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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The policy design process in the United States has been guiding policymakers for decades. In order to keep up with the developing sustainability challenges that the US is facing, a new method of policy design needs to be determined for long-lasting, sustainable change. Human-centered design principles provide a new, unique

The policy design process in the United States has been guiding policymakers for decades. In order to keep up with the developing sustainability challenges that the US is facing, a new method of policy design needs to be determined for long-lasting, sustainable change. Human-centered design principles provide a new, unique perspective for analyzing sustainability challenges. Through the integration of human-centered design principles into policy systems, a new framework for policy design can be created. Through this project, a new framework that allows for the adaptation to new technologies, scientific information, and developments in the sustainability crisis to be accounted for and adequately addressed in future policies has been created.

ContributorsFish, Risa (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / White, Dave (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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Description

Throughout the year I had the opportunity to work on a business venture that utilized dendrites as a unique identifier. Dendrites themselves are completely unique, random, branching structures that occur everywhere in nature. This creative project was inspired by the shape of the dendrite and I created a series of

Throughout the year I had the opportunity to work on a business venture that utilized dendrites as a unique identifier. Dendrites themselves are completely unique, random, branching structures that occur everywhere in nature. This creative project was inspired by the shape of the dendrite and I created a series of 12 paintings reflecting on my own unique college journey.

ContributorsMann, Abigail (Author) / Trujillo, Rhett (Thesis director) / Reeves, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05
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Description

This thesis is broken into two parts: the research and the toolkit. The research portion examines the benefits posed by the Barrett Student Engagement team to the Barrett Polytechnic community. Literature on student retention and attrition, inside and outside of an honors curriculum, was reviewed to better understand likely factors

This thesis is broken into two parts: the research and the toolkit. The research portion examines the benefits posed by the Barrett Student Engagement team to the Barrett Polytechnic community. Literature on student retention and attrition, inside and outside of an honors curriculum, was reviewed to better understand likely factors contributing to an increase of attrition rates. The primary question in focus is: “What are the benefits student engagement poses for Barrett Poly students?” followed by the secondary question of: “How can the student engagement team best support Barrett Poly students?” Data from the past five semesters has been collected and analyzed to determine the general trends and the strengths and weaknesses within each of the six engagement pillars. As the position of Student Engagement Assistant requires a fair amount of training for short-term employment (can be held until graduation from ASU), it is beneficial to have a training manual in place for workers to reference. The project has been made available in a hybrid format to best accommodate future changes in procedures and resources. A summary of the additional materials has been included at the end of this report.

ContributorsGriffin, Kiley (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / Albin, Joshua (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Engineering Programs (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The Human Chain: Exploring Poetry and Public Service is an anthology of collected poems that present the relationship between poetry and the concept of public service. Through academic and literary exploration, the main ties between the two concepts were identified as (1) loss, (2) community, (3) advocacy, (4) appreciation and

The Human Chain: Exploring Poetry and Public Service is an anthology of collected poems that present the relationship between poetry and the concept of public service. Through academic and literary exploration, the main ties between the two concepts were identified as (1) loss, (2) community, (3) advocacy, (4) appreciation and (5) inspiration. The collection uses poetry to exemplify these thematic ties. The results of this project could be used to strengthen the relationship between the written word and organized volunteerism. There are many real-world applications of this literary exploration and is a vitally important relationship to delve into.
ContributorsMason, Hannah (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / Stanford, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis/creative project involved writing a collection of creative nonfiction essays and building a website to reflect on my experiences traveling through Spain in the summer of 2023, for both a study abroad program and on my own. There are a total of nine essays in this current collection, along

This thesis/creative project involved writing a collection of creative nonfiction essays and building a website to reflect on my experiences traveling through Spain in the summer of 2023, for both a study abroad program and on my own. There are a total of nine essays in this current collection, along with a tenth introductory essay. They reflect the chronological order of my travels to Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, Valencia, Barcelona, and Lisbon, concluding with an essay written about my return to Phoenix, Arizona. The goal of this project was to not only personally reflect on what I learned while in these various places, but also to share these experiences with a wider audience in the digital world. I plan to continue adding essays to this website, using it as a "living document" for my future travels, and as a place for further reflection.
ContributorsCordes, Olivia (Author) / Meloy, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-05
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Description
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common form that exists and has many variables that play into its development and diagnosis. This study looks at some of the factors that may have played an impact on people who are pre-diabetic or at risk of being pre-diabetic. Pre-diabetes can often

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common form that exists and has many variables that play into its development and diagnosis. This study looks at some of the factors that may have played an impact on people who are pre-diabetic or at risk of being pre-diabetic. Pre-diabetes can often serve as a warning sign for people and presents them with an opportunity for intervention before their condition worsens. However, it often goes unnoticed due to the lack of education regarding healthy living and making better quality-of-life decisions in Hispanic communities. The purpose of this study was to help identify patterns in how people from these communities manage their conditions and find techniques that can be replicated by others in order to improve health outcomes. This study followed a mixed methods approach in order to gain a full understanding of the quantitative (QUAN) and qualitative (QUAL) aspects that may have an impact on diabetes. Data was collected using a questionnaire to analyze different aspects and lifestyles of the participants and an interview with probing questions regarding life decisions, beliefs, and expectations. The overarching research question was “How did varying levels of health motivation and healthful eating habits affect glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c) in Hispanic/Latinx populations who are at risk of or are pre-diabetic?”. With this, we can obtain a better understanding of certain key aspects that play a role in the development of diabetes. A correlations matrix analysis was run to test how certain variables related and caused changes with one another. To analyze how these variables related specifically to HbA1c, our dependent variable, a multiple regression model analysis was used. It was found that the main contributors to elevated HbA1c levels were health motivation and age. A joint display analysis combined different levels of health motivation, QUAN data, and the responses to a focus question regarding efforts taken to improve one's condition, QUAL. This displayed a pattern of participants with higher health motivation showing efforts to reduce their diabetes risk and by contrast, low health motivation participants showing minimal to no efforts in changing behavior. This study found that elevated HbA1c levels also come with higher health motivation which normally wouldn’t make sense. However, the participants from this study knew about their HbA1c levels before this survey was conducted which means that these people already knew about the dangers of their condition and may have been taking steps to mitigate further risk. This demonstrates the importance of developing education systems to help inform people about risk factors and symptoms to alert them of their condition. It is common in Hispanic areas for people to cook high-fat foods, lard, or oil which often lead to an increased risk of diabetes. There is also a great difference in the amount of resources that Hispanic communities have for practicing healthy lifestyle habits and less effective self-monitoring that makes it difficult to recognize early signs of diabetes. Promoting interventions that help educate about the risks of diabetes could encourage great change in eating habits, activity levels, and overall health outcomes for people from Hispanic communities.
ContributorsZafar, Rehan (Author) / Castro, Felipe (Thesis director) / Kavouras, Stavros (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The gender gap in leadership has been shrinking over time, with women occupying 32% of managerial positions in 1983, and 40.5% of managerial positions in 2022 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004, 2023). Within the United States, the cultural and social expectations for what it means to be a good

The gender gap in leadership has been shrinking over time, with women occupying 32% of managerial positions in 1983, and 40.5% of managerial positions in 2022 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004, 2023). Within the United States, the cultural and social expectations for what it means to be a good leader include having agentic personality traits (Badura et al., 2018), being an active participant in group discussion (Bass, 1990), and expressing primarily achievement and antagonistic emotions (Fischbach et al., 2015). But, does a working man or woman’s desire to have children impact the way others perceive their ability to assume a position of leadership? Approximately one hundred and fifty college students and civil engineers were equally split into five groups. Four of the five groups were instructed to rate a different imaginary coworker, distinguished based on their gender and desire to have kids in the future. The fifth group was instructed to rate their ideal manager. All five groups used a descriptive index with 67 terms in order to complete their respective ratings. The results supported the hypothesis that men who want to have children have character traits that are most similar to those traits used to describe an ideal manager. However, the results did not support the hypothesis that women who want to have children would be least similar to the ideal manager group, as men who do not want to have children were rated least similar.
ContributorsDyer-McGowan, Karen (Author) / Koop, Gregory (Thesis director) / Holloway, Steven (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Though horse racing holds enduring significance in the United States, it faces challenges related to safety, integrity, and animal welfare. Recent initiatives like the enactment of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) in 2020 aim to establish uniform regulatory oversight and counteract the problems the industry faces. This thesis

Though horse racing holds enduring significance in the United States, it faces challenges related to safety, integrity, and animal welfare. Recent initiatives like the enactment of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) in 2020 aim to establish uniform regulatory oversight and counteract the problems the industry faces. This thesis explores the horse racing industry, delving into its historical evolution, contemporary landscape, and the regulatory framework that governs it. Through a comprehensive literature review encompassing historical, contemporary, quantitative, and qualitative perspectives, along with insights gathered from conversations with industry insiders and firsthand experiences at a local racetrack, this research addresses key questions regarding the industry's current state, government responsibility for ensuring safety and ethical practices, and the direction in which the industry is headed. It advocates for the humane treatment of racehorses and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing their well-being. By advocating for transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct, the industry can thrive while aligning with societal expectations.
ContributorsOldham, Abigail (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / Fedock, Rachel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This study analyzed the current dental insurance and care practices in the United States, and the role that it plays in national health insurance systems. This was accomplished through extensive literary analysis of articles and websites that discussed both current dental/health care practices and also the insurance systems and policies

This study analyzed the current dental insurance and care practices in the United States, and the role that it plays in national health insurance systems. This was accomplished through extensive literary analysis of articles and websites that discussed both current dental/health care practices and also the insurance systems and policies that support and inhibit individuals receiving the care they need. It was discovered that routine dental visits can play a crucial role in the identification and mitigation of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and sleep apnea. The utilization of available dental care services was found to have a direct correlation with the possession of dental insurance, with a drastic drop-off in utilization amongst the uninsured. Through the analysis of barriers towards the integration of nationwide dental insurance, such as socioeconomic differences, regulatory and policy concerns, and cultural and behavioral barriers, a few potential solutions were developed. All of these factors were researched and investigated to generate a report of why dental care is important, the challenges to the integration of dental insurance in the United States, and steps that can be taken to guide this country in the right direction.
ContributorsStandridge, James (Author) / O'Flaherty, Katherine (Thesis director) / Dameron, Brett (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05