Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Curriculum And Institutional Contexts Of Stem Future Faculty Programs, Amy Mae Forester

Dissertations and Theses

While there are a multitude of contributing factors, under-represented student success in STEM appears to be critically interdependent with teaching and learning practices that are responsive to diverse epistemologies and inclusive pedagogies. However, the professional literature has yet to identify a set of faculty development best practices that might guide the field. Furthermore, the institutional supports required to drive the success of STEM-oriented future faculty programs remain unknown. This inquiry proposal intended to address these concerns through a critical comparative qualitative study in seeking evidence-based practices and institutional elements of STEM faculty professional development programs that support diverse graduate and …

Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake, Infection Rates, And Seropositivity Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness In The United States., Diane M. Santa Maria, Nikhil Padhye, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Carolyn Z. Grimes, Adeline Nyamathi, Marguerita Lightfoot, Yasmeen Quadri, Mary E. Paul, Jennifer Torres Jones

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

People experiencing homelessness are at greater risk of exposure and poor health outcomes from COVID-19. Yet, little data exists on the prevalence and correlates of COVID-19 among homeless populations. To mitigate the spread and severity, uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is needed. This can be challenging among youth experiencing homelessness who are more likely to be unvaccinated when compared to stably housed youth.

Assessing The Reliability Of The Pairwise Variability Index For Differential Diagnosis Of Apraxia Of Speech, Celeste Sinko

University Honors Theses

Differential diagnosis of apraxia of speech (AOS) from other speech and language disorders is a prevailing challenge in the field of speech language pathology. Presently, existing measures for assessing AOS consist of perceptual rating scales, such as the Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale developed by Duffy, Strand, Clark, and Josephs. While perceptual rating scales are the current gold standard for assessment and diagnosis of AOS, they require a high degree of clinical expertise, and are susceptible to rater bias and rater drift. Thus, there exists a need for quantitative, objective measures for differential diagnosis of AOS. The purpose of this …

Using A Digital Entertainment Tax To Strengthen Local Information Infrastructure In The United States: A Conceptual Exploration, Lee Shaker, Antoine Haywood

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

As traditional local media decline, how might state and local governments provide support for local information infrastructure? We offer a proposal for states (or communities) to tax digital entertainment and then leverage existing community media centers (CMCs) to facilitate the distribution of the proceeds to local media outlets. Compared to other public subsidy plans, this approach is viable nationwide without federal action and offers several advantages that could lead to more immediate and durable support for local information infrastructure. To contextualize our proposal, we model both the possible revenue generation and distribution of funding that would result from its implementation.

Is This My Place? Contributing Factors To Community College Students' Longitudinal Sense Of Belonging And The Connection Of Sense Of Belonging To Student Success, Kelly Elizabeth Love

Dissertations and Theses

Community colleges serve a large percentage of historically under-represented populations including students of color, low-income, and first-generation students. Unfortunately, less than half of students who begin at a community college return the following Fall and only about one-fourth of students eventually graduate. Previous research indicates that students' sense of belonging may be a key factor in retention and completion rates. However, large-scale datasets have yet to comprehensively explore students' sense of belonging in the community college setting. To address that issue, the purpose of this quantitative exploratory study was to examine individual and institutional variables associated with a measure of …

Effects Of Language Status, Community Advice, And Parent Beliefs On Heritage Language Maintenance In The U.S.: A Scoping Review, Isabelle Trujillo, Jasmine Loeung, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This scoping review of qualitative research examines effects of language status, community advice to parents, and parents' beliefs on heritage language maintenance within a U.S. context. The review was guided by three research questions: 1. What is the nature of the relationship between a heritage language’s (HL) status in society and language maintenance across generations? 2. How does information parents receive from community members (e.g., health professionals, teachers, friends/family) influence their beliefs about the HL? 3. How do parents’ beliefs about the impact of a HL on academic/career success influence HL transmission? Thirty-four articles met inclusion criteria. Three themes were …

Cultivating Connections: Future Approaches To Tourism Esl Pedagogy, Kelly Abrams

Student Research Symposium

My poster will display my research that investigates the pivotal role of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in Cuba's tourism sector and its broader implications for global tourism contexts. Through qualitative methods including written questionnaires and oral interviews with people working in the tourism industry in Cuba, I examined the significance of language proficiency, particularly English, in various industry roles within Cuba's tourism and hospitality sector. Findings highlight how ESP facilitates effective communication, elevates service standards, and fosters career progression for individuals working in the sector. Furthermore, my research underscores the interconnectedness of language and tourism, emphasizing the importance of …

Manga In Bookstores, Claire L. Curry

Student Research Symposium

In recent years, manga has seen a surge in popularity. This research seeks to provide insights into the role of manga in U.S. bookstores and its implications for reader discovery. Through observations at bookstores in the Portland area, including Books with Pictures, Kinokuniya, Powell’s, and Barnes and Noble, it was examined how manga is presented to readers. Factors considered include manga’s physical placement in the store and surrounding sections as well as shelving methods and categorizations like genre labels, particularly for manhwa, manhua, and light novels. Display tables, end caps, and shelf talkers also demonstrate an unique way for bookstores …

Impact Of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement On Pain And Disability In Patients With Chronic Lumbosacral Radiculopathy: Results From An Rct, Danielle Zuzero

Student Research Symposium

Lumbosacral Radiculopathy (LR), also known as sciatica, is a common type of radiating neurologic pain in the lower extremities with an estimated lifetime prevalence as high as 43%. The goal of this randomized control trial was to determine the impact of virtually delivered Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) on patients with LR. Participants were randomized to MORE sessions or treatment-as-usual (TAU) for 8 consecutive weeks, pain intensity was collected daily via email. At baseline and follow-up visits, participants completed questionnaires of disability, quality of life, depression, mindful interpretation of pain, and train mindfulness. Patients undergoing MORE sessions had greater improvement in …

Evaluating Equitable Success In Literary Spaces: A Portland Book Festival Case Study, Tia-Theo I. Thompson

Student Research Symposium

In 2015, data expressing the lack of diversity in literary institutions was made publicly available, yet equitable change remains slow. How do literary institutions achieve and evaluate successes in equity? Do certain factors expedite this transition?

In a three year Diversity and Inclusion plan (2019-2022), the Portland nonprofit, Literary Arts, drastically altered their internal and external practices to accommodate/introduce BIPoC writers, presenters, and employees. The equitability of this plan is assessed at the Portland Book Festival (PBF), 2023. Data concerning the identities, placement, and publications of Writers and Presenters at PBF is analyzed within the context of the goals set …

Exploring Attrition And Linguistic Shifts: The Impact Of Covid-19 And Anti-Asian Discrimination On The East And Southeast Asian Diaspora, Sam Mutschler-Aldine, Amy Wan-Ling Lin, Natalie Robison, Milntra Raksachat, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This study investigates language and identity among speakers of East Asian and Southeast Asian languages in the United States, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concurrent rise in anti-Asian hate. We adopt a mixed-methods approach guided by three research questions exploring: (1) changes in language use since pandemic onset, (2) changes in perspectives on language identity since pandemic onset, and (3) effects of geopolitical climate, specifically the rise in anti-Asian hate, on language use and perspectives on language identity. Qualitative methodologies allowed us to capture a diverse range of language experiences. Many (but not all) participants indicated …

Feesability Of Laryngeal Endoscopy Simulation Labs In Student Training: A Scoping Review, Anna Thut

Student Research Symposium

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) involves passing a flexible endoscope through the nose and down the throat to provide a detailed view of the throat, airway, and vocal folds. With the scope in place, people can eat and drink, allowing the clinician to evaluate for safe swallowing. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) use FEES for diagnostic evaluation and to gauge therapy progress and effectiveness. Simulation training on a low or high-fidelity model may provide a bridge for SLP graduate students to gain competency before being introduced to FEES in a clinical setting. This review aims to gather evidence on the use …

Development Of A Two-Photon Laser Scanning Microscope, Jess Hollenbaugh

Student Research Symposium

The objective of this project was to convert a Sarastro 2000 confocal laser scanning microscope into a system capable of imaging using two-photon excitation (TPE) fluorescence for the use of the PSU biology department. TPE microscopy operates on the ability of fluorophores to accept two photons each with half the energy of a desired transition in a single quantum event via a virtual energy state and then emit a higher energy photon upon relaxation. This is preferable to single-photon excitation (SPE) due to the lower energy photons causing less damage to delicate biological samples. The adaptation process included physically altering …

Respiratory-Swallowing Coordination In Motor Neuron Disease: A Scoping Review, Mariam Z. Mansoor

Student Research Symposium

Respiratory-swallowing coordination (RSC) is essential for providing efficient breathing and optimal swallowing function. Most commonly used methods of measuring RSC include nasal thermistry, and respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) to determine direction and durations of airflow. Outcome measures include swallow apnea duration (SAD) and respiratory phase pattern (RPP), i.e., direction of airflow pre- and post-SAD. The goal of the current project was to conduct a scoping literature review of RSC, focusing on the motor neuron disease (MND) population, including people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A multi-engine literature search was conducted in 2023-24 via PubMed and Google Scholar. No limitations were …

Second Language Impacts On First Language Processing, Natalie Robison, Sarah C. Creel, Sarah Elkington, Judith Kelholt, Amy Lin, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This line of research investigates attrition (loss of fluency) of native Mandarin language (L1) proficiency with increasing proficiency in English. English uses pitch to denote intonation (e.g., “it’s there?” versus “it’s there!”), while Mandarin uses pitch to indicate word meanings; e.g., /he/ means “drink” with a high, level tone, or “river” with a rising tone. The present study delineates between two alternative explanations for the prior finding (Quam & Creel, 2017) that English proficiency correlates with attrition of Mandarin tones, but not vowels. This pattern could be explained by 1) language assimilability (L1-L2 Assimilability Hypothesis), or 2) by tone being …

Recovery Of Black Carbon Concentrations In Burned Forests, Monica V. Zapata Villegas, Kelly E. Gleason

Student Research Symposium

Forest fires shed light absorbing particles (LAP), such as black carbon and burned woody debris, into snowpacks, darkening snow surface albedo, and advancing snowmelt timing and snow disappearance patterns for decades following fire. Although the role of LAPs in seasonal snow has been extensively studied in recent years, the spatiotemporal variability of LAPs and contributions to snowmelt relative to years since fire and burn severity is still unknown. In the Triple Divide region of western Wyoming, the headwaters of the Colorado, Columbia, and Missouri rivers, we quantified the spatiotemporal variability of forest fire effects on snow albedo, using geochemical analysis …

Toward The Development Of An Ultra-Fast, Bright Photoelectron Emission Source Using Tip Enhancement, Pei-Hsiang Yen, Erik J. Sanchez

Student Research Symposium

With the advancement of technology, people are pursuing even higher-resolution analysis results from metrology tools. When results are provided with temporal information, one can add a new dimension to the results. This research involves the development of a new temporal electron source by utilizing tip enhancement, which necessitates the creation of a novel type of emitter that emits electrons on a femtosecond (fs) time scale. Due to the nature of the electron’s mass, under the influence of an electric field they move quickly. To achieve our goal is the design of a resonant nano antenna (or known as a nantenna) …

Stem Students And Faculty See Value In A Classroom Belonging Exercise, Kaisa S. Holt, Elizabeth A. Runkel-Baez

Student Research Symposium

Enhancing belonging in undergraduate STEM classrooms are pivotal for student success. This study examines a belonging exercise's implementation and impact in multiple STEM courses from 2017 to 2019. Faculty perspectives were gathered from a survey of 92 respondents, indicating a high level of perceived benefit (92%). Coded responses highlighted shared experiences and diversity mindset promotion. 30% explicitly mentioned benefits for both students and instructors. Additionally, 76% of faculty saw potential of belonging exercises in their own classrooms. It is important to promote using belonging interventions and also understand how STEM students perceive their value and utility. Three focus groups with …

Behavioral Intention For Ai Usage In Higher Education, Isaac A. Odai, Elliot Wiley

Student Research Symposium

This study sought to further understand the cognitive factors that influence undergraduate students' behavioral intention to use generative AI. Generative AI's presence in academic spaces opens the door for ethical and pedagogical questions. This study surveyed 51 undergraduate communication students to measure their attitudes, subjective norms, self efficacy and their behavioral intention to use GenAI for school work. The results of this study showed behavioral intent had a positive relationship with attitudes and subjective norms. The implications of these findings show that personal beliefs and the perceived beliefs of others are correlated to undergraduate students’ intent to use GenAI for …

Prosodic Analysis Of Wh-Indeterminate Questions In L2 Korean, Jung In Lee

Student Research Symposium

Wh-indeterminate questions, particularly wh-questions and yes-no questions, in Korean are ambiguous due to the limited morpho-syntactic markers in the sentence. The absence of these markers leaves two questions syntactically identical, leading to lexical ambiguity. The disambiguation of these two questions relies primarily on prosodic cues. Drawing from previous studies in the L1 Korean context, this study examines the intonation patterns of English learners of Korean in producing and perceiving wh-questions and yes-no questions and explores if there is any sign of L1 influence from English. Five English learners of Korean, who received formal instruction in Korean at a U.S. university, …

Permission To Play: A District's Initiative To Innovate Kindergarten And Promote Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Cristin Mcdonough

Dissertations and Theses

Kindergarten's original purpose was to promote socialization skills for young children using play. However, recent research has shown an increased focus on teaching literacy and math skills, combined with pronounced increases in more advanced academic tasks and activities. Given this shift in kindergarten, as well as a lack of professional development for teachers to assist them in promoting developmentally appropriate practices, the Kindergarten Innovation Cohort was created in the Portland School District to address these needs for both students and teachers. Using findings from interviews and field notes, the current study addresses the question: What does the implementation of the …

A Hierarchical Decision Model For Evaluating The Strategy Readiness Of Quantitative Machine Learning/Data Science-Driven Investment Strategies, Mohammadsaleh Saadatmand

Dissertations and Theses

Big data and computational technologies are increasingly important worldwide in asset and investment management. Many investment management firms are adopting these data science methods and technologies to improve performance across all investment processes. Researchers actively use these methods to develop more effective systematic investment strategies and produce more reliable outcomes less vulnerable to human decision-making biases. However, the success of such a strategy depends heavily on the scientific rigor applied throughout the process. "Best practices involve understanding how to make better decisions in the research design process. A good question is whether we can make better decisions in developing quantitative …

Homecoming Or Homeless: An Exploration Of The Ethno-National Identities Of Japanese-Brazilian Dekasseguis, Malina Yuen

Young Historians Conference

The return migration of Japanese-Brazilians to Japan from 1990-2008 encapsulates a complex issue of nationality, ethnicity, and belonging between two different cultures who came to depend on each other. Beginning in 1990, Japan instituted a new migration policy that opened the door for second and third generation ethnically Japanese individuals who were living in foreign nations to receive temporary work visas. This allowed for a great amount of migration from Brazil of Brazilians with Japanese heritage. This population is especially significant due to the high level of Japanese immigrants to Brazil during the early 20th century, due to reasons such …

Immigrant Identity Formation, A Transnational Approach: Italian Americans In New York City, 1880-1930, Amelia J. Vena

Young Historians Conference

Of the Italian immigrants arriving in America during the Great Migration (1880-1924), few understood themselves as “Italians.” On paper, Italian unification took place in 1861, but the creation of Italy as a unit of politics was not the creation of Italians as a unit of nation. Even decades later, immigrants landing in New York City understood themselves in regional terms—as Calabrians, Sicilians, and Neapolitans. “Italian national identity” remained an idea confined to the imaginations of wealthy and educated Italian nationalists. In the years that followed the Great Migration, immigrants reshaped Italian-American identity as they grappled with American ideas of race …

One Ring To Rule Them All: Connecting Johann Herder's Romantic Nationalism & Richard Wagner's "The Ring", Eliana Scheele

Young Historians Conference

In the 18th and 19th centuries in Germany, a new craze was emerging, one that would forever change Germany. The ideas of Nationalism, popularized by Johann Gottfried Herder, revolutionized the way that Germans thought about their country. Through this new kind of "Romantic" Nationalism, an importance was placed on "volksongs," or folksongs and stories as a means to take pride in one’s culture. The massively popular opera epic "The Ring of Nibelung" was written by Richard Wagner over fifty years after Herder's death, but it holds the values that Herder developed in it. In many ways, the Opera is the …

Political Movement Through Cultural Identity: Lessons From The Présence Africaine, Ramona Sapru Henderson

Young Historians Conference

The Présence Africaine journal was unlike any of the time. Founded in Paris in 1947, its mission centered the expression of African cultures that had been suppressed under French colonial rule. The writers did not share a race or nationality but were united by a shared purpose of creating literary discourse around the colonization of Africa and the struggles of the pan-African movement. The founder, Alioune Diop, was a Senegalese professor who promoted a unique approach to political change. He was aware of the stark cultural losses that the French colonization of Africa was causing and saw the colonial suppression …

Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations And Its Interpretation With Christian Contemporary Thought, Audrey Kelley-Henroid

Young Historians Conference

Often regarded as one of the key Stoic works, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations is a demonstration of the importance of self-reflection and Stoic ideals. His life was one of war and turmoil that influenced his possibly autobiographical writings over the years during his time campaigning during the Marcomannic wars. Since his death, the manuscripts remaining have been altered and interpreted in various ways. I speculate that Meditations being framed in the Christian lens is one of the most significant ways it's relevant today as it demonstrates the way contemporary ideas are imprinted onto classical work. Translators and readers of Meditations such …

Marshlands And Monasteries: The Impact Of Weapon Deposition On Medieval British Christianity, Maia Lippay

Young Historians Conference

This paper, using proven archeological evidence, time-specific literature, and references on monastic life, local tradition, and social concepts of mythology, draws a clear connection between the prevalent European Iron Age practice of ritual votive and weapon deposition into bodies of water and the state of Christianity in middle ages Great Britain. The ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, particularly the Witham Valley, is featured heavily for its high concentration of deposition and monastic sites in a verifiably close distance of each other. The paper explores the possibility that the existence of these pre-Christian ritual sites remained relevant throughout the Roman period through …

The Influence Of Plato’S Symposium: Love And Beauty Throughout Media & Culture, Anna E. Roberts

Young Historians Conference

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato is unquestionably one of the most influential writers of philosophy in history. Through his various writings and works, Plato influenced the entire world's ways of thinking and discussion. In his dialogue The Symposium, Plato explores the humanistic complexities of love, beauty, and desire and shows various approaches to these topics, from mythological ideas to complex philosophical thought. The Symposium has managed to stretch far beyond the world of ancient Greece and has influenced the works of many different authors, artists, and writers. From Shakespeare in Renaissance-era England, to Freudian thought, the idea of Platonic Love, …

The Cambridge Five Spy Ring: The Notorious Bane Of The British Government, Jenna G. Mccomas

Young Historians Conference

Beginning with the communist recruitment of Kim Philby in 1934, this paper traces the decades-long espionage journey of the notorious Cambridge Five spy ring. Exploring the reach they had from the halls of the British government to Washington D.C, this paper highlights the building blocks of the Five’s legacy and their implications. This paper details the levels of and effects of British governmental incompetence in cementing the Five as international spy celebrities and enabling their Soviet espionage endeavors. Overall, it seeks to explore how the British were the agents of their own humiliation regarding espionage, and unnecessarily increased tension with …