Aisthesis Volume 8, 201750 Author Biographies Claire Branstetter is a senior at the University of Kansas, triple majoring in economics, political science, and global and international studies. She aspires to develop and analyze policy concerning migration and community development. After graduation, Claire plans to work as a research assistant in D.C. before returning to graduate school to obtain a Master’s in Public Policy. Her ultimate goal is to use research to bridge the gap between the privileged and the marginalized. When not studying, Claire enjoys spending time outdoors, experimenting with new recipes, and laughing with friends in local coffee shops. Joshua DeJoy is a senior at SUNY Geneseo, majoring in history and minoring in philosophy. His studies focus on labor history and related issues, including the development of progressive political thought. He is from New York’s Hudson Valley and is looking forward to moving to New York City after graduation and eventually pursuing a PhD in history. Christiana Fakhri is a senior from the Elliot T. Bowers Honors College at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. She is a biomedical sciences major, working toward a career in the medical field. After graduation, she plans on completing a MD-MA program. Christiana and her co-authors work in a research lab that focuses on the study of anatomy in both extant and extinct organisms. Her research interests include primate muscle morphology, dietary specialization of primates, and bacterial succession during decomposition. Katherine Grosso is a senior at Fairfield University, studying nursing. After college, she hopes to work in an oncology unit to make a difference in the lives of those with cancer. Alongside nursing, she hopes to continue to pursue her passion for writing. She has a few short stories published in Inkwell, Fairfield University’s literary magazine, and is in the process of finishing her first young adult novel. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with friends and family. Lindsey Jones is a sophomore honors student at Sam Houston State University, majoring in mass communication with a minor in photography. While at SHSU, she writes movie, television, and anime reviews for the campus newspaper, The Houstonian. Lindsey is also the Sam Houston State University ASL Club Treasurer. Passionate about solving problems and helping people, she hopes to graduate with the skills to represent and promote businesses. With a love for reading for as long as she could remember, she also aspires to work for a publishing house and promote the power of reading. Lindsey spends her free time reading—and rereading—fiction, listening to music, watching films, taking photographs, stargazing, and spending quality time with her parents, sister, and close friends. Sara Krastins is a senior at Fairfield University, where she is president of the Nu Tau chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She majors in English creative writing and is pursuing minors in management and philosophy. She will attend St. John’s University School of Law in the fall. This is her first publication. Luke Lechtenberg is a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in political science. He works as a faculty research assistant in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics and serves as the Economics Club Treasurer. Luke enjoys biking and kayaking and is an avid amusement park enthusiast. He will attend the University of Chicago Law School in Fall 2017 to pursue a career in corporate law. Author Biographies Aisthesis Volume 8, 201751 Ean Maloney is a first-year student at the University of Notre Dame from Canton, Michigan. He is a double-major in mathematics and philosophy and serves as his resident hall’s Liturgical and Spiritual Commissioner. He also works on-campus for Fighting Irish Media, the media relations arm of Notre Dame’s Department of Athletics. After earning his bachelor’s degrees, Ean plans on applying to grad school and eventually pursuing a career in higher education. His list of favorite things includes Notre Dame athletics, his home state of Michigan, and the Detroit Tigers. Brenna Mulhall, from Stamford, Connecticut, is a junior in the Honors Program at Fairfield University. She is a psychology major and is pursuing a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Brenna is the student coordinator for the University’s Rational Association of Free Thinkers and has conducted research in Fairfield University’s Psychology Department on the creative arts and the functioning of young children. She is passionate about gender studies and has worked with Dr. Emily Orlando to complete research on the representations of women in literature and popular culture. After graduation, Brenna hopes to pursue her PhD in clinical psychology. Born and raised in South Korea, Jianna Jihyun Park is a senior at the University of Notre Dame where she is a member of the Glynn Family Honors Program. Majoring in psychology, she is interested in promoting mental health and peace in interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Her creative honors thesis is a collection of poems that deal with issues of mental illness. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and simply being in nature. She will pursue her MFA degree in writing at the Pratt Institute this fall. Noah Petters is a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is in the University Honors Program and will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication with a minor in women’s studies. In the future, he plans to attend graduate school to study mediated communication and help promote gender equal practices in the technology or health industries. He is a self-proclaimed video gamer and enjoys traveling and listening to music in his free time. Lulua Rawwas is a senior honors undergraduate student at the University of Northern Iowa, pursuing a B.S. degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. Her research involves studying plant cell cycle regulators and the correlation between cell proliferation and leaf margin development. She is a Presidential Scholar and Honors Peer Leader and plans to attend medical school upon graduation. Madison Renner is a senior in environmental sociology at Vanderbilt University. Her research explores the cultural authority of scientific knowledge, particularly as it relates to politically contested environmental issues. Madison’s senior honors thesis explores the attitudes of U.S. conservatives toward the legitimacy of climate science and the credibility of scientific research institutions. Her next project, supported by a fellowship from Vanderbilt University, will examine the energy and climate stances of conservative political parties across Europe. Madison will pursue a PhD in sociology in Fall 2018. Yusuf Sezer is a freshman at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Commonwealth Honors College. He is majoring in computer science and is considering a concentration in cyber security or artificial intelligence. In his spare time, Yusuf enjoys playing competitive paintball, dabbling in photography and cinematography, and exploring new ideas. On campus, Yusuf is the President of the UMass Club Paintball Team and a member of the UMass Turkish Student Association. Amelia Speight is a senior at George Washington University in Washington D.C., although originally from Wisconsin. She studies English with minors in theatre and sexuality studies. Amelia is passionate about stage management and currently serves as the President of the GW Student Theatre Council. She would like to recognize the University Honors Program, especially advisor Catherine Chandler, for creating a “home away from home” for nerds at GW. Amelia also sincerely thanks Professor Robert McRuer for his incredible support and guidance on this project and throughout her college experience. Author Biographies Aisthesis Volume 8, 201752 Katherine Stolerman is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in legal studies with a minor in sociology and a certificate in criminal justice studies. Katherine has worked as a research assistant over two years for three different professors and has interned at the DA’s Office in Boston, a Juvenile Court Clinic in Cambridge, and for Massachusetts Appeals Court Justice Judd Carhart. Katherine volunteers as an international student mentor through the UMass Russian Club and is a founding member of the Legal Studies Undergraduate Board, an organization that functions as a liaison between students in the program and the administration. After graduation, Katherine will pursue a J.D. at Boston University School of Law, and she hopes to work for the federal government on cybercrime issues. Hannah Thompson is a first-year honors student at the University of Kentucky. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in cognitive science. Hannah hopes to continue pursuing regenerative research at the University of Kentucky. She is on the steering board committee of IAmAWomanInSTEM, an organization at UK, for which she created a photographic interview series called “Woman of the Week.” This series features individuals to encourage the studies of STEM students and raise awareness of their experiences. She is also a member of Phi Delta Epsilon, an international medical fraternity, and the Pre-Med Activities Council. She hopes to attend medical school in the future. Kaitlynn Webster is a senior honors student at California State University, Fresno. She will graduate as an art major with a focus in sculpture. She works in combinations of glass, bronze, and found objects. Her work largely focuses on the experience of cognitive dissonance and encourages the viewer to examine that which they believe to be true.