Matching Items (34)
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This work describes the fundamentals of quantum mechanics in relation to quantum computing, as well as the architecture of quantum computing.

ContributorsDemaria, Rachel Emily (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Hines, Taylor (Committee member) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
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This thesis attempts to explain Everettian quantum mechanics from the ground up, such that those with little to no experience in quantum physics can understand it. First, we introduce the history of quantum theory, and some concepts that make up the framework of quantum physics. Through these concepts, we reveal

This thesis attempts to explain Everettian quantum mechanics from the ground up, such that those with little to no experience in quantum physics can understand it. First, we introduce the history of quantum theory, and some concepts that make up the framework of quantum physics. Through these concepts, we reveal why interpretations are necessary to map the quantum world onto our classical world. We then introduce the Copenhagen interpretation, and how many-worlds differs from it. From there, we dive into the concepts of entanglement and decoherence, explaining how worlds branch in an Everettian universe, and how an Everettian universe can appear as our classical observed world. From there, we attempt to answer common questions about many-worlds and discuss whether there are philosophical ramifications to believing such a theory. Finally, we look at whether the many-worlds interpretation can be proven, and why one might choose to believe it.

ContributorsSecrest, Micah (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Hines, Taylor (Committee member) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
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The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of entanglement and the particular problems it poses for some physicists. In addition to looking at the history of entanglement and non-locality, this paper will use the Bell Test as a means for demonstrating how entanglement works, which measures the

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of entanglement and the particular problems it poses for some physicists. In addition to looking at the history of entanglement and non-locality, this paper will use the Bell Test as a means for demonstrating how entanglement works, which measures the behavior of electrons whose combined internal angular momentum is zero. This paper will go over Dr. Bell's famous inequality, which shows why the process of entanglement cannot be explained by traditional means of local processes. Entanglement will be viewed initially through the Copenhagen Interpretation, but this paper will also look at two particular models of quantum mechanics, de-Broglie Bohm theory and Everett's Many-Worlds Interpretation, and observe how they explain the behavior of spin and entangled particles compared to the Copenhagen Interpretation.

ContributorsWood, Keaten Lawrence (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Hines, Taylor (Committee member) / Department of Physics (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
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Description

The goal of this research was to identify why the federal government should invest in solar research and development, and which areas of solar improvement should be focused on. Motivation for this can be found in the pressing need to prevent and reverse the effects of climate change, the inevitability

The goal of this research was to identify why the federal government should invest in solar research and development, and which areas of solar improvement should be focused on. Motivation for this can be found in the pressing need to prevent and reverse the effects of climate change, the inevitability of fossil fuel resources eventually running out, and the economic and job creation potential which solar energy holds. Additionally, it is important to note that the best course of action will involve a split of funding between current solar rollout and energy grid updating, and the R&D listed in this research. Upon examination, it can be seen that an energy revolution, led by a federal solar jobs program and a Green New Deal, would be both an ethically and economically beneficial solution. A transition from existing fossil fuel infrastructure to renewable, solar-powered infrastructure would not only be possible but highly beneficial in many aspects, including massive job creation, a more affordable, renewable energy solution to replace coal-fired plants, and no fuel spending or negotiation required.<br/>When examining which areas of solar improvement to focus on for R&D funding, four primary areas were identified, with solutions presented for each. These areas for improvement are EM capture, EM conversion efficiency, energy storage capacity, and the prevention of overheating. For each of these areas of improvement, affordable solutions that would greatly improve the efficiency and viability of solar as a primary energy source were identified. The most notable area that should be examined is solar storage, which would allow solar PV panels to overcome their greatest real and perceived obstacle, which is the inconsistent power generation. Solar storage is easily attainable, and with enough storage capacity, excess solar energy which would otherwise be wasted during the day can be stored and used during the night or cloudy weather as necessary. Furthermore, the implementation of highly innovative solutions, such as agrivoltaics, would allow for a solar revolution to occur.

ContributorsWhitlow, Hunter Marshall (Author) / Fong, Benjamin (Thesis director) / Andino, Jean (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
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Description
In the United States, healthy food is much more expensive than heavily processed meat, grains, and sugars. Meanwhile, heart disease and other autoimmune disorders are the leading causes of death in the country. The Green New Deal explicitly mentions that the agriculture system is in need of reformation and that

In the United States, healthy food is much more expensive than heavily processed meat, grains, and sugars. Meanwhile, heart disease and other autoimmune disorders are the leading causes of death in the country. The Green New Deal explicitly mentions that the agriculture system is in need of reformation and that healthy food must be supplied as a right to all citizens, however, there is no mention whatsoever of government farm subsidies. While corrupt subsidization is the main culprit for the broken agriculture system of today, the same tool can be used to transition to a regenerative system that not only can provide environmental support, but also supply healthy food as a right to everyone in the country.
ContributorsSanta Cruz, Diego Carlos (Author) / Fong, Benjamin (Thesis director) / Aly El Sayed, Sara (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
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Description
Environmental activism has played a major role in American politics since the late 1800s, with major victories including the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 that established the National Park Service to help protect parks and monuments, the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the 1960s and 1970s,

Environmental activism has played a major role in American politics since the late 1800s, with major victories including the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 that established the National Park Service to help protect parks and monuments, the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the 1960s and 1970s, and the phase-out of ozone depleting chemicals in the 1990s. Yet mainstream activism has stagnated in recent years, facing a variety of problems such as continuing to perpetuate a corporate system in which frontline and minority communities are left behind and only focusing on traditional methods like lobbying and indirect activism that fail to generate mass public support. In contrast, the Sunrise Movement is a new youth-oriented environmental and social organization that has become prevalent in the last five years for their aim to combat both climate change and socioeconomic inequalities through the Green New Deal. With the growing need for climate action that is fair and equitable, this project intended to contextualize the Sunrise Movement within past and current environmental movements as well as the current environmental and political climate in order to then investigate how Sunrise operates and their level of effectiveness in promoting the Green New Deal. I performed a literature review of both past and present news articles as well as journal articles in addition to interviewing experts in the theory and practice of activism to characterize the three waves of environmentalism and lessons learned, the current political sphere and what mainstream activism is working toward, and Sunrise itself. While mainstream and localized radical activism had victories and a certain degree of effectiveness, their lack of inclusivity has failed to encourage the mass mobilization needed for long-term climate legislation. The Sunrise Movement distinguishes itself through disruptive activism and direct engagement: disruptive by challenging the status quo of profit over people, the two party system where both groups are moving toward the right, and the whiteness and liberal locations of the mainstream environmental movement; direct by working with partners across the environmental, social, and labor sphere and working with actionable, hands-on items that encourage participation. Though they have major limitations like ensuring that they are as inclusive as they recognize an environmental movement must be and the risk of being seen as a partisan organization, Sunrise shows that the attitude of the public is moving in favor of the climate and social equity.
ContributorsAlzamora, Madeline Kate (Author) / Fong, Benjamin (Thesis director) / Brian, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
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DescriptionThis thesis reviews the successes and failures of the New Deal Federal Public Art Projects. Considering these, it makes recommendations for a socially engaged public arts program under a Green New Deal to engage and inspire people across party lines behind a shared vision of a Green New Future.
ContributorsWhiteman, Elizabeth Anne (Author) / Fong, Benjamin (Thesis director) / Calhoun, Craig (Committee member) / Dean, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
This research examines the impact of films about corporate scandals stemming from environmental disasters, specifically the film ​Dark Waters ​which details the decade-long toxic chemical release by DuPont. It will also explore what distinguishes these kinds of documentary films as successful and if they result in corporate change. Some films

This research examines the impact of films about corporate scandals stemming from environmental disasters, specifically the film ​Dark Waters ​which details the decade-long toxic chemical release by DuPont. It will also explore what distinguishes these kinds of documentary films as successful and if they result in corporate change. Some films about corporate injustices have been successful in shaping viewers’ opinions and have brought about actual changes in targeted corporations’ behaviors. However, in some instances, even though a film may hurt the public image of the corporation, it does not actually affect the operation of the business. The recently released film ​Dark Waters ​details the story of the lawyer and farmer behind the lawsuit that exposed the toxic chemical release by DuPont. The film chronicles how the lawsuit revealed how DuPont ignored and even tried to cover up how its chemicals were poisoning its own workers and the surrounding communities. It remains to be seen if this film will result in DuPont actually changing the ways it does business. In this research, I analyze three documentary films involving corporate scandals with environmental ramifications and determine if any changes were made as a result of the films and what aspects of these films caused them to be successful. My findings indicate that there are many factors that dictate whether or not a film is successful in bringing about change at the corporate level. Some of the factors include the type of corporation, how many people the scandal or environmental disaster affected, and where the incidents took place. Also, certain aspects of the film itself such as being directed or produced by well-known and respected directors and producers as well as employing famous actors can make a difference in the film’s overall impact.
ContributorsDelgado, Morgan Elyse (Author) / Ingram-Waters, Mary (Thesis director) / Hines, Taylor (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
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In examining the popular culture of the United States today, one would find themselves hard-pressed to avoid mentions of texts and films that fall within the fantasy genre. In fact, many works within this genre find themselves amongst the ranks of the best-selling books and movies of all time (Moor;

In examining the popular culture of the United States today, one would find themselves hard-pressed to avoid mentions of texts and films that fall within the fantasy genre. In fact, many works within this genre find themselves amongst the ranks of the best-selling books and movies of all time (Moor; Harding and Thompson). Outside of their economic success, these stories have become an integral part of American culture. Extending from the domination of the entertainment industry, the characters and stories of the fantasy genre have influenced the collective ideals and perspectives of the United States population. Websites such as DeviantArt and Archive of Our Own serve as testament to how these stories inspire their fans, boasting thousands of pieces of artwork and writing that have been inspired by various fantasy texts and films. Beyond this, characters featured in these stories find themselves being applied elsewhere, ranging from their prevalence in online meme culture to their use during times of political strife. A notable example of this is a photograph of a protestor holding up a large sign boasting the claim that “Dumbledore wouldn’t let this happen,” which later became viral and was posted across several media platforms (whiskey-tango). The importance and impact of the fantasy genre can clearly be seen to take on many forms, and can be observed as playing a larger role than simple entertainment in the lives of the American public. While all of these examples highlight the deeply embedded nature of these tales in popular culture, it begs the question as to how and why these stories got to this status.
ContributorsKrolick, Samantha Rae (Author) / Cruse, Markus (Thesis director) / Fong, Benjamin (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Dean, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
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Description
A one-way function (OWF) is a function that is computationally feasible to compute in one direction, but infeasible to invert. Many current cryptosystems make use of properties of OWFs to provide ways to send secure messages. This paper reviews some simple OWFs and examines their use in contemporary cryptosystems and

A one-way function (OWF) is a function that is computationally feasible to compute in one direction, but infeasible to invert. Many current cryptosystems make use of properties of OWFs to provide ways to send secure messages. This paper reviews some simple OWFs and examines their use in contemporary cryptosystems and other cryptographic applications. This paper also discusses the broader implications of OWF-based cryptography, including its relevance to fields such as complexity theory and quantum computing, and considers the importance of OWFs in future cryptographic development
ContributorsMcdowell, Jeremiah Tenney (Author) / Hines, Taylor (Thesis director) / Foy, Joseph (Committee member) / Sprung, Florian (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05