Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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For our Barrett Honors thesis, our team decided to complete the Founders Lab thesis pathway. Founders Lab offers Barrett students the opportunity to spend their year working on developing entrepreneurial ideas into innovative new businesses by designing not only a business model, but the marketing, sales, and financial models of it as well. This team-based thesis/creative project empowers Barrett students to find solutions to a challenge and gain valuable experience launching a new business of their own.
The study of macaque monkeys harbors advancements in the field of biomedical research. It is imperative to understand the genetic composition of different species of macaques to assess their accuracy as non-human primate (NHP) models for disease detection and treatment assessments. We sought to characterize the hybridization and admixture of the Southeast Asian macaques using single nucleotide polymorphism markers and analyzing the populations on the mainland and the island. Using AMOVA tests and STRUCTURE analysis, we determined that there are three distinct populations: Macaca mulatta, M. fascicularis fascicularis, and M. f. aurea. Furthermore, the island species holds an isolated population of M. f. aurea that demonstrate high inbreeding and genetic uniqueness compared to the mainland species. Findings from this study confirm that NHP models may need to be modified or updated according to changing allelic frequencies and genetic drift.
Food is one of the most universal and uniting human experiences. It is a powerful tool to bring communities together and it is a simple way to bring joy to an individual. This project is an exercise in marketing and entrepreneurship that was inspired by these ideas, which culminated in a fundraiser bake sale to benefit Creighton Community Foundation, a local nonprofit.
This thesis summarizes the process of writing a children's book about achondroplasia directed at children without genetic disorders. The thesis also includes the children's book The Genetics of Little People that was created during the project.
This thesis summarizes the process of writing a children's book about achondroplasia directed at children without genetic disorders. The thesis also includes the children's book The Genetics of Little People that was created during the project.
This thesis analyzes the relationship between diversity within U. S. boards of directors and overall firm performance. In the summer of 2020, various political and social movements erupted, fighting against police brutality and racial violence. These events were followed by an influx of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) frameworks across corporate America. It was becoming increasingly clear that diversity within company leadership was lacking. A company’s board of directors, who is responsible for creating value for shareholders, was not an accurate representation of the people it served. First, I will begin by discussing the current state of diversity in corporate boards by discussing reasons firms diversify, benefits and risks of a diverse board, and major barriers to diversification efforts. A main goal of directors is to maximize shareholder return, which prompts the question: is there a financial benefit to having directors of different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives? In the second part of my thesis, I explore the correlation of board compositions and the company’s financial performance through a study of 45 Fortune 500 companies. Previous studies have mixed results; some studies concluded that there is a positive correlation, some found a negative correlation, and others were inconclusive. While the results of my study did not demonstrate that a relationship between firm performance and diversity exists, I want to emphasize that it does not mean that diverse boards do not contribute at all to the success of the board. There are various factors that contributed to my results, but regardless of my findings, I believe that further research of this topic is necessary and will be beneficial for those in corporate governance.
This thesis, written in the first person, documents the chronological events in developing Social Renaissance - a social media marketing agency. The founder of Social Renaissance and author of this senior thesis project is Sara Kahn, a fourth year student at Arizona State University in Barrett, The Honors College. Sara is graduating in May of 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Entrepreneurship from the W. P. Carey School of Business. She is also graduating with a Minor in Special Events Management from the Watts College – School of Community Resources and Development. Sara has over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience and more than 3 years of marketing experience. This background uniquely positions her to develop Social Renaissance as a venture. This thesis will discuss the successes and failures experienced throughout the development process, key takeaways, and next steps for Social Renaissance. Enjoy!
This thesis, written in the first person, documents the chronological events in developing Social Renaissance - a social media marketing agency. The founder of Social Renaissance and author of this senior thesis project is Sara Kahn, a fourth year student at Arizona State University in Barrett, The Honors College. Sara is graduating in May of 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Entrepreneurship from the W. P. Carey School of Business. She is also graduating with a Minor in Special Events Management from the Watts College – School of Community Resources and Development. Sara has over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience and more than 3 years of marketing experience. This background uniquely positions her to develop Social Renaissance as a venture. This thesis will discuss the successes and failures experienced throughout the development process, key takeaways, and next steps for Social Renaissance. Enjoy!