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 wmu-scholarworks@wmich.edu.
Theses from 2024
Veterinarian Perception of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mortality of Pets, Jason Bainbridge
Identification and Antibiotic Resistances of Bacterial Isolates from Chicken, Goose, and Duck Eggs, Jade Cervantes Rodriguez
Kangaroo Care’s Role in Fostering Neonatal Health and Parental Well-being in the NICU, Ayah Kasem
A Comparative Analysis of the Gastrocnemius Muscle Fiber Types in Diverse Rat Strains, Byrd Kayla
Neurogenic Effects of PNU-282987 Treatment on Blast-Induced Ocular Trauma in Adult Mouse Retinas, Giovanna Nolasco de Carvalho
Investigating the Role of Apoptosis in Planarian Regeneration, Caitlin Nolff
Migratory and non-migratory Yellow Perch differ in locomotor traits, Wade Poling
Interneurons Distinguish Between UV & Green Light Depending Upon Spatially Relevant Inputs in H. verbana, Gwenyth Sirrine
Understanding the evolution of the genes and pathways responsible for caffeine production in Ilex paraguariensis, Madeline Smith
Restorative Land Management Practices Can Alter Soil Microbial Enzyme Activities, Angela Solis-Sarat
Theses from 2023
Our Journey: Resilience Through Adversity, Julienne Alphonse
The History of Lee Honors College: The Growth of Honors Education from 1962-1992 at Western Michigan University, Afrida Amin
Inhibiting effects of Methyllycaconitine (MLA) on PNU-282987 induced neurogenesis in blast-exposed mouse retinas, Nastia ZhiYew Chan
Anti-Microbial Peptide Screen for Crop Protection, Sydney Chen
The Effects of Aging and Exercise on Skeletal Muscle Fiber Type and Neuromuscular Health, Jake Fanizza
We are the reason we stand still in the face of climate change., Sydney Hemp
“Exploring the Advantages and Disadvantages of Universal Electronic Medical Records”, Zachary McClenny
Acid attack: how Escherichia coli strains resist acid stress, Lindsey Miller
Violence Against Healthcare Workers, Nichole Osgood
Efficacy of Clodronate and Zymosan on Microglial Response to Neural Damage in Zebrafish, Nivetha Pasupathy
Literature Replication: Insect Gut Cell Isolation Protocols, Sophie Pickelner
Breaking the Academic Lockstep: Dr. Samuel Clark and the Birth of Honors Education at Western Michigan University, Tashfia Raisa
Hazards and Perceptions of Cigarette and E-Cigarette Waste, Jossalyn Rogalski
Exploring the Evolution of Hatching Enzymes in Killifishes, Shannon Tan Ee Shuen
Theses from 2022
Kleinstuck Preserve: A Valuable Migratory Bird Stopover in Kalamazoo, MI, Kelly Giles
Literature Review on Outer Hair Cell Regeneration and Potential Hearing Restoration, Serena Karlov
Is the Zebrafish speed bump Mutant a Mutation in wee1? And Is It a Complete Loss of Function?, Nathania Karyadi
Development of a Fluorescent Method for Locus-Specific Targeting of the PKD1 Gene, Casey Klover
Patient Knowledge of Family History of Cardiac Events and Risk Factors: Potential for Increase in Preventative Care of Cardiovascular Diseases, Joseph Marentette
Composting during winter versus summer: a microbial analysis, Madison Ochs
Racial Health and Productivity Inequalities in the United States, Elissia Vecere
The Effect of Estrogen on GDNF Production of Skeletal Muscle In Vitro, Hope Welter
Theses from 2021
How Gata3 Affects Neuronal Survival in the Inner Ear, Hiba Ahmad
Projecting Effects of Stress and Anxiety in Out-of-State Students, Bryar Brooks
Should Universities Teach Students Basic Medical Skills, Pierce Cahill
An investigation of chronic pain as a much-neglected symptom of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Sydney Collins
Effects of Maternal Diet and Psychological Health on Fetal Cognitive Development, Humna Ejaz
Comparative Analysis of the Feeding Strategies of Phagocata morgani, Phagocata gracilis, Schmidtea mediterranea and Dugesia japonica Planaria., Tashifa Fayyaz
Replication of tanapoxvirus in mouse tumor cells, Grace Filpi
E. coli-based Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Protocol Comparison and Optimization, Andrea Laurin
A Literature Review of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Brindlea Peterson
Determining the Role of Gata3 Overexpression in Outer Hair Cells of the Mouse Cochlea, Katelyn Williams
Theses from 2020
Influence of Reactant Stoichiometry on the Composition of Nanojar Product Mixtures, Ali Al Maamuri
Organized Caudal Photoreceptors in the Medicinal Leech, Baylee Bancroft
Effects of Biochar and Remnant Soil as Additives in Prairie Restoration, Jacob Evans
Odonate Species Richness and Canopy Gradient in Ludington State Park, Madison Holm
Sign language usage in teaching Deaf children and student performance on Bahasa Malaysia Examinations, Dahlya Kamarudin
The Effects of Ambient Light on Memory Consolidation., Jonathan Lo
Gender and Socioeconomic Disparities in Iatrogenic In-Hospital Torsades de Points, Bradley Reinoehl
High-Efficiency Transformation of Yeast by Electroporation, Lilly Ruell
An Examination of Barriers and Determinates Impacting the Healthcare of Kalamazoo County's Transgender and Non-binary Young Adult Population, Tyler Signorella
Glut5 and Fructose Metabolism Inhibition in a Simulated Small Intestine Environment, Isabella Trainor
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