Theses are the culmination of honor students independent research under the guidance of faculty members and are representative of Union College's commitment to giving students the tools necessary for life-long learning.
Theses/Dissertations from 2009
Determinants of entrepreneurship in America, Allen Matthew Piekara
Analysis of the cellular uptake of a novel cell penetrating peptide and peptoid, Maria-Claire Pietak
A 3-dimensional model of bryophyte canopy light interaction, Zachary M. Portman
The Wingman : self-spotting bench press, Christopher Michael Potts
A pedagogical tool for usability science, Nickolas Roddy Potvin
Impact of payer status on utilization of ambulatory and hospital services, Fariha H. Ramay
The District of Columbia v. Heller litigation campaign, Kevin Joseph Rautenstrauch
The case for studying religious truth claims In public education, Lucia Burleigh Reed
The influence of carbon nanotubes in softball bats, Michelle Jessica Rogers
Waves and wetsuits : the serious games of New England surfing, Monica Grace Rowett
Using an ultrasound to detect vibrations in musical instruments and the human voice, Kathleen Marie Rucci
Synthesis and characterization of a new C₂ -symmetric chiral catalyst, Linah Natsai Rusere
Spirituality alteration following dance classes : does dance increase one’s level of spirituality?, Nozomi Sakata
Sustainable building, David Lansdale Sanders
A critique of Edward’s Said’s Theory of Orientalism : based on the works of Sir Richard Francis Burton and C.F. Volney, Nathaniel Gabriel Saslow
Including children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms : opinions of future parents, Amy Lynn Scheck
Extended program notes, Alexander Berkman Horowitz Schlosberg
Cloning and expression of a metacaspase gene from the mushroom-producing fungus Schizophyllum commune, Evan R. Schloss
Changed light : a poetry collection, Erin Leigh Schumaker
Going all in : a terror management perspective on risk-taking and gambling, James Aren Schwabach
Interpreting the other though three stages of intellect in Harry Potter, Karen Ruth Selchick
How do different tax structures affect economic growth?, Ryan Robert Selvidio
Suggested planes : steel sculptures, Megan Marie Sesil
A new cold war? : a game theoretical analysis of Chinese and Venezuelan trade, Jacob Baer Shaffren
Disability management in the corporate workplace, Amar S. Shah
The high price of low interest rates : an empirical investigation of the claim that “too low” interest rates contributed to the current financial crisis, Lindsey Anne Shelley
Modifying the mechanical strength of aerogels, Matthew Adam Sherman
An energy audit of Beuth House and Richmond Hall, Jordan Lynn Silletti
The history and social theory behind the transformation of German universities from mid 19th century through post World War II East and West Germany, Beth Diane Solomon
Corpulent commercials : the response of television food advertisements to the childhood obesity crisis in the United States, Tamar Soroker
Growing Cricket in Tasmania: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Elizabeth Ann Stanford
Lactate metabolism in the jumping muscle of the American locust (Schistocerca americana), Elizabeth Ann Stanford
Self-monitoring and theory of mind in three-, four-, and five-year-olds, Emily Charlotte Stempler
Doctors and the health care crisis : why don’t we ask the experts?, Jeremy Michael Taglieri
Water supply and distribution system for Boru Village, Ethiopia, Tehtena B. Tenaw
Anthropogenic destruction, Brace Griffith Thompson
Nanomorphology studies of Poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) In organic-inorganic photovoltaic devices, Michael Roy Topka
Effects of self-monitoring on susceptibility to active and passive peer pressure to date during early adolescence, Vanessa Gale Tyler
“Extending the area of freedom” : the influence of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny on the United States’ geographic and political expansion, Michael Samuel Vassallo
Childhood obesity : integrating the individual and public health perspectives, Monica Lynn Vielkind
Drawing out the devil : an examination of Milton’s satan, sin, and death through Freudian and Jungian analysis, Christina M. Vincent
The effect of methotrexate on the cortisol levels relative to adrenocorticotropic hormone levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients in relation to clinical efficacy, Halley Paresh Vora
Sex guilt and persuasion, Elise Ann Wakeland
The Bush Administration’s Torture Policy: Outright Disregard for the Rule of Law and Human Rights, Lyndsay Wehrum
Academic stress in first year college students : adverse affects on mental health and the relationship to salivary cortisol concentrations, Tatum Alexandra Weishaupt
Sketches of life : a collection of short works, Wesley Raymond Whitaker
The medicalization of maternity care in the United States : a social analysis, Amelia Patten Whitney
Functionalization of cadmium selenide nanocrystals with Aniline ligands and inclusion in polyaniline composites for application in a photovoltaic device, Ursula Jane Willimas
Democracy in the United States : was it ever meant to be?, Alexander M. Wolf
Theses/Dissertations from 2008
Cultural and medical implications of ayurvedic medicine in Kerala, India, Mary Abraham
United States foreign policy and the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan : the role of the U.S. Department of State in policy making, Gregory T. Anastasio
The changing concept of the Roman Imperium from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages, Giancarlo Annese
Effects of gravidity on jump performance in the American Locust (Schistocerca americana), Kaitlin M. Arntzen
HIV in Africa : examining the determinants that affect the prevalence of the virus, Ilya Aspis
Evidence of pools as refugia in a healthy Connecticut River., Kerry E. Bannon
Calibrating recent sedimentary sequences from the proximal basin of a large glacially fed lake with hydroclimate data, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska., Samuel K. Basta
Mexican immigration to the U.S. : dynamics, debates, and the tradgedy of the non-citizen, Benjamin J. Bauer
The evolution and migration of the Trojan legend from Greece to Rome, Allison M. Baum
The media and body image : does lifetime media exposure affect body satisfaction after exposure to a thin ideal?, Rachel A. Bennett
"But if I were pope" : Thomas More and English anticlericalism in the context of his public career, Andrew P. Bigness
An Introduction to the mathematical formalization of quantum mechanics, Richard J. Bonventre
Photoproduction of neutral mesons from hydrogen and helium targets in CLAS, Richard J. Bonventre
Uncovering the democratic bias within political coverage at six of America’s top newspapers, Dylan Breslin-Barnhart
Engaging China in the Twenty-First Century: An Analysis of U.S.-China Relations and Recommendations for the Future, Lilly Briger
Image processing techniques applied to the analysis of chiral features in nanoscale images, Benjamin R. Bunes
A modern day slavery : sex trafficking and the U.S./Mexico relationship, Stephanie N. Cannuli
Women in the New York State Court System: A Report on Domestic Relations Law, Kaitlin Canty
JSMATH equation editor : a study in equation editor design, Dana Edmund Cartwright
Tourism Trends and Patterns: What are the Determining Factors?, Courtney Chais
The impact of sexual orientation on the comfort levels in interracial relationships, Jeffrey M. Chao
The role of college bullying : does it exist?, Cara O. Charles
Live free or die : women who choose death in twentieth-century American literature and film, Carly B. Chasin
The role of health in determining economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mohamed B. Chaudary
"Changing the story" : a study of the portrayal of women in twentieth-century Irish literature, Rebecca A. Chawner
A study of Gaussian integers, Steve Cohen
The development and radicalization of Sayyid Qutb’s Ideological Discourse, John C. Costello
"The other white monks" : the Minor Houses" of Cistercian Yorkshire reexamined, Heather Cunningham
Generation of quasi-polynomial functions to count ties, Ronghua Dai
Derramamiento de sangre en el caribe : una guerra racial en la Isla de Española, Jennifer F. Dalenta
The Quest for Identity: Human Rights in the Aftermath of El Proceso in Argentina, Jennifer F. Dalenta
The progression of media in the Arab world : a study of al-Jazeera and al-Jazeera English, Aaron S. Davidowitz
Tattooing human nature : a cross-cultural study of ancient Western world and East Asian tattooing, Shannon Marie Davi
Quantum dots as fret donors in molecular beacons, Olga Davydenko
The creation of a welcoming engaging destination : how to wed the people of Schenectady to their city, Joshua C. Debartolo
Factors affecting support of a mental health parity bill, Danna M. DeBlasio
The role of palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (ppt1) on embryonic neural development in drosophila melanogaster, Cassandra L. Denefrio
Non-photorealistic fire, Michael R. Donovan
Growth within an instar reduces jumping performance In American locusts (schistocerca Americana), Bridget M. Duffy
Public opinion, politics, and global warming, Linnea E. Edwardson
L'évolution du désastre : l'histoire riche des risques naturels aux Antilles françaises et les dégâts culturels et economiques qui menacent la Martinique, Erica D. Erlanger
Reconstruction of Sitka, Alaska temperatures (AD 1569-1991) based on eight Gulf of Alaska tree-ring chronologies, Erica D. Erlanger
The gender-power hierarchy of the Gods in Homer’s Iliad, Kenneth J. Falcon
Years of lead : Italian terrorism from 1969-1984, Anthony H. Fine
Sayyid Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani and Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan : two Islamic responses to Western domination, William F. Fitzsimons
Test of activated carbon to reduce the impact of Alliaria petiolata on growth of native tree seedlings, Emily E. Follansbee
Bush, Clinton and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict : a reasessment of what it means to be pro-Israel, Eric J. Garofano
Saladin : sinner or saint : an examination of the sultan’s image through the ages, Eric J. Garofano
Terraforming Mars, Michael E. Gillin