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: Chemical Engineering Program
Researchers John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking developed what they call the Contextual Model of Learning in their 2012 publication, The Museum Experience Revisited. This model emphasizes the significance of the visitor experience in the museum industry and is defined as three interconnected contexts that constitute a museum visitor’s experience. These contexts are the personal context, the sociocultural context, and the physical context. Falk and Dierking argue that all three contexts must be properly acknowledged by the museum for a positive visitor experience. They also provide readers with several recommendations on effective design strategies that fit within the principles of the Contextual Model of Learning. In this analysis, these principles are related directly to museums today. The Field Museum in Chicago and The Children’s Museum of Phoenix are noted for having exceptional websites. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Asian Art Museum are mentioned for having engaging marketing strategies. The Black Country Living Museum in the United Kingdom and the Museum of Modern Art in New York are recognized for innovative social media use. The USS Midway Museum in San Diego and the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix are acknowledged for their excellent designs, media usage in exhibits, and accessibility options. The British Museum in London is mentioned for its virtual experiences and gift shop. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also mentioned for its gift shop. The Arizona Science Center and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis are commended for their programs. Finally, a brief discussion is done on STEAMtank, a museum experience in development at Arizona State University, and how the principles within the Contextual Model of Learning are being integrated in similar fashion to the other museums discussed.
This thesis explores the investigation of the project “Designing for a Post-Diesel Engine World”, a collaborative experiment between organizations within Arizona State University and an undisclosed company. This investigation includes the analysis of various renewable energy technologies and their potential to replace industrial diesel engines as used in the company’s business. In order to be competitive with diesel engines, the technology should match or exceed diesel in power output, have reduced environmental impact, and meet other criteria standards as determined by the company. The team defined the final selection criteria as: low environmental impact, high efficiency, high power, and high technology readiness level. I served as the lead Hydrogen Fuel Cell Researcher and originally hypothesized that PEM fuel cells would be the most viable solution. Results of the analysis led to PEM fuel cells and Li-ion batteries being top contenders, and the team developed a hybrid solution incorporating both of these technologies in a technical and strategic solution. The resulting solution design from this project has the potential to be modified and implemented in various industries and reduce overall anthropogenic emissions from industrial processes.