Undergraduate Senior Theses

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https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/4358

A senior thesis is a paper which highly-motivated senior undergraduates may write to present the results of a major, independent research or creative project. Unlike most term projects, papers, and lab reports written in undergraduate courses, a senior thesis addresses questions or issues for which no known or generally accepted answers exist.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 749

DIET-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF DIGESTION ON METABOLIC RATE OF CLEARNOSE SKATES (Rostroraja eglanteria)
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Hunter Christensen
This study aimed to describe the impact of diet on specific dynamic action (SDA) in Clearnose Skates (Rostroraja eglanteria). Metabolic rates of mature female Clearnose Skates (n=2) were calculated before and after being fed anchovies and shrimp. Metabolic rates were measured using static respirometry. Skates had an increase of up to 1.68x pre-feeding MO2 when eating anchovy, and an increase of up to 1.31x pre-feeding MO2 when eating shrimp. Meal size was also found to increase the duration and peak of the SDA effect. Minimizing the amount of energy occupied by SDA makes feeding more efficient and provides more available energy for Clearnose Skates.
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF PNEUMATIC AIR FRACTURING AND AIR SPADING WITH BIOCHAR ON URBAN SOILS FOR ENHANCED STORMWATER TREATMENT
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Holly McGullam
Urban soils are often greatly impacted by soil compaction, leading to detrimental soil conditions. Two methods of de-compacting the soil, pneumatic air fracturing and air spading were used to treat compacted soils at an urban park in Washington D.C. The effects of these two techniques were evaluated over a six-month period. The soil infiltration rate, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and penetration resistance were measured over the course of three separate field visits as an indication of the compaction of the soil. It was found that pneumatic air fracturing had a measurable effect on penetration resistance, and therefore soil compaction, at certain areas within the site. However, air spading had no measurable effect on penetration resistance anywhere at the site. In order to determine the impact of either treatment on infiltration rate or saturated hydraulic conductivity, more field data is required. Future work will be conducted in June 2025 and every six months beyond to continue to monitor the site.
LEFT HANGING: HOW FIRST WORLD COUNTRIES EXPLOIT LOOPHOLES IN INTERNATIONAL LAW AND LEGAL DOCTRINE IN ORDER TO SUBVERT THE RIGHTS OF REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Grace Mahony
This paper conducts a comparative analysis of the policy actions of four advanced industrial countries and their use of loopholes and other tactics to sidestep international law regarding refugees and asylum seekers. Inspired in part by fieldwork in 2024 working with refugees and asylum seekers in Denmark, the paper discusses how the Danish “zero-asylum” policy and immigration system evades and corrupts the intention of 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. My subsequent comparative research has demonstrated that these evasive and “deterrence” policy tactics exist in other first-world countries. This paper focuses specifically on instances in Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. (The Japanese case illustrates how this phenomenon is global and not specific to Western polities.) The paper develops these four case studies, examining each country’s refugee policies in practice, the relevant international legal sources and precedents, and the impact of these practices on refugee populations. I situate these cases in a cross-country analysis to expose a common pattern of exploited legal loopholes. My conclusions speak to possible legal responses or solutions to mitigate this problem in the future and safeguard the intentions of international refugee law.
MITIGATING FOOD INSECURITY-RELATED STIGMA: A REVIEW OF INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Evyn Y. Appel
Objective: To characterize intervention strategies addressing food insecurity-related stigma implemented in federal nutrition programs (e.g. SNAP, WIC) and emergency food programs (e.g. food pantries, food cupboards) within high income countries. Data Source: Six databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertations and Theses Global) and the Internet were searched through September 2024. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Included articles were published in or before September 2024, detailed intervention strategies in high income countries, published in English, contained original research or evidence of an intervention on food insecurity stigma. Data Extraction: Data on study characteristics and stigma intervention characteristics were extracted with a structured template. Data Synthesis: Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used. Results: The review found 46 intervention strategies across 18 articles. The majority of articles were based in the United States (89.9%) with the remaining portion from the United Kingdom (11.1%). Interventions most frequently targeted emergency food (44.4% of articles, 70.3% of interventions). Interventions were most often operating at the structural level (89.1%). Conclusion: This review demonstrates the frequency of structural level interventions, particularly within the emergency food setting, and the need to implement strategies that address the everyday interactions between staff/volunteers and those seeking food assistance. Keywords: Stigma, Food Assistance, Food Insecurity, Interventions Funding Acknowledgement: This paper was funded by Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL NORTH CULTURAL BIASES ON WILDLIFE PRACTICES IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Ethni Abiy
I explore the cultural biases embedded within Global North conservation ideologies and their impact on wildlife practices in the Global South. The advancement of wildlife conservation depends on understanding how historical portrayals of Indigenous knowledge systems as “primitive” continues to impact how global wildlife conservation is viewed by the Global North. Case studies from the Pacific Northwest, the Amazon, and sub-Saharan Africa demonstrate the sustainability and sophistication of Indigenous wildlife management practices, which are often ignored or displaced by Western conservation models such as “Fortress Conservation.” Through 11 interviews with professionals and students across diverse countries, my research reveals ongoing tensions between Western scientific frameworks and community-led approaches, including the displacement of Indigenous peoples, inequitable conservation partnerships, and the criminalization of traditional hunting. Historical legacies of colonialism and modern neocolonial structures— particularly in economic and legal systems—continue to shape conservation narratives, often placing blame on marginalized communities for environmental degradation without addressing underlying socio-economic conditions. I argue for the urgent need to decolonize conservation by integrating Indigenous knowledge, addressing structural inequalities, and promoting more just, culturally respectful approaches to wildlife management.
DEVELOPMENTAL IMPACT OF CESAREAN SECTION ON SUCROSE PREFERENCE AND REWARD BEHAVIOR
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Emily Kiernan
Cesarean section (CS) rates are rapidly rising worldwide and have been associated with increased risk for obesity. Emerging evidence suggests that CS may disrupt the development of the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system, a key pathway involved in reward processing, motivated behavior, and feeding behavior. In this study, we used prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) to investigate how CS affects reward sensitivity to sucrose and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in the ventral tegmental area in early adulthood. Voles were born via CS or vaginal delivery (VD), cross-fostered, and assessed using Sucrose Preference Testing (SPT), Conditioned Place Preference (CPP), and TH immunohistochemistry. Hormone levels are lower in CS offspring after birth, and we aimed to understand the role of hormones in development. SPT revealed that CS offspring consumed significantly more sucrose (p = 0.019) than CS-Hormone Rescue (HR) controls, suggesting that hormone signals play a role in reward processing. However, there were no significant differences in conditioned reward learning in CPP, indicating intact associative learning across groups. Preliminary results from ventral tegmental area analysis show significantly lower TH-immunoreactivity in the ventral tegmental area of CS animals in comparison to VD-SAL, suggesting altered dopaminergic function in reward regions. Preliminary data from the CS-HR group displayed higher levels of TH-ir, suggesting that CS-SAL animals have lower levels of TH-ir in the VTA. These findings elucidated that CS delivery may lead to long-lasting changes in DA regulation, which may underlie the increased risk for obesity observed in CS offspring.
EFFECTS OF SMALL MOLECULE INHIBITORS ON MOTILITY AND PROLIFERATION OF UNDIFFERENTIATED, DIFFERENTIATED, AND IRRADIATED GLIOBLASTOMA STEM CELLS
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Emily Borell
Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) make GBM treatment difficult as they invade surrounding brain tissue and are resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. Decreased motility and proliferation of GBM cells from established glioblastoma cell lines was previously observed when using small-molecule inhibitors fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor PD173074, focal adhesion kinase inhibitors PF431396 and Y15, and αvβ3/αvβ5 integrin inhibitor cilengitide. In this research it was found these inhibitors were similarly effective at decreasing the motility of patient-derived GSCs. These results were expanded to test the hypothesis that motility and proliferation of “differentiated” and irradiated GSCs would be similarly inhibited. GSCs were cultured in high-serum media to induce a differentiated state. Some of these “differentiated” GSCs were later cultured in stem cell media. A “super scratch” assay measured the velocity of migrating cells exposed to the inhibitors using time-lapse microscopy. A proliferation assay was then performed to determine the percentage of cells in S phase of the cell cycle. All cell lines exhibited similar decreases in motility following inhibitor treatment. The “differentiated” GSCs exhibited slower overall motility, but “differentiated” GSCs put back into stem-cell media exhibited similar motility as regular GSCs pre-differentiation. The proliferation assay showed that “differentiated” GSCs exhibited increased proliferation rates overall. The irradiated GSCs exhibited similar responses to the inhibitors compared to non-irradiated GSCs in the motility and proliferation assays. These results suggest the small molecule inhibitors tested may be effective against both GSCs and differentiated GBM cells and provide evidence that GSCs can enter in and out of a differentiated state depending on the extracellular environment. Radiation also did not change the response to drug treatments, which indicates radiation may not impact the efficacy of chemotherapeutics during glioblastoma treatment.
DETECTION OF DEFORMED WING VIRUS (DWV) IN LOCAL SYRPHIDAE POPULATIONS
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Ella C. Owen
RNA viruses take a heavy toll on the health of Apis mellifera (western honey bee) colonies. Viruses such as deformed wing virus (DWV) are responsible for large amounts of colony death. While a plethora of research has been conducted on the impacts of these viruses within honey bee hives, little research has been done to determine if and how these viruses impact local pollinators such as native bees, wasps, and flies. Syrphidae is a family of pollinating flies commonly known as hoverflies or flower flies that share floral resources with honey bees. This project aims to determine if DWV is present in hoverfly populations local to Newark, DE. I collected hoverflies from June 8th, 2023, to October 4th , 2023, and utilized RT-PCR to determine presence/absence of DWV for each sample. I analyzed my data by week and genus to determine if time of year or differences between genera plays a role in viral presence. I found that there is no significant relationship between presence of virus and week but that there is a significant relationship between presence of virus and hoverfly genus. This indicates that morphology, evolutionary history, and/or life history strategy may play an important role in viral transmission. More research is needed to determine how hoverflies are impacted by DWV and their competence as hosts.
EVALUATING TUMBLE CULTURE AS A METHOD TO IMPROVE PACIFIC OYSTER (CRASSOSTREA [MAGALLANA] GIGAS) GROWTH ON SOUTHEAST ALASKA SHELLFISH FARMS
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Elizabeth Roros
High water turbulence, tidal flux, and biofouling at Alaska’s high latitude oyster farms create various challenges for growing marketable Pacific oysters (Crassostrea [Magallana] gigas). As oyster mariculture expands in the upper Pacific northwest, developing efficient oyster grow-out methods is critical to ensuring industry success. Surface culture practices, also referred to as tumble culture, are configured to move with surface wave action and be exposed during low tide, thus naturally tumbling oysters, deterring growth of fouling organisms, and potentially reducing husbandry demands. To evaluate the efficiency of tumble culture in creating marketable oysters in Alaska where this method is not currently used, we stocked 48 SEAPA baskets with 500 individual seed oysters with an average total length of 26.2 mm ± 5.44 mm (mean ± standard deviation) and monitored growth over a four-month period. The baskets were deployed in two configurations and tidal zones (intertidal pivot line baskets and subtidal basket stacks) at a commercial oyster farm in Juneau, Alaska in early June 2024, and compared to the farm’s existing floating mesh bag method. Subsets of 20 oysters were collected in late June, July, and September 2024, to monitor shell morphology (length, width, depth), as well as whole and wet meat weights to determine differences in growth among the gear configurations and depth strata. The results indicate that there was a significant effect of gear configuration on oyster growth. Subtidal basket oysters had the highest shell growth, though growth was thin and uneven. In contrast, intertidal basket oysters had slightly lower shell growth but had high wet meat content, producing more market desirable shell shapes compared to the other gear configurations. Oysters from the floating mesh bag method had high percent wet meat weight relative to their whole weight, however, these oysters had the slowest overall growth. These results suggest that gear configuration and depth affect oyster growth, with the intertidal basket configuration producing oysters with desirable shell shape and wet meat weight. Ultimately these results can inform Southeast Alaska farmers about additional methods of growing oysters that use currently under-developed intertidal lease areas and result in well-shaped oysters.
SOUNDSCAPES OF THE MIND: IDENTIFYING SOUND AND MUSICAL PREFERENCES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN RESPECT TO SOUND ENVELOPE, PITCH REGISTER, AND SOURCE
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Elise Ruggiero
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social communication, behavior, and self-regulation across emotional, motor, and verbal domains. Many individuals with ASD experience auditory sensitivities, which makes them more susceptible to experiencing a sensory overload which often triggers adverse reactions. Many individuals with ASD strongly resonate with certain kinds of music despite these sensitivities, while others may steer away from music education, performance, and therapy altogether to avoid uncomfortable stimuli. While people with ASD have varying opinions of music and sound, music therapy and intervention for children with ASD have been shown to lead to positive impacts, such as facilitating preference expression, communication, and more. To better understand auditory preferences in children with ASD, I developed a survey featuring 30 sound samples that varied by sound envelope characteristics (ADSR: attack, decay, sustain, release), pitch register (high, medium, low), and source type (synthesized, acoustic, ambient) that was taken by 11 children with and without ASD. Results indicate that children with ASD show a stronger preference for slow decays, long sustains, and slow releases compared to their neurotypical peers. While both groups generally favored similar sound features, such as acoustic over synthesized or ambient sources, the degree of preference varied significantly in some variable levels. Notable differences were observed in response to sharp and weak attacks, slow decays, long sustains, extreme release speeds, high pitch registers, and non-acoustic sound sources. This study contributes to the growing body of research on auditory perception in individuals with ASD. Its findings may guide music therapists and educators in tailoring musical experiences that align more closely with the auditory preferences of children with ASD, thereby fostering more positive and effective outcomes in therapeutic and educational contexts.
LARGE SCALE MIGRATION MOVEMENTS AND MIGRATORY PATTERNS IN EASTERN POPULATIONS OF THE NORTHERN SAW WHET OWL (Aegolius acadicus) – A REANALYSIS
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Eli Hevalow
I analyzed banding and recapture data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) to reveal annual migratory trends in eastern populations of the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) following the methodology framework described by Beckett & Proudfoot (2011). I analyzed 150,427 banding events and 6,208 recapture events during post-breeding migration (1 Sep to 31 Dec) between 2009-2022. I found significant regional differences in migratory route fidelity, with owls banded in the Great Lakes Basin exhibiting stronger fidelity to specific movement corridors compared to those in the Appalachian Mountains and Atlantic Seaboard regions. Age-differentiated migration patterns revealed a significant latitudinal difference between adults and juveniles, with juveniles generally banded at higher latitudes. However, this difference was small in magnitude and likely influenced by localized juvenile concentrations in northern Ontario and the western Great Lakes. Owls also demonstrated region-specific migratory directionality, with significantly different directional bearings among regions. The most concentrated southerly movements were found in Great Lakes owls, while birds of the Atlantic Seaboard had the most southwesterly direction, and those of the Appalachians an intermediate direction. These findings demonstrate that physiographic features, age structure, and wind exposure interact to influence migratory strategies in this species, reinforcing and clarifying earlier findings of Northern Saw-whet Owl migration ecology.
THE IMPACT OF SLEEP QUALITY ON HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Elena Lynn
Pregnancy is a vulnerable time marked by many physical and emotional challenges. During pregnancy, women face a lot of added stressors and may deal with mental and emotional hardships. Pregnancy can also be difficult as the pregnant women envisions how their life will change once they are responsible for a child that is dependent upon them. Fluctuations in hormones can disrupt many other biological processes that happen in the body. This can impact energy levels, emotional states, and mental health. Pregnant women are often considered to be a vulnerable population due to the health risk to both the mother and the developing fetus. Pregnant women also tend to experience worsened health outcomes and may develop conditions during pregnancy that effect long-term health outcomes. For example, preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure and often high protein found in the urine after pregnancy. Poor health during pregnancy may also lead to poor outcomes for the child, including preterm birth or even stillbirth. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally and is estimated to account for over 17 million deaths annually. Cardiovascular disease encompasses many different conditions that relate to the heart and the blood vessels. Some of the diseases that are classified as cardiovascular disease include heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmia. During pregnancy, many women develop high blood pressure which often leads to cardiovascular disease later in life. These complications of pregnancy are important and should be prioritized as a point of public health importance. Sleep habits are an important factor that impacts health in a variety of ways. Good quality sleep is also something that many pregnant women struggle with due to the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. It is important that sleep habits such as sleep duration, frequency of sleep disturbances, and prevalence of sleep disorders is investigated to understand how pregnant women are affected by their sleep. Sleep habits and increased blood pressure are highly correlated however, not many studies have explored pregnant women as the population of interest in relation to sleep and the intersection with high blood pressure. Additionally, much of the existing literature has examined the relationship cardiovascular disease and obstructive sleep apnea but have not examined other sleep habits. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine how sleep habits, which includes other than just sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, impacts on blood pressure in pregnant women. To examine this relationship, a systematic review was conducted using three databases. Originally, 404 articles were screened and at the end, twelve studies were left to be reviewed and used for data analysis to compare findings. Overall, across the twelve studies, results showed similar findings; specifically, that poor sleep increases the risk of hypertension among pregnant women. These results are consistent across findings. Future studies can explore other aspects of cardiovascular health as well as use consistent measures across studies in order to draw larger and more complex comparisons across studies or explore this topic as a meta-analysis. The findings of this research can help guide future interventions or programs tailored to educate pregnant women on the importance of working with this population to improve their heart health and sleep quality.
Characterizing Hey2 as a Six1-Interacting Protein
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Eleanor Helm
Branchio-oto-renal spectrum disorders (BORSD) are a type of congenital hearing loss disorders found in roughly 2% of profoundly deaf children. BORSD not only affects ear development, but also has the potential to cause other developmental defects such as branchial fistulae and cysts in the neck, as well as renal abnormalities. So far, mutations in two genes, SIX1 and EYA1, have been found to be the primary contributors to BORSD, but these still only account for 44% of those who suffer from this disorder. In recent years, researchers have worked to identify other genes involved in the SIX1 developmental pathway, particularly cofactors that may modulate the activity of SIX1 and EYA1 and could contribute to the wide variability of symptoms observed in BORSD patients. HEY2 is one of these potential cofactors that has been identified using a yeast 2-hybrid screen, but further studies are required to determine if it truly has a role as a SIX1 cofactor. Using Xenopus laevis as a model organism, we conducted in situ hybridization on embryos to discover that hey2 is partially coexpressed with six1 during larval stages of development, pointing to a possible interaction in vivo. Additionally, luciferase assays have shown that Hey2 increases Six1 transcriptional activity in vitro, potentially by strengthening the Six1- Eya1 interaction. Further research is needed to determine if this increase in activity is due to direct binding of Hey2 and Six1, but our early findings show that Hey2 is a promising Six1 cofactor that may contribute to BORSD.
Thracians in the Eyes of Others: A Critical Analysis of Data and Biases within Ancient and Modern Sources
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Damian Dumchus
Archaeology plays an important role in constructing, developing, and modifying identities from both the past and present and is often cited in geopolitical or ethnonationalist disputes around the globe. The Thracians were an ancient Indo European speaking people living in what is now Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, and were mentioned extensively in Ancient Greek mythology and literature. Today, Bulgarian identity traces its ultimate origins to the Thracians, a result of an identity construction necessitated by over seven hundred years of foreign occupation. Archaeology plays a significant role in this process and is heavily promoted by the Bulgarian government. Archaeology, as a discipline, is often undermined by the preconceptions and biases that may influence interpretations, often in ways that are wildly inaccurate. This thesis examines textual and archaeological data pertaining to Thrace from both classical antiquity and the present, as well as providing an outline of the social contexts and biases of specific societies that often influence the interpretations. Consisting of three main parts, each with several chapters, this thesis begins with an ‘ethnohistory’ of the Thracians, a project commonly found within archaeology. The second part analyzes influences and contacts the Thracians had with their neighbors, and the third part contains an outline of the social contexts, biases, trends, and geopolitical situations of the relevant societies, relating them to the data and interpretations that have been compiled. This structure mirrors that of archaeological textbooks and journals, albeit with greater emphasis on critique and postprocessual theory.
AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS OF TIMING AND SYNCHRONY IN ROWING
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Cornelia Meiss
Synchrony and Timing are key components of the sport of rowing. This thesis investigated different ways of determining the synchrony between two athletes on rowing ergometers in a video. First, human pose estimation techniques were used to extract body key points and compare the synchrony of one or multiple body parts across the length of the video. Second, a video classification model based on either the R3D or I3D model were trained to classify rowing videos as synchronized or unsynchronized and their performance was compared. The pose estimation approach could detect and highlight small asynchronies between rowers that are hard to detect for humans and could provide valuable additions to rowing training. For the video classification approaches, the R3D-based model reliably classified rowing videos and generalized well to unseen and slightly different data. It outperformed the I3D-based approach, which performed well on the training data but generalized poorly to different data.
DIVERSITY, MOVEMENT AND SURVIVAL OF JUVENILE FISHES AROUND AQUACULTURE GEAR IN NEARSHORE ENVIRONMENTS OF DELAWARE BAY, USA
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Clare McLaughlin
As aquaculture continues to expand in coastal systems worldwide, evaluating ecological impacts on wild fish communities is essential for sustainable marine resource management. This study examined the influence of rack-and-bag (RB) oyster aquaculture structures on the diversity, movement, and apparent survival of juvenile fishes in nearshore environments of Delaware Bay, USA. Using a mark-recapture framework, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging, and environmental monitoring, we investigated the habitat use of two focal species—American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) and Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)—across two ecologically distinct sites: Port Mahon and Lewes. Over a 12-week sampling period, eel traps were deployed at fixed distances (0, 3.5, 7, and 14 meters) from aquaculture gear to detect spatial gradients in fish distribution. Biodiversity metrics revealed higher species richness and abundance at Port Mahon, while Lewes exhibited greater species evenness. A pronounced halo effect was observed at both sites, characterized by elevated capture rates and species richness nearest to RB structures, suggesting that aquaculture installations enhance localized habitat complexity and biological activity. Cormack-Jolly-Seber models estimated an apparent survival rate (Φ) of 64.6% for American Eels, with a detection probability (p) of 15% at Port Mahon. In Lewes, Black Sea Bass exhibited a higher survival estimate under a time-variant detection model (Φ = 90.6%), though with wide uncertainty. For comparison, a time-invariant model for Black Sea Bass yielded a lower survival estimate (Φ = 43.88%; 95% CI: 19.98–70.99%) and a detection probability of 13.42% (95% CI: 3.52–39.68%). These results reflect the episodic use of aquaculture gear by American Eel and Black Sea Bass. My findings indicate that RB oyster aquaculture provides valuable refuge and foraging habitat for juvenile fishes and may function as a habitat enhancement tool in estuarine systems. The spatial patterns observed underscore the ecological role of aquaculture gear in shaping fish community structure and movement, with implications for the design and management of sustainable aquaculture operations.
Latvia’s Russophone Dilemma: The Correlation Between Language Ideology and Populism In Post-Soviet Latvia
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Carly Brant
In the last decade, Europe has witnessed a significant rise of populist parties, a trend mirrored globally with the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States. This thesis examines the reasons behind the success of these populist movements, focusing on the interplay between language ideologies, populism, and democratic state-building specifically in post-Soviet Latvia. It explores how the legacies of Russian-language occupation contribute to present-day societal tensions between the Russophone minority and the “ethnic Latvian” majority, reinforcing the success of Latvian populist parties. Drawing on Jan Werner Muller’s theories on populism, the study argues that Latvian language policies contribute greatly to the marginalization of the Russophone population, ultimately resulting in moralized anti-pluralism that erodes Latvian democracy. The research finds a positive correlation between heightened sociolinguistic tension and increased support for populist parties like National Alliance (Nacionālā apvienība) and Latvia First (Latvija pirmajā vietā). This thesis explores the tension between the ethnic-Latvian and Russophone populations that has heightened within the context of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Rather than sympathizing with or excusing in any capacity the current actions of the Russian government, this thesis offers possible explanations for the infiltration of Latvian’s democracy by populist actors that capitalize on a powerful sociolinguistic division present in Latvian society that was formed out of remnants of its colonial past and has re-emerged in light of the current regional conflict.
“FROM COP CITY TO PALESTINE”: DIGITAL PLACEMAKING AS TRANSNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Cadence Roy
The Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE), a program facilitating exchanges of policing techniques and technologies between the Atlanta Police Department and the Israeli Defense Forces, has initiated the construction of a militarized police training center called Cop City. The violent policing tactics Israel weaponizes against Palestinians are now exported to the United States. Atlanta’s activists in the Stop Cop City movement and Palestinians resisting occupation note the formal connections between the two sites and employ digital placemaking tactics to collaboratively contest dominant narratives of place. I argue that these transgressive digital placemaking practices are a form of transnational solidarity, bringing together geographically disparate actors in a common political struggle.
BODY DISSATISFACTION IN FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETES: THE ROLE OF BODY MASS INDEX, SPORT TYPE, AND RACE
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Bridget O’Donnell
Disordered eating disproportionately affects female athletes, compared to male athletes and female non-athletes. A key predictor of disordered eating is body dissatisfaction. A biopsychosocial approach was used to frame the current study analyzing body dissatisfaction and three variables: (1) Body Mass Index, (2) sport type, and (3) race in female college athletes. The study includes a sample of Division 1 University of Delaware female athletes (n=218) who participated in a 28-item survey assessing demographic information and eating disorder risk in Spring and Summer of 2023. Body dissatisfaction was measured using items from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire – Short and Brief Eating Disorder in Athletes Questionnaire. There was a difference in mean BMI found for athletes with high and low body dissatisfaction, as revealed by an independent samples t-test. Those who were “Always”, “Usually”, or “Often” satisfied with the shape of their body had a mean BMI of 22.26 𝑘𝑔/𝑚2 ± 2.38, while those who were “Sometimes”, “Rarely”, or “Never” satisfied with the shape of their had a mean BMI of 23.41 𝑘𝑔/𝑚2 ± 2.71 (p=.001). A chi-square test of independence showed no significant association between sport type and body dissatisfaction, indicating that Non-Lean and Lean athletes had no significant difference in body dissatisfaction levels. There was no significant difference in body dissatisfaction between White and POC athletes revealed by a chi-square test of independence. More research is needed to understand the interplay of biological, social, and psychological correlates of body dissatisfaction, such as body composition, sport type, and race.
INVESTIGATING THE IMPORTANCE OF BED ROUGHNESS ON TURBULENCE IN THE INNER SURF AND SWASH ZONES
(University of Delaware, 2025-05) Brenna Derby
This senior thesis investigates the effect of bed roughness on turbulence in the swash- and inner surf-zones under controlled laboratory conditions. These experiments collected velocity data using acoustic Doppler profiling velocimeters (ADPVs) at three cross-shore locations during wave flume experiments conducted at Queen’s University. Test conditions varied by wave height, incident wave angle, and surface roughness (SMOOTH vs. ROUGH). The analysis used ensemble decomposition to isolate wave-resolving and turbulent components of velocity, enabling the calculation of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Each test yielded depthand time-averaged TKE (𝐾̂) values to compare turbulence across conditions. Roughness effects on turbulence intensity varied across cross-shore positions and wave conditions. Rough surfaces produced higher 𝐾̂values in only 5 of 27 comparisons, with smooth surfaces often generating higher turbulence levels, particularly at more oblique wave angles. Roughness effects were strongest at more onshore sensors under low-angle wave conditions, while turbulence generally increased with wave height at all positions. These results highlight the complex relationship between bed roughness, wave forcing, and turbulence generation in nearshore environments, contributing to a better understanding of hydrodynamics relevant to sediment transport and coastal protection.

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