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.
Honors Theses from 2016
The Triad of Nationality Revisited: The Orthodox Church and the State in Post-Soviet Russia, Robert D. Potts
The Effect of Management Strategies on Haemonchus Contortus Infections of Sheep and Goats on Intensively Grazed Pasture, Catherine Werker Pouliot
Personalities & Traditional Political Participation in Young Adults, 18–24, Abigail Pratico
The Long-Term Impact of Chemotherapy on Neurogenesis and the Potential Use of Fluoxetine As Preventative Treatment, Margaret Ross
Pulling Strings: The Effects of Puppetry on the Language and Literacy Development of a Preschool Classroom, Megan E. Rounds
Ethical Considerations in Medical Voluntourism: Application to Speech-Language Pathology, Madeline C. Ruffin
Modeling of a Continuously Variable Transmission and Clutching of a Snowmobile, Camerin Michael Seigars
Modeling of A Continuously Variable Transmission and Clutching of A Snowmobile, Camerin Michael Seigars
Effects of Climate Change on the Maine Lobster Industry, Abigail Sennick
The Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities on the Attachment Security of Abused Women, Ilana B. Silver
A Conceptual Value Function to Explain the Benefits Derived from Users of Free-To-Play Video Games, Connor M. Smart
Optimization and Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Embedded Within a Porous Substrate for Raman Spectroscopy, Matthew W. Talbot
Innate Immune Recognition of Candida Albicans in Zebrafish, Monique Elaine Theriault
Analyzing Government-Resident Communication Methods in the City of Bangor, Jaymi Thibault
Dynamic Modeling of a Catamaran Using a Lagrangian Approach, Tamara R. Thomson
The Role of SHIP1 in the Innate Immune System During an Influenza A Viral Infection, Spencer Earle Traxler
Film: Oral Histories of Women in the Maine Lobster Industry, Isabelle I. Vachon
Towards a Molecular Method for the Detection of Leaf Rust in Lowbush Blueberry, Steven Valentino
Anthocyanins Alter Endothelial Cell Dynamics, Katrina E. Ventura
Themes of Identity and Power in Contemporary Topical Song, Hilary Warner-Evans
Characterization of the Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Integration System; Identification of Integration Site Attp and the Role of the Integrase in Lysogeny Regulation, Emily E. Whitaker
Novel Role for a Neurotrophic Factor in White Adipose Tissue, Elizabeth Wood
Honors Theses from 2015
Complete Annotations of the Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Genome and Characterization of Cluster E Lysogeny Regulation, Gwendolyn M. Beacham
Vision Problems In Ecuador: Developing A Clinical Trial to Test Visual Acuity In Rural Populations, Ty B. Bolte
Human Trafficking in the Media: Who, What, Where, and Why?, Mary Borer
Fluorescence Monitoring and Parallel Factor Analysis of Contaminant Mixtures in Water, Nina M. Caputo
Where Are Victims' Voices?: Rethinking Sexual Violence Policy, Melissa Carrigan
Physical Properties of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Nicklaus Carter
Exploring Organizational Culture of Restaurants Through Workplace Rituals, Joshua Deakin
Exploring The Relation of Service-Learning Courses and Retention Rates at The University of Maine, Jared Duggan
Depth Preferences of Sturgeon In Critical Habitat, Elizabeth A. Dunbar
Pattern Recognition and Matching in Ice Core Data, Nathan Dunn
Nurses' Perceptions of Barriers to Pediatric Patient Advocacy in End-of-Life Care, Layla J. Eaton
Selective Hydrogenation of Furfural to Furfuyl Alcohol Over Copper Magnesium Oxide, Andrew Estrup
The Role of Macrophages in Resistance to Caseous Lymphadenitis, Amy Fish
Trade and Transition: Russia's Agricultural Pitfalls and Prospects for the 21st Century, Michele Girard
Detection of Streptococus equi From Environmental Samples Using an ELISA, Taryn Haller
The Influence of Sediment Characteristics on the Burrowing Behavior of Juvenile Razor Clams, Ensis directus, Robert Joseph Hallinan
A Descriptive Study of Forensic Implications of Raccoon Scavenging in Maine, Ashley Hannigan
Ideologies of Empire: Perpetuating Imperial Culture Through Definitive British Literature of the Congo, Shelby Lynne Hartin
Is the Ubiquitous Antibacterial Agent Triclosan an Uncoupler of Mammalian Mitochondria, Hina Hashmi
Fortification of the International Defense of Cultural Property Trapped In Areas of Armed Conflict, Marissa E. Higgins
Investigating The Optimization of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Dechorionation For High-Throughput Applications In Influenza Research, Thomas Hoffmann
Restorative Justice: A Comparative Analysis of Campus Implementation, Cameron M. Huston
Directing "Godspell", Nellie M. Kelly
Effects of Environmentally Relevant Transplacental Arsenic Exposure on Mouse (Mus musculus) Hepatic Protein Expression, Jay Knowlton
The Effect of Temperature on Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Uptake By Blue Mussels (Mytilus Edulis) and Sea Scallops (Placopecten Magellanicus), Mackenzie Mazur
Functionalization of Nanocellulouse Fibers For Use In Radical Reactions, Thomas McOscar
Allelic Variants of OPRM1, COMT And ABCB1 On Pre-Withdrawal Sleep-Wake Regulation In The Opioid Exposed Neonate, Zakiah-Lee Meeks
A Multi-Institution Investigation Of Educational Practices And Strategies In Stem Courses, Scott James Merrill
Assessing Achievement in Honors: The Importance of a Need for Cognition in Higher Education, Christopher Paradis
Art as a Tool to Communicate Science, Jillian Pelto
Effects of Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica and Rhamnus Frangula) on Native Flora Functional Traits, Alexandra Perry
Bates Mill #5: A Case Study in Innovation, Past and Future, George Peterson
Study of the Effect of Dogs on College Students' Mood and Anxiety, Mariah J. Picard
Worksite Wellness for UMaine Dining Employees: Healthful Eating for the Holidays, Marissa E. Rublee
Developing and Testing a New Technique for Assessing Human Color Acuities, Jordan D. Servetas
Relationships of a Northern Maine Population of Amelanchier (Rosaceae), Matthew R. Sheltra
Coming To, Kate E. Spies
An Analysis of the Maine Solid Waste Management Hierarchy and Recommendation For Future Implementation, Jaime Steven
The University of Maine Food and Fitness Environment: Is It Health Promoting?, Carolyn Anne Stocker
Using the Real Food Calculator to Assess the University of Maine's Dining Purchases within a Food System Context, Ashely Thibeault
Forward Not Back: Young People's Search for Community and Farming in Maine, Danielle Walczak
Towards A New Measure For Human Visual Acuity, Andrew B. Wilson
Honors Theses from 2014
Parkinson's Disease: An Experimental Approach to Model the Visuo-Spatial Learning and Memory Deficits and an Analysis of Evidence Implicating α-Synuclein in Lewy Body Formation, Caitlyn Dawn Ahlberg
Correlates of Disability in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Grace Avakian
Effects of Calcium-Sensing Protein Dysregulation on Cardiac Function in Drosophila melanogaster, Jinlun Bai
Modeling the Costs of Cellulosic Biofuel, Maxwell Berube
Nationalism in the French Revolution of 1789, Kiley Bickford
The Muslim Veil in America: A Symbol of Oppression or Empowerment?, Hannah Blakeman
An Analysis of the Basque Independence Movement and the Political Position of the Basque Country Within the Spanish State, Ariel Bothen
Somaesthetics and Aesthetic Transactions: Art and Phenomenology Today, Monique Boutin
Bridging Gaps and Building Solidarity, Shannon Brenner
Pius XII on Trial, Katherine M. Campbell
Teaching Literature in America: Demonstrating Relevance in the Early Cold War 1945-1963, Jennifer Chalmers
Silence is the Loudest Sound, Emma Christian
Video Games as Free Speech, Benjamin Cirrinone
Class Conflict and the Confederate Conscription Acts in North Carolina, 1862-1864, Tyler Cline
The Rapid Effects of Steroids on Reproductive Processes in Goldfish, Carassius Auratus, Kimberly Dao
The Ability of Berry Extracts to Inhibit Alpha-Glucosidase In Vitro, Shannon Dubois
The Role of Culture in Social Displacement: AfroReggae in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Brianna Duhaime
Effects of Ketamine on Alcohol-Withdrawal Induced Behavioral Depression, Christie Edwards
Attitudes and Preventative Health Practices in Relation to Obesity, Brieana Evans
Avoiding Aggregation During Drying and Rehydration of Nanocellulose, Evelyn Fairman
Political Participation and Politics of the Possible: A Comparative Case Study of Political Activism in France and Maine, Jennifer Ferguson
The Effect of Ketamine on Motor Coordination and Thermal Nociception in Ethanol-Withdrawn Mice, Jameson Ford
An Oral History of the Islamic Center of Maine, Orono, Kyle Franklin
Prevalence and Speciation of Lungworms in Maine Moose, Jordan Gagne
Sustainability's Inconvenient Discourse, Christine Gilbert
A New Method for Measuring Color Acuity in Humans: A Pilot Study, Lindsey Gori
Media Portrayal and Public Opinion on the Supreme Court, Patrick Hall
Long Term Effects of Chemotherapy on Cognition, Preventative Potential of Antidepressants, Ryan Hall
The Finite Element Analysis and Optimization of a Circumcision Device for HIV Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa, Abraham W. Hamilton
Detection of Iron (III) Using Agarose Beads Derivatized with Desterrioxamine B, Kaiya Hansen
Increasing Phonemic Awareness in the Pre-School Aged Child: A Parent-Centered, Play Based Approach, Emma Hanzl
Rural Nurses' Perspectives on Their Capacity to Care for Pediatric Patients in Northern and Eastern Maine, Kimberly M. Harvell
The Role of Morphology Transitions in Tissue-to-Blood Spread of Infestation, Joshua M. Jones