Digital Commons Network^™

Feminist Pragmatism In The Nonprofit Sector, Elise Lael Kieffer

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Many nonprofit organizations are founded with passion and energy, rather than with expertise. Meanwhile, theorists and researchers write about that sector with distance from the day-to-day practice. This article relies on the analogy of a bicycle wheel to understand the inter-workings of the nonprofit sector, as a whole. The analogy is understood and interpreted through the philosophical lens of Feminist Pragmatism and aims to begin a conversation among and between nonprofit researchers, practitioners, educators, and recipients of services. When all are in communion, the wheel functions perfectly.

Poly(Propylene Glycol)-Based Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Ionenes: Thermal, Morphological And Conductive Properties, Jordan C. Pierce, George M. Timmermann, Creston Singer, David Salas-De La Cruz, Kevin Miller

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The synthesis and characterization of a series of polyurethane ionenes using a non-isocyanate approach is disclosed. Imidazole-capped, urethane-containing prepolymers are prepared by first reacting carbonyl diimidazole (CDI) with several poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) diols with variable molecular weight, followed by subsequent reaction with 3-aminopropylimidazole (API). Polymerization with 1,4-dibromomethylbenzene followed by anion exchange resulted in the desired polyurethane ionenes bearing the [NTf2] counteranion as a series of viscous liquids. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy are used to characterize the intermediates and final ionenes, including molecular weight determination by end-group analysis. A single glass transition temperature (Tg), as determined by differential scanning …

Multi-Species Host Use By The Parasitoid Fly Ormia Lineifrons, Kyle J. Rogers, Oliver M. Beckers

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Antagonistic species relationships such as parasitoid/host interactions lead to evolutionary arms races between species. Many parasitoids use more than one host species, requiring the parasitoid to adapt to multiple hosts, sometimes being the leader or the follower in the evolutionary back-and-forth between species. Thus, multi-species interactions are dynamic and show temporary evolutionary outcomes at a given point in time. We investigated the interactions of the multivoltine parasitoid fly Ormia lineifrons that uses different katydid hosts for each of its fly generations sequentially over time. We hypothesized that this fly is adapted to utilizing all hosts equally well for the population …

Science Of Hemp: Production And Pest Management Meeting Proceedings (2022)

Science of Hemp Annual Meeting

The third meeting of the Science of Hemp: Production and Pest Management held on November 3-4, 2022 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. Ninety-two agricultural scientists attended a series of scientific presentations. Topics included discipline-specific presentations in agronomy, entomology, horticulture, economics, and plant pathology, as well as general sessions. The abstracts for presentations and posters are included within this publication.

Science Of Hemp: Production And Pest Management Meeting Proceedings (2021)

Science of Hemp Annual Meeting

The second meeting of the Science of Hemp: Production and Pest Management was held in 2021 as a virtual meeting. The 2021 virtual meeting was hosted by Auburn University and took place on November 19th, 2021. One hundred twenty-nine participants joined online for scientific presentations, breakout sessions, workshops, and poster and oral student competitions. Attendees presented 41 oral talks, 13 posters, 8 workshops, and 3 Lunch and Learns. The abstracts for presentations and posters are included within this publication.

Science Of Hemp: Production And Pest Management Meeting Proceedings (2019)

Science of Hemp Annual Meeting

The first annual meeting of the Science of Hemp: Production and Pest Management was held on October 10-11, 2019 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. Ninety-two agricultural scientists attended a series of scientific presentations, breakout sessions, and discussion panels. Attendees presented 33 oral talks, 19 posters, one grower panel, and one outreach/education panel. Topics included discipline-specific presentations in agronomy, entomology, horticulture, and plant pathology, while general session topics included regulatory, pesticides, and economics. The abstracts for presentations and posters are included within this publication.

2023-08-25, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2023-08-24, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2023-08-07, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Beyond Certification: Innovative Strategies To Tackle The Teacher Shortage, Abbigail Lp Morris

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This article challenges educational leaders to look beyond alternative routes for teaching certification and more towards an increased collaboration between districts and universities to help alleviate the teacher shortage issue in Kentucky. It specifically highlights the works of Omaha Public School District and the University of Nebraska Omaha as a model for proactive teacher pipeline.

Evaluating The Impact Of Brief Electronic Professional Development On Emotional Intelligence And Burnout Among In-Service Educators, Michelle Fast, Steve Mccallum, Gini Mcclurg, Jiaju Wu

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

To evaluate the impact of an intervention to improve emotional intelligence (EI) and reduce burnout in educators, 48 in-service educators were randomly assigned to a control or experimental group and administered the Scales of Emotional Functioning: Educators (SEF:ED; McCallum et al., 2019) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educators Survey (Maslach et al., 2016) before and after intervention. The control group served as a waiting control and completed these instruments again after receiving the intervention. No statistically significant interaction effects from pre to post-test occurred for the SEF: ED Total EI score. A significant main effect did occur between the …

2023-06-02, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Determination And Comparison Of Freely Dissolved Pahs Using Different Types Of Passive Samplers In Freshwater, Na Yeong Kim, Bommanna G. Loganathan, Gi Beum Kim

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well-known for their recalcitrant properties and biotoxicity in organisms, leading to serious environmental and health problems. Despite various analytical methods available, accurate determination of the bioavailable fraction is warranted in order to evaluate the precise toxic potentials of these compounds. Currently, the passive sampler is used worldwide to measure the bioavailable PAHs in the environment using the equilibrium partitioning principle. In this study, we co-deployed different types of passive samplers, which are linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), to determine freely dissolved concentrations (Cfree) of PAHs using the performance reference compounds (PRCs) in …

Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis Of Mutation In Pam-1 Of Model Organism Caenorhabditis Elegans., Jessica Stein, Jessica Stein

Honors College Theses

The pam-1 gene in the model roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans governs meiotic exit and establishment of cellular polarity in the single-celled C. elegans embryo. Mutation of the pam-1 gene results in reduced fertility and fecundity in adult C. elegans and disrupts the anatomy of the germinal gonad. The aim of this study is to qualitatively and quantitatively define the changes in the germline cells associated with mutations to the pam-1 gene. Specifically, we examined the stages of germ cell development within the gonads of adult worms, both wild-type and pam-1 compromised, and identified the changes in the length of the mitotic, …

Designing The Power System Of A Robot, Nolan Hays

Honors College Theses

This thesis outlines the acquired skills and knowledge acquired through the course of four years of Murray State University’s School of Engineering. The capstone for students in the department was to team up and complete an interdisciplinary senior design project using skills from various tracks of engineering. For this thesis, there is a greater emphasis on the electrical engineering track. The objective of the project was to build an autonomous robot to complete the various tasks within the scope of the IEEE SoutheastCon 2023 Hardware Competition. The robot was controlled via a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. There were three …

Sensor Updates For Bigheaded Carp-Tracking Autonomous Boat, Jordan Kaufmann

Honors College Theses

Bigheaded carp are an invasive species that overpopulate and compete with the native species of Kentucky Lake as well as many other North American aquatic ecosystems. The movement patterns of Bigheaded carp are being studied nationwide by the United States Geological Survey and multiple universities. These studies ultimately seek to control their spread and reduce or reverse the ecosystem destabilization caused by this invasive species. Such studies are currently conducted manually on Kentucky Lake by graduate students affiliated with the Murray State University (MSU) Biology Department and Hancock Biological Station, and these manual studies are an arduous and time-consuming effort. …

High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas And Small/Community Banks In Rural Areas., Samuel Spencer

Honors College Theses

Drug trafficking is on the rise in America. Drug trafficking brings money laundering, and banks have to combat this with Anti-Money laundering (AML) policies from the Bank Secrecy act. This is combated by the High-Intensity-Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) designation. The designation aims at providing support to local, state, and federal law enforcement to combat drug trafficking in these counties. HIDTA and banks are not connected. Rather I use the HIDTA designation as a proxy to clearly identify counties that have drug trafficking. I specifically focused on small and community banks in rural areas. Small and community banks are disproportionately affected by …

A Review Of The Causes Of Optic Nerve Atrophy And Potential Ways Of Axon Regeneration In The Optic Nerve, Cole Wyatt

Honors College Theses

The optic nerve connects the eye to the lateral geniculate nucleus in the brain and is a key component in the human visual pathway. The optic nerve is made up of the axons of approximately 770,000 to 1.2 million specialized neurons called retinal ganglion cells. Like any other organ and tissue in the body, the optic nerve is susceptible to damage or injury. However, unlike some other organs and tissues, once damaged, the optic nerve cannot regenerate. Individuals with damaged optic nerves are said to have Optic Nerve Atrophy and, as of now, there are no cures or treatment options …

The Opioid Epidemic: How Genetics Play A Role In Addiction And Treatment, Kirsten Houston

Honors College Theses

The opioid epidemic is an issue within the pharmaceutical industry in the United States of America due to prescription and non-prescription substances being made available to the population. Opioids include chemical substances that affect the body and brain through opioid receptors, including the mu, kappa, and delta receptors. These substances are derived and synthesized from the poppy plant. Multiple causes have been linked to opioid abuse disorder, including but not limited to employment, income, housing, nutrition, mental health disorders, and genetics. By gathering information from previous literature, genetics may be the main cause of narcotic analgesic tolerance and abuse. Specific …

The Relationship Between Family Communication Patterns, Conflict Strategies, And The Development/Management Of Eating Disorders, Ana Moyers

Honors College Theses

Eating disorders persist as one of the most prominent psychological and physiological illnesses among young adults and adolescents. Nonetheless, most research in the field focuses on external factors that influence the development of these disorders such (i.e., social media and an idolized body image). There is less research to investigate the role of an individual’s environment, more specifically the family dyad and communication related to such eating disorders. The family unit remains, often, the primary means of socialization for individuals during developing years, thus, this study seeks to expand on how current family communication and family climate contribute to eating …

An Argument For The Utilization Of Amphibian Stress As An Indicator Of Wetland Condition, Andrew W. Sisson

Honors College Theses

Traditional forms of rapid wetland condition assessments focus on foliage health, nutrient enrichment, chemical contamination, and surrounding land usage, often overlooking an evaluation of the animals living in the wetland. More intense assessments include the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) and indices of biotic integrity, which focus on community composition (e.g., diversity and species richness) and abundances. These indices require expertise in species identification and do not provide information about the animal’s fitness. Animal stress physiology, which generally correlates with measures used to quantify animal fitness (e.g., survival, reproduction, and body condition), may provide a complementary rapid assessment method aimed …

Gauging Clientele Knowledge On Alternative Methods Of Payment For Veterinary Services In Relation To Client Satisfaction, Olivia Hritzkowin

Honors College Theses

The following study focuses on the knowledge that veterinary clients possess surrounding alternative methods of payment for veterinary services and its relation to overall client satisfaction, as well as the prevalence of mental health crisis in veterinary professionals as it relates to client satisfaction. An in-depth analysis of online articles and journals was compared to the results of a survey of pet owners and veterinary professionals to obtain results for the study. The results of the analysis of online resources revealed that many pet owners are stressed about paying for veterinary care for their animal and that most are unprepared …

Sex And Environmental Effects On Chemical Signals Of Gryllus Rubens, Marion Davis Creech Iii, Marion Davis Creech Iii

Honors College Theses

Many animals communicate with one another in the context of reproduction, utilizing different modalities. In some cases, more than one modality is used by the sender and receiver. Each modality can provide different sets of information, or function in a different context. Importantly, no matter the modality, the signals should be clearly distinguishable between males and females and need to be reliable even in the face of environmental changes.

In field crickets, there are two major modes of communication. For long-range communication, the males produce acoustic signals to attract females. At short-range, chemical communication involving cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in males …

Hannah Robards Art399 Portfolio, Hannah Robards

Professional Practices (ART 399)

I am primarily a ceramicist that creates sculptural work with terracotta clay. Additionally, fibers play a role in my art and I have been working towards combining these two in an interesting way. Ceramics as a whole interests me because it is a very tactile and malleable art form that has endless opportunities of what can be created with it. I am a person that thoroughly enjoys working with my hands and manipulating the material being used, so clay is an art medium that allows me to explore and experiment with my ideas. In terms of my artistic ideas, I …

Grant Hoffman Professional Practices Art399, Grant Hoffman

Professional Practices (ART 399)

As an artist, my design is heavily inspired by a lifelong passion for creativity and desire to effectively communicate with an audience. My work tends to lean into the realm of swiss design, characterized by simplistic layout and bold san-serif typography. The use of neutral tones and bold hierarchy contribute in building an effective but unique way of communication to the viewer. Oftentimes, my work conveys complex ideas that provoke the viewer to deeper understanding behind a seemingly superficial piece of work. I enjoy exploring the concepts of reliance on technology, false imitation and abstraction within a composition.

I find …

“On Aslan’S Side”: Divine Sovereignty And Evil In The Fiction Of C. S. Lewis, Hannah Dubois

Honors College Theses

This thesis will explore C.S. Lewis’ theology of supernatural providence as depicted in Perelandra, the Silver Chair, and Till We Have Faces. Each novel involves characters who doubt the existence of divine involvement in their life. Lewis repeatedly describes the supernatural as intruding upon the mundane, closely resembling his account of encountering and converting to the Christian God. All three novels feature characters who come to doubt their sanity when in contact with spiritual beings, introducing a darker element to Lewis’ view of supernatural orchestration particularly in light of Lewis’ experience with mental illness. While fiction is an argumentative device …

Free-Body Diagram Analysis And Movement Design Of A Functional Prosthetic Hand, Hayden Smee

Honors College Theses

The loss of a limb is a devastating event to an individual on both physical and psychological levels. Despite decades of advancements in medicine, occupational health, and general safety in society, most people know someone or have encountered individuals affected by limb loss. This project created a prosthetic hand designed to aid those individuals. The hand is a predominantly 3D-printed prosthetic hand that includes an individually moving index finger and opposable thumb capable of grasping a full soda can weighing 385 grams (0.85 pounds). Numerous design solutions for the actuation of the fingers and thumb were considered and rejected. Cable …

The Wolves' Teeth, Abigail Moore

Honors College Theses

This is a Neo-Noir screenplay examining the femme fatale, mental illness, and the Noir male protagonist.

A Probabilistic Exploration Of Food Supplementation And Assistance, Logan Mattingly

Honors College Theses

Food insecurity is a stark threat that grips our country and affects households throughout our country. Dietary insufficiency manifests itself in ways that affect health and public safety. According to researchers, individuals who suffer from food insecurity have a higher risk of aggression, anxiety, suicide ideation and depression. These problems tend to occur unequally distributed among those households with lower income. In this work, an exploratory analysis within these data sets will be performed to examine the socio-economic, biographical, nutritional, and geographical principal components of food insecurity among survey participants and how the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) effects …

Programming An Autonomous Robot, Maxwell Brueggeman

Honors College Theses

Ravaged by hurricanes, Florida needed help restoring its natural beauty and returning its wildlife to their homes. This was the task for the IEEE SoutheastCon 2023 Hardware Competition. Florida’s restoration was simulated by returning various ducks and pillars that lay strewn across a game board to their proper places. Ducks needed to return to their pond, pillars needed to be stacked to create statues, and food needed to be placed in the manatee and alligator aquariums. Competing teams were challenged to create an autonomous robot capable of performing these tasks. During the first semester, sensor selection was tackled. Research was …