The following Senior Independent Study Theses were awarded Honors and nominated by their departments to serve as examples of the outstanding work done by Wooster students. The PDFs of these exemplars may be downloaded from any location. For questions about the exemplar nomination process, please email openworks@wooster.edu.

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Senior Independent Study Theses from 2022

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Desperate Democrats In The Reagan Revolution: A Party Determined To Win The White House, Matthew Maxwell Akins
Department: History; Political Science

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Women Of Appalachia: Common Ground, Different Matriarch, Cecelia A. Bagnoli
Department: Communication Studies

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Phages, On The Rocks: Development Of A Bacteriophage Cocktail Infecting Pseudomonas Chlororaphis 14B11, Clara Becker
Department: Biology

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Unearthing The Effects Of European-American Settlement On A Northeast Ohio Kettle Lake Through Diatom Stratigraphy, Justine Paul A. Berina
Department: Earth Sciences; Geology

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“What Does The Black Legend Have To Do With Cusco?”: Un Discurso De La Alteridad, La Evangelización, Y El Arte Religioso En El Cusco Colonial, Cammy Bly
Department: Spanish

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Gaming The System: A Game Theoretic Approach To Risk Management And Cybersecurity, Abigail Breitenbucher
Department: Mathematics

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Creating An ArcGIS Dashboard For Climate Data Management And Visualization, Sydney Noel Case
Department: Earth Sciences; Geology

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Who Gets To Know? Combating Colonial Epistemic Oppression, Timothy J. Cotter
Department: Philosophy

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Time Flies: An Analysis Of Circadian Impact Upon Cell Cycle Regulation Using Boolean Modeling And A Developmental Drosophila Model, Emma Elizabeth Davidson
Department: Neuroscience

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Impacts Of The Securitization Of Development In Colombia, Libbie DePastino
Department: Global and International Studies; Spanish

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Microplastics As Carrier Of Pahs Released From Oil Spills: Measuring Ingestion And Bioaccumulation Rates In Copepods, Manasi Desai
Department: Environmental Studies

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“We Have Rung The Alarm Bell Loud And Clear”: Exploring The Effects Of The Securitization Of Global Public Health Crises By International Organizations On State Response, Lilia Eisenstein
Department: Political Science

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Analysis Of The Antimicrobial Activity Of The Novel Chemotherapeutic Drug, Tpp1, Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Hydrogel Delivery Of Water-Soluble Antimicrobial Compounds, Alex Gasper
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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Setting The Stage For Representation: Women Candidates And Moderators' Impact On The Prevalence Of Women's Issues In Presidential Primary Debates, Hannah Groetsch
Department: Political Science

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The Infinity Conundrum: Understanding Topics In Set Theory And The Continuum Hypothesis, Sabrina Grace Helck
Department: Mathematics

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Are We Defined By Our Adversity? Examining The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma And Well-Being In Adulthood, Karabella Rose Hernandez
Department: Psychology

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You Can’t Build A Canoe Online: Activism And Identity In Indigenous Taiwan, Adam King Hinden
Department: Chinese Studies; Sociology and Anthropology

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Investigating Substrate Specificity For 6-Hydroxynicotinate 3- Monooxygenase (Nicc) With Alternative Substrates: Consequences To Catalysis Of Replacing Or Removing The Ring Nitrogen, May Zin Hlaing
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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Counting The Moduli Space Of Pentagons On Finite Projective Planes, Maxwell Hosler
Department: Mathematics

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Developing A Virtual Modular Synthesizer For Sound Waves And Midi, Margaret Jagger
Department: Computer Science

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Being Asian During Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Domestic And International Identities, Liang-Liang Jiang
Department: Chinese Studies

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Spiritual And Sexual Simultaneity: The Fourteenth-Century Psalter Of Bonne Of Luxembourg, Zoe Johnson
Department: Art and Art History

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Body Image Mediating The Relationship Between Personality Factors, Emotionality And Extraversion, And Psychological Well-Being In A Gender-Diverse And Queer Sample, Rachel Jones
Department: Psychology

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Deep Roots In Eroding Soil: Building Decolonial Resilience Amidst Climate Violence And Displacement In A Louisiana Bayou Indigenous Community, Lia McGrath Kahan
Department: Environmental Studies

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Deux Histoires De Meurtres Et D’Intrigues : L’Étude Et L’Application Pratique Des Techniques Courantes De La Traduction Française, Joseph Kalmar
Department: French and Francophone Studies

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Wildfire Simulation Using Agent Based Modeling: Expanding Controlled Burn Season, Morgan C. Kromer
Department: Mathematics

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Environmental Socialization In College: A Survey Research And Network Analysis Of Changes In Climate-Conscious Concerns And Behaviors, Bijeta Lamichhane
Department: Communication Studies; Mathematics

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From The Parks To The Polls: National Parks, Place Attachment, And Environmental Voting Behavior, Rebecca LaRue
Department: Political Science

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Senior Independent Study In Music Composition By Molly Leach, Molly E. Leach
Department: Music

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Ethnic Nationalism In Postcolonial Disputes: The Epistemic Re-Evaluation Of Interest-Driven Knowledge Claims, HahYeon Lee
Department: Philosophy; Political Science

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On Implementing And Testing The RSA Algorithm, Kien Trung Le
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics

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Highlights Generation For Tennis Matches Using Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing And Audio Analysis, Alon Liberman
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics

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Living In The Ruins Of Utopia: The Collapse Of The Soviet Union And The Formation Of Russia's Postcolonial Identity, Erik G. Livingston
Department: Art and Art History

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Once An Enemy, Always An Enemy? The Role Of Political Leaders' Rhetoric In Intractable Conflicts, Alexandra Manopoulou Ms
Department: Global and International Studies

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Visual Looming Cues Increases The Auditory Looming Bias, Maggie K. McCracken
Department: Psychology

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The Effects Of Venlafaxine And Voluntary Exercise On Chronic Unpredictable Stress Induced Anxiety, Marly McGowan
Department: Neuroscience

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"Not Liberating Women Means The Building Of A Socialist Society Is Only Half-Way Done": A Feminist Analysis Of Ho Chi Minh'S Advocacy For The First Law On Marriage And Family In 1959 Vietnam, Hannah Nguyen
Department: Communication Studies

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Backlog Burner: An Adventure Into Automated Scheduling, Anjolaoluwa J. Olubusi
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics

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A Simulation Of The Economic Impact Of Disaster Events, Richie Pajak
Department: Computer Science

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Drift, Pilar Randolph
Department: English

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Dichotomous Logic And The Failings Of Girlboss Feminism: Multiplicity Beyond Man's Episteme, Grace Susan Robinson
Department: Philosophy

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Model Of A Biotic Hard Substrate Community: Paleoecology Of Large Trepostome Bryozoans From The Upper Ordovician (Katian) Of The Cincinnati Region, Usa, Kate Runciman
Department: Earth Sciences; Geology

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Hands That Grab And Tongues That Say: Understanding Animal Narrators And Protagonists, Sophie Ryan
Department: English

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Integrating Art History Into K-5 Social Studies Classrooms, Kate L. Schlegel
Department: Art and Art History

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Stroke Clustering And Fitting In Vector Art, Khandokar Shakib
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics

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A Strange Object That Breaks Your Heart: Short Stories, Annie Sheneman
Department: English

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The Right To Fail: Defining And Imitating The Style Of The Royal Court Theatre, Annie Sheneman
Department: Theatre and Dance

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The Effects Of Diversity And Inclusion Policies On Business Performance, Eraj Sikandar
Department: Economics

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Violent Means For Secure Ends: How An Absence Of State Social Safety Nets Impacts The Prevalence Of Violent Political Activity, Tabitha Skornik-Hayes
Department: Economics; Global and International Studies

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“No Matter Where You’re From, We’re Glad You’re Our Neighbor”: Enacting Justice Initiatives And Community Formation In Faith-Based Organizations, Jenna M. Smith
Department: Sociology and Anthropology

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Add Women And Stir: The Effect Of Female Mentorship On Women's Law School Experiences, Riley E. Smith
Department: Political Science

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Effects Of Microbiome Diversity And Indole On Candida Albicans Infections In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jacqueline Anne Spieles
Department: Biology

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Adaptive NPC Behavior In Maze Chase Game Using Genetic Algorithms, Karen Suzue
Department: Computer Science

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Puffins, The Charismatic Clowns Of The Sea: Examining The Relationship Between Community Identity And The Social Construction Of Animals, Megan Henry Tuennerman
Department: Sociology and Anthropology

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Sheltered: An Investigation Of Homelessness In The United States, Maya Renee Vasta
Department: Statistical and Data Sciences

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Still Awaiting Justice: An Analysis On The Impact Of Anti-Immigrant Sentiment On The Reproductive Autonomy Of Migrant Women, Annays Esperanza Yacaman
Department: Political Science

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Characterization Of The Natural Antibiotic Activity Of Pseudomonas Environmental Isolates, Harrison Zwolshen
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2021

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La Isla Silenciada: A Study on Puerto Rican Attitudes towards the U.S. Federal Government’s Response to Hurricane Maria and its Impact on Puerto Rico’s Status, Lizbeth Acevedo
Department: Political Science

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Educating For Hope: Building Climate Change Resilience in the Middle School Classroom, Cambry J. Baker
Department: Environmental Studies

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Monumentos a dictadores: La memoria histórica del Valle de los Caídos y el Museo Presidente Pinochet, Sofia Sequoia Biegeleisen
Department: Spanish

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Black Outside: A Film Exploring Black People’s Relationships With Outdoor Spaces, Zoie Bills
Department: Communication Studies

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A Case of Mistaken (Ethnic) Identity: Rethinking Civil War Duration, Ethnic Saliency, Terrorism, and the Real Factors Discouraging Resolution, Angie Bittar
Department: Political Science

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Mapping Out Learning: How Aerobic Exercise, Sex and Alzheimer's Disease Impact Learning, Grace G. Bouker
Department: Neuroscience

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“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves”: Creating a Financial Literacy Workshop for College-Aged Women on the Relationship Among Spending, Saving, and Investing, Lesley Chinery
Department: Communication Studies

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The Nana Yaa Asantewaa War: Analysis of the Political Institutions of the Asante during The War Of The Golden Stool and the Existing Narratives, Angela Danso Gyane
Department: History; Political Science

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Option Implied Volatility's Predictability on Monthly Stock Returns, Hung T. Dao
Department: Business Economics; Mathematics

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Foreign Election Interference and Hybrid Warfare, Jonathan Davies
Department: Political Science

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Visit which Scotland? Political Events Illuminating Two Competing Visions of re-emerging Scottish Identity since the late Twentieth-century, Erin W. Delaney
Department: History

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Climate change impacts go beyond the surface: Groundwater recharge rates and aquifer resources across the Contiguous United States, Kendra R. Devereux
Department: Earth Sciences

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"The Refugees are Better Off Than We Are": Evaluating the Impact of Syrian Refugees on Jordanian Labor Markets, Maggie Dougherty
Department: Economics

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The Ghosts of Grief: An Exploration of Gothic Influence in 2010s Horror Cinema, Halen Gifford
Department: Communication Studies; Film Studies

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Peace Be With You: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Interfaith versus Single-faith Peacebuilding Programming at Reducing Violence in Religious Conflict, Sydney Maureen Hanes
Department: Global and International Studies

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Rednecks, Hillbillies, and White Trash in the Living Room: A Rhetorical Analysis of Reality Television's Construction of Appalachian Regional Identity, Bradlee Elizabeth Hartman
Department: Communication Studies

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El concepto de autor y la originalidad en las adaptaciones de Natalia Lafourcade, Heather Hartmann
Department: Chemistry; Spanish

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Corporate Pressure Makes Regime Diamonds: An Analysis of the Impact of Multinational Corporations on International Environmental Regime Effectiveness, Katie Harvey
Department: Global and International Studies

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Reconsidering the Late Woodland: A Critical Reassessment of Perception and Periodization in the Ohio Valley, 400-1000 CE, Devin A. Henson
Department: Archaeology

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'It's Time For One of Us': A Feminist Rhetorical Analysis of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's First Term in Congress, Sarah Ives Hopkins
Department: Communication Studies

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Market Structure and Quality of Service: Investigating Oligopolies and the Quality of Nursing Home Care in California During The COVID-19 Pandemic, Tessa Ireton
Department: Economics

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Conserving America: A History of America’s Conservation Movement and the Establishment of the National Park Service, Jack Jones
Department: History

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Political Identity Rules: Support of Renewable Energy Jobs and Attitudes on Soil Conservation in Northeastern Ohio, Leah H. Jorn
Department: Environmental Studies

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Two Sides of the Same Coin: Vergil and Ovid's Clashing Portrayals of Individual and Group Identity, Dante G. King
Department: Classical Studies

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Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches to Depressive Disorders Among Adults in the United States: From Factor Discovery to Prediction Evaluation, Minhwa Lee
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics

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We're All A Little Bit Gay: Female Homoeroticism in Greek Art, Devon A. Matson
Department: Archaeology; History

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The Great Outdoors, Indoors: An Evaluation of Green Spaces and Housing Prices in Pittsburgh, PA, Will McCullough
Department: Economics

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The Effects of Media Coverage on Public Opinion: A Comparative Case Study of Clinton and Trump's Impeachments by the House, Alexa N. Mellis
Department: Political Science

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Resource Boom, Manufacturing Bust: The Dutch Disease and Deindustrialization in South America, Gabriel Melmed
Department: Global and International Studies

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Whose Line is it Anyway? Rhetoric, Pathology, and the Jewish Race in Late Victorian England, Stephanie G. Pokras
Department: History

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The Application of Machine Learning in Analyzing Organic Compounds from NMR Spectral Data, Nicole Maia Powell
Department: Computer Science

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Helen of Troy? A Reexamination of Helen's Speech in the Iliad, Erin A. Robichaud
Department: Classical Studies; History

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Breaking News: Sustainable Fashion is In and Fast Fashion is Out; Constructions of Sustainable Consumption in Fast Fashion Advertising, Camryn Eve Rosenstein
Department: Communication Studies

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Whitewashing v. Blackwashing: Structural Racism and Anti-Racist Praxis in Hollywood Cinema, Alyssa M. Smith
Department: Africana Studies

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Now You See Me — Now You Don’t: An Investigation of Hair Alterations Effects on Face Identification in Own- and Other-race Faces, Maresa A. Tate
Department: Neuroscience

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Whitewashed: A Look into the Evolution of Race Conversations in American Classrooms, Lily M. Walters
Department: History

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The Development of a Procedure for the PXRF Analysis of Soil Cation Exchange Capacity in Collaboration with Colorado Farmers, Claire E. Wineman
Department: Geology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2020

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Pedagogía Política: Un análisis de la enseñanza de la dictadura de Pinochet y los derechos humanos en Chile, Emily Elizabeth Xiubei Beuter
Department: History; Spanish

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The Defense Cannot Rest: The Impact of Funding for Indigent Defense Services on Incarceration Rates, Itala M. Colby
Department: Political Science

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How Minority Candidates' Intersectional Identities Affect Their Use Of Race And Gender Issue Ownership Campaign Strategies, Mary ("Emma") M. Cotter
Department: Political Science

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Born to Fight: The Virtues of Pankratiasts within Pindar's Nemean Odes, Elijah Culley
Department: Classical Studies

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Remembering the City: An Augmented Reality Reconstruction of Memory, Power, and Identity in Ho Chi Minh City through Cartography & Architecture, Thuy Dinh
Department: Computer Science; History

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Cheat Detection using Machine Learning within Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Harry Dunham
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics