Digital Commons Network^™

Distribution, Roles And Environmental Drivers Of Bacterial Communities In The Chesapeake And Delaware Bays, Mir Alvee Ahmed

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, water samples from the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay estuaries were analyzed to see how estuarine environmental gradients drive distributions, functional potential, growth estimates and gene expressions of bacteria. To answer this, the abundant and versatile taxa– Rhodobacterales and Actinobacteriota, along with broader particle-attached (PA) vs. free-living (FL) bacterial assemblages of these Bays were analyzed using a multifaceted ‘omics approach.

The PA fraction, differing from the FL in taxonomy, distribution, functional potential and estimated growth rates across salinities, and bays harbored genes degrading complex aggregates, and surface attachment. The FL counterpart presented genes involved in nutrient uptake …

Factors Influencing Swift Fox Reintroduction Success To Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana, Dana Nelson

All Dissertations

Reintroductions are an important conservation tool for reestablishing wildlife populations, and studying the factors influencing reintroduction outcomes is important to improving success rates over time. Swift fox are a small canid native to the short- and mixed grass prairies of western North America that have experienced severe population declines due to habitat loss and poisoning in the late 1800s. While swift fox now occupy approximately 40% of their historic range, reintroduction to northern Montana may promote the species’ long-term persistence, encourage connectivity in an existing range gap, and return species to areas where it is culturally significant. We studied the …

A Convergent Mixed Methods Study Of The Social Studies Academy In South Carolina Middle Schools, Audie Cherry

All Dissertations

There is a global labor shortage in the agricultural industry and middle school is a critical time to get students serious about career decision making. The Studies of Occupations, Culture, and Innovations toward Agricultural Literacy (SOCIAL) Studies Academy is a high impact professional development program in South Carolina that provides experiences and for middle school social studies teachers (N = 12) to become more suited to teach their standards associated with the agricultural sciences with hopes of encouraging more students to pursue agricultural careers. This study was a mixed-methods convergent parallel design that examined 1) Academy Fellows (n = 4) …

Livestock Poultry Health Committee Minutes, Clemson University Board Of Trustees, 2025 July 8, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Capturing The Benefits Of Partnering With Undergraduate Student Researchers To Conduct Interdisciplinary Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning (Sotl) Research, Becky Tugman, Julia Sherry, Claire Dancz, Jim Strickland

Land-Grant Press — Teaching Section

This publication explores the benefits of engaging undergraduate students as full partners in an interdisciplinary Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research project. The interdisciplinary project provided valuable hands-on learning opportunities by involving students in every research phase—from design to data analysis. The collaboration enriched students' academic and professional skills and offered faculty valuable insights, underscoring the powerful impact of student-faculty partnerships in advancing research capabilities and shaping future pedagogical strategies.

Newgarth Revisited: Using Fuller’S Framework To Examine Two Modern Theories Of Statutory Interpretation, Gwyneth Millican

Honors College Theses

Published in 1949, Lon L. Fuller’s The Case of the Speluncean Explorers is widely renowned as a “classic in jurisprudence” for its artful presentation of different legal philosophies, such as natural law and positivist law.¹ In this paper, I revisit Professor Fuller’s Newgarth in order to examine a similar relationship between two popular theories of constitutional and statutory interpretation: originalism and pragmatism.² Drawing from Professor Fuller’s framework, I use fictional opinions to highlight the ways in which originalism and pragmatism can both be used to fall on either side of the opinion. I also place these opinions within …

Clemson Commencement Program, May 2025, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

A First-Generation 4-H Youth Member Intervention Framework To Support Members To Enter, Engage, And Persist In The Program, Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Nicholas A. A Morris

Journal of Youth Development

The First-Generation 4-H Youth Member (FG4-HYM) Intervention Framework is an organizational management perspective for preparing 4-H youth programs that supports the welcoming of youth and families that have no previous experience with the organization. Using the Bronfenbrenner ecological model, we explore the multiple layers of 4-H program management that support the participation of FG4-HYM in the 4-H club program. This framework provides a tool for 4-H professionals to use when assessing their program’s readiness to provide high-quality programming to all audiences, regardless of their families’ previous experience with the organization. This framework represents the foundational requirements that an organization must …

A Review On Treatment, Prevention, And Research Of Worldwide Parasitic Disease: Toxoplasmosis, Hannah Skinner

All Theses

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide, yet often overlooked, parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite is capable of infecting humans and almost all warm-blooded vertebrates. Over a million people are infected in the United States with toxoplasmosis each year. Most infections are asymptomatic but severe cases can lead to vision impairment, neurological disorders, and congenital birth defects. T. gondii is transmitted through undercooked meat, infected feline feces, or contaminated water and soil. The burden of T. gondii infection is most notable in livestock, felines, and immunocompromised humans. Despite being a widespread disease, toxoplasmosis is neglected in …

Exploring Antimicrobial Performance And Compostability Of A Pectin-Based Film, Jessica Hardiman

All Theses

Packaging is considered one of the most important parts of the food supply chain. Packaging affects many aspects of the food product, such as acceptability, safety, nutritional quality, and it also provides a means of communication with the consumer. Although many people are aware of the great benefits packaging provides to the food sector, fewer think about the repercussions that occur from the waste that is generated from packaging, or the waste from the food inside the package. There is little research done on the development of compostable and antimicrobial packaging, which could reduce plastic and improve food safety. In …

3d Bioprinting Of Hydrogel Scaffold Skin Equivalents For Cosmetic And Drug Testing, Allison Reno

All Dissertations

Tissue engineering scaffolds are a crucial element of generating larger 3D tissue equivalents for modeling and clinical grafting. Currently, much of scaffold technology has not been significantly updated since the introduction of manually pipetted hydrogels and electrospun fiber scaffolds. Both of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but neither utilize emerging biofabrication techniques such as advanced 3D bioprinting and plotting. In addition to more precision in the outer geometries of the scaffold, the use of bioprinting also introduces the ability to shape hydrogels into very intricate porous inner patterns within the outer geometries. This allows for the design of …

Untethered And Unraveled: Isolated Motherhood In The Liminal Stage, Ashton K. Wronikowski

All Theses

In examining Kate Chopin’s The Awakening alongside anthropologic theories of liminality, this paper examines the becoming women traverse as they transition between various social roles: girl, woman, mother. Edna is a maternal character attempting to unweave herself from her roles as mother and wife, and she finds this desire to go backwards to the freedom she experienced as a girl is proven to be impossible. The unmooring of her psyche and her subsequent suicide is indicative of a failure, not of her own accord, but in the social preparation and support she receives within her new identity. Social anthropologists further …

Commodification And Objectification Of The Black Male Athlete In The Nfl, Jalen A. Terrell

All Theses

The black male body has often been viewed as a commodity in Western culture since the commodification of the black male body in the historical slave auction. Albeit slave owning ended in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until 1946 that the National Football League (NFL) became integrated, and the commodification of black bodies became prevalent once again. As such, this study looks to understand how the X population from the data set for this study demonstrates the commodification of the black male body, the general discourse around the black and white male athletes, and explores the language …

Unspoken Bonds, Atharva Tilwankar

All Theses

This thesis explores the art of non-verbal storytelling through 3D animation, focusing on a short narrative about the blossoming friendship between a young boy and girl. The story revolves around a boy who uses magical elements to attract the attention of a girl absorbed in her book, set in a simple environment featuring a single bench.

This project examines the unique challenges and opportunities presented by “Unspoken” 3D animation. It delves into the techniques of creating expressive characters and a compelling narrative arc without relying on spoken language. The study also explores how body language, facial expressions, posing, and composition …

Assessing Student Satisfaction Using Courses Generated By Artificial Intelligence, Althaf Hussain Kallamadugu

All Theses

This research explores the effectiveness of using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated voice-over presentations as an alternative to traditional human-narrated lectures in online education. The study focuses on students preparing for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 exam for Commercial small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUASs). By comparing AI-generated lectures with human-narrated content, the research aims to assess the impact of AI on student satisfaction, engagement, and performance. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis of exam scores and survey data with qualitative insights from student interviews. The methodology includes the creation of AI-generated voice-over presentations, survey distribution to both control …

Biodegradable Active Packaging: Exploring The Antimicrobial Efficacy And Compostability Of Chitosan-Based Films, Rachel Mchugh

All Theses

The overarching purpose of this experiment is to create an active packaging component that has both antimicrobial and biodegradable properties specifically designed for poultry food products. For the scope of this study, the packaging component created would theoretically be used in conjunction with another material, such as a poultry tray which are commonly used for fresh poultry products. Based on the scope and purpose of this experiment, biopolymer films and coatings were considered after the initial literature review. Due to the goals of the packaging component, chitosan, a polysaccharide shown to have antimicrobial properties and an inherent ability to biodegrade, …

Deliverance, Beth Odum Walker

All Theses

My work explores quilting as a vessel for storytelling, honoring the tradition of women’s craft while examining the intersection of personal and generational history. By repurposing fabric imbued with past lives and memories, I construct pieces that embody both the resilience and fragility of the individuals in my family, capturing their struggles, aspirations, and constraints. Through abstraction, material manipulation, and narrative layering, my quilts function as both historical records and contemporary reflections, bridging the past and present through the tactile language of textile art. In describing a quilt as an object, I am including all material, patterning, orientation, scale, and …

The Rise And Fall Of The Contagious Diseases Acts: An Examination Of The Legislative Influences, Medical Discourse And Repeal Arguments, Elizabeth Henderson

All Theses

The Contagious Diseases Acts (CDA) were the most important legislative intervention concerning sexuality in the nineteenth century. The CDA was a public health measure passed to address the spread of venereal disease amongst the British Army and Navy, and targeted Britain's most vulnerable women – sex workers – because they were blamed for being the presumed cause and primary mode of spreading venereal disease. This resulted in the legalization of what critics of the CDA would call surgical assault, or instrumental rape, of working-class women suspected of being sex workers. Historians who study sexuality and sex work in Britain have …

Don’T Be A Big Baby: Phenotypic Novelty In The Facultative Paedomorph Ambystoma Talpoideum., Andrew S. Kanes

All Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between heterokairy and the skin microbiota of amphibians, specifically focusing on the facultatively paedomorphic salamander, Ambystoma talpoideum. Heterokairy refers to variations in developmental timing that generate phenotypic novelty within life stages. The first chapter investigates how reordering metamorphosis relative to sexual maturation affects the skin microbiota in this species. By sampling different life stages—larval, paedomorphic, and metamorphic—results show the emergence of novel microbial combinations, resulting from both microbial gain and loss in the heterokairic paedomorphic stage. These findings suggest that changes in microbial communities may lead to phenotypic novelty and have broader eco-evolutionary implications. …

Tradespace Exploration With Statistical Modeling Techniques And Immersive Visual Representation In Virtual Environments, Nikhil Raj

All Theses

Statistical modeling techniques combined with virtual reality (VR) visualization offer powerful new approaches to tradespace exploration in engineering design. The research presented addresses the challenge of analyzing and communicating insights from complex multidimensional datasets, particularly for autonomous ground vehicle systems.

Beginning with a review of statistical methods—including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis—the study examines their applications in tradespace exploration. Building on this foundation, three distinct visualization pathways connecting MATLAB data to virtual environments are developed and evaluated: VRML representation, STL conversion, and Blender integration. Each approach is assessed for its ability to maintain data …

Novel Methods For Assessing And Prioritizing Road-Stream Crossings For Aquatic Organism Passage, Lesley E. Twiner

All Theses

Anthropogenic barriers such as dams and culverts have led to riverine habitat fragmentation and decreased fish diversity worldwide. Low-head structures such as culverts are far more abundant than large dams and may have a larger cumulative impact on river connectivity. Many efforts to inventory road crossing barriers and prioritize removal and restoration efforts do not consider temporal variation in flow. We used cameras to gain continuous water level monitoring data to quantify the relationship between precipitation events and outlet drop height. In the spring of 2024, we selected 25 culvert sites in upstate South Carolina and set up cameras to …

Assessing The Viability Of A Proposed Third-Party Reusable Foodware System: An Environmental And Economic Comparison, Margaret Milani

All Theses

The United States generates 73 million tons of plastic waste annually, with over 6% attributed to the restaurant industry. The EPA recommends that restaurants reduce their plastic waste by transitioning to reusable foodware items. Previous studies have shown that using a single reusable foodware item, such as a cup, can result in lower environmental impacts and greater economic benefits compared to single-use plastic alternatives. However, the upfront costs of purchasing reusables, commercial dishwashers, and other associated expenses remain significant barriers for restaurants, leading many to continue using single-use plastic foodware. This study aims to analyze and compare the environmental impacts …

Healthy Dietary Patterns’ Impact On Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Angela Encardone

All Theses

As the search for innovative mental health treatments expands, dietary interventions have emerged as a promising approach for alleviating depressive symptoms. This thesis presents a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of whole-of-diet nutritional interventions in reducing depression symptoms among adults. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model and Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model, this study explores the intersection of biological, psychological, and social factors that influence mental health outcomes. A systematic review identified six eligible RCTs assessing the impact of healthy dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean diet and other plant-based interventions, on depression symptoms. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed a significant …

Effects Of Common Herbicides On Organismal Interactions, Robert Chamberlin

All Theses

Pesticides are applied to agricultural lands to prevent undesirable weeds, animal pests, and fungi from harming crops and reducing crop yields. Pesticides are used in croplands at increasing rates around the world and have become an essential component of farming in recent decades. Often, rain, wind, and soil permeation move pesticides from farmlands to natural environments. Such contamination of natural environments by pesticides may threaten species by altering their behaviors, bodily functions, and the ways in which individuals interact. Atrazine and glyphosate are among the most widely used herbicides around the world and are useful in eliminating weeds, primarily in …

Behavior Change: Actions To Restore Piedmont Prairie And Adopt Sustainable Behavior, Kacey Marie Kaibery

All Theses

Restoration of an ecosystem or adoption of sustainable behavior could benefit the environment. Valuable ecosystem services, like water filtration and habitat for pollinators, inspire investigation into the restoration of grasslands, like Piedmont prairies. This research endeavors to determine the impact of disturbance type (tilling, herbicide, mowing, fire, control with seed or no seed). The second-year aboveground biomass was harvested, identified, counted, and weighed to understand plant species’ response after the application of the disturbance. Target species and plant community diversity did not significantly vary between disturbance types. Planting methods (hand dispersal, drill, one-month and six-month transplanting) on Asclepias tuberosa establishment …

Advancing Efficiency Of Unstructured Mesh Processing With Localized Data Structures, Guoxi Liu

All Dissertations

Unstructured meshes are widely used to represent complex shapes and data in visualization tasks, such as medical imaging, engineering design, and geometric modeling. However, their unevenly distributed elements make them memory-intensive and time-consuming to process, especially as mesh sizes grow. This research focuses on improving the efficiency of processing large unstructured meshes by reducing memory usage and speeding up computations. This doctoral dissertation introduces three methods to address these challenges. The first approach divides the mesh into smaller partitions and processes it piece-by-piece, reducing memory requirements by up to 10 times. The second approach uses the processor's parallel computing capabilities …

Maximizing Crop Production And Profitability Through Double Cropping Corn And Soybean Systems In South Carolina, Bennett Harrelson

All Dissertations

Profitability is critical for farm sustainability, efficiency, and longevity. Over the last decade, corn and soybean commodity prices have fluctuated considerably, and more recently, extreme increases in input prices have narrowed profit margins. Non-traditional cropping systems that can boost profit are becoming of interest to farmers in South Carolina, specifically double cropping soybean behind corn. In this scenario, corn is harvested at high moisture contents and followed by ultra-late planted soybean. However, prior research related to the agronomic production practices of double cropping corn and soybean is minimal. To develop best management practices for growers interested in double cropping corn …

Deciphering And Translating Bioinspired Structures For Engineering Materials Design Via Computational Modeling And Machine Learning, Zhangke Yang

All Dissertations

Nature has evolved extraordinary structural materials—such as nacre, bone, and the mantis shrimp’s dactyl club—that achieve remarkable combinations of strength, toughness, and impact resistance. These properties arise from sophisticated synergies between structure and composition. Inspired by these biological systems, this dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation into bioinspired materials, uncovering fundamental mechanisms and providing guidance on designing materials with superior mechanical properties.

This dissertation begins by examining the "brick-and-mortar" structure of nacre, which informs the design of layered polymer-graphene nanocomposite films. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, I elucidate mechanisms of dynamic wave propagation and energy dissipation in these systems, providing critical …

Course Insight Portfolio: Math 1060 Calculus Of One Variable I, Julianne Barnhart, Rayna Elizabeth Maleki, Antsa Rakotondrafara

Publications

We presented this Course Insight Portfolio project as a final assignment for the class Teaching Undergraduate Math MATH 9700 in Summer 2025. It covers the Clemson class MATH 1060 Calculus of One Variable I and is a fruit of the collaborative work of Julianne Barnhart, Rayna Maleki, and Antsa Rakotondrafara.

Beyond Just The Negros’ Art: Langston Hughes And The Poetic Renewal Of Black Musical Tradition, Samuel Adewumi

All Theses

Where do we begin the study of Black music in America? Is there even a beginning to it? As a poet, how does Langston Hughes contribute to its continuance during the Harlem Renaissance? These are some of the questions that shape the trajectory of this research. In it, I set a precedent for African orature in future studies of Black music in America. Essentially, I trace the survival of African orature and Langston Hughes’s role in the sustenance and utility of its style and themes in the early 20th century. Through it, I argue that Hughes’s poetry serves not as …