Honors Theses
The Honors Program is rooted in the Catholic Marianist tradition, encouraging social responsibility and ethical sensitivity with its many leadership and service opportunities.
Honors theses are as diverse and ambitious as creating solar-powered, easy-to-use equipment to sterilize medical devices; writing a novel or series of short stories; pursuing neuroscience research to better understand Alzheimer's disease; and publishing a book based on branding elements designed specifically for several organizations.
For theses dated prior to 2014, contact the University Archives and Special Collections at archives@udayton.edu.
Submissions from 2025
Characterization of a Drosophila CRC 3-hit model using genetic approaches, Sydney E. Anderson
Estimating Disease Transmissions with Assortative Mixing by Vaccination Status, Jabob D. Biesecker-Mast
Efficient Light-Induced Reactive Oxygen Species Production from a Cationic Mitochondrial-Targeting BODIPY Dye, Cynthia Bukirwa
Original Sin or the Lack Thereof Rousseau’s Philosophical Anthropology, Jane V. Carney
Step-Rate Manipulation for Improved Running Economy at a Performance, Noah Clemens
Stress, Saliva, and Spirits: The Effects of Acute Psychosocial Stress on Alcohol Craving, Motivation to Consume Alcohol, and Physiological Correlates, Olivia J. Dobiesz
Automated System for Photonic Integrated Circuit Measurement, Daniel F. Donnelly
Examining Gender and Race/Ethnicity Differences in Self-Esteem: A Birth Cohort Analysis Spanning 46 Years, Ella M. Donnelly
Understanding the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition of Glioblastoma Multiforme on a Microfluidic Model, Khadija Fatima
Investigating Tandem Propeller Performance in Multirotor Aircraft, Michael R. Foster
Highly Conjugated BODIPY Dye Capable of Generating Both Singlet Oxygen and Superoxide Radical Within the Phototherapeutic Window, Emily A. Hardie
Investigating macrophage interactions with Listeria monocytogenes grown under different conditions, Patrick J. Hurst
Mapping PLN Immunoreactivity within the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus Sectors of the Mouse Brain, Summer A. Istenes
Enhancing Quadrotor Autonomy Using Robust Control Algorithms, Kevin P. Johnston
Quantifying Droplet Breakup Regimes in High-Speed Flow Fields with Diffuse Background Illumination, Joseph R. Kastner
Discovery of Novel Mechanisms During the Biodegradation of Polymer Coatings by an Environmental Strain of Aureobasidium, Paige A. King
An Extreme Injustice Evaluating the American Response to Incidents of Domestic Terrorism, Kathryn T. McAuliffe
Radicle Restoration: Growing Native Plant Seedlings for Changing Landscapes, Madelyn Moore
Conduct, Discipline, and Punishment: Representations of Early Modern Women in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing, Madeleine E. Onderak
Gender in Math: The Short and Long Term Effects of Bias in the Math Classroom, Kailey P. Peppard
Observations of Memristive Behavior for Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 and Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 Through IV Curve Analysis, Tristan D. Quach
Building Bridges to Math Success: Exploring Children’s Flexible Attention to Numerical and Spatial Magnitudes, Deja A. Richardson
Examining the causal impact of prayer on self-control and generosity, Angel R. Rivera-Martinez
Illuminating the putative expression of PLN in different mouse brain cell types, Morgan E. Roach
Ethical & Effective Federal Artificial Intelligence Policy, Liam J. Row
Experimental Investigation of the Second-Mode Boundary-Layer Instability Over a Flat Plate with a Wavy Wall, Megan C. Sieve
“Almond Moms” and Their Influence on College-Aged Emerging Adults: An Investigation on Eating Cognitions, Behaviors, and Psychological Wellness, Rebecca E. Sutton
Diverse bacteria from the skin of the Eastern Red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus), Nicolina R. Valore
The Correctional Responses to COVID-19: in Ohio, the U.S., and Across the Globe, Kendall E. Visco
Electropolymerization on ITO-Coated Glass Slides of a Series of π-Extended BODIPY Dyes with Redox-Active Meso-Substituents, Alexa R. Wright
Submissions from 2024
Effects of Paternal Heat Exposure and Parental Care on Development of Offsring in Gasterosteus aculeatus, Emma R. Borgert
Evaluation of Irreversibly Sickled Cells with Imaging Flow Cytometry and Machine Learning: A Faster and More Consistent Alternative, John-Paul S. Bugada
Academic Achievement Gap of ELL Students after the COVID-19 Pandemic, Megan K. Buzzanca
Lovecraft and the Uncanny: A Psychoanalytic Critique of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider, Jules F. Carr-Chellman
The Pussification of Man: Evangelical Pastor Mark Driscoll and the Construction of an “Ideal” Evangelical Masculinity, Phillip E. Cicero
Beyond Technology: Social Predictors of Energy Efficiency in Industrial Facilities, Garret B. Cowdery
Investigating the Theory-Practice Gap in Sales Engineering Transitions, Jack K. Doll
Behavioral Responses of Two Color Morphs of the Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) to Novel Urban Environments, Amy Q. Friemoth
A Theological Analysis of Catholic Liturgies Celebrating Those with Disabilities, Jack H. Gorman
Hippo, Wnt, and JNK Pathway Interactions in a Drosophila Colorectal Cancer Model, Michael K. Gruhot
Identifying the Effects of Environmental Conditions on Listeria monocytogenes Fitness and Pathogenesis Modified by Transcription Factor CodY, Elizabeth K. Herr
Russian War Crimes against Ukraine, Katherine J. Hoener
Students Developing a More Specific Emotional Vocabulary through Picture Books, Mary E. Horvath
Benefits of a Community Reentry Intervention for Reentry Self-Efficacy in Homeless Shelter Residents With Past Incarceration, Kathryn E. Hurley
Quantitative Concentration and Density Measurements in Subsonic and Supersonic Helium Jets Using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry, Henry H. Jacques
Development of a Machine Learning-Based Program to Measure Cell Proliferation, Adam J. Jones
Selective Evolution of Lithium Ions by Shewanella loihica, Gabrielle A. Kozurek
The Effect of Threat Perception on Judging Interpersonal Distance, Connor N. Kuntz
Political Representation, Democracy, and the Electoral College: An Applied Theoretical Analysis, Jordan A. Marsh
The Effect of Floor Stiffness on ACL and Meniscus Tear and Chondromalacia Susceptibility in Dancers, Kate J. Moreira
Assessing the Behavioral Effects of Conditional SERCA2 Deletion in Central GABAergic Neurons, Hayden N. Ott
The Effects of a Mindfulness Intervention on Ameliorating Premenstrual Hedonic Eating Patterns in College-Aged Females, Nicole R. Palmieri
Creating a More Meaningful AI Tournament: Statistical Insights from the Game of Catan, Aidan P. Reichenberg
The Effects of Fatigue on Landing Forces in Competitive Female Irish Dancers, Anna G. Robinson
Improving Methods for Enantioselective Organophosphorus Synthesis by A Chiral Nucleophile-Metal Bifunctional Catalytic System, Jackson T. Shuman
Relationship Exploration through Music: Music Therapy Treatment Considerations for Adolescents with Attachment Trauma, Jaylee A. Sowders
Unhappy Endings: Queer Time in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, Caitlin G. Spicer
Anti-predator Behavior in Response to Conspecific Visual, Olfactory, and Damage Cues in Three-Spined Sticklebacks, Claire E. VanMeter
Submissions from 2023
Development of a Three-dimensional Model on a Chip of Multifocal and Multicentric Breast Cancer for Studying Multiple-tumor Interaction and Progression, Elizabeth Avera
Anxious Attachment as a Mediator between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Relationship Satisfaction, Rachel Banks
Studying Response of Multiple GBM Cell Lines to Extracellular Components, Laura Bender
Bacillus megaterium and Papiliotrema laurentii: Competing roles in polymer coating degradation?, Anna M. Blumberg
Othering the Brother: Toward a Sibling-Oriented Ethics of Care, William Bryant
Assistive and Augmentative Communication: Ethics and Possibilities in Music Therapy with Non-Speaking clients, Amanda Bursch
Effects of Propionate on Macrophage Migration, Cian J. Callahan
Cybersecurity of the Cloud and IoT Devices, Caleb Cecil
Connecting Compositions of Gustav Holst: Folk Songs and The Planets, Rachel M. Dalrymple
Determining the Role of Propionate in Macrophage M1 and M2 Activation, Hannah M. DeRespiris
Skeletal Muscle Reactive Hyperemia is Dependent on the Deoxygenation Stimulus in Young Healthy Humans, William Durbin
Capital Embodiment: White Beauty and Bodies in Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends, Josie K. Forsthoff
Understanding the Barrier to Integrating Empathy Education into Pre-Medical Curriculum, Angela Galluzzo
A Sibling Comparison Study Exploring Effects of Parenting on Self-Esteem in Adolescents, Molly K. Griffin
Bio-Based Separation and Extraction of DoD-Relevant Critical Metals, Courtney L. Henthorn
Anaerobic Propionate Exposure and its Effect on the Pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes, Allison Herceg
Boron Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Dye Covalently Bound to Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Amy Hess
The Transition to a Renewable Energy Electric Grid in the Caribbean Island Nation of Antigua and Barbuda, Patrick Hoody
Evaluation of Potential Risk Factors for Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Gabriel C. Janus
Mitigation of JavaScript-Based Fingerprinting Attacks Reliant on Client Data Generation, Nathan Joslin
Cross-Cultural Educational Exchanges for Peace Through Common Humanity, Katelyn G. Jutras
Back-Imaging of Pressure-Sensitive Paint to Determine Close Proximity Ground Effects of Propellers, Jacob Kulig
Efficient Synthesis of Aromatic Quinoxaline Derivatives, Patrick D. LaRosa
The Impacts of COVID-19 on Kindergarten Readiness Skills in Preschoolers, Jacquelyn S. LaVigne
Foreign Detainee Operations Post 9/11: An Example of the United States’ Ethical Compromise, Seth Longstreth
Moderating Role of Experiential Similarity on the Relationship between Social Support and Posttraumatic Growth, Avery Lytle
Floatovoltaic Solar Panels with Metallic Wicks: A Location and Manufacturing Study, Emily Mann
Quantifying the Impact of the 2022 Formula One Technical Regulations on Wake Turbulence: A Numerical Analysis, Luis A. Méndez
Synthesis of a Single Stranded DNA Aptamer to Inhibit Multidrug Resistance Caused by Bacterial Efflux Pump Overexpression, Lara M. MItzka
Effects of Chronic Pharmacological Modulation of SERCA in Learning and Memory Processes in Mice, Carter J. Moore
The Theory Behind the Cape: Research behind Nietzsche’s Super-Man Theory in Concert with DC’s Superman Origins and Evolution, Mary K. Newman
Effect of Arch Height on Dynamic Balance and Neuromuscular Control in Young Adults, Kale R. Offstein
Faces of Faith: Monastic Identity and Protestant Theology in the Swiss Reformation, Kevin O'Gorman
Competition Versus Choice: Evolution Along a Narrow Path in Drosophila β2 Tubulin, Olivia B. Parson
A Longitudinal Investigation of Sibling Effects on Parent-Child Relationships, Caleigh G. Pistorius
The Generic Flamboyance of Muriel Spark, Tess Poe-Slade
Contesting Human Rights Coherence: Neoliberalism as an Epoch of Brutality, David Quick III
Measuring Wetland Restoration Success through Water Quality and Invertebrate Community Indices, Abbey E. Raison
Validation of Effective Removal of PFAS from Glassware Sampling Train Used for Evaluation of Thermal Treatment of PFAS, Elizabeth Riedel
Investigating the Role of Neural Stem Cells in Aggressive Gliomas, Sadie Salamone
