Sagebrush Coffee is a small business in Chandler, Arizona that purchases green beans, roasts them in small batches for quality, and ships fresh, gourmet roasted coffee beans across the nation. Deciding which coffee beans to buy and roast is one of the most crucial business decisions Sagebrush and other gourmet coffee roasters face. Further complicating this decision is the fact that coffee is a crop, and like all crops, has a specific growing season and the exact same product cannot usually be ordered from year to year, even if it proves to be successful. The goal of this research is to use data analytics and visualization to help Sagebrush make better purchasing decisions by identifying consumer purchasing trends and providing a recommendation for their portfolio mix. In the end, I found that Latin American coffees are popular with both returning and first-time customers, but a specific country of origin does not appear to be associated with the top coffee producing countries. Additionally, December is a critical month for Sagebrush and Sagebrush should make sure to target the states with the most sales: California, Pennsylvania, and New York. Arizona has growth potential as it is not one of the top three locations, despite the presence of a physical store. Also included in the following report is a portfolio recommendation suggesting how many of each product based on region, processing type, and roast level to carry in inventory.

One of the newest technologies available for agricultural use is the sequencing of the bovine genome and the identification of specific genes that would ensure favorable physical traits in the herd. An easy way for this technology to be utilized is in the milking herds of dairies, the herd has already been bred for specific traits and any change due to a genomic influence would be easily seen. Dairy cattle are commonly bred through artificial insemination, and this would be a perfect place for the genomic programs to prove themselves. In order to determine the attitudes of local dairymen toward genomics, I designed and administered a survey to gauge their opinions. The survey was given to a meeting of the United Dairymen of Arizona at their Tempe offices. The survey covered the current breeding methods used by the dairies, the desired attributes in a milking herd and a breeding program, and a place for the dairymen to give their own opinions on genomics. The results indicated that the dairymen are interested of using genomics, but they are unsure of the cost. Dairymen are often looking for new methods to increase their milk production and herd value, but are reluctant to pay a high amount. One recommendation is for these dairymen to utilize bulls that have had their genome analyzed when they are breeding their cows. This would allow the dairymen to see the effects and benefits of genomics on their herd without the dairymen having to front the large start up cost for their own genomic program.

The restaurant opening process for "Muse & Market" was documented and evaluated. For my creative project, I served as the Director of Business Development for "Muse & Market" and assisted in the carrying out of activities including supplier selection, functional retail assembly and other key decision making. I paralleled this experience by researching best practices in the restaurant industry. I performed research by reviewing academic literature and online sources and by interviewing marketing managers and restauranteurs in New York City and Phoenix, AZ. I compiled a list of best practices based off of the commonalities from my research and interviews. I then compared these findings to what I experienced at Muse & Market to determine which of Muse & Market's launch preparation activities aligned with which best practices. I also identified areas of improvement for Muse & Market based on this comparison. Lastly I offered my key takeaways from my experience as an aspiring entrepreneur in the restaurant industry.

Attending college brings on new experiences and challenges. In order to survive college, a student must figure out what resources are available to them and what will help them succeed. The purpose of this study is to learn about what students struggle with the most. Students were also asked about what advice they have for future students and what they would change about their own experience. Participants of the study consisted of ASU students 18 or older. Information was collected through interviews, an online survey, and a paper survey. Many students feel that high school has not prepared them for college. Some students continue to struggle with time management. With students coming from many different backgrounds, it is up to the college to provide resources to help students to succeed. However, it is up to the student to make the effort to find, ask, and use these resources. The student ultimately decides to use the resources and tools provided to them in order to survive college.