This thesis tracks the evolution of filmed and photographed depictions of science, emphasizing in particular their dual existence as empirical research tools and stunning works of art.

In my thesis, I argue that the opioid epidemic poses challenges but also opportunities for emergency departments to assess and improve their performance under duress for the betterment of future generations and ailments to come. I first delve into the history of emergency medicine as a specialty to put its recent emergence into context. Subsequently, I will discuss the opioid epidemic, its origin, and various causes that have contributed to its relevance and significance in public health. Then, I will examine data from emergency departments throughout the United States to track performance. After, I will describe opioid overdose cases from emergency departments throughout the country and strategies they have implemented to combat the epidemic. I will then discuss the relevance of social determinants of health. Last, I will conclude by tying in my thesis argument with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This thesis offers an Aristotelian reading of <em>Coriolanus, </em>with the goal of assessing the viability of individual self-sufficiency.<em></em> As political and moral treatises, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Politics are valuable intertexts through which Shakespeare's more imaginative work may be analyzed. I draw on representations of self-sufficiency in both texts in order to consider two larger questions: whether total isolation is practicable, or even possible; and, on the other side, whether social and political expression are 'merely' desirable parts of life, or rather necessary for survival. I explore <em>Coriolanus</em>'s<em> </em>dialectic of dependence and self-sufficiency through three recurring themes that appear in both texts: family, food and the body, and divinity.

This paper explores the fundamental tension between mobility and the environmental consequences of the transportation that allows for that movement, zeroing in on the paradox of studying abroad in order to learn about climate or environmental sciences. With this, I consider what makes students feel justified in participating in such programs, whether the perceived benefits of these experiences outweigh the environmental costs, and how these programs play into the larger discourse of sustainability and tourism. By framing travel —air travel in particular— as technology embedded with political and cultural ideals, I analyze how and why concepts of mobility influence student choices, as well as how these tensions are navigated by its participants. Through exploring the history and objectives of these types of travel-intensive programs in conjunction with the historical purposes of travel and study abroad, considering the climate impact of air travel, and relating concepts of "Academic Flying" to study abroad, I question why students feel entitled to the privilege of embarking on such an environmentally detrimental journey, and whether such programs should even exist. My research culminates in surveying over 200 School for International Training (SIT) and School for Field Studies (SFS) study abroad alumni about how the climate impact of their travel abroad impacted their decision to participate in their program, whether or not they discussed or thought about their climate impact over the course of the semester, as well as how they would respond to criticism regarding travel for the purpose of discussing climate change. I conclude that the choice is messy; while the benefits of these study abroad experiences may outweigh the environmental costs of the travel required, this is not always the case. With this, students engage in a level of somnambulism, where they fail to question the concept of study abroad and think critically about the potential repercussions of their actions. This can in part be attributed to the social and cultural capital that travel promises, and the lack of reflexivity promoted by both study abroad organizations and students' home institutions.

In 2015, the Ugly Food Movement started by companies and campaigns to market and sell aesthetically suboptimal fruits and vegetables. The movement began in response to an increasingly visual culture in which many customers and retailers reject produce on the basis of visual cues and unrealistic expectations influenced by the media. In order to reestablish the value of imperfect produce, ugly food start-ups including Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods, and Hungry Harvest emerged to promote the fruits and vegetables others ignore and now deliver to many major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. These companies partner with growers and customers to expand access to fresh food at affordable prices, conveniently ship produce boxes to doorsteps, and reduce "ugly" food waste. However, the ripple effects of this millennial movement are far-reaching and complex. Food-justice advocates argue that these profit-based solutions are disingenuous and ill-equipped to combat food waste and inaccessibility. Instead, they may take away from local services such as Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. This thesis unpacks the context in which the movement sprouted and its national positionality. It argues that while the Ugly Food Movement has benefitted some farmers, executed exemplary marketing, and performed effective social outreach, it is limited. However, through fruitful and noncompetitive collaboration between local food communities and ugly food efforts, imperfection could feed more communities.

This paper analyzes a social justice arts program that I developed and taught to third, fourth, and fifth grade students at one school in the Poughkeepsie, NY area. I begin this project by considering my own experiences in art class as an elementary school student, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of my school's art curriculum. Next, I take a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate the current literature on social justice arts education. In this section, I define the characteristics of a high-quality social justice arts program and analyze commonly-available arts education resources for teachers. I continue with an outline of the development of my particular curriculum, as well as my methods for selecting schools and evaluating my program. Finally, I analyze the impact of this project on both myself and my students. I ultimately argue that social justice education of any form takes time, strong relationships, communication, and support from multiple actors.