Matching Items (367)
Description
Whether we like it or not, we all have questions. What is being human? We use different responses for the same questions, using tools like religion, science, art and magic to make sense of our little existence. Everyone sees it. Everyone feels it. Everyone knows it. So, what is it?
In this podcast, I will review the major players and theories involved in five areas of philosophy: existentialism, ethics, epistemology, aesthetics and metaphysics. Through subsequent interviews with community connections, ASU professors and students, we will discuss and highlight how philosophical principles are present in all areas of life, as well as how knowledge of these principles can provide a more informed perspective on the world around us.
ContributorsDeignan, Josephine (Author) / Phillips, Ben (Thesis director) / Watson, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Applied Professional Studies (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Our Own Heart, Beating Higher and Higher: On the Possibility of Genuine Encounter Among Human Beings
Description
Because of the necessarily interwoven nature of existence and the human person’s formation in the image and likeness of God, one inherently has enough in common with any other in order to behold him/her properly. Such an interaction increases the beholder's proximity to both the beheld and God simultaneously; it enables one to briefly glimpse these pieces of reality as God Himself does. Such a claim falls primarily under Saint Thomas Aquinas’s foundation of creation (especially his fusion of Plato’s idea of participation and Aristotle’s concept of act and potency, resulting in his own contribution of esse and essence) and Saint Augustine’s concept of the human person. This remains true even under the pressing weight of liberalistic divisiveness and such potent objects as those raised by Muriel Rukeyser’s “Effort at Speech Between Two People,” Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.”
ContributorsCartwright, Sophia (Author) / Kushner, Aaron (Thesis director) / Thurow, Aaron (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
If quantum computing becomes feasible, many popular cryptographic schemes, such as RSA, Diffie-Helman, and methods using elliptic curves will no longer be secure. This paper explores code-based cryptography, specifically looking the McEliece cryptosystem, as well as the more recent Classical McEliece cryptosystem, which was proposed to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a potentially quantum-secure algorithm.
ContributorsFletcher, Julia (Author) / Sprung, Florian (Thesis director) / Childress, Nancy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Understanding the shear strength of soil at different levels of saturation is necessary for various
engineering applications, especially in geotechnical and civil engineering projects. The objective
of this thesis is to conduct an extensive literature review of the use of geosynthetics to improve the
strength of soil material, conduct laboratory testing components to assess the shear strength of soil
at different water contents, and participate in the Leadership through Mentoring program to gain
mentoring and leadership skills. The laboratory component focuses on analyzing the shear strength
of soil samples with different water contents, specifically at 6%, 10%, 12.3%, 15%, 17%, and 19%.
The soil-water mixtures were prepared with precision to achieve these specific water contents.
Static compaction techniques were then employed to mold the soil samples to desired densities.
The experimental setup involved subjecting the molded soil samples to a direct shear test using a
direct shear machine. This apparatus allowed for the measurement of normal and shear stress, as
well as shear and normal displacements during the testing process. These data were used to
determine the cohesion and internal friction characteristics of the soil samples at different degrees
of saturation.
The results obtained from the direct shear tests revealed valuable insights into the shear strength
behavior of the soil under varying saturation levels. The cohesion and internal friction parameters
were found to exhibit distinct trends as the water content in the soil changed. The cohesion and
internal friction parameters were found to exhibit distinct trends as the water content in the soil
changed. The friction angle did not change significantly at different water contents, while the
cohesion intercept trend appears to be contradicted the results reported in the literature, as there is
a slight increase. The unexpected results might be due to the testing device failing after the third
moisture content test. A different approach could have been taken to compact the specimens at
optimum moisture content to get the same soil structure for each moisture content. These findings
need to be re-evaluated based on the conclusion outlined in this report. Further research in this
area could lead to enhanced models and methodologies for predicting soil behavior in real-world
scenarios.
In addition to the experimental tasks performed, I participated in a program to gain leadership
skills through a mentoring format. The goal of the program was to help me understand my strengths
and weaknesses to become a better leader. Through interactive assessments, feedback mechanisms,
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and learning resources, I was able to understand what I was good and bad at. The weekly
assessments helped me to constantly be honest with myself and evaluate myself as a student, peer,
and leader. The program gave me a graduate student mentor that guided me through the process of
learning how to manage projects effectively and understanding how to lead. Through the lessons
learned and challenges encountered, I was able to grow and become a more efficient listener as
well as analyze information better. These tools helped me to enhance my leadership skills and
become a more effective and impactful leader.
ContributorsMontano, Samuel (Author) / Zapata, Claudia (Thesis director) / Kavazanjian, Edward (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor) / Construction Engineering (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Biofilms are aggregations of microorganisms that form on a solid surface, generally in a wet environment. Biofilms wreak havoc in their clinical manifestations, causing infections to the urinary, reproductive, and pulmonary systems. Although planktonic cell growth is well-understood in Escherichia coli, there is much less knowledge about how biofilms form and what sorts of environments foster biofilm formation. E. coli is responsible for a multitude of infections, including over 80% of urinary tract infections, making it an important model organism for biofilm formation. This project was designed to analyze how amino acid starvation impacts E. coli sessile growth and biofilm formation. The project demonstrated that, while amino acid starvation significantly slows planktonic, or free-swimming, growth, it does not slow sessile, or attached, growth. This demonstrates a clear discrepancy between when planktonic growth is triggered and when sessile growth is triggered, indicating that the physiological processes triggering each type of growth differ. The project has demonstrated that the evolutionary reasons behind biofilm attachment and sessile growth are poorly understood, and that a more comprehensive understanding of these processes will lead to a better understanding of why biofilm-associated infections are so common and so harmful.
ContributorsFaguy, Frances (Author) / Wadhwa, Navish (Thesis director) / Shepherd, Douglas (Committee member) / Sawant, Shabduli (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis aimed to investigate the psychological impact associated with altering models of compensation in a tournament setting, with a focus on stress levels and the incentive to win. The research methodology implemented a qualitative and quantitative approach, utilizing a Qualtrics survey to obtain primary data from a broad sample size of Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business students. The study’s hypothesis was confirmed, as the results displayed that altering models of compensation offered within a tournament could reduce stress levels while simultaneously increasing the participants’ motivation to succeed, subsequently improving the competitors’ contentment with the tournament. The analysis of the differing compensation models revealed that offering compensation based on performance contributed to the lowest levels of stress for competitors, while the performance-based package provided the greatest influence on incentivization to win. However, the findings suggest that event coordinators should utilize some modification of the half-and-half model of compensation, that is, providing an initial form of compensation for all participants followed by competition for a secondary monetary compensation, to provide the optimal competitive setting and enhance the subjective satisfaction of the players.
ContributorsFallini, Steffen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Hispanic students are entering higher education in greater numbers than ever before. In response, universities are launching initiatives catered toward Hispanic academic and career achievement. However, Hispanic students face socioeconomic challenges and biased structures that encumber their academic achievement and future career aspirations, as many of the Latino-oriented services fail to realize their fullest potential. This failure, among many other factors, is reflected in the lower college completion rate of Hispanic students in comparison to their peers (Excelencia in Education, 2019). The purpose of my thesis is to develop a university-led, student-centered Hispanic career service. This culturally conscious service focuses on a peer-to-peer model containing toolkits, workshops, and alumni spotlights. To inform my proposal, this paper will analyze current research establishing the educational inequities facing Hispanic students, its harmful effects on their academic achievement, and potential remedies for this issue. This will be further supported by student, staff, and faculty surveys from a large, degree-granting institution, named “Green State University,” for the purposes of this paper.
The Hispanic population is the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States, composing 19.1% of the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). This, coupled with the increase of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), compels universities to prioritize the creation of career services centered around the unique needs of Latino students. Fostering a vibrant academic environment for Hispanic students that embraces their Latinidad (Latin American shared cultural traits) as an asset can create tangible changes in Hispanic graduation rates and future career success and empower an increasingly important portion of the population.
ContributorsJacobo, Sisto (Author) / Pedraza, Francisco (Thesis director) / Rouse, Stella (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Transborder Studies (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2024-05