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: School of International Letters and Cultures
- Creators: O'Flaherty, Katherine
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 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
Description
After traveling to Spain to study abroad, I noticed a large amount of shops selling goods related to Japanese anime, which helped inspire the topic of my honors thesis. In this paper, the cultural impact of Japanese animation and comics on Spain is explored. The history/origin of anime in Spain, the early reception of these works in Spain, the importance of the anime fandom, the intersection between Spanish and Japanese culture in anime and anime-inspired films, and the positive representation of Spain in these works are all relevant topics that constitute the argument of this document. Sources in both English and Spanish are utilized.This paper explores the surprising connections between the two countries. The way in which their cultures interact through the consumption of this form of media was quite fascinating to look into.
ContributorsMalinski, Joseph (Author) / Walton-Ramirez, Anne (Thesis director) / Wilson, Bradley (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsSanchez, Tomas (Author) / Casanova, Pablo (Co-author) / Green, Aaron (Co-author) / Dalvi, Tejas (Co-author) / Dudas, Caleb (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director, Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2024-05
ContributorsSanchez, Tomas (Author) / Casanova, Pablo (Co-author) / Green, Aaron (Co-author) / Dalvi, Tejas (Co-author) / Dudas, Caleb (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director, Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Wealth Wise is an innovative initiative targeting middle school students to bridge the gap in financial literacy within Arizona's challenging educational landscape. Through meticulous research, they aim to develop a comprehensive curriculum covering budgeting, investment, credit management, and banking principles, fostering critical thinking and financial independence. Collaborations with educators and interactive teaching methods are central to their approach, envisioning a future where financial literacy is fundamental to education, empowering a financially secure society.
ContributorsSanchez, Tomas (Author) / Casanova, Pablo (Co-author) / Green, Aaron (Co-author) / Dalvi, Tejas (Co-author) / Dudas, Caleb (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director, Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Medulloblastoma is the most common pediatric brain cancer and accounts for 20% of all pediatric brain tumors. Upon diagnosis, patients undergo tumor-resection surgery followed by intense chemotherapy and cerebrospinal irradiation (CSI) regimens. CSI therapy is highly toxic and poorly tolerated in pediatric patients and is known to cause long-term neurocognitive, endocrine, and developmental deficits that often diminish the quality of life for medulloblastoma patients. The development of targeted therapies is necessary for both increasing the chance of survival and reducing treatment-related morbidities. A potential therapeutic target of interest in medulloblastoma is the polyamine biosynthesis pathway. Polyamines are metabolites present in every living organism and are essential for cellular processes such as growth, survival, and differentiation. Recent studies have shown that polyamine production is dysregulated in several cancers, including brain cancers, and have highlighted polyamine biosynthesis as a potential cancer growth dependency. Dysregulated polyamine metabolism has also been linked to several oncogenic drivers, including the WNT, SHH, and MYC signaling pathways that characterize genetically distinct medulloblastoma subgroups. One way to target polyamine biosynthesis is through the inhibition of the rate-limiting enzyme ornithine decarboxylase with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an analog of the polyamine precursor ornithine. DFMO is well-tolerated in pediatric populations and exerts minimal toxicities, as shown through neuroblastoma clinical trials, and is a therapy of interest for medulloblastoma. While DFMO has been tested clinically in multiple cancers, few in vitro studies have been performed to understand the exact mechanisms of anti-proliferation and cytotoxicity. Our study screened two immortalized medulloblastoma cell lines, DAOY (SHH) and D283 (non-WNT/non-SHH), and three patient-derived medulloblastoma cell lines, SL00024 (SHH), SL00668 (non-WNT/non-SHH), SL00870 (Unknown subgroup), for DFMO sensitivity and profiled the immortalized medulloblastoma cell line metabolome to understand the interactions between inhibition of polyamine metabolism with other essential metabolic processes and tumor cell growth. We found that medulloblastoma cell lines are sensitive to DFMO and the adaptive response to DFMO in medulloblastoma may be caused by increased oxidative stress and free radical scavenging. Our study hopes to inform the use of DFMO as an anti-cancer therapy in medulloblastoma by understanding the drug’s single-agent anti-proliferative mechanisms.
ContributorsFain, Caitlyn (Author) / Buetow, Kenneth (Thesis director) / Pirrotte, Patrick (Committee member) / Pathak, Khyati (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life 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 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
DescriptionI worked with the Embryo Project Encyclopedia to produce eight articles on the topic of c-sections and the neonatal microbiome acquisition. Then I did further research to fully understand the topic and provide connections between my articles and understand the current state of scientific opinion on the neonatal microbiome acquisition.
ContributorsRoberts, Kelly (Author) / Maienschein, Jane (Thesis director) / Schnebly, Risa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (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 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
DescriptionAs an environmental storyteller interested in bridging sustainability, civic engagement, and youth representation, I created a short form video interviewing climate activists and engaging in conversation centered on their perspectives on youth representation in this space.
ContributorsLight, Stormy (Author) / Goebel, Janna (Thesis director) / Hagen, Bjoern (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05