In arid environments such as Arizona, agricultural producers are burdened by constraints placed on them by inhospitable weather and limited access to water and fertile soil when attempting to grow produce. Farms in the arid Southwest often have to build greenhouses to overcome such constraints; however, such greenhouses may be relatively space, water, and pesticide intensive and often have demanding maintenance needs and overhead costs. In addition, many current agricultural practices exhaust land resources disparagingly, leading to irreversible environmental degradation. In an effort to improve agricultural production for those limited by weather and resource constraints while simultaneously increasing sustainability in land, resource and pesticide use, we have created Valleyponics, a hydroponic growth services company centered around creating a minimal farming footprint. The company uses a consultative services approach, leveraging NASA Veggie Growth System Technology to provide solutions to large businesses by automating their agricultural production processes and minimizing resource use year-round. Valleyponics aims to cultivate consultative partnerships which will allow our clients, their communities, and the environment to flourish.

As time passes and equipment advances, healthcare keeps evolving. The way medicine is practiced today is largely influenced by the resources established from technology. This technology has been a benefit in the treatment of many patients but has, at the same time, also provided new obstacles. Each advancement has an influence on the way medicine is practiced and the type of care patients are receiving. This thesis explores these factors to determine the overall impact patients face as innovation progresses through future development.

My honors thesis focuses on the technological aspects and the legal impacts of prosthetics and advanced prosthetics. There is a lot of case law dealing with early prosthetics when it comes to worker’s compensation, airport security, prisons and sports. However, there has been little case law that has dealt with advanced prosthetics. As prosthetic limbs become more technologically advanced and intertwined with one’s identity, it is crucial that laws are made to draw a new line between person and property. The innovation of prosthetic limbs has just begun and will surely face setbacks along the way, but the benefits will be worth it once the law catches up with the rapidly advancing technology.

The purpose of this thesis was to understand the importance of supply chain visibility (SCV) and to provide an analysis of the technology available for achieving SCV. Historical events where companies lacked efficient SCV were assessed to understand how errors in the supply chain can have detrimental effects on a company and their reputation. Environmental, social, and governance standards within the supply chain were defined along with the importance of meeting the legal and consumer expectations of a supply chain. There are many different organizations dedicated to helping companies meet ESG standards to achieve ethical, sustainable supply chains. Examples such as the Responsible Business Association and the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development were considered. A government solution to SCV, called the Freight Logistics Optimization Works Initiative, considered the importance of data sharing for large companies with complex supply chains, and this solution was assessed for understanding. Current companies and technologies available to achieve SCV were examined for understanding as to how the issue of SCV is currently addressed in the industry. A case study on the company Moses Lake Industries looked at how their complicated chemical manufacturing supply chain has adapted to achieve SCV. This included understanding supplier location, manufacturing processes, and risks. Future technologies that are currently being developed which could further benefit the supply chain industry were considered. Other future considerations, such as the movement of manufacturing out of high risk areas and the need for centralization of SCV solution, were also discussed.