Digital Commons Network^™

Simulation-Based Learning In Security Studies: A Rubric-Guided Approach To Nato–Russia Dynamics On The Korean Peninsula, Travis Morris, Yangmo Ku, Maggie Mitchell

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This article examines the implementation and efficacy of a team-taught simulation-based learning series designed to deepen students’ understanding of NATO–Russia interactions on the Korean Peninsula. Drawing on the principles of Bloom’s Taxonomy and guided by a comprehensive rubric, this framework provides a structured, progressive approach to developing learners’ analytical, evaluative, and creative competencies. Through six sequential simulations using the SEERIST platform—culminating in strategic policy recommendations—students enhance their ability to recall foundational knowledge, apply complex concepts, analyze multifaceted scenarios, evaluate diverse outcomes, and propose innovative solutions. The article discusses theoretical underpinnings, the design and implementation of the simulation series, the associated …

‘Reflective Learning’ – Teaching The South African Military Academy Way, Jean Pierre Scherman Dr

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

Professional military education for young officers within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has since 1950 been vested within the South African Military Academy (SAMA), Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University. As an all services academy, the SAMA houses student from all four arms of service that constitute the SANDF, namely the South African Army, Navy, Air Force and Medical Health Services. With such a vastly different student body, the five schools within the SAMA correspondingly cover an extremely varied field of study ranging from military law and military management to military psychology all the way to more traditional …

Modernizing Military Education In Kosovo: From Theory To Practice Through Innovation And Technology, Linda Ziberi, Dardan Syla

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This paper examines the need for Kosovo's Military Academy (KMA) to modernize its education system, particularly its necessity to transition from a theory-based methodology to more modern and innovative teaching and training approaches that incorporate advanced technology. Despite ongoing institutional development, the Kosovo Military Academy continues to rely on traditional teaching methods, which limits its capacity to prepare cadets for the demands of modern military operations. Barriers such as limited funding, outdated infrastructure, and resistance to pedagogical change further complicate efforts to modernize.

To address these challenges, the paper advocates for the adoption of modern, learner-centered strategies, including Simulation and …

What Is The Point Of Reading War Literature In The Military Academy: Reflection Of Contemporary Warfare Through The Siege Motif In Serhiy Zhadan’S How Fire Descends: New And Selected Poems, Dong-Ha Seo

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This study argues that war poetry, when critically read in military education, enables cadets to engage with the ethical, psychological, and human dimensions of war. Rather than serving as propaganda or glorification of battle, war poetry voices the unspoken suffering of soldiers and civilians and preserves the memory of trauma. Drawing on Nil Santiáñez’s recent work on the symbiosis between war and language, this article situates war writing as a space where questions of knowledge, ethics, and survival are inevitably confronted. In particular, the works of Serhiy Zhadan and Cho Ji-hoon demonstrate how poetry transforms urban conflict into a record …

The Greatest Victory: Teaching Strategy And Peace Through Negotiation, W. Chad Austin

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This article examines how structured negotiation instruction, centered on the Circle of Value framework, enhances the critical and strategic thinking skills of cadets at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Drawing on experiential learning, role-play simulations, and case studies—such as U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan—the article demonstrates how cadets apply integrative negotiation techniques to real-world geopolitical scenarios. The Circle of Value framework emphasizes interest-based negotiation, objective criteria, creative option generation, and the development of mutually beneficial outcomes. Through written analysis, live negotiation exercises, and reflective feedback, cadets build key competencies in communication, decision-making under pressure, and conflict resolution. The paper …

Language Alignment And Career Outcomes In International Military Education: A Study Of United States Military Academy Graduates, Erin Lemons

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

Host country/sending country language alignment is an understudied topic within the field of international military education. While individual-level language barriers are recognized, this study asks how national-level language proficiency levels can influence international military graduates’ retention. International cadets from countries with lower proficiency in the host nation’s language may be selected primarily for their language skills rather than their military potential. Moreover, the acquisition of the host nation’s language and culture during international cadets’ studies may increase the attractiveness of private-sector opportunities upon their return home. At the same time, countries with lower proficiency levels in the host language may …

In Extremis: An International Perspective On Military Leadership Training In Extreme Situations, Sarah Von Felten

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This comparative study explores how military leadership is developed and executed in extreme situations across diverse national contexts, including Switzerland, South Africa, India, Israel, and Canada. Each country adapts its leadership training and doctrine based on historical experiences, operational demands, and institutional culture. While some militaries, like Canada, emphasize values-based leadership aligned with democratic principles, others, such as India, prioritize cultural ethos and leading by example. Conscription-based systems like Israel’s and Switzerland`s rely heavily on early, experiential leadership, while professional forces like South Africa focus on psychological resilience and adaptability. Training approaches range from academic and doctrinal frameworks to immersive, …

Editor's Note, Leandrit Mehmeti

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This special issue of the Journal of Peace, Conflict and Security Studies (JPCSS) originates from the International Symposium of Military Academies (ISOMA) 2025, held in Prishtina, Kosovo, on November 11–13, 2025 and hosted by the Kosovo Defense Academy (KDA). The symposium convened scholars, military educators, policymakers, and practitioners from across the world to examine how military education can effectively adapt to the emerging demands and complexities of the twenty-first century. The overarching theme,“Adapting Military Education for 21st Century Challenges: Innovations in Teaching and Learning for Global Security”, encapsulates the necessity for transformation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and technological integration within modern defense …

The Ivmf Digital Library: Informational One-Pager, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University, Syracuse University Libraries

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This informational one-pager provides a brief explanation about the IVMF Digital Library, particularly for Syracuse University associated researchers, professors, students and other community members, especially focused on how they can use or contribute to the library.

Junior-Level Women Experiences Influencing Their Departure From The U.S. Coast Guard, Jill Lynn Lazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite increasing attention to public service motivation (PSM) in organizational research, there is a notable absence of studies examining the experiences of women in military contexts, particularly within the United States Coast Guard (USCG). This generic qualitative study, grounded in PSM theory, explored why junior-level women in the USCG prematurely exited military service. While existing research on PSM and women is limited and none specifically focused on women in the USCG, this study addressed that gap by interviewing 16 junior-level women who had separated from the USCG between four and eight years prior. The purpose of the study was to …

Building Oregon's Statewide Multimodal Transportation Inventory With Ai And Interagency Collaboration, Ben Stabler, Theresa Conley

PSU Transportation Seminars

ODOT and 48+ local agencies are collaborating on the development of a multimodal data set for transportation planning within metropolitan areas. Revisions to Oregon's Transportation Planning Rules (TPR) set in motion the need for more multimodal data and analysis in local plans. The multimodal data inventory includes vehicle and freight facilities, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transit facilities, and other relevant data such as key destinations and crashes. Starting from the local agency GIS systems and supplemented with real world use of AI for developing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the team is defining and constructing a shared statewide multimodal data set. …

Wired Differently, Working Brilliantly: Understanding And Supporting Adhd & Audhd Employees, April Miller, Katherine Loving

Faculty Articles & Research

This paper explores the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals—particularly those diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as the overlapping condition often referred to as AuDHD—in both clinical and workplace settings. It begins by examining diagnostic criteria, comorbidities, and the evolving understanding of ADHD and ASD as intersecting neurodevelopmental conditions. The paper then highlights common cognitive, emotional, and sensory challenges, including time blindness, neurodivergent paralysis, masking, overstimulation, executive dysfunction, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and auditory processing disorder (APD).

Despite these challenges, many neurodivergent individuals possess exceptional strengths such as creativity, adaptability, rapid …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The National Professional Development Policies And Mathematics Performance In Guyana, Nicola Marcia Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Ministry of Education in Guyana has focused on improving primary students’ performance in mathematics; however, low student performance persists. The problem addressed in this study was the limited understanding of how Guyanese primary teachers used the national professional development policies (NPDP) to address the low performance of students on the Math National Grade 6 Assessment (MNGSA). Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Senge’s systems thinking theory, the purpose of this study was to explore Guyanese primary teachers’ perceptions of their successes and challenges using the NPDP to address the low performance of students on the MNGSA. For this …

Regulatory Reform For Agentic Ai: Addressing Governance Challenges In Federal Ai Adoption, Satyadhar Joshi

Harrisburg University Other Works

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making, has exposed significant gaps in existing federal regulatory frameworks. This paper examines the regulatory barriers inhibiting AI innovation and adoption identified in the Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) Request for Information (RFI) on regulatory reform. We analyze five categories of barriers—regulatory mismatches, structural incompatibility, lack of clarity, direct hindrance, and organizational factors—and propose a comprehensive governance framework integrating technical standards, risk management protocols, and policy recommendations. Drawing from extensive literature on AI governance tools and frameworks, we present actionable solutions for modernizing federal …

Americans' Top Concerns Reflect Both Common Ground And Partisan Splits: Economy Unites, But Policy And Politics Divide, Hwayong Shin

Weidenbaum Center Survey (WCS) Reports

Over the past two years, Americans have lived through several political shocks—both at home and abroad. In 2023, the removal of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Supreme Court’s reversal on affirmative action, the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war, and Donald Trump’s multiple indictments shook the political landscape. In 2024, Americans faced a series of events surrounding the presidential election—Trump’s conviction on felony charges, the Supreme Court’s subsequent ruling granting him presidential immunity, Joe Biden’s faltering debate performance that led to his withdrawal and Kamala Harris’s nomination, and Trump’s return to the White House. Since the new administration took office in …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Literacies Of Resistance: How Florida Teachers Story Policy Navigation And Response, Katharine E. Hull

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are inundated with education legislation and the policy texts and discourses that surround them. Over nine months beginning in March 2024, I collaborated with three Florida P-12 teachers to explore their literacy practices and stories as they engaged with policy in a state that has recently passed an astounding amount of education legislation. This study explored how (1) teachers story the current policy context and their roles within it; (2) teachers use literacy practices to understand and respond to P/policies that impact their labor/working lives; and (3) teachers’ literate identities, agency, and collectivity intersect and shape one another. Guided …

Public School Districts Should Close Their “Alternative” And “Continuation” High Schools, Sean J. Drake

Center for Policy Research

Public school districts across the country funnel academically struggling students into "alternative" or "continuation" high schools designed to help them catch up on credits and graduate on time. However, these schools often reproduce more inequality than they alleviate. This brief summarizes findings from a two-year ethnographic case study of an alternative high school in suburban Los Angeles, California. The author finds that these schools offer limited curricula and no extracurricular opportunities, while Black, Latino, and low-income students are vastly overrepresented compared to district averages. Students transferred to alternative schools are also more likely to drop out than low-performing peers who …

The Perceptions Of Foster Care Alumni Who Are Recipients Of Pandemic Aid, Ashley Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened challenges for young adults transitioning from foster care to independence. Research shows that foster care alumni faced barriers in education, employment, housing, and health due to limited support networks. Yet, little is known about how emergency policies, such as the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021, affected them. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of foster care alumni who received financial aid through the Act. The research question: What were the experiences and perceptions of foster care alumni (aged 18-26) who received funds via the CAA of 2021 during …

Advancing Children's Mental Health In Nevada, Kelliann Beavers, Christopher Kearney

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada ranks 51st nationally in youth mental health access and services, underscoring persistent shortages and disparities across the state. Nearly one in four youths aged 12–17 (23.5%) experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, and 73% did not receive treatment. Approximately 34,000 Nevada youths have reported suicidal thoughts—an urgent call for prevention and coordinated support.

During the 2024–2025 school year, 31.3% of Clark County School District students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), a challenge closely linked to mental health struggles and socioeconomic barriers.

This community forum provided an opportunity to generate dialogue and …

2025 Point In Time Count Findings -- Summary Report: Count Of People Experiencing Homelessness In Clackamas, Multnomah, And Washington Counties, Oregon, Marisa Zapata, Carolyn Niehaus, Franklin H. Spurbeck, Minji Cho

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires continuums of care (CoC) across the country to routinely count people experiencing homelessness. This count, called the Point in Time Count (PITC), enumerates the number and characteristics of people who are experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. As a result, the count provides a snapshot of homelessness within a CoC. In the Portland metropolitan region, Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties administer their respective CoCs. These, referred to as the tri-counties in this report, are responsible for submitting PITC data every year.

The PITC is a survey of people …

Experts’ Validation Of The Fundamental Cybersecurity Competency Index (Fcci) Using A Commercial Cyber Range Through Human-Generative Artificial Intelligence (Genai) Teaming, Dariusz Witko, Yair Levy, Catherine Neubauer, Greg Simco, Laurie P. Dringus, Melissa Carlton

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The increasing volume of cyber threats, combined with a critical shortage of skilled professionals and rising burnout among practitioners, highlights the urgent need for innovative solutions in cybersecurity operations. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) offers promising potential to augment human analysts in cybersecurity, but its integration requires rigorous validation of the fundamental competencies that enable effective collaboration of human-GenAI teams. This research study employed a mixed-methods research project designed to evaluate human-GenAI teams, emphasizing the role of expert consensus in shaping the experimental assessment of the Fundamental Cybersecurity Competency Index (FCCI) in a commercial cyber range. We engaged 20 Subject Matter …

Addressing Firefighter Concerns: Unraveling The Complexities Of Bushfire Smoke Composition And Toxicity, Maximilien Desservettaz, Kiam Padamsey, Arielle Milkman, Brendan Mott, Frances Ehrlich, Jefferey Burgess, Clare Paton-Walsh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Bushfire smoke is a complex mixture of hazardous substances. Inhalation poses acute and chronic health risks to firefighters, including respiratory and cardiovascular effects and potential risk for certain cancers. Aims: This paper addresses specific questions from Australian firefighters (via a Fulbright report based on extensive interviews) regarding bushfire smoke. It provides an overview of current understanding and evidence-based recommendations for minimizing exposure and mitigating health risks. Methods: A review of scientific literature and relevant organizational reports and standards was undertaken to search for evidence to answer the questions raised by Australian bushfire firefighters regarding bushfire smoke exposure and related …

Competing Societal Objectives In Epidemic Mitigation: A Modeling Study Of Covid-19 In The Philippines, Rob Johnson, Rolly Czar Joseph T. Castillo, Cymon Kayle Lubangco, Timothy Robin Teng, Mark Tolentino, Christian Morgenstern, Patrick Doohan, David Haw, Giovanni Forchini, Elvira De Lara-Tuprio, Joselito T. Sescon, Katharina Hauck

Economics Department Faculty Publications

School closures and suspension of non-essential economic activities are highly effective respiratory-pandemic mitigation strategies because they effectively interrupt disease transmission. However, they come with high societal costs. Most of these costs are borne by workers who lose their income, especially those who are not supported by welfare benefits, and students whose future income depends on their education. In countries where many households live close to the poverty line, closures should be designed to minimize impacts on the most vulnerable. The objective of this study is to learn and compare policy responses that minimize the number of people that fall below …

Measuring Student Growth To Support Organizational Learning Using The Academic Progress Indicator (Api): An Evaluation Of Chicago Public Schools’ New Student Progress Metric, Benjamin Boer

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

A report on early implementation of the Academic Progress Indicator (API), a student progress measure developed by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as part of its new Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency (CIDT) system. The API represents a significant step forward in how schools and communities can use data to understand and support student learning.

Broadening Workforce Participation In Transportation: Challenges And Strategies, Jodi Godfrey, Stephanie Ivey

Mineta Transportation Institute

Attracting and retaining a diverse, skilled workforce remains one of the most pressing challenges in the transportation industry. A new MTI-led California State University Transportation Consortium report examines why workforce participation gaps persist and identifies practical strategies organizations can implement to address them. Drawing on an extensive literature review, a nationwide industry survey with 996 respondents, and in-depth interviews with 15 transportation professionals, the study highlights both the barriers and the solutions to workforce participation. The findings emphasize that open dialogue, intentional investment, and inclusive workplace policies can help transform industry culture, making transportation careers more appealing to a broader …

Information Strategies In The Electric Vehicles Battery Reverse Supply Chain With Blockchain Technology, Tianqin Shi, Yanting Huang

Mineta Transportation Institute

The surge in demand for electric vehicles (EV) and EV batteries, coupled with supply chain vulnerabilities and price instability, has driven the need for efficient and sustainable EV battery recycling processes. This report investigates the potential of blockchain technology to address the challenges in the EV battery reverse supply chain (moving goods from the end customer back towards the manufacturer), focusing on enhancing transparency and coordination, as well as mitigating the impact of unregulated recycling. Key stakeholders in this analysis include manufacturers, recyclers, and regulatory bodies. To achieve these objectives, the study employs a mixed-methods approach. It includes semi-structured interviews …

Smart City Development, Orlando Woods, Liyana Doneva

Asian Management Insights

Why does it matter for Southeast Asia?

Delivering Urban Transformation For The Individual, Havovi Joshi

Asian Management Insights

The call for urban transformation has never been more pressing.

A New View Of Formal Equality And A Case For Predistribution, Alex Raskolnikov

Faculty Scholarship

A long-held egalitarian view is that formal equality — the absence of formal legal distinctions based on the material resources of individuals — is regressive. If legal rules are the same for the rich and the poor, the rich benefit and the poor suffer. This Essay argues that this view is mistaken. Far from being synonymous with laissez-faire, a commitment to formal equality provides a counterweight to the key neoliberal maxim that regulation of the market economy should focus on efficiency alone. Moreover, a new view of formal equality offered here reveals a key advantage of predistribution over redistribution: Explicit …