Honors theses completed at Western Michigan University are entered into ScholarWorks. Some may be embargoed or restricted by the authors or we have been unable to reach the authors, so the theses may be only available from on-campus computers. If you are an author of an honors thesis and would like to make it available off campus or if you have any questions, please contact maira.bundza@wmich.edu.
Theses from 2019
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Michigan Birds - A High School Learning Experience, Cody Benfant
Changes in the Gata3 Gene Regulatory Network Was Necessary for the Evolution of Mammalian Hearing, Paige Blinkiewicz
Analyses of the Feeding Strategies of Dugesia japonica and Schmidtea mediterranea Planaria, Emily Bolhuis
The Impact of a Neurofibromin Deficient Breast Microenvironment on Mammary Epithelial Cell Morphology, Megan Callaghan
The effects of anthropogenic noise on the spatial distribution of Field Sparrow song, Kelsey Cushway
The Macroevolution of Diadromous and Non-Diadromous Clupeiformes., Lindsey DeHaan
The meaning of song type: exploring behavioral responses of field sparrows to three simple song types, Eliza Foli
Optical Density Analysis of Sensory Neuronal Axons in the Olfactory Bulb of Triton-X Treated Zebrafish, Mariam Husain
Characterization of the Speed bump Mutant in Zebrafish, Kendall Jablonski
Looking at the Effects of an Activation Loop Knock-Out in the unc-82 Kinase in Caenorhabditis elegans, Matthew Kornas
The Correlation between the Microbiome and Neurodegenerative Disorders such as Alzheimer Disease, Aurora Mokris
The Experiences of Hispanic/Latinx Graduate Students who Pass as White: Caught Between Two Worlds, Alyssa Proper
Mechanisms of Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling During Planarian Regeneration, Marwa Saad
The Presence Of Photoreceptor Sensilla In The Posterior Sucker Of Medicinal Leeches Inferred Through Functional Visual Response., Claire Spivey
Distinguishing the Molecular and Cellular Cues for Neuronal Wiring in the Inner Ear, Meskerem Tolossa
Best Organic Chemistry Practices in the Midwest, Claire Van Der Bosch
Gender Differences in ADHD, Jillian Vogley
Alternative Rescue Breather, Brandilyn Wilkinson
Theses from 2018
Exploring the transmission of different field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) song types, Eric Branch
An acoustic survey of Fort Drum, New York, for severely declining nocturnal birds, Sydney Brooks
The effects of Feliway on the stress of cats during veterinary examination, Colleen Doonan
Analysis of Opioid Hospitalizations in Michigan Counties, Stephanie George
Effects of Aging & Exercise on Production of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Protein by Fast & Slow Skeletal Muscle, Maria Jaramillo
Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields on Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation, Luke Kinsey
Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Ventricular Function in Heart Failure Rats, Victoria Kras
Mechanisms of Sleep and the Brain, Doungbagai Leo
Morphological mechanics: Studying the relationship between bill morphology and song characteristics in Field Sparrows, Annie Lilac
Tanapox: A potential oncolytic virus for the treatment of cancer, Joel Marty
The impact of S. meliloti or other sources of nitrogen on alfalfa growth under osmotic or heavy metal stress, Claire Mears
Do Global Diets Affect the Rate of Type 2 Diabetes?, Demetria Meyer
GDF-15 as a Biomarker for Glaucoma, Caylee Pattison
Effects of Muscle Activation on GDNF Protein Content in Skeletal Muscle, Ramsey Potter
Sexual Harassment of Biology and Biomedical Sciences Undergraduates: A Study on the effects of Larry Nassar and William Strampel, Kathleen Ryan
The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Blastema Formation, Marcos Santiago Figueroa
The Use of Neurologic Music Therapy and Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation as Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease, Shaima Shebrain
The influence of plant modularity on the defense against specialist insect herbivory, Jill Syrotchen
Comparing RNA Interference Methods in Planarians, Gabrielle Watson
Theses from 2017
Implementation of a Biology Summer Bridge Program for First-Year Biology Majors, Madelyn Aittama
Bringing Life to a Biology Lab, Harrison Bach
Symptoms, Infectious Pathway, Treatment, and History of Rabies in the United States, Paul Beckman-Ellenwood
A comparative analysis of regeneration among various planarian species, Marine Bolliet
Enzyme Characterization of SABATH Family Members, Troy Burtchett
Effects of Deafferentation on the Expression of the Activity Marker c-Fos in the Zebrafish Olfactory Bulb, Natalie Hamilton
Influence of Nanoparticle Composition on the Function of Antibiotics at their Surface, Maryam Kok
The Importance of Joining the Marrow Registry: The Biology behind how a Donor can Cure Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Alisa Kraft
The role of the serine biosynthesis pathway on the growth and proliferation of EML4-ALK driven lung cancer cells, Salma Mumuni
Addressing Common Mental Health Issues Prevalent Among Honors College Students, Steven Pham
Examining Atmospheric Microbial Communities, Allison Spring
Effects of Light and Noise Pollution on the Dawn Chorus of House Wrens, Carley Stuart
The Abrahamics on Depression, Rhyan Wengorovious
Physiological Effect of Urbanization on Resident Bird Species in Southwest Michigan, Joseph Willner
Alzheimer's: Advancements through research, Taylor Wrozek
Theses from 2016
Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection Induced by Neuropharmacological Agents in an In-vivo Model of Glaucoma, Quinn Ameel
Investigating Ocular and Dermal Phototransduction in Planarian Flatworms, Jessica Bacher
How Recipient Age Affects Long Term Survivability in Heart Transplantation Patients, Daniel Baker
The Effects of Aging and Estrogen Treatment During Aging on the Rat Epididymis, Kathryn Davis
The Effect of Wee1 on mitosis in the spb Mutant, David LeRoy
Bacteriophages that can Lyse Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Michael Monaco
The Role of Weak Magnetic Fields in Tissue Regeneration, Jacob Morton
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Low: The vocal response of House Wrens, Troglodytes aedon, when exposed to increasing volumes of noise., Monique Pipkin
Discriminative Stimulus Properties of 3.0 mg/kg Mephedrone in Rats, Nathyn Thompson
Bioinformatics and Laboratory Study of Tanapox Viral Protein 91L, Kurt Wendland
Theses from 2015
The Effects of Adderall on Maternal and Fetal Health, Alyson Brady
From the Aztecs Towards Modernity: a Thesis on the Early History of Mexican Surgical Practice, Julia Buck
Physical Therapy Treatments for Diseases Involving Cerebellar Ataxia, Rachel Carpp
A Comparison of Gastrointestinal Bacterial Population Between Indoor Cats and Outdoor Cats, Farhana Binti Ikmal Hisham
Is the zebrafish zombie mutant caused by a mutation in CDC20?, Peyton Johnston
Genetic and Morphological Study of the Role of UNC-82 and UNC-89 Kinases in Thick Filament Assembly, Emily Manzon
Preferential methods used by CELCIS students to enhance conversational skills., Karina Mariadas
Potential Cellular Mechanisms of Estrogen's Effects on Maintaining Sperm Production in Aging Rats, Matthew Pate
Family Planning, Pregnancy, and Birth in Guatemala: Maya Women and Modern Healthcare, Kelsay Payton
Theses from 2014
A Consideration of Healthcare in Honduras, Joseph Barnett
Walk-Training Increases Expression of GDNF in Pectoralis Muscle but not Diaphragm from Mouse, Erin Donovan
Food-associated calls in wintering Black-Capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapilla) and their possible meanings., Josephine Gingerich
Neural stem cells during embryonic Retinal Regeneration in Xenopus Laevis, tadpoles, Billy Gotama
Correlating Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: A Comparative Study of Research Methodology, Alexandra Hensen
A Critical Analysis of Infant Mortality in Kalamazoo County, Audrey Jensen
Reliability of Pure Tone Thresholds, Kara McGregor
The Impact of Prenatal Stress on the Development of Limbic System Structures, Alyssa Murray
Is a mutation in the homolog of CDC20 causing the zombie mutant phenotype in zebrafish, Damir Musaev
The Difference of Alpha Synuclein and Hook3 in Control and Multiple System Atrophy Experimental Patients, Alyssa Peterson
Labeling of retinal ganglion cells in a rat glaucoma model, Lucia Rodriguez
Derivatives of Hexahydroluplone, Gullan Saeed
Antibiotic Resistance in Wild Birds, Jordan Teachout
Catabolism of Inositol Derivatives in Sinorhizobium meliloti, Olivia Walser
Theses from 2013
"Effects of a Specific Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist in a Rat Glaucoma Model", Maha Alfaidi
Effects of Phytoestrogens on LH and FSH in Male Rats, Tia Boye
Investigating Microbial Biodegradation of Pyridinium Ionic Liquids, Barbara Buehler
Rapid Test for Determining the Presence of Oleic Acid, Serena Chambers