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 1 - 10 of 55
Description
Drought is one of the most pressing issues affecting the future of the standard of living here in Phoenix. With the threat of water rationing and steep price hikes looming on the horizon for water customers in California, the desert southwest, and in drought-stricken communities worldwide, industrial designers are in a prime position to help improve the experience of water conservation so that consumers are willing to start taking conscious steps toward rethinking their relationship with water usage.
In a research group, several designers sought to understand the depth and complexity of this highly politicized issue by interviewing a wide variety of stakeholders, including sustainability experts, landscapers, water company executives, small business owners, reservoir forest rangers, and many more. Data synthesis led to the conclusion that residential water use is a lifestyle issue, and the only real way to conserve involves a significant shift in the collective idea of an “ideal” home—lawns, pools, and overwatered landscaping contribute to 70% of all water use by residences in the Phoenix area. The only real way to conserve involves increasing population density and creating communal green spaces.
DR. DISH is a dishwashing device that is meant to fit into the high-density living spaces that are rapidly being built in the face of the massive exodus of people into the world’s cities. To help busy apartment and condominium dwellers conserve water and time, DR. DISH converts a standard kitchen sink into a small dishwasher, which uses significantly less water than hand-washing dishes or rinsing dishes before putting them into a conventional dishwasher. Using advanced filtration technology and a powerful rinse cycle, a load dishes can be cleaned with about 2 gallons of water. Fully automating the dishwashing process also saves the user time and minimizes unpleasant contact with food residue and grease.
This device is meant to have a significant impact upon the water use of households that do not have a dishwasher, or simply do not use their dishwasher. With a low target price point and myriad convenient features, DR. DISH is a high-tech solution that promises water savings at a time when every effort toward conservation is absolutely critical. As we move toward a new era in determining water rights and imposing mandatory restrictions upon each and every person living in affected areas, creating conservation solutions that will be relevant for the lifestyles of the future is especially important, and the agility of designers in coming up with products that quickly cut consumer water consumption will be a key factor in determining whether humanity will be able to adapt to a new era in our relationship with natural resources.
In a research group, several designers sought to understand the depth and complexity of this highly politicized issue by interviewing a wide variety of stakeholders, including sustainability experts, landscapers, water company executives, small business owners, reservoir forest rangers, and many more. Data synthesis led to the conclusion that residential water use is a lifestyle issue, and the only real way to conserve involves a significant shift in the collective idea of an “ideal” home—lawns, pools, and overwatered landscaping contribute to 70% of all water use by residences in the Phoenix area. The only real way to conserve involves increasing population density and creating communal green spaces.
DR. DISH is a dishwashing device that is meant to fit into the high-density living spaces that are rapidly being built in the face of the massive exodus of people into the world’s cities. To help busy apartment and condominium dwellers conserve water and time, DR. DISH converts a standard kitchen sink into a small dishwasher, which uses significantly less water than hand-washing dishes or rinsing dishes before putting them into a conventional dishwasher. Using advanced filtration technology and a powerful rinse cycle, a load dishes can be cleaned with about 2 gallons of water. Fully automating the dishwashing process also saves the user time and minimizes unpleasant contact with food residue and grease.
This device is meant to have a significant impact upon the water use of households that do not have a dishwasher, or simply do not use their dishwasher. With a low target price point and myriad convenient features, DR. DISH is a high-tech solution that promises water savings at a time when every effort toward conservation is absolutely critical. As we move toward a new era in determining water rights and imposing mandatory restrictions upon each and every person living in affected areas, creating conservation solutions that will be relevant for the lifestyles of the future is especially important, and the agility of designers in coming up with products that quickly cut consumer water consumption will be a key factor in determining whether humanity will be able to adapt to a new era in our relationship with natural resources.
ContributorsMarcinkowski, Margaret Nicole (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / McDermott, Lauren (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Fire Shelter Foam Assist is meant as a firefighter's last effort of survival when a wildfire threatens their position. When deployed, it will cover the firefighter as the fire blows over. By reducing the time of deployment and simplifying the process, firefighters will have more time to ensure the area around them is cleared. The Fire Shelter Foam Assist has features that allow it to auto deploy around the firefighter through the use of fire foam retardant. The fire foam retardant inflates the shelter as well as provides an extra layer of protection against the wildfire.
ContributorsSmith, Tori Elizabeth (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / McDermott, Lauren (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
After researching pediatric cancer experiences, an opportunity emerged creating a less intimidating environment for children undergoing chemotherapy. By means of adding a creative component to their IV pole and disguising machinery, children will be a part of an Imagination Voyage adventure. Creative themes allow for a journey on a pirate ship, or being in a fantasy castle by captivating children in playtime. The design allows for a frightening experience to become a positive one.
ContributorsHerold, Brittany Ann (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / McDermott, Lauren (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
I set out to better understand the issues, perceptions & solutions surrounding drought. The question that compelled my project was "What might be all the ways that we can improve the experience of conserving, reusing & educating on the topic of water." Through the process of design research I developed a system of products that improves the user experiences surrounding water. The result is IOW, an intelligent 3-product system that aims to make your water needs & wants smarter & less wasteful.
ContributorsShappee, Christian Kyle (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / McDermott, Lauren (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects many adults and includes both age-related loss and non-age related loss (genetics, illness, or trauma). The focus of this thesis is on age related hearing loss. Almost half of people over the age of 75 have some degree of hearing loss, along with nearly a third of those between 65 and 74, and an eighth of 45-64 year olds. About 36 million American adults have hearing loss, and 44% of those report that their relationships have suffered as a result of hearing loss. This is a serious issue, which is why I've spent my senior year of college to create a product that improves the life of someone with hearing loss, such as my 90-year-old grandfather. The result of my labors is Suono, a product for those with hearing aids to better hear their loved ones, close friends, and others they care about.
ContributorsSauer, Grant Dimit (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / McDermott, Lauren (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Rebuilt is a project that looks to understand what Syrian refugees experience in camps, specifically Za'atari, the world's largest Syrian camp. The intent of Rebuilt was to create a product that would help their living conditions. By applying Design Thinking & Process, Rebuilt ultimately yielded a room partition system to help improve the living conditions of refugees. To design a product for a world most of the world is ignorant of, research is paramount. Research for Rebuilt involved gather many facts from various international databases, such as UNHCR and Mercy Corps. By understanding the demographics, the culture, and needs, Rebuilt was able to focus on some key points that lead to a potential design project: over half of the camp is consisted of adolescents (under age 18), and are living in small, essentially shipping-container homes, and the environment of the Jordanian desert where the camp is situated is extremely variable between freezing winters and blistering summers. Looking over the resources provided by humanitarian organizations, Rebuilt pinpointed a missing niche product that could help the living conditions of refugee's lives: a room partition system that could regulate ambient temperatures. The need for private space is important for the development of a refugee adolescent as it encourages stability and a sense of home. Ambient temperature is also vastly important for the productivity and health of anyone. Rebuilt is consisted of two main parts: the design of a bracket that could be used to accommodate the widths of multiple building materials and would be cheap to manufacture, and a pre-made panel that incorporated the use of phase-change-material technology. The design process is documented with a finalized design that should be low-cost and light-weight to ship from manufacturers to those in need.
ContributorsLee, Anna Jade (Author) / Shin, Dosun (Thesis director) / Bacalzo, Dean (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
A bicycle tour is an unusual thing, one that often defies the expectations of the first-time touring cyclist. In this report, the experience of touring cycling is examined in two parts: a narrative documenting the author's tour down the Pacific Coast, and a reflective work that examines the journey and the major themes which persist throughout. In examining the trip, two major dichotomies arose as themes. The first major dichotomy is found in the expectation of a solitary experience for one who is touring solo. In reality, tours are often built on the goodwill of others in the cycling community. On this particular tour, a website called Warmshowers was central to this point. By offering lodging to tired touring cyclists who would otherwise camp alone, this website serves to bring the cycling community together, and allows for connections that would otherwise never exist to be formed. However, it is true that much of a solo tour is, in fact, spent in solitude. This allows a cyclist long periods for self-reflection and meditation, an opportunity to strengthen one's connection with oneself and the natural world around them. The second is a contrast between the planning that goes into embarking on a long trip and the entropy and randomness that inevitably causes the experience to wildly differ from said plan. When the unexpected occurs, there are two options: to reject the unknown and cling to the framework one sets out for themselves, or to embrace the unexpected and see where it takes you. Often, diverting from the plan can allow for new and exciting experiences. However, there is also value to the framework and stability afforded by adhering to a plan. Through these experiences and more, a bicycle tour changes the way one looks at the world.
ContributorsReid, Evan Calderwood (Author) / Fette, Donald (Thesis director) / Loebenberg, Abby (Committee member) / Electrical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
"Filling a Body That's Yours" is a collection of poetry that celebrates queer survival and the fluidity and mutability of identity. The poems arise from personal experience and expand to the universal in order to question and critique constructs of mental illness, queerness, transness, and identity. Via intuitive imagistic shifts, unexpected language, and urgent vulnerability, the poems share a personal account of mental illness and treatment, and set out to critique the mental health industrial complex and shortcomings in language, psychiatry, and psychology. For this project, the collection of poems is coupled with a written analytical component that discusses the personal and theoretical backgrounds for the work, as well as poetics and influences. The essay specifically addresses three main themes that appear in the poems: queerness/gender, mental illness and treatment, and identity, using theorists such as Judith Butler and David Hume. Further, the essay provides personal background for the work and discusses poetic influences such as Sylvia Plath, Li-Young Lee, Claudia Rankine, and Norman Dubie. Both the poems and the essay, while addressing these themes, attempt to ask and examine questions such as: "Is my gender entirely mine? Was it thrust wholly or in part upon me? Do I choose to claim queerness, or is it innate?" In asking these questions, the poems challenge readers to consider how they came to understand their bodies as gendered, and what political ends their identities may serve. Ultimately, the poems and their theoretical counterparts complicate constructs we commonly accept as essential givens, and meditate upon timeless existential questions in new, visceral ways.
ContributorsWinter, Elliot (Author) / Fette, Donald (Thesis director) / Murdock, Natasha (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
This thesis critically examines the scientific and ethical dimensions of the novel and controversial technology of mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT). The first portion provides a background on mitochondrial diseases and examines how these organelles (mitochondria) have left humans vulnerable to disease. The second portion of the thesis examines the technology of mitochondrial replacement therapy and what research contributed to the development of MRT. Finally, the third section responds to the ethical and legal concerns proposed and outlined by the Nuffield Council of Bioethics. After careful consideration of all legal and ethical concerns, it is concluded that the technology of MRT should be pursued under careful foresight with the idea that the technology is already happening and we must move forward in a way that provides the greatest information.
ContributorsLee, Giselle Alexandra (Author) / Fette, Donald (Thesis director) / Hurlbut, Ben (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Within our current educational infrastructure, there’s a lack of substantial preventive care knowledge present among elementary schoolchildren. With education cuts occurring statewide, many schools are left impoverished and schools are incapable of implementing various programs to benefit their local communities. This endeavor aims to visit public and charter elementary schools in the Phoenix Valley to educate youth regarding easily avoidable health risks by implementing healthy eating habits and exercise. Project BandAid will immerse students ages 7-9 in hands-on activities to enhance their knowledge on hygiene, healthy eating habits, and safety. This project incorporated funding from the Woodside Community Action Grant and Barrett, the Honors College as well as the help from Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) volunteers.
ContributorsCovarrubias, Sidney Alicia (Co-author) / Kothari, Karishma (Co-author) / John, Benson (Co-author) / Fette, Donald (Thesis director) / Holechek, Susan (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School for the Future of Innovation in Society (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05