Development of a Method: The Use of Flowers in Group Art Therapy

Working with natural materials and objects can provide calming benefits and promote a positive well-being. Nature objects can include wood, stones, shells, grasses, moss, flowers, and more.This thesis will focus on the development of a method for floral arrangement in art therapy. The thesis presents the development of a method that explores how the Western symbolism of flower types and personal memories of flowers impact the healing process while working with flowers in an art therapy group. Group participants included 20 women aged 27-65, who were part of an art program at the African Community Center. Fresh flowers were provided and each participant created their own floral arrangement. The flowers evoked an emotional response and encouraged participants to discuss details from their personal lives. Using flowers was found to promote a connection to emotions for participants. The symbolism associated and characteristics of flowers made the art making process inherently more emotionally evoking than when using other art materials

Then and now: across ten years of Arkansas women in agriculture

The United States Agricultural Census show that between 2002 and 2012, the number of women farm operators in Arkansas grew 14% (from 19,856 to 22,637). These women operators have made up an increasingly larger percentage of all farm operators in the state (from almost 29% to nearly 33%). There is little published information regarding changes over time in the role of women in agriculture, their challenges, and factors important to their success. While some surveys of farm women have been conducted, these surveys are generally insufficient because data exist only for one point in time. This research uses the first, middle and last years of survey data collected across ten years (2005-2014) at Arkansas Women in Agriculture (ARWIA) conferences to compare women’s perceptions regarding: 1) factors important to their choice of business activity, 2) challenges women face in their agriculture-related business, and 3) the decision-making roles they hold in that business. Results suggest that women in Arkansas agriculture engage in important decision-making on the farm. These women consistently identified across all three years, three attributes—applying talents and skills directly, being involved in the community and being excited about the work—as important factors in their decision to choose an agricultural career. They also identified two problems—keeping good employees and finding/affording a good lawyer—within the top five of the largest challenges faced. It is hoped that this set of baseline information can be useful not only to researchers and educators interested in addressing needs of local women but also in illustrating the continuing changes in women’s roles and their needs, and thus the need for extended research over time to address these changes

Ancient Maya Obsidian Trade: Arvin\u27s Landing and Foster Farm, Belize

Arvin’s Landing and Foster Farm are ancient Maya settlements located on Joe Taylor Creek near Punta Gorda in southern Belize. The abundance of obsidian and the number of sources in the artifact assemblage at Arvin’s Landing and Foster Farm indicate the inhabitants of these settlement participated in long-distance trade with other Maya communities. The research was developed to examine the different geographic sources of obsidian as well as the distribution of these sources at both sites. The goal of this research is to determine whether these sites fit with existing trade patterns established by previous research over decades of obsidian studies. Researchers originally believed that obsidian was transported along the coast and by inland routes to the Maya in the lowlands during the Classic Period (AD 300-900). Researchers later argued that the pattern was more temporal; there was a shift from a dominance of El Chayal obsidian in the Classic to a dominance of Ixtepeque obsidian in the Postclassic (AD 900-1500). Tests were performed using a Bruker portable XRF tracer to assay obsidian from Arvin’s Landing and Foster Farm in order to determine their geographical source and evaluate the sites’ role in trade. The sources present and the distributions of source type at both Arvin’s Landing and Foster Farm were then compared to other Classic and Postclassic Maya settlements. Although both Arvin’s Landing and Foster Farm were originally thought to date to the Postclassic, upon comparison, the obsidian assemblage at Arvin’s Landing appears to more closely match Late/Terminal Classic (AD 600-900) sites in both the types of sources and the distribution across the site. The Arvin’s Landing assemblage also has an unusually high percentage of minor Mexican obsidian sources, suggesting a different role in the coastal obsidian trade than is normally performed by small settlements. If Arvin’s Landing does date to the Late/Terminal Classic period, as the obsidian distribution suggests, Arvin’s Landing possibly had a more significant relationship with major inland centers than was previously known

An Exploration of Names in Social and Professional Settings for Persons with Ethnically Identifying Names

The overarching purpose of this collected papers dissertation was to explore the perspectives and experiences related to names in social and professional settings for persons with ethnically identifying names. The first paper was an integrative literature review. The second paper was a qualitative study utilizing the phenomenological approach. Both studies utilized self-presentation theory, while Study #2 added social penetration theory and social identity theory. Self-presentation theory posits that people put forth a public face to show that they possess desirable characteristics to observers. Social penetration theory is centered on the concept of self-disclosure and the notion that people carefully construct their level of disclosure based on the interaction and how they wish it to proceed. Finally, social identity theory puts forth that people categorize others to determine with whom to align themselves and whom to exclude. These theories undergirded the studies and directed the inquiry. Study #1 reviewed literature to determine if names and self-presentation were studied within HRD. Only one study was found. The extant literature was largely quantitative, focused on job market reactions to applicant names, and assumed characteristics. Overall, the studies were focused on how best to present an applicant based on their name and the possible consequences of self-presentation in undesirable categories (e.g., minority applicants with “unique” or “ethnic” names). The literature indicated that applicants best presented when they utilized names that indicated non-minority ethnicity (e.g. White). Study #2 explored the opinions, experiences and behaviors of interview participants with ethnically identifying names related to social identity, self-presentation and social penetration. This study consisted of interviewing 15 people of either Asian, African, Caucasian or Latino/Hispanic ethnicity. Findings suggested that names did matter to the participants and that their behaviors and opinions related to their self-presentation and self-disclosure were colored by their experiences as someone with an ethnically identifying name; both professionally and socially. Overall, the findings of these studies are a starting point into the HRD literature to inform organizational research and practice. Additional research is needed to create a more comprehensive picture of the issues involved and work towards best practices and interventions

Assessment of the Genetic Diversity of the Abilene Christian University Feral Cat Population Through the Use of Mitochondrial Genes

The Abilene Christian University feral cat population has been the subject of many different studies throughout the years, especially those that focus on the presence and spread of diseases in the population that have potential to be zoonotic. The ACU Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program captures the feral cats to be neutered and also draws blood samples from each. Extracting and purifying of the DNA from these samples allows for disease testing and sequencing of specific genes. In a preliminary study, we used gene sequences from the mitochondrial D-loop to test the effectiveness of the TNR program maintained by the school and found lower levels of genetic diversity in the ACU population than in randomly sampled cats from the greater Abilene region. Expanding on this, sequences for the mitochondrial enzyme ATPase 8/6 will allow for increased sensitivity in the analysis of genetic diversity of the animals in the population. Comparison of the genetic differences or similarities among the cats using DNA haplotype charts can help determine the effectiveness of the TNR program by assessing its impact on inbreeding and migration within the ACU feral cat population

Fabrication of nanobaskets by sputter deposition on porous substrates and uses thereof

A method of producing a nanobasket and the applications or uses thereof. The method includes the steps of providing a substrate with at least one (1) pore having diameters of about one (1) nanometer to about ten (10) micrometers. Material is deposited by sputter-coating techniques along continuous edges of the pores to form a capped or partially capped nanotube or microtube structure, termed a nanobasket. Either a single material may be used to form nanobaskets over the pores or, alternately, a layered structure may be created wherein an initial material is deposited followed by one or more other materials to form nanobaskets over the pores

Evaluating the Use of Monetary Incentive in Text-Delivered Sexually Transmitted Infection Education

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported increases in chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis from 2016 to 2017 despite numerous testing and education programs. In addition, young adults are at an increased risk of STIs.Aim: To describe the effectiveness of monetary incentives provided to college females for engaging with automated mobile messaging delivered education over the course of six weeks concerning sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted at a large Southeastern, public university in the United States. One hundred and fifty-six female college students (18-24 years in age) participated in a mobile messaging and marketing automation platform delivered once a week for six weeks. Engagement with weekly education was measured by clicks on educational content.Results: Out of the six messages, χ2 analysis revealed that paid participants were more likely to engage with the STI education in weeks two, four, five, and six. In this study, simple linear regression ANOVA confirmed that compensation was the main extrinsic motivator for engagement rather than other factors, such as the delivery method.Conclusions: Monetary incentive can increase engagement with STI education in college females while mobile messaging also has the potential

Insulated Solar Electric Cooker

The purpose of this Final Project Report is to highlight the work completed by the interdisciplinary engineering capstone project for the Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo under the supervision of Professor Jim Widmann (Mechanical Engineering) and Dr. Peter Schwartz (Physics). Dr. Schwartz, better known as Pete, has been working on the project with a team of students for the past five years and is working to integrate the ISEC in Ghanaian communities. This project focuses on making the ISEC mass-manufacturable and making the transition from biomass cooking to solar cooking as familiar as possible. Our concept chosen is called the Sugar Oven, which has been designed to optimize and simplify usage to be an inexpensive and easy alternative to biomass cooking. The design we chose will also feature a standardized manufacturing process and reduces risk of injury. This report features the calculations for the thermal conductivity and thermal battery and addresses the possible risks of diode failure. It also will cover the best materials to build the Sugar Oven. Due to the current nature of COVID-19, the planned building, testing, and analysis could not be done. This report instead will cover how to build the sugar oven and detailed descriptions of the tests that need to be conducted. It will lastly touch base on further research and work that can be done in furthering the development of our design