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: Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business
- Creators: School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Description
In the past year, Chile has experienced the largest civil uprising since the Pinochet dictatorship ending in 1990. This study was conducted in order to better understand the deep-seated motivations behind the mass protests. Due to the relatively recent nature of these demonstrations, little research has yet to be published. Scholarly literature indicates that Pinochet’s neoliberal policies—especially within the education, housing, and social security sectors—have prevented real progressive change and are structured to mainly benefit the business elites. Even 30 years after Pinochet’s authoritarian regime, left-leaning administrations attempted to improve the economic and social situations of the lower classes but could not due to the structural inequalities at the base of the Chilean economy and society. Foundationally, Pinochet’s neoliberal legacy has yet to be completely dismantled which is also echoed throughout the interview data.
Interviews were analyzed using content analysis in order to complement the literature and provide for new explanations. These interviews were collected through online news and firsthand reports of actual protesters and academics reflecting on the protests. Interviews from Chileans provide a window into the perspective of protesters in their own words. After coding the transcriptions of the first-hand reports, the primary findings of these sources show anger about human rights violations during the protests, frustration with the neoliberal economic structure, and current disconnection between the government and the people. This study found that Pinochet’s economic legacies implemented through his authoritarian dictatorship can help explain the 2019 civil uprising.
Interviews were analyzed using content analysis in order to complement the literature and provide for new explanations. These interviews were collected through online news and firsthand reports of actual protesters and academics reflecting on the protests. Interviews from Chileans provide a window into the perspective of protesters in their own words. After coding the transcriptions of the first-hand reports, the primary findings of these sources show anger about human rights violations during the protests, frustration with the neoliberal economic structure, and current disconnection between the government and the people. This study found that Pinochet’s economic legacies implemented through his authoritarian dictatorship can help explain the 2019 civil uprising.
ContributorsConnor, Riley J. (Author) / Haglun, LaDawn (Thesis director) / Bar, Eyal (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
DescriptionThis paper takes a comprehensive approach to evaluate Arizona’s conformity process after the passage of TCJA in December 2017.
ContributorsBowman, Anika (Author) / Frost, Donald (Thesis director) / Dallmus, John (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Space-based solar power is a renewable energy that is an alternative to all other forms of energy production. It takes on a new approach that pushes energy production off-world. Energy is harnessed and beamed down to a ground receiver via microwaves which is then sent to the grid and distributed to people across the country, and even globe. While the technology is new and still in the research and development stages, the ability is there. An economic analysis of the various technology yields levelized costs of energy comparable to current prices—under $.10/kWh. The markets and profits for this type of technology are abundant, ranging from commercial to military uses, with profits in the millions to billions of dollars. The environmental impacts are low compared to current energy production methods. The potential is great, the technology is close, and the future is near.
ContributorsFerrin, Zane (Author) / Parker, Nathan (Thesis director) / Tetreault, Colin (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The autonomous vehicle revolution started nearly a century ago with inventor Francis Houdina, who is credited with the first operational prototype of an unmanned motor vehicle. Almost 100 years later, autonomous vehicle technology is now on the brink of changing the world and will undoubtedly revolutionize the way transportation takes place. With this in mind, it is incredibly important to analyze and work through how the changes associated with the implementation of autonomous vehicles is going to affect the world legally. At the present time, there are no exceptions for the laws that are currently in place for non-autonomous vehicles, which means there is a significant amount of room for interpretation at times of autonomous vehicle error. First it is important to look at the history of automobiles and of autonomous technology. Starting with inventor Francis Houdina and automaker Mercedes Benz. Second, the ways in which autonomous technology has evolved over the last century. Companies such as Tesla and Waymo have been trailblazers of the industry. Third, looking at the way the world and different governments have or have not handled the incoming world of autonomous vehicles. Examining legislature formed by leading autonomous countries like Germany. Fourth, autonomous vehicles can now be found around the world in the hands of the public and in testing situations under manufacturer supervision. As a result of the widespread use of autonomous vehicles, there are now countless incidents of autonomous technology failure. The data and the outcomes of these accidents provide significant insight on the future legal necessities surrounding autonomous vehicles. Fifth, based on the history, technology, pre existing automobile legal framework and autonomous accidents, recommendations will be made on how to correctly govern autonomous vehicles and their owners. Autonomous vehicles will disrupt the world, but with the proper legal framework and regulations they will only continue to better the world we live in, improving efficiency, safety, and so much more.
ContributorsLohman, Coltin (Author) / Miller, Thaddeus R. (Thesis director) / Bowman, Diana (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Unintended consequences occur in the supply chain process when managers fail to fully prepare for the social and environmental outcomes of their initiatives. By analyzing these unintended consequences, we are better prepared to make supply chain initiatives that are truly sustainable for all. This paper utilizes a model developed by Dr. Carter and Dr. Kaufmann which creates a mutually exclusive and exhaustive framework in order to fully develop the relationship between intended and unintended consequences. Furthermore, paradox theory is implemented in order to refine the differences between intended and unintended outcomes to create a clearer understanding. Over the course of this paper, real world examples will be utilized from company social responsibility reports in order to populate and explain the matrix. Through this work, we show how companies take on a broad range of actions with outcomes varying from positive to negative. We expect that through this paper, we can make this topic more easily understood so that further research and understanding can be achieved.
ContributorsFodor, Daxton (Author) / Carter, Craig (Thesis director) / Alevy, Shea (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The United States has been long considered a country of immigrants. Throughout U.S. history the implementation of immigration policies has oscillated from lenient to highly restrictive. Currently, the Department of Homeland Security manages the largest detention system in the world. In December 2019, the National Detention Standards that govern the level of care in detention were revised. These revisions grant more oversight to private detention companies, including mental health treatment options and the use of solitary confinement. This is concerning given the amount of suicides that have occurred in detention. Despite an increasing trend in funding for detention centers, mental health resources are scarce and increasingly remiss in detention centers. Individuals held in civil detention are subject to deteriorating mental health due to the locations of detention centers, solitary confinement and high costs associated with outbound calls and visitations.
ContributorsPelayo, Berenice (Author) / Serat, Leah (Thesis director) / Hinojosa, Magda (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Tiger Woods’ adultery scandal was one of the most widely covered sports stories of the 2000s, in part because of how famous he was as a person and athlete. But the scandal and Tiger’s handling of it provided public relations professionals one of the most relevant crisis communications case studies in the history of sports. This case study is split into three sections; pre-scandal, the scandal itself and then his road to recovery. The case study is accompanied by an essay analyzing Woods’ crisis communications and image restoration strategies.
ContributorsVatti, Rayan (Author) / Hass, Mark (Thesis director) / Hege, Kristen (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor, Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Criminal Justice is a complex subject matter, and not everyone agrees on the way a criminal justice system ought to function. But one feature that is common to virtually all forms of proposed justice systems is that a true justice system treats people ethically. The question, then, is how a justice system can achieve this. This investigation analyzed two ethical theories, Kantianism and Utilitarianism, to determine which one would be better suited for guiding a criminal justice system on how to treat the people involved ethically. This investigation focused on applying the two theories to the U.S. Criminal Justice System in particular.
Kantianism is a duty-based moral theory in which actions have an intrinsic moral worth. This means certain actions are morally right and other are morally wrong, regardless of the intended or realized consequences. The theory relies on the categorical imperative to judge the morality of certain actions. It states that an action is moral if its maxim can be willed universal law and if it avoids treating people as merely a means. In contrast, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory which focuses on the consequences of an action in judging moral worth. In Utilitarianism, the morally correct action is the one which will maximize utility; that is to say, the morally right action is the one which will produce the greatest amount of happiness and minimize the amount of pain for the greatest number of people.
After applying these two theories to moral dilemmas facing the U.S. Criminal Justice System, including the appropriate collection of DNA evidence, the use of police deception, and the use of criminal punishments such as solitary confinement or the death penalty, it was clear that Kantianism was the ethical theory best suited for guiding the system in treating people ethically. This is because Kantianism’s focus on the intrinsic moral worth of an action rather than its consequences leaves less room for ambiguity than does Utilitarianism.
Kantianism is a duty-based moral theory in which actions have an intrinsic moral worth. This means certain actions are morally right and other are morally wrong, regardless of the intended or realized consequences. The theory relies on the categorical imperative to judge the morality of certain actions. It states that an action is moral if its maxim can be willed universal law and if it avoids treating people as merely a means. In contrast, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory which focuses on the consequences of an action in judging moral worth. In Utilitarianism, the morally correct action is the one which will maximize utility; that is to say, the morally right action is the one which will produce the greatest amount of happiness and minimize the amount of pain for the greatest number of people.
After applying these two theories to moral dilemmas facing the U.S. Criminal Justice System, including the appropriate collection of DNA evidence, the use of police deception, and the use of criminal punishments such as solitary confinement or the death penalty, it was clear that Kantianism was the ethical theory best suited for guiding the system in treating people ethically. This is because Kantianism’s focus on the intrinsic moral worth of an action rather than its consequences leaves less room for ambiguity than does Utilitarianism.
ContributorsMorett, Xavier Laakea (Author) / Manninen, Bertha (Thesis director) / Kimberly, Kobojek (Committee member) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This project uses Kenneth Burke’s theory of dramatism and the pentad to analyze popular narrative films about human sex trafficking. It seeks to understand the relationship between a film’s dominant philosophy (as highlighted by utilizing Burke’s pentad), its inherently suggested solutions to trafficking, and the effect that the film has on viewers’ perception of trafficking. 20 narrative feature films about sex trafficking such as the 2008 film Taken were analyzed for this study. Three out of five of Burke’s philosophies were uncovered after analysis: idealism, mysticism, and materialism. Films that aligned with idealism were found to implicitly blame women for their own trafficking. Films that aligned with mysticism were found to rally audiences around violence and racism as opposed to women’s freedom. Films that aligned with materialism were found to be the most empathetic towards trafficked women. The conclusion of this paper is that films about sex trafficking have a high potential to be harmful to women who have exited trafficking. This paper asserts that the most valuable films about trafficking are those that are not simply based on a true story but are created by trafficking survivors themselves, such as the 2016 film Apartment 407.
ContributorsHamby, Hannah Mary (Co-author) / Raum, Brionna (Co-author) / Edson, Belle (Thesis director) / Zanin, Alaina (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Calcium is the only ion capable of triggering electrical and chemical reactions in cells which are part of essential biomolecular processes, such as gene transcription and ion flux. Calcium homeostasis, the control of concentration levels, is therefore crucial for the proper functioning of cells. For example, cardiomyocytes, the cells that form cardiac muscle, rely on calcium transfer process to produce muscle contraction.
The purpose of this work is to study aspects of calcium homeostasis in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, common yeast. Using luminometric techniques, the response of the yeast was monitored against a set of changes in the environment calcium abundance. The results indicate a complex response as both increase and decreases of external calcium induce elevations in cytosolic calcium concentrations.
Calcium is transferred across compartments by means of channels. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, many of them have been identified; Cch1p-Mid1p, Vcx1p, Pmc1p, Pmr1p, and Yvc1p. Their participation in calcium homeostasis is well established. Observations of cytosolic calcium increase after a hypertonic shock are mainly associated with influx of ions from the environment though the Cch1p-Mid1p. This process is generally considered as driven by calcium concentration gradients. However, recent studies have suggested that the plasma membrane channel, Cch1p-Mid1p, may possess more sophisticated regulation and sensory mechanisms. The results of our experiments support these ideas.
We carried out experiments that subjected yeast to multiple shocks: a hypertonic shock followed by either a second hypertonic shock, a hypotonic shock, or a yeast dilution pulse where the solution volume increases by the calcium concentration has only a small change. The cytosolic calcium concentration of a yeast population was monitored via luminometry.
The main result of this study is the observation of an unexpected response to the combination of hypertonic and hypotonic shocks. In this case it was observed that the cytosolic calcium concentration increased after both shocks. This indicates that cytosolic calcium increases are not solely driven by the presence of concentration gradients. The response after the hypotonic pulse arises from more complex mechanisms that may include sensor activity at the membrane channels and the release of calcium from internal storages.
The purpose of this work is to study aspects of calcium homeostasis in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, common yeast. Using luminometric techniques, the response of the yeast was monitored against a set of changes in the environment calcium abundance. The results indicate a complex response as both increase and decreases of external calcium induce elevations in cytosolic calcium concentrations.
Calcium is transferred across compartments by means of channels. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, many of them have been identified; Cch1p-Mid1p, Vcx1p, Pmc1p, Pmr1p, and Yvc1p. Their participation in calcium homeostasis is well established. Observations of cytosolic calcium increase after a hypertonic shock are mainly associated with influx of ions from the environment though the Cch1p-Mid1p. This process is generally considered as driven by calcium concentration gradients. However, recent studies have suggested that the plasma membrane channel, Cch1p-Mid1p, may possess more sophisticated regulation and sensory mechanisms. The results of our experiments support these ideas.
We carried out experiments that subjected yeast to multiple shocks: a hypertonic shock followed by either a second hypertonic shock, a hypotonic shock, or a yeast dilution pulse where the solution volume increases by the calcium concentration has only a small change. The cytosolic calcium concentration of a yeast population was monitored via luminometry.
The main result of this study is the observation of an unexpected response to the combination of hypertonic and hypotonic shocks. In this case it was observed that the cytosolic calcium concentration increased after both shocks. This indicates that cytosolic calcium increases are not solely driven by the presence of concentration gradients. The response after the hypotonic pulse arises from more complex mechanisms that may include sensor activity at the membrane channels and the release of calcium from internal storages.
ContributorsMintz, David Anthony (Co-author) / Parker, Augustus (Co-author) / Solis, Francisco (Thesis director) / Marshall, Pamela (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05