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: Economics Program in CLAS
- Creators: Ganesh, Tirupalavanam
Description
I conduct a two-fold study on the relationship between adverse selection and nonlinear pricing in competitive insurance markets. First, I reassess empirical evidence of adverse selection in life insurance with the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data used by Cawley and Philipson (1999). Specifically, I evaluate the shape of the premium schedule and present indications of quantity premia beyond a certain coverage level. The observed pricing schedule appears like the "backward-S-shaped" curve described by Chade and Schlee (2012); I discuss why this result cannot be entirely explained by fixed costs of underwriting. Second, I critique the arguments against adverse selection in existing literature by modifying the Rothschild and Stiglitz (1976) model of competitive insurance markets. I present several existing models and a new framework to explain how adverse selection and quantity discounts can coexist in equilibrium. These modifications deviate from the standard models of competitive insurance, but produce plausible hypotheses with conclusions contrary to conventional theoretical results.
ContributorsMahan, Scott Alexander (Author) / Schlee, Edward (Thesis director) / Silverman, Daniel (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
In recent years, environment mapping has garnered significant interest in both industrial and academic settings as a viable means of generating comprehensive virtual models of the physical world. These maps are created using simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms that combine depth contours with visual imaging information to create rich, layered point clouds. Given the recent advances in virtual reality technology, these generated point clouds can be imported onto the Oculus Rift or similar headset for virtual reality implementation. This project deals with the robotic implementation of RGB-D SLAM algorithms on mobile ground robots to generate complete point clouds that can be processed off-line and imported into virtual reality engines for viewing in the Oculus Rift. This project uses a ground robot along with a Kinect sensor to collect RGB-D data of the surrounding environment to build point cloud maps using SLAM software. These point clouds are then exported as object or polygon files for post-processing in software engines such as Meshlab or Unity. The point clouds generated from the SLAM software can be viewed in the Oculus Rift as is. However, these maps are mainly empty space and can be further optimized for virtual viewing. Additional techniques such as meshing and texture meshing were implemented on the raw point cloud maps and tested on the Oculus Rift. The aim of this project was to increase the potential applications for virtual reality by taking a robotic mapping approach to virtual reality environment development. This project was successful in achieving its objective. The following report details the processes used in developing a remotely-controlled robotic platform that can scan its environment and generate viable point cloud maps. These maps are then processed off line and ported into virtual reality software for viewing through the Oculus Rift.
ContributorsUdupa, Shreya (Author) / Artemiadis, Panagiotis (Thesis director) / Chickamenahalli, Shamala (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The goal of this research study was to empirically study the effects of a project based learning activity. The effectiveness of this study was benchmarked according to two results: the effectiveness in communicating the scope and impact of engineering, and the effectiveness in increasing interest in computer systems engineering (CSE). This research report presents an analysis of the effects of making engineering education socially relevant, interesting and accessible. High school students participated in a learning experience in which they designed flood evacuation systems that could warn a city of incoming floods. Both pre-assessments and post-assessments were implemented to capture students' awareness of engineering tasks and their interest levels in engineering tasks. Data on students' perceptions of specific engineering tasks were analyzed quantitatively through Wilcoxon signed-rank testing and determined that the program had significant positive effects on developing more accurate conceptions of engineering tasks. The results relating to student interest in CSE indicated that there was an increased level of interest in CSE engineering tasks after the program. There was a 14% increase in number of students who found engineering tasks interesting from 64% to 78%. However, as participants self-selected to participate in this learning experience, many students had positive perceptions of engineering tasks prior to engaging in the learning experience. This study was successful and met both of its primary goals of enhancing awareness and interest in engineering in this particular group of high school students.
ContributorsRidhwaan, Syed (Author) / Ganesh, Tirupalavanam (Thesis director) / Shrake, Scott (Committee member) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
In this work we analyze just what makes the topic of third party voting so intriguing to voters and why it is different than voting for one of the major parties in American politics. First, we will discuss briefly the history of politics in America and what makes it exciting. Next, we will outline some of the works by other political and economic professionals such as Hotelling, Lichtman and Rietz. Finally, using the framework described beforehand this paper will analyze the different stances that voters, candidates, and others involved in the political process of voting have regarding the topic of third party voting.
ContributorsMcElroy, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Beardsley, James (Co-author) / Foster, William (Thesis director) / Goegan, Brian (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The purpose of this study was to utilize quantitative results gained through surveys to determine the effect of hands-on engineering activities and a poster study on improving understanding and awareness of engineering disciplines in high school students. There was a focus on increasing participation of women and minorities in engineering to improve diversity, and this study utilized biomedical engineering as a means of achieving these goals. The analysis of this thesis focused on the results of the pre-assessment and post-assessment taken by a group of high school students before and after a program using presentations in combination with engineering activities tackling real-world problems. These assessments objectively ranked both the awareness and interest level in various engineering activities across a number of disciplines. The results were analyzed using percentages of the engineering statements that the students recognized as engineering and were interested in, as well as using t-tests. Statistical significance was found for the percentage of statements that the students expressed the highest interest level in between the initial and final survey. The other factors analyzed did not produce statistical significance, but the increase in interest level does meet one of the primary goals of the project. Since the percentages of all the positive factors did increase between the pre- and post- assessment, the study can be considered a success overall; more data is simply needed to indicate significance in these other factors. Future studies will focus on implementing this program as an after-school activity that can be led by members of the engineering community at ASU.
ContributorsLum, Kenna (Co-author) / Marshall, Dirk (Co-author) / Ganesh, Tirupalavanam (Thesis director) / Parker, Hope (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The objective of this research study is to assess the effectiveness of a poster-based messaging campaign and engineering-based activities for middle school and high school students to encourage students to explore and to pursue chemical engineering. Additionally, presentations are incorporated into both methods to provide context and improve understanding of the presented poster material or activity. Pre-assessments and post-assessments are the quantitative method of measuring effectiveness. For the poster campaign, ASU juniors and seniors participated in the poster campaign by producing socially relevant messages about their research or aspirations to address relevant chemical engineering problems. For the engineering-based activity, high school students participated in an Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering program "Young Engineers Shape the World" in which the students participated in six-hour event learning about four engineering disciplines, and the chemical engineering presentation and activity was conducted in one of the sessions. Pre-assessments were given at the beginning of the event, and the post-assessments were provided towards the end of the event. This honors thesis project will analyze the collected data.
ContributorsBueno, Daniel Tolentino (Author) / Ganesh, Tirupalavanam (Thesis director) / Parker, Hope (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Yearly changes in the consumer price index are used to adjust social security benefits in order to keep the purchasing power of social security beneficiaries the same. Currently, social security benefits are adjusted using a fixed-weighted price index that reflects the purchasing patterns of workers. However, some believe that a price index that captures the spending habits of the elderly should adjust monthly social security benefits, while others argue that a chain-weighted price index is a more accurate indexation technique. This report finds that if an elderly or chain-weighted price index were implemented this year, there would not be a significant change in the projected insolvency of the social security trust fund, but there could be a substantial decrease in the social security trust fund's yearly cash-flow deficit. Therefore, changing the indexation of social security benefits should not be seen as a short-term solvency fix. Instead, adjusting monthly social security benefits should be about keeping the purchasing power of beneficiaries relatively the same.
ContributorsScobas, Peter Jonathan (Author) / Hobijn, Bart (Thesis director) / Smith, Kerry (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Peoria, a city of about 171,000 residents in the northwest Valley, is recognized as one of Arizona's fastest growing cities. Peoria does not have a news source that engages millennials, despite the fact that adults ages 18 to 34 make up about 20% of Peoria's population. Thus, I created a digital news outlet with a complementary social media presence to target a millennial audience. Peoria Next covers news about Peoria that is either not currently covered by other news outlets or is covered in a different way. The goal of the website is to inform millennials of news and events in Peoria with a focus on topics millennials are interested in. The website receives 40 to 50 unique visitors and around 90 views every month, and Facebook insights show that 32% of the people reached by Peoria Next are in the target age range of 18 to 34. This paper discusses the process involved in creating a news outlet for millennials in Peoria with social media platforms as the main avenue for audience development. The first section discusses the role of local news in a community, using social media to engage the audience and how millennials receive and engage with news. The second section discusses how I developed the website and the overall results.
ContributorsRogers, Anya Bryn (Author) / Leonard, Christina (Thesis director) / Pucci, Jessica (Committee member) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
In order to refine autonomous exploratory movement planning schemes, an approach must be developed that accounts for valuable information other than that gained from map filling. To this end, the goal of this thesis is divided into two parts. The first is to develop a technique for categorizing objects detected by an autonomous exploratory robot and assigning them a score based on their interest value. The second is an attempt to develop a method of integrating this technique into a navigation algorithm in order to refine the movements of a robot or robots to maximize the efficiency of information gain. The intention of both of these components is to provide a method of refining the navigation scheme applied to autonomous exploring robots and maximize the amount of information they can gather in deployments where they face significant resource or functionality constraints. To this end this project is divided into two main sections: a shape-matching technique and a simulation in in which to implement this technique. The first section was accomplished by combining concepts from information theory, principal component analysis, and the eigenfaces algorithm to create an effective matching technique. The second was created with inspiration from existing navigation algorithms. Once these components were determined to be functional, a testing regime was applied to determine their capabilities. The testing regime was also divided into two parts. The tests applied to the matching technique were first to demonstrate that it functions under ideal conditions. After testing was conducted under ideal conditions, the technique was tested under non-ideal conditions. Additional tests were run to determine how the system responded to changes in the coefficients and equations that govern its operation. Similarly, the simulation component was initially tested under normal conditions to determine the base effectiveness of the approach. After these tests were conducted, alternative conditions were tested to evaluate the effects of modifying the implementation technique. The results of these tests indicated a few things. The first series of tests confirmed that the matching technique functions as expected under ideal conditions. The second series of tests determined that the matching element is effective for a reasonable range of variations and non-ideal conditions. The third series of tests showed that changing the functional coefficients of the matching technique can help tune the technique to different conditions. The fourth series of tests demonstrated that the basic concept of the implementation technique makes sense. The final series of tests demonstrated that modifying the implementation method is at least somewhat effective and that modifications to it can be used to specifically tailor the implementation to a method. Overall the results indicate that the stated goals of the project were accomplished successfully.
ContributorsFleetwood, Garrett Clark (Author) / Thanga, Jekan (Thesis director) / Berman, Spring (Committee member) / Middleton, James (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Grief reaches across all human differences and boundaries. Grief, when it does not resolve on its own, is known as complicated grief. Parents of children who die are at increased risk for experiencing complicated grief. This case study seeks commonalities and possible contributing factors for the creation of a non-profit in reaction to the death of a child. This study finds that previous achievements such as completing a marathon or graduating from a graduate program may indicate the presence of characteristics like resilience that result in the creation of a non-profit.
ContributorsGood, Jennifer Rose (Author) / Bozeman, Barry (Thesis director) / Gaughan, Monica (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School for the Science of Health Care Delivery (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12