Digital Commons Network^™

[Project Insight] Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Domestic Violence In Puerto Rico, Phyllis Muniu

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Detecting Burned Vegetation Areas By Merging Spectral And Texture Features In A Resnet Deep Learning Architecture, Jiahui Fan, Yunjun Yao, Yajie Li, Xueyi Zhang, Jiquan Chen, Joshua B. Fisher, Xiaotong Zhang, Bo Jiang, Lu Liu, Zijing Xie, Luna Zhang, Fei Qiu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Timely and accurate detection of burned areas is crucial for assessing fire damage and contributing to ecosystem recovery efforts. In this study, we propose a framework for detecting fire-affected vegetation anomalies on the basis of a ResNet deep learning (DL) algorithm by merging spectral and textural features (ResNet-IST) and the vegetation abnormal spectral texture index (VASTI). To train the ResNet-IST, a vegetation anomaly dataset was constructed on high-resolution 30 m fire-affected remote sensing images selected from the Global Fire Atlas (GFA) to extract the spectral and textural features. We tested the model to detect fire-affected vegetation in ten study areas …

Site Specific Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads And Winter Wind Parameters Across The World, Brennan Bean, Nicholas Brimhall, Bikram Bhusal, Marc Maguire, Maha Moussa

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

This report presents a framework for estimating Reliability Targeted Snow Loads (RTSLs) and Winter Wind Parameters (WWPs) at locations outside the Conterminous United States (OCONUS). The methodology integrates ground-based in-situmeasurements with gridded global climate products to generate spatially continuous RTSL estimates for nearly any location in OCONUS. RTSLs are computed at qualifying in-situ stations, and predictive models relating gridded climate products to in-situRTSLs enable estimation at locations lacking direct measurements. This report describes the development of the in-situ annual maximum snow load database, the construction of global gridded climate summaries, the estimation of site-specific RTSLs and Service Targeted …

Geographic Patterns Of Educational Achievement: A Methodological Case Study Of Regression Modeling Approaches, Leokadia Lipien

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This methodological case study introduces a novel approach to investigate the impact of student, teacher, and geographic factors on the academic achievement of virtual school students in Florida. Traditional linear regression models, and even multilevel models, often overlook spatial dependencies, which can lead to biased estimates and incomplete inferences. This research addresses this limitation by comparing a cross-classified multilevel model (CCMM) with a novel cross-classified spatial model (CCSM) that incorporates coefficients from geographically weighted regression (GWR). Utilizing secondary data from a statewide virtual school, including student demographics, teacher characteristics, and standardized test scores, along with U.S. Census Bureau data, the …

Income Inequality And Attitudes Towards Immigrants – How Increased Inequality Drives Division, Niamh Anderson, Vincent O'Sullivan

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Examining The Perception Of Maritime Instructors In Upskilling And Reskilling Seafarers Towards Decarbonization, Michelle Margallo

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Technology Transfer In The Implementation Of The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, Christine Nzambi Mulatya

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Graph Perturbations For Robust Knowledge Discovery And Retrieval, Hanhua Xiao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Graph perturbation, rooted in classical perturbation theory, studies how small topology edits, i.e., adding or deleting edges, affects graph properties (e.g., density, centrality). This fundamental problem underpins applications like bioinformatics, privacy preservation and system defense. While much prior work targets perturbations that influence global graph statistics or model outputs, comparatively little addresses robustness for knowledge discovery and information retrieval. In these settings, graphs are attributed: nodes carry real-world semantics (e.g., locations, people) and edges encode interactions or relationships. This thesis proposes new formulations and algorithms that generate and leverage graph perturbations to make knowledge discovery and retrieval more robust. Specifically, …

Global Standards And Local Ambitions Across Green Taxonomies: Climate Change Mitigation From The European Union To South Africa, Theodor Florian Cojoianu, Andreas G. F. Hoepner, Ifigeneia Paliampelou, Anh Vu, Dariusz Wojcik

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Country-level green finance taxonomy standards have emerged to provide clarity on environmentally-sustainable economic activities to attract investment, protect financial services consumers, and counteract greenwashing. This paper adopts the Global Production and Financial Network (GPFN) approach and analyses factors affecting the climate change mitigation ambition level of the South African Green Finance Taxonomy (RSA GFT) in comparison with the EU taxonomy, which served as a model for South Africa's (RSA) regulators. It accounts for (i) the interplay between EU’s and RSA’s production and financial networks, and (ii) RSA’s willingness to attract European funding for sustainable development. We find that EU private …

Global Cooling Watch 2025, Omar Abdelaziz, Ray Gluckman, Ian Hamilton, Radhika Khosla, Lily Riahi

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The second edition of UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch Report takes a deep dive into one of the decade’s most urgent challenges: surging heat, soaring cooling demand, and stark inequalities in access. Produced by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition, the report provides a comprehensive assessment of the rapidly growing global demand for cooling and the need for climate-friendly solutions to the issue. The 2025 report builds on the first Global Cooling Watch (2023), which established the Sustainable Cooling Pathway framework. The new edition deepens analysis of intensifying extreme heat and its effect on cooling demand, improved assessment of passive cooling, and coverage …

Mmlu-Prox: A Multilingual Benchmark For Advanced Large Language Model Evaluation, Weihao Xuan, Et. Al.

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Existing large language model (LLM) evaluation benchmarks primarily focus on English, while current multilingual tasks lack parallel questions that specifically assess cross-lingual reasoning abilities. This dual limitation makes it challenging to assess LLMs’ performance in the multilingual setting comprehensively. To fill this gap, we introduce MMLU-ProX, a comprehensive benchmark covering 29 languages, built on an English benchmark. Each language version consists of 11,829 identical questions, enabling direct cross-lingual comparisons. Additionally, to meet efficient evaluation needs, we provide a lite version containing 658 questions per language. To ensure the high quality of MMLU-ProX, we employ a rigorous development process that involves …

Climatic Controls On Soil Production, Transport And Chemical Erosion: Insights From Modelling Topography, Soils And Cosmogenic Nuclides At Little Lake, Oregon, Miles M. Reed, Ken L. Ferrier, Jill A. Marshall, Josh J. Roering, J. Taylor Perron

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Predicting physical and chemical erosion rate responses to climate change are an ongoing challenge in geomorphology. A promising approach for investigating this is by measuring transient variations in physical and chemical erosion rates during climatically variable time periods, which can be accomplished by measuring cosmogenic nuclide concentrations and chemical depletion in sedimentary deposits. Interpreting such measurements warrants applying landscape evolution models that track variations in topography, cosmogenic nuclide concentrations and chemical depletion in soils. We applied a recently developed model that tracks these quantities at Little Lake, Oregon. Previous studies documented variations in cosmogenic nuclide concentrations and chemical depletion in …

The Simulation Of Hyperspectral Observations By The Upcoming Spacecraft "Arab Satellite 813", With The Radiative Transfer Model Sciatran, Sara Maher Alhasan

Theses

The Arab Satellite 813, which is scheduled to be launched in 2025/2026 by the UAE Space Agency, is set to increase earth observation and monitor the climate across the middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study uses the SCIATRAN radiative transfer model which was originally developed for the Envisat mission to simulate the hyperspectral observation specifically tailored for the satellite's payload. Using calibrations that were used by the previous research in their SCIATRAN V4.6 study and adjusting parameters like the Leaf Area Index (LAI), a simulation which agreed robustly with the benchmarks set by the previous research was …

Coal Phase-Out In The Silesian Coal Regions – Building Sustainable Scenario On Past Experiences, Adam Drobniak, Jan Bondaruk, Mirosław Skibski

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The dynamics of phasing out of hard coal mining are currently the subject of many debates and policies programming the energy transition. Diversity of opinions on the speed of the hard coal mining transition is evident. This discourse uses a number of technical, environmental, economic and social arguments that are not always supported by evidence-based analyses. As assumed in the European Green Deal, a responsible approach to decarbonisation requires just transition values. Thus, the negative effects of mining phasing out should be well recognized to enable their mitigation. This applies especially to the Silesian Voivodeship, where the concentration of so-called …

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

Influence Patterns Of Coal Mining-Induced Subsidence On Economic Losses From Soil Erosion Of Loess Slopes In The Middle Reaches Of The Yellow River, Song Shijie, Li Yuanhong, Wang Yi, Liu Lu, Tian Yu, Tan Qingyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Quantitative assessment of economic losses from soil erosion on subsidence slopes in coal mining-induced subsidence areas can offer a critical basis for formulating scientific economic compensation standards while also laying a solid foundation for efficient governance.Methods This study investigated the subsidence slopes with different morphologies in the typical loess area subjected to coal mining-induced subsidence in northern Shaanxi Province. Using methods including field sampling, laboratory tests, and environmental economics analysis, this study constructed an index system for the quantitative assessment of economic losses from soil erosion on coal mining-induced subsidence slopes and revealed the variation patterns of such …

A New Low-Rate Stable Hydrogel Cathode For Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries, Roya Rajabi, Shichen Sun, Jamil A. Khan, Morgan Stefik, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are attractive candidates for large-scale energy storage owing to the abundance, low cost, and intrinsic safety of Zn metal. However, their practical application is hindered by poor cycle stability, especially at low current densities, due to cathode dissolution and limited electrochemically active sites (EAS). Herein, a hydrogel-based cathode comprising ammonium vanadate, carbon black, and a Zn-ion-conducting carboxymethyl chitosan–acrylamide hydrogel matrix doped with Zn(ClO4)2 is reported. This design establishes a continuous Zn-ion-conducting network, thereby maximizing EAS density throughout the electrode volume. The ZIB with the hydrogel cathode exhibits outstanding cycling stability, with 77% capacity retention after 2000 …

2025 Celebration Of Scholarship, Creativity, And Engagement, Todd Bruns, Jaime Pedigo, Jennifer Smith, Patty Watson, Heather Wohltman, Amanda Wolf

Programs

Each year, Eastern Illinois University proudly recognizes the outstanding achievements of our faculty in research, creativity, and engagement. This collection of accomplishments reflects the dedication of an engaged faculty committed to excellence and the continual pursuit of knowledge. Many of these successes were made possible through meaningful collaboration with our students, who contribute as co-authors, research assistants, and partners in bringing ideas to life. Some of these professional milestones represent years of effort, demonstrating remarkable persistence and determination. We offer our heartfelt congratulations on this wide range of achievements, which bring distinction to our departments, colleges, and the University as …

Reliability Targeted Snow Loads And Winter Wind Parameters For Locations Outside Of The Conterminous United States, Brennan L. Bean, Nicholas Brimhall, Bikram Bhusal, Marc Maguire, Maha Moussa

Browse all Datasets

The national building standard ASCE 7 moved to reliability-targeted snow loads (RTSLs) in the 2022 version. This necessitates the development of RTSLs for international locations. This repository contains the data and code needed to produce RTSLs and Winter Wind Parameters for locations outside of the Conterminous United States (OCONUS). It relies on annual maximum snow loads provided in a separate data release (see Brimhall et al. 2025).

U.S. Water Infrastructure: Diving Into Needs And Recent Policy Developments, Joseph Kane

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled, "U.S. Water Infrastructure: Diving Into Needs and Recent Policy Developments" by Brookings fellow in Brookings Metro, Joseph Kane. Whether providing drinking water, treating wastewater, or managing stormwater, water infrastructure in the United States spans a wide range of human-made and natural systems. In turn, the enormous scale and variety of these systems is leading to an array of challenges: aging and vulnerable infrastructure; fragmented governance and siloed planning across different geographies; a lack of financial, technical, and managerial capacity; difficulties adapting to new industrial and …

Graphrag-Enabled Local Large Language Model For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Development Of A Proof-Of-Concept, Edmund Evangelista, Fathima Ruba, Salman Bukhari, Amril Nazir, Ravishankar Sharma

All Works

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent chronic condition that affects maternal and fetal health outcomes worldwide, increasingly in underserved populations. While generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) have shown promise in health care, their application in GDM management remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether retrieval-augmented generation techniques, when combined with knowledge graphs (KGs), could improve the contextual relevance and accuracy of AI-driven clinical decision support. For this, we developed and validated a graph-based retrieval-augmented generation (GraphRAG)–enabled local LLM as a clinical support tool for GDM management, assessing its performance against open-source LLM …

Real-Time Read And Analysis Of Air Pollution Produced From Private Electrical Generators In Mosul City Using Lorawan, Mahmood Alfathe, Awfa Aladwani, Ali Abduljabbar

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

This study presents a novel, site-specific deployment of a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN)-driven air pollution monitoring network specifically for the Iraqi city of Mosul, which is beset by widespread power outages and extensive utilization of decentralized diesel generators. While these generators mitigate electricity shortages, they are enormous contributors to urban air pollution, emitting high levels of CO2 and particulates. As opposed to previous studies, which concentrate on affluent urban areas, this research addresses a very deprived locale using an extensible low-power, low-cost LoRaWAN network and high-precision CO2 sensors (Sensirion SCD30 and MH-Z19) and The Things Network (TTN) for …

Factors Influencing Plant Community Structure And Composition Of Restored Tamaulipan Thornscrub Forests, Jerald T. Garrett, Audrey J. Hicks, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas is a biodiversity hotspot due to its high alpha, beta, and gamma diversity and high regional endemism, which are at high risk of degradation. The region has lost 95% of its native thornforest habitat primarily due to agricultural and urban expansion. This study aims to evaluate the current vegetative structure and composition of restored thornforest sites located in the LRGV to identify restoration methods and site characteristics that affect forest restoration outcomes. Twelve restored thornforest sites were selected for this study that varied in time since restoration, patch size, degree of isolation, …

The Taxonomy And Origins Of Folia: A Brief Review, Donald G. Davis, Louise D. Hose, Harvey R. Duchene

International Journal of Speleology

All folia demonstrate a few common elements: folia (singular, folium) are planar or sub-planar speleothems, slanting downward and away from cave walls and ceilings, and genetically associated with fluctuating environmental interfaces. They were first identified and named from examples in western USA hypogenic caves but have since been identified elsewhere in the world. Folia shelves are typically composed of calcite and interweave smoothly along sub-horizontal contours. Calcite accretion, both chemical and mechanical from suspended particles, follows water-surface fluctuations to form protrusions in arrays along walls and ceilings where new accretion tends to follow the water-surface downward during descending phases, gradually …

Characterizing Meteorological Patterns For Oregon's Winter Elevated Pm2.5 Concentrations From 2000-2023, Arielle Golda Sherbak

Dissertations and Theses

Valleys and basins are uniquely susceptible to the buildup of air pollution during the wintertime due to cool, dense air pooling under favorable meteorological conditions, a common occurrence in the Intermountain West. In Oregon, wintertime anthropogenic air pollution is primarily from woodburning stoves and heaters and although efforts have been made to reduce wintertime pollution, stagnation events continue to result in decreased air quality. This analysis aims to understand the relationship between air pollution in six Oregon counties and the associated meteorology in the cool season (November-March) using a 2000-2023 climatology.

This is completed through a composite analysis using key …

Governance In The Absence Of Government, Tracy Hresko Pearl

Faculty Articles

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, with generative systems exerting growing influence over social, economic, and political life. While Al offers opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it also poses risks ranging from misinformation and job displacement to existential threats if highly autonomous systems evade human control. Across industry, government, and civil society, there is broad consensus that Al requires oversight.

Yet traditional U.S. regulatory approaches face six significant barriers: (1) technology outpacing legislation, (2) limited Al expertise among policymakers, (3) regulatory capture, (4) political gridlock, (5) outdated governance structures, and (6) the inherent complexity of Al. Combined …

47th Biennial Convention Of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Western Illinois University, April 11–13, 2025, Richard L. Ford, Lee S. Potter

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE), the national honorary society for the Earth sciences, held its 47th biennial convention (April 11–13, 2025) at the Quad Cities campus, located in Moline, Illinois, of Western Illinois University (WIU). The convention was hosted by SGE’s Delta Psi Chapter and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Geographic Information Sciences at WIU. Ten (10) of SGE’s approximately 57 active collegiate chapters sent delegates to the convention. The traditional convention field trip, an exploration of the Paleozoic stratigraphy and economic geology of the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa, made stops at the Fryxell …

The Compass - Volume 94 Issue 3 - Complete Issue, Scott R. Beason

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

No abstract provided.

The Suitability Of Advanced Geospatial Technologies In Monitoring Mine Surface Displacement, Long Quoc Nguyen, Tuyet Minh Dang, Lipecki Tomasz

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study conducts a thorough review of the current scientific literature on the application of geospatial methods in the assessment of mining-induced displacement. The scope of research included technologies for determining deformation, subsidence, and landslide in mining areas. Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Terrestrial Laser Scanners, Remote Sensing, and fusion methods are approaches used to solve the research objectives. Additionally, the paper also mentions some advantages, disadvantages, and scope of application of these methods. The investigation revealed that the displacement detection method most commonly used at the moment is satellite radar interferometry.

Economic Viability And Environmental Sustainability: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Green Technologies In Mineral Extraction, Tshinkobo Bukasa Orphea, Agyingi Babaca Agyingib, Xiangrui Meng

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This research offers a novel approach to comparing green technologies’ economic profitability and environmental sustainability of their mineral extraction based upon econometric and life cycle assessment methodologies. Quantitative results show attractive results with an NPV of $2,014,001 and an IRR of 17%. In the third year, the project nets at $300,000, or 63%, at a 7% discount rate. However, soil protection remains challenging, but pollution coefficients are improved, as evidenced by environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The findings in the study further underscore how regulatory frameworks and market drivers dictate the use of green technology. The economic, environmental and regulatory costs …