This project involved research into solar thermal and geothermal energy generation as possible solutions to the growing U.S. energy crisis. Background research into this topic revealed the effects of climate and environmental impacts as major variables in determining optimal states. Delving into thermodynamic engineering analyses, the main deliverables of this research were mathematical models to analyze plant efficiency improvements in order to optimize the cost of operating solar thermal and geothermal power plants. The project concludes with possible future research areas relating to this field.

This thesis presents the strategic business plan for Soleri Skye Studios, a dynamic digital marketing and graphic design company. Beginning with a comprehensive assessment of the digital marketing and graphic design landscapes, with a special focus on the vibrant Phoenix market, the plan delves into a targeted market opportunity analysis, identifying key customer segments, including small businesses, women-owned enterprises, and Spanish-speaking organizations. Leveraging a blend of secondary research and insightful personal interviews, the plan derives valuable insights into the market opportunity, competitor strategies, and client needs. Subsequently, a meticulously crafted implementation plan emerges, outlining tailored operational strategies, mission imperatives, and distinctive brand positioning for Soleri Skye Studios. Furthermore, the plan outlines the seven P’s of marketing, providing a robust framework guiding the company's strategic initiatives. Through this deliberate planning process, Soleri Skye Studios endeavors to carve a unique niche in the competitive arena, offering innovative, cost-effective design, marketing, and branding solutions finely attuned to client needs. Embracing a culture of creativity, collaboration, and client-centricity, Soleri Skye Studios is poised to deliver exceptional value and drive enduring success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

This thesis project focuses on the rhetoric of dress reform in The Sibyl, the official journal of the National Dress Reform Association from 1856 to 1864. The American Dress Reform Movement grew out of the women’s rights and health reform movements during the Second Great Awakening. Dress reformers viewed women’s fashionable dress as both a symbol of and reason for their political and economic oppression. They believed that by modifying women’s everyday dress, women’s health (and in turn, the health of their descendants) would improve and they would have more opportunities outside of the home. Close reading of The Sibyl reveals that dress reformers gravitated towards the rhetoric of slavery, comparisons to non-Christian nations, and the characterization of women as weak to advocate for their cause. I argue that this rhetoric disempowers women and promotes racist and xenophobic ideas, which ultimately undermines the movement’s goals.