Capstone Research Projects
Integrating STS and STEM in Student-Led Research
Learn about Capstone Projects Advised or Co-Advised by STS Futures Lab Faculty
Creative Anticipatory Ethical Reasoning (CAER) App
Alex Hernandez, 2021
Co-Advisors: Emily York and Morgan Benton
Hernandez developed an app to facilitate the Creative Anticipatory Ethical Reasoning (CAER) process developed by Emily York and Shannon Conley in the STS Futures Lab.
Fast Fashion
Emily Kullman, Emily Walton, Kate Dempsey, 2021
Co-Advisors: Maria Papadakis and Emily York
Kullman, Walton, and Dempsey conducted a robust analysis of fast fashion that focused primarily on several popular fibers and third-party certifications, and engaged stakeholders to identify potential interventions in consumer behavior.
Designing Autonomous Vehicles for People with Disabilities: Technology Outside the Lab Fellowship
Caneel Cravotta, Noa Abramson, Justine Sambo, Clark Quave
Co-Advisors: Chris Bachmann, Shannon Conley, Emily York
Abstract: As technology advances, fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) are becoming more of a reality, bringing with them drastic changes to society and how people will get around. Many claim that AVs will be the “solution” for people with disabilities, granting them improved mobility and independence. However, there have been few documented efforts on the part of AV creators to work with disabled communities to find their actual wants and needs. The purpose of this project is to collaborate with George Mason engineering students, working alongside people with disabilities, instead of simply assuming their needs, and designing features for AVs to make them more accessible. This was done through interviews with people with disabilities, and the design of a device called a “siren detector” meant to assist drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
