Matching Items (19)
Description
The Western Burrowing owl in Arizona is facing habitat destruction due to urbanization in the city of Phoenix. Wild at Heart, a raptor rehabilitation center, has a program to translocate burrowing owls away from dangerous urban areas. To understand translocation, we reviewed definitions of translocation success across articles of many taxa, analyzed environmental factors involving traffic and ambient sound levels, and conducted an experiment on owl site fidelity using visual conspecific cues. We found no unified definition of translocation success and that traffic and ambient sound levels did not affect burrowing owl occupancy. Additionally, owl pellets had no impact on owl visitation rates. More research is needed to understand the effects of animal translocation so that a stronger consensus can be drawn regarding what makes one successful.
ContributorsJunio, Paola (Author) / Stein, Adam (Thesis director) / Bateman, Heather (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-05
DescriptionOur project was to sell Arizona-themed t-shirts created based on ASU students' feedback, to ASU students, faculty, and staff. It mimicked what it is like to start a scaled business and how we can learn to navigate the challenges of starting a business from scratch
ContributorsPeralta, Javier (Author) / Jenkins, Johnny (Co-author) / Menen, Yeshemibet (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Lee, Peggy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Intensive agricultural practices around the world have led to both a depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC) in cropped soils and runoff of nitrogen fertilizer into the environment, which can lead to limited crop growth and environmental degradation. Because of the increasing demand for food and the decreasing vitality of soils, there is a great need for less intensive alternatives to traditional synthetic fertilizers and agricultural practices. In recent years, microalgae have been increasingly seen as a potential alternative to traditional fertilizers, with prokaryotic cyanobacteria being able to fix nitrogen for plant growth. While there is potential for eukaryotic microalgae to offer similar benefits to agricultural plants, their overall impacts are not widely known. To study the impacts that eukaryotic microalgae have on the plant rhizosphere, sixteen heads of Arianna lettuce were grown, with eight treated with Chlorella sp. algae amended to the irrigation water. The rhizosphere of the plant was sampled and the microbial community was analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) in order to determine changes in rhizosphere bacterial composition, nitrogen-fixing population abundances, and Chlorella sp. abundances. It was found that the treated plants had a greater mass and a significantly greater presence of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. On the contrary, plant rhizospheres that were untreated were found to have a significantly greater overall abundance of the bacterial community. Lastly, the rhizosphere of amended plants harbored significantly more Chlorella than the untreated plants, indicating that the Chlorella was retained and possibly recruited to the plant rhizosphere throughout the treatment.
ContributorsOgimoto, Rylyn (Author) / Penton, Ryan (Thesis director) / Briggs, Georgette (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
One of the main causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in older populations, is cardiovascular disease (CVD). It has been demonstrated that dietary interventions, such plant-based diets, improve cardiovascular health outcomes by lowering risk factors like systemic inflammation, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
By examining dietary patterns, blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammatory markers, this study investigates the connection between plant-based diets and cardiovascular health in older adults. Clinical assessments were obtained to evaluate cardiovascular health, and eating patterns of participants 65 years of age and older were examined.
Results show that following plant-based diets is linked to better cardiovascular indicators, such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure. These findings demonstrate how plant-based diets may be used as a non-invasive means of enhancing cardiovascular health in senior citizens. In order to promote the adoption of plant-based diets for long-term health advantages, the study emphasizes the significance of dietary education and accessibility.
ContributorsOmar, Latifa (Author) / Saul, Steven (Thesis director) / Murphree, Julie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This text aims to analyze human papillomavirus (HPV) and its associated illnesses regarding both their distribution over populations and the ethical difficulties they pose. Subtopics covered include an overview of public health and how it is affected by factors such as HPV epidemiology and accessibility of care, as well as ethical challenges faced by caregivers in terms of public education, vaccination of children, and other pressing issues. By utilizing broader metrics of analysis such as global care standards and more specific metrics like individual case studies, a clear measurement of the overall quality of public health and its ethical issues can be made. With this information, a clear understanding of the aspects of HPV-related healthcare that need to be changed can be utilized to improve comprehensive healthcare system performance. These findings will also aid in future research into healthcare ethics and methodology.
ContributorsBurke, Caitlin (Author) / Kosednar, Natalie (Co-author) / Greer, Kameyrn (Co-author) / Brown, Emily (Co-author) / Ali, Anesa (Co-author) / Williams, Emma (Co-author) / Crawford, Adam (Co-author) / Compton, Carolyn (Thesis director) / Gur-Ari, Rachel (Committee member) / Yudell, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
DescriptionThis thesis was focused around creating a well-designed board game. It involved a semester research period and a semester of design. I designed my game around the worker placement and engine building mechanics, where players create an engine using actions that will eventually be somewhat self-sufficient.
ContributorsBoles, Abigail (Author) / Loebenberg, Abby (Thesis director) / Mack, Robert (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
Ecological modeling techniques are complex, and their accuracy can be difficult to assess due to practical implications of the large-scale study of wildlife. Rain World (2017) is a video game program developed by VIDEOCULT and published by Akupara Games, which contains a complicated simulation that mirrors the trophic levels and species interactions of a real world ecosystem. By mimicking established wildlife research techniques, we were able to test several common ecological modeling techniques in the simulated ecosystem of Rain World; our exploratory analysis tested activity pattern modeling, occupancy modeling, and species-interaction occupancy modeling against both known and unknown simulation parameters. Due to considerations of small scale and fractured landscape connectivity, it is evident that Rain World is not an entirely suitable ecological simulation for assessing the efficacy of standard ecological models. Still, the convenience of a small-scale simulation of a broader ecosystem for wildlife study is very compelling, and we suggest improvements to our study design to potentially mitigate the confounding effects of the simulation. Limited evidence for the presence of complex, emergent behaviors derived from a simplistic set of in-game behavioral values was also found, arguably legitimizing our unconventional approach to model testing. Informed by this research, we present suggestions and speculation about the future of model-testing simulations, as well as the use of Rain World as a simulation of ecosystems in fragmented habitat.
ContributorsPulver, Phoenix (Author) / Grabill, Zachary (Co-author) / Lewis, Jesse (Thesis director) / Kang, Yun (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This paper delves into the exploration of the ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor wurtzite boron aluminum nitride (w-BAlN), a rarely studied semiconductor with promising potential for various technological applications. As an emerging material, w-BAlN possesses unique properties that distinguish it from conventional semiconductors, including its wide bandgap, high thermal conductivity, chemical stability, and mechanical robustness. Despite its potential, w-BAlN remains relatively underexplored in the realm of materials science and semiconductor technology. This paper aims to bridge this gap by studying w-BAlN through computational
simulations using molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical simulations. Furthermore, the paper explores the challenges and opportunities associated with studying and harnessing the properties of w-BAlN, including materials synthesis, characterization techniques, and device integration. By shedding light on the distinctive characteristics and potential applications of w-BAlN, this paper aims to stimulate further research and development efforts in exploring and exploiting the unique properties of this promising ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor.
ContributorsBudhiraju, Srinidhi (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The playlist development was informed by the literature review outlined in this thesis report. The playlist songs have not been scientifically validated to be considered an efficacious adjunct treatment for dogs or humans.
Dementia is a growing issue worldwide. While there are no effective treatments, sound-based interventions may provide promising results to alleviate some dementia symptoms, particularly anxiety. Pet dogs may also provide promising results to alleviate dementia symptoms, though may provide increased risk for a patient. The following literature review is what led to a unique playlist that incorporates sound frequencies and music, which may benefit both a dementia patient and their pet dog via soothing and uplifting.
ContributorsBrown, Chantelle (Author) / Andel, Ross (Thesis director) / Augusta, Dawn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor)
Created2024-12
Description
This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Power-up program, a professional development tool designed to improve teachers' classroom management skills, particularly in establishing and maintaining classroom expectations and routines. While originally intended for general classroom teachers, this research explores its potential benefits for non-trained ESL educators, many of whom face unique challenges in managing multilingual and culturally diverse classrooms. The study reveals that the Power-up program significantly boosted teachers' confidence, with an increase in self-efficacy in managing classroom expectations post-engagement.This positive shift is particularly impactful for non-trained ESL educators who often struggle with classroom management due to a lack of structured resources. For these teachers, the Power-up program offers a crucial resource that helps build confidence e. By providing structured, practical materials and strategies, the program addresses the gap left by the absence of formal training, empowering non-trained ESL teachers to manage classrooms more effectively. Despite increased confidence, the study found that observable changes in student behavior took time, with many teachers needing several weeks of consistent application before seeing significant improvements. Feedback from participants highlighted the value of practical, scenario-based training, particularly video demonstrations and real-world examples, in helping teachers apply strategies effectively in their classrooms. These findings suggest that the Power-up program, when adapted for non-trained ESL teachers, could provide critical support in addressing classroom management challenges. Further research could explore the adaptation of the Power-up for non-trained ESL-specific needs, incorporating culturally responsive strategies and multimedia tools to enhance classroom management and student engagement in multilingual classrooms.
ContributorsJones, Ashley (Author) / Spengler, Lindsie (Thesis director) / Murphree, Julie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Applied Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2025-05