JURSW Volume 6

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12588/88

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Strategic Analysis and Evaluation of Cheesecake Factory’s Supply Chain: Uncertainties, Challenges, and Remedies
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Farley, Brittany; Kidd, Michele; Morgan, Scot; Leung, Mark T.
In the business world, it is important to maintain a profitable balance between efficiency (cost) and responsiveness (to changes in the market, customer demand, etc.) We took the fundamentals of supply chain theory and used them to analyze the real-world case of The Cheesecake Factory’s retail cheesecake supply chain. After an examination of the background of its supply chain structure, The Cheesecake Factory’s supply and demand uncertainties were first identified and assessed. We reviewed how supply uncertainties are influenced by disruptions to material flow on the supplier side as well as how implied demand uncertainties are influenced by changes in customers’ behavior and preferences. It follows that these different forms of uncertainties led to many supply chain challenges faced by The Cheesecake Factory, and we made remedial recommendations to address those challenges, including adding and continuously improving the flow of information with advances in technology and partnering with ecofriendly farms. Finally, we reviewed the ability and thus sustainability of The Cheesecake Factory to maintain a strategic balance between cost and responsiveness with their high-end cheesecake products given the ongoing challenges. Understanding supply chain variables is key to remaining profitable in business. The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake supply chain displays similar operational and consumption characteristics experienced by many other counterpart food processing supply chains. Our strategic analysis and evaluation can offer valuable insight to manage these supply chains and to improve their profitability.
Kinematic wearable energy comparison
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Ballesteros-Velasco, Nicolas; Garcia, Stephanie; Hood, R. Lyle; Hood, Gold Darr
The growing consumer demand for sustainable energy has prompted the exploration of alternative energy systems. One technique that has recently been exploited is the harnessing of mechanical vibrations to produce clean, stable, and portable energy. The present research analyses two different methods that harness kinetic energy and convert it to electrical power: piezoelectric and inductive charging. Comparative analysis was conducted through experimentation with two representative designs, wherein the prototypes were attached to a volunteer and the power output was measured during ambulatory movement. It was hypothesized that energy harvesting through inductance would have a higher efficiency and power density than piezoelectrics. The final results exhibited that the piezoelectric converters were more efficient per weight in harvesting energy, refuting the hypothesis and claims from previous studies. The overall power output per weight results demonstrated that piezoelectric strips were the most efficient prototype during participant running with respect to power density, which was measured at 0.553 W/kg. In contrast, the inductance-based prototype had a measured power density of 0.0091W/kg. Piezoelectrics are a more marketable and effective mechanism, due to their greater portability and flexibility in configuration. Electromagnetic inductance suffers by comparison due to design and manufacturing complexity. As the cost associated with piezoelectrics declines, this technology has the potential to build a new market in both attire and charging solutions for handheld devices.
Introduction to Differential Forms in Tensor Calculus
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Lira, Vicente
The purpose of this paper is to introduce di erential forms in the study of tensor calculus. The reader should have general knowledge of vector calculus along with knowledge in advanced calculus and some linear algebra. The motivation behind this paper is to show students im- portant introductory level concepts in di erential forms along with a few concepts in tensor calculus by applying some important concepts in vector calculus.
Predicting the Expected Waiting Time of Popular Attractions in Walt Disney World
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Mendoza, Dayanira; Wu, Wenbo; Leung, Mark T.
Waiting lines are inevitable consequence of imbalance in service operations at modern theme parks. Because of that, parks have introduced different approaches to reduce standard waiting time; some of which are at no extra cost to guests whereas some others require a price premium. These approaches usually feature a variety of schemes by which guests can bypass the standard waiting line or enter an express lane featuring a minimal wait. Our current study primarily develops statistical learning models to analyze the empirical data gathered from “touringplans.com,” which encompasses some of Walt Disney World’s (WDW) popular attractions located in Orlando, Florida. Results from data analysis and visualization indicate that each of the four parks had similar patterns throughout the years of 2012 through 2018. The study also examines the time-temporal effect and found out which rides having more popularity is dependent upon the season (period) in the year. Empirical analytics are then conducted on each of the four parks using regression modeling (statistical learning) to predict the waiting times for a particular ride during a specific season. Overall, a sample of 13 rides (attractions) over 17 seasons are used to model the waiting times at each theme park, yielding a total of 13x17x4 = 884 possible combinations.
Borderland Language Conflicts: A Study of Cross-National Interactions and Cultural Resolutions
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Rodriguez, Joshua; Gonzalez, Liliana; Myers, Kate; Horowitz, Rosalind
Choosing the End: Women’s Suicide in Literature and the Search for Agency in Impossible Circumstances
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Wilson, Taylor
Unaccompanied Minors: Marginalized in the Education System
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Gamez-Luna, Arlae; Romo, Harriett
The number of unaccompanied immigrant minors (UIMs) from Central America significantly increased in 2014. More than 213,000 unaccompanied children from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have been apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from the start of fiscal year (FY) 2014 through January 31, 2019 (U.S. Border Patrol, 2014-2019). These children are then transferred to the care of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The ORR agency is responsible for processing and sheltering unaccompanied children and youth under the age of 18 who are typically placed with a parent or other adult relative in the United States, a family friend, or in foster care. Unaccompanied minors wait months, even years, for their cases to be decided in immigration court. Legal representation heavily influences the ultimate decision of whether to allow informal relief or no proper legal status. Many children remain in the U.S. unauthorized. While unauthorized, they are not eligible for assistance programs, although the United States allows undocumented children a free K-12 education because of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Plyler v Doe. This research explores attitudes in U.S. media toward these youth and what is happening regarding the educational opportunities for these unaccompanied minors. What kind of educational programs do they have access to when they are in detention or post-detention? What are the challenges faced on their educational journey? Research literature has been largely silent on the unique needs of these children including their unique educational needs.
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(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Valentine, Marin
This paper analyzes the title character in Fantomina, a short story written by Eliza Haywood in 1724. The question of what role the character plays has been debated, and through this work, it is argued that she is a feminist character in a society that did not respect these values. Our main character is able to convey the double standards women in the 18th century face when it comes to sex and their place in our societal structure, and shed light on the parallels in today’s age.
The Immorality of Racism
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Peevy, Logan
This case study of an archival object questions the morality of racism. The archive is an educational flyer created by the SNCC that explains a sickle cell anemia genocide against African Americans in the United States. The increasing death rate due to the illness was tied to the government neglecting to educate the public on the mentioned disease that was severely affecting the Black community. Racism is analyzed through the perspective of philosopher Immanual Kant. The concept of racism is put through Kant's Contradiction in Conception morality test, and fails. Racism also violates Kant's moral obligation to treat individuals with dignity and respect. Therefore, racism is morally impermissible and the U.S. government was wrong for neglecting the needs of the African American community.
He Said, She Said: An Exploration of the Use of Accents, Dialects, and Languages Throughout American Realist Novels
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) VanBuskirk, Autumn
One of American Realism’s defining characteristics lies in the authors’ ability to realistically mimic an accent, dialect, or language of a person or group of people. Through the capture of the spoken word, authors use this unique style of writing to create a specialized persona for a character. Accents and dialects (or the lack of) allow the author to shape the readers’ perspective of a character by distinguishing their class, region, race, gender and/or their intellect for political, social, or personal gain. The integration of different languages into a text validates and/or complicates a country’s language and culture since it forces the reader to have an understanding of the language to completely read the text.
Psychosocial Predictors of Current Counseling/Therapy Use in College Students
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Rouska, Ashton; Knight, Cory; Soto, Andrew; McNaughton-Cassill, Mary
Findings from the Center of Collegiate Mental Health (2017) suggest that anxiety and depression are the most prevalent psychosocial stressors affecting college students today. Other frequently reported problems include general stress (Beiter et al., 2015), difficulty sleeping (Gress‐Smith, Roubinov, Andreotti, Compas, & Luecken, 2015), homesickness (Sun & Hagedorn, 2016), and in some cases, suicidal behavior (Milazzo-Sayre, McKeon, & Hughes, 2016). Protective factors such as a supportive university environment might increase counseling attendance (Prince, 2015), but additional research is needed. Finally, demographic factors might contribute to current counseling/therapy use in a meaningful way (Wang & Castañeda‐Sound, 2008). The aim of the current study is to examine which psychosocial stressors increase the likelihood of college students attending counseling/therapy. We hypothesized that students with depression or anxiety would be the most likely to currently use counseling/therapy services, followed by insomnia, homesickness, stress, and suicidal behavior. Finally, students who felt supported by their university environment, would be more likely to use counseling/therapy.
Recovering Queer History in Texas: Female Impersonators, Public Opinion, and Policy Responses in the Early Twentieth Century
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Alviar, Eugene
A Critical Appraisal of Lackey’s “Norms of Assertion”
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Swann, Andrew
German Immigrants in Hill Country Texas: Immigration and Assimilation from Secession to the Civil War
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Morris, Blaine
Investigating Site Use through Ethnobotanical Analysis in the Upper Gila River Valley, Arizona
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Hayhurst, Paige; Lazik, Lauren; Hard, Robert J.; Adams, Karen R.
Double-Conscious Heart
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Daniels, TaMarr S.
African- Americans who often experience double consciousness in society are forced to be aware of both their race and nationality. This may have a direct impact on their health outcomes in several different ways such as prolonged exposure to psychosocial stress and racial discrimination. Americans are predisposed to many chronic diseases due to factors including diet, genetics, and lack of exercise. However, being Black in today's society increases the morbidity rate of certain conditions such as cardiovascular disease or postpartum complications. Racial discrimination and neglect in the healthcare field are prevalent and historical issues in American society. Through effective cultural sensitivity training of medical workers, many of these statistics could be improved. Cultural training provides an overall strengthening in the trust between patients and providers, as well as improves overall patient compliance. This training is conducted through professional schooling or compliance training in the workplace.
A Case Study on Rattlesnake Gassing for the World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, TX
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Villegas, Angela M.
This case study is about a controversial issue pertaining to a hunting technique called “gassing,” which is used to capture rattlesnakes that are presented and used for the annual Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.
Effect of Feedback on Hexaco & Learning Styles on Academic Behaviors
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Copisarow, Emma; Previc, Fred
Personality and learning style tests have been known to predict academic success. However, self awareness (metacognition) of these results could predict achievement still further. The HEXACO personality test measures different trait spectrums, which can give recommendations for various professions, while a learning styles assessment analyzes how a person learns in the most efficient manner. If students receive feedback concerning their results, will they have more applicable study skills, declared major and career choice, and higher attendance than those who do not receive feedback? To calculate this, a binary logistic regression was used to predict differences between students who exhibit certain academic behaviors and choices. Participants were recruited through the UTSA subject pool (SONA) and were given online versions of HEXACO test, a learning styles explanation, and a brief demographic questionnaire; subsequently a self report to measure a person’s class attendance, study skills, academic confidence, declared major, and career choice was administered. In addition to the feedback variable being used, gender, SAT/ACT scores, college classification, and age were also measured as covariates in the regression equation. The results determined, if administering and providing feedback concerning the HEXACO and the learning styles explanation improved study skills and attendance, increased confidence, and led to solidified choices of both major and career.
History Rewritten: The Damaging Effects of Changing Texas’ Textbooks
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Truesdale, Zachary
Corridos as Cultural Resistance to Rationalization
(Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019) Perez, Timothy A.
This poster frames the corrido (a Texas-Mexican border ballad) as a form of cultural resistance to rationalization due to the way it defies the fixed identity that the Texas-Mexican border tries to impose on those who live around it. It does this through rhetorically mimicking discourse of dominance, defying static identity, and often being based around foklhero that recreates their subjectivity in defiance of authorities. This project was intended to frame corridos in this way for future analysis as well as provide a different way to understand the particular issues facing Mexican life near and around the border.

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