The Honors College at the University of Maine is a community of nearly 800 students who, along with nearly 100 faculty members, are committed to taking intellectual risks through exploring questions both within and outside their academic disciplines in the course of a four-year curriculum.  The College is committed to both broadening and deepening the academic experience of its students, providing them with the resources and skills needed to critically engage important questions and issues.

For those students who graduate from the Honors College, their journey ends with the writing of their Honors thesis. Over the course of the senior year, they work with a faculty mentor completing independent research or a creative project in their discipline. At the end of the two-semester experience, they present the thesis to their thesis committee of five faculty members and professionals in their field.  For these students, this is the culmination of their work at the University of Maine and a springboard to future opportunities and achievements.

“The intense supervision of my Honors thesis was the most important academic experience of my life. My advisor’s personal guidance and insistence that I couple precise research with creative and original thought has served as a benchmark for me for over thirty years.” – James E. Tierney ’69, Attorney General of Maine (1980-1990)

The first four theses were written in 1937, in recent years the number has approached 100.  We plan to populate this digital archive with  many of the over 1300 theses that have been written in those over seventy-five years. 

For more information, contact the Honors College at honors@maine.edu or 207-581-3263.

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Honors Theses from 2021

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Investigating the Link Between Aging-Related Vascular Dysfunction and Peripheral Neuropathy Through Pressure Myography, Bailey Woodard

Honors Theses from 2020

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Exploration of the Relationship Between the Fractal Dimension of Microcalcification Clusters and the Hurst Exponent of Background Tissue Disruption in Mammograms, Betelhem Abay

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Can Spoilers in Online Reviews Impact Viewer Enjoyment?, Marshall Abbott

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Other Fish in the Sea: Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata) and Evidence for Past Environmental Change in the Archaeological Record, Brianna Ballard

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Characterizing the Range Shifts of Two Peromyscus Species in Maine, Molly Bennett

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Exploring the Intersection of Climate Change and Cultural Heritage: the Case of Croatia’s Eastern Adriatic Coast, Lilja Bernheim

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Paper, Pulp, And Place: Investigating Connections Through Process Art, Olivia Bradstreet

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Idiom Comprehension in Adults With and Without Reading Comprehension Difficulties, Molly Brown

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A Mathematical Model of the Opioid Epidemic in the State of Maine, Cole Butler

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Investigating the Stability of Observed Low Semi-major Axis Exoplanetary Systems With Hypothetical Outer Planets Using The Program Mercury6, Kendall Butler

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Room for Opportunity: An Investigation of Catholic Student Life at the University Of Maine, Jacob Buttarazzi

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The Role of Personality in Large Nut Dispersal by Sciurus carolinensis and its Implications for Seed Dispersal Across Human-Modified Landscapes, Skye Cahoon

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CPAP-Compliance of Aging Individuals with Obstructive Sleep Apnea With or Without Mild Cognitive Impairment, Bailey Carter

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The Educational Needs of Children Ages 0-5 Born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Maine, Julia Casey

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Hip-Hop's Diversity and Misperceptions, Andrew Cashman

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Characterization of ncf1 Mutants in a Zebrafish Model of Innate Immune Function with Human Influenza A Virus Infection, Lily Charpentier

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The Microstructural Heterogeneity of Ice in Jarvis Glacier, Alaska, Renée Clavette

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Interviews With Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Cormac Coyle

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Pursuing Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Language Revitalization Through Song, Sophia Crockett-Current

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Social Media Use and Empathy in Late Adolescents, Rachel Feenstra

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The Role of the BPs Immunity Repressor in the Regulation of Pathogenic Mycobacterium chelonae Gene Expression, Emma Freeman

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Applying Cluster Analysis to Student Responses from Energy Surveys for Identification of Commonalities in their Understanding, Arianna Giguere

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“Putting Out Fires”: An Original Situational Comedy Pilot Episode Examining Modern Motherhood, Keely Gonyea

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Projecting Imperial Power: The Synods of Aachen (816-819), Cliff Greco

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Participation in the Belt and Road Initiative: Who Joins and Why?, Patrick Groening

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A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Community Solar for Low to Moderate Income Residents of Mount Desert Island, Maine, Abigayle Hargreaves

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Distribution of First Row Transition Elements in Eclogites, Natalie Harmon

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Adolescent Depressive Symptoms, Co-Rumination, and Friendship: A Longitudinal, Observational Study, Raegan Harrington

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Clostridioides difficile Infection Rates and Diabetes Mellitus in the Acute Care Hospital Setting: A Pilot Retrospective Study, Abigail Howe

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An Analysis of the History and Current Treatment Trends of the Parasitic Mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Maine Beekeeping, Patrick Hurley

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The Effects of Food Insecurity on Indigenous Women in Maine, Sara Imam

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Exploring the Marginalized Voice: Queering Form in Contemporary Short Fiction, Madalyn M. Jackson

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Music Can Foster Communication Skills in Middle School Students, Haloye Camille Payabyab Johnson

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What’s Going to Happen to My Pancakes? The Impacts of Climate Change Upon Blueberries and Sugar Maple, Ashley Kayser

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Effects of Repeated Intensive Harvesting Practices, Prescribed Burning, and Browsing on Northern Hardwood Forest Plant Communities, Michaela Kuhn

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Seed Dispersal Effectiveness in the Penobscot Experimental Forest, Gabrielle Link

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Selectivity of the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde Using a Polymer Cross-Linked Catalyst, Madeline Logan

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Communication on Cultural and Environmental Implications of the Emerald Ash Borer Invasion in Maine, Salvatore Magnano III

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Design and Construction of a Computer Controlled Astronomical Spectropolarimeter, Jacob Marchio

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The Impact of Emotion Regulation on ADHD and Depressive Symptoms in Emerging Adults, Hannah Meidahl

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Designing A Platform to Detect Peripheral Neuropathy with Microneedle Electrodes and Neurophysiology, Erin Merchant

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Breaking Down "Harassment" to Characterize Trends in Human Interaction Cases in Maine's Pinnipeds, Emma Newcomb

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The Impact of Climate Change: an In-Depth Analysis of Warming Ocean Water Temperatures and the Effects on Maine’s Lobstering Industry and Subsequent Effect on the State Economy, Bryce Nitchman

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Assessing Health Related Quality of Life, Language Impairment, and Psychosocial Factors in Post-Stroke Aphasia, Sophia M.E. Palangas

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The Functional Role of Glia in Peripheral Metabolic Tissue, Emma Paradie

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The Use of Smartphone Apps as a Supplement to Transgender Voice and Communication Therapy, Maura Philippone

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Estimating Bedrock Fracture Density of the Juneau Icefield, AK, to Inform Glacial Erosion Models, Colby Rand

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Female Political Campaigns: Just the Right Amount of Femininity, Harley Rogers

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Comparison of Drying Methods of Cellulose Nanofibrils Low Density Foams and Their Effects On Structural Properties, Lauren Ryan

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Basal Area Factor in Variable Radius Sampling Effects on Stand Level Measurements, Carlton Scott

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“Things are Going to Get a Lot Worse Before They Get Worse”: Humor in the Face of Disaster, Politics, and Pain, Sierra Semmel

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In vivo Imaging of the Respiratory Burst Response to Influenza A Virus Infection, James Thomas Seuch

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A Biogeographical Assessment of Arctic Marine Fungi, Bentley E. Simpson

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Madonna, Monster and Other Stories: Surrealist Short Fiction, Katherine Skvorak

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Identifying the Link Between Non-Coding Regulatory RNAs and Phenotypic Severity in a Zebrafish Model of gmppb Dystroglycanopathy, Grace Smith

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How Alumnae of a Feminist Organization During Middle-High School Perceive Their Involvement as Related to Their Academic Self-Concept, Miranda R. Snyder

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Emotional Engagement of Consumers: A Case Study Between Peloton and ClassPass and their Differences in Branding Initiatives on the Facebook Platform, Meredith Stephens

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Chytridiomycota in Tree Bark, Paige Strasko

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Terms of Erasure: The Jewish Experience in a Rural New England Town, Jessica Sweeney

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An Examination of Pervasive Language Around Sexual Harassment Through the Lens of Anita Hill, Christine Blasey Ford, and #MeToo, Elizabeth Theriault

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Confirmed Presence of Parahepatospora carcini in Carcinus maenas Population of Maine, Brittany Torchia

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An Evolutionary Approach to Crowdsourcing Mathematics Education, Spencer Ward

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Symbiotic Suppression: How Digital Authoritarianism Helps Facilitate Physical Repression in Indian Controlled Kashmir, Patrick Aaron White

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Using Cellulose Nanofibrils and Calcium Carbonate in Single-Use Utensils, Sierra Yost

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Assessing Lipid Content in Migrating Alewife, Anthony Zenga

Honors Theses from 2019

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The Underwriter Effect: How Underwriters Influence the Amount of Money Left on the Table for Initial Public Offerings, Matthew Ahearn

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Personality in Small Mammals: From Home Range to Microhabitat Selection, Kara Aiken

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VHF Near Field Antenna Design for Wireless Sensing Applications in Harsh Environments, Nicholas Aiken

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Techno-Economic Analysis of a Seaweed Extraction Process, Zachary Applebee

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Examining the Microbiome of Porphyra Umbilicalis in the North Atlantic, Margaret Aydlett

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A Layman's Guide to Malignancies: Cancer and Cancer Research in Everyday Terms, Bailee Bartash

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Evaluating Sustainable Decision Making on Water Resources: Comparing Cooperation Around the Aral Sea and Penobscot River, Brawley Benson

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A Model for Student Success: How Immigrant/First-Generation Teachers Use Cultural Identity and Experience in Pedagogical Practices with Immigrant/First-Generation Youth, Lucie Bonneville

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An Upper Extremity Exoskeleton Utilizing a Modified Double Parallelogram Linkage Mechanism with Proximally Located Actuators, Connor Bouffard

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The Potential Roles of Melanopsin Signaling in Mediating the Effects of Environmental Light on Voluntary Ethanol Intake in Mice, Rachel Brooks

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Terrorism in Context: The Stories We Tell Ourselves, James Brown V

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Can Training Restaurant Servers on Managing Customer Harassment Influence Turnover Intentions?, Mariza Budri

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Inanna: A Modern Interpretation, Erin Butts

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Assessing the Effectiveness of Attractants to Increase Detection Probabilities in Northeastern Mammals, Michael Buyaskas

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Predictive Diagnostic Analysis of Mammographic Breast Tissue Microenvironment, Dexter G. Canning

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The Personal is Poetic: A Case for Poetry Therapy, Kimberly Crowley

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Impact of Television on the Language Development of Young Children, Courtney E. Daly

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Do Different Methods of Communication Impact Undergraduate Student's Knowledge, Attitudes, & Beliefs Towards White-Nose Syndrome in Little Brown Bats, Kiley Davan

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A Qualitative Study of the Perceived Risks of the Impacts of Moose-Winter Tick Interactions on Human Health, Maine Economy, and Maine Culture, Asha DiMatteo-LePape

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Landscape Factors Affecting Foraging Flight Altitudes of Great Blue Heron in Maine; Relevance to Wind Energy Development, Lauren Dolinski

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Microscopia: A Virtual Museum of Organisms Created with SEM Photogrammetry, Ian Donnelly

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Fitting the SIR Epidemiological Model to Influenza Data, Madeline Dorr

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MMP13 Inhibition Does Not Rescue GMPPB-Deficient Skeletal Muscle in Zebrafish, Sean Driscoll

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Pediatric Hospice Care: A Literature Review of Hospice Care Its Role in Pediatrics and Resources in Maine, Rachel Emerich

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Variations in Media Framing of U.S.-Cuba Policy, Anna Foster

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An Intersectional Feminist Approach to Lyme Disease Epidemiology, Meghan Frisard

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Uncoupling Protein 1 in Bornean Treeshrews, Emily Gagne

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Immigration in the Context of Religion with Case Studies of France and Hungary, Melissa Garand

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Localization of Synapses on Adipocytes and Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells in Adipose Tissue Using Electron and Immunofluorescent Microscopy, Emma Garner

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Inpatient Mental Health Services in Rural Hospitals of the United States and Canada: A Case Study of Maine and New Brunswick, Dominic Gayton

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Building a Better Understanding of Equine Anatomy Through Integrated Learning, Emily Gorney

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Barriers to Hospital Food Waste: A Pilot Exploratory Study, Jennifer Goulding

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Functional Analysis of Amino Acid Changes in the Metal Binding Pocket of the Lyt-R Domain of the CpsA Protein, Sydney Green

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The Effects of European Fire Ants on Blacklegged Ticks in Acadia National Park, Lucy Guarnieri

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The Effect of Elevation on Factors Influencing Adult Body Size of Asynarchus Nigirculus, Mykayla Hagaman