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.
Displaying 31 - 40 of 53
Description
In this paper, I wish to reassess the role of the International Criminal Court regarding victims and affected communities as we approach the tenth anniversary of the Court's establishment. I argue that the Court's intentions may be sound, the structure itself causes many difficulties and provisions for victims' participation are often difficult to implement or even dilatory to the administration of justice. The judicial ideals of the Court, including the maintenance of prosecutorial independence and the protection of due process rights of defendants, can actually come in conflict with victim participation provisions of the Rome Statute. In the course of my summer internship at the ICC, I came to believe that it is time to reconsider the Court's designation as an innovative organization and look for structural and institutional reform.
ContributorsMalvika, Sinha (Author) / Peskin, Victor (Thesis director) / Lynch, John (Committee member) / Hunter, Joel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2011-12
Description
This study tests if embodied cognition associated with self-movement in skateboarding can provide superior insight in physics problem-solving. Most people are relatively poor at deciphering which of several slopes will produce the faster downhill route for a rolling ball. Here, we replicate work by Rohrer and confirm that participants are poor at this task when making predictions on a pen-and-paper test. Our principle hypothesis is that experience skateboarders should perform better than average when asked the equivalent question in the context of selecting the fastest skateboarding route between two different ramps. Our findings confirm that in a timed race, skateboarders are less prone to select a slower, but seemingly shorter, more constant-sloped route. When self-action is coupled to thinking in this way, it appears easier for participants to tap into a gut-level feeling for the overall speed advantage gained by descending more sharply earlier in time. The finding supports a physics pedagogy in which participants consider the problem from the perspective of the descending ball, which allows utilization of embodied cognitive resources that produce superior physics insight. This is the first study to demonstrate that skateboarding ought not to be viewed merely as a renegade hobby, but rather as an activity that holds promise for improving academic performance.
ContributorsZautra, Nicholas (Author) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2011-12
Description
There is no doubt that globalization has been a force in history , and especially in the past one hundred years. This is extremely evident in the implications of global epidemics. The global response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) revealed tensions between nation states and international health organization such as the World Health Organization) collectively called "Global Health Governance"). The issue was sovereignty. SARS showed us that there was more state-centric resistance to the Post-Westphalian world than previously thought. Where infectious diseases are concerned, however, the eventual compliance of states with the WHO shows reluctant but tacit compliance with international intervention.
ContributorsLaw, Stephanie (Author) / Rush, James (Thesis director) / Green, Monica (Committee member) / Lundry, Christopher (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-05
Description
Biogeography is the study of the spatial distribution of the earth's biota, both in the present and the past. Traditionally, biogeographical studies have relied on a combination of surveys of existing populations, fossil evidence, and the geological record of the earth. However, with the advent of relatively inexpensive methods of DNA sequencing, it is now possible to use information concerning the genetic relatedness of individuals in populations to address questions about how those populations came to be where they are today. For example, biogeographical studies of HIV-I provide strong support for the hypothesis that this virus arose in Africa through a host switch from chimpanzees to humans and only began to spread to human populations located on other continents some 60 to 70 years ago (Sharp & Hahn, 2010).
ContributorsZheng, Wenyu (Author) / Taylor, Jesse (Thesis director) / Escalante, Ananias (Committee member) / Thieme, Horst (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The purpose of this paper will be to show that the 'merge' model of mental files is to be preferred to the 'link' model of mental files because some of the problems that arise for the 'merge' model also arise for the 'link' model, and because the problems for the 'merge' model can be argued against via counterexamples or explained away. This will be shown by giving a detailed description of what both the link model and the merge model of mental files entail. The flaws of the mental file merge model will be presented, followed by the advantages of the link model, ending with several arguments as to why the merge model is better suited to explain our intuitions about identity than the link model.
ContributorsZimmerman, Thomas Scott (Author) / Pinillos, N. Angel (Thesis director) / Kobes, Bernard (Committee member) / Reynolds, Steven (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Trekster is an online outdoor website that provides the tools and information necessary for any person to complete a given outdoor activity that matches his/her ability, age, location, and desires with a focus on United States National Parks and National Monument travel. Over time, Trekster will create a sizable repository of trails and activities that reflect a geographically diverse nation and the equally diverse interests the population of the world seek to enjoy in these awe-inspiring locales. Trekster will focus on content creation and the updating of existing content to continually offer the most precise and voluminous information on a given trail, activity, or news item. Trekster is a Limited Liability Company with roots in Arizona and Colorado. Trekster will be managed by Kurtis Zinger, an outdoorsman and businessman keen on finding solutions to problems he has experienced in his travel planning within the national parks. The idea for Trekster originated with a lack of helpful content available from the National Park Service websites for travel to the United States National Parks and National Monuments. Visitation at parks has continued to increase most years over the past three decades, yet the National Parks Service has not been able to successfully serve the demand of an eager outdoor demographic. Trekster is designed for ease-of-use and its target market ranges from senior citizens and foreign visitors to American citizens that are avid backpackers, hikers, and/or campers. Trekster will provide these markets with the tools needed to improve their outdoor or National Park experience, especially because of the lack of these resources at other websites for a reasonable price. As revenue will be Trekster's primary revenue stream, but by keeping expenses limited to marketing efforts after the first year of operation, Trekster will reach its break-even point by 2017 and will make positive profits that grow exponentially during the years that follow. After 2020, Trekster will have content for all 50 states and will begin exploring unique ways to deliver content and explore other potential revenue sources. Trekster will be the premier online destination for travelers to National Parks and adventurers hoping to find more than a superficial introduction to a complex maze of information. By providing quality content free of charge, Trekster will become a favorite resource of outdoor enthusiasts and a source of community for those who find solace and adventure in the outdoors.
ContributorsZinger, Kurtis (Author) / Koretz, Lora (Thesis director) / Facinelli, Diane (Committee member) / Ehrlich, Susan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Former two-time Costa Rican president Dr. Oscar Arias advocates for arms control between nations and, in some cases, complete disarmament as the first step in solving grave issues of international sustainability. The three spheres of sustainability—society, economy, and environment—are explained and the ultimate goal of the compromise between all three aspects is defined as the means to achieving sustainability. A brief history of the politics and culture of Costa Rica provides a glimpse into the values and society of this Central American country, including a consistent commitment to the appreciation and protection of its natural environment. Dr. Arias is credited as one of the founding fathers of the sustainable development movement, as evidenced by his political career and policies both with Costa Rica and with other international communities. A selection of Dr. Arias’ speeches and conversations of the past four decades illuminates the need for disarmament and peaceful political interactions as the catalyst for human progress and sustainable development.
ContributorsZywicki, Alexandra (Author) / Alarcon, Justo (Thesis director) / Printezis, Antonios (Committee member) / Sullivan, Claire (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Collaborative research is not only a form of social and human capital and a public good, but also a fundamental elicitor of positive Collective Action. Collaborative Research Networks can serve as models of proactive and purposive Collective Action and catalysts of societal change, if they function as more than hubs of research and knowledge. It is the goal of this Honors Thesis to examine the current nature under which collaborative research networks, focused on matters of Global Health or Sustainability, operate., how they are organized, what type of collaboration they engage in, and who collaborates with whom. A better understanding of these types of networks can lead to the formation of more effective networks that can develop innovative solutions to our collective Global Health and Sustainability problems.
ContributorsHodzic, Mirna (Author) / Van Der Leeuw, Sander (Thesis director) / Janssen, Marco (Committee member) / Schoon, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-05
Description
Abstract Kicking the Habit: Reforming Mandatory Minimums for Drug Crimes Ashley Allen While mandatory minimum sentences apply to all drugs, in this paper, I primarily discuss them for marijuana, cocaine, and opiates since these drugs are the most commonly used. My paper will include an exploration of the reasons behind the implementation of mandatory minimum sentences, an analysis of the problems involved with enforcing them, and a discussion about the harms such enforcement has on communities. While mandatory minimums were introduced to prevent discrimination in sentencing as people of color often faced much harsher sentences, the minimums have not been a lasting solution; rather these sentencing techniques have become a major component of the problems communities face associated with drug use. They enforce negative stereotypes and cycles of drug use, do not promote rehabilitation, and unnecessarily burden the judicial and prison systems. I will discuss both successful and failed attempts to reform these laws, and finally offer possible solutions for rethinking mandatory minimum laws, including harm reduction, sentencing restructuring, and the reform of federal laws.
ContributorsAllen, Ashely (Author) / Henderson, Deborah (Thesis director) / Espino, Rodolfo (Committee member) / Walker, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-05
Description
Abstract Knit Together: Craft, Community, and Victims of Domestic Violence Allison Miller Domestic violence shelters play a major role in victim's pathway to survivorship. Through an account of what constitutes domestic violence, who experiences domestic violence, data accumulated on domestic violence, and overview of domestic violence shelters and programs, and a snapshot view of a local domestic violence shelter in Phoenix, Arizona, this paper seeks to define and address the gaps in research involving victim's roads to survivorship, specifically as they involve community building, empowerment, and avenues for stress release. Finally, the project records the researcher's experiences and observations of a knitting and crochet group established in the local shelter.
ContributorsMiller, Allison (Author) / Durfee, Alesha (Thesis director) / Weitz, Rose (Committee member) / Noble, Virginia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-05