ABSTRACTS FOR HONORS THESES
Contents
Author:
Kelsey Deegan .......................................................................................................................... 2
Author:
Bethany Naccarato ................................................................................................................... 3
Author:
Mackenzie Hurlbert .................................................................................................................. 4
Author:
Rebecca Petronchak .................................................................................................................. 5
Author:
Steven Krozer ........................................................................................................................... 6
Author:
Catherine Cota .......................................................................................................................... 7
Author:
Eric Ciardello ............................................................................................................................ 8
Author:
Lindsay Morales ....................................................................................................................... 9
Author:
Cynthia Fedorko ......................................................................................................................10
Author:
Patrick R. Cumpstone ..............................................................................................................11
Author:
Alexis Ernst .............................................................................................................................12
Author:
Chelsea Sousa .........................................................................................................................13
Author:
Anna Maria T. Sachs ..............................................................................................................14
Author:
Wesley Boucher .......................................................................................................................15
Author:
Christina Gentile .................................................................................................................16
Author:
David Piscitelli ........................................................................................................................17
Author:
Kaitlyn Stobierski ....................................................................................................................18
Author:
MaryJeanne Buonocore ...........................................................................................................19
Author:
Sarah Koerner ..........................................................................................................................20
Author:
Julia Evola ...............................................................................................................................21
Author:
Britni T. Kiosse.......................................................................................................................22
Author:
Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah .................................................................................................23
Author:
Peter Litwin ............................................................................................................................24
Author:
Amanda Barbera .....................................................................................................................25
Author:
Daniel Elliot ...........................................................................................................................26
Author:
Maegan Glover .......................................................................................................................27
Author:
Michaela E. Haynie ................................................................................................................28
Author:
Vanessa Young ........................................................................................................................30
Author:
Fihayya Plair ...........................................................................................................................31
Author:
Joseph J. Schifferdecker .........................................................................................................32
Author:
Renee Leblanc ........................................................................................................................33
Author:
Ashley Ewert ..........................................................................................................................34
Author:
Kelsey Deegan
Title:
RISK ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE CRIMINALITY IN YOUTH WITH CONDUCT
DISORDER
Thesis Advisor: Dr. William Sherman
Department:
Department of Psychology and Honors College
Over the past few decades, the popular belief in America has been that juvenile violence, especially
in schools, is on the rise. Against popular belief, juvenile violence in schools and juvenile criminality
has been declining. To lower the amount of crime committed by juveniles even further, I have
examined risk assessment and Conduct Disorder in children. Risk assessment is a process used to
determine whether or not a child displays enough risk factors to be considered dangerous.
Depending on the severity of a child’s risk, the child will receive management that will aim to reduce
this risk. There are problems with risk assessment that extend past validity and difficulty of
implementing/strengthening protective factors. One major problem is that risk assessment is
generally only carried out after the child has done something to classify them as dangerous. Because
of this, I turned to the DSM-5 diagnosis Conduct Disorder and researched the possibility of identifying
children who display early, but non-aggressive symptoms. They can be screened to determine
potential progression, and begin management before they become violent. Management will be
carried out by teams known as Behavioral Intervention Teams (BIT’s) who use specific tactics and
are made up of an eclectic group of professionals. Also implemented by these teams are suggestions
for safer schools with close knit environments. These types of schools show lower rates of bullying,
violence, and crime in general. Despite any unethical labeling or legal issues at stake because of
these suggestions, children who display signs of Conduct Disorder are responsible for large portion
of the crime committed by juveniles and young adults. Any management that they will get will not
aim to label them as criminals, but to help prevent them from going down a path where they will be
labeled as criminals.
2|Page
Author:
Bethany Naccarato
Title:
ACCOUNTING FOR AND REPORTING OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER
LEARNING
INSTITUTIONS:
A
STATUS
REPORT
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Kevin Feeney
Department:
Department of Accounting and Honors College
This paper addresses growing movement towards sustainability reporting by education
organizations across the world. In the USA, reporting sustainability is done voluntarily, and
usually lacks full disclosure. The purpose of this paper is three-fold. First, it addresses the
problem with existing voluntary reports, especially the lack of a “best practices” model. This is
done in the context of higher learning institutions. Sustainability programs at University of
Vermont and Yale University are used as models. Second, it attempts to create an accounting
model and show the accounting impact on financial results for refillable water stations, which are
part of a growing trend towards sustainability on campuses. Finally, it presents the above goals
in a report to advocate for better sustainable practices at Southern Connecticut State University
in New Haven, CT, as well as, provide useful information to prospective students who are
increasingly environmentally conscious.
3|Page
Author:
Mackenzie Hurlbert
Title:
DISEMBOWELED: A COLLECTION OF FEMINIST HORROR FICTION
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dana Sonnenschein
Department:
Department of English
Horror fiction is more than a genre of scare-tactics and quick thrills. It has the power to draw
the reader in and leave him or her in a heightened state of awareness and knowledge. Horror is an
in-depth examination of the not-so-savory reality we may otherwise choose to ignore. Though the
genre may have a bad reputation for unnecessary gore, two-dimensional characters, and predictable
plot, it is not fair to categorize all horror fiction as mind candy—it can be, and often is, literary. This
thesis is a collection of literary horror stories with a feminist twist. I have worked to illustrate that
horror fiction can be an aesthetically complex and meaningful lens through which we view reality,
and each story is inspired by the real-world terrors of today such as rape, fat-shaming, and domestic
abuse. I hope this collection will be a meaningful contribution to the world of literary horror fiction,
and I aim to prove that horror fiction can be literary if written with great consideration and with plots
driven by complex characters. This collection also explores a spectrum of horror fiction with hopes
of redefining the genre.
4|Page
Author:
Rebecca Petronchak
Title:
ASTROMETRIC CALIBRATION OF THE WIDE-FIELD IMAGER ON THE
EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATOR 2.2m TELESCOPE AND PROPER
MOTIONS IN KAPTEYN SELECTED AREA 104.
Thesis Advisor: Dana Casseti
Department:
Physics
Having an idea of the formation of the Milky Way is important in order to constrain cosmological
models. Analyzing disrupted systems of the Galaxy allows its gravitational potential to be
quantified. Furthermore, the history of the disrupted systems will provide information about the
kinematics of the system. We kinematically study the dynamical evolution of these systems using
the three-dimensional velocity vector. Here, we aim to determine the transverse velocities of
these objects. In order to do this task, we perform an astrometric study of a wide-field camera
that was used to take modern-epoch data for our proper-motion study. The camera is the Wide
Field Imager (WFI) on the European Southern Observatory (ESO) 2.2m telescope. We then
determine proper motions in a selected area (SA104) on the sky that includes stars from a known
halo overdensity: the Virgo Stellar Overdensity. The work of determining the proper motions of
stars is a subproject of a larger proper motion survey, the Kapteyn Proper Motion Survey.
5|Page
Author:
Steven Krozer
Title:
ASSESSING THE UNDERSTANDING AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA RELATED
TO PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN JUNIOR BACCALAUREATE NURSING
STUDENTS.
Thesis Advisor: Susan Westrick
Department:
Nursing
The availability and use of social media in the healthcare setting continues to increase,
presenting additional challenges for maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality. Though
policies for social media have been implemented in the healthcare environment, to what extent
do medical staff, which includes nursing students, understand these policies? This quasiexperimental study with a pre and post-test design examines the understanding and use of social
media related to professional practice in junior baccalaureate nursing students in one program.
A standardized teaching intervention on social media policies and guidelines was presented
between the pre and post-test. Analysis of the results indicates a positive relationship between
junior baccalaureate nursing student comprehension level of social media policies and student
knowledge of social media policies. Student understanding increased in nearly every question
of the knowledge and case study sections of the post-test when compared with the pre-test after
the standardized educational intervention. The average increase in the desired response for the
knowledge portion of the Social Media Usage and Policy Comprehension Indicator was 17.93%,
while the average increase in the desired response for the case study portion of the tool was
29.06%. These escalations in student understanding after the standardized educational
intervention suggest that universities and healthcare work environments would benefit by
creating a similar educational intervention for students or employees since social media policy
knowledge will likely increase as based on the results of this study.
6|Page
Author:
Catherine Cota
Title:
SOCIAL WORK AND STORYTELLING: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON
TURNING POINTS IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS IN NEW HAVEN.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dana Schneider
Department:
Department of Social Work and Honors College
Marrakech, Inc., a local organization that provides various services to the homeless, and SCSU’s
Social Work Department have a project underway known as Voices Should Be Heard, which
gives individuals in the New Haven community who are homeless a chance to tell their stories.
Modeled in part after the national StoryCorps initiative, this project provides local individuals –
those who often do not have a voice in our society – with an opportunity to share, to record, and
to preserve their words during video-recorded sessions. Using qualitative data from Voices
Should Be Heard, this thesis further analyzes the stories for themes of significant turning points.
This specific research study, as part of the larger project, explores how turning points, defined
as significant events that change the course of one’s life, can be seen and understood in the life
stories of individuals who are homeless in New Haven. Research questions that were
investigated include, “Are there common themes of turning points in these stories?” and “In what
ways may homeless individuals be impacted by life’s turning points?” Twelve of the twenty-seven
narratives collected were transcribed for themes of significant turning points. The themes of
turning points that emerged from the narratives involved family life, substance abuse,
incarceration, health, housing, random acts of kindness, immigration status, education, maturity,
military service, and natural disaster. Two negative case examples were present as well. The
findings of this study expose the need for verifying these themes in future qualitative research
with this population, in addition to developing methods that engage more women and ethnic
groups in storytelling platforms. Implications for future social work practice include informing
options for group work, facilitating empowerment through leadership opportunities, and
examining policy for funding avenues that can support individuals as they experience identified
turning points.
7|Page
Author:
Eric Ciardello
Title:
MULTINATIONAL CONSTITUTIONALISM: HOW THE STATE RESOLVES
CONFLICTS AMONG GROUP RIGHTS.
Thesis Advisor: Eric Cavallero
Department:
Philosophy
When it comes to the discussion of national groups, most of us will readily agree that national groups
deserve some degree of self-determination. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the
question of how much self-determination national groups should have and what kinds of privileges
this right entails, particularly in a multinational state where several national groups must coexist.
Whereas some are convinced that one national group should trump other national groups in a
multinational state, others maintain that every national group has the right to its own state entirely.
My own view is that national groups should have a large degree of political autonomy within a state,
but that no national group in a particular state should have more privileges than another. I will present
a contractualist account of multinational constitutionalism, which will provide normative constraints
on a multinational constitution in which national groups can share power and privileges in a single
state without one group becoming too dominant. In the process, I will explore the distinction between
individual and group rights, outline what kinds of groups can hold rights, defend the premise that
national groups deserve the right to self-determination at the very least, and demonstrate what moral
constraints might limit a constitution in a multinational state.
8|Page
Author:
Lindsay Morales
Title:
A STUDY EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF BELIEF SYSTEMS ON JUDGMENTS
OF CRIME.
Thesis Advisor: Patricia Kahlbaugh
Department:
Department of Psychology and Honors College
Using a jury simulation, the present study investigated interactions of priming of belief systems (freewill, determinism) and biological propensity toward crime (motive is biologically neutral, or biologically
predisposed) on the number of years a defendant is sentenced to prison. Previous research using
simulated crime scenarios has established biased decision making among jurors. Thus, a secondary
hypothesis was that pre-existing attitudes concerning biological motives for crime might be
associated with length of sentencing. Participants read a short paragraph about belief systems, a
vignette describing an armed robbery, and then determined the length of sentence, their stance on
biological crime, and their beliefs in free will or determinism. No interaction was found between
priming and motive on length of sentencing; however, main effects of biological stance on length of
sentence and on belief systems were found. Thus, pre-existing attitudes concerning biological
antecedents of criminal behavior is a factor when deciding criminal sentencing and these attitudes
are related to stronger beliefs in determinism (vs. free will). Jury simulation research is an important
way to uncover factors influencing juror’s decision making regarding length of sentences.
9|Page
Author:
Cynthia Fedorko
Title:
RAIN OF HOPE: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF AN AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Laura Bower-Phipps
Department:
Elementary Education
Rain of Hope, Inc. aims to teach individuals the value of caring for their communities and
empowers them to take action to improve their communities through afterschool programming.
Rain of Hope has great potential to impact youth based on timing-- programs take place during
hours when students are ost likely to mget into trouble. Rain of Hope also has the potential to
improve work habits, behavior, and standardized test scores in the students that it serves (Vandell
et al., 2007; Gottfredson et al., 2007). However, these potential benefits depend on the quality of
the programs held. Since there is no consensus on standards of afterschool programming, the
purpose of this project is to ensure quality of a particular afterschool program run by Rain of
Hope called Music Matters. Music Matters aims to teach children that they have the power to
send positive messages to their communities through song. In order to ensure quality, this project
evaluates the alignment of organizational missions and program goals, as well as actualization of
missions and goals as perceived by stakeholders. Data sources for this study include Rain of
Hope organization materials, Music Matters program materials, interviews with the Rain of Hope
executive board, student work completed during the program, participant observer field notes,
and stakeholder surveys (stakeholders include parents, host school staff, and Music Matters
teaching interns). Findings suggest that all afterschool programs should promote to engage of all
stakeholders as well as involvement with the community. Further, this study serves as a model of
how a case study may be useful to evaluate afterschool programs through measuring alignment
of missions and surveying stakeholders to ensure quality and therefore, the multitude of benefits
that accompanies programming of high quality for all students involved.
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Author:
Patrick R. Cumpstone
Title:
“WICKED WOMEN, HOT WORDS, AND THE BEWITCHING TONGUE”: FEMALE
SPEECH AND WITCHCRAFT ACCUSATIONS IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY
CONNECTICUT
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Marie Basile McDaniel
Department:
History and Honors College
Historians have spent an exorbitant amount of time studying the Salem Witch Trials as well as trying
to determine why they occurred and why communities accused the women that they did.1 The results
of such research are usually arguments that assert that economics, neighborly tensions and
misogyny were the reasons why women were accused of witchcraft. While the events of Salem have
been rather over-studied, the Connecticut Witch Trials that occurred forty-years prior are seldom
researched and are generally unknown to both scholars and the general populace. Moreover, while
many scholars claim socioeconomic factors as the reasons why women were the most accused,
such arguments are now commonplace when reading about witch trials. Rather than continue to
study the events of Salem and reiterate prominent arguments in witch trial scholarship, this paper
builds on the historiography by offering a new argument on an under-studied event, which is that
witch-speak, or occult and prophetic speech significantly influenced witchcraft accusations in
seventeenth-century Connecticut. To make such an argument, both primary and secondary sources
regarding gender roles, speech, patriarchy, witch trials, and religion were consulted. Ultimately, the
paper examines the context in which the trials occurred to distinguish how women were expected to
behave, how some women defied those expectations and were deemed slanderers, what the
difference is between slander and witch-speak, why women were perceived to be more suspect than
men, and how female witch-speak seemingly endangered the economic, physical and religious
wellbeing of the home and the community, resulting in their accusations.
A search on Amazon.com reveals that there have been at least 858 books published on the Salem trials, and a
search on JSTOR produces 631 scholarly articles, totaling 1,489 publications, though there are likely more.
1
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Author:
Alexis Ernst
Title:
OPTIMIZING SPECIMEN PREPARATION FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STUDIES OF NANOMATERIALS.
Thesis Advisor: Christine Broadbridge
Department:
Physics
Iron Sucrose is a nano-pharmaceutical used to treat iron deficiency anemia. The iron sucrose
nanoparticles consist of an iron oxyhydroxide core with a bound sucrose shell. Iron sucrose
preparations are administered to patents intravenously. In this work, we developed the methods to
prepare the samples for imaging with electron microscopy, performed the microscopy then used
image analysis software to measure the particle sizes of two different iron sucrose syntheses. Images
were obtained with bright field imaging using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high angle
annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), coupled with Energy
Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Different specimen preparation methods and dilution
parameters were studied with samples subsequently imaged within a 120KV TEM, 200KV TEM, and
STEM (with EDS). ImageJ software was used to measure the morphology of the iron sucrose
complex in both samples. The iron cores of samples from the two syntheses were shown to have
similar shapes and diameters.
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Author:
Chelsea Sousa
Title:
A STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF GENDER ON THE LEGAL
PROFESSION
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Arthur Paulson
Department:
Political Science and Honors College
Females and males have historically been treated differently in most social and professional areas
of life, especially in the legal system. This research project explores whether or not gender still has
an impact on the legal profession. I compared and contrasted the win and loss rates for female and
male attorneys who argued in front of the Supreme Court over the last five terms. Then, I analyzed
whether or not one gender of attorney is more likely to win than the other. I found that the overall win
and loss record for each gender was close to a 50:50 ratio, which indicated facial equality for females
and males in the Supreme Court. I controlled for a female and male attorney’s educational
experience and firm representation to see if these variables had an affect on wins or losses. I also
controlled for these variables to see how these attorneys compared to each other. Though I found
that much of the statistical information between females and males (as losers and winners) was
similar, I found that females are significantly less present in the Supreme Court than males, meaning
that it may be harder for them to obtain certification to argue in front of the Court than it is for males.
It is important to become aware of these issues for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason
is that the 14th Amendment of the U.S Constitution declares “equal protection” for all citizens,
meaning that no person shall be treated differently because of their sex [among other traits]. Finding
an injustice in the legal system would impact not only the attorneys and justices involved, but also
the plaintiffs and defendants of cases who may have been treated differently because of gender
inequity. In addition, knowing which gender is “better suited” for a win in front of the Supreme Court
could also reflect that genders’ potential as an attorney in other Courts.
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Author:
Anna Maria T. Sachs
Title:
POVERTY SIMULATION PROGRAMS AND THE IMPACT ON
GRADUATE STUDENT PARTICIPANTS’ INTERACTIONS WITH
CLIENTS IN POVERTY.
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Stephen Monroe Tomczak
Department:
Social Work
Since its inception, social work has had a central mission to serve individuals experiencing poverty
and advocate for social and economic justice. As a way to facilitate this ethical value in the learning
environment, universities across the nation have adopted experiential learning tools such as the
Poverty Simulation program to increase knowledge and understanding of the multidimensional
factors associated with living in poverty. Research data support that participating in experiential
learning tools such as the poverty simulation program increases empathy, compassion and
understanding towards clients in poverty. This thesis examined the long-term impact of participating
in the poverty simulation program and how students’ interactions with clients in poverty were
influenced as a result of their participation. A qualitative study was completed with two focus groups
to learn more about the experiences students have with how the poverty simulation program has
affected the way they interact with clients in their field placements. This study assisted in learning
more about the role of experiential learning tools in academic curriculums for the helping professions.
Findings indicated several major themes among participants. These included systems as a cause of
poverty, responsibility to the poor, increased sense of empathy, having the ability to meet the client
where they are, understanding the availability and accessibility of resources and the presence of
direct vs. indirect influences of participation. Overall, the study found that participating in the poverty
simulation program is effective in increasing knowledge and understanding of poverty and has an
overall positive impact on students’ education. It was determined that learning can be sustained and
applied to social work practice as a result of participating in the poverty simulation program.
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Author:
Wesley Boucher
Title:
“I AM WHAT I TOLD MYSELF I AM”: EXAMINING THEINFLUENCE OF SELFTALK AND OTHER FACTORS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL
IDENTITY AMONG SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dana Schneider
Department:
Social Work
Throughout life’s multiple stages, people constantly come into conflict with questioning
their identity. During an individual’s time enrolled in higher education, he or she has the
chance to interact with and negotiate his or her professional identity, or the way he or she
identifies him or herself as a professional. Through their education, students enrolled in a
social work program are exposed to different educational opportunities that help them to
build their professional identity. Other factors that aid in this development include values,
choices, self-talk and external talk. This research project explores the relationship
between choices, values, self-talk, and external talk and their role in professional identity
development in social work students. A qualitative study was conducted with six
participants to discover their life experiences with values, choice, self-talk, and external
talk, and garner awareness of the ways in which a social work student is affected by
participation in social work education. This research project found that of the six
participants, many reported their social work education assisted in their professional
identity development. Participants also reported that due to their experiences in social
work education, their use of self-talk has begun to change to now using it as a
professional tool in practice.
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Author:
Title:
Christina Gentile
A STUDY EXAMINING FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION IN COMPARISON TO
MEDIATED INTERACTION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY IN RELATION TO
HAPPINESS
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Christine Unson
Department:
Department of Public Health and Honors College
Electronic technology has been a continuing means of communication throughout the past few
generations. It has impacted the way college students communicate on a daily basis. This study
examined the effects of mediated communication through technology, in comparison with face-toface communication, in relation to happiness. Happiness levels were determined by utilizing the
happiness scale in the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. A convenience sample was taken from
students who are involved in specific clubs or organizations on the Southern Connecticut State
University campus. A cross-sectional study was done by finding correlations between the Oxford
Happiness Questionnaire, and different situations involving mediated interactions through
technology, and face-to-face interactions. This study did not show that technology has a significant
impact on happiness scores of students. It does suggest, though, that face-to-face communication
patterns have significantly more positive responses from individual items within the Oxford
Happiness Questionnaire.
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Author:
David Piscitelli
Title:
MOLECULAR BASIS OF OLFACTORY PERCEPTION: SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE
POLYMORPHISMS FOR THE ABILITY TO SMELL METHANETHIOL
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jiong Dong Pang
Department:
Chemistry
The human genome consists of about three billion nucleotides which are the blueprints for the entire
body. Some of these nucleotides code for proteins which create specific receptors. What these
receptors interact with depends on many different factors such as the types of proteins that it consists
of as well as the structure of the receptor itself. The objective of this research was to create a method
of detecting and predicting whether an individual has an adenosine or guanine nitrogenous base at
the position rs481887 on chromosome 1 in the human genome (which codes for olfactory receptors
that detect methanethiol). At the conclusion of this research, it was determined that the method of
PCR, restriction enzyme selection, and RFLP were successful. This method could be used to predict
an individual’s genotype at rs4481887 in the human genome. Future work includes a more precise
indicator of the ability to smell methanethiol and prediction of phenotype from genotype on olfactory
perception of methanethiol.
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Author:
Kaitlyn Stobierski
Title:
BEACH MAINTENANCE AT WEST HAVEN, CT: AN ANALYSIS WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS
Thesis Advisor: Dr. James Tait
Department:
Interdisciplinary Studies and Honors College
The town of West Haven has been struggling financially to keep up with the constant erosion that
their beaches endure. West Haven beaches are eroding and the town needs to find a solution
because, among other reasons, erosion puts shoreline structures at risk for wave damage during
hurricanes and storms. The purpose of this project is to provide the town of West Haven with some
recommendations for beach management that meet the city’s needs and are cost effective. Data
from 21 beach profiles were collected in the summer of 2013 and in the summer of 2014, from this
data beach volume and beach width were calculated. This data shows where sand is collecting and
which beaches are eroding the fastest. Based upon this study, recommendations were formulated
for the town. West Haven has the responsibility of maintaining over 3 miles of beaches with limited
financial resources. It is important that the town consider these recommendations as a possible
means for making beach maintenance more cost effective.
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Author:
MaryJeanne Buonocore
Title:
WINTERGREEN APARTMENTS IN NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT: A CATALYST
FOR GENTRIFICATION? A CASE STUDY OF THE WESTVILLE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Thompson
Department:
Geography
The purpose of this study is to analyze the development of a high-end apartment complex as a
catalyst for new-build gentrification in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut and to
assess the impact that this gentrification has on commercial enterprises. This apartment complex,
known as the Wintergreen Apartments, is designed for a resident higher socio-economic status
(SES), but has been developed in an area of the neighborhood that has struggled to attract middle
to upper class residents. This study will determine if the development of the Wintergreen Apartments
has contributed to gentrification in Westville, specifically if the development has affected businesses
in the downtown area of Westville. To establish levels of neighborhood change, census data for
indicators of gentrification are used from 2000 to 2010, in combination with field research to
determine physical change to the neighborhood. This study uses satellite images to perform a
comparative analysis of pre-development, during development and post-development. These
findings are portrayed through a map created using ArcMap 10.2.2 technologies. The shows that the
neighborhood of Westville is gentrifying, with significant changes since the development of the
Wintergreen Apartments.
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Author:
Sarah Koerner
Title:
THE EFFECTS OF WATER FLOW SPEED ON THE FEEDING HABITS OF THE
TEMPERATE SCLERACTINIAN CORAL ASTRANGIA POCULATA.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sean Grace
Department:
Public Health and Honors College
The objective of this research was to observe the feeding habits of the temperate scleractinian coral
Astrangia poculata, and determine how water velocity affects capture abilities. Using a recirculating
flume tank, corals were fed brine shrimp cysts delivered at three different flow speeds for intervals
of fifteen minutes. The number of cysts consumed were counted and used as a measurement of
capture ability. The null hypothesis tested was that there is no difference in capture ability of
individual coral polyps at increasing water velocities. The results demonstrated that at an
intermediate flow speed of 0.20 m/s there was an increase in prey capture, while there was a
decrease in prey capture at a high flow speed of 0.40 m/s. These results thus concluded that there
is in fact a difference in capture ability at varying flow speeds and flow speed directly affects the
biology of these corals.
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Author:
Julia Evola
Title:
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
TEACHERS’
PERCEPTION
OF
THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
Thesis Adviser: Dr. Helen Marx
Department:
Department of Education and the Honors College
Over the past twenty years the standards movement has evolved and transformed public
education in the United States, culminating in the recent emergence of the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) in 2010. These standards were created by the National Governors
Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers in an attempt unify the nation under
a rigorous set of standards and help better prepare America’s youth for both collegiate and
career success. The CCSS were adopted by many states after its creation, and over the past
three years schools and teachers have been tasked with the implementation of these standards.
Much of the attention on the CCSS has been on the adoption process and the details of its
progression. There has not been as much attention placed on how teachers are adjusting to this
large shift in standards. Because it is teachers who ultimately must make these standards work,
a focus on their experiences during implementation is important to document. For this proposed
thesis, I have explored the experiences and attitudes of elementary school teachers in the New
Haven public school district regarding this implementation process to determine how teachers
perceive the standards. It was my goal to give voice to those who use the standards daily.
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Author:
Britni T. Kiosse
Title:
A STUDY EXAMINING SPECIFIC MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION STYLES
RELATED TO THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF AN
ORGANIZATION
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Ellen Frank
Department:
Department of Business Administration and Honors College
Every manager in the business world is responsible for producing the most effective and efficient
organization, but all managers have different communication styles that affect the way he or she runs a
business. The purpose of this thesis was to examine different managerial communication styles and how
they affect the overall success of an organization. More specifically, the focus of this study was on the
managers present at one specific location of Victoria’s Secret in Connecticut. Based upon relevant
literature, it was determined that the flexibility of communication styles was a crucial factor in the success
of an organization. There has been a lack of research connecting managerial communication styles to
the success of an organization using the communication style models and assessments specifically
chosen in this study. A case study methodology was used. A Briggs-Meyers communication style model
was used along with another more complex communication style assessment to determine managerial
communication styles. Interviews then took place with the managers at this store location. Finally, an
analysis of business results within the most recent months of the company was included. By comparing
managers’ communication styles with business results, and seeing how successful the Victoria’s Secret
location is overall, conclusions were drawn indicating that one specific communication style was not the
most organizationally successful. Although participants’ flexibility of communication styles was not
directly measured in this study, it was gathered from qualitative results that the flexibility of
communication styles was a key driver to organizational success. There should be more research done
on this topic to further explore managerial communication styles and the effectiveness and efficiency of
an organization.
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Author:
Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah
Title:
SYNTHESIS
AND
CHARACTERIZATION
OF
TETRABORYLDIENE
DERIVATIVES AND REACTIVITY FOR TANDEM SUZUKI COUPLING
REACTIONS
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. M. J. Gerald Lesley
Department:
Department of Chemistry
Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials prepared from the reaction between
organic molecules (ligands) and metal salts. These crystals have exceptional surface areas and have
been investigated for hydrogen and, methane (natural gas) storage, small gas capture (CO 2) as well as
numerous other applications including luminescence and drug delivery. The present research study
investigates the tandem Suzuki coupling and protodeboronation reactions of tetrasubstituted dienes for
the synthesis of new benzoic acid ligands suitable for novel MOF synthesis. Initial studies involving the
tandem Suzuki coupling between the tetraborylated derivative (1) and methyl 4-iodobenzoate (17)
resulted in only minor quantities (8 %) of (4,4ʹ-(1Z,3Z)-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2dioxaborolan-2-yl)buta-1,3-diene-1,3-diyl)bibenzoate) (3) and small isolated quantities of dimethyl 4,4'((1E,3E)-buta-1,3-diene-1,4-diyl)dibenzoate (2), via protodeboronation. The protodeboronation of 1 likely
occurred due to the presence of residual traces of moisture in the reaction mixture. This research
addressed my efforts aimed at enhancing the yields of compounds 2 and 3. Anhydrous conditions
together with employing varying catalysts, PdCl2(dppf) and Pd(OAc)2/2P(o-tolyl)3, for tandem Suzuki
coupling did not result in an increase in the yield of compound 3. The protodeboronation reaction aimed
at producing and isolating larger quantities of 2 via the addition of water and KOH was successful via a
hydrothermal reaction leading to the cis-(Z,Z) isomer. The attempt to synthesize compound 2 via reflux
heating in aqueous KOH resulted in an incomplete reaction yielding multiple products verified by 1H NMR
spectroscopy.
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Author:
Peter Litwin
Title:
A Comparison of Environmentally Friendly Graphene Oxide Reduction Techniques
for Supercapacitor Applications
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Todd Schwendemann
Department:
Department of Physics
Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was looked at as a capacitor electrode material. RGO was synthesized
from graphene oxide (GO) using four different methods, a chemical etch using .1 M ascorbic acid (AA),
a thermal reduction using a heat gun, and two laser methods: using a LightScribe CD/DVD burner and
another using a laser cutter. The rGO samples were used to make capacitors and their capacitances
were compared. The theoretical capacitance was calculated to be 765 pF. Reduction by AA resulted in
a capacitance of 360±31.3 pF, the thermal reduction returned a capacitance value of 148±7.5 pF, the
LightScribe method returned a capacitance value of 630±400 pF, and the laser etch returned a
capacitance of 270 pF. An electric double layer capacitor was also created and returned a capacitance
value of 7000 pF.
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Author:
Amanda Barbera
Title:
AN EVALUATION OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN UNDERGRADUATE
BACCALAUREATE NURSING, EDUCATION, AND SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Bernadette Madara
Department:
Interdisciplinary Studies and the Honors College
Mental health is an important part of a person’s holistic wellbeing. It is important to focus on mental health
because it can negatively affect a person’s life when unbalanced. Depression and anxiety are two mental
health conditions that affect the college undergraduate student population. Undergraduate senior-year
baccalaureate nursing, education, and social work students were surveyed to discover the rate of
depression and anxiety in these groups. A brief version of the self-report Personality Assessment
Inventory (PAI) was distributed to a randomly selected class in each major. The data collected showed
that 61.1% of the surveyed undergraduate senior nursing students (n=18) experienced a form of anxiety
and 50% (n=9) experienced a form of depression. The undergraduate senior education students, 28.6%
(n=6) experienced a form of anxiety and 19.1% (n=4) experienced a form of depression. Undergraduate
senior social work students, 40% (n=6) experienced a form of anxiety and 20% (n=3) experienced a form
of depression. This study indicates that anxiety and depression are experienced by undergraduate senior
nursing, education, and social work students. It is important to identify anxiety and depression in students,
especially those who are at high risk, in order for the development and provision of appropriate mental
health services and resources by the university counseling and health centers.
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Author:
Daniel Elliot
Title:
THE OVERTRAINING SYNDROME: A HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO IDENTIFY OVERTRAINING IN
COLLEGIATE SWIMMERS
Thesis Advisor:
Marc Robertson PT, DPT
Department:
Department of Exercise Science and Honors College
The overtraining syndrome is a condition that occurs in athletes who continue to train even though they
are exceeding their ability to recover. Although the stimulus of training elicits performance increases,
adaptability to training can decrease or cause detrimental effects to the athletes’ performance and overall
health. Chronically induced stress in the form of excessive training will cause a systemic pathologic
reaction, affecting both the physiology and psychology of the athlete, ultimately compromising
performance. The current study examined the response to the stress of both training and a collegiate
lifestyle in seven Southern Connecticut State University Men’s Swimming Program members. Resting
heart rate, Profile of Mood State (POMS), resting blood lactate, weekly training volume, and major
competition performance was recorded in order to create individual profiles of each athlete involved in
the study. Previous studies have explored similar variables such as POMS, resting heart rate and weekly
training volume, however, there is limited research on resting blood lactate in studies regarding
overtraining. Statistical analyses of the data revealed no significant difference within the dependent
variables and the correlations were inconclusive. Upon examining the performance of the athletes it was
found that two individuals did not improve. One athlete in particular showed intriguing responses in
POMS, resting heart rate and resting blood lactate. Future research is needed in order to create a gold
standard method for identifying the onset of overtraining, rather than simply diagnosing the condition.
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Author:
Maegan Glover
Title:
A STUDY EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF PET ASSISTED THERAPY ON
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR PERCEIVED STRESS LEVELS DURING
FINAL EXAMS
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Elizabeth Rodriguez-Keyes
Department:
Department of Social Work and Honors College
College students as a whole are a population that experiences a significant amount of stress in their daily
lives, with that level of perceived stress dramatically increasing during final exams. The constant
bombardment of stressors put this cohort at risk of participating in harmful activities as a way to relieve those
feelings or to make them subside. Pet assisted therapy is an alternative practice that involves animals as a
crucial factor in aiding the individual with personal growth in terms of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Review of the current literature demonstrates the extensive benefits associated with stress relief and
physical health that this type of practice can offer for various groups of people. However, studies on pet
assisted therapy have not explored the benefits it can offer college students, despite this population’s high
prevalence of stress. This study examined the perceived stress levels of college students during the final
exams period before and after they interacted with registered therapy dogs. A mixed methods research
design was implemented through the use of pre-- and post-session questionnaires, as well as a post-session
focus group that assessed students’ levels of stress before and after they participated in their final exams.
The results yielded a decrease in feelings of stress for the participants, as well as revealed emerging themes
that helped identify how and why there was a decrease. This study determined that college students could
benefit from a pet assisted therapy program as a modality of relieving stress during final exams. Additionally,
it calls for more research to be done on this topic.
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Author:
Michaela E. Haynie
Title:
COEDUCATION VS. SINGLE-GENDER EDUCATION: AN EXPLORATION OF
HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
STUDENTS RECEIVE
Thesis Advisor:
James Rauschenbach, Ph.D
Department:
Department of Exercise Science
The world of education is constantly looking for ways to improve the service that it supplies to its
students. For physical education (PE), over the past few decades, professionals have strived to find out the
best ways in which they can provide every student with a positive PE experience. By looking for ways in
which to improve the PE classes that our students receive, the question arises whether classes should be
kept as coeducational or in single-gender environments at a high school level. Would it be more beneficial to
female students or lower level students, to have some sort of separation by gender or would separating
students by gender only lead to the perpetuation of gender stereotypes? This research includes a survey that
was given to participants who have at one point taken a high school PE class. Those participants were asked
to reflect upon their experience to help determine which format is more preferable for the student’s
experience. Once the data was collected, it was input into IBM SPSS and run through chi-square tests and
cross- tab analysis tests. There were a variety of domains that were compared in order to find if the data had
significance. The first cross-tabulation involved students who played sports and their skill level, the data found
there was a strong significance for males having a p-value of 0.000096 and females with a p-value of
0.000000 out to the sixth place. The next data set involved student’s skill level and their personal enjoyment
of PE. The male student’s data set found significance with a p-value of 0.002 and the female data found
significance with a p-value with 0.000000 out to the sixth place. Similarly, a cross-tab analysis was performed
looking to see if a student’s performance in a sport and their enjoyment of PE were related. The males pvalue showed 0.000014 and the females were 0.000025 emphasizing that the data was significant. The next
two cross-tabulations created were a student’s skill level or their participation in sports compared to their
interest in PE. For the cross-tabulation on male’s involvement in sport and interest PE, the p-value was
0.000323 and for females the P-value was 0.000000 out to the 6th power. For the cross-tabulation comparing
skill level and their interest in PE the p-value was 0.000000 to the 6th power for both males and females.
Another comparison was a person’s skill level or participation in sports and their physically active lifestyle. In
the cross-tabulation comparing a person’s skill level and physically active lifestyle, the male’s p-value was
0.000040 and female’s p-value was 0.000000 out to the sixth place finding significance. For the cross-tab
analysis comparing a student’s involvement in sports and their physically active lifestyle, female students pvalue was 0.01 finding significance, but the male’s p-value was 0.065 meaning there is no significance.
Participants were also asked to reflect on whether certain sports should be offered single gender.
For this cross-tab analysis, students were divided into categories based on their gender and their skill level
and their answers were based off of their participation in sports and a specified sport were compared. The
first compared basketball to a participant’s gender, skill level, and participation in sports. The p-value for low
skilled males was the only category that found significance within the answers with a p-value of 0.002. For
softball, compared against the same domains, found significance in only the low male category, which had a
p-value of 0.033. For swimming, significance was found in the low skilled males and high skilled males
categories. The low skilled males found a p-value of 0.033 and the high skilled males found a p-value of
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0.024. For Tennis the high skilled males was the only category, which found significance. The high skilled
males p-value was 0.000049 finding it was significance. When asked about soccer, again the high skilled
males were the only category with significance with a p-value of 0.034. When asked about football, the low
skilled males were the only category finding significance with a p-value of 0.012. The final question asked
involved a student’s skill level, gender, and participation in a sport compared to whether they thought some
sports should be taught single-gender. The only category that came back with significance was the lowleveled males having a p-value of 0.009.
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Author:
Vanessa Young
Title:
Gender and the Changing Landscape of Seyisfjörur, Iceland
Advisor:
Dr. C. Patrick Heidkamp
Department:
Department of Geography
After the economic decline and restructuring of the Icelandic fishing industry in the late 20th century, many
coastal communities of Iceland were abandoned due to the inability to depend on fishing as their means to
support the town, while others were successful in adapting their economy in order to benefit from the increase
in the tourism sector, often due to their favorable locations along the main tourism routes. Located in the East
Fjords, Seyisfjörur is one of the towns that have been able to transform its economy toward service provision
for the tourism industry, However, contrary to other towns on a similar trajectory, this community has made
a concerted effort to focus on the arts and culture as a driver for economic success, and thus essentially
facilitating a transformation of the perception of landscape—from a landscape of extraction to a landscape of
cultural appreciation. This thesis examines this change by examining the town’s current economic framework
in the context of overall changes to the national economy of Iceland, and maps changes to its urban fabric
as well as changes in social relations. This thesis argues that the shift to an arts and artistic tourism centered
economy has led to changes in the gender role responses of women and men within this micro-community.
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Author:
Fihayya Plair
Title:
THE FREQUENCY OF CALCULATOR-USE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS:
EFFECTS ON STUDENTS’ MATHEMATICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Adam Goldberg
Department:
Department of Education
Year:
2014
For the purpose of investigating the current and changing policies in public elementary education concerning
calculator use in the primary grades, a literature review on the effects of calculator-use on students’
mathematical understanding and achievement was conducted. The question of whether mathematic
technology is benefiting or hindering students was also considered. A study was then conducted to survey
the frequency of calculator use in the classroom and teachers’ opinions about the effects of calculators in
elementary school. Three research questions were used to guide the study: (1) Are calculators used in New
Haven/Hamden CT elementary schools (K-6)? (2) How frequently are they used and to what extent? (3) What
are teachers’ perceptions of the effects calculator may have on student performance/achievement? The study
included a quantitative and a qualitative component. Results of the quantitative and qualitative analysis
indicate that (1) calculators are used in elementary school, (2) calculators are not used very frequently, (3)
teachers’ opinions about the effects calculators have on their students vary widely, but a large majority believe
calculators should not be used if math facts are not mastered, and (4) further research is required to pursue
more accurate conclusions about the current role that calculators play in the primary grades of American
education, which might influence educational policy for the future.
Keywords: Mathematical achievement, arithmetic skills, numeracy fluency, calculator-use, primary grades.
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Author:
Joseph J. Schifferdecker
Title:
CHRISTIAN YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM IN THE MODERN DAY: AN
ANALYSIS OF SELECTED ISSUES
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Krystyna Gorniak-Kocikowska
Department:
Department of Philosophy and Honors College
Year:
2015
Even though the Theory of Evolution has been structured, verified, and accepted by the scientific community
at large, various opposing movements have been showing signs of revitalization, especially in the past few
years. At the forefront of these protests are apologists of Young Earth Creationism (YEC), who suggest that
only their strictly literal interpretations of biblical accounts in Genesis are valid. They believe in a false
dichotomy about the origins of everything from the Universe to life, which must ultimately conform either to
their restricted views of Creation or to naturalistic Atheism. This error, along with Argumentum ab auctoritate
and Argumentum ad populum, construct the backbone of the faulty YEC debate platform riddled with other
subsequent informal fallacies. Even though these tactics are deficient, they could nevertheless be effective
for religious proselytizing. In the age of quick and widespread sharing of information and disinformation alike,
propaganda often becomes more difficult to combat, especially for those in scientific academia who are
confronted by a real dichotomy: either directly engage in this dispute and risk generating fabricated legitimacy
for YEC, or refuse to acknowledge the matter and risk tolerating the indoctrination of a marginalized audience
into believing evident falsehoods. This Thesis endorses the former approach by closely examining the
implications of the so-called “historical science,” which supporters of YEC (Ken Ham in particular) postulate
is another definition of science for phenomena that are unable to be directly observed. This scrutiny delves
into various objections to the idea that “historical science” could co-exist with natural (observational) sciences
because it can only reflect a conviction of God’s existence, which is based on faith alone. While this analysis
may not sway many people, its goal is to begin putting into perspective how YEC apologists would have to
act in order to honestly persuade their target audiences.
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Author:
Renee Leblanc
Title:
ROMANTICIZING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Andrew Smyth
Department:
English Department and Honors College
Year:
2015
Adolescents are at a very vulnerable stage in life. At this age, they are going through tremendous changes—
physically, mentally, socially—often leaving them confused and looking for answers. Many young adults use
novels as an outlet and as a source for knowledge, especially regarding a topic that is embarrassing for them
to discuss with others, such as romantic relationships. Since most of them are not very experienced with
romantic relationships, they’re going to be using the relationships depicted in their novels as models for what
such a relationship should be. Although they are bombarded with endless sources of media that could
influence them, books still stand out as being revered for educational value. If these novels are depicting and
romanticizing abusive relationships, adolescent readers, encouraged by parents, teachers, and friends to
view books as positive forces for enlightenment, could be interpreting this as normative or even ideal. This
creates a danger of their emulating the behaviors of the characters and therefore becoming involved in an
abusive relationship. Analyzing the flaws of intimate partner relationships in various best-selling Young Adult
novels, this thesis reveals how frequently abusive relationships are romanticized among this particular genre.
A feminist perspective informs my thorough analysis of popular Young Adult novels along with case studies
that reveal the prevalence of abusive teen relationships often reflected in these novels. My project promotes
critical thinking and encourages both readers and writers of young adult literature to pursue a path that does
not perpetuate dangerous gender roles or promote abuse.
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Author:
Ashley Ewert
Title:
AN EXAMINATION OF MANIPULATIVE USE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS
Thesis Advisor:
Dr. Adam Goldberg
Department:
Department of Education
Year:
2015
Since ancient times, manipulatives, which are physical objects used to solve mathematical concepts, have
been used in mathematics. Today these learning tools are found in most classrooms to provide students a
hands-on approach to learning abstract concepts. Manipulatives are often concrete; however, with recent
technological advancements, many manipulatives have been created virtually as well. In this study, an
examination of manipulative use in the elementary school classrooms was conducted to survey the types of
manipulatives that are being used. Additionally, the frequency of use, as well as to assess overall teacher,
and student attitudes towards manipulative use were also examined. Results showed that manipulatives
are a beneficial learning tool to use in the classroom, and that most teachers used manipulatives at least 34 times a week when teaching mathematics. It can also be suggested that students benefit from using both
concrete and virtual manipulatives in mathematics instruction. It was found that teachers in grades K-3
were more inclined to use manipulatives in their mathematics instruction; however, though the types of
manipulatives used varied, manipulative use to some extent could still be seen through grade 6. Overall,
teachers felt their students had positive attitudes towards manipulative use and they felt that they provided
students with a hands-on approach to learning mathematical concepts.
Keywords: manipulatives, concrete, virtual, abstract, mathematics, hands-on learning tools
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