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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- Creators: College of Integrative Sciences and Arts
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to develop an aptitude test to administer to shelter dogs in order to determine which dogs could be adopted and trained for Search and Rescue (SAR) work. SAR is an essential field made up primarily of volunteers that search for people who have gotten lost. Many SAR teams work with the police force to locate missing persons. There are various types of SAR work, such as urban SAR, ground SAR, mountain rescue, and cadaver SAR, among others. The tasks of hiking, climbing, crawling, and various other methods of maneuvering are required from the SAR dogs and their handlers, so physical fitness is necessary in all SAR dogs. A stable, confident demeanor is also crucial for the overall effectiveness of the canine. The availability of a standardized aptitude test could prove beneficial for SAR dog handlers seeking dogs to train for work in the SAR field. This also presents the opportunity for increased adoption of shelter dogs, provided SAR dog handlers decide to work with homeless adult dogs. The aptitude test encompasses the critical qualities necessary for SAR dogs to possess. Physical suitability, temperament, aptitude, object focus, and emotional suitability have been implemented and defined in the test, based on the desired traits described by various SAR organizations and evaluations for puppies and working dogs. Though there are multiple variations of aptitude and temperament tests, these evaluations do not incorporate the administration to shelter dogs in order to determine their potential for working in a special field particularly the field of Search and Rescue. The qualities for SAR dogs described in this thesis were utilized to create ideal typologies of SAR dogs. This provides a theoretical idea of realistic dogs suitable for SAR work. These ideal typologies were scored against the aptitude test based on their characteristics described in order to determine consistent implementation of the test by multiple users. The aptitude test was also implemented on two real dogs to discern the effectiveness of the test. Although neither dog displayed the proper characteristics to become SAR dogs, the results from the trials demonstrated an overall efficacy of the test.
ContributorsNiemira, Lauren Marie (Author) / Caron, Martha (Thesis director) / Steele, Kelly (Committee member) / Oberle, Eric (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The United Nations outlined seventeen goals in their 2015 resolution aimed at securing a more sustainable future for the entire world. These goals cover all parts of life and are meant to standardize quality of life at a high level for all countries. Specific to the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania, there are five main goals that would tackle some of the biggest issues facing the Maasai and greatly improve their lives. These goals include the promotion of good health and well-being, ensuring a quality education for school-age children, supporting efforts for gender equality in all communities, and securing clean and safe water and sanitation services for all people around the world. There are many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Maasai community that are striving to support them and realize these Sustainable Development Goals. Organizations like the Maasai Girls Education Fund and Aid Tanzania have established educational programs to support children, mainly girls, in their efforts to get an education. Others like End Water Poverty and the Maasai Association have programs to ensure safe, accessible drinking water is made available to Maasai communities across Kenya and Tanzania. Lastly, NGOs like My Chosen Vessels have programs that support the economic sustainability and livestock management of the Maasai while also ensuring that Maasai families receive clean water and access to an education. The work and practices of NGOs like these can serve as examples of how to efficiently and effectively address and tackle issues in developing countries, specifically regarding Maasai women and girls, to move closer to achieving these UN Sustainable Development Goals and lead a more sustainable future. Many studies have been done researching the political and economic struggles for Maasai communities and how it impacts them. Vandana Shiva coined the term, “Water Democracy” in her book Water Wars to express the multiple reasons why water is a necessity and right. Many Maasai groups do not have easy access to basic essentials for their everyday lives and NGOs have been noticing this more and more. Dorothy Hodgson writes about the history of Maasai NGOs, and mentions the multiple conflicts that they have had with each other, causing many Maasai groups to have different lifestyles. The connections between the history of the Maasai tribe, their current economy and their current relationship with the government and NGOs all impact women in their communities in different ways.
ContributorsWacloff, Jianna K (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Oberle, Eric (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05