For waste management in Asunción, Paraguay to improve, so too must the rate of public recycling participation. However, due to minimal public waste management infrastructure, it is up to individual citizens and the private sector to develop recycling solutions in the city. One social enterprise called Soluciones Ecológicas (SE) has deployed a system of drop-off recycling stations called ecopuntos, which allow residents to deposit their paper and cardboard, plastic, and aluminum. For SE to maximize the use of its ecopuntos, it must understand the perceived barriers to, and benefits of, their use. To identify these barriers and benefits, a doer on-doer survey based on the behavioral determinants outlined in the Designing for Behavior Change Framework was distributed among Asunción residents. Results showed that perceived self-efficacy, perceived social norms, and perceived positive consequences – as well as age – were influential in shaping ecopunto use. Other determinants such as perceived negative consequences, access, and universal motivators were significant predictors of gender and age. SE and other institutions looking to improve recycling can use these results to design effective behavior change interventions.

This project dives into the journey of our entrepreneurial startup with the Founders Lab Thesis Program. In the global sports business industry, we knew that there was something missing. While conducting market research, there was little data and information about sustainability initiatives that engaged sports fans, especially in college sports. Not to mention, there was no sustainability information provided on any existing platforms that sporting teams use for ticketing and advertising. So, for our startup, we decided to create a website called SustainSports which gives fans the opportunity to inform themselves about sustainability initiatives at sports events (https://sustainsports.webflow.io/). These fans can also earn points and rewards for practicing sustainability activities at home. In short, SustainSports serves as an educational, interactive, and informative website that connects users to sustainability initiatives, community activities, and exciting rewards, while encouraging users to continue such environmentally friendly practices in their daily lives. In chronological order, this thesis paper will examine the process we took to create SustainSports and demonstrate our efforts that properly allowed us to defend it one academic year later. From meetings with renowned sports enthusiasts and professors to interviews with ASU students and sports fans, we have listened to and taken in diverse perspectives to understand the perceptions of sustainability in the global sports industry. When we realized that there was a significant gap between sports and sustainability - both important elements of American society and culture - we knew a change needed to be made. Hence, SustainSports came to life, offering users a fresh opportunity to be more aware of their sustainability surroundings, while simultaneously enjoying the sports they know and love.

The mental health of ASU students has been negatively affected by the pandemic. Our research looks to prove that COVID-19 has caused an increase in stress levels while uncovering other relationships to stress. We obtained our data by conducting a survey through Google Forms that was exclusively accessible to ASU students. Stress levels were measured with the use of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). We find that the stress of ASU students from before the pandemic to during rises from 15 to 22 points, a 50% increase (n = 228). We discovered that women are more stressed than men before and during the pandemic. We also discovered that there is no difference between stresses among different races. We notice that there is a parabolic relationship between enrollment time and stress levels with the peak occurring during semesters 2-6. We also conclude that students who attended more than 5 events during the pandemic had lower stress scores, and those who had their videos on for at least 3 events had lower stress scores. Furthermore, students who utilized campus resources to manage their stress had higher stress levels than those who did not.

The purpose of this creative project was to create a stereo sound system in a unique medium. As a team, we decided to integrate a Tesla Coil with a bluetooth audio source. These high frequency, high voltage systems can be configured to emit their electrical discharge in a manner that resembles playing tunes. Originally the idea was to split the audio into left and right, then to further segregate the signals to have a treble, mid, and base emitter for each side. Due to time, budget, and scope constraints, we decided to complete the project with only two coils.<br/><br/>For this project, the team decided to use a solid-state coil kit. This kit was purchased from OneTelsa and would help ensure everyone’s safety and the project’s success. The team developed our own interrupting or driving circuit through reverse-engineering the interrupter provided by oneTesla and discussing with other engineers. The custom interpreter was controlled by the PSoC5 LP and communicated with an audio source through the DFRobot Bluetooth module. Utilizing the left and right audio signals it can drive the two Tesla Coils in stereo to play the music.

The purpose of this creative project was to create a stereo sound system in a unique medium. As a team, we decided to integrate a Tesla Coil with a bluetooth audio source. These high frequency, high voltage systems can be configured to emit their electrical discharge in a manner that resembles playing tunes. Originally the idea was to split the audio into left and right, then to further segregate the signals to have a treble, mid, and base emitter for each side. Due to time, budget, and scope constraints, we decided to complete the project with only two coils.<br/><br/>For this project, the team decided to use a solid-state coil kit. This kit was purchased from OneTelsa and would help ensure everyone’s safety and the project’s success. The team developed our own interrupting or driving circuit through reverse-engineering the interrupter provided by oneTesla and discussing with other engineers. The custom interpreter was controlled by the PSoC5 LP and communicated with an audio source through the DFRobot Bluetooth module. Utilizing the left and right audio signals it can drive the two Tesla Coils in stereo to play the music.

This thesis worked towards the development of a parameterized 3D model off a cover that could go over any specific prosthesis depending on the parameters that had been entered. It also focused on gathering user inputs, which was done with the aid of the Amputee Coalition, that could be used to create an aesthetic design on this cover. The Amputee Coalition helped to recruit participants through its website and social media platforms. Finally, multiple methods of creating a design were developed to increase the amount of customization that a user could have for their cover.

This thesis worked towards the development of a parameterized 3D model off a cover that could go over any specific prosthesis depending on the parameters that had been entered. It also focused on gathering user inputs, which was done with the aid of the Amputee Coalition, that could be used to create an aesthetic design on this cover. The Amputee Coalition helped to recruit participants through its website and social media platforms. Finally, multiple methods of creating a design were developed to increase the amount of customization that a user could have for their cover.