10 minute read
2023–24 Theses Defended
Fall 2023
Janna Abou-Rahma, Biochemistry
“Mechanism of Action of Antifungal Peptoids”
Kevin Bicker, thesis director
Emily Bigler, Political Science/Spanish
“Tennessee’s Shortcomings in Teaching Our Children to Protect Themselves and Their Peers Against Sex Trafficking”
John Maynor, thesis director
Andrew Bonner, Professional Pilot
“Pilot Training Videos Enhance Student Pilot Training: A Diamond DA-40 Student Pilot Flight Maneuvers Interactive Video Series"
Wendy Beckman, thesis director
Halle Brandt, Psychology
“Assessing the Predictive Validity of the Short Form Vaping Consequences Questionnaire: Positive Reinforcement Subscale”
James Tate, thesis director
Catherine Bright, Dance
“The Shower Piece, A Study of Differing Perceptions: An Integration of Dance Movement from Stage to Screen”
Jade Treadwell, thesis director
Terri Bush, Commercial Songwriting
“Sing With Me: An Analysis and Live Performance of Songs that Facilitate Audience Participation”
Bess Rogers, thesis director
Emilie Conners, Marketing
“The Body Positivity Movement: Bettering College Women’s Body Image and Health”
Lucy Matthews, thesis director
Katherine Craven, International Relations
“Leda’s Lament: A Musical Adaptation of Sexual Assault Themes with Greek Mythological Origin Arranged for Flute Choir”
Deanna Little, thesis director
Helen Daniel, Video and Film Production (Live Production)
“The Production Process: A Behindthe-Scenes Look into the Live Video Production Industry”
Robert Gordon, thesis director
Jillian DeGrie, Studio Art
“Breaking the Stigma around Autism: an Interactive Art Exhibition”
Sisavanh Houghton, thesis director
Samuel Dolinger, Mathematics
“Student understanding of the limit definition of a derivative”
Jeremy Strayer, thesis director
Carter Elliott, Commercial Songwriting
“That’s Why I’m Here: James Taylor’s Lyrical Innovations”
Trevor de Clercq, thesis director
Marissa Farabee, History
“Fractured Images: A Collection of Poetry Exploring Neurodivergent Women and Intimate Partner Violence”
Bryanna Licciardi, thesis director
Matthew Ferguson, Video and Film Production
“Captivated: A Glimpse at the Hero’s Journey”
Leland Gregory, thesis director
Sydney Fischer, Political Science
“Statistical Analysis of the Relationship Between Literacy Programs and Third-Grade ELA State Assessment Scores in Tennessee”
Steven Sprick Schuster, thesis director
Aaron Gatewood, Biology
“Exploring Scavenging Behavior of Bobcats, Lynx rufus, in Middle Tennessee and its Forensic Implications”
Yangseung Jeong, thesis director
Alexander Hamilton, Organizational Communication
“Investigating How New College Students Make Sense of Their Communication with Individuals from Different Co-cultural Groups and How These Experiences Shape Their Identity”
Elizabeth Dalton, thesis director
Priscilla Hammermeister, Management
“Financial Success Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Survey-Based Evidence”
Tom Brinthaupt, thesis director
Gina Ibrahim, Political Science
“He Said, She Said: Søren Kierkegaard and Simone De Beauvoir’s Divergence on Existentialism and Feminism’s Role in Abortion”
Robb McDaniel, thesis director
Matthew Johnson, Biochemistry
“Synthesis and Characterization of Antifungal Peptoid Dendrimers”
Kevin Bicker, thesis director
Gracie Johnson, Biology
“10 Reasons for Pre-medical Students to Consider an Internship”
Dianna Rust, thesis director
Jordan Latham, Animal Science/Biology
“The Effect of Isolation on Rats’ Preference for Social Scents”
Jay Hinnenkamp, thesis director
Audrey Lauerhass, Anthropology/Forensic Science
“Examining the Utility of Spatial Analysis of Artifact Distribution at a World War II Aircraft Crash Site”
Tiffany Saul, thesis director
Brian Maxwell, Video and Film Production
“More Than a Memory: A Study of Artistic License in Screenwriting”
Leland Gregory, thesis director
Dalton Miksa, Audio Production
“Probability-based Approaches to Modern Music Composition and Production”
Joseph Akins, thesis director
Jacob Moore, Interactive Media
“Rise, Fallen Empire!: Exploring the Possibilities of Narrative Storytelling in Video Games”
Eric Detweiler, thesis director
Nicolas Morgan, Biochemistry/Psychology
“Behavioral Manifestations of Altering Critical Components of Neuromuscular Transduction”
Kiel Ormerod, thesis director
Serena Vasudeva, Journalism
“Using a Podcast to Raise Awareness for Issues within the Foster System and Lift the Voices of Ex-Foster Youth”
Leon Alligood, thesis director
Cai Ward, Management and Leadership
“The Interplay of Stereotypes and Emotional Intelligence Around Men and Women”
David Foote, thesis director
Eli Ward, Nursing/Religious Studies
“Communicated Commemorabilia: A Creative Project Exploring Christian Recovery”
Rebekka King, thesis director
Hannah Weiss, Commercial Songwriting/German
“Thesis Title: A Study in Scarlet: A Survey of Sexism and Classism Through the Eyes of Rose Dawson in James Cameron’s Titanic”
Christopher Weedman, thesis director
Lily Woods, Finance
“Utilizing Sensory Marketing to Enhance Client-Financial Advisor Relationships”
Lucy Matthews, thesis director
Spring 2024
Samuel Baldwin, Audio Production
“The Whole Word’s a Stage: An Experimentation of AoIP and Remote Collaboration”
Michael Hanson, thesis director
Mekalah Bannister, Economics
“Identifying Components of a Hypothetical Assessment of Digital Literacy for Tennessee Students”
Stacy Fields, thesis director
James Barnes, Geosciences
“Geology and Petrology of Core Samples Taken from The Boyd Mine of The Ducktown Mining District in East Tennessee”
Warner Cribb, thesis director
Gabriel Barton, Biochemistry
“Growing Local Freshwater Sponge Gemmules to Adulthood for Preliminary Utilization as Gray Water Filters”
Cole Easson, thesis director
Victoria Bascou, Forensic Science/Dance
“Investigation of Water Effect on Ignitable Liquid Residue Analysis by Coupling Solid-Phase Microextraction with Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry”
Mengliang Zhang, thesis director
Drew Bray, Mechatronics Engineering/Professional Physics
“Crystal Cell Solid-State Batteries: Testing and Variations”
Ronald Henderson, thesis director
Isabella Byars, Studio Art
“Hookup Culture in the Modern Society: A Creative Exploration of Its Effects”
Tony Rodriguez, thesis director
Elliot Certain, Social Work
“I Am Your Constituency: Voices and Perspectives of LGBTQ+ Tennesseans on Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation”
Roberta Chevrette, thesis director
Anna Collins, Agribusiness
“The Ordinary Price of Zero”
Justin Gardner, thesis director
Elishaday Kassa, Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship
“Effects of Growing Up Throughout Childhood in a Multicultural Environment Amongst Young Adults”
Tom Brinthaupt, thesis director
Tara Kirkpatrick, Psychology
“Assessing the Relationship Between Religious Beliefs and Death Anxiety: An Explorative Study”
James Houston, thesis director
Aaralyn Ledridge, Anthropology
“Challenging the Western Lens: Female Genital Cutting and the Complex Intersection of Human Rights and Cultural Meaning”
Ida Leggett, thesis director
Isabelle Legrain, Environmental Science
“The Capacity of Conservation and Regenerative Organic Agriculture to Positively Influence Soil Bulk Density, Soil Organic Carbon, Total Nitrogen and Microbiology”
Samuel Haruna, thesis director
Kalub Levinson, Leisure and Sport Management
“Interpersonal Coaching Styles’ Effect on an Athlete’s Motivation”
Steven Estes, thesis director
Emma Lloyd, Forensic Science
“The Use of Isotopes by Forensic Anthropologists and Archaeologists for the Analysis of Human Remains: An Exploratory Study”
Tiffany Saul, thesis director
Erika Marcrum, Industrial-Organizational Psychology
“Integrity, Personality, and Grit: Can Written Tests Predict Behavior?”
Mark Frame, thesis director
Mikayla Massey, Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship
“The Educational and Personal Impact of a Study Abroad Course”
Ray Wiley, thesis director
Connor Mosburg, Psychology
“The Use of Humor to Alleviate Acute Stress in Undergraduate Adults”
James Loveless, thesis director
Zoe Naylor, Journalism/French and Francophone Studies
“Exploring the Value of Professors’ Investment in Personal Connections with Students”
Christine Eschenfelder, thesis director
Keira Pfefferkorn, Biology
“A Progressive Genetic Approach to Enable The Economical Utilization of Lignocellulosic Hydrolysates for Bioethanol Production”
Elliot Altman, thesis director
Leah Piccirillo, Music Performance
“Oboe Reed-Making: An Analysis and Discussion of Current Practice, Limitations, and Technology Associated with Mass Production”
Keith Sorrels, thesis director
Brianna Raines, English
“McQuiston and Quindlen: The Characterization of Lesbian Relationships in Young Adult Novels in the South”
Jennifer Marchant, thesis director
Adriana Ramirez Speis, Political Science
“Unsparingly: A Podcast Exploring the Mental Health of Medical Professionals Working in an Acute Care Setting Before, During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic”
Ciera Schoonover, thesis director
Kera Reynolds, English
“A Look at University Social Connections and Its Impact on At-Risk First Year Students Residing in MTSU Housing and Residential Life”
Amy Korstange, thesis director
Justin Ritter, Psychology
“Social Media and Self-Talk: Exploring Self-Talk Related Motives for Social Media Use and Links Between Social Media Usage and Self-Talk Frequency”
Tom Brinthaupt, thesis director
Matthew Siciliano, Political Science
“A History of Gerrymandering: Effects, Issues, and Solutions”
David Trowbridge, thesis director
McKenzie “Max” Thomas, Visual Arts
“Toward Eternity: An Artistic Exploration of Death and the Fear of Dying”
Erin Anfinson, thesis director
Morgan von Doehren, Music Industry/Audio Production
“Time is Ticking, Expressing Grief through Time: Exploring the Production and Creative Techniques for a Composition for Flute and Electronics”
Deanna Little, thesis director
Jackson Wade, Mechatronics Engineering
“RC You Later: Development of a Remote-Controlled Hovercraft with First-Person View Capabilities”
Elissa Ledoux, thesis director
Brielle Walmsley, Flight Dispatch/Aviation Management
“Examining the Impact of Flight Training Prior to Enrollment in a Collegiate Part 141 Program”
Tyler Babb, thesis director
Briley Welch, English
“The Spectrum of the Human Condition: A Character Analysis of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series”
Jennifer Marchant, thesis director
