Theses and Dissertations, Capstones, and Directed Research

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Electronic theses and dissertations, and graduate and undergraduate Capstones and Directed Research.

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A Change in Times: Teaching Literature to Contemporary Students
(2024-05) Gonzalez, Chelsey; Marquez, Ivan
As times continue to change, so do the students in the high school education system. But as students are entering a new world surrounded by technology and near-constant stimulation on social media, engagement in the classroom has gone down. English classes have especially taken a hit, as many students nowadays struggle to find reading books fruitful. As a future English teacher, I believe reading and teaching a student to appreciate literature are worthwhile endeavors. This capstone project explores a different way to approach teaching students literature in today's classroom and uses that research to devise a lesson plan of my own making. I will use Lanny by Max Porter to create a lesson plan I hope to teach one day. This project aims to explore why students are struggling to find value in learning literature and what we can do to help as current and future educators. Forcing students to learn through outdated systems is a disservice to them, and we ought to change the ways we teach to accommodate contemporary students. There are students who can learn to love literature, but only if we change the way we teach it.
A Comparative Review of the Spike Protein of Human Coronaviruses: How the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Contributed to the Rapid Spread of COVID-19
(2024-05) Lee, Sophia; Woytek, Kelly
In December 2019, the first case of novel beta-coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was identified. This was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two other pandemics caused by beta-coronaviruses have been previously observed: the SARS pandemic and the MERS pandemic. While seasonal beta-coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1, generally cause mild symptoms that present as the “common cold.” Due to the increases in mortality and scale of infection that the COVID-19 pandemic caused compared to the MERS and SARS pandemics, determining the morphological characteristics that differentiate SARS-CoV-2 from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV became essential. The spike (S) protein is a crucial conserved structural component of coronaviruses; this protein ensures proper binding between the virion and the host cell before virion entry. Two subunits, S1 and S2, compose the structure of the S protein. The S1 subunit facilitates the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 virion to the ACE2 receptor on the human host cell. The S2 subunit ensures proper fusion between the viral envelope and the host membrane, allowing the viral genome to enter into the host cell. SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins bind to the same receptor, whereas MERS-CoV binds to the DPP4 receptor and the seasonal coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1, bind to the 9-O acetyl sialic acid receptor. The sequence and structure of the spike protein also play a role in immune system evasion: antibodies bind to the spike protein, preventing entry into the host cell, thus neutralizing the virus. Mutations that strengthen electrostatic interactions between spike proteins and receptors lead to greater transmissibility for the viral strain. While many factors contribute to the increase in transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 compared to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, it is vital to understand the differences between the viral spike proteins.
A Daughter's Story: Utilizing Movement to Cope with Grief
(2023-05) Mann, Ashley; Baer, Ana
Dance is a vehicle for expressing emotions. Dancers use movement to convey a story, communicate their feelings, and connect with others. Healing a soul through movement is a concept that people have implemented for centuries. This creative capstone seeks to recognize the relief dance provides for an individual. By implementing dance to cope from a loss, the brain releases neurotransmitters and endorphins which is proven by scientists to alleviate stress. There is a general understanding that our minds cannot affect the health of our body. However, stress from a loss will negatively affect the body as well. This capstone demonstrates the power movement has on the healing process. The story portrayed in this video is from the perspective of a daughter grieving a loss. The timeline of the video mimics my experience of grieving the loss of my father. I filmed a single dancer throughout her grieving stages. The dancer communicates her thoughts and emotions with movement. The emotions felt by the audience, accompanied by her apparent psychological development, communicates how movement aids healing to the audience. This experiment is comprised of cinematography collaborated with site-specific installations following a single subject. In the video, the dancer begins on a bridge, riddled with denial. She transcends through the stages of grief and finds herself in a space where the audience sees her progression through various emotions. The ending reveals the dancer embracing her future at the bottom of the bridge, the very place she was too afraid to go. Grieving appears different from subject to subject. One of the main messages is that grief does not routinely follow a linear progression. Additionally, the creative process behind this capstone’s construction promoted the development of the healing journey. In conclusion, expressing emotion through movement is a positive outlet for those experiencing grief to process their emotions, communicate their story, and discover a connection with others.
A Directorial Approach to the Production of Robert Patrick's Kennedy's Children
(1982-05) Wilson, Jeffrey Michael
No abstract prepared.
A Japanese Wave: Examining Japanese Popular Music in the West and its Influence on Western Popular Music
(2023-05) Hutcheson, Kyle; Schüler, Nico
Beginning with the “British Invasion” in the 1960s and continuing throughout the 1990s, Western popular music from both the United Kingdom and the United States made its way to Japan and became immensely popular, essentially shaping the Japanese popular music industry into what it is today. However, several decades out from this phenomenon, with ample time for Japanese musicians to have developed their own styles and genres, and with the increasing globalization of the world in recent decades, is it possible that the reverse is occurring with Japanese popular music becoming increasingly popular in the West? In this thesis, I aim to describe the extent to which Japanese popular music has influenced Western musicians, especially within the past several years. With a focus on three genres that have their roots in Japan, namely chillhop (also known as lo-fi hip hop), city pop, and Japanese noise music, I examine both sonic and visual traits (specifically regarding things like album art and/or music videos) within these genres and connect them to similar traits that have emerged more recently within Western popular music. As this phenomenon of Japanese popular music influencing Western popular music is still in its infancy, the scale at which Western musicians have actually been influenced is still somewhat small, but there is also the possibility that as time goes on, further scholarly attention on this topic, especially focusing on different musical genres, may yield different or potentially greater results.
A Local Solution to Plastic Pollution
(2023-12) Quinto, Michael; Talley, Austin
Plastic pollution is a well-known issue across the globe with staggering facts such as: “Only 9% of all plastic produced has been recycled,” and “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating island of plastic waste spanning an area that is over twice the size of the state of Texas.” Locally, this issue persists as 73% of Texas resident’s recycling bins go to the landfill and most municipal recycling facilities only recycle two types of plastic. The driving question behind my capstone was: How can we as consumers take plastic recycling into our own hands? Over the past three years, I have been working to build a plastic recycling workspace on campus. Using the available equipment in the Ingram Hall Makerspace I have built a series of small-scale recycling machines to process plastic for recycling. Using compression and injection molding techniques, we can take post-consumer plastic waste and repurpose it into new products. But there is more work to do like improvements to the machines and optimized processes that future Texas State students can tackle in the next three-to-five years.
A Mind in Motion: The Benefits of Exercise for Mood, Memory, and Neurocognitive Longevity
(2023-05) H'luz, Isaac Alfonso; Davenport, Rachel; Westerberg, Carmen
Current research in the field of exercise neuroscience has shown several neurological and psychological benefits to adopting a regular exercise routine in addition to the plethora of other physical benefits it confers. Exercise has been found to improve mood by decreasing depressive symptoms, increasing feelings of self-esteem and self-efficacy, decreasing the body’s physiological response to stressors, modulating neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin, and increasing the release of endogenous endorphins and endocannabinoids which relieve pain and create positive feelings of euphoria. Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase short-term, long-term, and spatial memory. Proposed mechanisms for these improvements include increased levels of neurotrophic factors that serve to increase neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, long-term potentiation, hippocampal volume, cerebral blood flow, and overall neuron health. Finally, exercise strongly correlates with decreased risk of dementia and a slowed progression of the disease in its early stages. Being active can reduce the deposition of neuron-damaging plaques, increase cerebral blood flow, strengthen and enlarge pertinent brain regions that are targeted by dementia, and increase neurotrophic factors that support neuron health. The numerous beneficial effects of exercise on the brain and the physiological mechanisms behind them are explored.
A Novel Assay for Simultaneous Measurement of DNA Double-Strand Repair by Two Pathways
(2024-05) Mikosh, Camryn; Lewis, L. Kevin
Within cells, chromosomes are constantly damaged by the formation of single- and doublestrand breaks in the DNA structure. The most damaging of the two is the double-strand break (DSB). These breaks happen multiple times a day and are potentially lethal to cells, so cells have two main repair pathways to mitigate permanent damage to the chromosome. These pathways are called nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Assays have been developed previously to measure repair of DSBs by each pathway individually, but none have been able to monitor repair readily by both pathways simultaneously. This study describes the development and testing of a new assay system to simultaneously quantitate repair by the two mechanisms. This accomplishment is important because it will permit investigation of conditions where the DSB will be repaired by either NHEJ or HR. Plasmid DNAs were initially used to ensure that the developed assay can measure these two repair mechanisms. The general protocol involved digestion of the plasmid to induce a DSB gap before transformation into budding yeast cell cultures in the mid-log (G2/S/M cells), early stationary (mostly G1), and true stationary (high G1) growth phases. Growth of these cells on selective plate media indicated that the cells took up the DNA, repair could occur by either pathway, and distinction between the two pathways could be quantitated in wild type cells. HR efficiency was not as efficient as expected so a novel plasmid, pLKL107Y, was designed with greater DNA sequence homology than between the plasmid and a yeast chromosome. pLKL107Y was characterized through a series of digestions and transformed into cells successfully. Repair by both pathways was not observed so future work is needed in order to employ pLKL107Y in this assay.
A Western Lens Provides a Western Frame: A Literature Review of Human Sexuality Across Time and Culture
(2024-05) Mabilia, Katlyn; Mendez, Roque
Human sexuality is a topic of interest that is gaining traction as time progresses. Understanding human sexuality remains a challenge because of humanity’s proneness toward ethnocentrism and the generalizability of research findings on the topic. This literature review examines the human sexual experience in context or setting. The literature on this topic published in Psychology and Anthropology databases, popular textbooks, along with the works of Sir Richard Burton and additional contemporary Victorian authors, has been written from a Western perspective which has framed the way we have viewed human sexuality across time and context. This literature review will begin with background information on the existing theories for how human sexuality has been approached in social sciences, provide some insight on the variance of sexual attitudes and behaviors between and within cultures, show changes in human sexuality over time, identify universals which may exist across time and context, and give examples of factors which have controlled and given shape to sexual expression. The focus of this research is to summarize and compare pre-existing literature, often outdated and biased, and call for fresh additional intercultural research to be conducted through a more objective lens.
Access, Accommodation, and Inclusion Post-COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Study of Disability in Higher Education
(2024-05) Kirkpatrick, Charlie W.; Collins, Alyson A.; Dorrell, Erin K.
In 2020, the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally shifted the academic landscape, leaving a profound impact on college students. While all students contended with issues posed by the pandemic, students with disabilities were disproportionately impacted as opposed to their peers. This mixed-methods exploratory study examined the ways that Covid-19 affected students with disabilities at Texas State University, the university’s response to the pandemic, and students’ beliefs about how Texas State responded to accommodate students before, during, and after the pandemic. Guided by selected literature and my personal experiences, data will be collected from university students who self-identify as disabled and who were enrolled at Texas State during the 2020-2021 pandemic. Participants in this study will complete an online survey to examine their perceptions about the university academic context before, during, and after the pandemic. Descriptive quantitative and qualitative data will be summarized as part of the findings from the survey. In addition, a sample of students with disabilities will voluntarily participate in a follow-up interview to provide additional insight into the university landscape. Data collected from this study will expand our understanding of how Covid-19 changed education for students with disabilities. Results will act as a venue to amplify the voices of students with disabilities and to facilitate potential changes for classrooms and educational policies in the future. Findings have important implications for improving the academic landscape at Texas State University and ensuring it is accessible to all students.
Acculturation and Substance Use in South Asian Americans Compared to Other Asian American Subgroups
(2024-05) Lofthus, Shaheena; Perrotte, Jessica K.; Tucker, Natalie S.
In psychological research, there is evidence of a correlation between acculturation (i.e., the integration and adaptation a minority group has to a dominant culture), and substance use within the Asian American community (Moloney et al., 2008). Researchers also highlight a relationship between religiosity (i.e., the degree of commitment and faith an individual has in a religion) and amount of reported substance use (Luczak et al., 2014). Asian Indians make up the largest subgroup within the Asian American category (U.S. Census, 2020), and psychological research lacks research on South Asian Americans specifically. In collapsing Asian Americans together into a singular statistic, there is limited work that examines South Asian American subgroups (Inman et al., 2014). This project aimed to bridge the extensive literature gap by studying a South Asian American subgroup independently from other Asian American subgroups. We examined acculturation and religiosity alongside substance use rates to curate a more accurate picture of substance use differences in South Asian American individuals. We collected data from 54 South Asians, 142 East Asians, and 118 Southeast Asians. All subjects responded to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised (CUDIT-R), Individualism and Collectivism Scale (IC Scale), and Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI). Linear regression analyses were conducted to explore alcohol and cannabis use among Asian American Subgroups (South, East, and Southeast). We also included sex, religiosity, and collectivism variables as covariates. Our results indicated that religiosity was inversely related to cannabis use, such that South Asian American individuals with more religiosity reported less cannabis use in comparison to other Asian American subgroups. Results also showed that other subgroups had different significant influences on alcohol. Our study is limited by small sample size but documents the variance between Asian American subgroups.
Analysis of the Function of Caddo Jowell Bifaces
(2024-05) Hickerson, Justin; Smith, Heather
The Caddo are a broad and diverse group of Native Americans that populated what is now known as East Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The stone tool technology of the Caddo consisted of arrowheads for the bow and arrow, ground stone celts, chipped axes for trees, and various small handheld tools for cutting bone and wood, scraping hides, and piercing leather. The Jowell bifaces are rare and interesting stone artifacts found only in three archeological sites in East Texas. They are all associated with human burials. The goal of my thesis is to test whether morphological evidence for function can be used to interpret the association of projectile points with the individuals buried at the J. O. and Henry Brown Site (41HS261) and at the Jowell site (41AN13). Results inform on the potential for Jowell bifaces to represent tools that were used by the deceased and the association of funerary objects with a person’s identity.
Analyzing How Students Learn Differential Equations
(2024-05) Emerich, Aaron; Dix, Julio
For this project, we will analyze how to study how students learn differential equations. First, we will analyze what is generally taught in a differential equations course so we can establish the importance of what students are learning and give a sense of what they are learning. We will then establish what Bloom’s Taxonomy is and discuss it to illustrate that students progress through learning subject material. We then discuss factors affecting learning such as mindset, socioeconomic standing, and gender stereotypes. We then analyze how math classes have been historically taught to address these factors that affect learning.
Anxiety in the General Population vs. Athletes: Differential Causes and Treatments
(2023-12) Hewig, Carley; Osborne, Randall
Anxiety is the intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations and is often accompanied by fast heart rate, sweating, and feelings of tiredness. Everyone will experience anxiety sometime in their life, some people more than others. In today’s world, one important group of people that tends to suffer from anxiety is athletes. People tend to idolize them and put pressure on them to perform their absolute best. But at what cost? This research compares causes of anxiety in the general population versus athletes. Research shows that most anxiety in the general population is caused by things like sleep deprivation, being overcaffeinated, or sitting down for too long. On the other hand, athletes’ anxiety mainly stems from fear of failure, public scrutiny, impractical expectations, and so much more. This research also addresses the most commonly used techniques for treating anxiety in athletes versus the general public. Although some of these techniques can work for both – such as breathing techniques, positive self-talk, and muscle relaxation – there are treatments that are more specific for the primary causes of anxiety in athletes. Furthermore, this work explores the differences in causes of anxiety in individual versus team sport athletes and considers whether the treatment techniques differ. Lastly, to understand how this relates to athletes today, a case study is proposed, and a treatment plan is developed that works best for this athlete.
Arms Control and Deterrence Theory in the Nuclear Policy of Global Powers
(2023-12) Acree, Mackenzie; Doyle, Thomas; Popescu, Ionut
This research project explores the relationship between deterrence theory and arms control in the nuclear policies of the United States, Russia, and China. The centrality of nuclear deterrence in defense policy negates the possibility of nuclear disarmament. Within the current nuclear order, mutual deterrence dynamics are modulated by arms control agreements which promote cooperation between nuclear weapon states (NWS) on limiting their strategic weapons and preventing nuclear conflict. The three NWS relevant to this study hold diverse and sometimes conflicting strategic aims. While American nuclear policy is outwardly based on deterrence theory, it often seeks to undermine the effects of mutual deterrence in order to further its own national interests. The American nuclear umbrella presents a specific strategic challenge as North Atlantic treaty Organization (NATO) allies have faced increasing revisionist aggression from Russia. Russia has leveraged its coercive capacity in the illegal invasion of Ukraine and suspension of a key arms control treaty, the New Strategic Arms Reduction treaty (New START), which have disrupted the status quo nuclear order. I argue that this presents the greatest current threat to stability. Our European adversary’s recent actions have also complicated the American relationship with China, the world’s fastest growing NWS. Differences in strategic thinking between American and Chinese leaders must be understood by both sides in order to effectively cooperate on nuclear security concerns. I put forth that bilateral Sino-American arms control talks may be the best avenue for maintaining the balance of power and preventing nuclear use. I further argue that a condition of minimal nuclear deterrence is our best bet for maintaining that norm of non-use. This transition would allow for continued mutual deterrence while increasing the cost of first use and thus reducing the likelihood of both accidental and intentional nuclear use.
Art for the Smart: The Evolution of American Modern Dance over Time and through Higher Education
(2023-12) Crain, Grace; Nance, Michelle; Baer, Ana
This multi-disciplinary study examines the integration of modern dance into areas of higher education through a historical disquisition of modern dance pioneers and educators, various personal accounts of participants in the field of modern dance education, and finally a visual representation of my discoveries in the form of a screen dance. At the inception of my research, I asked myself these questions: “How has the art of dance evolved into higher education? Who made this possible, and why is it important?” In the first discipline of the study, a historical account, I present the quintessential trailblazers of modern dance in America in chronological order, piecing together their interlacing biographies from the early 1900s to the 2000s. The second section of my study is comprised of the findings of interviews I conducted with modern dance educators of the present and my personal relationship with modern dance. Finally, in the third aspect of this project, I display all of the discoveries I made through my research into an artistic screen dance. The purpose of this study is to present the totality of American modern dance education in a concise, chronological, visual exhibit which produces a foundation for future studies of the evolution of modern dance and its journey in academia, and to solidify the notion that the art of dance as a profession is feasible, purposeful, and legitimate.
Art, Music, and Dungeons and Dragons: An Exploration of Postmodern Creativity
(2023-05) Wright, Audra; Ippolito, Michael
The element of chance is a fundamental aspect of life that has been the topic of much philosophical exploration. Throughout history and flourishing in the 20th century artists, musicians, and other creators alike sought ways to include aleatory, or chance, in their work. Through a personal exercise in using chance in the creative process, I composed a musical work which utilizes the dice rolls from a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and converts them into pitches. As the world of indeterminate artworks continues to grow, this paper seeks to explore the various ways in which creators have worked in tandem with chance to imbue their creations with a certain humanity that determinism cannot replicate. That is, how can leaving some elements of creative endeavors up to chance, paradoxically, make them more “human,” and how has chance given my composition a life of its own?
Assesing Dectection Limit of Cupriavidus metallidurans Probe for Species Identification
(2024-05) Daly, Regan; McLean, Robert J.C.; Lewis, Karen A.
Cupriavidas metallidurans is a heavy metal-resistant bacterial species from the Burkholderiaceae family that thrives in heavy metals that would typically be lethally toxic to many other bacterial species. C. metallidurans is a gram-negative bacillus microbe that is motile, does not produce spores, and is a mesophile. C. metallidurans is one of five bacteria, referred to as the “Fab-5”, that are commonly isolated from the water purification system (WPS) lifesupport on the International Space Station (ISS). This research is a part of a quantitative PCR (qPCR) initiative to measure population levels of each individual species after testing microbial control treatments in ground-based studies of the WPS used on the ISS and future space missions. During this project, a specific C. metallidurans gene was identified that targeted cnrC. Several primers targeting cnrC amplified DNA from C. metallidurans but did not produce detectable PCR product from the four other members of the “Fab-5” consortium. In future work, detection limits of a PCR-based detection approach targeting cnrC, will be done in pure and mixed cultures of C. metallidurans using both qPCR and digital PCR (dPCR).
At the Intersection of Gender and Language: Nonbinary Spaniards
(2023-05) Algoe, Isabel; Golato, Peter; Taylor, Nicole
An increasing number of people are choosing to live openly outside of the gender binary, often identifying as nonbinary, gender non-conforming, or genderqueer. Many of these people feel that binary language such as the pronouns he and she don’t reflect their identities accurately. In English, we have the controversial but somewhat accepted “singular they” pronoun, which is gender-neutral. But the shift towards gender-neutral language in languages where binary gender is more deeply embedded has been more difficult. Spanish is one of these languages; it is a language that has grammatical gender, meaning that its nouns, determiners, adjectives, and pronouns are grammatically marked as being either masculine or feminine. A noun's grammatical gender usually corresponds to its natural gender, i.e., to its status in the world as a biologically feminine or masculine entity (e.g., la mujer / "woman"). Grammatical gender is arbitrary in the case of nouns denoting non-entities (e.g., el libro / "book" happens to be masculine in Spanish). There is no option to refer to someone in a way that is simultaneously grammatically correct and gender-neutral. Although some queer Spanish language activists have suggested a new gender-neutral pronoun, elle, and a corresponding gender marker, -e, these have failed to gain public recognition or support. This has led to the constant misgendering of nonbinary people, an experience that has many adverse psychological effects on its victims. It is well-established that the language we speak is a crucial factor in identity construction. With these factors in mind, there is likely much to learn regarding identity and language from the unique position occupied by the nonbinary Spanish speaker. To address these questions, I conducted four detailed interviews with non-binary Spanish speakers over Zoom. The interview questions that I asked them focused on their lived experiences with identity construction, language innovation, and acceptance. The findings from these interviews shed important light upon the complex societal position occupied by nonbinary Spanish speakers.
Attachment Anxiety, Rape Myth Acceptance, and Sexual Compliance: A Replication and Extension
(2023-05) Price, Jon'Dasha; Roche, Sean
Unwanted sexual encounters include a broad spectrum of behaviors that may include sexual coercion and regretted sex to sexual assault and rape. While there has been a substantial amount of research investigating rape and perceptions of rape, few studies have investigated sexual compliance (engaging in sexual activity while not desiring it) and the causes of sexual compliance. Brewer and Forrest-Redfern (2022) hypothesized that attachment anxiety (AA) and rape myth acceptance (RMA) influence perceptions of unwanted sex and influence individual experiences of sexual compliance. The researchers found women who scored high on the AA scale were less likely to endorse confrontation of an offender and were also more likely to report individual experiences of unwanted sex. However, their participant pool was restricted to women in heterosexual relationships. The present study replicates Brewer and Forrest-Redfern, and the participant pool is expanded to investigate how AA and RMA influence perceptions of unwanted sex and individual experiences of sexual compliance for men and non-heterosexual individuals. Regression models with statistical interaction terms for gender and sexual identity explore the relationship between AA and compliance and between RMA and compliance, and how it may differ across different gender and sexual identities. The implications of this study, its limitations, and directions for future research will be discussed.

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