This thesis examines the multi-faceted threat Iran poses to the stability of the Middle Eastern region, to U.S. geopolitical interests and to the furthering of democratic principles from a realist perspective. Iran’s failure to negotiate a nuclear accord in good faith coupled with its continued militant role in regional affairs...
The Scab Sheet is a student activist publication at OSU. Originally published in 1969-1970, a group of students revived it in 2017 after a near 50-year gap. The fact that students deliberately resurrected this important and storied student publication suggests that students still believe this particular name and outlet have...
Microfinance boomed as a development trend in the early 2000s as it was appealing to varying political perspectives and was also seen as a major innovation in poverty reduction policy. Starting with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh in 1976, microfinance spread to Latin America in the 1980s, and later to...
Drought represents an import part of natural hydrologic cycles that govern the rate and transportation of water on global and regional scales. (Trenberth, et al. 2015) Agriculturally, drought represents a threat to crop production and can endanger political and economic stability through the loss of resources and the threat of...
Shows, books, and media are constantly negotiating power with their fans. Who decides what is canon? To whom does the story belong?? The answer has traditionally been in favor of producers. However, in the age of the internet, fans now hold considerably more power than they ever have before, and...
The SpiderHarp is a bio-inspired electronic musical instrument that uses a localization algorithm developed at Oregon State University to translate plucks of its strings into musical notes. This localization algorithm was inspired by the way spiders locate prey in their webs. The SpiderHarp frame, sensors, and web design are also...
This analysis seeks to (1) establish a typology of the post-medieval ceramics from the Malkin Tower site, (2) determine vessel forms and extrapolate site function, and (3) establish a tentative chronology for the site. Over four hundred post-medieval ceramic artifacts from the Malkin Tower site were analysed via descriptive and...
A recipe as a piece of text can tell a variety of stories as well as any other. Using a feminist rhetorical analysis, I read my grandmother’s personal recipe journal to show that her writings contain valuable information about women’s lives in twentieth century Poland. Through the close examination of...
Stasis theory has long stood as a foundational pillar of Western rhetoric. It is an integral component of the canon of invention, and has been in existence since the times of ancient Greek scholars. However, it is currently facing a substantive challenge to its efficacy and its very existence. This...
The United States of America is founded upon immigration, and Germans are one of the first European ethnic groups to settle en masse in North America. The common narrative of immigration is that of the “melting pot”; characterized by assimilation of cultures into one ‘super’ culture. German immigration has often...
This investigation examines The Jetsons’ vision of the future and tracks to what extent the content of the show is relevant to the modern era, both technologically and socially. Much of the dazzling technology in the show feels familiar, and most of it is either already available or is in...
The fungal pathogen Cochliobolus victoriae, the causal agent of Victoria blight, produces a host-selective pathogenicity factor called victorin. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a dominant gene called "supersense" (SSN) confers constitutive victorin sensitivity at very low concentrations. SSN encodes a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich-repeat (NB-LRR) protein. In the SSN-carrying Heiligkreuztal 2 ecotype (TAIR Germplasm...
Rather than focus intently on the text and its infrastructure, academics treat literature as an ossuary for theoretical machinations and thus relegate art to serve as a vehicle for erudite discourse. This thesis hopes to offer a counter by underscoring the ways in which texts subvert extra-textual applications. In disavowing...
Background: Training and quality assurance (QA) are important to high fidelity program implementation in practice settings but are rarely the focus of translation research. Thus, it is important to conduct studies that specifically address training and QA.
Methods: Using the maximum variation case study method, we examined training and QA...
Drone strikes have become a defining strategy in the US War on Terror. Since the first combat drone strike in 2001, the executive branch has intentionally increased the deployment of drones for counterterrorism operations throughout the Middle East and North Africa. This thesis explores the moral and legal justifications for...
In this piece of original work, I employ a Kunderian approach to fiction. The purpose of my novel is to examine how the causative element, a pivotal moment of change for a cast of characters, changes spatially and temporally. In Posthumously Yours, I explore themes of trauma, loss, and grief...
Not many people in Russia have been able to successfully create an opposition movement under the presidency of Vladimir Putin. Opposition is already hard in any country, but things are especially difficult in Russia. Putin has made protest regulations, stifled the independent media, and excessively utilized selective rule by law....
The purpose of this thesis is to provide an overview of the use of solitary confinement and related techniques of isolation in juvenile correctional facilities in the United States. Given that scholars, correctional employees, incarcerated youth, and activists define solitary confinement in varied ways, this thesis attempts to synthesize those...
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, and causes many cultural, environmental, and economic problems. In this thesis, I explore ethics in the field of tourism studies, and identify three ethical models used to discuss ethics in tourism, which are: business ethics, alternative tourism, and philosophical ethics....
Previous research has shown that gender stereotypes are present in advertisements and in popular culture items. We conducted a content analysis of Halloween costumes to examine the presence of gender stereotypes in the poses of the models, weapons, and costume role (e.g. hero, counter authority, mythical creature, royalty). A sample...
In October, 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump released a document titled “Contract with the American Voter.” This document promised, among many things, that within his first 100 days of his potential presidency, he would repeal and replace Obamacare. When he was unable to fulfill that promise, he employed rhetorical tactics...
On January 21, 2017, the United States bore witness to the largest single-day demonstration in history—the Women’s March. This mixed methods study uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative data in an attempt to predict participation in this infamous protest. I divulge the ways in which the 2017 Women’s March...
The value of the student experience beyond just the academic classroom setting has been well established by a number of scholars in the higher education field. In more recent years the literature has intentionally expanded beyond the “typical” student demographics in order to examine the unique aspects, challenges, and needs...
The opioid epidemic in the U.S. has had significant impacts on opioid overdose rates, productivity, and healthcare expenditure. Research has drawn attention to the necessity of a more integrated, biopsychosocial approach to treatment of chronic pain, and how it could alleviate the current public health emergency. Previous literature alluded to...
I defend robust realism from arguments that raise epistemological challenges to it based on considerations about either moral disagreement or the genealogy of our moral beliefs. The first argument is the “Argument from Conciliationism,” which contends that the moral disagreements that obtain between moral peers give us reason to believe...
The purpose of this project was to investigate the roles of different languages (namely Guaraní, Jopará, and Spanish) in the formation of Paraguayan cultural identity among Paraguayan migrants to the greater Buenos Aires region of Argentina. Though the Paraguayan community makes up the largest immigrant population in Argentina, outside of...
The purpose of my thesis is to recognize the social injustice that existed in France 20 years ago and continues to result in social dysfunction today. I have used the film La Haine (dir. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995) to examine past events in France’s history and have compared them to more...
The purpose of this qualitative research study is to address the disconnect in high school classrooms between traditionally taught, canonical texts and the increasingly diverse population of students reading them through the framework of culturally responsive teaching (Ladson-Billings, 1994; Gay, 2010). Open-ended interviews were utilized to document the teaching practices...
Nuclear energy is very efficient and cost-effective, but the stigma attached to it hinders its expansion around the world. However, with rising concerns over climate change and the fact that nuclear energy effectively has zero greenhouse gas emissions, there is an opportunity for nuclear to be more acceptable as a...
This paper details the development and pre-testing of a questionnaire designed for assessing the user experience of a View-Master virtual reality headset, and discusses the theory in the field of user experience used to carry out that effort. A group of eight researchers drafted the questionnaire collectively, with the intent...
This paper details the development and pre-testing of a questionnaire designed for assessing the user experience of a View-Master virtual reality headset, and discusses the theory in the field of user experience used to carry out that effort. A group of eight researchers drafted the questionnaire collectively, with the intent...
The advancement of the US energy grid is a necessary task to undertake as renewable energies like wind and solar power become more and more prevalent in our energy sector. However, due to uncontrollable factors such as wind speed and cloud cover, the intermittence of these energy sources continues to...
Many people around the world suffer from a mental illness, and too few receive the help they need. Mental illness is especially prevalent among the homeless. Homelessness is represented in all ages, ethnicities, and genders, and is especially represented among first world countries such as the United States and Spain....
The extensive adoption of social media has provoked widespread debate about how
online communication impacts social relationships. An apparent paradox of Facebook
is that people simultaneously express feeling more and less connected than ever
before. Through perspectives from psychology and communication studies, this thesis
addresses a question of public concern:...
According to the United Nations, Iran has one of the highest percentages of drug addicts in the world, with anywhere between three and four million addicts addicted to heroin or crystal meth in a population of 80 million. At least 700,000 of these addicts are women, whom make up ten...
The purpose of this study was to examine pregnant Puerto Rican women’s perspectives on the Zika virus threat. Using data collected from open-ended, semi-structured interviews and observational field notes, we aimed to understand the degree to which Zika contributes to maternal stress. How concerned are pregnant women in Puerto Rico...
Anammox (Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation) is a significant biogeochemical process carried out by certain bacteria, generally referred to as anammox bacteria. These bacteria have the ability to anaerobically oxidize ammonium (NH4+) with nitrite (NO2-) to form nitrogen gas (N2) without an organic carbon source. While anammox bacteria are found in a...
The purpose of this meta-synthesis was to investigate why students from the U.S. receive the scores they do on the international TIMSS and PISA science exams. This work sought to shed light on the perceived disparity between science performance of U.S. students and students from other countries. To do so,...
This paper critically examines the notion of citizenship and how its construction has evolved over time. As the world becomes increasingly more globalized and connected, it becomes even more important to consider forms of citizenship that are transnational and move beyond the traditional borders of the nation-state. This is especially...
Director David Fincher’s films contain many distinct elements that set his work apart, but one of the most instantly recognizable elements is his visual style – specifically, his camerawork. The level of control and purposefulness that Fincher exhibits in his films qualify Fincher as the auteur, or “author,” of his...
This collection of creative nonfiction essays seeks to examine my expanding consciousness and the people and experiences that have contributed to it. The first essay juxtaposes competitive running and dancing, the second considers how food choices challenge relationships, the third unpacks an implausible friendship while paralleling an Audre Lorde essay,...
Oregon Ballot Measure 97 is a contentious measure on the Oregon 2016 ballot that seeks
to raise taxes on corporations with sales over 25 million dollars within the state of
Oregon. Predictably, there has been a considerable amount of dialogue with the public as
well as lobbying among elites to...
The Other Side of Marin investigates how the lack of communication between family members can lead to potentially devastating consequences. The novella, set in the 1970s in Northern California, is told from the points of view of Lucy, a middle-aged mother of four, and her teenage son, who for his...
Though currently relatively unknown outside Latin America, Andean root and tuber crops are rapidly gaining interest elsewhere. Tubers are a major food and important sources of nutrition in South America and have potential in countries outside their center of origin. We conducted a two-part study on oca (Oxalis tuberosa), mashua...
The consumption of alcohol has been shown to have effects on health that are both harmful and
therapeutic, depending on the amount that is consumed. Alcohol’s effects can be damaging to the body in excess but, in moderation, can act as a protectant against certain conditions. The two studies discussed...
The rate of physician dissatisfaction is steadily rising. Between 2011 and 2012, the number of physicians that would not choose a career in medicine if given the opportunity to decide again increased by 15% (Adams). This discontentment has major repercussions in the midst of the rising need for physicians: it...
Previous research has shown significant improvements in standard measurements of student learning in traditional classroom settings when constructivist instruction techniques are skillfully applied as opposed to its traditional counterpart, direct instruction. The purpose of this study is to apply the concept of constructivism in musical instruction. The working hypothesis is...
In the United States, the state of housing and the lack thereof has been
declared a national crisis. In response, cities have taken measures to police behaviors
that are associated with what they perceive to be disorder and decay. These behaviors
are also commonly associated with houselessness. Laws that criminalize...
When analyzing foreign policy, a significant question arises. How do nations make decisions about foreign engagement and neutrality? Understanding what factors and influences shape foreign policy decisions is often a difficult task as the motivation for action is never clear or absolute. This work will analyze whether or not the...
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly used in winemaking, baking, and brewing, also serves as a host for the production of therapeutically valuable pharmaceuticals. Recently, the Bakalinsky laboratory constructed a recombinant yeast strain expressing two zebrafish (Danio rerio) genes in order to produce a UV-protective “sunscreen” compound called gadusol. An antioxidant...
The Channel Islands were the only part of the United Kingdom occupied by Germany during World War II. The Occupation began on June 30, 1940 and ended almost five years later on May 9, 1945. The Occupation is divided into four phases: pre-invasion, invasion, occupation and isolation, and liberation. The...
Autobiography is usually categorized with essays and other technical writings, and rarely considered creative or artistic literature in the public eye. This project explores the elements of autobiography and two authors who break the barriers of conventional practices to create works that also function as creative and artistic literature. Maya...
In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the number of English Language Learners (ELL) in the United States. According to the Education Commission of the States, ELLs have significantly lower achievement levels than their non-ELL peers. Further, numerous research studies report that teacher education programs lack ELL...
When one looks back on fifth-century Athens, one political figure stands out: Pericles. He is famous for many things but mostly the idealized version of him that one reads about in Thucydides. However, what most people do not know is that there was a counter-narrative to this well known account—the...
Although Latino students make up more than a quarter of the U.S. public school system, only three percent of children’s literature either features a Latino protagonist or is written by a Latino author (Machado et al.). Latinos are therefore severely underrepresented in children’s books. Additionally, studies have revealed that Latino...
The liberal arts have always struggled to find their place in the technically oriented land-grant university. Land-grant universities were tasked by the 1862 Morrill Act with providing both a practical and liberal education for all students. The liberal arts, however, were quickly sidelined from this dual purpose with the increasing...
Conceivably one of the most recognizable names in written history, Plutarch
has long been lauded as an invaluable historical resource. A Greek living under
Roman rule in the first and second centuries, Plutarch exhibited an insatiable
curiosity, one which led him to dabble in philosophy, education, the priesthood, and
perhaps...
The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between popular news media sources and individual perceptions of media credibility. Findings in this research show that there is a relationship between media credibility, media habits, and media trust, which affects the choice of media that an individual determines is...
Current human – ocean relationships are dominated by unsustainable extraction of marine resources having both ecological and socio-economic consequences. Sustainable fishery management utilizing stakeholder collaboration must become a proactive strategy to prevent or reduce further long-lasting impacts. In Oregon, USA, a newly developing fishery for gooseneck barnacle (Pollicipes polymerus) presents...
Dead or Less Himself is a novel concerning creative impotence and the ways in
which people become repressed and stagnate through expectation, isolation, and over-analyzing. The novel takes place across high school to chart the ways the characters
change or refuse to change as they “grow up.” The novel is...
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and the fourth most common cancer overall, causing an estimated 307,000 deaths in 2012. Prostate cancer is distinct from other cancers in that there are numerous treatment options, yet very few guarantees in relation to outcome. The most common treatments...
This study compared and analyzed the practice of pediatricians in Salem Pediatric Clinic, Salem, OR, USA with physicians in Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutierrez, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina in the treatment of acute otitis media in children. It was found that Argentine and USA practices for treatment of...
The creative writing portfolio Fewer Mice includes 53 “Liners” (comedic one-liners), four untitled prose poems, two flash-length stories (“Cleanup” and “Battle Creek”), and two short stories (“Pipes” and “Tulips”). The purpose of this portfolio was to explore the craft of writing and determine which techniques are specifically and personally beneficial...
The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that offers science-based information about pesticides and related topics to the general public, medical personnel, applicators, researchers, and regulators. The Herbicide Properties Tool project is the creation of an updated...
Traditional archives have excluded marginalized people (women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people) from sharing their histories through socially just representations. Portrayals of oppressed people that do exist in traditional archives are from the lens of the white cis-heteronormative patriarchy, and justify a narrative of colonialism, oppression, and injustice. This...
Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is a recently introduced, invasive pest in Oregon. It oviposits in near-mature and mature fruit, and thus is an important concern for the small fruit industry. A crop consultant observed that mature raspberry fruit with D. suzukii larvae do not show symptoms of molds as...
The Ambovombe-Androy region of southern Madagascar is one of the most water stressed areas in the country and is also notorious for having the worst quality water on the island. Before improvements and change can be made however, it is vital to know what infrastructure, quality, and access levels currently...
It is well known that water transport in xylem depends on its anatomy, but recent research shows that water transport through different parts of the growth ring are affected by the water potential in different ways. The goal of the project was to learn the extent to which wood morphology...
To the chagrin of his American comrades, Washington Irving would spend much of his life in Europe as a writer and cross-cultural explorer, including a stay in the halls of the Alhambra. This experience led to the completion of Tales of the Alhambra (1832), a collection of sketches, anecdotes, and...
Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education is a Western non-governmental organization based in Madagascar that serves as a source of public science education and caters to diverse audiences. My thesis examines barriers of culture, language and epistemology that may constrain Honko’s ability to conduct effective public education, if they decide to...
The Sweet Roll is a podcast centered around discussion of the latest video and tabletop games. It includes news briefs, game reviews, and interviews with industry professionals and gaming celebrities. The target audience is men and women aged 14-35 who play virtual and tabletop games as a hobby. This audience...
Starting in 2001, just five years after its formation, Fox News had the largest nightly cable television news audience and has become an important participant in American news media. Despite outside claims of Fox’s conservative-leaning news coverage, Fox News claims status as an objective news source presenting “fair and balanced”...
This paper is an analysis of the political theology articulated by Shia clerics and the political parties they were affiliated with between 1958-1979 with specific attention paid to Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir Al-Sadr and the Islamic Da’wa Party. It begins by tracing the development of Shia clerical political activism under the...
In response to the growing popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, it is important to understand that there are variations between the diets of the many Mediterranean countries. This is certainly true of the diets in Spain, especially among the younger generations. Therefore, should the term “Mediterranean Diet” be universally applied...
The potential of red blood cell (RBC) and platelet damage was studied for a novel microfluidic hemoperfusion device currently in development at Oregon State University for use in treating sepsis. COMSOL 4.4's computational fluid dynamics (CFD) module was used to examine shear rate profiles in laminar, Newtonian blood flow throughout...
Global population growth and dependence on traditional energy sources has created an interest in biofuels and other alternatives to traditional energy. The economic disparity between countries raises questions about their ability and willingness to create biofuel markets. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of specific factors...
As I prepared my senior vocal recital, I grew frustrated that there was no guidance to assist me or my teacher in incorporating elements outside of the standard recital framework: uncommon choices. Because I gained a great deal of practical experience from my own recital preparation, I decided to craft...
China’s global influence in the realm of science and technology (S&T) has increased dramatically in recent times. China and the United States are now each other’s main partner in scientific collaboration. As a major research university, OSU is one of the institutions with a large stake in this international collaboration....
HIV testing among high risk adolescents in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is challenging due to poor access to test sites and AIDS-related social stigma. We adapted the OraQuick HIV Test, a self-implemented test (SIT), for low literacy youth with no internet access. To compensate for poor literacy, a picture instruction...
The 1920’s was a period of immense growth of consumer and celebrity culture, that brought changes in film, art and the creation and presentation of identity. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night reflects these changes, particularly with respect to how cultural shifts challenge prevailing views about individual autonomy and...
Native American traditional foodways serve as one of the most important resources for indigenous communities because these resources provide a variety of non-physical cultural assets and health benefits to Native groups through the medium of food. The demolition of North America’s foodways through colonization has had adverse effects on indigenous...
The idea of college needs to shift from being about going to a “good school” for any
degree to "getting the right education” for what you want to do. I want to
investigate why we should be giving access to career assessment and preferred
learning tests at the middle school...
In recent years, simulated laboratory experiences have become more prevalent in educational curricula. These simulations, called virtual labs, can enable learning in ways that are not limited by physical constraints. The development of virtual labs is often ad hoc, resulting in unnecessary, repetitive work. The purpose of this thesis is...
Moral elevation, or elevation, is a prosocial emotional state elicited by witnessing displays of altruism or moral beauty. For this study, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and autonomic physiology activity were monitored during elevation induction. We hypothesized that changes would occur in mPFC activity during elevation and that these would significantly...
Oregon high schools are required to provide comprehensive sex education to students, but there is anecdotal evidence that this is not consistently being carried out across all schools. Despite the significant amount of literature that exists on the topic of sex education, there is a gap in regards to what...
In the beginning of her travelogue, A Motor‐Flight Through France (1908), Edith Wharton declares that “the motor‐car has restored the romance of travel.” Many scholars have taken this statement as an index to the book’s themes. However, my reading closely examines particular moments of travel (specifically Wharton’s visits to Beauvais...
Physicians and veterinarians arguably uphold the same ethical principles and responsibilities for their patients in general practice. Both professionals swear to, and practice their respective oaths of non-malfeasance (to do no harm) and beneficence (to alleviate patient from suffering and promote patient welfare). Despite these similar practices, different outcomes are...
Transgenic biotechnology holds enormous potential as a tool to address global food insecurity. Transgenic food crops have been shown to increase food availability and food system security by incorporating disease, pesticide and drought resistance. Production costs of transgenic crops are lower due to the reduced need for costly pesticides and...
Court cases, wills, and letters are common examples of surviving primary texts
from colonial Latin America. These documents are important to historians because they
provide a unique glimpse into the lives of ordinary people who lived hundreds of years
ago. This thesis is a recreation of these types of primary...
Every Spring and Summer, thousands of climbers attempt to summit Mt. Rainier. Many of them stop at Camp Muir, a base camp at 10,000 feet, where they can use restrooms, camp overnight, or refill water bottles before continuing their climb. Camp Muir currently uses a gas system to melt snow...
Although U.S. Latin@s are more affected by major depressive disorder than non-Latin@ whites, they are less likely to utilize mental health services. The purpose of this project is to create a children’s book that promotes the utilization of mental health services among U.S. Latin@s with major depressive disorder. This book...
The novella follows a protagonist named Charlie Tinger and his daughter Rainy. The purpose of this novella was to highlight the complexity of a father-daughter relationship, projecting a quirky and special bond between the two. Written with the intent of eliciting emotion in the form of humor and sadness, I...
In today’s media driven society where images stand in for words, we see an increase of attractive people selling us ideas and products. We begin to view their attractiveness as powerful, and influential on our own opinions and they gain credibility with us because of this. But what if it...
This creative nonfiction thesis is an attempt to create a conversation between personal and collective truths. All four of the essays share the subject of music: one focusing on a band’s strange performance, another on an artist and his album, another on a cover band’s live show, and the last...
This study explored factors that affect acquisition and proper use of contraception among the college-age Latina population at Oregon State University. Interviews were conducted with eleven health care providers at OSU’s Student Health Services during the spring of 2014. Using content analysis we identified individual-level barriers including lack of knowledge...
As a metafictional work of science fiction literature, A Novel Elysium explores the timelessness of
both the human mind and its literary surroundings, comparing the self-awareness of its characters to
the sometimes tragic or empowering metaphysical realizations of human beings. Within this
framework, any concrete place or time is unimportant;...
The purpose of this thesis is to thematically explore two novels which are considered to
be “non-conformist” for the ways that the characters struggle to understand themselves as
separate from society. By comparing the non-conformity of each character to Ralph
Waldo Emerson’s theory of individualistic non-conformity, as presented in his...
A Tablespoon or Two is a food blog featuring recipes, featured folks, featured ingredients, an about me section, and my food history. The target audience is Pacific Northwest young chefs who like to cook affordable and fresh comfort food. The pages of the blog feature posts such as a trip...
Collegiate Athletics is glorified in the United States; particularly at the NCAA Division I level. Through the lens of a sport-loving spectator, talented, scholarship athletes live the good life of suiting up in university colors, competing before their fans, and, when they’re taking a break from annihilating the competition, reveling...
Existing mythologies that depict female sexuality, too often, portray females as passive objects who either accept sexual advances or resist sexual advances. This thesis attempts to create an alternative mythology where females are active participants in their sexual experiences. I portray four females in four different stories. In two stories...