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Senior Independent Study Theses from 2020
Project Documerica: How Environmental Photography Captured an Era, Ingrid E. Buckley
Department: History
Lights, Camera, Busing: An Analysis of Differing Media Perspectives Surrounding the Boston Busing Crisis, Jacob P. Bueter
Department: History
The Dream Machine, Amelia Burke
Department: English
I Thought Sharing Was Caring? Examining the Relationship Between Externally Spurred Power-Sharing in Ethnic Civil War and Reoccurring Violence, Emmanuell L. Burton
Department: Political Science
Finding a Satisfying Way of Healthy Eating – A Diet Model that Cares about Personal Preferences, Tianyi Cai
Department: Mathematics
"Nothing That I Don't Like:" Gwendolen Harleth's Search for Life Outside the Marriage Plot in Daniel Deronda, Imogen Campbell Hendricks
Department: English
The Kardashian Voice Effect: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Social Perceptions of the Glottal Fry Register, Emily Cano
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Take a Chill Pill: Examining the Effects of De-Stressing on Pain, Elizabeth L. Carlson
Department: Psychology
"First the Pain, Then the Rising": Assessing Student Knowledge of Title IX Policies and Procedures at the College of Wooster, Kaci A. Carpenter
Department: Communication Studies
Determining the Effects of pH on the Kinetics of Acid-Catalyzed Reactions of α- and β-pinene oxide, Philip Carter
Department: Chemistry
An Empirical Analysis of Stochastic Dominance & Markowitz' Mean-Variance Optimization: Contrasting Portfolio Performance over the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, Jason Cerniglia
Department: Business Economics
Get the Lead Out: Evaluating the influence of heavy metal contaminated soils on urban agriculture, Ava Chamberlain
Department: Environmental Studies
Ecological Niches of Costa Rican Glass Frogs (Centrolenidae) and Evidence of Niche Partitioning and Plasticity, Robert P. Chamberlin
Department: Biology
Investigation of Phytophthora sojae’s RxLR effectors on the MAPK pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Michelle Chang
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Modern Women in Popular Periodicals and Films in Shanghai, 1920-1930, Churou Chen
Department: History
The Trials and Corruption of Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamster Union, Adam Clark
Department: History
Zombie Cockroaches: Emerald Jewel Wasp Venom-Derived Neuropeptide Tachykinin Modulates Neuronal Cells of the American Cockroach, Spencer Michael Coffman
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Tactics and Tech of the Pacific Theater: Ingenuity in a New Kind of War, Jacob L. Cohen
Department: History
The Defense Cannot Rest: The Impact of Funding for Indigent Defense Services on Incarceration Rates, Itala M. Colby
Department: Political Science
The Atypical Summer '69 Story: The Football War of 1969, William A. Collis
Department: History
Land Use Change and Its Effect on Eye Size Morphology in Western Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys obtusus, Matthew Thomas Conrad
Department: Biology; Geology
Impact of Various Degradation Pathways on Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitor Hug1 Stability in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Jason N. Constable
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Brew in Advertising: Marketing and the Craft Beer Industry, Ciaran Conway
Department: English
Ooids of the Middle Jurassic Co-op Creek Limestone Member in the Carmel Formation, Southwestern Utah, Anna M. Cooke
Department: Geology
Sanitizing Treatments to Common Oral Bacteria Plaque during Oral Surgeries: The Prevention of Growth and Dissociation of Adhesion to Enamel-Like Surfaces, Audrey R. Cordova
Department: Biology
Redemption of the Gàidhealtachd: The Formation of Highlandism from 1745 to 1822, Isaiah Corso-Phinney
Department: History
How Minority Candidates' Intersectional Identities Affect Their Use Of Race And Gender Issue Ownership Campaign Strategies, Mary ("Emma") M. Cotter
Department: Political Science
Sun, Sea, Sand, and Sangria: The Development of Working-class Holiday Experience from the 19th to the 20th Century, Dylan Cox
Department: History
Born to Fight: The Virtues of Pankratiasts within Pindar's Nemean Odes, Elijah Culley
Department: Classical Studies
Analysis of Bacteria - Host Interactions between Caenorhabditis Elegans and Unexplored Bacteria, Harrison G. Davenport
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Consequences of Thin-Ideal Media on Women's Body Image and Health, Claire Davis
Department: Neuroscience; Psychology
The Effect of the Status of Women on Sexual Violence Against Women, Emily A. Davis
Department: Political Science
A Study of Avalanches on a Conical Beadpile, Adam Deeley
Department: Physics
How Do Income Shocks Affect Schooling In Guatemala? Using Household Data To Examine Tradeoffs Between Child Labor And Education, Jorge De Leon
Department: Global and International Studies
Toxicity Analysis of OGT Inhibitor Et-OSMI-2 Against Strains of E. coli and Pseudomonas, Craig Deng
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Senior Independent Study in Music Composition, Neva Derewetzky
Department: Music
Sacred Space in a Mundane Place, Reinier B. DesCoteaux
Department: Religious Studies
Collision Detection in a Top-Down Zombie Shooter, Nathan Devereux
Department: Computer Science
Differential Expression Analysis of the Nic Cluster and Attempts at Characterizing the Nicab Complexes in the Novel Nicotinic Acid Degradation Pathway of Bacillus Niacini, Anh Dinh
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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
Do Professional Sport Franchises Help Public Welfare or Their Own Pockets? A Study Analyzing Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sports Through the NFL, Caelan Doherty
Department: Economics
El español en contacto con el maya: Un análisis de las actitudes e identidades lingüísticas de los kaqchikeles en San Jorge la Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala, Tristan Donohoe
Department: Spanish
Thoughts and Prayers or Policy and Action?: The Role Interest Groups Play in Firearms Legislation, Abigail G. Donohue
Department: Political Science
Out of the Vat: A Collection of Poems, Alexander E. Doone
Department: English
Impact of Tsa1 Subcellular Localization on its Biological Function, Daniel Dorman
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Barely Scratching the Surface: Examining the Relationship between Carotenoid Pigment and Immunity of Betta splendens with Bco1, Samantha B. Draves
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A New Perspective on Poverty Alleviation: Evaluating Microfinance Programs Through Social Impact Indicators, Robert Driscoll
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
The Art Gallery Problem, Nicole Driver
Department: Mathematics
Shaping Mindsets for Success: The Effects of Mindset Training on Pre-Service Educators, Amber Dronebarger
Department: Psychology
Cheat Detection using Machine Learning within Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Harry Dunham
Department: Computer Science; Mathematics
The Relation of Personality and Communication Traits on Responses Against Microaggressions, Gustavo Duran
Department: Communication Studies
“Sometimes You Want to Just Run Away”: Participation and Mobilization of the New Sanctuary Movement, Elyse Echegaray
Department: History; Sociology and Anthropology
Commercializing Lifestyles: An Analysis of Lifestyle Brand Identities and Consumer Engagement in Post-War Mass Media, Daniel Engel
Department: Communication Studies; History
The Palm Oil Industry - Destructive or Sustainable? Defining Sustainable Palm Oil, Henry Epling
Department: Environmental Studies
Wash Your Hands, You Filthy Animals! An Exploration of the Presence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Non-Clinical Settings, Ana R. Fairbanks-Mahnke
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
An Investigation of the Counseling Strategies Used by Pediatric Audiologists from the Perspective of Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Morgan Renee Faldowski
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Creating Capital in the Creative Capital: A Case Study on the Neighborhood Level Impact of Creative Placemaking in Providence, RI, Emily G. Farmer
Department: Urban Studies
Pope Pius XII and Moral Ambiguity, Ryan D. Farrell
Department: History
Wood, Paper, and Glue: Studying the Book Beyond Its Bindings, Jack R. Felch
Department: Art and Art History
Optimizing Crop Rotations and Pest Management Strategies in Agriculture, Madeleine Ferguson
Department: Mathematics
Cashing In On Kaepernick: A Visual Ideological Analysis of the Commodification of Racial Equity and Inclusion in Nike's "Equality" and "Just Do It" Advertising Campaigns, Ben Ferling
Department: Communication Studies
Sustainability and Stock Market Returns: A Study of the Impact of ESG Scores on Stock Returns in the Energy Industry and Overall Market, Evan Ferrara
Department: Business Economics
Kindred Ideologies: Fascism and Communism in Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate, Joseph Ferraro
Department: Russian Studies
In Your Orbit, Sara Fikse
Department: English
This Whole Period Thing is Cramping My Style: A Quantitative Study of Tampon Advertisements' Portrayal of the Female Identity, Catherine Fiorito
Department: Communication Studies
It's Ringing and I Can't Make it Stop! An Investigation of Audiologists' use of Tinnitus Counseling Techniques, Heather B. Foust
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Students With and Without Learning Disabilities: The Effects of Socioeconomic Status, Perceived Academic Support, Stress, and Self-efficacy on Academic Success, Helen H. Francis
Department: Psychology
Meaningful Military Experiences: A Look Into Congressional Members Who Have Served in Combat, Daniel Grant Fraser
Department: Political Science; History
Using the Protein Cross-Linker Divinyl Sulfone to Identify the Putative Client Proteins of Protein Disulfide Isomerases and Its Effects on ER Homeostasis, Benjamin Freije
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Von Star Trek Zu Harry Potter: How the World of German Slash Fanfiction Handles Gender and Sexuality in Harry Potter and Twilight Slash Fiction, Destiny French
Department: German Studies
Caenorhabditis elegans' Use of Apoptosis in the Immune Response to Pseudomonas Bacterial Infections, Daniel Gail
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
An Investigation of Parental Perceptions Regarding Cultural Support Provided by Audiologists for Bilingual Latino Families, Emily Gamez
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Bridging the Identity Gap: Predictors of Closeness in Intercultural Friendships between International and American Domestic Students, Isabelle Gangloff
Department: Psychology
A Concrete Asylum: How the Issue of Immigration Embodies the European Union's External Identity Crisis, Nicholas Groves Gargaro
Department: History
A Mathematical Analysis of the Game of Santorini, Carson Clyde Geissler
Department: Mathematics
Let’s Get Moving: The Social & Cognitive Benefits of Exercise on Adolescents With Level 1 (Mild) Autism Spectrum Disorder, Payton Gennett
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Prospective Chelation Therapy for Prosthetic Hip Associated Cobalt Toxicity (PHACT): Investigating a Non-Toxic Biopolymer in Yeast, Arsenia Georgopoulos
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Influence of Genuine and Artificial Plants on Cognitive Performance Tasks, Holly Geraci
Department: Psychology
The Short and Long Term Impacts of a Safari Park Visit on Guests Environmental Attitude and Behaviors, Lila B. E. Gibson
Department: Psychology
Conspicuousness of Dissosteira Carolina Against Varying Environmental Backgrounds Using Avian Predator and Conspecific Insect Visual Modeling, Frederick R. Gilbert
Department: Biology; Neuroscience
An Extrovert and an Individualist Walk into a Bar: Cultural Influence on the Relationship between Personality and Humor Styles, Aishu S. Giriraju
Department: Psychology
Reigniting the Flame of Purpose: Exploring the Unique Open-Ended Interactive Narrative of Dark Souls, Nicholas Godsey
Department: Communication Studies
Breaking AI: When Even Google Fails, Erika Goetz
Department: Computer Science
Pushing the Limits of a Raspberry Pi, Reid Thomas Golnik
Department: Computer Science
A Frog and a Bromeliad: Exploring a Potential Nutritive Plant-Animal Mutualism Between Oophaga Pumilio and Bromeliads, Mackenzie Goltz
Department: Biology
Saying "Yes," East and West: A Comparative Analysis of Meaning and Affirmation in Nietzsche and Mahayana Buddhism, Scott Gordon
Department: Philosophy
A Geochemical Study of Bræðravirki Ridge (Western Volcanic Zone, Iceland) Reveals Regional Glaciovolcanic Variations and Complex Tindar Construction, Hannah Grachen
Department: Geology
Greenbean Comics: An Independent Study!!!, Samantha Green
Department: English
I'm Going to Kill Myself, but it's Fine: Creating and Performing Characters in Sarah Kane's 4.48 Psychosis, Seth Green
Department: Theatre and Dance
Behavioral Effects of Human Tau Expression and Sleep Deprivation on Drosophila melanogaster, Benjamin R. Gregoire
Department: Neuroscience; Biology
The Effect of the Antioxidant Supplement, Protandim, on a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease, Jennifer Grossmann
Department: Neuroscience
Banksy’s New York State of Mind: A Visual Critique of Banksy’s 2018 New York Art as Social Protest by Means of Culture Jam, Megan E. Gross
Department: Communication Studies
To Know, to Care, and, to Educate: Examining the Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions in Improving Saving Behavior, Anushkaa Gupta
Department: Economics; Psychology
Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN: The Economic and Locational Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in the Context of Indonesia, Jason P. Gustely
Department: Economics
No Need to Stress: The Effects of Protandim Supplementation on Counteracting Oxidative Stress via the Nrf2 Pathway, Kelsey Taylor Hall
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Mosquitoes Bloody Suck!: Identifying Potential Vectors and Non-Human Hosts of Mosquito-Borne Pathogens in Alajuela, Costa Rica, Emma R. Hambright
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Promoting Diversity: Sequencing The Melanocortin 1 Receptor (Mc1r) Promoter in Northeast Ohio Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus Carolinensis), Alyssa Hamm
Department: Biology
Keeping Them In Their Place: How American Party Leaders Harness Intraparty Factions, Alexander R. Hancock
Department: Political Science
Awake, Waverly Swan Hart
Department: English
Scottish Plays and Media: An Excavation of Sottish Identity, Darian A. Harvey
Department: Theatre and Dance