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.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 31
Description
Science fiction works can reflect the relationship between science and society by telling a story set in the future of ethical implications or social consequences of scientific advancement. This thesis investigated how the concept of reproduction is depicted in popular science fiction works. I reviewed and analyzed four popular science fiction works that all showed fear over the government controlling our choices in reproductive technology. The analysis of my thesis can be used as a way to understand how we view the ideas and the consequences of reproductive technology through concepts of reproduction. These perspectives and ideas as a reflection of society's concerns as we discuss the future of the ethics and politics of reproductive technology and reproductive issues.
ContributorsKim, Grace Dayoung (Author) / Maienschein, Jane (Thesis director) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Hurlbut, Ben (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This thesis explores how we can harness new technology to improve our relationship with companion animals and promote shelter animal welfare. The study looked into using the photo-sharing application Instagram to increase adoption rates at the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA. An Instagram page was created and managed for the shelter, and data was collected regarding the impact the page had on adoption rates. The results were mixed, but overall it was determined that the Instagram page has unique value for the shelter.
ContributorsBautista-Hobin, Elena Maria (Author) / Minteer, Ben (Thesis director) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Morefield, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The goal of this thesis project is to provide insight into the lives of Syrian refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants who have left Syria for the United States within the last 6 years, after the start of the conflict there. I have interviewed individuals who come from different regions of Syria, are members of different religious groups, and who have different opinions in regard to the conflict in Syria. One of the questions that I was most curious to ask and have answered was why America was selected as the final destination for their immigration. Along with their backstories from their time in Syria up until their arrival in the United States, I did research into the immigrants' acclimation process, and whether they feel that private organizations or that our government have helped them in that regard. I also collected data to see what the average amount of time to find a job and become self-sufficient in the United States is for these persons and their families. Although most educated Syrians know French, English, and Arabic, I was proven right in my hypothesis that many refugees have come to the United States knowing little, if any, English. Research was done into the programs that are offered to these people and their personal efforts to learn English were also documented. The primary purpose of this thesis was to find the economic and social effects of Syrian immigrants in the state of Arizona, and hopefully, on a larger scale. It was very challenging to get exact numbers on the amount of refugees and impossible to get specific details in regard to their economic impact on the economy. In order to get an approximation, I read David Card's research into the Mariel Boatlift, which documented the economic effects of Cuban immigrants on the Miami labor market, and Semih Tumen's work, titled, "The Economic Impact of Syrian Refugees on Host Countries: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Turkey" which provides research-based analysis of the specific effects of Syrian refugees on the economy of Turkey. Conclusions for both the economic and social impact of Syrian refugees in the state of Arizona were made. Due to the current low numbers of Syrian refugees living in Arizona and the mentality that many of them possess, there is a net neutral economic impact. In regard to social impact, I was surprised to learn that the acclimation process for Syrian immigrants is relatively rapid, particularly when compared to other immigrant and refugee populations.
ContributorsGhazoul, John Anthony (Author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Bonfiglio, Thomas (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Mr. Green has stage 4 prostate cancer which has spread to the bones and liver and has become resistant to radiation and standard chemotherapy treatment. After 3 rounds of chemotherapy, his primary oncologist recommends that he participate in a clinical trial. He went to Dr. Red at the Saguaro Clinic after reading on the internet about a new Phase 1 clinical trial that the clinic is hosting, which is designed to target a specific receptor called AB-111 that may be present in malignant prostate, cervical, ovarian, and breast cells. After signing consent and completing the blood screens in the morning at the clinic, Mr. Green is told his liver enzymes are too high and the ranges specified in the protocol prohibit him from enrolling. Mr. Green is noticeably affected and distressed at this news, and Dr. Red recommends end-of-life care. Behind the scenes, this event is noted on official medical documents and trial study rosters as a "screen fail." This narrative, while fictional, is realistic because similar events occur in cancer clinical trial sites on a regular basis. I look at the inner "world" and mental journey of possible clinical trial candidates as they seek out information about clinical trials and gain understanding of their function \u2014 specifically in the context of Phase 1 cancer clinical trials. To whom is the language of the term "screen failure" useful? How does excluding individuals from clinical trials protect their health and does the integrity of the trial data supersede the person's curative goals? What is the message that cancer patients (potential research subjects) receive regarding clinical trials from sources outside their oncologists?
ContributorsMcKane, Alexandra (Author) / Maienschein, Jane (Thesis director) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Foy, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
This thesis aims to address the ethics of keeping the big cats, such as lions, tigers, and leopards, in zoos. It is a practice that has generated some controversy in light of scientific studies reporting stress among wide-ranging animals in captive enclosures, as well as in the context of wider discussions in animal welfare and conservation ethics in zoos. A driving question for this project, therefore, was "What are the arguments for and against keeping large felids in zoos/captivity?" This thesis examines the historical and current ethical approaches to evaluating the ethics of maintaining big cats in zoos. Due to many of the big cat species listed as endangered species on the IUCN redlist, the species-centered approach to zoo ethics is becoming the common viewpoint, and, as a result, zoos are deemed ethical because of their contribution to ex situ conservation practices. Further, the ethical arguments against zoos are minimized when the zoos provide suitable and appropriate enclosures for their large felids. Of course, not all zoos are created equal; the ethics of zoos need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but in general, it is ethical to maintain big cats in zoos.
ContributorsZeien, Krista Marie (Author) / Minteer, Ben (Thesis director) / Smith, Andrew (Committee member) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Attitudes toward animal welfare have been evolving in our society as we have developed from early agricultural roots to an increasingly urban and technologically advanced community. However, despite the growing societal appreciation and care for animals in our homes and backyards, veterinarians are still faced with cases of abuse and neglect. Although it may seem obvious for veterinarians, as animal welfare advocates, to confront this dilemma each time they are faced with it, that is not always the case. In order to assess the responsibilities of veterinarians in regard to neglect and abuse, an extensive literature review and analysis was performed and practicing veterinarians were interviewed to determine their attitudes regarding the responsibility to report suspected cases of animal neglect and abuse. Specifically, these interviews focused on such topics as the educational background of the practitioners, how empathy impacts their perception of animal welfare, their relationship with law enforcement agencies, and related questions. The study demonstrated that the most prominent factor in a veterinarian's understanding of violations of animal welfare stems from their educational background. Therefore, it is recommended that veterinary medicine programs alter their curricula to emphasize animal welfare training and the obligation of veterinarians to report suspected cases of neglect and abuse.
ContributorsMichael, Allison Therese (Author) / Minteer, Ben (Thesis director) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / DeNardo, Dale (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
The first global estimate of maternal mortality in 1985 revealed that over half a million women die each year due to pregnancy related causes. Although a relatively small figure compared to the deaths attributed to such diseases as malaria and HIV, this was new data. New data meant attraction from powerful international agency leaders, which eventually led to the formation of a global effort called the Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI). In turn, the global SMI provided the framework for the World Health Organization's (WHO) Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5). Both of these global campaigns, which were largely implemented through advocacy efforts, adopted time sensitive goals aimed specifically to decrease maternal mortality. Although the placement of maternal health on the public health agenda was an extraordinary accomplishment for women's health advocates, a historical examination of safe motherhood efforts will reveal that these advocacy techniques would not keep maternal health on the public health agenda. Over two decades of unsuccessful efforts to reduce maternal mortality have shown that advocacy efforts are not the answer to actually decreasing maternal mortality ratios. Due to the intrinsic difficulties in measuring maternal mortality, and the public health sector's emphasis in prioritizing the political agenda based on such measurements, maternal health has arguably fallen in last place on the agenda. This thesis will explore how the concern for mothers influenced the formation of MDG 5, and how MDG 5 has been translated into local practices. A case study of the Pan American Health Organization's advocacy effort also called the Safe Motherhood Initiative explores the underlying, culturally complex problems that are hindering progress of MDG 5. The results show that the lack of comprehensive reproductive health services for women is not only due to poor health systems in place, which is what many safe motherhood 5 efforts have attempted to address, but also due to cultural traditions and laws on sexual and reproductive health forbidding women to obtain the care they need to survive.
ContributorsAntonios, Nathalie (Author) / Hurlbut, Ben (Thesis director) / Brian, Jennifer (Committee member) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
There is growing concern among physicians, scholars, medical educators, and most importantly among patients, that science and technology have begun to eclipse fundamental attributes, such as empathy in the doctor-patient relationship. As a result, “humanism” in medicine has been a widely debated topic—how to define it, how to promote it, whether it can be taught, and how to qualify (much less quantify) its value in the practice of medicine. Through this research project I sought to better understand the role of humanities coursework in American medical school curricula, and determine whether there was a relationship between the integration of humanities coursework and the maintenance or enhancement of empathy levels in medical students. I reviewed literature with three objectives. (1) To better understand the influential social and political factors of pervasive reforms in US medical school curricula at the beginning of the 20th century, which led to science exclusive pedagogy in physician training (2) To become familiar with the works of iconic personalities in the history of American medical school pedagogy, paying special attention to attitudes and claims describing the role of humanities coursework, and the concept of humanism in the practice of medicine. (3) To observe the discourse underway across a variety of disciplines with regard to the current role of humanities coursework in medical curricula. My research shows that empathy is an essential attribute in the healing relationship, which benefits patients, physicians and improves health outcomes. Despite the importance of empathy, current physician training is documented as eroding empathy levels in medical students. Though the definition of ‘humanities’ in the context of medical school curricula remains vague and even contradictory, support for integration of humanities coursework is growing as an effective intervention for maintaining or enhancing levels of empathy.
ContributorsCraer, Jennifer Ryan (Author) / Maienschein; Lynch, Jane; John (Thesis director) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Robert, Jason (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Evaluating Social Factors Affecting Treatment of Acute Fibromyalgia Pain in the Emergency Department
Description
Fibromyalgia is a multi-systemic syndrome linked to musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, nausea, and other comorbid syndromes and chronic illnesses. However, difficulties evaluating and managing acute fibromyalgia symptoms may cause individuals to present to the emergency department for pain control or further diagnostic workup. However, oligoanalgesia (the undertreatment of pain) detrimentally affects an individual's treatment while in the emergency department. Furthermore, social factors known to influence pain management, such as race, age, or past medical history, affect the diagnostic treatment and evaluation of fibromyalgia patients. As such, ethical evaluation of case studies will indicate how emergency physicians can better manage pain treatment in the emergency department.
ContributorsTallman, Brandon Mark (Author) / Maienschein, Jane (Thesis director) / Robert, Jason (Committee member) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Globally, many species of shark are facing rapid population decline. This is due to increasing fishing pressures, primarily from the booming demand in China for shark fins for soup. In recent years there has also been an increase in international shark conservation efforts, but there is still a long way to go in gathering support for those efforts. Public perception of sharks in America has been greatly influenced by negative media representations of them, Jaws being one of the most influential. Many of these representations are based on inaccurate information that has been disproven by science, but still lingers in popular culture. Symbolic Interactionism Theory proved to be a useful framework for unpacking the connections between public perception, mainstream culture and media, and conservation regarding sharks. A social psychological theory, Symbolic Interactionism describes the ways that people construct meaning about a topic through direct and indirect interactions, and how this meaning can change on individual, social, and cultural levels. By changing the way sharks are perceived and represented to the public, these important and incredible animals may gather the support they need to continue living in the world's oceans.
ContributorsCressler, Christina Nancy (Author) / Minteer, Ben (Thesis director) / Gerber, Leah (Committee member) / Ellison, Karin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05