Senior Project/Theses

Students admitted to the University Honors College are required to complete a 6 credit Honors Senior Project or Thesis as part of their honors requirements.  With the help of a faculty mentor in their discipline or disciplines, Honors students design and undertake a method of information gathering or creative presentation or performance that sheds light on the articulated idea, report findings, and draw valid conclusions based on new research or demonstrate their findings through creative presentation.

Projects by 2011-2012 Graduates

Corrinna Bailey, BA English
"Plagiarism as a Social Process"
Faculty Mentor: Jackie Cason

Brian Franklin, BBA Accounting
"Accounting for Airline Frequent Flyer Program Liabilities: Deferred Revenue vs. Incremental Costs"
Faculty Mentors: C. Patrick Fort and Kevin Dow

Amy Gundlach, BA History
"British Foreign Policy and the Spanish Civil War"
Faculty Mentor: William Myers

Kimberley Hewitt, BA English
"Mark Twain and the American West"
Faculty Mentor: Suzanne Forster

Ezekiel Kaufman, BA Justice
"Jury Selection in Alaska: A Qualitative Analysis into Voir Dire in Alaska Rural Courts"
Faculty Mentor: Deborah Periman

Alyssa Logan, BA History
"War and Extermination: How the Conditions of War Allow for Genocide"
Faculty Mentor: William Myers

Mikaela Mulder, BA Psychology
"Gender Differences in Computer Anxiety and Self-Efficacy"
Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman

Brian Quinlan, BS Biological Science
"Dynamics of Gut Microbiota in Arctic Ground Squirrels"
Faculty Mentor: Khrystyne Duddleston

Sheila Sine, BA English
"The Rugged Individual of the American West: A Character Study"
Faculty Mentor: Suzanne Forster

Maxwell Trinen, BA Philosophy
"The Typewriter's Manifesto"
Faculty Mentor: Toby Widdicombe

Alexandra West, MCE Civil Engineering
"Hydro Powered Fish Disposal along the Russian River"
Faculty Mentor: Tom Ravens

Benjamin Woodland, BA International Studies
"The Relationship Between Linguistic Education and Educational Attainment Among Turkish Schoolchildren in Germany"
Faculty Mentor: Natasa Masanovic

Projects by 2010-2011 Graduates

Caitlin Abel, BA Psychology
"The Effect of Dogs on Human Stress Levels"
Faculty Mentor: Gwen Lupfer-Johnson

Tracey Alexander, BA Political Science
"The United States Secret Service: A Political, Apolitical, and Beneficial Dual Mission"
Faculty Mentor: James Muller

Summer Capet, BA Philosophy
"Miss Independent: Women's Identity, Relational Autonomy, and Abortion"
Faculty Mentor: Stephanie Bauer

Kattrina Crouch, BS Biological Sciences
"Changes in Myosin Heavy Chain Proportions in Harp Seal Diaphragm Muscles over the Course of Development"
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Burns

Tirzah Fields, BA Psychology
"The Intergroup Perceptual Dynamics of Alaska Natives and Caucasians"
Faculty Mentor: Robert Boeckmann

Cristina Gaina, BA Economics
"Consumer Credit Attitude: A Study of Consumer Credit Attitudes in the U.S.A., in 2007"
Faculty Mentor: Lance Howe

Mallory Givens, BA History
(1) "Developmental Changes in the Myosin Heavy Chain of Harp Seal Hearts"
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Burns
(2) "The Use of Population Policy to Create the Perfect Race"
Faculty Mentor: William Myers

Ryan Haley, BS Chemistry
"Dynamic Behavior of Gray-Scott Chemical Cells"
Faculty Mentor: Jerzy Maselko

Michaela Hernandez, BA Philosophy
"Is there a Place for Sharia Law in Western Societies?"
Faculty Mentor: Raymond Anthony & William Jamison

Amanda Hesser, BA Psychology
"Parental Correlates of College Drinking and Attitudes Toward Alcohol of Alaska College Students"
Faculty Mentor: Robert Boeckmann

Shane Rall, BS Biological Sciences
"The Effect of Behavior, Age, and Sex on Myoglobin Concentrations in Alaskan Sea Otters"
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Burns

Amber Sawyer, BA Political Science
"Is Gender an Issue in American Politics?"
Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Pace

Kristen Vandagriff, BA Political Science
"Social Networking Media: The Evolution of College Youth Movements"
Faculty Mentor: April Susky & Kimberly Pace

Projects by 2009-2010 Graduates

Brandon Amico, BA Economics
"Gulliver's New Travels"
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Haycox

Alex Bonnecaze, BS Biological Sciences
"The Effects of BCAAS on Protein and DNA Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle Cells: A Cell Culture Model"
Faculty Mentor: Timothy Hinterberger

Clare Bryant, BA History
"Opium's Social Evolution During the Ming and Qing Dynasties"
Faculty Mentors: Steve Haycox & Paul Dunscomb

Rhea Cardwell, BA Political Science & English
"Henry Clay and the Tool of Compromise in Politics"
Faculty Mentor: James Muller

Carly Craig, BS Biological Sciences
"Testing the Role of ISWI in Xenopus Laevis Development with a Dominant Negative ISWI Mutant"
Faculty Mentor: Jocelyn Krebs

Janelle Cummings, BS Biological Sciences
"Mechanisms of Activity of Chemicals and Drugs Used in Physician-Assisted Suicide and Executions"
Faculty Mentor: Quentin Reuer

Eric Davis, BA Economics
"Do Family Medicine Doctors per Capita Affect Health Care Expenditure?"
Faculty Mentors: Lance Howe & Scott Goldsmith

Adrienne Eberhardt, BA Theatre
"Class Conflict in 18th Century England"
Faculty Mentor: Frances Lautenberger

Amy Ellerbe, BA Psychology
"The Smell of Success: Using Odor as a Sensory Cue for the Graduate Record Exam"
Faculty Mentors: Claudia Lampman & Robert Madigan

Amanda Fitzgerald, BS Biological Sciences
"Examining the role of Williams Syndrome Transcription Factor in the regulation of early neural development genes in Xenopus laevis"
Faculty Mentor: Jocelyn Krebs

Christie Flanagan, BA Psychology
"Effects of Fixed and Variable Schedules of Reinforcement on Within-Session Decreases of Response Rates and Food Consumptions in Dwarf Hamsters"
Faculty Mentor: Gwen Lupfer-Johnson

Deana Glick, BS Biological Sciences
"The Effects of Benzene and Its Metabolites on Epithelial Lung Cells"
Faculty Mentor: Cindy Knall

Larissa Harcacz, BS Biological Sciences
"Living with an Autoimmune Disease: The Viewpoints of Patients and Providers"
Faculty Mentor: Rhonda Johnson

Russell Hayes, BA English & Philosophy
"John Clare's Journey Out of Essex: The Epitome of Romantic Escapism"
Faculty Mentor: Clay Nunnaly

Joel Herbert, BA International Studies & History
"War and the Evolution of Britishness"
Faculty Mentor: William Myers

Summer Johnson, BA Philosophy
"The Fruits of Autonomy: How Liberal Feminism has Misled Women about Abortion"
Faculty Mentor: Stephanie Bauer

Erin Kelly, BA Journalism & Languages
"The Message Effectiveness of Tobacco Counter-Marketing"
Faculty Mentor: Fred Pearce

Katherine Kubitskey, BA English
"Adaption of Alaska Native Oral Traditions through Multimedia Technology"
Faculty Mentor: Jacqueline Cason

Brenna Mahoney, BS Biological Sciences
"Heavy Metal and Organochloride Contamination Analysis of Aleutian Island Seabirds"
Faculty Mentor: Douglas Causey

Carlene Miller, BS Biological Sciences
"Histology of Beaked Whale Stomach Tissue"
Facutly Mentor: David Pfeiffer

Shasta Miller, BS Physical Education
"Don't Throw the Remote! An investigation and analysis of the effects of movement software in physical rehabilitation"
Faculty Mentor: Michael Chriss

Brittany Murrell, BA Psychology
"Examining Resiliency Factors and Depression in Active-Duty Army Spouses: A Positive Psychological Approach"
Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman

Meredith Overstreet, BA International Studies
"How the business practices established by the De Beers cartel in their pursuit of a global diamond monopoly have adversely impacted the human rights of peoples in diamondiferous African nations"
Faculty Mentor: Dalee Dorough

Sara Swimeley, BA Economics
"Does the Ability to Alienate ANCSA Corporation Shares Increase Firm Performance?"
Faculty Mentor: Oliver Goldsmith

Tina Thi Tran, BS Biological Sciences
"Expression of Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and Gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GNIH) in photoperiod responsive and non-responsive morphs of Northern red-backed vole"
Faculty Mentor: Ian van Tets

Tabitha Waller, BS Nursing & BA Languages
"Implicit Attitudes about Weight: A Study Comparing Nursing and Psychology Students"
Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman

Michael Wight, BBA Management & Marketing
"Netflix Strategic Case and Analysis"
Faculty Mentor: Rashmi Prasad

Franklin Woitel, BS Biological Sciences
"Diet of Juvenile Pacific Halibut in Cook Inlet, Alaska Following the Closure of Several Commercial Crustacean Fisheries"
Faculty Mentors: Sarah Gerken & Stewart Grant

Projects by 2008-2009 Graduates

Kyle Berghorn, BS Natural Sciences
"An International Comparison of Healthcare Systems"
Faculty Mentor: Quentin Reuer

Nancy Bishop, BS Biological Sciences
"Myoglobin Concentrations and Acid Buffering Ability in Seal Cardiac Tissue"
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Burns

Brit DelMoral, BA Sociology
"An Exploration of Experiences and Outcomes of Alaska Native Graduates of Mt. Edgecumbe High School"
Faculty Mentor: Diane Hirshberg

Lindsey Heiserman, BBA Management & Marketing
"A Nation in Crisis: An Examination of College Students' Beliefs about Gender Stereotypes and Characteristics and Successful Financial Managers"
Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman

Lesley Lepley, BA English
"Sources of Interpellation within Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go and DeLillo's Falling Man: Comparing Two Unlikely Likely Characters"
Faculty Mentor: Suzanne Forster

Candace Lewis, BA Psychology
"Effects of Fixed-Interval Schedule Length and Predator Odor on Operant Responding in Dwarf Hamsters"
Faculty Mentor: Gwen Luper-Johnson

Heather McIntyre, BA Elementary Education
"Global Diversity: Using Four Perspectives to Build Empathetic Global Citizens in the Anchorage School District"
Faculty Mentor: Timothy Jester

Cody Rall, BS Biological Sciences
"Copper Homeostasis: Histone Modifications of the CUP1 Locus"
Faculty Mentor: Jocelyn Krebs

Kelcie Ralph, BA Economics
"Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Anchorage: A Baseline Study"
Faculty Mentor: James Murphy

Severin Randall, BA Philosophy
"Wrongful Life Actions: An Ethical Consideration"
Faculty Mentor: Tom Buller

Kyra Sherwood, BA English
"Moonstruck"
Faculty Mentor: Jeane Breinig

Marcus Welker, BS Natural Sciences
"The Politics of Climate Change: A Comparative Study of Local Community Responses"
Faculty Mentor: Mara Kimmel

Projects by 2007-2008 Graduates

Steven Amundson, BA Justice "Political Commitments of Alaskan Voters: Understanding the Alaskan Electorate" Faculty Mentor: Raymond Anthony

Amy Anderson, BA Psychology "How Well is the University of Alaska Anchorage Psychology Program Preparing Students for Employment in Social and Human Service Careers? Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman Luke Bartholomew, BA Theatre "The Theater of War: A Study of Iraq, Joseph Heller, and We Bombed in New Haven" Faculty Mentor: Tom Skore

Jeanette Gabryszak, BS Biological Sciences "Analyzing HBV Subtype F through PCR and DNA Sequencing" Faculty Mentor: Carol Jones

Mindy Graham, BS Chemistry "Panton-Valentine leukocidin expression in community associated methicillin resistant Staphyloccocus aureus from rural Alaska" Faculty Mentors: John Kennish and Karen Rudolph

Priscilla Guyer, BA Justice "The Importance of a Well Rounded Lifestyle for Today's Youth: A look at why Youth Use Substance and Engage in Delinquent Behaviors" Faculty Mentors: Andre Rosay and Sharon Chamard

Umair Iqbal, BS Biological Sciences "Direct Evidence of Selection in Mitochondrial DNA of Common Murre, Uria aalge" Faculty Mentor: Sergei Drovetski

Angela Janssen, BA Justice "Anchorage's Children's Theatres: Potential and Importance in Society" Faculty Mentor: David Edgecombe

Brittany Kennard, BS Psychology "Feelings about a general education requirement requirement course: Investigating the relationship between hardiness, deriving meaning, and stress.  Faculty Mentor: Claudia Lampman

Jared Kettler, BBA Management Marketing and BS Aviation Technology "Entrepreneurship in Aviation" Faculty Mentor: Mark Madden

Carlene Miller, BS Biological Sciences "Histology of Beaked Whale (genus Berardius) Stomach Tissue" Faculty Mentor: Dave Pfeiffer

Cena Moody, BA Languages - Japanese "Shakespeare in Japan" Faculty Mentor: Tom Skore

Elizabeth Percak-Dennett, BS Geological Sciences "Correlation and Enumeration of Water and Sediment Fecal Coliform Levels from Selected Sights within the Little Campbell Creek Watershed, Anchorage Alaska" Faculty Mentors:  LeeAnn Munk and Khrys Duddleston

Nataliya Udovyk, BA Economics "Russian Far East - American Trade 1910-1930 The Influence of the Political System on the Amount fo Commerce Conducted between the Native People of Northeast Russia and American Private Individuals" Faculty Mentor: Lee Huskey

Michelle Webb, BA Theatre "Into the Lion's Cage: A Study of Historical Context and Character Analysis for Zinaida in He Who Gets Slapped" Faculty Mentors: David Edgecombe and Tom Skore

Sierra Williams, BA Psychology and BA Languages - Spanish "Sexualization Across Cultures: A Comparison of the Sexual Content in Latino and American Popular Television" Faculty Mentors: Claudia Lampman and Francisco Miranda

Miranda Zindel Strong, BA Philosophy "Autonomy, Guardianship, and Disability" Faculty Mentor: Terry Kelly

 

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