The purpose of this study is to better understand how LGBTQ+ individuals understand and make meaning out of their identities in relation to societal expectations that are prevalent in the United States. In my research, I employed the master narrative framework (McLean & Syed, 2015b), which shifts focus in the study of identity from the individual to the intersection of self and society, highlighting the role of culture within the identity development process (McLean et al., 2017). This framework involves master narratives, culturally shared stories that provide a foundation within which individuals can organize and story their own experiences, beliefs, and values (McLean & Syed, 2015b; Syed & McLean, 2023). In my study, I had participants (N = 21) complete in-depth, semi-structured interviews in which they reflected upon their life experiences and how they came to understand themselves as LGBTQ+ identifying individuals. My research was guided by two research questions surrounding (1) the construction of master narratives and (2) how LGBTQ+ individuals align with and deviate from it. Upon conducting a thematic analysis of the data, I was able to reveal how LGBTQ+ individuals are aware of different cultural expectations that have been imposed on them. Analysis of the data revealed the existence of distinct master narratives of a good life for straight individuals and a good life for LGBTQ+ individuals, each encompassing unique cultural expectations. In a case study, I was also able to highlight the complexity of alignment and deviation within these narratives, emphasizing the need for further research to explore the nuanced ways individuals navigate master narratives. Key Words: identity, LGBTQ+, master narratives, narrative identity, cultural expectations

"Brute Force Attainability" is for those that forget. In tackling my own struggles with an unreliable ability to remember, my thesis addresses the fragile condition of memory in the pursuit of fulfilling long term artistic goals. A solidified design becomes tangible through different combinations of CNC flatbed milling, 3D printing, silicone molding, a DIY rotocast, a little bit of fiberglass, an exorbitant amount of sanding, and airbrushing.

The current study seeks to understand how the presence of tattoos affects social perception and to identify the observable differences in traits between individuals who have tattoos and individuals who do not have tattoos to explore the accuracy of these perceived differences. Participants (N=308) were presented with a stimuli photograph of a male or a female who did or did not have tattoos before being asked to rate that individual on a set of 11 traits. Contrary to original hypotheses, the study found that the target stimuli with tattoos was not rated significantly different on a set of 11 traits than was the stimuli without tattoos, regardless of gender of target stimuli and participant tattoos. Participants also filled out multiple individual-difference measures as well as a set of demographic questions. Results revealed that generally, tattooed participants did not score significantly differently than did non-tattooed participants on individual-difference measures including the Light Triad, the Dark Triad, the Big Five Personality Traits, and a measure of Honesty/Humility. It is worth noting that findings did reveal two significant differences between tattooed and non-tattooed participants; tattooed participants scored significantly higher on a measure of psychopathy than did non-tattooed participants and non-tattooed participants scored significantly higher on a measure of emotional stability than did tattooed participants. Although the data did not support the majority of the original hypotheses, the findings reveal a decrease in the negative effect of tattoos on social perception and allude to a societal shift in the opinion on tattoos that is worth further exploration.

The study examines the complex interaction between religiosity, personality traits, and behavior within human group dynamics. It delves into evolutionary psychology's relevance in understanding social adaptations crucial for human ancestors' success within religious contexts. Using various standardized surveys like the Big Five Inventory, Religious Orientation Scale, Dark Triad, and Risk Propensity Scale, it aims to identify correlations among these factors. Specifically, this research predicts that the relationships between dispositional personality traits, openness or Machiavellianism for example, and behavioral traits, for example the propensity for taking risks, is moderated, affected, by whether an individual is religious or a-religious. By employing regression analysis, it will explore how religiosity affects relationships between the predictor and outcome variables. Anticipated findings could uncover connections unique to religious and a-religious individuals, shedding light on evolved behaviors' impact on social groups. This research offers insights into religious psychology, emphasizing the complexity of behavior within social contexts. Keywords: Religiosity, Personality Traits, Human Group Dynamics, Evolutionary Psychology, Moderating Variable.

Individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) require multiple levels of care and support for recovery. Aside from the myriad physical and psychological realms of recovery, people with SUDs are in need of adopting a novel lifestyle to sustain sobriety and prevent relapse. Twelve step programs provide people in recovery with the means of cultivating spiritual practices which when integrated, can provide foundations and support for living sober. Research suggests that spiritual practices and principles can foster a variety of beneficial outcomes for recovering individuals. Music therapy might be a helpful form of treatment for people with SUDs, though more research is needed to determine the efficacy of the modality for this population. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of research which examines music therapy’s potential to treat the spiritual needs of individuals with SUDs. A survey was conducted to learn more about how, and if music therapists in the United States are treating the spiritual health needs for people with SUDs. Music therapists reported that connection with others and exploring relationship with self were the most common spiritual health goals addressed in music therapy. Song discussion and lyric analysis were the most commonly used methods to address spiritual goals. Participant text responses indicated a variety of perspectives on what music therapists considered to be “spiritual goals,” as well as several views on scope of practice to address such needs. The present study can help to broaden the knowledge base of current trends in music therapy practice in meeting the spiritual health needs for persons with SUDs, as well as provide recommendations for future research.

The term “intersectionality” and related concepts have become popular throughout recent music therapy literature; however, there is minimal research on how music therapists are currently using intersectionality in their clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate how music therapists are actively utilizing intersectional approaches with the individuals they are working with, and whether or not they are “practicing what they preach” in relation to an intersectional framework. Additionally, this study explored how music therapy education has prepared currently working music therapists to work in an intersectional capacity. Participants for this study included three board-certified music therapists that have been practicing full-time for at least five years and have experience working with clients that hold historically minoritized identities. Participants shared their experiences and beliefs in semi-structured, individual interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). From the IPA, eight themes emerged: a) actively using an intersectional approach; b) intersectionality in context; c) safety; d) authenticity; e) self-reflexivity; f) values and intentions; g) social justice and activism; h) education. The data suggests that while music therapists are practicing in an intersectional capacity, they are doing so through their own self-reflexivity, authenticity, and self-sought education. Participants agreed that formal education on intersectionality is crucial to include in undergraduate music therapy courses in order to best prepare all-level clinicians to foster an anti-oppressive and inclusive practice. Other clinical implications, study limitations, and recommendations for educators and future research are discussed. Keywords: music therapy; intersectionality; cultures; identities; music therapy education; intersectional approach; intersectional framework; social justice; activism.

In this thesis, we introduce algorithms for creating deterministic (DFA) and nondeterministic finite automata (NFA) for some common types of regular languages. The motivation for this work comes from studying problems students taking theory of com-putation classes encounter. When working with finite automata, there are patterns in the structures of automata that arise. This thesis seeks to generalize a subset of common problems by creating step-by-step constructions based on the distinguishing properties of the given language. Along with these algorithms, software has been developed to generate these automata based on their dis-tinguishing properties. This thesis aims to be the foundation for developing an educational tool for theory of computation students. The goal is to highlight the similarities and logic behind these common constructions, while also providing the visual aid of the constructed automata through the accompanying software. The problems we consider are: the Maximum Prefix-Suffix Overlap problem, the Substring problems, the X followed by Y problem, the Consecutive Character problems, the Conditional Counting Modulo n problems, the Regularly Repeated Characters problem, and the Contains X but not Y problem. All algorithms presented in this thesis are polynomial in runtime, and polynomial in space complexity. The Maximum-Prefix-Suffix Overlap problem has a linear runtime, and the Contains X but not Y problem is of special interest due to its space reduction from the ‘usual’ solution.

The interdisciplinary nature of semiconductors engineering is undeniable, as electrical, chemical, and mechanical disciplines are all heavily involved in the design of integrated chips. The many specialties of integrated circuit manufacturing and design include the processes involved in fabrication, device testing, feature size metrology, defect analysis, and the list goes on. One notable subfield is integrated circuit reliability, the study of the physical degradation mechanisms of chips like hot-carrier injection, electromigration, and time-dependent dielectric breakdown. The research and seminal progress in this important field have been a mélange of both empirical results as well as first principle theoretical realizations. This paper studies the reliability of a basic BiCMOS emitter voltage follower comprised of several passive elements, as well as two MOSFET transistors and an NPN bipolar junction transistor. The modeling and circuit design was enabled by the GlobalFoundries open-source 180 nm microcontroller process design kit. Employing Xschem and Ngspice for schematic-level simulation, and KLayout for layout generation and design rule verification, the performance and physical model of the circuit were established using only open-source software. Thermal finite element modeling using SolidWorks was undertaken to predict the temperature distribution of the circuit due to Joule heating. A holistic consideration of circuit reliability is offered, with special credence given to the electromigration of the first- and second-level metal interconnects. This paper will assess the degradation of individual circuit components (mean-time-to-failure), propose strategies to mitigate potential reliability risks, and posit a final layout using BiCMOS circuitry and the open-source process design kit. Author Keywords: Hot carrier injection, metal oxide semiconductors, field effect transistors, front-end-of-line degradation, back-end-of-line degradation, layout, electromigration, microelectronics reliability, BiCMOS

The current study aims to integrate models of embodied and cognitive time perception by investigating the role of attention allocation, physiological arousal, and arm length on retrospective time estimations. We operationalize attention through an open monitoring meditation and physiological arousal through expansive and contractive yogic postures. Arm length was analyzed as a covariate. Participants (N=60) reported estimated time spent on a brief attention task after either listening to music or meditating and the adoption of an expansive or contractive yogic posture. We found that the expansive posture lengthened time estimations in comparison to the contractive posture, and that this effect was accentuated for individuals with longer arms. No significance was found for the effect of meditation on retrospective time estimations. Interactive effects of posture and arm length feed into embodied models of time perception, emphasizing the idea that our spatial relationship to the external world directly influences our internal perceptions.