Histology, the microscopic examination of tissues, is a pivotal tool in research. By providing a detailed view of cellular structures and their organization, this technique allows researchers to advance knowledge in many different disciplines including women’s health and ovarian studies. Studying the female reproductive system is of utmost importance due to its multifaceted effects on aspects such as biological functions, cellular mechanisms, and complex behavioral patterns in women. Therefore, the aim of this honors thesis is to refine and adapt a set of protocols from the Mayer-Dyer Laboratory for ovarian and follicular processing so that they are optimal to use in the Bimonte-Nelson Laboratory of Memory and Aging in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. The subsequent aim for the thesis is to replicate and extend the new protocols to complete histology of the ovaries from an interdisciplinary study that evaluated the consequences of hysterectomy with and without estrogen replacement for brain and cognition. This dual-pronged approach will not only contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the effects of hysterectomy, but also provides a valuable framework for future research endeavors in the field.

For my thesis, I worked on creating an undergraduate club with the mission to empower not only business law majors but the entire business community with the knowledge necessary to succeed within the compliance industry. The Compliance Society would be modeled after the successful undergraduate clubs that are profession-specific and work to collaborate with them to establish themselves as the compliance profession club, a first of its kind. With that, my director and I set out to establish the Compliance Society to be an undergraduate club that offers students the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, grow professionally, and gain practical leadership to empower them to be leaders within the compliance industry. Throughout this process, I have compiled a list of best practices for almost every facet of the organization to be utilized for the future generation of the organization. I not only recruited 60 new members to join the organization but also established an executive body of diverse students to lead the Compliance Society into the future. In addition, I created the organizational framework of Compliance Society by collaborating with my director and writing the Compliance Society Constitution. The organization is poised to add value to a multitude of students within ASU and ultimately create the next generation of compliance professionals.

Representation in television and film not only impacts how people view themselves, but also how society views them. We have created a society in which the media defines societal norms and controls how particular groups and issues are represented. It is vital for identity formation and creating a sense of belonging, and normalizes communities that may be viewed through a stereotypical lens. What we see in the media has a significant impact on our lives and perspectives. For lesbian and queer women, invisibility and heteronormativity are common themes in television and film representation, both historically and today. Representation in film and television is uncommon and short-lived for lesbian and queer women. When these characters are included, they often pose issues such as not being relatable to the community or they exemplify stereotypes and tropes. These include the oversexualization of lesbian and queer women and the “bury your gays” trope, which explains the frequency that these characters are killed or denied happiness. Lesbian and queer women crave visibility and authentic representation. Diverse representation that strays from the standard heteronormative narrative is imperative in creating a more inclusive world in which every person feels they belong and receives acceptance and respect. My webpage, www.violet-representation.com, shares my research and aims to serve as a resource for the lesbian and queer community to express their opinions about shows and films, and for creators to learn what lesbian and queer women wish to see in television and film representations.

For my thesis, I made a series of handmade adaptable ceramic mugs for people with a variety of different needs. This includes limited neck mobility, limited hand/wrist strength and flexibility, hand tremors, and more. In order to do this, I collected feedback from a variety of people involved in functional movement and adaptive technology to produce multiple handmade mugs.

The Rhythm Harmonizer is a drum machine synthesizer with an experimental twist. The rhythm programming is achieved through square wave oscillator pulses. This may seem limiting as it only allows for even, metronome-like patterns, but by adjusting the speed of each voice independently, anything from triplet grooves to four on the floor rock beats could potentially be created. Furthermore, the use of pulse divisions encourages the use of polymeter, a technique that is uncommon in popular music. Another advantage of the pulse programming method is that it allows the tempo of the drums to be pushed so fast that they become sustained notes. Thus, the device can seamlessly transition from drum machine to synthesizer drone.