Undergraduate Review

The Undergraduate Review, published yearly, showcases student research and creative work done as part of a class or under the mentorship of Bridgewater State University faculty. The goal is to disseminate this outstanding scholarship to a local, regional, and national audience.

List of Papers (Total 568)

Computing an Image of Objects Hiding Behind a Black Hole

Gravitational lensing is the bending of light rays around a black hole. The goal of this project was to produce a computer code that would model light rays coming from a grid of objects set behind a rotating black hole. Using these light rays, we produced an image illustrating how this background of objects would appear to an observer on Earth. This was done by creating a MATLAB...

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Impacts at Play for Egypt

As fresh water is required for human survival, access to water resources greatly benefits human societies. Over the last 50 years, there has been an increase in dam construction around the world. Dams are built to store water and regulate a river's flow, as well as to raise the water level upstream to facilitate flow into a channel. Furthermore, they offer numerous benefits...

How Gonorrhea Caused the Medicalization of American Blindness

By Ashley Schepis, Published on 01/01/23

Byron’s Orientalism: A Complication of the East-West Binary

Poet Lord George Byron reached his peak of fame in the early nineteenth century for his stories about the Near East. Until recently, his work was considered to be insular to his time, merely reflecting the interests of his time. However, modern scholars have revived interest in Byron through the lens of Orientalism, seeing how his work reflects ways in which Westerners create and...

A Cross-Cultural Exploration: Global Methods of Contraception and Family Planning

In today's world, women are attempting to take control of their reproductive choices. Some have been met with roadblocks that may prohibit or limit access to women's healthcare centers and family planning services. This research explores women’s reproductive health and contraception usage and the impact of cultural influences globally. Cultural adversities may overshadow the...

An Excerpt from the Play, 1000 Ways a Black Woman Dies: Stories from the Waiting Room

1000 Ways a Black Woman Dies: Stories from the Waiting Room is a play based on real stories of discriminatory events that Black women have undergone in the United States. I am a firm believer that art can take the shape of the silenced and give them a voice. This play intends to reflect the voices of those we unfortunately never got to hear.

The Spotlight Effect on Social Media

Social media is used by the vast majority of emerging adults. This age group is apt to experience anxiety related to their social media usage. One possible stressor for Instagram users is not knowing what exactly other people think about their posts. This uncertainty about if one’s online audience is judging them is similar to the spotlight effect – a phenomenon where individuals...

Women in the Cuban Revolution: Where’s the Change?

By Sierra Beaulac, Published on 01/01/23

The Public Sphere: Women’s Struggle for the Vote in Canada

By Allison Barbaro, Published on 01/01/23

Olivia Rodrigo and the Twenty-First Century Personal Brand

By Edina Alix, Published on 01/01/23

Perception of Social and Physical Environmental Risk Factors Affecting Women Experiencing Homelessness: A Mixed Method Study

Homeless people in general confront many difficulties that make their lives very challenging. However, when it comes to women experiencing homelessness, those challenges can threaten their well-being by increasing the risk of victimization and decreasing the levels of personal safety. This research project has three aims: first, to better understand the link between victimization...

How Can Consuming a Plant-Based Diet Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women?

Despite the fact that women suffer higher rates of cardiovascular events after menopause, there exists a significant underrepresentation of women—especially postmenopausal women—in cardiovascular clinical trials to date. Fortunately, current evidence reveals that cardiovascular events in the general population are largely preventable through modifiable lifestyle factors, with...

Multilingual Students’ Language Learning in U.S. Classrooms

Over time, the United States education system has shown inequality within its teaching methods, particularly in English classrooms in grades K-12. Despite the increase in diversity and English language learners in public schools, multicultural students have personally endured various forms of oppression in classrooms. This research examined classroom settings from the...

The Role of Multi-Sensory Learning in Elementary Classrooms on Student Development

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the role of multi-sensory learning in the development of elementary-age students. Through the role of day-long classroom observations and educator interviews, firsthand information was gathered related to how this teaching style is presented within the classroom, and how this method is beneficial for students. Through this...