Barrett Honors College hosts Celebrating Honors Symposium

More than 145 students from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University will present the culmination of their undergraduate studies at the Celebrating Honors Symposium of Research and Creative Projects, set for 4-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 9 at the honors college on the Tempe campus. The symposium is free and open to the public. More information is at Celebrating Honors Symposium

The symposium will feature honors students’ senior theses and creative projects that run the gamut, from engineering to business, health and wellness to humanities, politics and policy to the arts. Posters, built objects and other presentations will fill the college’s courtyards as outstanding students expound on the meaning and significance of their work.

“The Celebrating Honors Symposium gives students the opportunity to present the culmination of in-depth work on subjects of their own personal interest. Many projects have practical applications, making them more than an academic exercise,” said Mark Jacobs, dean of Barrett.

Every honors student is required to complete a thesis or creative project in order to graduate with honors designation, but the rewards for doing the work can be even greater. Undergraduates receive hands-on research experience and collaborate one-on-one with faculty. Projects focus on real-world issues and solutions.

For example, Barrett students

• researched the development and effectiveness of human rights law

• looked at the effects retail design and layout have on consumer purchasing behavior

• devised a diabetes education initiative for citizens of rural Kenya

• proposed a pre-medical humanities program for physicians that seeks to improve doctor-patient relations

• explored how the public perception of sharks affects shark conservation

• developed a pre-hospital emergency response service at ASU

• determined how biomarkers can be used in pre-symptomatic detection of lung cancer

• programmed a computing platform to adapt stroke rehabilitation exercises into interactive games

“Completing a thesis is a great opportunity to test out my ideas and perfect my plans,” said Greg Rudolph, whose thesis, titled "Beyond Business: Life & Leadership Secrets From A Young Entrepreneur," was born out of a business he founded, called Board Blazers, that manufactures and markets LED lights for skateboards and scooters. After graduating with a business degree in May, Rudolph plans to grow his business and embark on a motivational speaking career.

Parking for the Celebrating Honors Symposium is available at the Rural Road Parking Structure north of the Barrett Tempe campus. Parking directions and a map can be found here.