JOPLIN, MO (SNS) - As part of the Honors requirements, seniors in the Honors Program undertake a research project in their major discipline and present the results to the college community in a series of talks we call the Senior Honors Thesis. You are invited to attend any or all of this month’s presentations listed below. These theses may be the essence of good teaching and learning, as they constitute original research within the students’ programs of study.

“The Influence of Mathematics on Mayan Culture” by Jenny M. Peters, senior Mathematics major from Lamar, 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, Room 232, Reynolds Hall.

In keeping with the Mexico semester, this presentation will focus on the influence of mathematics in the architecture of the Mayan culture of Mexico and Central America. The central topics of this thesis will be:

• Alignment of buildings, doorways and other passages with important astronomical events
• Use of the golden section and other ratios as units of measure
• Diff erences between the use of mathematics in Mayan and modern architecture.

“Where are the African-American Accountants?” by Iashia Castle, senior Accounting major from Kansas City, Mo., 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8, Cornell Auditorium, Matthews Hall.

There is an under-representation of African-American accountants in corporate America. The Civil Rights movement opened the door for many African-Americans to be accountants. However, during this student’s recent internship there, only two other blacks worked at the Kansas City office or Pricewaterhouse Coopers. This thesis will help define the variables which influence black students in selecting their majors that may, in turn, contribute to the under-representation of African-Americans in the accounting profession.

“Fading Cultural Barriers in an Increasingly Global Business World” by Jennifer Rogers, senior International Business major from Peculiar, 2:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9, Cornell Auditorium, Matthews Hall.

Today’s business world is growing increasingly global. What effects does globalization have on the culture of business and the structure of management in different economics? Will the economics be able to hold on to their individualities as globalization continues?

“I’ve spotted you, Evil One!: Superhero play in the Early Childhood Classroom” by Amber Blankenship, senior Elementary Education/Early Childhood major from Joplin, 4 p.m., Dec. 9, Room 113, Taylor Hall.

This observational study was designed to examine how age affects the inter actions of children engaged in superhero play. The study was conducted over a 10 day period (July 2005) in the Child Development Center (CDC), located on the campus of Missouri Southern State University. Children involved in the study were aged 3 to 8-years-old.

During the study, a center was placed in the classroom depicting familiar movie characters. The findings of the study show that notable differences are apparent in the superhero play of two distinct age groups.

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