The full text of Senior Independent Study Theses submitted during and after 2012 are available to download only by College of Wooster users. Unless listed as an exemplar, all other theses are restricted.

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Senior Independent Study Theses from 2018

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Investigating Soybean Resistance Mechanisms to Phytophthora Sojae Through the Plant Hormone Auxin, Tara Keller
Department: Biology

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Should You Lyse Your Neighbors’ Houses? This Model Says ‘No’ an in Silico Examination of the Interactions Between Bacterial and Viral Populations in the Presence of the Arbitrium System for Viral Communications, Brendan Kelley-Bukovac
Department: Biology

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Blue Genes: A Comparative Genetic Analysis of Steel Blue, Royal Blue, and Turquoise Betta Splendens, Margaret Kuk
Department: Biology

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The Behavioral and Genetic Effects of Repeated Exposure to the Anesthetic Tricaine (MS-222) on Learning and Memory in Betta splendens, Christina Labib
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Selection on Phenological Traits Changes over the Flowering Season in a Self-Incompatible Annual: Implications for the Formation of Adaptive Temporal Clines, Laura C. Leventhal
Department: Biology

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Are the Frogs Still Croaking? Surveying for Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris Blanchardi) in Northwest Ohio and Assessing Mechanisms of Decline, John McCall
Department: Biology

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Fin Morphology and Role of zic1/zic4 in Betta splendens, an Assessment of Veiltail and Doubletail Morphologies, Luke J. Mierzejewski
Department: Biology

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How Might Fish Protect Crops? a Study of Water Mold Saprolegnia Spp. and Plant Parasitic Oomycete Antagonism with Dermal Mucus from the Mottled Sculpin Cottus Bairdii, Isaac M. Nordmoe
Department: Biology

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Forever Young: Modeling the Effect of p16 on Two Types of Senescence, Caroline Obermeier
Department: Biology

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Flint Still Matters: The Effect of Lead Exposure On Aggressive Behavior and htr1aa Gene Expression in Male Betta splendens, Sara Onitsuka
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Busy Bees: Comparing Pollinator Efficiencies of the Three Primary American Bellflower Pollinator Taxa, Ashley Padilla
Department: Biology

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Ecological and Acoustic Niche Differentiation in Glass Frog (Centrolenidae) Communities in Costa Rica, Amberleigh Ray
Department: Biology

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Rescuing Sleep in FMR1 Null Drosophila Melanogaster, Kaitlyn Marie Rayl
Department: Biology

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An Examination of Salamander Abundance and Behavior in Response to Invasive Plants, Alexa Rojas
Department: Biology

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Preliminary Exploration of the Safety and Efficacy of Bacteriophage Therapy: The Effects of Phage Presence on Host Survival and Immune Response in Caenorhabditis Elegans, Janel E. Romagnoli
Department: Biology

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Determining the Effects of Arginine Kinase Gene Deletions on Mitochondrial Volume in Caenorhabditis elegans using Quantitative and Real-Time PCR, Evan Schneider
Department: Biology

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A Boolean Model of Neuronal Death Upon Cell Cycle Re-Entry, Emma Schroeter
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Bad to the Bone or Good for Healing? Investigating the Effect of CTRP3 Overexpression on Bone Formation, Hannah E. Sexton
Department: Biology

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The Shot Heard Around The World: Determining the Influence and the Spread of the Anti-vaccination Ideology on Measles Outbreaks Using Epidemiological Models, Jennifer Shepheard
Department: Biology; Mathematics

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The Interplay Between Early Life and Later Life Nutritional Conditions on Learning and Memory, Lango Sichizya
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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The Role of Pollinator Preference on the Maintenance of Pollen Color Polymorphisms in the American Bellflower, Campanula americana, Elizabeth Tuan
Department: Biology

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Hepatitis E Virus: Elucidating the Role of Open Reading Frame 4 (ORF 4) on Enhanced Morbidity and Mortality During Pregnancy, Randall K. Turner II
Department: Biology

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Float Like a Bellflower, See Like a Bee: An Experimental Analysis of the Visual Acuity and Pollen Color Preference in Bombus Impatien, Jack Whalen
Department: Biology

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The Effect of Music and Maternal Separation on Anxiety and BDNF Levels in Rats, Selina M. Yossef
Department: Biology

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Assessing Phenotypic and Genetic Variation in Populations of the Hummingbird-Pollinated, Desert Perennial, Erythrina flabelliformis, Megan Zerrer
Department: Biology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2017

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Studying the Changes in Aggressive Behavior of Male Betta Fish (Betta Splendens) When Exposed to Endocrine Disrupting Compunds, Charles Angelastro
Department: Biology

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Coevolution of a Coral Snake and Its Mimic: An Experimental Analysis of the Effect of Body Size on Predation, and the Geographic Variation of Clelia clelia, April M. Arquilla
Department: Biology

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Effects of Acute Social Stress on Ejaculate Parameters in Heterosexual Men, Jarek Beegan
Department: Biology

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Circadian Rhythm-Gating of Salinity Stress-Induced Transcription Factor Expression in Solanum lycopersicum, and Implications in Sustainable Agriculture, Kelsey E. Coyne
Department: Biology

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Modeling the Dynamics of Epigenetic Changes on Key Pluripotency Genes in Response to Reprogramming, Laura J. Cremer
Department: Biology

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Widespread Hybridization of the Red- Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) and the Northern Ravine Salamander (Plethodon Electromorphus) Throughout the State of Ohio, Joseph M. DeFelice
Department: Biology

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Investigating the Molecular Underpinnings of Learning and Memory Defects Using a Drosophila Melanogaster Model of Intellectual Disability, Ginelle Doerr
Department: Biology

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RxLR Effectors of the Plant Pathogen Phytophthora sojae target the Proteasome in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, James F. Ferritto
Department: Biology

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Assessment of Amphibian Fungal Disease in Salamanders at Wooster Memorial Park, Ohio, Julia C. Fregonara
Department: Biology

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A Comparison of Basiliscus basiliscus Abundance Between Riparian Zones in Primary and Secondary Forests, Benjamin S. Grunwald
Department: Biology

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Lethal and Sub-Lethal Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticides on Bee and Fly Taxa of the North American Tallgrass Prairie, Alexander Hajek
Department: Biology

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The Impacts of Stress on Arousal, Cortisol, and Testosterone, Caroline Heyd
Department: Biology

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Immediate Microhabitat Changes Following Buckthorn Removal on the Edge of a Minnesotan Bog, Alyson T. Jacobs
Department: Biology

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Second-growth, not second-rate: Exploring the community composition of glass frogs in old-growth and second-growth forests of Costa Rica, Linnea L. Johnson
Department: Biology

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The Transgenerational Effects of a Long-term Amphetamine Dosage on Behavior in Sprague-Dawley Rats, Elizabeth Kantra
Department: Biology

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Effects of Neonatal Fluoxetine Exposure Through Lactational Transfer on Long-Term Spatial and Object Recognition Memory in Adulthood in Sprague-Dawley Rats (Rattus norvegicus), Elsa Maggiolino
Department: Biology

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An Experimental Analysis of Invasive Plant Effects on Salamander Abundance, Blake E. Marlowe
Department: Biology

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Does Arnica Really Work? A Comparative Study Between Western Medicine (Corticosterone) and Homeopathic Remedies, Cole L. McDonough
Department: Biology

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Efficacy of Pseudomonads as Biological Control Agents against Agrobacterium rhizogenes and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Mayama Nyajro
Department: Biology

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When to Move on: Generalist Insect Pollinators Exhibit a Temporal Decrease in Floral Fidelity Towards a Common Prairie Perennial, Echinacea angustifolia, Leah J. Prescott
Department: Biology

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Role of the Adipokinetic Hormone Precursor (AKH-I) in Regulating the Blood feeding Behavior of Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes, Gitika Shriyan
Department: Biology

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Effects of the invasive plant species, Rosa multiflora and Alliaria petiolata, and deer browsing on native plant species in a Ohioan second growth forest, Mallorey R. Stack
Department: Biology

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A Boolean Modeling Approach to Understanding Synergies Between Cell Phenotypes in Early Neurogenesis, Nathan R. Sundheimer
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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One Fish, Two Fish: Genetic Differences in Carotenoid Deposition and Pigmentation, and their relation to the Immune Responses of Red and Blue Betta splendens, Taryn E. Szalay
Department: Biology

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Transcriptome Analysis Suggests the PsAvh110 Effector Targets Phosphate Homeostasis in Yeast, Avery C. Wilson
Department: Biology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2016

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Testosterone and Song Recovery in Response to Short-Term Fasting in the Male Zebra Finch, Kaitlin Banko
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Variation in seed oil content in multi-purpose crop Moringa oleifera from naturalized populations in Ghana, Annelise S. Bay
Department: Biology

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Black is the New Gray: A Preliminary Analysis of Melanism in the Genus Sciurus, Jacob A. Beckstead
Department: Biology

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Black is the new Gray: A Preliminary Analysis of Melanism in the Genus Sciurus, Jacob A. Beckstead
Department: Biology

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Quantifying Fish Species Richness and Community Composition in Primary and Secondary Tropical Forest Streams, Taylor Bradley
Department: Biology

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Investigating the Combined Effects of Relevant Environmental Contaminants Lead, Cadmium, and Fluoxetine, on the Behavior and Gene Expression of C. elegans., Anna R. Damato
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Effects of Heterospecific Male Presence on Generalized Activity and Reproductively-Associated Behavior in Aedes aegypti Females, Laura B. Darby
Department: Biology

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Got milk? An In-Depth Analysis of Community Water Fluoridation and a Chemical Investigation of Fluoridated Milk as an Alternative to Fluoridated Water, Shikha Dharia
Department: Biology; Chemistry; Interdepartmental

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The Impacts of Sleep Deprivation on the Immune System and Vaccination Effectiveness, Samuel R. Gardner
Department: Biology

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The Interactions of Oxytocin and Maternal Separation on Anxiety and Depression in Rodents, Marissa Gorvet
Department: Biology

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Behavioral Impacts of Antidepressant Exposure on Red Worm Eisenia Fetida and Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates Pipiens, Lucas R. Grisanti
Department: Biology

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Determining the Function of Rna Binding Protein Nab2 on Neurogenesis During the Development of Drosophila Melanogaster, Andrew Herst
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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An Examination of Hybridization Between Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida: Examining Relative Rates of Hybridization and the Effect of Flowering Time, Kathleen Hogg
Department: Biology

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The Modeling of Phenazine Induced Pathogenesis and Pharmacological Modulation of Autophagy in C. elegans, Brian A. Karavantas
Department: Biology

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Progress toward the Investigation of the role of Arginine Kinase in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, Shelby N. Kratt
Department: Biology

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Influence of Cellular Localization of Peroxiredoxins on Mutation Frequency and Oxidant Defense, Ian M.C. Martin
Department: Biology

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The Impact of Edge Effects on Two Species of Glass Frogs in La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, Stuti Sharma
Department: Biology

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Diversity of Glass Frogs Between Primary and Secondary Tropical Forest at La Selva Biological Station, Heredia Province, Costa Rica, Nathan G. Weltman
Department: Biology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2015

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Impacts of Climate Change on Species Invasiveness: Temperature Effects on Agonistic Interactions between Crayfish Procambarus clarkii and Cambarus robustus, Diego Arias
Department: Biology

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The Functions of Nab2 On Cellular Growth Regulation in Drosophila Melanogaster, Brittany N. Boychuk
Department: Biology

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Organizational and Activational Effects of Testosterone on Learning and Memory, Philip M. Charnley
Department: Biology

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A Comparative Assessment of Venlafaxine Degradation in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge, Shauntia Cobb
Department: Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Studies

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Determining growth and mutation rates in met18Δ and met18Δrnr-1D57N yeast strains, to uncover pathways affected by elevated deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates and potential targets for cancer therapies.., Bryan Daugherty
Department: Biology

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The Effects of Rock Type and Bamboo Density on The Cryptic Coloration of The Bloody Bay Poison Frog, Levi J. Fawcett
Department: Biology

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What Separates Northern Redback salamanders from Northern Ravine Salamanders? Studying the effects of Microhabitat isolation between Plethodon cinereus and Plethodon electromorphus, Jacob Gabriel
Department: Biology

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Phenazine Inhibition in Pseudomonads: An Investigation of Subinhibitory Aminoglycoside Concentrations and Pseudomonad Interactions, Sarah E. Gilbert
Department: Biology

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Female Preference for a Cognitive Trait in the Male Mealworm Beetle Tenebrio Molitor, Elizabeth Sara Ann Gonder
Department: Biology

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Effects on Beetle and Ant Populations at a Temperate Deciduous Forest and Agricultural Edge, Dabney L. Gottman
Department: Biology

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The Effect of Competition Release on the Microhabitat Use and Body Size of the Introduced Species Anolis richardii on the Island of Tobago, Sean E. Hackel
Department: Biology

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Oxidative Stress Response Regulator and ABC Transporter Gene Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans as a Method for Reducing Phenazine Toxicity, Micah T. Harland
Department: Biology

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Study of Thermoregulatory Behavior in The Common Wall Lizard Podarcis Muralis, Brian T. Hefele
Department: Biology

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Testing the Efficacy of Novel Electrical Stimulation Practices in Elderly Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients During Rehabilitation, Patrick Henderson
Department: Biology

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Mimics Without Models: Do Look-Alikes of Deadly Coral Snakes Gain Protection From Predators Only When The Real Thing is in the Area?, Erin E. Hodson
Department: Biology

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Examining Compensatory Factors That Influence Peroxide Sensitivity and Mutation Frequency in Yeast Lacking Two Key Peroxidases, Sean R. Hohan
Department: Biology

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Patterns of Resistance in Field Populations of Culex Pipiens Restuans from Summit County, Ohio, Caitlyn Leasure
Department: Biology

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Muttiple Shelter Enrichment Methods: a Study of the Effect of Petting or Walking on the Canine Stress Response, Lauren MacDonald
Department: Biology; Psychology

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A Phylogeographic Study of The Pickerel Frog, Lithobates Palustris, To Assess The Possibility of Cryptic Species, Nicolas Mavromatis
Department: Biology

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Lactational Exposure to Duloxetine: The Effects on Depression and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in the Hippocampus of the Rodent Model, Skye Patterson
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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Temperature as a Stressor in Zebra Finch Nestlings and its Effects on the Post-Fledging Stress Response, Ari M. Pompas
Department: Biology

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The Effects of Circadian Rhythm Disruption On Social Behavior, Anxiety, and Plasma Corticosterone Levels in Mice Using Exercise As An intervention, Shannan Pullara
Department: Biology

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Female Mate Choice in The Tobagonian Glass Frog Hyalinobatrachium Ortientale Tobagense, David P. Raines
Department: Biology

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Neophobic behavior but not aggression differs between urban and rural chickadee flocks (Poecile atricapillus and Poecile carolinensis), Elizabeth Ross
Department: Biology

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Interaction of nutritional content and temperature on larval growth rate in Pieras rapae, Rachel Sell
Department: Biology

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Who's Your Daddy? It Might Be Your Mom: Tracking Pollen Movement in a Population of the Coral Bean (Erythrina flabelliformis) in Southeastern Arizona, Carolyn Thornton
Department: Biology

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Exploring the Neuroprotective Effects of EGCG and Green Tea on the Vestibular System, Caitlyn F. Trullinger-Dwyer
Department: Biology; Neuroscience

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The Effects of Short-Term Starvation and Subsequent Re-Feeding in The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Chase Ullman
Department: Biology

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Long-Term Experimental Evolution of Environmental Microbes to Degrade the Antidepressant Venlafaxine (Effexor®), Maxwell Werman
Department: Biology

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An Exploration of the Relationship between Personality and Play Behaviors in Captive Red Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata rubra), McKenzie G. Witzke
Department: Biology; Psychology

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The Therapeutic Effects of Environmental and Physical Enrichment on Motor Behavior Function in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease, Rachel A. Wortman
Department: Neuroscience; Psychology; Biology

Senior Independent Study Theses from 2014

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Identification of the Freshwater Fish of Tobago and Comparison to the Fish of the Northern Drainages of Trinidad using DNA Barcoding, Zachary S. Bradley
Department: Biology