Honors Program Theses
The University Honors Program is an intellectually stimulating and socially nurturing community of students of exceptional academic achievement. Every honors student has the opportunity to complete undergraduate research during their time at UNI by writing a thesis. Students work with faculty members in their major or area of interest to develop and conduct a study during either their Junior or Senior year. To go to the Honors Program page, click here.
From this page, you can browse our Honors Program Theses. To filter by department, use the Advanced Search function. Some theses and dissertations are not eligible for open access.
Submissions from 2021
Griffiths-like phase in manganese intercalated tantalum disulfide and the 3-dimensional Ising model, Paul White, Department of Physics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Evolution of pocket gophers and chewing lice as ring species across the Upper Mississippi Valley, Isabel Louise Wolf, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Reasons for self-mutilating behavior in the 21st century, ZhiQing Yaw, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Trouble Brewing: An exploration in parasocial relationships with fictional characters, Isabelle Zeimetz, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2020
Histological morphology and structural integration in the four major morphologies of the Cypriniform Weberian apparatus, Jeremy Raymond Abels, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
A statistical analysis of the NFL draft, Jaedon Bettle, Department of Economics, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Supplemental seeding and seed predation in a newly planted tallgrass prairie, Isabella Betzer, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Eating behaviors in autism, Kayla Diane Beyer, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Role of guns in child mortality, Alexandria Bibbs, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Genetic variation within a broadly distributed chewing louse genus (Thomomydoecus), Clarissa Elizabeth Bruns, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Examining variation in tooth morphology using micro-CT analysis, Luke Thomas Butikofer, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Science curriculum alignment to the NGSS, Whitney E. Canaday, School of Applied Human Sciences, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Meet your audience where they are: The dissemination and reception of political messaging among young voters [Paper], Bailey Marie Caskey, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Adapting instruments, not students: A study of adaptive musical instruments, Cheyanne Maria Chapin, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The influence of state political orientation on firm environmental practices, Trisha Coberly, Department of Management, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
How to create a radically inclusive math classroom with regards to gender and sexual orientation, Alexa DeVore, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identification of genome-linked bacillus bacteriophage proteins, Katherine Dyer, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Association between wild bee communities and floral resources in the Conservation Reserve Program, Allison Eagan, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Measuring meaningful learning in a chemistry laboratory, Kylie Engstrom, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Life and death: Quantifying the risk of heart disease with machine learning, Jack Scott Glienke, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Determinants of long-term care insurance: Are spouses substitutes?, Jacob Harold-Matthew Haag, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Treatment of proximal hamstring tendinopathy with active release technique in collegiate track athletes: A case series, Madison Hagedorn, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
"Finding financial freedom": A financial literacy program for high school students, Alexis Hahn, Department of Accounting, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Analysis of gene expression in early-stage pancreatic cancer and investigation of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside as a therapeutic, Zachary R. Heinzman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Preparation of the CRISPR Cas-9 system for directed mutagenesis of the FSR1 gene of the filamentous fungi Fusarium verticillioides, Jacob Horn, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
An empirical analysis on major league soccer player earnings, Aaron Michael Anderson Iehl, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Examination of the attribution of blame for accounting errors under the proposed 2024 CPA examination structure, Laura Jean Kaufmann, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Perceptions of dementia in faith-based organizations, Megan Elizabeth Kooker, School of Applied Human Sciences, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The miseducation of American youth: The detriments of whitewashing literature in secondary schools, Molly Magill, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
An alternative approach to malware research, Christopher James May, Department of Computer Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Caregivers' perceptions of literacy toolbox for children in foster care, Raelynn Meade, Department of Communication Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Construction of a target-specific CRISPR-Cas9 vector for the purpose of introducing mutations into the FUM1 gene of Fusarium verticillioides, Jennifer Petsche, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The impact of school-based mindfulness programs on the externalizing behavior of students, Madison Ruhlmann, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Editing Fusarium graminearum using CRISPR/Cas9, Grace Marie Sack, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Respiratory differences in spontaneous and scripted speech among bilingual adults, Anna Irene Sagan, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Testing the effects of mindfulness meditation in reducing music performance anxiety as measured by cortisol and self-report, Anya E. Shorey, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2020 Award
Sir Deadpool: A revival of Arthurian morals in modern anti-heroes, Jane Katherine Sible, Women's and Gender Studies Program, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Spectral time: How Gérard Grisey’s concept of musical time is still relevant today, Isaac Raymond Smith, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2020 Award
Seasonal habitat usage of Iowa wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), Amanda Stewart, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free": A case study analysis of U.S. immigration policy and public perceptions of Latin American immigrants, Erin Thomason, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effects of intercalating molecules on the polymer properties of DNA, Joseph Tibbs, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
My education plan: A teaching mindset, Joseph Van Zante, Department of Teaching, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Literature review: The role of inflammatory biomarkers in the connections between sleep and chronic health conditions, Madeline Walker, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Frauds in K-12 school districts, Cassandra Lorraine Zinnel, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Submissions from 2019
Construction of CRISPR/Cas9 vectors for directed mutagenesis of Fusarium graminearum, Rebekah Akers, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
College students' awareness and utilization of campus sexual health resources, Emma A. Alman, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The relation between disordered eating, stress, and anxiety in first-year college women, Jenna K. Anderson, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The determination of gender roles and power dynamics within female same-sex couples, Sydney Faith Atwood, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The study of artistic and stylistic continuities in solo piano music from the 17th century to the early 20th century, Bethany Brooks, School of Music, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Alcohol and marijuana: Substitutes or complements and a deeper evaluation of marijuana prohibition, Nicholas Andrew Brown, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
System for beating CAPTCHA using artificial intelligence, Rishabh Dalal, Department of Computer Science, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The tuba and tape: An exploration of repertoire for solo tuba and fixed electronic media, Adam Christopher Denner, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Analysis of leukocytes in Ebola infected skin explants, Alyssa J. Deuso, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The effects of strain-counterstrain on chronic ankle instability: A validation case study, Samantha Dewey, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Determining and addressing the needs of transracial Korean adoptees in higher education, Alison Yoo-Jung-Kim Dickinson, Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Crafting culture: The impact of women artists in Mexican folk art, Jordan Edberg, Department of Art, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
How evangelical ministries create social identity on college campuses: An analysis of The Salt Company, Hannah Gregor, Department of Philosophy and World Religions, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effect of arch height on variances in gait phases: A kinematic analysis, Mackenzie J. Haag, Department of Kinesiology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Integrating movement in the elementary classroom: Creating innovative materials that incorporate movement with content areas, Hannah Kristine Harrison, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Summer melt and socialization: Informing retention strategies for higher education, Cecelia Alice Hawbaker, Department of Communication Studies, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Where was I?: Engagement strategies for students with attention deficit disorders, Brenna L. Herrmann, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Synthesis and characterization of Cp2Ru2(dppm)2(CH3)2, Nina Jocic, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
The effects of casinos on unemployment: A county level analysis, Sally Anne St. Clair Kron, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Learning and literacy in music: activities for integrating children's literature into the elementary general music curriculum, Taryn Jeanette Kroymann, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2019 Award
Finding the fantastic in Magic: The Gathering: Rhetorics of fantasy and collectible card games, Tait Larson, Department of Languages and Literatures, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The effect of math tracking on students' growth mindsets, Amber Lawrence, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Effects of political ingroup/outgroup rejection on behavior and physiology, Hannah Rose Lentfer, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Can human rights be ignored for a price?: An analysis of lobbying power and U.S. foreign policy towards human rights, Collin Lint, Department of Political Science, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Case study in the emotional and social benefits of joining a women's organization in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Hailey Lorenzen, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Communicating the status of Alzheimer's disease treatment research to the general public, Abigail Manderfield, School of Applied Human Sciences, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Foreign-born workers' effect on agricultural industry in Iowa, Hannah McDevitt, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
"It's important to just have your voice heard": Young voters' change perception of political efficacy, Christopher Matthew Merck, Department of Communication Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Work-related outcomes and organizational commitment, Mushaun Miller, Department of Management, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Intrinsic vs extrinsic job search factors: What is more attractive to the younger workforce?, Danielle Nardini, Department of Management, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The effects of fluoride on macrophage THP-1 cellular functions, Ashlee Renee Osier, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Informed hearing loss prevention for Theatre UNI, Mallory Park, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Synthesis and coupling schemes of naphthalimide compounds with target drugs, Kaitlyn Parrott, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Silyation of carbon-hydrogen bonds using diruthenium catalysts, Joshua Wesley Prybil, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
The impact of chronic poverty on children's behavioral health and learning outcomes, Anna Catherine Rasmussen, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
System for retrieval of data on adverse drug reactions, Mohammed Rawwas, Department of Computer Science, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
She's not allowed to do that: performing stigmatized same-sex sexuality, Orion Lee Risk, Department of Theatre, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2019 Award
The relationship between psychological factors and the gait analysis of a total knee arthroplasty patient: A case study, Tyler S. Rogers, School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The anthropological significance of Knockloon Hill, Emma Rosentrater, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Wandersoul of the South: Situating 20th century Alabama poet Clement Wood in a literary tradition, Skye Rozario, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Code readability: A proposal on the effects of psychology and comprehension in software development and maintenance, Ethan Brian Sankey, Department of Computer Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Factors influencing attitudes toward survivors of brain injury, Carrie Nicole Shea, Department of Psychology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Genetic analysis of a parasite contact zone in the southwestern United States, Tanner Storbeck, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Breathe in, breathe out: An exploration of the impacts of yoga on self-regulation and classroom community, Shaylyn Trenkamp, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2020 Award
Examining the NCAA selection process for bias against mid-majors, Jackson Twait, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Inhibition of the P2X7 receptor and its effects on epithelial cell actin distribution and fiber size, Shayla Warrick, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Vinyl advertisement in the UNI Bookstore windows, Emma Wilker, Department of Technology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Coming of age, coming out, and coming to terms: An essay collection on self-discovery, Mallory Wohlford, Department of Languages and Literatures, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The domestic impacts of industrial wind energy in the United States, Collin John Woods, Department of Management, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2018
The effects of strain-counterstrain on patients with trapezius muscle conditions: A critically appraised topic, Cassandra Renee Adamson, School of Kinesiology, Allied Health, and Human Services, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
A narrative study: Utilizing personal strengths to manage foreign language anxiety, Lauren Anderson, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Imágenes de identidad: Student expressions of identity and culture in the college Spanish classroom, Elizabeth Bair, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Determining arts consumers' motivations: Marketing to patrons of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Anna Baughman, School of Kinesiology, Allied Health, and Human Services, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Structured dance routines as an effective form of supplementary treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, Kate Bergin, School of Kinesiology, Allied Health, and Human Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Can God Know Tomorrow?, Jacob Kristian Bergman, Department of Philosophy and World Religions, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A graphical file system visualization tool for operating systems, Jacob Bundt, Department of Computer Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
