Memory-guided Exploration in Reinforcement Learning

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James L. Carroll and Professor Todd Peterson, Computer Science Traditional reinforcement learning techniques learn a single task by giving the agent positive and negative rewards. In one type of reinforcement learning, called Q-learning, the agent stores Qvalues, which are the expected reward for performing an action in a given state. Task transfer is a method of […]

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Biologically Active Compounds from Endophytic Fungi

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Trisha L. Anderson and Dr. Noel L. Owen, Chemistry and Biochemistry This project focused on endophytic fungi, fungi that live inside of plants without causing disease, as a source of compounds that may be useful in treating human disease. Endophytic fungi were chosen both because their relationship with the plants in which they live indicates […]

In-doping of CdSe Nanocrystals

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Dan Allen and Dr. William Evanson, Physics and Astronomy In recent years much research has focused on the characteristics of metal and semiconductor “quantum dots” or “nanocrystals”. Cadmium selenide (CdSe) semiconductor nanocrystals of diameter less than ~10nm exhibit unique quantum mechanical properties not present in bulk materials. CdSe nanocrystals of 2-5nm in diameter photoluminesce brightly […]

Examining Factors that Contribute to the Application of Improved Nutritional Practices in Guatemala

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Kim Proffit and Ashley Jensen with Dr. Vickie Johnsen, Nursing Background Malnutrition is a significant problem in Guatemala. Malnutrition, and its related diseases, are part of most diagnoses of children in the hospital regardless of the reason for admission. Ruel, Habicht, Rasmussen & Martorell (1996, p. 671) report the severity of the problem, “Guatemala has […]

Giving Birth: Voices of Chinese Women

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Robin Kartchner and Dr. Lynn Clark Callister, Nursing Women’s perceptions of the childbirth experience vary widely depending on the cultural context. The quality of care a childbearing woman receives is deeply influenced by the cultural understanding the nurse brings to their health care interaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the childbirth experiences […]

Economic Yields to Time Spent in a Microfinance Bank; An Econometric Analysis

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Jeffery C. Tanner and Dr. Gary M. Woller, Romney Institute of Public Management Microfinance is a growing instrument of poverty alleviation in the field of poverty alleviation, wherein a presumeably poor client borrows money to us as seed capital in starting or growing a small business. In continuation with the ongoing debate surrounding microcredit impact, […]

Dissecting Bulls and Bears

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Stephen Piccolo and Dr. Robert Crawford, Marriott School of Management Everyone who invests his or her resources in the stock market wishes to have definitive answers to the following questions: 1) In which stocks should I invest? 2) When should I buy these stocks? 3) When should I sell them? 4) Should I buy and […]

The Impact of Chinese Reunification on Hong Kong’s Future Economic Development

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Anthony Lam and Dr. Bryan Sudweeks, Business Management Asia suffered a devastating blow to its economy in February of 1997 with the Asian Financial Crisis. The Asian Tiger economies fell to currency speculation and bank debt, beginning with Thailand. Hong Kong, one of the premier business centers in Southeast Asia, was also adversely affected through […]

Participatory Organizational Development and Social Change: Microfinance Replication in Western China

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Marcie Holloman and Dr. Warner Woodworth, Organizational Leadership and Strategy Microfinance (or microcredit) is increasingly being recognized as an effective tool for promoting the socio-economic development of impoverished communities. The crisis of poverty is so great in every corner of the world that it is tempting to jump on the bandwagon of the “microcredit solution” […]

Determining Relationships Between Physician Incomes and GDP

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Dave Hansen and Drs. Bret Mackay and Norm Thurston, Economics Introduction My study aimed at settling an unresolved issue in contemporary health economic literature: Can doctors target their annual income levels, or are these levels subject to business cycle trends? Answering this question proved to be complex because in so doing it would have to […]