Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Natural Dialectics: Māori & Sioux Ecosophy Encounters The Rule Of Law, Robert T.F. Downes

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

In the age of intensifying anthropogenic climate change, an ecosophical shift is required in the epistemological and ontological comprehension of the interrelations between the human and non-human worlds. This shift is essential for refining existing social scientific approaches to investigating and adjudicating questions of environmental governance, environmental justice, environmental sovereignty, in addition to advancing democratic counters to the effects of ecological degradation and environmental catastrophe that move beyond rigid political-economic constraints. This essay constitutes a novel engagement with discourses of radical democracy and radical ecology that applies the philosophical method of dialectical naturalism to an ecosophical interpretation of the human-nature …

Bring On The Heat, Renée Stoute

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

According to the World Economic Forum, in retaliation to European Union sanctions and embargoes, Russia cut EU gas flows by around 80% between May and October 2022 (WEF, 2022). The EU, in turn, has had to not only reduce energy consumption within the public and private sectors but has also scrambled to find energy alternatives to compensate for its energy shortcomings. However, due to the EU’s rejection of Russian oil and gas, there are now opportunities to embrace more sustainable energy alternatives quicker than previously expected. This could lead to a faster transition towards the use of cleaner and more …

High Energy Blue Light Induces Oxidative Stress And Retinal Cell Apoptosis, Jessica Malinsky

Capstone Showcase

Blue light (BL) is a high energy, short wavelength spanning 400 to 500 nm. Found in technological and environmental forms, BL has been shown to induce photochemical damage of the retina by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Excess ROS leads to oxidative stress, which disrupts retinal mitochondrial structure and function. As mitochondria amply occupy photoreceptors, they also contribute to oxidative stress due to their selectively significant absorption of BL at 400 to 500 nm. ROS generation that induces oxidative stress subsequently promotes retinal mitochondrial apoptosis. BL filtering and preventative mechanisms have been suggested to improve or repair BL-induced retinal damage, …

A Data Analysis On Mass Shootings In Amercia, James Hinkle, Patrick Mccool

Capstone Showcase

Mass shootings in America have been a recurring issue for years. In this project, we examine mass shootings that have occurred in the United States from 1966 to 2022. Through exploratory data analyses, we explore patterns and trends in shooting events, as well as various patterns in shooters, such as their mental health status, relationship status, social media usage, evidence of trauma in adulthood, and ongoing stressors during the time of the shooting. We also utilize natural language processing (NLP) tools to analyze text information in the dataset, such as the shooters' school performance, community involvement, and past signs of …

Equitable Coloring Of Complete Tripartitle Graphs, Maxwell Vlam, Bailey Orehosky, Dominic Ditizio

Capstone Showcase

In this paper, we prove the Equitable Coloring Conjecture for variations of complete tripartite graphs with graphs K_n,n,n, K_n,n,2n, K_n,n,n+2, and K_n,n+2,n+4.

Computational Cognition And Deep Learning, Andy Malinsky

The Compass

No abstract provided.

Modeling Gene Expression With Differential Equations, Madison Kuduk

Capstone Showcase

Gene expression is the process by which the information stored in DNA is convertedinto a functional gene product, such as protein. The two main functions that makeup the process of gene expression are transcription and translation. Transcriptionand translation are controlled by the number of mRNA and protein in the cell. Geneexpression can be represented as a system of first order differential equations for the rateof change of mRNA and proteins. These equations involve transcription, translation,degradation and feedback loops. In this paper, I investigate a system of first orderdifferential equations to model gene expression proposed by Hunt, Laplace, Miller andPham in …

Exploration And Implementation Of Neural Ordinary Differential Equations, Long Huu Nguyen, Andy Malinsky

Capstone Showcase

Neural ordinary differential equations (ODEs) have recently emerged as a novel ap- proach to deep learning, leveraging the knowledge of two previously separate domains, neural networks and differential equations. In this paper, we first examine the back- ground and lay the foundation for traditional artificial neural networks. We then present neural ODEs from a rigorous mathematical perspective, and explore their advantages and trade-offs compared to traditional neural nets.

Where Did The Time Go?, John C. Viaud, Bilal Abdulmajid, Vitali Surmach, Jia Yanxia

Capstone Showcase

Study shows that most people spend a full quarter of their active hours on their mobile device which can take a serious toll on our productivity as well as our mental and physical well-being. We created an Android app that is able to track and visualize phone usage patterns to help user establish awareness of how much and in what ways they use their Android devices. Unlike currently existing phone time management apps, such as Apple’s ScreenTime and Google’s new Digital Wellbeing, our app provides functionalities to encourage off-phone time and personal goal management.

Transfer Equivalency Site For The Registrar, Janelle N. Rohrbach, Alissa C. Cielecki, Jules A. Turner

Capstone Showcase

The website, arcadia-transfer-equiv.com, was drafted and created for Bill Enick, Registrar at Arcadia University. This was an expansion of a preliminary version of the website created by Caleigh Diefenthaler, Christian Charney, and Dylan Power. The site includes two transfer equivalency tools which can be used to search for course equivalencies by academic institution or by a given Arcadia course. The tools, which pull from a database maintained by the Registrar, will display courses that have transferred to the University successfully. The website also hosts two interactive forms. These forms allow Arcadia students to request approval for courses that have or …

Climate Change Models, Lauren Fie

Capstone Showcase

As a result of the changing climate, global temperatures and global mean sea levels (GMSL) have been increasing rapidly. The complex physical systems surrounding this growth make it difficult to form an accurate model. This paper looks at a simplified model proposed and supported by Aral, Guan, and Chang. This model consists of a system of ordinary differential equations that are simplified and solved theoretically, then applied using python to calculate precise values and form predictions.

Predicting Student Success In Arcadia University’S Math Courses, Chutong Wu, Tong Zhu, Yijin Qiu

Capstone Showcase

This project examines the relative efficacy of Arcadia’s math placement test and math SAT scores in predicting student success, and explores whether SAT scores alone might suffice for certain courses.

An Introduction To Copulas, Yifan Guo, Geng Zhang

Capstone Showcase

Copulas are the mathematical functions that connect the distribution functions of univariate random variables to form multivariate distributions. We define copulas, present some of their key properties, and provide examples of their applications.

Glenside Fire Company Website Modernization, Jennifer Clark, Irene Patterson, David J. Cox Jr.

Senior Capstone Theses

Glenside Fire Company #1, known as GFC, is one of five volunteer fire companies operating in Cheltenham Township, providing services not limited to fire suppression, search and rescue, emergency medical services assistance, and fire safety education. GFC was looking to create a new website in order to promote volunteer firefighting, recruit new members, and fundraise, as well as provide a place where current members can keep records of events and trainings, using a public and member-only view. The website was created using a Bootstrap framework, in order to maximize usability across many platforms. The website will be easily updated with …

An Overview Of The Triceratops, Sarah Kanavy

The Compass

A long, long time ago, magnificent creatures roamed the Earth. Although these creatures may have varied greatly in size, shape, color, or dietary needs, the one thing that these creatures all had in common was a specific clade: Dinosauria. A part of this clade was one dinosaur in particular, Triceratops horridus, which is Greek for “three-horn face”. They received this name because of the three horns protruding from their face: two long ones above their eyes and a shorter one from their nose. Fossil evidence shows that Triceratops horridus lived during the Late Cretaceous period and was one of the …

Estimated Mouse Population At The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust Vs. Reported Incidence Of Lyme Disease In Pennsylvania, Erika Clark

The Compass

The purpose of this research paper is to determine if the mouse population at the PennyPack Trust is correlated with occurrence of Lyme disease state wide.

Mark-recapture studies of white footed mice, Peromyscus Leucopus, were held at the PennyPack Ecological Restoration Trust in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania in order to estimate the population sizes over six years. The common method of ear tagging has been shown not to interfere with the daily activities of mice, or increase their chances of mortality.

White-footed mice are primary hosts of the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, which is the vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that …

Note Taking Effectiveness In The Modern Classroom, K.M. Beck

The Compass

The technological revolution has forever changed the way that people in many different environments work and learn. The modern classroom is no exception; it is rapidly changing due to the influx of technology such as laptops, tablets, smart boards, etc. This study will examine the effect that such technology has had on the modern day learning environment. Specifically, what effect does typing lecture notes on a laptop instead of writing them by hand have on test scores? Previous literature on this topic varies greatly, and covers a number of different facets of note-taking behavior. Early work in memory identifies three …

Courtship In The Borderlands: Hollistic Intimate Space Creation Within Courtship Ideaologies, Alejandro Sánchez

The Compass

While telling me the story of how she met her husband, Mrs. Aguilar told me “I really feel bad for your generation, they are missing out on falling in love.” She was referring to the courtship practices, or the social regulation and cultural markers between two individuals who create a social relation developing a “relationship.”1 She was comparingthe courtship practices of her generation to that of mine and her statement is reflective of the changes in the cultural environment. From courting, a “relationship” can develop. Its dimensions are defined by the mediation between cultural norms and the agent, and can …

Strategies For Leaders To Counter Social Loafing Through The Use Of Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Literature Review, Richard Hildreth

The Compass

Social loafing (SL) is a counterintuitive phenomenon that describes a decrease of efficiency observed in both small groups and large organizations. Research over the past century has increased our understanding of SL and identified antecedent factors that appear to reduce or exacerbate its effect. Subsequent organizational models have beenconceived and evolved, starting with organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), which led toward contextualperformance (CP), and recently to contextual and citizenship performance (CCP). Each type of model can provide valuable insight explaining employee behavior and under which contexts SL occurs. Research shows that OCB has improves organizational productivity and competitiveness, due to organizational …

Oak Regeneration In An Eastern Pennsylvania Forest: Is Prescribed Fire Needed?, Samanatha M. Ebert

The Compass

Fire has shaped the American landscape as much as any other natural or anthropogenic disturbance such as flooding, glaciers, and tornadoes, or logging. Native Americans used fire for thousand of years to facilitate farming, travel, and hunting. Since the 1930s, the United States Forest Service has instituted and maintained a policy of firesuppression. This has changed the composition of American forests allowing shade- tolerant later successional species to thrive, but fire-adapted species are declining. This study establishes a baseline of tree composition of State Game Lands 210 in Dauphin County in Eastern Pennsylvania forest in preparation for the proposed controlled …

Drinking And Game Day: The Expansion And Solution To Alcohol Abuse In Collegiate Sporting Events, Karan Arul

The Compass

For the typical American sports fans, a night out to watch a college sporting event involves a celebration of athleticism, spirit, and teamwork. However, as of the 21st century, the act of purchasing and consuming alcohol has become increasingly complimentary to “enjoying the game” in a collegiate sports stadium. In the United States, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the frontrunner in proliferating collegiate athletics. Yet, the NCAA and its over 1200 member schools “enjoy great profitability from selling and advertising alcohol.”1 As college sporting events continue to rival their professional counterparts in popularity and allegiance, attending a college …

The Compass, Issue 2 - Forward By Provost Nodine, Arcadia University Honors Program

The Compass

Forward by Dr. Barbara Nodine, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, for Issue 2 of The Compass, a scholarly journal edited and produced by students in the Arcadia University Honors Program.

The Compass, Issue 2, Arcadia University Honors Program

The Compass

Issue 2 of The Compass, a scholarly journal edited and produced by students in the Arcadia University Honors Program.

The Compass, Issue 1, Arcadia University Honors Program

The Compass

Issue 1 of The Compass, a scholarly journal edited and produced by students in the Arcadia University Honors Program.

An Unexpected Pair: The Nazis And The Environment, Kelsey Eggert

Senior Capstone Theses

Intentionally absent.