challenges than ever before, especially when compared to its metropolitan counterparts. The Association of American Medical Colleges notes these rural disparities resulting from “economic, social, racial, ethnic, geographic, and health workforce factors.” Though somewhat daunting to consider, the AAMC concludes “We need to figure out how to use this data to target resources and interventions to make a meaningful difference in improving the health of rural America.”

Focusing on addressing rural disparities that inhibit communities from positive health and well-being, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through …