19468 research outputs found
Sort by
"Baby Hawk Learns to Fly:" A Chamber Ballet in Two Acts
No full text“Baby Hawk Learns to Fly” is a new chamber ballet for five dancers and twenty-three musicians, premiered in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall’s Studio Theater on April 18th, 19th, and 21st of 2025. Featuring music by Calder Sprinkle and choreography by Sabine Mead Mexia with additional choreography by Eden Leavey, it follows the heartwarming journey of a young hawk as with the help of his friends and family, he faces his fears, discovers who he is, and leaps into the sky. Based on a story original recorded by Bobby Norfolk, the ballet’s choreography is Neo-romantic in style and the music brings together the influences of Celtic folk, jazz, and the Western Art ballet scores of Adam, Tchaikovsky, and Copland, especially in terms of structure, thematic writing, and orchestration techniques.MusicBachelors of Arts (BA
The Role of Single-Pion Exchange in the Binding of the Omega Meson
No full textThe ω meson is the simplest three body hadronic resonance, and as such is crucial to understanding three particle hadron spectroscopy. In this project we assume that the ω meson is generated by pion exchange between two-pion sub-interactions in three-pion scattering. Integral equations governing the three-pion scattering amplitude were solved for the case of the quantum numbers of the ω, which are J P = 1−. These equations do not have analytic solutions, so they were instead discretized and solved numerically. Once a solution was obtained, it was analytically continued into the complex energy plane to search for bound state pole singularities. The results of this process did not yield any poles, suggesting that one-pion-exchange alone cannot account for the binding of the ω. Thus, further analysis is needed to understand the purely three-body interactions which must dominate the formation of the particle.PhysicsBachelors of Science (BS
Measuring the 5D Excited Energy Levels of Rubidium Atoms Using Laser Spectroscopy
No full textThe valence electron of a rubidium atom can be excited from the 5D level to the Rydberg levels, including the nP levels and the “n” Stark manifold (e.g. n=50), via a third photon. In the Rydberg levels, atoms are very sensitive to external electric fields, and the energy-level shift observed can be used to measure the applied electric field that caused it. This phenomenon can be applied to an ongoing project on non-invasive electron beam imaging using rubidium atoms, as the electric field of the electrons will impact the energy levels of the atoms in the Rydberg levels. This project consists of the excitation, detection, and measurement of the 5D energy levels of rubidium using laser spectroscopy with two lasers at 780 nm and 776 nm, which one must first excite through in order to reach the Rydberg levels. The excitation process involves shooting a 780 nm laser through a cloud of rubidium atoms to excite them to the 5P3/2 level, then using a 776 nm laser to excite the atoms to the 5D5/2 states. The 5D energy levels are then detected and measured via the resulting emission spectrum, including detecting their decay to the 5S1/2 ground state at 420 nm through the 6P states. This process is completed in a vapor cell and a cold atom apparatus.PhysicsBachelors of Science (BS
Unearthing Risk: Assessing Geospatial Threats from Foreign-Financed Mining Sites to Indigenous Territories in the Amazon Basin
No full textHow is territoriality redefined when capital crosses borders—and what does it mean for Indigenous communities? Can risk to Indigenous territories be measured and predicted through the spatial, financial, and governance factors shaping foreign-financed extraction? This thesis evaluates the spatial and political dimensions of socio-environmental risk associated with foreign-financed mining projects in the Amazon Basin. It challenges traditional risk assessment models that rely primarily on physical proximity indicators and instead proposes a relational framework that accounts for governance fragmentation, financial opacity, and institutional fragmentation. The project introduces the Amazon Mining and Risk Index (AMARI), a geospatially developed risk index integrating data on foreign financial flows (FDI, ODF , and private capital), ecological degradation (deforestation), and Indigenous territorial governance (legal recognition of territories, institutional strength). Drawing on open-source financial intelligence, peer-reviewed environmental impact assessments, and field-based geolocation, the thesis tests five hypotheses related to capital intensity, governance recognition, the source of financing, and buffer modeling. Relative to the AMARI index, findings reveal the significance of production capacity, financial flow types, and the legal recognition of Indigenous territories consistently facing higher composite threats by foreign-financed mining sites. By reframing environmental risk as a function of territorial power and financial architecture, this thesis advances a methodological and conceptual tool for scholarly research and frontline advocacy across the Amazon Basin.International RelationsBachelors of Arts (BA
From Hong Kong to Here: Minor Feelings and the Diasporic Dislocation of Asian American Identity
No full textThis honors thesis, From Hong Kong to Here: Minor Feelings and the Diasporic Dislocation of Asian American Identity, explores the emotional, cultural, and psychological complexities of Asian American identity through the lens of Cathy Park Hong’s concept of “minor feelings.” Using a hybrid methodology that combines semi-structured interviews, close textual analysis, and original narrative filmmaking, the project examines how racialized emotions, such as shame, alienation, and internalized guilt, emerge from cultural dislocation, intergenerational tension, and the pressures of assimilation and the American Dream. Anchored in Hong’s Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning (2020), the thesis situates Asian American identity as a site of unresolved mourning and racial melancholia (Eng & Han, 2000), shaped by histories of immigration, language loss, and cultural silence around mental health. The creative centerpiece of this thesis is a short film, Minor Feelings, written and directed by the author, which follows Isabella, a Chinese American college student navigating grief, identity, and belonging after the death of her grandfather. Informed by interviews with Asian American students of diverse backgrounds, the film dramatizes the affective tensions at the heart of diasporic life. This thesis argues that minor feelings are not pathological but political, serving as an embodied response to the persistent contradictions of racial visibility and cultural erasure. Through interdisciplinary analysis and visual storytelling, the project affirms the legitimacy of these emotions and underscores the transformative potential of reclaiming narrative space for Asian American voices.Film StudiesBachelors of Arts (BA
Understanding teacher leadership: Development and testing of the survey of teacher leadership
No full textTeacher leadership (TL) has been identified as key component of effective schools. While research has grown in this area, there is a dearth of empirically and theoretically supported measures for understanding TL. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Survey of Teacher Leadership (STL). The STL builds on previous theory and research in TL by creating an assessment of teacher TL practices and their associated self-efficacy in these practices. In addition to more established domains of TL, the STL also examines teachers’ leadership practices and self-efficacy in diversity and equity. The STL was sent to all non-charter public school teachers in the U.S. state of Nevada. Over 1200 teachers responded and their data provided a firm empirical foundation for examining the psychometric qualities of the STL. Evidence indicates a five-factor structure with acceptable psychometric qualities
Toward a Critical Theory of Partnership, or CritPartnership
No full textThis article is copyrighted by Caddo Gap Press and may not to be copied, distributed, or sold without their permission.In school–university partnership work, critical theories such as third space and funds of knowledge have been whitewashed by the predominantly white, female teacher and teacher educator workforces. In this essay, we present an intentionally and explicitly critical framework based on critical race theory, CritPartnership, that can guide school–university partnership work focused on race, racism, and power. We convey the need for this framework through a brief review of germinal reports on school–university partnership work as well as an example of how a critical framework (third space) has been whitewashed. We present the five tenets of CritPartnership and apply them to two school–university partnership models: professional development schools and teacher residencies. We conclude with suggestions for applying the theory to partnership work and our hope for CritPartnership research
Microplastic Fiber Contamination in Lake Matoaka: Method Development and Baseline Assessment
No full textThis study aimed to develop a reliable and reproducible methodology for detecting and quantifying microplastic fibers in the surface waters and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) populations of Lake Matoaka, a freshwater system vulnerable to pollution. Through a combination of optical microscopy, Microscope Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (M-FTIR), and logistic regression modeling, this research established the first baseline dataset of microplastic contamination in the lake. Results revealed widespread fiber contamination, with viscose (cellophane) as the dominant polymer type, with minor contributions from synthetics such as PET and polyacrylics. Higher microplastic concentrations were found in sections of the lake adjacent to greater human activity. Asian clams demonstrated significant microplastic accumulation relative to laboratory blanks, supporting their use of suspension-feeding bivalves as bioindicators. The findings not only validate the developed methodology but also underscore the ecological risks posed by microfiber pollution and highlight the urgent need for standardized freshwater microplastic monitoring and local mitigation strategies.Environmental Science and PolicyBachelors of Science (BS
Calibration of Tracking Measurements of the MOLLER Experiment
No full textThe MOLLER experiment at Jefferson Lab is designed to measure a precise value of the weak charge of the electron through the parity-violating properties of the weak force. It will do this by measuring the helicity-dependent asymmetry of electron-electron weak scattering, which can then be correlated to the weak charge. In order to sort desired events, the experiment will use a magnetic field to select the elastically scattered events of interest. Before this asymmetry measurement takes place, there will be a calibration phase to, amongst other things, look for any minor discrepancies between the actual and ideal magnetic field. The goal of this project was to analyze how coils offset in the radial direction effect the magnetic field, and to use this analysis to make statements about the calibration phase as a whole. This was done using GEANT4 simulation software, which simulated scattered particles through the magnetic field. From the analysis of these simulations, it was found that sieve holes in sectors neighboring the offset coil exhibited clear linear trends. From these trends it was found that changes in final electron position in the azimuth were much stronger compared to final radial position. Non-neighboring holes displayed very minute offsets compared to neighboring ones, indicating that creating a method of describing coil placements is a separable problem. It was also found that hole position and electron energy effect the sensitivity of electrons to the changing magnetic field, and target position was found to have a minimal effect. From this knowledge, tables were constructed displaying the most sensitive holes for each offset coil. With the data and analysis methods developed during this project it will ensure that future study of the MOLLER magnetic field has a good foundation for future work.PhysicsBachelors of Science (BS
"Los Moriscos que están padeciendo en Alicante": Post-Expulsion Morisco Litigation in the Case of La Flor de la Mar
No full textThis thesis examines post-expulsion Morisco litigation in early modern Spain via Visconsi's original transcription of the case, Consultas y causa contra el capitán de navío Guillermo Garret, inglés, por tráfico de personas y sustracción de bienes. It considers the legal position of newly expelled religious minorities returned to the Iberian Peninsula. In particular, it suggests that the aforementioned case study provides a framework for future scholarly examination of Moriscos' legal action following their 1609-1614 expulsion. The thesis's appendix also contains Visconsi's original transcription of seven Morisco petitions dated between 1610 and 1612.HistoryBachelors of Arts (BA