Plan II Honors Theses - Openly Available

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/62789

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 623

Unveiling Maternal Healthcare Challenges in Texas: Qualitative Study of Barriers and Access to Care
(2024-05) Crownover, Taylor Langdon
Maternal health encompasses every aspect of physical, mental, and social well-being necessary to have a successful pregnancy, childbirth, and overall recovery. There are many barriers to getting the ideal level of healthcare at every point, both pre- and postpartum. The research focused specifically on the state of Texas which has an exceptionally high rate of maternal mortality relative to the rest of the United States. This investigation utilizes a social-ecological model to organize the prevailing barriers to effective care at the societal, organizational, interpersonal, and individual levels. Issues that increase maternal mortality in Texas include:lack of insurance coverage (structural), racism in the healthcare institutions (organizational), poor communication between providers and patients (interpersonal), and varying social determinants of health (individual). This research seeks to understand the unique contextual factors that affect particular communities disparities in access to maternal healthcare in the state. Qualitative interviews were conducted with local maternal health experts to assess current trends in healthcare, determine gaps in access, and propose directions for future inquiry. Inclusion of diverse perspectives from community members in the study design and analysis portions further the investigation into the specific health circumstances in Texas and how to approach solutions in a culturally appropriate way. Effective solutions utilized in other states are evaluated and ways to implement them in Texas are proposed. Improving maternal health care is critical to facilitating healthy citizens and communities throughout the nation.
An Analysis of Texan Diversion Programs
(2024) Collazo, Diego
The state of Texas is notorious for its regressive criminal justice policies. Through case studies in Travis County and Harris County, this paper investigates diversion programs. Diversion programs, an alternative to traditional incarceration, find justice via restorative methods and atonement. The efficacy of these programs is primarily measured using recidivism statistics, which demonstrate the reoffending rate of convicted criminals. My paper analyzes the different approaches of Texan diversion programs, as well as their efficacy. After thorough analysis, I found that diversion programs are a viable way to lower recidivism rates, and that diversion programs that are more tailored to a specific population tend to be more effective.This research has far-reaching impacts, as it shows that diversion programs can be easily implemented in other jurisdictions.
Beyond the Arc: A Playbook for Assessing Collegiate Basketball Value in Name, Image, and Likeness
(2024-04) Coleman, Carter
The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) landmark 2021 decision allowing athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) upended the amateurism model in college athletics and set the stage for a new era of athlete empowerment. Three years later, the lack of rules regarding NIL has created a "Wild West" marketplace for players to monetize their athletic ability in addition to traditional brand value. This thesis aims to prepare athletic departments to analyze the key drivers behind NIL value in basketball and the broader NIL market. First, I explore the history of compensation in college athletics. I analyze the current conversation around NIL and find the need for a reliable way for programs to build models that estimate the roster value of Division 1 (D1) basketball players based on their performance. Using available performance data, I estimate the market distribution for D1 basketball compensation and construct a simple model for future identification of the components of an athletes performance value. With college sports experiencing rapid regulatory changes and uncertainty for the future of NIL, I hope this research will remain an applicable piece of information for those wishing to navigate the dynamic and wide world of college sports.
NUNS FOR THE SUMMER: Cloistered Communities in Contemporary Context
(2024-04) Church, Riley
In the 1980s, two out lesbians who were previously nuns set out to collect essays from other Lesbian nuns. Their testimonies highlighted the benefits and disadvantages of being a lesbian and a nun without advocating for or against either, as the cloistered nunneries went against heteronormative societal norms and therefore many allowed for safe expression as a lesbian. This project aims to understand the place of cloistered communities like nunneries in modern society, answering this question creatively through a feature length comedic screenplay discussing coming-of-age, queerness, and generational gaps. I will begin discussing my research on comedy, coming-of-age media, representation on screen, and monastic societies before outlining my writing process, inspirations, and trip to Ireland. After I assert conclusions about the incredibly personal role of nunneries in contemporary society, I share my screenplay, NUNS FOR THE SUMMER, in its entirety.
Digitally Involved, Socially Devolved?: An Analysis of Social Media Impact on Preceived Interpersonal Support
(2024-04) Cho, Eunsu
Potential effects of social media on adolescents’ social behavior and communications have been examined after the emergence of social networks online. This study examined the relationship between the time spent on social media and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) scores across marginalized and nonmarginalized populations to see if there was any correlation. The study was conducted across the late adolescent age population of eighteen to twenty-two year old students at the University of Texas at Austin. It was found that there was no significant relationship between the time spent on social media and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List scores. There were also no significant differences between marginalized and nonmarginalized populations regarding their social media times and ISEL scores. The results suggest certain implications that social media may not have a significant effect on the way adolescents perceive interpersonal support, and rather that social media has become an additional way for adolescents to communicate and receive interpersonal support.
American Girlhood: An Analysis of 20th-Century Women's Coming-of-Age Literature
(2024-05) Charpentier, Cara
Stories have the power to shape our perceptions of each other. Storytelling facilitates empathy and demonstrates ways to view each other as multifaceted and dimensional. We often turn to literature for connection, comfort, and validation; especially for young readers, coming-of-age literature can provide the road map to adulthood. This thesis explores depictions of girlhood through 20th-century American women’s coming-of-age literature, specifically looking at Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943), Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye (1970), Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior (1976), and Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street (1984). Within the framework of women’s fictional life writing and an intersectional feminist lens, this thesis sets out to answer the questions: How is American girlhood depicted through women’s classic coming-of-age novels in the 20th century? How are the inner lives of these girls constructed? By exploring depictions of girlhood across these four works, this thesis untangles implications about the female coming-of-age experience across identities and reveals an underlying story of female self-actualization.
Sinicizing Gender Nonconformity: What does it mean to be a gender neutral pop star in China?
(2024-04) Chang, Sofia
In 2005, 400 million people tuned in as Li Yuchun, a gender nonconforming singer, was crowned the victor of the Chinese competition show Super Girls. Since 2005, Li has remained remarkably ubiquitous in mainland China as a zhongxing, or gender nonconforming, pop star, paving the way for many such stars to follow in her wake. Using Li Yuchun as a case study, this research examines how zhongxing female stars contest or reaffirm gender and sexual norms in China. To do so, the thesis pairs a close textual analysis of Super Girls (2005) with a discourse analysis of fan discourses about Li. This project proposes zhongxing as a culturally specific identity label, laden with queer potentiality, through its simultaneously ambivalent yet radical properties. Drawing from queer theory, I propose that zhongxing identity can be a theoretical tool that places Western theory in the Sinosphere. I argue that, because and not in spite of the fact that Li Yuchun's persona cedes to the mainstream, it presents a mode of queer visbility that elasticizes norms in China and contributes to queer acceptance.
Climate Change, Urban Planning, and Real Estate in Harris County
(2024-01) Buzzetti, Natalie
This thesis investigates the intricate relationship between climate change, urban planning, and real estate development, with a focused lens on Harris County. As climate change intensifies, real estate faces unprecedented challenges due to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and shifting temperature patterns. Hurricane Harvey serves as a significant case study, illuminating the vulnerabilities and complexities inherent in real estate development amidst climate disruption. Through a comprehensive literature review, this research explores the critical themes of sustainability and resilience, emphasizing the need for their integration into real estate practices. While existing literature underscores the importance of sustainability and government policies, a gap exists regarding the role of community networks and social factors in building resilience. This research aims to bridge this gap by delving into community dynamics, policy limitations, and the significance of collaboration, providing practical insights and real-world perspectives for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals. Key research articles, including studies on supply chain resilience post-disaster and social and economic barriers to infrastructure recovery, inform this exploration. Additionally, insights into the performance of coastal residential buildings under hurricane conditions offer valuable lessons for resilient real estate development. By synthesizing these contributions and posing critical research questions, this thesis aims to guide future inquiry into climate-resilient real estate development, offering a roadmap for navigating the complexities of a changing climate in urban planning and real estate sectors.
The Relationship of Knowledge and Virtue: An Analysis of Socrates, Plato, and Augustine's Accounts of Weakness of Will
(2024-04) Brawner, Blake
Socrates' denial of akrasia, or weakness of will, and claim that knowledge is virtue has been a point of contention among philosophers. This thesis argues against his claim by examining the problem of akrasia from the perspectives of Socrates, Plato, and Augustine, seeking to convey how these philosophers understood the relationship between knowledge and virtue. Firstly, this project analyzes Socrates' claim, seeking to save the Socratic position from oversimplification while ultimately asserting its limitations. To this end, this paper asserts that his argument does not rely upon a hedonistic standard of the good, as some scholars argue, but its logic does depend on the assumption of non-contradictory preferences and an evaluative conception of desire. Despite a distinction between different kinds of knowledge, Socrates' argument proves insufficient. Furthermore, this thesis examines the Platonic and Augustinian positions, arguing that their accounts of akrasia better demonstrate how knowledge relates to virtue. While they assert the necessity of knowledge, they separate themselves from Socrates through a denial of its sufficiency. Lastly, despite aligning on this distinction from Socrates, this project argues that Augustine differentiates himself from the Greeks through his conceptions of original sin and grace, which present a different reason and cure for akrasia.
Communicating in the Digital Age: The Evolution of the Corporate Communication Function Through the Lens of Fortune 500Companies
(2024-04) Bozman, Ryan
This thesis aims to investigate the evolution of the corporate communication function through the lens of Fortune 500 companies and consequently determine how this evolution has impacted corporate success. Like all facets of business, communication as a practice has responded to the demands of the time, adapting strategies and altering its deliverables in order to maintain relevance and ultimately ensure the organization’s given objectives are attained. A comprehensive literature review confirmed initial changes insofar as the emergence of the term used today— “corporate communication”— is concerned. Furthermore, it exposed the rise and expansion of media platforms and the changing interaction with the consumer. However, there is an even more recent shift specifically regarding the responsibility and internal appreciation of a company’s communication position. This discovery was confirmed and expounded on through a handful of interviews with communication leaders of companies among the Fortune 500 list. These conversations highlighted the increasing proximity a communication leader has with the company’s CEO, the accountability that improved measurement technology continues to provide, the ability to prove communication’s impact on a company’s business objectives, and an anticipation of generative AI. These leaders left a hopeful charge to all communicators to prove their impact in order to continue this shift toward corporate inclusion and appreciation.
Exploring the Future Niches of Organic Solar Cells
(2024-05-26) Borrego González, Eric
Organic Solar Cells represent a unique emergent form of photovoltaic power generation technology. Being still in a comparably more nascent phase organic solar cells have unique properties that may be desirable in certain use cases. While the question of organic solar cells being used as an alternative to industry conventional solar cells for power harvesting remains a large question to be answered, this thesis seeks to explore the niches which organic solar cells could be ideal for filling on account of their practicality, and the impact they could make that way. In particular I explore the applications of organic solar cells in solar greenhouses, built into wearables and used in building integration. In all these cases, the thesis examines the efficiency, functional and aesthetic benefits organic solar cells can provide, and uses them as examples of the impact organic solar cell development could have.
“So, Are You Accepting Commissions?” Chronicles of an Artist Listening to Everyone But Herself
(2024-04) Boatwright, Frances B.
In the realm of the commercial art world, commissions are an important part of many artists' income and cultivation of an audience. Additionally, the advancement of social media has played a prominent role in promoting growth and connecting artists to new audiences. With the concepts of commissions, audience interaction, and relationship between artist and patron at the forefront of this research project, the question becomes how to develop a studio practice that fulfills those hopes. To investigate this idea, an artist invited audiences to dictate the content of a 32” x 40” painting through communication avenues of Instagram, TikTok, and plein-air painting sessions. This project served as an exploration into the complex relationship between artists, art, and participants through the lens of commissions.
The Healthcare Worker Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Mental Health and Workplace Challenges of Wound Care Nurses at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital
(2024-05) Bhatia, Megha
The healthcare worker crisis is a global phenomenon, and Sub-Saharan Africa specifically is facing a severe shortage of healthcare workers. High provider-to-patient ratios have increased the work burden for African healthcare providers, contributing to stress and burnout. There is limited research on healthcare workers’ mental health in sub-Saharan Africa, outside of a COVID-19 lens. This project examines the mental health struggles and workplace experiences of wound care nurses to better understand the social, personal, and professional factors contributing to the poor mental wellbeing of providers in sub-Saharan Africa. In-person interviews were conducted with ten nurses at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. Interview results were coded to interpret findings and identify key themes, using the Social Ecological Model as a framework. Wound care nurses report symptoms of burnout, including stress, depression, and hopelessness. Results also indicate that nurses are burdened by several workplace challenges, namely staff shortages and lack of accessible resources when caring for patients with wounds. While most nurses are satisfied after successfully treating their patients, they call for necessary changes in the workplace to better support their patients’ needs and their own mental health. Further research in the field of provider wellbeing post-COVID-19 is needed to assess the bigger picture on how the multifaceted role of nurses is impacting their psychological health. Greater knowledge in this field can improve the mental health of practicing providers, addressing the healthcare worker shortage in sub-Saharan Africa.
Fairness in Urban Air Mobility Networks
(2024-05) Bhaiwala, Azeem
Urban air mobility (UAM) systems have the potential to revolutionize urban transportation by providing efficient aerial transit services. However, the successful implementation of UAM networks requires careful consideration of fairness and equity in addition to operational efficiency. This paper investigates the application of threshold fairness, a resource allocation approach, in designing a UAM network for the city of Austin, Texas. Threshold fairness allows for the tunable balancing of fairness and efficiency through a delta parameter, facilitating the equitable distribution of network resources across communities. An optimization algorithm is developed to maximize the allocation of payloads while adhering to fairness constraints defined by threshold fairness. Computational experiments demonstrate the algorithm's ability to control the trade-off between fairness, measured by the Gini coefficient, and overall network utilization by adjusting the delta value. Further enhancing network planning, a vertiport selection algorithm is implemented to identify optimal vertiport locations within a specified budget, highlighting the substantial impact of vertiport placement on fairness outcomes. The proposed approach provides a quantitative framework for designing fair and efficient UAM networks, with significant implications for urban planning, transportation economics, and policymaking. By integrating fairness metrics into network design, cities can ensure the equitable distribution of transportation benefits across diverse communities.
Remediating Public Health Crises Through Litigation:Lessons from Oklahoma in the Tobacco and Opioid Epidemic Litigations
(2024) Beckworth, Caroline
Public health crises caused by corporate misconduct, such as the tobacco and opioid epidemics, have devastated communities across America. Litigation brought by state attorneys general has proven an effective tool for holding wrongdoers accountable and securing monetary recoveries to mitigate these harms. However, ensuring these funds are properly safeguarded and allocated towards remediating the intended public health issues has posed challenges. This thesis examines the innovative steps taken by two Oklahoma attorneys general, Drew Edmondson and Mike Hunter, to protect and invest the state's tobacco and opioid litigation settlement recovery funds for their intended public health purposes. Edmondson created a constitutional amendment establishing the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to preserve tobacco funds. Decades later, Hunter secured hundreds of millions of dollars from opioid litigation, endowing $200 million to an addiction treatment center and forming oversight boards. Through proactive constitutional protections, public engagement, and collaboration with health experts and stakeholders, Oklahoma provides a model for effectively managing public health litigation recoveries. However, other states' experiences highlight risks of recovery fund misappropriation and the need for protective frameworks, evidence-based practices, and accountability mechanisms when allocating such funds. Ultimately, proper Recovery Fund management is crucial for maximizing litigation's impact on public health outcomes in affected communities.
Conceptualization and Measurement of Right-Wing Populism and Economic Nationalism in the Developed World
(2024-04) Baysal, Derin
We are currently seeing a global shift in sentiment away from the established ideas of globalization and free trade toward more protectionist ideas. The concept of open borders for trade, immigration, and ideas is increasingly being challenged across the developed world. This thesis focuses on the conceptualization and measurement of the increasing phenomenon of right-wing populism and economic nationalism in the developed world. Defining populism and economic nationalism establishes a baseline for the comparative analysis of my research with the scholarly community. Using the Manifesto’s Project Database I analyzed rhetorical data to organize a list of parties that fit the phenomenon; I utilized various indicators to find 30 parties across 23 European countries that fit the area of research. I then carried out a comparative analysis of my list of parties with the scholarly community to categorize the phenomenon into tiers. The categorization will help the reader understand the perception and influence of parties across the continent. To ensure the validity of my work, I will conduct four detailed case studies on a party from each tier. This work will help the reader understand what populism and economic nationalism are and which parties across the developed world have the most notoriety and influence among the scholarly community.
Exploring the Transfer of L1 English and L2 Spanish in L3 French Acquisition: How Learning Methods Impact Efficiency in L3A
(2024-04) Barfield, Daniel
Third-language acquisition (L3A) is an increasingly popular subset of study within language-acquisition research, with morphosyntactic transfer being a primary topic of interest. Minimal research, though, has been completed on the impact that learning methods can have on L3A. This paper investigates the role that learning methods have on the L3A transfer process through a self-investigative approach. The majority of the data within this study originates from my own French L3A. First, I investigate instances of transfer from my first language (L1), English, and second language (L2), Spanish, into my third language (L3), French. Using the Cumulative Enhancement Model (CEM), the Typological Primary Model (TPM), and the L2 Status Factor (L2SF), I evaluate and apply the results of my findings to popular morphosyntactic theories. Next, I examine the learning methods utilized in my L3A and their possible influences on my L3A transfer process. Lastly, I use interviews from other L3 learners and from L3 instructors to assess the applicability of the findings from my L3A to the L3A processes that others will undergo.
The Future of Prescription Drug Importation in the United States to Reduce Prices
(2024-04) Ballada, Sonia
Healthcare spending in the United States of America (United States) exceeds that of higher income countries with prescription drug spending in the United States expected to grow steadily over the next decade. To evaluate if motions to pursue Section 804 Importation Program proposals to reduce prescription drug prices in the United States will prevail, an interest group analysis will be performed, considering the historical and current landscape of prescription drug prices and prescription drug importation in the United States. The first interest group that will be examined are consumers of prescription drugs in the United States whose interest is to procure prescription drugs at the lowest price without compromising their safety or the quality of the prescription drug. The second interest group that will be examined are prescription drug manufacturers in the United States whose interest is to maximize their revenue by selling prescription drugs at the highest price. The third interest group that will be examined are prescription drug manufacturers in Canada whose interest is to maximize their revenue by selling prescription drugs at the highest price. The analysis concludes that multinational prescription drug manufacturers will ultimately restrict the trade of prescription drugs between the United States and Canada.
Beyond the Stigma: Re-Examining Psychedelics Through A Medical Lens
(2024-04) Balakrishnan, Sanjay
This thesis investigates the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in medicine, focusing on their application in treating a variety of health disorders. With a mixed-methods approach, this research synthesizes qualitative data from previous studies, interviews with healthcare professionals, and media analysis. The findings reveal the potential for psychedelics in mental health treatment, with many studies indicating that psychedelics often outperform traditional antidepressants and SSRIs in clinical settings. These findings point to a disconnect between the medical potential of psychedelics and their current legal status, which restricts research due to regulatory barriers. This misalignment slows scientific progress and the exploration of effective therapeutic uses of psychedelics. The next issue is how to integrate psychedelics within the framework of Western medicine, which traditionally relies on prolonged pharmaceutical regimens unlike the episodic use of psychedelics. Additionally, the effectiveness of psychedelics is often linked to their ritualistic use and the creation of community, aspects that do not seamlessly align with current medical practices. This thesis argues for the reevaluation of regulatory frameworks to induce more research and considers how the unique mechanisms of psychedelics can be integrated into Western medical practices without diminishing their efficacy
Disinforming Democracy: Analyzing Online Discourse and Misinformation in Immigrant Chinese American Communities During the 2020 U.S. Election
(2023-05) Zhang, Andrew
Democracy relies on the premise that people need factual information to understand public issues and enact appropriate change. But the public has historically been uninformed. The emergence of mis- and disinformation has exacerbated the issue, creating a group of people who have falsehoods undergird their understanding of political topics: the misinformed. And the negative effects of misinformation compound for communities of color, who have unique language and media needs. In immigrant Chinese American communities, misinformation reverberates within a unique sociohistorical context and information infrastructure. Through the lens of Twitter and WeChat — two widely used platforms — this thesis analyzes and characterizes the nature of discourse and misinformation for immigrant Chinese American communities during the 2020 U.S. election. Approximately 1 million tweets were scraped, and more than 50 articles on WeChat were read. Focusing on a subset of Chinese Americans who are largely foreign-born, educated, and middle-upper class, this thesis finds that discussions of Donald Trump and conservative narratives largely dominated political discourse on Twitter and WeChat during the study period. Topics circulated in the Chinese language often touched subjects of unique interest to the group, like the Chinese Communist Party or Hong Kong, while the linked sources were overwhelmingly unreliable, divisive, or conspiratorial. On WeChat, different narratives pushed false and divisive messages around coverage of two of the year’s most important political events: Black Lives Matter and election integrity. This study finds that mis- and disinformation during the 2020 election affected democracy for immigrant Chinese Americans by undermining three democratic goods: self-determination, accountable representation, and public deliberation.

Browse

Recent Submissions