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Senior Thesis 2013: Abstracts and Presentation Times

At Woods High School, all seniors engage in a year-long independent research project. The Senior Thesis class teaches them how to organize their research, but all content

and revelations are created by the students.

By the end of the year, they have completed a 25-30 page research paper, which includes a Literature Review of pertinent research in their field as well as a Thesis, in which they

are able to put forth their own contribution.

This research and thesis are presented by each student in April and May of each school year. The presentations include a talk given by the student and a designated period for

the questions of audience members afterward.

These presentations represent the culmination of each senior’s dedicated work, and we welcome all members of the School of the Woods community to attend!

Presentations are held in the Community Meeting space on the Woods High School campus.

         

 

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Katie Miller Monday, 4/22, 11:35-12:20 “The Omega Ratio: Striving for Balance in Life” 5 C.J. Pfutzner Tuesday, 4/23, 11:35-12:20 “The Pursuit of Happiness: Why the Government Should Place Importance on the Well-Being of the People, and Why the People Need This” 6 Rebecca Arnold Wednesday, 4/24, 11:35-12:20 “The Wolf that Cried Dog: Why Wolf Hybrids aren’t Good Companions” 7 Isaac Arch Thursday, 4/25, 11:35-12:20 “The Autodidact’s Guide to Polyglottery” 8 Daniel Howell Thursday, 4/25, 4:15-5:00 “An Alternate Model of Reality: Paradigms Exploring Consciousness as the Unfolder of the Perceptible Universe” 9 Daniel Lin Monday, 4/29, 11:35-12:20 “Energize the Future: How Electric Cars can Steer us Toward a Better Tomorrow” 10 Lauryn Welling Tuesday, 4/30, 11:35-12:20 “Adopting a Biomedical Model for Psychiatry: An Analysis of the Potential Benefits and Feasibility” 11 John Tofuri Wednesday, 5/1, 11:35-12:20 “’It’s Dangerous to go Alone:’ Video Games as a Social Medium and Facilitators of Socially Positive Phenomena” 12

         

 

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Eric Grass Thursday, 5/2, 11:35-12:20 “The Constitution of Education: Changing the Fundamental Principles of Public Schooling” 13 Rachael Leonards Thursday, 5/2, 4:15-5:00 “The Unseen Truth: The Harmful Effects Flouride has on Your Health” 14 Hank Montgomery Monday, 5/6, 11:35-12:20 “Exploring Sustainability: The Balance that Built Us” 15 Michelle Deden Tuesday, 5/7, 11:35-12:20 “How Horseback Riding Neutralizes Disabilities and Creates a World of Equals” 16 Rachel George Tuesday, 5/7, 4:15-5:00 “Why Study History, Nowadays?: How Historians can Stay Relevant in a Sea of Subjectivity” 17 Christina Loos Wednesday, 5/8, 11:35-12:20 “Using Odorants Scent-sibly in the Workplace” 18 Marina Smith Thursday, 5/9, 11:35-12:20 “Tasting Imperfection: An Exploration of the Japanese Aesthetic Wabi Sabi Through a Culinary Experience” 19 Johnathan Scott Thursday, 5/9, 4:15-5:00 “The Purpose of Dreams: Mind, Body, and Soul” 20 Susana Hart Monday, 5/13, 11:35-12:20 “The Virgin Mary’s Legacy: How Archetypes Shape Relationships Between Men and Women in Modern Day Societies” 21

         

 

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Lauren Bodron Tuesday, 5/14, 11:35-12:20 “One Person’s Noise is Another Person’s Music” 22 Nikky Kunkel Tuesday, 5/14, 4:15-5:00 “Seeing Pain: A Comparative Approach to Relieving Migraine Visual Auras through Schizophrenic Pharmacotherapy” 23 Adriel Barrios-Anderson Wednesday, 5/15, 11:35-12:20 “Bringing Bach to the Bedside: An Integrative Approach to Exploring the Curative Effects of Music and the Benefit of Integrating Music into the Hospital” 24 Caroline Connell Thursday, 5/16, 11:35-12:20 “Phases and Stages: Learning about Child Development” 25 Nik Crawford Friday, 5/16, 4:15-5:00 “Prairie Brook Lane: The Musical” 26

         

 

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Katie Miller

Monday, April 22

11:35-12:20

The Omega Ratio: Striving for Balance in Life

There are many factors that contribute to the health of an individual. This paper

addresses one of these elements that many are unaware of, the balance between omega-3

and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential nutrients that the body

does not produce and therefore must be obtained through diet. An equal balance

between these two nutrients helps to maintain a larger homeostasis within the body.

Unfortunately, the average American consumes an excess of omega-6 and an inadequate

amount of omega-3. This paper explains the consequences of this nutritional imbalance,

the benefits of correcting it, and numerous strategies with which one may cultivate a

balance between these two fatty acids.

         

 

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C.J. Pfutzner

Tuesday, April 23

11:35-12:20

The Pursuit of Happiness:

Why the Government Should Place Importance on the Well-Being of the People, and

Why the People Need This

The government needs to focus attention on the happiness of the people. This

need is a fundamental aspect of the United States’ government: it is penned into our

hallowed Declaration of Independence. The need is currently drastic because of the

large number of people who are not happy; evidence of this can be found in surveys from

the American people and can be compared to other similar nations. The results show

that the people, as a whole, do not know what their needs are or what makes them

happy. The government has the ability, by studying the psychology behind our nation,

to find out what the people need and has the ability to change the environment of the

people, i.e. the United States. I propose a new attention be paid to studies of our

happiness, and our government may better allow the American people to be happy.

This thesis describes the need for the government’s attention and the potential that the

government has to create this happier society.

         

 

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Rebecca Arnold

Wednesday, April 24

11:35-12:20

The Wolf that Cried Dog: Why Wolf Hybrids aren’t Good Companions

In this paper, I look to answer two main questions: First, what’s the history of

breeding wolves and dogs? Secondly, do wolf hybrids make good pets? In order to

understand wolf hybrids, it is necessary to do some research into the history of wolf

domestication, the traits of wolves and dogs, and the inter-breeding of the two. There

are two ways that people think about wolf hybrids: they either love them or they hate

them. Both groups need to understand that they still have wolf traits and need to be

cared for differently than other dogs. I describe how to take care of one and what you

need and I warn you about the dangers of having one. My goal is that if people can

properly care for wolf hybrids then we can reduce the number of wolf hybrids being

taken to sanctuaries.

         

 

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Isaac Arch

Thursday, April 25

11:35-12:20

The Autodidact’s Guide to Polyglottery

The purpose of this paper is to create a guide for learning a language with a

focus on attaining fluency as efficiently as possible. In hopes of achieving this, two main

ideas have been applied to the creation of this guide, Steven Krashen’s theory about

second language acquisition and memory techniques from Ancient Greece. Krashen

states that fluency emerges when grammar rules are no consciously learned through

direct instruction but through focusing on the meaning of any given input and as a

result acquiring them subconsciously. This is similar to the process by which children

acquire their first language. Memory techniques, in contrast to rote memory, emphasize

visualization and association instead of only repetition. Memory techniques present an

effective means for learning vocabulary. Learning vocabulary by utilizing memory

techniques fulfills Krashen’s requirement of meaning because the more words of any

given input one knows the easier it will be to arrive at meaning.

         

 

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Daniel Howell

Thursday, April 25

4:15-5:00

An Alternate Model of Reality: Paradigms Exploring Consciousness as the Unfolder of

the Perceptible Universe

In this paper, I propose an entirely different model of reality based not on the

interactions of matter as is proposed by our common worldview, but on the idea that

consciousness itself is the basis of reality as we know it – giving new importance to the

very nature of our awareness and ability to perceive. I define how we generally and

currently view the perceptible world in terms of material realism and determinism, and

then explore reasons why these ideas are not universal and cannot apply to the

fundamental level of known reality – the quantum level. Current understandings of

quantum behavior including probabilistic existence, nonlocality, and the collapse of the

wave function are described in order to understand how our very awareness is both

comprised of and affects this level of reality. Based on the idea of the conscious collapse

of the wave function, I provide evidence for two theories which claim consciousness as

fundamental - monistic idealism and panpsychism. Finally, I highlight some of the

possible problems these theories pose, as well as questions that need to be answered to

truly assert the validity of these theories and the reasons of importance for their

answering.

         

 

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Daniel Lin

Monday, April 29

11:35-12:20

Energize the Future: How Electric Cars Can Steer us Toward a Better Tomorrow

This paper will explain why citizens of the world should opt to drive electric

vehicles, which are cars that use one or more electric motor for forward thrust. The

focus of my research is to show how electric vehicles are better than conventional

gasoline-fueled cars. In my thesis, I explain how conventional gasoline-fueled cars harm

the environment. For example, they emit harmful toxins and particles into the

atmosphere, which some argue contribute to global warming. Not only are electric

vehicles safer for the environment, they are also more financially viable than gasoline-

fueled cars. After a few years, electric vehicle owners can save more than $5,000 in fuel

and repair costs compared to owners of conventional gasoline-powered cars. Electric

vehicles are healthier for humans, more cost-effective for the economy, and less harmful

to the environment.

         

 

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Lauryn Welling

Tuesday, April 30

11:35-12:20

Adopting a Biomedical Model for Psychiatry: An Analysis of the Potential Benefits and

Feasibility

Psychiatric disorders are currently diagnosed based on observations of external

behavioral symptoms, without an understanding of their internal biological causes. This

model becomes problematic when the line between abnormal behavior that predicts a

brain disorder and abnormal behavior that is merely socially deviant is hard to

distinguish. There is additional concern over the fact that neuroscientists are predicting

a different set of psychiatric disorders based solely on brain circuitry disturbances. The

current model’s subjectivity has led many figures in the field to support a biomedical

model of psychiatry that is based on observable biological differences and views mental

illness as a result of an individual’s genetic make-up and environmental history. The

new field of gene-environment interactions attempts to understand how both of these

agents interact with each other to produce these devastating disorders. This paper will

seek to answer two questions: Is a biomedical approach feasible? Can a biomedical

approach account for the complex nature of psychiatric disorders? I will conclude by

discussing data from the field of gene-environment interactions that predicts that these

disorders are preventable and reversible, and thus gives up hope for the future of

psychiatry.

         

 

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John Tofuri

Wednesday, May 1

11:35-12:20

“It's Dangerous to Go Alone”: Video Games as a Social Medium and Facilitators of

Socially Positive Phenomena

In this paper, I examine how video games act as a form of social media. I first

explore how video games have been known to act as a social medium to form the

backbone of the research. I’ve found that the core to the social medium of video games

is not only interaction, but also cooperation. I then look more closely into cooperation

and possible known issues in game environments. I also note how video games act as a

cultural barometer by comparing how societies respond to video games. From this, I

claim that video games bring about socially positive phenomena. I’ve divided these

phenomena into four different scales: Inter-Personal, Massive, Global, and Communal.

Through research and personal experience, I conclude that video games do, in fact,

create socially positive phenomena. Happenings such as “prosocial” emotions and

collective intelligence, as defined by Jane McGonigal, cultural diversification, as noted

by Jim Rossignol, and communal interaction, as postulated by myself, all contribute to

the end of socially positive phenomena.

         

 

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Eric Grass

Thursday, May 2

11:35-12:20

The Constitution of Education: Changing the Fundamental Principles of Public

Schooling

Public education in the United States is not living up to its potential. The

purpose of education in the U.S. for the last half century has been unclear, but for the

most part the mentality is: public education funded by taxes needs to have some sort of

economic or political benefit. Unfortunately graduation rates have plummeted; many

U.S. schools’ annual graduation rates get as low as thirty to forty percent. There has

been no evidence showing that how the U.S. educates today promotes economic growth.

Education as it is being used today does not sufficiently meet its intended economic

goal. Many education researchers have tried to solve this problem by changing the

mechanics of a school, but I suggest a more metaphysical approach. By participating in

and observing a Montessori school, I have found that the Montessori method reaches its

goal and the reason that public schools do not is because the system strives for the

wrong purpose. It should not be the goal of the school to promote economic growth.

The goal of educating someone should be to inspire curiosity and to invoke meaning in

students’ lives. This nation’s public school system should work to integrate a new

narrative into the its methodology and psyche that tells of a purpose that fosters

individuals’ development rather than economic potential. Perhaps as a byproduct,

having self-actualized individuals might help grow the economy as well, but that

shouldn’t be the focus. With this goal in mind students would have a reason of their

own to go to school and to become an educated person.

         

 

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Rachael Leonards

Thursday, May 2

4:15-5:00

The Unseen Truth: The Harmful Effects Fluoride Has On your Health

In this paper, I examine the different beliefs about fluoride and the harmful

effects it has on the human body. I define what fluoride is and why fluoride was added

into our water systems and the various ways it is being absorbed into the human body. I

look into the history of water fluoridation and the many different things you can

personally do to keep fluoride out of your body. Since the amount you can do to reduce

fluoride intake is limited, I bring up a resolution to how to address change to fully

eliminate fluoride from our water systems.

         

 

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Hank Montgomery

Monday, May 6

11:35-12:20

Exploring Sustainability: The Balance That Built Us

Forged from the fires of the industrial revolution, human kind has

singlehandedly changed the face of our planet so much that many scientists are saying

that we are creating a new epoch all together. Such a change does not come at a small

price. In the past century our society has almost completely lost its respect for the

balance of nature to make room for our fast-paced, technology powered culture. While

many see this rise in production and technology as progress, some see it differently.

When looking at extinct societies their collapse always seems to be very soon after their

peak in power. This tells us that our “progress” might soon be coming to an end. So the

question then becomes: how do we avoid this impending collapse? The solution that I

see is not as specific as "let’s let the experts solve the problem,” but instead I propose

that we change the mindset of our entire society. We need to change our practices and

adopt concepts such as Janine Benyus' idea of Biomimicry and William McDonough and

Michael Braungart's Cradle to Cradle philosophy. In order to understand how to change

our mindset so that such practices are seamlessly and naturally integrated into our lives,

first we must understand sustainability in its purest form. This understanding revolves

around the idea of balance and how our world and evolution was the result of such

balance. Finally, we can apply these concepts of balance to the survival of our human

society: a society that is on its way to a complete collapse, unless we can refine our

understanding of nature and learn to live by its law.

         

 

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Michelle Deden

Tuesday, May 7

11:35-12:20

How Horseback Riding Neutralizes Disabilities and Creates a World of Equals

In this paper I seek to answer the question, how would one go about starting

their own hippotherapy program and what are the benefits of hippotherapy on people

with cerebral palsy? I do this by using PATH International’s “Introduction to

Hippotherapy,” along with cerebral palsy specialists Randal Getz and Robin Smith’s

understanding of cerebral palsy. Then I connect my understanding of cerebral palsy

with hippotherapy to illustrate how horses help people with disabilities. This

information was learned from an internship I had with the R.O.C.K Program in

Georgetown, Texas, under the guidance of therapeutic riding specialist’s Nancy Krenek

and Karen Gardner. These observations lead me to believe that horseback riding can

benefit everyone physically, mentally, and emotionally through personal experiences.

This is explored through personal experiences and testimonies from those involved in

therapeutic riding.

         

 

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Rachel George

Tuesday, May 7

4:15-5:00

Why Study History, Nowadays?: How Historians Can Stay Relevant in a Sea

of Subjectivity

In this Metamodernist age we are facing evidence of subjectivity in all

disciplines. This has caused history to lose its status as a record of truth. Without

history’s reputation of factuality we are left wondering “what is history good for?”

History has power even without objectivity because it has noticeable impact on people

though that impact is formed by the individual’s subjective experience. By examining

history’s roots in mythology this paper seeks to convey history’s power to create

frameworks of belief that orient us in society. History could become a secular

mythology that harmonizes intergroup relations. Therefore historians can concretely

build social cohesion through promoting empathy and constructing identity in

presentations of history.

         

 

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Christina Loos

Wednesday, May 8

11:35-12:20

Using Odorants Scent-sibly in the Workplace

Proponents of aromatherapy have claimed that odors are capable of affecting

humans emotionally and cognitively for decades, but the scientific community has only

recently begun to seriously examine this idea. This area of research is a relatively young

one with a comparatively small amount of scientific studies exploring this topic, and

these studies present an interesting question: if odorants are capable of influencing

cognition and emotions, how might we use them in various environment to gain their

benefits? In this thesis, I examine how we might use aromas to benefit workers

cognitively and emotionally and how we would implement them in a working

environment. Taking the findings of various studies into consideration, I examine how

we could use odorants to beneficially affect fatigue, stress and anxiety, and alertness.

         

 

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Marina Smith

Thursday, May 9

11:35-12:20

Tasting Imperfection: An Exploration of the Japanese Aesthetic Wabi Sabi Through a

Culinary Experience

The focus of my research is how to communicate an understanding of wabi sabi

through an exercise of both the imagination and the palette. I do this by incorporating

the cookbooks and culinary technique of Shunsuke Fukushima, Hiroko Shimbo, and

local Texas chef Tyson Cole. I first discuss the act of defining wabi sabi (and why that is

impractical) and then I discuss its physical applications – wabi sabi design in particular.

I discuss haiku, pottery, and other art forms in my research, then I begin to explain how

all of these might come together in a fictitious wabi sabi restaurant. In my thesis, I

create an fabricated space in the minds of the readers that encourages an understanding

through experience of wabi sabi, which I hope will create a mutual relationship between

artist and audience – a “definition” of wabi sabi, so to speak. Next, I discuss the

relationship between wabi sabi and food. One way that I examine this is through local

food and sustainability. I also include seasonality and how autumnal cuisine is more

suited to wabi sabi due to the American perception of seasons. I then describe an ideal

menu and some background on each dish, including Japanese green tea and the place of

rice in Japanese culture. Finally, I discuss the relationship of wabi sabi and culinary

presentation, or the beauty of balance, bite, and tasting imperfection.

         

 

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Johnathan Scott

Thursday, May 9

4:15-5:00

The Purpose of Dreams: Mind, Body, and Soul

My paper covers how dreams can be interpreted and how dreams can have a

direct impact on health. I explain the current scientific definition of dreams, from when

we have them to possible theories behind why we have them. By referring to Sigmund

Freud’s explanation of the “Early Man” and his understanding of dreams, we can see

how dreams were closely related to religion. This mainly involves ancient Greek and

Roman views. I then move into The Native American view of dreams and some

traditions surrounding them. After addressing some scientific and spiritual

understandings of dreams, I move into how placing a greater meaning of any kind in

dreams can have significant effects on the mind, body and “soul”. By the end of the

paper, I state that the only way to benefit from dreams is if the dreamer takes the steps

to understand and eventually manipulate their dreams.

         

 

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Susana Hart

Monday, May 13

11:35-12:20

The Virgin Mary’s Legacy:

How Archetypes Shape Relationships Between Men and Women in Modern Day

Societies

In this thesis, I seek to answer the question: How does the Virgin

Mary’s archetype affect women and men from Chiriqui, Panama? I do this by sharing

the Virgin Mary’s story, how her actions and behaviors influenced men and women lives

throughout history, and connecting this research to my notes and observations on a

field study I conducted in this area. First, I explain the impact the Virgin Mary’s

archetype has had on men and women throughout the centuries. Then, I move on to

share men and women’s experiences and thoughts, and how the Virgin Mary influenced

them. I conclude by stating that education is the way to step away from heavily rooted

gender norms.

         

 

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Lauren Bodron

Tuesday, May 14

4:15-5:00

One Person’s Noise is Another Person’s Music

All through out human history and pre-history, there has been music. Music has

been labeled as one of the most uniquely human things we do. And even though music

has been continuously praised, celebrated, taught, and listened to universally, there is

still stigma that’s attached to certain types of music. Music that doesn’t follow the

norm, or music with intense subject matters, or sexual themes is often stigmatized,

stereotyped censored and banned. The fans of such music, and the musicians who play

the music are also subject to ridicule, and social stigmatization. All throughout history

there has been music that has been received a scarlet letter, has been banned, and even

in extreme cases blamed for crimes that listeners of the music have done. This needs to

stop, because music’s universal appeal isn’t going to go away. There is a better

alternative to blame, and their needs to be a shift in focus to the benefits of music,

and recognizing how it bonds people.

         

 

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Nikky Kunkel

Tuesday, May 14

4:15-5:00

Seeing Pain: A Comparative Approach to Relieving Migraine Visual Aura

through Schizophrenic Pharmacotherapy

It is commonly believed that any severe headache may be considered “a migraine.” In

fact, migraine is a complex and debilitating disease capable of producing positive visual

phenomena known as visual aura. In this paper, this disease will be clearly defined based

on the qualities outlined by International Headache Society, and the investigation of its

visual aura symptoms will be of great focus. Visual aura’s neurophysiological correlate,

cortical spreading depression, will be examined in order to understand the genesis of

visual aura. Having understood what migraine aura is, schizophrenic hallucinations will

be investigated to draw parallels between the two kinds of hallucinations. Finally, the

concepts of schizophrenic pharmacotherapy will hypothetically be applied to migraine

auras in order to theorize what potential treatment would look like.

         

 

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Adriel Barrios-Anderson

Wednesday, May 15

11:35-12:20

Bringing Bach to the Bedside: An integrative approach to exploring the curative effects

of music and the benefit of integrating music into the hospital

Can music heal physical and mental illness? New research in medicine,

particularly in neuroscience, is demonstrating surprising results that indicate music’s

capacity to heal on a level beyond what was previously thought. This thesis explores

current research in order to justify the implementation of music in healthcare. Based

upon that research, I conclude that music has great potential for healing a multitude of

diseases, and that further study could revolutionize healthcare in treating illness. Music

could also play a role in revitalizing personal care in medicine. It can be argued that, in

the modern healthcare matrix, an intense focus on treating disease from the empirical

perspective has led to a culture that appears impersonal and uncaring. This thesis

explores personal accounts that suggest music could serve to change this paradigm and

enhance a sense of individualized care in healthcare. Medicine can become more holistic

by developing a culture that values both the empirical and the personal, and music can

serve as a catalyst for this evolution.

         

 

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Caroline Connell

Thursday, May 16

11:35-12:20

Phases and Stages: Learning about Child Development

I have always loved caring for babies and young children. I chose to focus on child

development because it’s important to know what stage the child is developing at.

I wanted to share what I learned because I want people to get excited about child

development like I am!

I will be presenting child development from birth until two. I am focusing on six areas

of child development. These are social interaction, large motor development, small

motor development, sounds and language, sensorial development and stages of

development.

I am hoping that people who want to take in the information will come. It will definitely

be helpful for caregivers of children.

         

 

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Nik Crawford

Thursday, May 16

4:15-5:00

Prairie Brook Lane: The Musical

The goal of my senior thesis experience was to learn the form and techniques of writing

a musical and ultimately write and perform my own. In order to achieve this, I

scavenged for many sources in libraries and the internet and ended up with a collection

of books and articles giving me insight into the world of musical theatre.

The information covered corners such as dialogue constructions, character development

in songs, how to stage a scene, producing on a budget, and designing lighting and

sound set-ups for performances.

I then wrote my own musical using the knowledge accumulated, and plan on

performing it with a full cast on the date of my presentation. Here’s a short synopsis:

When Daniel J. Foster is forcibly admitted in to a mental asylum after an incident involving

flushing down his live pet goldfish, he quickly learns this is no mere hospital for the mentally

challenged. The asylum itself is presented to be an entertainment business open to the public,

where the patients are put on display for viewers’ pleasure. Through sketchy relations with other

patients, Daniel has every intention to break out of the asylum and does his best to hatch a plot-

all the while trying not to let the haunting death of his goldfish, Kelly, hold him back.