Here you find a sample of Honors Theses completed in the past semesters. Check them out and get a better understanding of this important Honors College requirement. Remember, this is not necessarily a showcase of the "best" work, but rather a representative cross-section. We hope you enjoy reading some of this work and come away informed and inspired. Not all disciplines may be represented; here is a complete list:
| Spring 2012 Outstanding Theses |
|
| Biology |
| We All Like New Things: A Comparison of Human Ape Reactions to Novelty |
| Author: Wiley, Desirae |
Mentor: Lynn Martin |
|
| Business |
| AT&T and T-Mobile Merger Analysis |
| Author: Cabano, Frank |
Mentor: Joseph DeSalvo |
| Fresh: A Catering Company |
| Student Author: Potter, Erin |
Mentor: Robert Pecoraro |
|
| Chemistry |
| Determination of Anti-Malarial Properties of Delta lactam Derivatives from Mycosynthetix Sample 232697 |
| Author: Gonzalez-Jacobo, Alexander |
Mentor: Bill Baker |
| Quelling Fear of Chemistry: A Method Designed for the Incorporation of General Chemistry concepts into the Education of Elementary and Middle School Students |
| Student Author: Howell, Caitlin |
Mentor: Kenneth Caswell |
|
| Engineering |
| Rewriting Introduction to Composite Materials Software to Function on 64-bit Windows Operating Systems |
| Author: Boston, Daniel |
Mentor: Autar Kaw |
| History of Lawn Mowers |
| Student Author: Shukitis, Amber |
Mentor: Don Dekker |
|
| English |
| Yo Hablo El Idioma del Amor |
| Author: Carpenter, Anne-Marie |
Mentor: Silvia Fiore |
|
| History |
| The Effect of Chemicals on the Viability of Schistosoma Mansoni and Schistosomer haematobium |
| Author: Frelick, Anne |
Mentor: Jason Rohr |
|
| Humanities |
| Fathers and Phiilosophers |
| Author: Campana, Jonathan |
Mentor: Georg Kleine |
| Green Labs are Gold: Evaluating and Improving Environmental Inpact of USF's Laboratories |
| Student Author: Cottrell, Benjamin |
Mentor: Christian Wells |
| The Great Orientalist Bernard Lewis |
| Student Author: Jawad, Ahmed |
Mentor: Georg Kleine |
| Listening to the Shield of Achilles: Sound & Motion in Ancient Ekphrasis |
| Student Author: Peachee, Darin |
Mentor: James D'emilio |
|
| Math |
| Oars to Sail |
| Author: Chang, David |
Mentor: Cornelis N. Boterbloem |
| The Necessary Conditions for Odd Perfect Numbers |
| Student Author: Stevens, Benjamin |
Mentor: Xiang-dong Hou |
|
| Medical/Health |
| Biogeographical Survey of Coccidian Parasites in House Sparrow Populations: The Enemy Release Hypothesis Revisited. |
| Author: Araujo, Alessandra |
Mentor: Lynn Bloxom Martin |
| Assessing Awareness and Attitudes of Medical School Faculty for Rapid Autopsy Procedure (RAP) for Cancer Patients |
| Student Author: Boyette, Autumn |
Mentor: Gwendolyn Quinn |
| Rehabilita- fun: A comparison of Active Gaming and Traditional Rehabilitation Methods |
| Student Author: Donohue, Jillian |
Mentor: Lisa Witherspoon |
| Effect of Speaking Style on Variability of Vowel Production for Native Monolingual English Speakers |
| Student Author: Gordon, Amber |
Mentor: Catherine L. Rogers |
| Carotenoid- based plumage and its effects on the immune system of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) within an Urban-rural gradient |
| Student Author: Leigh, Brittany |
Mentor: Lynn Martin |
|
| Psychology |
| The effects of nicotine on responsivity to repeated social stress in early adolescent, late adolescent, and young adult male rats |
| Author: Dean, Kathryn |
Mentor: Cheryl Kirstein |
| Volunteerism Among Physicians: Motivational Causes and Reaped Benefits |
| Student Author: Elseed, Erica |
Mentor: Marcia A. Finkelstein |
| Differentiation of knowledge types and Behavior change in youth in a school based suicide prevention program |
| Student Author: Ornelas, Anabelle |
Mentor: Marc Karver |
| Distinguishing the Types of Knowledge and the Relationship to Behavioral Intentions and Referral Behavior |
| Student Author: Romero, Gabriela |
Mentor: Marc Karver |
|
| Public Health |
| A Hillsborough County multilevel analysis of food disparities among race and socioeconomic groups. |
| Author: Delvalle, Ivonne |
Mentor: Dawood Sultan |
| A Hillsborough County multilevel analysis of food disparities among race and socioeconomic groups. |
| Student Author: Joseph, Beulah |
Mentor: Dawood Sultan |
| African American Cancer Patients' Choice of Cancer Treatment and Care Provider |
| Student Author: Koohbanani, Bianca |
Mentor: Dawood Sultan |
| Oral Health Student's Perceptions on Addressing Signs of Disordered-Eating |
| Student Author: Laga, Frank |
Mentor: Rita DeBate |
|
| Social Issues |
| A Young Caregiver's Guide to Medication Management |
| Author: Garringer, Ashley |
Mentor: Donna Cohen |
| Spring 2011 Outstanding Theses |
|
| Art/Literature |
| Losing Faith: Radical Religious Thought in the Early English Enlightenment |
| Author: Curry, Michael |
Mentor: Case Boterbloem |
| Nabokov's Aesthetics of the Cliche' |
| Student Author: Farina, William |
Mentor: Michael Clune |
| Jane Austen: A Study of Film Adaptations |
| Student Author: Graham, Megan |
Mentor: Pat Rogers |
| Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters as a Parody of Shakespeare's Macbeth (Working Title) |
| Student Author: Miller, Jenna |
Mentor: Jaime Sanders |
| Comparing and Contrasting Expressionism, Abstract, and Pop Art |
| Student Author: Mostajabian, Kiana |
Mentor: Wallace Wilson |
| Collecting Art Specimens: Legitamacy through Imagery in Pietro Longhi's The Rhinoceros |
| Student Author: Torchynowycz, Alexa |
Mentor: Helena Szepe |
| Alice's Adventure and Bleak House: An Analysis of Visuals and Characterization in Two Great Victorian Novels |
| Student Author: Woods, Theresa |
Mentor: Precious McKenzie-Stearns |
|
| Business |
| Bon Bon Appetit Bakery Business Plan |
| Author: Schein, Valerie |
Mentor: Dan Bagley |
| Marketing Plan for the Law Office of Gregory T. Varian |
| Student Author: Varian, Marisa |
Mentor: Jill Solomon |
|
| Chemistry |
| Porous Metal Organic Materials for Investigation of Hydrogen Diffusion and Counter Ion Exchange |
| Author: Burd, Stephen |
Mentor: Mike Zaworotko |
| Large-scale Production, biochemical and structural characterization of gluzometabolic enzymes for the discovery of novel small molecule inhibitors |
| Student Author: Jahja, Erol |
Mentor: Ernst Schonbrunn |
| Electrowetting on Superhydrophobic Microstructured Surfaces |
| Student Author: Mouttaki, Kenza |
Mentor: Nathan Crane |
|
| Education |
| From Start to Strike: A Lesson Plan for the Whole Theatre Experience |
| Author: Crotty, Kelly |
Mentor: Patrick Finelli |
| Developing A Community of Learners: A Multi-Level Integrated Curriculum in the Foreign Language Classroom |
| Student Author: Matthews, Cheryl |
Mentor: Linda Evans |
| Supporting peer-directed coursework platform for Biology Lecture I and II at the post-secondary level |
| Student Author: Vitale, Krystyn |
Mentor: Keyon Daniel |
|
| Engineering |
| Mosin Nagant: Iterative Barrel Length Testing |
| Author: Clark, Brandon |
Mentor: Stuart Wilkinson |
| A Survey of Several Cases to Examine what causes loss of Human life or protects life in the event of an earthquake |
| Student Author: Hayward, Derek |
Mentor: Kiki Caruson |
| A Critical Study of the Literature About Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon |
| Student Author: Morrill, Samuel |
Mentor: Peter Harries |
| Disaster: What we learned from one can be applied to another |
| Student Author: Poitevien, Christopher |
Mentor: Graham Tobin |
| The Civil Engineering Balancing Act |
| Student Author: Rodriguez, Elena |
Mentor: A, Gray Mullins Ph.D. |
|
| English |
| Thou and Ye in some Middle English Romances: The Influence of Audience, Genre, Dialect, Politeness, and Cooperation |
| Author: Meyer, Aislinn |
Mentor: Nicole Discenza |
| The Pronoun Problem: Possible changes in the Use of Epicene Pronouns |
| Student Author: Norton, Brittany |
Mentor: Jane Noll |
|
| Fine Arts |
| The Struggle for the Happy Identity |
| Author: Hodill, Dylan |
Mentor: C. David Frankel |
| Friendship: A Play |
| Student Author: Murray, Thomas |
Mentor: Patrick Finelli |
| Stories of Sexuality |
| Student Author: Taylor, Hunter |
Mentor: Rita Ciresi |
| Catharsis of a Troubled Mind |
| Student Author: Vahdatpour, Cyrus |
Mentor: Philip Bishop |
|
| History |
| Comparing and Contrasting Expressionism, Abstract, and Pop Art |
| Author: Johnson, William |
Mentor: Wallace Wilson |
| A Case Study of the Early Modern Travelogue: Johannes Nieuhof |
| Student Author: Walsh, Ryan |
Mentor: Kees Boterbloem |
|
| Humanities |
| Passions |
| Author: Dalton, Aliene |
Mentor: Philip Bishop |
| Symbols of Good Fortune: An analysis |
| Student Author: Heizman, Joseph |
Mentor: Carlos lopez |
| Conquering Homelessness: A Reason to Smile |
| Student Author: Lotfi, Ramzy |
Mentor: Sondra Fogel |
| Political and Social Constructs Effecting Successful Balck Politicians in Florida |
| Student Author: Myers, Tyler |
Mentor: Susan MacManus |
| A Comparison of Fundamental Frequency Patterns in Conversatioinal and clear speech produced by native and non-native English speakers |
| Student Author: Romero, Jennifer |
Mentor: Catherine Rogers |
| Skateboarding |
| Student Author: Slee, Thomas |
Mentor: Eric Hunter |
|
| Medical/Health |
| Patterns of Cortical Microcircuitry Changes in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Conitive Impairment |
| Author: Aradi, Stephen |
Mentor: Ronald Mervis |
| Cesareans as Main Birthing Methos: Implications, Risks, and Recommendations |
| Student Author: Bernstein, Elizabeth |
Mentor: Dee Jeffers |
| The Misguided Popularity of Cesarean Sections in America |
| Student Author: Ellington, Harley |
Mentor: Tova Cooper |
| How Technology Can Improve Oral Hygiene and Overall Health with the Use of Electronic Toothbrushes |
| Student Author: Griffin, Alexandra |
Mentor: Roman Manetsch |
| Vowel Identificaton by Cochlear Implant Users: Comparison of Vowel Edges and Vowel Centers |
| Student Author: Hanna, Nada |
Mentor: Gail Donaldson |
| Isolation of Secondary Metabolites from Antarctic Marine Invertebrates and Their Portential as Drug Candidates |
| Student Author: Landolfa, Samantha |
Mentor: Bill J. Baker |
| Obatoclax and paclitaxel enhance small cell lung cancer autophagy, complementing the apoptotic death pathway |
| Student Author: Manimala, Neil |
Mentor: Terri Hunter |
| An Examination of the Mind-Body Correlation of Vocal Technique in the Music Making Process |
| Student Author: Mathew, Justina |
Mentor: Janet Moore |
| Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward People with Mental Illness: Do They Change After Instruction and Clinical Exposure? |
| Student Author: Morrison, Rachel |
Mentor: Debra Gottel |
| Comparative Analysis Research on Treatments of Prostate cancer obtaining and comparing results of patients who have received laproscopic, robotic-labroscopic, or cryosurgery, radiation therapy |
| Student Author: Nguyen, Huy |
Mentor: Julio Pow-Sang |
| The Role of PKCSll in Insulin-mediated Neurogenesis |
| Student Author: Peart, Mishka |
Mentor: Niketa Patel |
| Potential Application of Synchronization Modulation Technique on Clinical Aspects |
| Student Author: Quick, John |
Mentor: Wei Chen |
| Improving Cost Efficiencies in the Hospital Setting at Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute |
| Student Author: Richards, Seth |
Mentor: Jacqueline Reck |
| The Antarctic Amphipod Ecdysteroid (ECR) Receptor - a kinetically vaforable alternative to the human ECR |
| Student Author: Salm, Jacqueline |
Mentor: Bill Baker |
| Brain Plasticity in Amputees and Introduction of Prosthetics |
| Student Author: Scott, Heather |
Mentor: Ralph E. Leighty |
| Does Immune Suppression after Moderate Stressors occur to free resources in the house sparrow, Passer domesticus? |
| Student Author: Urban, Alexandra |
Mentor: Lynn Martin |
| Morphology of Cortical Astrocytes in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease |
| Student Author: Verma, Sean |
Mentor: Ronald Mervis |
|
| Psychology |
| The Effectiveness of Sleep Deprivation as a Tool in Military Interrogations and the Short-Term Psychological and Neurological Impacts on the Prisoners |
| Author: Allison, Kevin |
Mentor: John Evans |
| Trauma and First-person Authority |
| Student Author: Ariew, Daniel |
Mentor: Alex Levine |
| Why is there a monster in the closet? A look into Today's Society and its Relationship with Mental Illness |
| Student Author: Bernstein, Sarah |
Mentor: Michael Dow |
| Here, Then and Now |
| Student Author: Gianitsis, Joshua |
Mentor: Jim Reiman |
| Cognitive Performance and Diagnosis Threat |
| Student Author: Salazar, Robert |
Mentor: Cynthia R. Cimino |
|
| Public Health |
| A Study of Campus Recreation Usage: Developing our student body into Well-Balanced Graduates |
| Author: Hardy, Carson |
Mentor: Eric Hunter |
| Florida Kidcard Outreach in Hillsborough Schools |
| Student Author: Printz, Alexandra |
Mentor: Steve Freedman |
|
| Social Issues |
| The Appeal of Social Networking |
| Author: Arora, Payal |
Mentor: John Omlor |
| The Knowledge, perspectives, and attitudes of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender USF students concerning HPV and the HPV vaccine |
| Student Author: Larson, Andrea |
Mentor: Susan Vadaparampil |
| Understanding the Uncapped Florida Legislation of 2010 and its affect on Florida Piker Players, the State of Florida, and the Game of Poker itself |
| Student Author: Phillips, Andrew |
Mentor: Georg Kleine |
| The Cultural, Legal, and Economic Issues Surrounding Video Game Censorship |
| Student Author: Wojciechowski, Bryan |
Mentor: Kevin Archer |
|
| Social Sciences |
| How to Study Abroad: A Guide to Overcoming Culture Shock and Making the Most of your Time Overseas |
| Author: Billmaier, Danielle |
Mentor: Martine Landis |
| The Association Between Violent Video Games and School Shootings |
| Student Author: Bond, David |
Mentor: Donna Cohen |
| An Addictive Failure: How the War on Drugs has Led to a Political and Social Environment Responsible for the Erosion of Fourth Amendment Rights |
| Student Author: Clendenin, Tyler |
Mentor: Steven Tauber |
| Land of My Father: Second Generation Haitian American Maintenance of Haitian Cultural Identity and American Enculturation |
| Student Author: Etienne, Vadricka |
Mentor: Navita James |
| Italian Language and Culture and their Sociolinguistic effects on Connecticut dialectal English |
| Student Author: Gargano, Andrew |
Mentor: Patrizia La Trecchia |
| A Study of Campus Recreation Usage: Developing our student body into Well-Balanced Graduates |
| Student Author: Hellman, Garrett |
Mentor: Eric Hunter |
| Putting the Puzzle Together: Factors Related to Emotional Well-being in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Student Author: Macdonald, Olivia |
Mentor: Judith Becker Bryant |
| Intimate partner violence and alcohol abuse in Panama: a comparison of indigenous and non-indigenous population |
| Student Author: Pheiffer, Sarah |
Mentor: Sandra Cadena |
|
| Sports and Fitness |
| The Unsung Heroes of College Basketball |
| Author: Brantley, Jared |
Mentor: Andy Hipsher |
| The State of American Handball and the Racquet Sports |
| Student Author: Faral, Christian |
Mentor: Eric Hunter |
| Anatomy of the Concussion: More Serious than Meets the Eye? |
| Student Author: Frost, Chelsea |
Mentor: Eric Coris |
| The Shoulder Labrum: A Modern Baseball Mystery |
| Student Author: Koscso, Jonathan |
Mentor: Steve Walz |
| A Guide Into the World of Cheerleading |
| Student Author: Wright, Jaclyn |
Mentor: Lisa Soncrant |
| Fall 2010 Outstanding Theses |
|
| Chemistry |
| Design of a small molecule inhibitor of B-Secretuse |
| Author: Anderson, Jordan |
Mentor: Roman Manetsch |
| 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroacridones as Potential Inhibitors of Atovaquone-Suscept5ible and Atovaquone-Resistant p.falciparum isolated TM90-C2B and W2 |
| Student Author: Luong, Lisa |
Mentor: Roman Manetsch |
|
| Computer Science |
| Design of a Comprehensive Student Information System (SIS) and User Interface for the Honors College at USF |
| Author: Motta, Sean |
Mentor: Sharon Geiger |
|
| English |
| The Pronoun Problem: Possible changes in the Use of Epicene Pronouns |
| Author: Dean, Morgan |
Mentor: Jane Noll |
|
| Medical/Health |
| Improving Lives by early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| Author: Bethune, Kelly |
Mentor: Ross Andel |
| An Approach to Mitigating Excess Medical Waste |
| Student Author: Kania, Ryan |
Mentor: Anand Kumar |
| The Role of RON Tyrosine Kinase in TGF-B Induced Progression in Epithelial Carcinomas |
| Student Author: Karim, Saya |
Mentor: Meera Nanjundan |
| An Approach to Mitigating Excess Medical Waste |
| Student Author: Markel, Jordan |
Mentor: Anand Kumar |
|
| Social Sciences |
| Utilization of affinity based magnetic bead purification in Eastern Equine Encephalitis RNA Extraction |
| Author: Bender, Timothy |
Mentor: Thomas Unnasch |
