Digital Commons Network^™

Transmutation, Sam Berger

MFA in Visual Art

My artistic practice is about change itself. I am inspired by the doubling and layering effects that came out of Surrealist Photography. Scale, fracture, and doubling are intentional components of my process. I combine those methods to create complex works of art, focusing on the untamable light that I hope to capture when making my images, which often are self portraits. Poetry is an integral element of this thesis text as well as my art making process. Through my poetic work I hope to offer my audience a glimpse into how I see and experience the world. This thesis text …

Flying Safe: Reducing Bird Strikes At Northern Illinois University, Stacey Marcinkowski

Honors Capstones

Bird-window collisions are a major source of avian mortality, particularly in urban environments where glass structures are prevalent. At Northern Illinois University (NIU), systematic monitoring conducted between 2019 and 2024 revealed Montgomery Hall to be the building with the highest incidence of bird strikes. This project aimed to test the effectiveness of a cost efficient bird strike mitigation strategy using grease marker frit dots on Montgomery Hall’s skybridge windows. We applied white dots spaced four inches apart and compared strike data collected during fall migration seasons before (2018–2022) and after (2024) dot application. While limited to one post-treatment season, results …

Responsibility To The Land: Perspectives Of Farmers On Climate Change And Land Transition, Meira A. Smit

Environmental Studies Honors Projects

Agriculture is a defining aspect of Minnesota and Wisconsin’s culture and identity, characterized by family farms, rolling hills blanketed with crops, and cows. Interspersed are small scale diversified farms and a growing number of emerging and young farmers. Another cultural mainstay is talking about weather, a ubiquitous conversation of Midwesterners. As weather events such as erratic rainfall, drought, and pest pressure become both more common and volatile, and long-term weather patterns shift from “normal”, it is important to ask farmers what they think about it. Adapting to changes and planning for resilience are what farmers have always done, yet increasing …

Adding Libraries To The Equation: Mathematical Sciences’ Underutilization Of Academic Librarians, Jennifer L.C. Burke, Elizabeth C. Novosel, Daniel G. Kipnis, Rasitha R. Jayesekere

Libraries Scholarship

Academic librarians do not engage with all disciplinary departments equally. Despite equal or even greater efforts, some departments are less responsive to librarian outreach. One such department is mathematics. To understand mathematics departments’ relationships with their academic librarians, three mathematics librarians created a 20-question survey that was disseminated to mathematics faculty, instructors, and instructional staff in the United States and Canada. Of the 188 survey participants, more than a third reported that they never engage with their librarians, approximately half only do so occasionally, and a mere eight percent of participants collaborated with librarians to provide information literacy instruction (IL) …

Mitigating Supply Chain Disruptions In The Retail Warehousing Industry, Terricka Nichole Townsend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retail warehousing stability is increasingly threatened by global uncertainties and supply chain disruptions, requiring urgent and innovative strategies. This issue is critical for retail warehousing managers and supply chain leaders, as their ability to respond impacts organizational resilience, business continuity, and customer satisfaction. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies used by retail warehousing managers to mitigate the negative impacts of supply chain disruptions on business stability. The situational crisis communication theory and attribution theory provided the conceptual framework for understanding how retail warehousing managers communicate and respond to supply chain disruptions while maintaining stakeholder trust …

Voice Interaction With Conversational Ai Could Facilitate Thoughtful Reflection And Substantive Revision In Writing, Jiho Kim, Philippe Laban, Xiang 'Anthony' Chen, Kenneth C. Arnold

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Writing well requires not only expressing ideas but also refining them through revision, a process facilitated by reflection. Prior research suggests that feedback delivered through dialogues, such as those in writing center tutoring sessions, can help writers reflect more thoughtfully on their work compared to static feedback. Recent advancements in multi-modal large language models (LLMs) now offer new possibilities for supporting interactive and expressive voice-based reflection in writing. In particular, we propose that LLM-generated static feedback can be repurposed as conversation starters, allowing writers to seek clarification, request examples, and ask follow-up questions, thereby fostering deeper reflection on their writing. …

Volume 11 Full Text, Bjur Staff

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Intuiting Interaction: Meta-Reasoning And Meta-Learning As Foundations For Intelligent User Interfaces, Jeffrey Hsu

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents MARCO—a cognitive framework for Intelligent User Interfaces that uses meta-reasoning for context-aware adaptation across diverse tasks. It integrates multiple reasoning modules coordinated by a Meta-Cognitive Unit that selects strategies based on evolving demands. Evaluations show MARCO outperforms baselines in reasoning accuracy and computational efficiency.

Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions On Growing A Nonprofit Donor Base Through In-Kind Donations, Brittany A. Heine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Northern Virginia alone, over 90,000 people are food insecure. The USDA has reported strong correlations between food insecurity and negative health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine community stakeholders’ perceptions on engaging in strategic partnerships with Organization X using in-kind donations as a strategy to decrease the organization’s expenditures and grow its donor base. 14 community stakeholders were chosen through purposive sampling and participated in semi structured interviews. Using the conceptual framework of the unified theory of revenue generation for nonprofits, interview questions were developed to determine the variables that impact a stakeholder’s decision …

Table Of Contents And Front Matter, Bjur Staff

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Under Pressure: A Quantitative Approach To Measuring Clutch Performance In The Nba, Jack Dell'isola

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

This research investigates the existence and relevance of clutch performance in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season. Players are analyzed both individually and against league averages to determine their clutch performance levels using an original "clutch score formula". This research aims to answer the questions of whether clutch performance is a real phenomenon, how individual player performance is affected in clutch time, and to determine a formula that can effectively predict the winner of the Clutch Player of the Year Award. The findings and formulas developed in this research help to shed light on the complexities of clutch performance, which has …

Assessing Perceived Safety Of Non Motorized Travel With Virtual Reality, Vahid Balali, Sahand Fathi

Mineta Transportation Institute

Cycling is increasingly advocated as a healthier and more sustainable mode of transportation, as reflected in both scholarly literature and policy initiatives. Nonetheless, the escalation in bicyclist crash fatalities underscores deficiencies in extant roadway designs that inadequately safeguard these vulnerable users. A persistent challenge in the examination of bicyclist safety, behavior, and comfort is the paucity of comprehensive cycling data. To enhance understanding of cyclists' behavioral and physiological responses safely and efficiently, this investigation utilizes a bicycle simulator within an immersive virtual environment (IVE). Off-the-shelf sensors are employed to evaluate cyclists' performance metrics (speed and lane position) and physiological responses …

“I Can Run At Night!”: Using Augmented Reality To Support Nighttime Guided Running For Low-Vision Runners, Yuki Abe, Keisuke Matsushima, Kotaro Hara, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Dark environment challenges low-vision (LV) individuals to engage in running by following sighted guide—a Caller-style guided running—due to insufficient illumination, because it prevents them from using their residual vision to follow the guide and be aware about their environment. We design, develop, and evaluate RunSight, an augmented reality (AR)-based assistive tool to support LV individuals to run at night. RunSight combines see-through HMD and image processing to enhance one’s visual awareness of the surrounding environment (e.g., potential hazard) and visualize the guide’s position with AR-based visualization. To demonstrate RunSight’s efficacy, we conducted a user study with 8 LV runners. The …

Generative Artificial Intelligence Dependency: Scale Development, Validation, And Its Motivational, Behavioral, And Psychological Correlates, Adalia Yin Hui Goh

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The growing integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday life has raised questions about its potential psychological and behavioral consequences. The present research develops and validates the Generative AI Dependency Scale, a multidimensional tool developed to assess individual differences in dependency on generative AI systems. Across six studies involving 1,223 participants from the United States and Singapore, the Generative AI Dependency Scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including a stable three-factor structure (cognitive preoccupation, negative consequences, withdrawal) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = .85). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a higher-order dependency construct, and scalar measurement invariance was established across sex …

Generating Motivational Messages For Behavior Change: Encouraging Users To Be More Physically Active, Hananeel Pankaj

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

High levels of sedentary lifestyles can cause adverse effects in individuals’ health. This has prompted researchers to analyze ways to increase physical activity, including the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate motivational messages. While research has found LLMs to be feasible for this task, the findings are limited in availability and scope given that the research focuses on a conversational, chatbot setting—which is not ideal in the real world. This research assesses OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini’s (one of several models powering ChatGPT) ability to tailor messages towards a user. This is done by passing user health data to the …

Usage Of Natural Language Processing And Deep-Learning Techniques On Thematic Apperception Tests To Predict Big Five Personality Traits, Blayten Jones

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The usage of personality as a method of behavioral prediction and outcomes of success has grown considerably over the last few decades. This project explores predicting user personality profiles via the Big Five personality index through the integration of advanced natural language processing techniques as well as neural networks. Using a dataset provided by Dr. James W. Pennebaker, participants analyze an image—formally referred to as a thematic apperception test—and write a thorough paragraph describing the details. This free-form text, along with their personality test results, is captured in a structured dataset. Many deep-learning and machine learning models have been used …

Fairness In Recommender Systems: Balancing Bias In Academic Paper Selection, Zachary Bergin

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bias in academic paper selection remains a consistent issue, even within processes designed to promote fairness, such as double-blind peer review, bias stays persistent. In this paper we investigate demographic bias while particularly focusing on racial bias in the process of selecting academic papers and explore the impact of fairness aware recommender systems on the demographic parity. To build an effective system our focus is on the Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction (SIGCHI) a pillar in the community, we develop a neural network-based recommender system that uses real demographic data collected by other systems withing the context of …

Comparative Analysis Of Regression And Random Forest Models For Player Performance Prediction In The Mls, Joshua Clement Madeti

Senior Honors Theses

Advanced technology and analytics have transformed the world and have benefited several industries throughout, the sport industry being one of them. Data is constantly generated during sports and requires post-game or post-season analysis which is crucial to team and player success. In this paper, the researcher will focus on the impact of analytics on soccer and soccer players. With over three billion active fans, soccer is the most famous sport in the world yet, when it comes to analytics, it is lagging. The thesis includes a comparative study of multiple linear regression and random forest regression to explore whether these …

Impacts Of Cognitive Workload On Veteran Driver Reaction Time: Predictive Modeling Using Bayesian And Machine Learning Methods, Kenneth Ofosu-Kwabe

All Theses

In high-demand environments, the ability to manage cognitive workload can mean the difference between optimal or safe performance and critical failure or accidents. Veterans face an elevated risk of fatal motor vehicle accidents due to post-deployment stress, combat-related injuries, and challenges readjusting to civilian driving. This study explores how cognitive workload affects reaction time performance using a driving simulator by collecting and analyzing subjective workload ratings (using the NASA-TLX survey), physiological signals from eye-tracking and performance data from a sample of 28 Veterans.

We examined how task difficulty, cognitive indicators and personal attributes influence reaction times across an interactive driving …

From The Bleachers To The Browser: Redefining Fan Experience With Ar And Ai In Smaller Teams, Jennifer Lee Wunder

Theses

This project documents the creation and deployment of HootyHoo, an interactive augmented reality (AR) mascot experience designed for the O’Fallon Hoots, a small-scale collegiate summer baseball team. Built using accessible, open-source tools such as WebXR, Mixamo, Meshy, Botpress, Claude and ChatGPT, this prototype merges AI-driven conversation with animated 3D avatar interaction—redefining how fans engage with sports organizations digitally. Unlike enterprise-level applications used by professional franchises, HootyHoo is entirely browser-based, eliminating the need for app downloads and ensuring maximum accessibility for families and new fans with smartphones. The experience centers on Hooty, the team mascot, who answers questions about baseball and …

Don't Let Lead Lead On Environmental Justice: A Simulative Approach To Lead Remediation In The Big Data Era, Charles C. Knoble Ii

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Environmental justice, as both a movement and a theoretical construct, continues to evolve in response to shifting societal, environmental, and technological conditions. This dissertation investigates the integration of big data, such as social media, remote sensing imagery, and internet search frequencies, into the identification, analysis, and remediation of environmental injustices. Framing environmental justice through the lenses of distributive and data justice, the project explores both the promises and pitfalls of using emergent data sources to enhance the spatial and temporal precision of environmental equity investigations. Through a combination of systematic literature review, spatial analysis, system dynamics simulation, and policy evaluation, …

How Will Artificial Intelligence Impact The Roles, Skills, And Design Processes Of Ux Professionals In The Next 5 Years?, Olivia Behan

Informatics

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we think about user experience (UX) design. This thesis explores how AI could impact the roles, skills, and design processes of UX professionals over the next five years. The research conducted consists of a mixed-methods approach, combining an online survey administered through Qualtrics to 50 survey respondents and a case study, which included individually interviewing 3 UX professionals over Zoom, to gather data and personal insights. The results show that while AI has the power and potential to make some parts of UX work faster, like research analysis, prototyping, and automating redundant tasks, …

Reducing Stigma Around Neurodiversity Through The Use Of Celebratory Technology Ice Breakers In First-Year Undergraduate Classrooms, Briana Craig

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

Celebratory technology for Neurodiversity is a new paradigm in the field of human computer interaction; it focuses on reducing stigma surrounding neurodivergent labels and behaviors. Celebratory technology aims to highlight the strengths of neurodiversity rather than fixing socially undesired traits, shifting the responsibility for change from neurodivergent individuals to society's attitudes. Stigma reduction can be accomplished through providing high quality interactions, where anyone can meet and learn about positive traits in others as well as learn of interests' others have in common, thus reframing neurodivergence as inclusion in human diversity rather than a condition to be stigmatized or objectified. This …

An Analysis Of Bias Towards Women In Large Language Models Using Likert Scale Evaluations, Sarah T. Fieck

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

Closed-source large language models (LLMs) developed by large technology companies continue to grow in popularity. However, ethical conversations surrounding the safety of model outputs have been a prominent topic of discussion. This project aims to assess three leading closed-source LLMs: OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude, to analyze how their outputs perform when treated as a subject of several psychological evaluation scales measuring biased behaviors against women. The Ambivalent Sexism Index, Modern Sexism Scale, and Belief in Sexism Shift evaluations were used to get descriptions of how the LLMs respond to traditional and modern prompts involving sexism and gender …

Shortage To Surge - Studying The Post-Covid-19 Guitar Retail Market, Jed H. Kim

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most catalyzing events of the 21st century, leading to supply chain disruptions, lifestyle changes, and a massive shift towards digital technologies. During the COVID-19 lockdown, many people had more free time, and over 16 million individuals learned to play guitar in the first 2 years of the pandemic. According to a study by Fender, 62% of these new guitar learners cited the pandemic as their primary reason for learning the instrument. However, pandemic policies and supply chain disruptions meant that many guitar retailers were unable to satisfy demand, and backorders accumulated. After the …

Simulating Chill: Exploring The Cognitive And Therapeutic Potential Of Cold Vr Environments, Jessica Turner, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study investigates the cognitive and therapeutic potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) environments designed to simulate cold conditions. Through the engagement of participants through multisensory stimuli—including vivid visual representations of the Athabasca Glacier, auditory effects of icy winds, and corresponding haptic feedback—the research evaluates neurological and physiological responses associated with attention, emotional regulation, and stress modulation. Participants experienced virtual scenarios featuring icy winds and snow, activating specific neurological pathways involving the occipital lobe, primary visual cortex, superior colliculus, and insula, thus reinforcing sensory integration. Through predictive coding, the anterior insula and hypothalamus were engaged, prompting thermoregulatory simulations and subconscious …

Capturing The Digital Scene: Applying Routine Activity Theory To Iot Smart Frames, Jordan Bakar

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project investigates the forensic risks and investigative challenges posed by smart frames, which are WiFi-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) devices used to store, display, and share digital media. These devices often collect and synchronize sensitive media, metadata, and behavioral logs across cloud ecosystems that lack adequate transparency and privacy safeguards. Routine Activity Theory (RAT) provides a criminological framework for examining how the convergence of a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of capable guardianship creates opportunities for misuse and forensic exploitation. Smart frames represent ideal targets because of weak default security configurations, passive data synchronization, and limited …

Artificial Intelligence Through Young Eyes: A Study Of Students’ Perspectives And Experiences With Artificial Intelligence In Education, Chad Preston Salyer

Ed.D. Dissertations

Artificial intelligence was an emergent and powerful new force in education. The public release of ChatGPT 3.0 in 2022 transformed learning for many students. This phenomenological qualitative study sought to record and analyze student’s perspectives on the influence of artificial intelligence on their learning routines. This study collected data through surveys and interviews with undergraduate students, analyzing patterns of artificial intelligence usage, perceived benefits, and challenges. The findings revealed that most students used artificial intelligence as a primary learning tool and that those students viewed artificial intelligence as beneficial for personalized learning and skill development. However, concerns about over-reliance on …

Multimodal Benchmarking For Ncaa Basketball, Brendan Barnett

Honors Scholar Theses

We present the first multimodal, multitask benchmark for NCAA basketball, synthesizing structured statistical features with large language model (LLM)-generated game summaries across 19,739 games spanning four NCAA Division I seasons (2021--2025). We evaluate three model families---XGBoost, deep neural networks, and Transformers---under tabular-only and early-fusion settings to measure the impact of LLM-derived textual embeddings. To assess practical utility, we simulate fixed-stake and Kelly criterion-based betting strategies using historical bookmaker odds, analyzing both profitability and downside risk via Monte Carlo simulation. Our results show that XGBoost with early-fusion achieves the highest return on investment and the lowest risk of loss. This work …

Real-Time Anomaly Detection In Ot Networks Using Gru-Based Autoencoders, Grant Austin Wilkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Operational Technology (OT) networks, particularly those used in critical infrastructure, face increasing cyber threats that target network-level protocols and behaviors. While most anomaly detection research for OT systems has traditionally relied on sensor data, this thesis explores the viability of detecting malicious activity directly from network telemetry. We propose a sequence-to-sequence autoencoder model based on Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) with multilevel attention, trained to reconstruct normal patterns of packet-level communication extracted from raw PCAP data. The developed feature engineering pipeline integrates general networking attributes such as IP and MAC addresses, ports, and transport protocols with OT-specific protocol information from Modbus …