Matching Items (119)
Description
The United States has an institutional prison system built on the principle of retributive justice combined with racial prejudice that despite countless efforts for reform currently holds 2.3 million individuals, primarily minorities, behind bars. This institution has remained largely unchanged, meanwhile 83.4% of those who enter the system will return within one decade and it currently costs nearly $39 billion each year (Alper 4). Because the prison institution consistently fails to address the core root of crime, there is a great need to reconsider the approach taken towards those who break our nation’s laws with the dual purpose of enhancing freedom and reducing crime. This paper outlines an original theoretical framework being implemented by Project Resolve that can help to identify and implement solutions for our prison system without reliance on political, institutional, or societal approval. The method focuses on three core goals, the first is to connect as much of the data surrounding prisoners and the formerly incarcerated as possible, the second is to use modern analytic approaches to analyze and propose superior solutions for rehabilitation, the third is shifting focus to public interest technology both inside prisons and the parole process. The combination of these objectives has the potential to reduce recidivism to significantly, deter criminals before initial offense, and to implement a truly equitable prison institution.
ContributorsGilchrist, Troy (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Wenrick, Lukas (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Communicating with Confidence: Evaluating Sexual Education Exposure’s Effect on Sexual Communication
Description
This study examined associations between reports of receiving information on sexual education topics common to different sexual education curricula (e.g. abstinence only until marriage, comprehensive) and reported confidence in sexual communication of information and preferences, taking into account information received from school health classes, parents/guardians, online resources, and peers.
Data used from 293 participants aged 18-25 was used to perform descriptive analyses and linear regressions adjusted for significant covariates. Exposure to a comprehensive sexual education curriculum was found to be significantly positively associated with increased sexual communication confidence, while exposure to an abstinence only until marriage curriculum was not found to be a significant predictor. All resources were found to be positively associated with sexual communication confidence with the exception of health class, which was an insignificant predictor.
Comprehensive sexual education is an important factor in increasing young adults’ confidence in sexual communication of information and preferences. However, sexual education delivery in health classes in the United States is currently ineffective. A reevaluation of how sexual education should be delivered in the United States is needed.
Data used from 293 participants aged 18-25 was used to perform descriptive analyses and linear regressions adjusted for significant covariates. Exposure to a comprehensive sexual education curriculum was found to be significantly positively associated with increased sexual communication confidence, while exposure to an abstinence only until marriage curriculum was not found to be a significant predictor. All resources were found to be positively associated with sexual communication confidence with the exception of health class, which was an insignificant predictor.
Comprehensive sexual education is an important factor in increasing young adults’ confidence in sexual communication of information and preferences. However, sexual education delivery in health classes in the United States is currently ineffective. A reevaluation of how sexual education should be delivered in the United States is needed.
ContributorsDouglass, Kathryn (Author) / Pivovarova, Margarita (Thesis director) / Loebenberg, Abby (Committee member) / Electrical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
The United Nations outlined seventeen goals in their 2015 resolution aimed at securing a more sustainable future for the entire world. These goals cover all parts of life and are meant to standardize quality of life at a high level for all countries. Specific to the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania, there are five main goals that would tackle some of the biggest issues facing the Maasai and greatly improve their lives. These goals include the promotion of good health and well-being, ensuring a quality education for school-age children, supporting efforts for gender equality in all communities, and securing clean and safe water and sanitation services for all people around the world. There are many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Maasai community that are striving to support them and realize these Sustainable Development Goals. Organizations like the Maasai Girls Education Fund and Aid Tanzania have established educational programs to support children, mainly girls, in their efforts to get an education. Others like End Water Poverty and the Maasai Association have programs to ensure safe, accessible drinking water is made available to Maasai communities across Kenya and Tanzania. Lastly, NGOs like My Chosen Vessels have programs that support the economic sustainability and livestock management of the Maasai while also ensuring that Maasai families receive clean water and access to an education. The work and practices of NGOs like these can serve as examples of how to efficiently and effectively address and tackle issues in developing countries, specifically regarding Maasai women and girls, to move closer to achieving these UN Sustainable Development Goals and lead a more sustainable future. Many studies have been done researching the political and economic struggles for Maasai communities and how it impacts them. Vandana Shiva coined the term, “Water Democracy” in her book Water Wars to express the multiple reasons why water is a necessity and right. Many Maasai groups do not have easy access to basic essentials for their everyday lives and NGOs have been noticing this more and more. Dorothy Hodgson writes about the history of Maasai NGOs, and mentions the multiple conflicts that they have had with each other, causing many Maasai groups to have different lifestyles. The connections between the history of the Maasai tribe, their current economy and their current relationship with the government and NGOs all impact women in their communities in different ways.
ContributorsWacloff, Jianna K (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Oberle, Eric (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This policy proposal paper is designed to address concerns about the protection of data
concerning citizens of the United States. The first step is to explore the need for federal
legislation because of the problems of cyberattacks, data loss and leakage, and big data. The
proposal then analyses how other countries had already addressed these concerns for their
citizens through legislation by looking at their regulation and the results of implementation. The
paper adjacently discusses the importance of American values of privacy as a fundamental right,
the free market, and protection from the private sector within a cybersecurity paradigm. From
this combined research, the paper yields a proposal of how the U.S. government should address
the situation through federal policy. The policy outlines cybersecurity measures to protect
information from cyberattacks and data loss and leakage, rights of American citizens that
organizations need to uphold, and the creation of a commission that provides resources and
education to domestic and foreign organizations.
concerning citizens of the United States. The first step is to explore the need for federal
legislation because of the problems of cyberattacks, data loss and leakage, and big data. The
proposal then analyses how other countries had already addressed these concerns for their
citizens through legislation by looking at their regulation and the results of implementation. The
paper adjacently discusses the importance of American values of privacy as a fundamental right,
the free market, and protection from the private sector within a cybersecurity paradigm. From
this combined research, the paper yields a proposal of how the U.S. government should address
the situation through federal policy. The policy outlines cybersecurity measures to protect
information from cyberattacks and data loss and leakage, rights of American citizens that
organizations need to uphold, and the creation of a commission that provides resources and
education to domestic and foreign organizations.
ContributorsBrockman, Emily M. (Author) / Hollinger, Keith (Thesis director) / Walsh, Tatiana (Committee member) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Information Technology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
In this paper, I describe the development of a unique approach to developing strategies for games in which success can only be measured by the final outcome of the game, preventing the use of heuristics. I created and evaluated evolutionary algorithms, applying them to develop strategies for tic-tac-toe. Strategies are comprised of neural networks with randomly initiated weights. A population of candidate strategies are created, each strategy competes individually against each other strategy, and evolutionary operators are applied to create subsequent generations of strategies. The set of strategies within a generation of the evolutionary algorithm forms a metagame that evolves as the algorithm progresses. Hypothesis testing shows that strategies produced by this approach significantly outperform a baseline of entirely random action, although they are still far from optimal gameplay.
ContributorsRodriguez, Julien Guillermo (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Powers, Brian (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The population of undocumented immigrants includes over a million individuals known as “Dreamers,” who are for all intents and purposes naturalized Americans but are not counted among the American citizens. Dreamers have grown up believing in the American dream of one day being able to develop themselves into hard-working, accomplished and fully recognized Americans. Unfortunately, however, Dreamers are caught in a limbo of hope: their undocumented status forces them to work and live in the “underground,” or risk being deported to an unfamiliar country. After years of activism, the Dreamers found limited protection under an executive action introduced by former-President Barack Obama, known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA deferred deportation and gave the Dreamer the ability to legally work within the United States. Unfortunately, DACA’s provisional protection of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers also created gaps of its own: many other naturalized residents have been excluded and those covered by the DACA program remain limited in education and work. DACA’s protection is also limited in practice and time; it lasts for only two years before needing to be renewed and it can be revoked at any time. Only through legislation creating a “path to citizenship” and/or through formal naturalization can the Dreamers’ nightmare end and normalcy be instated. But precisely this idea of a “path to citizenship” has become the object of invective by anti-immigrant politics of Trump and the Republican Party. The Republican Party has worked to define itself as the party of White America by fomenting fear and anxiety over immigrant populations, whose mere existence or growth it presents as a threat. With continuing Republican government control, the Dreamer will not be able to legalize their status and will remain to be limited with their American dreams.
ContributorsMundo Sayas, Celso (Author) / Oberle, Eric (Thesis director) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis discusses the complex situation involved in a person’s choice or means to vaccinate
themselves as well as their children. Included is a brief history on vaccines, a section describing
their mechanism of action, as well as information on how the vaccines work within our bodies.
The focus will then turn to the patient’s choice on whether or not to vaccinate themselves or their
child, including factors such as socioeconomic status, education level and their location. Within
this paper are the views of anti-vaccinators, as well as the views of pro-vaccinators and
suggestions on how to reeducate the public. I conclude that the AFIX model is of particular value
in public education: This involves Assessment of immunization coverage, Feedback in
informing providers of their performance, Incentives to help keep them motivated, and eXchange
of information which can be combined with incentives. While the AFIX model has focused on
doctors and nurses in the past, I conclude this model would be most effectively employed with
pharmacists, who see patients more routinely and often have higher levels of trust among the
general public.
themselves as well as their children. Included is a brief history on vaccines, a section describing
their mechanism of action, as well as information on how the vaccines work within our bodies.
The focus will then turn to the patient’s choice on whether or not to vaccinate themselves or their
child, including factors such as socioeconomic status, education level and their location. Within
this paper are the views of anti-vaccinators, as well as the views of pro-vaccinators and
suggestions on how to reeducate the public. I conclude that the AFIX model is of particular value
in public education: This involves Assessment of immunization coverage, Feedback in
informing providers of their performance, Incentives to help keep them motivated, and eXchange
of information which can be combined with incentives. While the AFIX model has focused on
doctors and nurses in the past, I conclude this model would be most effectively employed with
pharmacists, who see patients more routinely and often have higher levels of trust among the
general public.
ContributorsBernal-Fung, Yasmin (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Morgan, Lawrence (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This thesis will draw connections between Viktor Frankl’s psychological practices of Logotherapy and the pedagogical system put into place to support Arizona State University Barrett students on the Polytechnic campus through the Writing Colloquium. On Poly, the Writing Colloquium is uniquely structured through its six functions (Teacher Assistants, Thesis Fests, Paper Mini Conferences, Tribunals, Flipped Thesis Workshops, and Service Projects) to provide support for the Human Event and upperclassman students with an emphasis on engagement with Barrett through all four years of undergraduate learning. Through the work in the Colloquium, both the students it serves and those within the program grow in their understanding of how written language adds meaning to their time in college and can provide purpose and direction for their life after graduation. This view connects back to the existentialist framework suggested by Frankl’s writings in Man’s Search for Meaning, where he discusses the sustaining and enabling power in writing during his time in German concentration camps in World War II and his experience as a psychoanalyst. In the analysis of these theories of life, meaning, and writing, I emphasize the exploration and connection of concepts through written language as a way to discover meaning and purpose in difficult circumstances. In order to do so, also included in my thesis is interviews of: the Barrett Poly Associate Dean; three Faculty members; two Honors Staff; and five ASU Barrett Poly Alumni. These interviews document the early years of Barrett’s presence on the Polytechnic campus and also how the Colloquium has grown over the years to support the expanding population of the honors college on the campus.
ContributorsSantana, Lunden Murial (Author) / Oberle, Eric (Thesis director) / Boyce-Jacino, Katherine (Committee member) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) is a treatment often used for patients with disorders that affect the production of various enzymes within the body, such as Cystic Fibrosis and Fabry Disease. ERT involves the use of artificially-produced enzymes, which can be derived from humans, pigs, and bacteria. Generally, enzymes derived from porcine and bacterial sources are much less expensive and more accessible than those derived from a human source. This, and the ethical implications that porcine enzymes carry, make the decision of choosing treatment simple to some and complex to others. Ethically, human-derived enzymes are often considered more ethical, while not conflicting with religious beliefs and practices as porcine-derived enzymes do.
In order to further compare porcine and human-derived enzymes, a determination of the enzyme effectiveness was done via digestion simulation. The digestion for both the human and porcine-derived enzymes consisted of three steps: oral, gastric, and intestinal. After the digestion, the absorbance for each enzyme class as well as a dilution curve of the formula used was read and recorded. Using the standard dilution curve and the absorbance values for each unknown, the formula and thus enzyme concentration that was lost through the reaction was able to be calculated.
The effectiveness of both the human and porcine enzymes, determined by the percent of formula lost, was 18.2% and 19.7%, respectively, with an error of 0.6% from the spectrophotometer, and an error of about 10% from the scale used for measuring the enzymes. This error was likely due to the small mass required of the enzymes and can be prevented in the future by performing the experiment at a larger scale.
In order to further compare porcine and human-derived enzymes, a determination of the enzyme effectiveness was done via digestion simulation. The digestion for both the human and porcine-derived enzymes consisted of three steps: oral, gastric, and intestinal. After the digestion, the absorbance for each enzyme class as well as a dilution curve of the formula used was read and recorded. Using the standard dilution curve and the absorbance values for each unknown, the formula and thus enzyme concentration that was lost through the reaction was able to be calculated.
The effectiveness of both the human and porcine enzymes, determined by the percent of formula lost, was 18.2% and 19.7%, respectively, with an error of 0.6% from the spectrophotometer, and an error of about 10% from the scale used for measuring the enzymes. This error was likely due to the small mass required of the enzymes and can be prevented in the future by performing the experiment at a larger scale.
ContributorsBlevins, Brianna R (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / McILwraith, Heide (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this study is to understand if there is a demographic variable that predicts science literacy, and if science literacy makes one less likely to believe in pseudoscience. The demographic variables that were tested were age, gender, religion, political affiliation, highest degree completed, field aforementioned degree is in, and industry in which one is employed. Participants were given 40 statements in total and asked to select whether they strongly agree, somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat disagree, and strongly disagree with that given statement. Statements ranged from scientific facts to historical conspiracies, superstitions and myths. All the data was examined as a whole, followed by comparisons between demographic data and statements. Overall, men were more likely to answer science related questions correctly, while women believed more in conspiracies and myths. Although some trends were identified in the other demographic data sets, the beliefs were either too inconsistent or lacked enough data points to be considered significant. Thus, gender was the only demographic that could be used to predict one’s beliefs.
ContributorsMiller, Dana (Co-author) / Shrum, Madelyn (Co-author) / Sukharev, Maxim (Thesis director) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05