EMILY C.

PROJECT TITLE: Demagoguery for Dummies

PROJECT LOCATION: The Onion

ABSTRACT: In a close race with the goldfish, humans get the award for the “most forgetful” organism on the planet. Our lack of memory ranges from minor domestic inconvenience (Really, how many times can you not notice that molding, blinking cheese creature in the fridge?) to the most major international debacles. The latter is what my project aims to address: All of the lost experience of grandparents past, and how their blunders remain essential life lessons today. From Caesar, to Mao, to Gaddaffi, dictators use the,same fear, propaganda, and populist rhetoric to maintain unjust control over the people. These authoritarian regimes peaked after the World Wars, feeding off of the despair of the downtrodden. After the advent of international humanitarian organizations, like the United Nations, as well as a marginally stabilizing world economy, democracy started to take the reins again. But prosperity doesn’t last forever, leaving crooked and charismatic leaders to steal the stage—crowing false promises about the necessity of revolutionary change or revolutionary tradition. That’s why, for my senior project, I examine infamous leaders and events from the 20th century and write about the uncanny similarities they share with many contemporary politicians. This is in an attempt to teach people to be more free thinking citizens. Historical and current news research, as well as support from my advisors, has resulted in six short satirical stories that mock the absurdities of these autocrats and how best to spot their hypocrisies.

To view Emily’s project, click here.

ALINA H.

PROJECT TITLE: A Symphony of Scents: Crafting Art-Inspired Perfumes

PROJECT LOCATION: YOSH and Modern Peasant

ABSTRACT: Ever thought about what a painting would smell like? According to evidence, scent is a powerful trigger of memory and emotion, yet it remains underutilized in the context of visual arts. However, as the appreciation for the multisensory art experience grows, the potential for integrating different sensory modalities, particularly olfaction, into art appreciation has emerged as an exciting frontier in both the art and fragrance industries. My project, “A Symphony of Scents: Crafting Art-Inspired Perfumes,” seeks to interpret the essence of iconic paintings into complex fragrances with aromatic essences as my palette. Additionally, through this, I will explore the fascinating interplay between the olfactory and the visual senses to deepen our understanding of how art can be perceived and appreciated across sensory boundaries. This project has two key objectives: firstly, to delve into the intricate chemistry of perfumery, uncovering the distinct practices and scents crafted by individual perfumers; and secondly, to investigate whether the synergy of scent with visual stimuli can amplify our sensory experiences.Guided by the expertise of perfumers Yosh Han and Lakenda Wallace—masters in mixed media and natural perfumery, respectively—as well as my Faculty Advisor Dr. Mo, the exploration begins by selecting evocative artworks that will inspire the creation of bespoke fragrances. Through extensive initial and final surveys and the making of the fragrance itself, I then gather diverse insights into how colors, shapes, and emotions intertwine with smells, and if and how people’s emotional engagement with art changes when experienced through the added dimension of scent.

To view Alina’s project, click here.

NIVEDITA K.

PROJECT TITLE: I’m With The Band

PROJECT LOCATION: Milpitas Guitar Lessons

ABSTRACT: My favorite band, Måneskin, was started when the members were in highschool, busking on the streets of Rome. Last year, they played at the Oakland Arena to an audience of nearly 20,000 as part of their world tour for their fourth album. Inspired by them, my project, “I’m With The Band,” aims to seek out the talent of musicians in high school. The overarching goal of this project is to create an environment where budding musicians can experiment with genres and combine ideas without being forced to adhere to tropes of popular music. Through Instagram, I contact various high school musicians and bands. I use social media to gauge public opinion of these bands, through posting weekly content, clips of music, and advertising upcoming events. The creative portion of this project involves sitting in on rehearsals, aiding with the musical process if necessary, giving them the opportunity to professionally record songs they create or cover, and hopefully finding areas for these bands to perform live. With the help of my outside advisor, who has written, recorded, and produced music, I learn the ropes on how to promote songs straight out of the recording studio. The final result is an album or anthology consisting of all the songs that my bands create.

To view Nivedita’s project, click here.

BRANDON T.

PROJECT TITLE: Jaws: The Classic that Doomed Sharks

PROJECT LOCATION: Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program

ABSTRACT: “Monster of the Deep” or “Ecological Savior”? Since the release of Jaws in 1975, sharks have been central to fears and apprehensions of the ocean and its unknowns. Prior to the movie, shark attacks were reported infrequently. However, since the movie’s screening, the number of reports of shark interactions with humans, general rhetoric, and control programs have substantially increased in prevalence and severity despite deaths from shark attacks being extremely rare. Accordingly, how has public media’s portrayal (movies, documentaries, and news stories) of sharks affected Australian White Shark populations and public perceptions of the animal? Utilizing existing databases and sightings, this project attempts to determine the statistically significant link between public information and yearly changes in these populations, contextualized on a timeline of notable shark-related media releases and expert opinions. The publication of villainous depictions of sharks and their overexaggerated threat to humans have changed common perceptions related to the animals, but determining their impact may be helpful in driving any necessary change in communication to save ecosystems of species from extinction. Discovering what types of messages minimize the damage done to shark populations can keep smaller predators’ populations in check and food chains in equilibrium. Consequently, transforming these aquatic apex predators’ narrative towards conservation may be essential for maintaining the longevity of our world’s largest natural environment.

To view Brandon’s project, click here.

ELLIE X.

PROJECT TITLE: Designing Themedior: Immersive Narratives and Characters

PROJECT LOCATION: Visalia Health Center

ABSTRACT: In the modern era, video games have been prominent literary mediums for examining the human psyche. Through engrossing narratives, graphics, and interactive decision-making options that may impact the outcome of the storyline, these games such as Omori and Fran Bow allow audiences to immerse themselves in unique worlds and step inside the intricacies of a character’s mind. Furthermore, as our society has become increasingly “digitized,” video games have become sought after for educational purposes and their great potential to be affordable, readily accessible, and effective resources for coping with pyschological challenges. With support from my mentor Dr. Side Xi, I am responsible for the story and creating the visuals for the prologue of an original game titled Themedior. The game is set in a fantasy world inspired by late 18th and early 19th century aesthetics and is centered around the disappearance of Everly Crow, the wife of the protagonist, Cynefin Alcestis. The project utilizes Procreate and Live2D to experiment and illustrate game assets and components in an aesthetic that best engages with a younger audience.

To view Ellie’s project, click here.