Schedule

Subscribe to RSS Feed

2020
Monday, November 30th

An Investigative Study of Combustion and Emissions with Noise and Vibrations of Synthetic Fuels within an Aero-Gas Turbine

Camille Phillips, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing

To combat the addition of harmful jet fuel emissions into the atmosphere, this study analyzed synthetic kerosene fuel IPK through experimentation in a turbojet engine. The combustion, emissions, noise, and vibrations characteristics of the synthetic kerosene fuel was investigated and compared to those of the standard jet fuel, Jet A.

Data Analysis to Evaluate the Performance of Breathing Masks used for Filtering Nano-Level Particles at the Manufacturing Sites

Gracia Dardano Castro, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing

This research evaluates the performance of commercially available breathing masks in filtering airborne nanoparticles at manufacturing sites. Data has been collected and analyzed in order to analyze the behavior of nanoparticles and the effectiveness of filtration methods. Finally, conclusions are drawn for future applications of masks and molecule screening equipment.

Drone Control Surfaces: A Piezoelectric Approach

Nicholas Jenkins, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing

This thesis focuses on drone development from a flight control perspective by using piezoelectric actuators as ailerons. This was tested by simulating a piezoelectric actuator under full, half, and no power, attached to four different airfoils and subjected to three different headwind speeds.

Dynamic Wind Loading Experimentation and Surface Imaging of Pressure Vessel Loadcell Fractures

Austin Sumner, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing

Pressure Vessels are common pieces of equipment in industry used to store large amounts of fluid. Generally, they rest on loadcells. This dual-purposed research experimentally proves the effects of dynamic wind loading on pressure vessel loadcells and explores surface imaging techniques to analyze a fracture within a broken loadcell.

Examination of Gray Iron Flake Graphite and Austenite Growth Interactions During Early Stage Solidification

J. Chandler Liggett, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing

In this research, the early stage growth and solidification mechanisms of grey iron was examined through experimentation via fast quench analysis. Samples were obtained along various solidification stages for metallography and cooling curve analysis which resulted in a better understanding of the leading phase during grey iron solidification.

How the Franks Became Frankish: The Power of Law Codes and the Creation of a People

Bruce Cosby, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

In the late fifth century, the Germanic Franks conquered Gaul and established the foundation of France. But how did they find an identity, a sense of themselves? Through the use and creation of their own legal texts, the Franks were able to find an identity as Christian conquerors and law-givers.

Princess Olga - Eastern Woman through Western Eyes

Lee Ann Hitt, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

Olga ruled as Grand Princess in tenth-century Kievan Rus’ - with 10 pages dedicated to her in the Russian Primary Chronicle - the only woman to have either distinction. Her ancestry is thought to be Varangian (Viking). How does she compare to the Viking women in the west, of the Icelandic Sagas?

Rainbow Stew

Bodie Fox, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

Unemployed and estranged from his partner, Ronnie Babes fills his afternoons writing "Rainbow Stew": a novel that explores the life of Ronald Baker, a desperate man struggling to keep his life together. Through the frame of a novel within a novel, this thesis explores gender roles in the deep south.

Screening Genocide Euphemisms as Terministic Screens in Situations of Genocide

Hannah Conway, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

Euphemisms for genocide function as terministic screens, affecting how perpetrators, victims, and society view events of “genocide” as defined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This thesis provides an analysis framework and typology for categorizing euphemisms for genocide used in ten historical instances.

The Male vs. Female Gaze: How Gender Influences Representation in Filmmaking

Caroline Usry, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

Differences between male and female filmmakers have been analyzed via feminist criticism around the male and female gaze. Renditions of 'The Beguiled' have been used to test if the position and amount of women on the crew affected the gaze of the film and the representation of the women.

Unremitting Resilience: How gender shaped the lives of women during the Holocaust

Savannah Savage-Johnson, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Arts and Humanities

This paper explores the events of the Holocaust from a feminist perspective, examining the specific adaptations made by European women as a means of survival. Regardless of age, ethnicity, or background these women all shared one enduring quality: resilience

A Smile is Worth a Thousand Words: Individual Versus Structural Explanations of Visible Dental Decay Among Undergraduate Students in the United States

Alicia Cumberlander, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

This study compares the nature and determinants of beliefs about the causes of poor oral health outcomes. We collected data on the conceptualization of “good” or “bad” teeth, and a series of factors in explaining why some people have “bad” teeth. Respondents favor individualistic over structuralist reasons for poor oral health outcomes in aggregate.

Age is an attitude, not a number: The change in perceptions of college students about aging.

Jennifer Nelson, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

“Ageism is an untrue assumption that chronological age should be the main determinant of human characteristics and that one age group is better than another” (Cavannaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2015, p. 31). Even though America is currently undergoing population aging, ageism is still experienced by 77% of adults (Novak, 2012). Although there has been an abundance of research on the outcomes of ageism (Burnes, et al., 2019; Kallio & Thomas, 2019, Scott, 2019) not as much attention has been given to strategies to combat ageism. The current study compared qualitative feedback from two groups of college students at the completion of a service learning endeavor. One group of students interacted with frail older adults and the other group interacted with active older adults. Analysis included thematic framework (Lindsay, 2019) of qualitative data to explore group differences on perceptions toward aging between the two groups of students. A discussion of results will be presented in terms of the impact that intergenerational programming may have on ageist attitudes.

Can Marketing Content Strategies help promote Sustainability on Social Media?: Comparing the Effectiveness of Owned versus Earned Endorsement

Eilleen Plante, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

As sustainability becomes more important to consumers, brands will have to adapt to stay competitive. The best way to advertise sustainability through social media has not yet been studied. This project explores different methods of social media promotion in an effort to find the most effective means of advertising sustainability.

Examining Personal and Structural Mental Healthcare Disparities in Transgender Individuals

Aiden Mintah-Jumbo, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

This research examines the mental healthcare barriers that exist for transgender/gender non-conforming individuals versus cisgender individuals in an attempt to further understand the healthcare gap between these distinct populations. These findings will provide new insights to address healthcare barriers and develop clinical programming and educational materials suited to this community.

Nurturing Democracy? Mediating between Women Chief Executives and Voter Turnout

Gabrielle Peterson, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

The increased prevalence of female legislators has been shown to increase voter turnout. Overall, a diverse government will feel more democratic and thus more welcoming of participation. I theorize that this remains true with female candidates in executive elections and female chief executives and that both will increase voter turnout.

Perceptions of the Police in Different Communities

Brittney Kindell, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Over the past few years, the United States has been facing an ethical issue with the police regarding excessive use of force and police brutality. Recently, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more have caused civil unrest in communities across the nation who seek immediate action against officer misconduct. This study investigates how various external factors such as race and geographical location influence a person's perception of the police. Data were collected from 845 participants via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online marketplace and findings reveal that geographic location, more so than race, influence perceptions of the police. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Post-Reunification Services: Resources to Improve Family Unity

Jordan Spires, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Families who are reunified from foster care are at a critical point in terms of continued family unity, and need additional support during this time of transition to prevent future reentry into foster care. Utilizing the perspectives of DFCS caseworkers, suggestions were made as to what services should be offered.

The Culture Gap: The Role of Culture in Successful Refugee Settlement

Chelsea Riley, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

How and to what extent does the difference between the cultures of a refugee and the country they settle in affect refugees' integration? I examine the effect of cultural distance on integration using both quantitative and case-study analysis. I expect that high cultural distance will result in worse integration outcomes.

The Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence and Victim Resources at Georgia Southern University

Elizabeth Lacey, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

This thesis is designed to measure the prevalence of intimate partner violence among young adults in a college setting. Using an anonymous survey, students at Georgia Southern University were asked about their experiences with IPV, as well as their knowledge and perceptions of victim’s services both on and off campus.

The Classroom as a Catalyst for Change: Promoting Anti-Racist Pedagogy through Tolerance in the Elementary Classroom

Madison Setchell, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Education

The purpose of this paper is to examine existing research on anti-racist education; then synthesize that information into strategies that teachers can use to promote anti-racism in their classrooms. The design of this study is to create tolerance-centered lesson plans using the Inquiry Design Model.

Course-Based Research Experiences: Predictors of Student Learning Gains

Sana Omar, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Science and Mathematics

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE’s) allow students to participate in research. In this project we measured increases in analytical skills, content knowledge, and attitudinal measures to determine predictors of student learning gains. We found an increase in analytical skills and content knowledge. Self-efficacy and first-generation status significantly predict learning gains.

Fraud in Non-Profits

Haylee Walker, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Parker College of Business

This study explores the effects that occupational fraud has on non-profit organizations. This study will also examine how non-profit organizations choose to respond to instances of fraud and the reasons behind these choices.

Impact of Sustainability on Investment Returns

Oluwatise Ifidon, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Parker College of Business

Over the years, energy policies and regulations have been created on a nationwide level for the efficient use of energy (UE), renewable energy sources (RES) and related CO2 reductions. Within recent years, a burgeoning number of voices have emphasized the importance of incorporating sustainability into investment portfolio construction. Sustainability is the doctrine of ensuring that short-term actions do not limit the range of long-term economic, social and environmental options. Co-integrating the realities of the present with the possibilities of the future. This leads to the viable questions: Is sustainability a viable measure in portfolio construction? Do sustainable portfolios outperform or underperform conventional portfolios? Policy advances and technological innovations are coming together and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy – a society more productive and less dependent or independent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the creation of goods and services.

An observational analysis is first performed using historical price data from the 1900 Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index (DJSGI) and the S&P 500 returns from 1999- 2000, to show the superior performance of the less carbon-intensive companies in the North American region market, which supplements evidence from existing literature in the market's unfavorable pricing of companies that increase climate change risk. Daily closing prices of all the companies and the benchmark indices (S&P 500) are taken for a twenty-year period of January 1999– December 2019. The results indicate that there is difference in the performance between sustainable portfolio and the traditional conventional indices.

Noise Traders, Fintech, and Equity Market Volatility

Tyler Collins, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Parker College of Business

Since the turn of the century, financial markets have seen unprecedented volatility. This volatility has been exacerbated by two potential drivers: Noise traders and Fintech. By examining historical volatility within US equity markets, evidence is provided to support that the increase in volatility is due to these factors.

Comparison of Laboratory Measures for Estimation of Body Fat Percentage Against Criterion Multi-Compartment Models

Sam Estep, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Waters College of Health Professions

The purpose of this study was to determine the agreement between laboratory measures (i.e., dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and air displacement plethysmography) and criterion multi-compartment models for the purposes of estimating body fat percentage in sixty Division-I collegiate female athletes.

Examining Perceptions and Current Knowledge of Human Trafficking Among Nursing Students and Faculty

Erin Stoner, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

Waters College of Health Professions

Human trafficking is a global problem of pandemic proportions. There is much debate on how to define human trafficking, create a victim profile, implement referral resources after rescue, fund, and criminalize. Further still is the lack of protocol in the clinical setting such as emergency departments, obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatric departments across the United States. Upon review of literature, no studies of human trafficking in nursing curricula have been published. Given this finding in the literature review, a qualitative study to measure current knowledge, perception and potential bias amongst nursing students and faculty was tested in conjunction with this analysis. The findings in the study population parallel the findings in the literature which correlate to the need for more attention and protocol to combat this problem.

Tuesday, December 1st

Un-Affirmative Action: The Persistence of Anti-Black Racism in the Higher Education System of Postcolonial Brazil

Zakiya T. Daniel, Georgia Southern University, Honors Program

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

How does anti-Black racism persist in institutions of higher education in postcolonial societies? Examination of the contemporary Brazilian higher education system reveals the many ways that colonial-era anti-Black racism survives and thrives in postcolonial institutions. Postcolonial Brazil may not be as independent of its colonial predecessors’ values as it seems.