2021-2022 Senior Honors Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10657/10473

This collection contains theses produced by Class of 2022 Honors students

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Scaffold Design for Photogrowable Nanonetworks and Pre-Evaluation for Orthogonal Nanoparticle Expansion
(2021-12-03) De Vita Sifontes, Giovanna V.
A substantial part of polymer chemistry focuses on the formation of block copolymers for functionalization. These polymers possess a wide range of characteristics based on how they are constructed and polymerized. Recently, the focus in this field has shifted to the formation of nanoparticles. Harth’s research group has led the way in creating photogrowable nanonetworks (PGNNs). There is an inherent difficulty in conducting orthogonal expansion polymerizations once a PGNN is formed. The challenge of PGNN is to conduct controlled polymerizations that expand either from the scaffold or crosslinker without affecting each other or any end groups. This project covers the formation of various scaffolds for PGNNs with varying properties, and pre-evaluation polymerization reactions involving symmetrical trithiocarbonate crosslinkers to conduct orthogonal polymerizations on nanoparticles involving these scaffolds and crosslinkers. Scaffolds were constructed using reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, or atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The preliminary reactions that tested the crosslinkers were performed with catalyst ZnTPP under green light and with methyl acrylate as the monomer. Several control reactions were performed to examine the orthogonality of the nanonetwork polymerizations. The construction of the scaffolds provided three different designs for expansion methods and different attachment methods for the crosslinkers. Evaluation tests performed on the crosslinkers demonstrated that orthogonal polymerization can be achieved on a PGNN. This project contributed to the formation of three different design scaffolds for future PGNNs and controlled reactions that demonstrate orthogonal expansion of the individual components of photogrowable networks.
Maya identity through food ways in Mérida and surrounding regions in Mexico
(2021-12-03) Pruden, Zoe G.
The Yucatán state of México has had a rich history of indigenous peoples, colonialists, and global influence; this is especially visible through the food of the region. Mérida, in particular, has developed a society that romanticizes the region, yet leaves the Maya descendant population stranded. This paper aims to reveal the effects of food ways on Maya descendants in Mérida, México, in terms of social factors, including poverty, health, and obesity. Few studies have been conducted on identity through diet, although the diet is recognized as a large cultural aspect. Specifically, this paper will focus on the various classic Maya diets and how they interact with both locals and visitors in and around Mérida. Through analyzing elements including both modern and historical lifestyles, agricultural practices, and globalization, the effects of the globalization of food on Maya descendant lifestyles will be clear. With numerous factors contributing to the decline of local cultural practices within a more globalized society, the maintenance of Maya identities is reliant on food ways. Maintaining dietary practices results in a continuation of ethnic heritage, although it is often practiced in personal settings. On this basis, modern food ways in Mexico both aids and hinders Maya descendants, depending on the viewpoint.
A Synergistic Forensic Approach to Population Affinity Estimation
(2021-12-07) Buck, Reece A.
Through analyzing the 20 skulls from the South Texas Applied Forensic Science center I aim to ascertain a better picture of the demography of our donors and what that means regarding the issue of ancestry estimation in Forensic Anthropology. I will also be analyzing genetic methods of ancestry estimation and how both forensic anthropology and forensic genetics can work synergistically to create new statistical software with greater accuracy. With our globalized society it is becoming more and more unlikely that we can fit ourselves neatly into the racial categories that the offices of jurisprudence would like us to fill, thus we should be tailoring our methods and practices to more reflect ourselves as biological populations of the species Homo sapiens rather than placing ourselves within antiquated racial typologies such as: Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic.
En Route to the Ahlul Bayt: Shia Narrative and Symbolism Through Pilgrimage, Imagery, and Politics
(2021-12-08) Hasta, Ambarina Z.
This thesis analyzes major components and stories from the Shia narrative while connecting tropes and themes from this heritage back to forms of modern day expression of identity. In particular, these forms explored are: visual imagery, pilgrimage and shrine visitation, and politics. Furthermore, this thesis connects the dots between the expression of identity and the interconnectedness between Shia spaces, images, and political ideology. This thesis focuses particularly on the regions of Lebanon and Iraq. The body of work includes a written component on background and relevant analyses. Furthermore, the thesis includes a photographic series taken by me from my own visits to Iraq and Lebanon, to fully exemplify the topic through a personal and visual lens. The photo series includes descriptive and analytical captions that aim to give context and connect back to the elements addressed in the written segment of this thesis.
The Effect Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On The US Cut Flower Market: A Harris County Texas Florists Wholesale Price And Quantity Change Of Roses And Hydrangeas From January 2018 To August 2021
(2021-12-09) Munson, Alyssa M.
This study is about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States cut flower market. The collected data is from one Harris County florists' wholesale price and quantity demanded of roses and hydrangeas. The data of new COVID-19 cases for Harris County show that the prices and quantities both increased alongside new COVID-19 cases. We find that roses highlight the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on cut flower products. The cut flower industries experienced labor shortages, increased costs of trade and purchases, supply-chain fractures, regulations, developing countries importing, supply decrease, and consumer inelasticity. The existing literature displays COVID-19 effects on different markets, while this study collects and presents new data on the cut flower industries. The pricing and quantity data was just compiled for this study from an individual Houston florists' wholesale purchases. We find that with this newly collected data that COVID-19 did influence the US cut flower market. During the pandemic, the cut flower market supply curve shifted downwards, and the demand curve shifted upwards, resulting in a price increase.
A Simplified Balloon Payload For Stratospheric Conductivity Measurements
(2021-12-17) Ulinski, Alexandra R. B.
There are still many open questions about the Earth's atmosphere, and to answer them scientists need data from experimental observations. Stratospheric conductivity measurements are a vital component of global electric circuit research; however, in the twenty-first century there have been very few experiments designed to advance this area of research or investigate puzzling observations made in the decades before. To address this deficiency, this thesis aimed to design a lightweight, low-cost, balloon instrument that could measure stratospheric conductivity. The goal was to create a design that could be shared and replicated by other student groups, adding fresh experimental observations to the available data; thus, allowing scientists to improve models, explain anomalies, and explore new applications of this knowledge. To design an effective, yet simple instrument, previous balloon payloads were analyzed and modified to reduce complexity, weight, and cost. The design, consisting of two spherical conducting probes separated horizontally by a high resistivity boom was shared via ConductivityResearch.com. A prototype was constructed, weighing only 2.72 kg (not including flight train and telemetry devices), and costing just under $2000 (including balloon, helium, and flight train). Initial tests suggest that the design will be capable of measuring atmospheric conductivity and can be replicated with relative ease. The prototype will soon be fully tested during a balloon campaign in Alaska.
Design Practice in Support of Capitalism: Industrial Design and Cold War Consumer Politics
(2021-12-18) Bhattacharya, Karina L.
The United States and the Soviet Union were political rivals in a battle between U.S. capitalism and Soviet communism known as the Cold War. In the 1950s, international exhibitions such as the Marshall Plan Exhibits, the Brussels Worldâ€™s Fair, and the American National Exhibition in Moscow were critical opportunities for the U.S. to show audiences in Europe and the Soviet Union that capitalism, as opposed to communism, offered a better standard of living for people living under its economic system. This thesis examines the role of the U.S. industrial designers who designed and curated exhibits at these international exhibitions to demonstrate their support of capitalism during the Cold War.
Operation Iraqi Freedom: The Unjust War of Generation Y
(2022-03-10) Philippus, Joshua M.
Operation Iraqi Freedom: The Unjust War of Generation Y is an in depth look at three different Just War Theories. First, the Christian Just War Theory, the Classical Greek idea of Just War, and the Just War ideas of the Yoruba Tribe of West Africa are examined. In the second chapter the Christian model of Just War Theory is then applied to Operation Iraqi Freedom as a while in an effort to determine the "justness" of said operation. Finally, the author uses letters written home from his time spent fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom to illuminate what combat is actually like and how that looks in juxtaposition with the idea of any war being "just".
Review of Methods and Algorithms for Searching an Object in Images and on a Video data Stream in Various Situations
(2022-04-21) Litvinov, Evgenii
In this research work, general solutions for detecting objects in images and video streams in various situations using different methods will be considered. The intelligence of video surveillance systems will focus on moving objects, as well as on finding a specific object with given attributes for searching. At the end of the work, several technological experiments will be made, with the help of the system which is able to find a moving object in the frame and capture it, as well as send email notifications with a photo of this object. This technology should either maximally compress video quality with a still background image, or not record at all. This should thus speed up the database matching process and reduce the need for large amounts of memory.
The Impact of Race on The Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Life Satisfaction And Meaning In Life
(2022-04-27) Alhassan, Amena N.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been a concept many speak of in regard to the impact it has on the growth of an individual from the perspective of their mental and physical health. However, ACEs not only impact an individual at the moment of their occurrence but cause long-lasting impacts throughout their life, based on the severity of the experience they had. The present study used three variables to analyze the impact of ACEs on Satisfaction with Life, Meaning in Life-Search, and Meaning in Life-Presence, to investigate whether racial background can alter an individual's score on the questionnaires asked. Methods: Participants included college students between the ages of 17-25. There were a total of 778 participants, with 81.4% (n = 633) female, 18.3% (n = 142) male, and 0.4% (n = 3) other. Pearsonâ€™s correlations, bi-variant analysis tests were conducted to analyze the correlations between the variables. Results: The results indicated that in regard to ACEs impact on life satisfaction and meaning in life-presence there was a significant correlation. Therefore, those who answered the ACEsâ€™ questionnaire and scored higher there, would score lower on their aspect of life satisfaction and meaning in life-presence. In regard to the impact of race on meaning in life and life satisfaction, the results indicated low significant results out of the tests run. Conclusion: In summary, our results indicate that oneâ€™s race being identified as a minority is slightly associated with exposure to more adverse childhood experiences, which in turn is associated with decreases in meaning in life and satisfaction with life to decrease.
Political Violence in the Late Roman Republic
(2022-04-29) O'Connell, Jack T.
This thesis tackles the role of political violence in the Late Roman Republic. It begins with a discussion over the careers of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, with an emphasis on the social issue of land redistribution. The focus is on the failure of traditional institutions to pass legislation, and how violence was first employed by Tiberius Gracchus as a last resort response to this crisis. Assassination on the part of Nasica was also the most effective means to overcome the power Tiberius had gained from his own violent tactics. The further instrumentalization and escalation of violence occurred with Marius, Saturninus, and Glaucia. These three perfected the implementation of mob violence to further political ambitions and also started the process of beginning the legislative process with violence at the ready. This transferred political violence from an emergency response to a standard means of political expression. The trio also developed an alliance which overpowered the republicâ€™s government. From here, the thesis moves to discuss the Social War. The particular point of interest is the juxtaposition between failed decades of nonviolent political reform, and the efficacy of a violent uprising. Furthermore, the Social War sheds light on the potency of political violence once it is intermingled with the mechanisms of war. Sulla is emblematic of the perfection of political violenceâ€™s techniques in the Roman Republic. Sulla fully brought civil war to Rome, slaughtered all opposition, and reforged the Roman Republic to fit his ideal image. With Sulla come the creation of the Proscriptions The power of unleashed political violence was on full display for all Romans to see. The next five decades would see repeats of these forms of violence until the Roman citizens chose to shed its violent, republican government in favor of autocracy. These conflicts demonstrate the struggle between Romeâ€™s city-state government, and the burdens of empire. No longer could the institutions of Republican Rome, designed specifically to manage a city-state, handle the radical shifts in power brought upon by the Imperial Republic. Political violence managed the demands of Romeâ€™s empire and provided solutions to the failures of the republican government.
An Unbiased Approach on The Conformational Dynamics of In-Solution Fibrinogen and Its Physiological Implications.
(2022-04-29) Esparza Pinelo, Jose E.
By itself, Fibrinogen (Fng) stands out as one of the most complex hematopoietic proteins in the cardiovascular system for multiple species in nature. Upon its activation and further cascade mechanisms, Fng can polymerize into fibrin and contribute to blood clot formation and substantial growth. Fngâ€™s interactions with fibrinolytic proteins aggregate into a conglomerate of different fragments in blood bodily mechanisms. Any form of dysregulation in any of these pathways can lead to several complications not only within the cardiovascular system but throughout the entirety of the body. Understanding the crux of Fngâ€™s functions and interactions with itself along with other proteins ultimately can be traced back to its inherent dynamic structure. In this study, I aim to probe the intrinsic flexibility that is beset on Fng by way of its multi-domain composition, allowing it to withstand incredible mechanical forces as well as being highly dynamic in its physiological form. Thus, extending the key biological concept that structure and flexibility that comes with it determine functions. Through an unbiased approach by implementing protein structural studies as well as computational dynamic simulations, in-solution Fng dynamics were studied in their totality.
Gender Differences in Job Search and Networking Behaviors Among Scholars
(2022-04-29) Barnes, DuBois H.
For this study, we sought to determine if gender plays a role in various work-related behaviors. Gender was used as a moderator for all four hypotheses. Analysis software was SPSS. A binary logistic regression was used to analyze three of the hypotheses. Hypothesis 3 had a continuous outcome variable of h-index, so a linear regression analysis was used. For hypothesis 1 and 2, we analyzed the relationship between networking behaviors and job search/job offers. For H3 and H4 we looked at whether increasing networking behaviors increased h-index but more-so for men, and if a high h-index resulted in higher chance of job offer for men than women. No significant results were found for any analyzed interactions. Implications for this study include how length of career and h-index score can increase the likelihood of networking and decrease job seeking. This can be useful for identifying populations interested in changing employment, and identifying populations that may benefit from networking interventions. Additionally, it suggests future research is needed regarding stage in career and employment behaviors. Further research on gender differences in networking and job search is needed.
Throw Me
(2022-04-29) Lee, Allison G. Y.
This thesis contains poems written by Allison Lee during her undergraduate education.
Comparing Parent and Child Interactive Play in the Lab and Home: A Look Into a Child's Optimal Visual Learning Experience
(2022-05-03) Pham, Jo-Anne
Recent technological advancement allows developmental researchers to use small cameras that can be attached to a child's and parentâ€™s head and document first person view, characterizing childâ€™s and parentâ€™s visual experiences. However, this mainly took place in the laboratory and has recently been introduced into the home setting. There are some uncertainty whether or not laboratory studies accurately reflect everyday interactions between the parent and child. In order to further understand this concept and validate previous laboratory studies in the home, we brought common laboratory equipment, such as the eye tracking cameras, toys, and furniture, into the participantâ€™s home to investigate 1) the feasibility of replicating laboratory studies with head cameras and eye tracking devices and 2) the similarities and differences in typical parental scaffolding behaviors and infant visual experiences in the two settings. This study serves as a feasibility study as well as a case study with one parent and child dyad in each setting (both babies are 10 months old, White, male, and have high SES). Results indicate that parent object holding, object naming, and infant visual gaze have longer duration in the laboratory, however parent verbal behaviors are similar across the two settings. These findings support parental scaffolding behaviors previously observed in laboratory settings, however, they show that these behaviors are more prominent in the laboratory.
THE QUEER IMMIGRANT IN THE UNITED STATES: FROM IMMIGRATION TO INTEGRATION
(2022-05-04) Lee, Cassidy J.
The LGBTQ+ immigrant community faces barriers in leaving their country of origin, immigrating to a new country, and integrating into their new community. This paper examines reasons for LGBTQ+ flight, describes the historical treatment of LGBTQ+ migrants in the U.S., analyzes the current barriers and resources for queer migrants during their immigration journey, and provides recommendations on moving forward in the policy and organizational landscape. Results from the investigation show that the LGBTQ+ migrant continues to face barriers during every step of their immigration and integration, most of which are not entirely mitigated by organizational or government resources. As a result, this research emphasizes the need for the United States federal government to draft policies that protect queer migrants and address their unique integration needs. â€ƒ
An Evaluation of Dobzhansky-Muller Incompatibilities in Protein Evolution
(2022-05-05) Esopenko, Hannah
This study is focused on the evolution of Dobzhansky-Muller Incompatibilities (DMIs) and Compensated Pathogenic Deviations (CPDs) in protein evolution. DMIs are genetic differences that occur by post zygotic isolation to reduce the overall fitness of an organism. Meanwhile, CPDs are pathogenic mutations that show no adverse effects to the organism as there is an additional mutation somewhere in the sequence that compensates for the deleterious nature of the mutation. Therefore, studying the nature of DMIs and CPDs provides a deeper understanding as to how deleterious events arise throughout the evolution of species. A study conducted by Kondrashov et al. (2002) addressed DMIs in protein evolution by identifying the occurrence of CPDs when the nonhuman orthologs deviated from the reference human ortholog sequence. Kondrashov et al.’s (2002) study was clever in construction, but the methodology was unclear, and the results appeared to be over simplified. To analyze the validity of the Kondrashov et al. (2002) paper, a similar study using restricted parameters and modern bioinformatic databases was conducted for this senior thesis project. To do so, 24 primate orthologs of 32 genes responsible for Mendelian diseases were collected and compared to the pathogenic missense data of humans to identify CPDs. Through computational analysis and the visual representation of protein alignments, 26 valid CPD hits were found. The 26 CPD hits presented in four general patterns: single species CPD, single clade CPD with two or more species, convergent evolution of a CPD, and ancestral CPDs. A statistical analysis was performed to determine whether factors such as the length of the protein, the evolutionary distance between sequences, or the number of pathogenic variants played a role in the number of CPDs found. The relationship between the number of CPDs found and the evolutionary distance between sequences and the amount of pathogenic variant data were found to be statistically significantly correlated. More data and research into primate genomes and the nature of CPDs is required to accurately determine their occurrence. This will help predict how CPDs arise in species and better evaluate the claims made in the Kondrashov et al. (2002) paper.
DUE-STR: A Heuristic Extension Of The Selfless Traffic Routing Model Utilizing Dynamic User Equilibrium
(2022-05-05) Carroll, Thomas
Routing vehicles through a traffic network such as a modern-day city has been a much- studied topic, with routing algorithms such as Dynamic User Equilibrium (DUE) having been well documented. The focus of many such works has been on the optimization of average travel time through traffic networks aiming for the more efficient routing of vehicles. In this thesis, we outline our plans for routing to satisfy arrival deadlines, where vehicles are routed with the primary objective of getting somewhere on time. We consider vehicle routing through a smaller section of a city, known as a traffic sub-network, using a centralized scheme as a guiding traffic assignment agent. We introduce our preliminary implementation of a routing algorithm built on the Selfless Traffic Routing (STR) model and Dynamic User Equilibrium (DUE) to show the viability of such a scheme on a traffic network. We present our experimental results from running this scheme on a real-world traffic network. We consider a pre-vehicle movement rerouting scheme capable of being competitive against more informative real-time models. We evaluate DUE-STR and these models using the number of arrival-deadline misses and the average travel time performance metrics for vehicles. We find mixed results between DUE-STR and other models, with our DUE- STR model mostly having better results when considering deadline misses and mostly having worse results when considering average vehicle travel time. We explore reasons why the results may not be quite as good as well as potential solutions to solve these issues.
Leprous Transsexuals: A Queer Midrashic Reading of Vayikra/Leviticus 13-14
(2022-05-06) Hall, Audrey Gale
This thesis demonstrates how transgender experiences can illuminate the biblical metanarrative of the metsora (leper). The book of Vayikra (Leviticus) tells kohanim (priests) how to identify and deal with metsoraâ€™im (lepers), namely by removing them from the community. Similarly, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) tells American psychiatrists how to identify and deal with gender deviants. In both cases, professionals wield texts given the power to determine the lives of people whose bodily existence defies constructed norms of ability and wholeness, of sanctioned sexuality, and of social desirability. By reimagining metsoraâ€™im as survivors in exile, I push back against Vayikra 13 and 14, which define them primarily in terms of disorder. I want to hold up the metsora as a mirror for trans folks, a window through which we can see ourselves in the Torah.
Pathways to Vassalage in Tierra Firme: Conflict, Negotiation, and Rebellion in Early Colonial Panamá
(2022-05-08) Georgeson, Tara M.
Vassalage in the context of this paper is defined as a position of subordination or submission and the homage, fealty, or services du from being a vassal of a political power, in this case the Spanish Church and monarchy. The agenda was to make Christians and vassals of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. As vassals they would be expected to give up what the Spanish viewed as “evil” or “barbarous” ways to labor in mines, cultivation, and building processes. In exchange they would be indoctrinated into the Christian faith, provided food and shelter, and allowed to remain in their own lands. Those who did not comply were forced to labor. In this thesis, I argue that Spanish explorers and settlers were not diplomats and had little interest in the effort and expense of evangelizing, feeding, or sheltering the Indigenous peoples. As long as they prospered off the subjugation of the Indigenous peoples and, later, Africans, they did not uphold the laws as they had expected to be followed. I argue that vassalage, at this time, was used as an ultimatum or an opportunity to exploit. Those who did not agree were enslaved and those who did agree had often been intimidated to do so. Enslaved Africans had arrived with the Spaniards in their first voyages. However, it wasn’t until the cheaper Indigenous labor declined, and the laws protecting them began to be enforced in earnest, that the Spaniards began to lean more heavily on enslaved Africans as a labor resource. The African path to vassalage was very different from the Indigenous. It was not as readily offered until self-emancipated Africans, or cimarrones, soon dominated the region, crowned their own king, collaborated with Spanish enemies, and began raiding Spanish mule trains along the Camino Real, the vital trade route that transported Peruvian gold along the isthmus between Panama City on the Pacific side to Nombre de Dios on the Atlantic side. As conflict escalated vassalage would become a bargaining tool to establish peace.

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