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The Line In The Sand: Visual Narratives Of Religious Trauma And Leaving Evangelicalism, Elizabeth Humphrey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Widespread abuse within religious institutions has challenged the assumption that religion inherently supports mental health, while rising rates of religious disaffiliation often cite trauma as a key factor. Individuals leaving harmful religious environments report a range of outcomes—from increased autonomy to emotional distress—yet research on post-disaffiliation experiences is limited. As the religious landscape of the U.S. shows decrease in religious affiliation, and stories of abuse and trauma circulate, the experience of leaving a religious community because of harm is a needed area for further inquiry. Using visual narrative inquiry, this qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of those who …

The Effects Of Vocational Self-Concept Crystallization And Career Choice On Crop Farming Apprenticeship Completers: An Exploratory Qualitative Analysis, Stormy Zane Speaks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States, a farmer shortage threatens the future of food production as the population continues to grow. However, farming apprenticeship programs may be a solution to this crisis. This study addressed a gap in research regarding the career decision-making processes of farm apprenticeship completers. Specifically, this study sought to identify whether farm apprenticeship completion resulted in greater vocational self-concept crystallization as well as farming as a career choice. Due to the lack of research, an exploratory qualitative research design was most suitable for this study. Donald Super’s self-concept development theory was the theoretical framework. Self-concept development theory was …

A Survey Of The Collembola Of The Buffalo National River Park, Emma Renee Critchfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Collembola are a neglected and understudied class with few recent U.S surveys. The aim of this thesis was to survey the Buffalo National River for Collembola and create a catalogue of all known species in the state of Arkansas, USA. Leaf litter, mosses, rotting wood, fungi and malaise trap samples were taken from 13 locations within the Buffalo National River park. In total, 14 families, 34 genera and 59 species were identified from 22,028 collected specimens. Of those, 31 species represent new state records. This survey also validates malaise traps as useful tools for Collembola sampling. The malaise trap samples, …

Assessing The Potential Of Taming Chicken Gut Commensal Bacteria Using Random Transposon Mutagenesis, Arjun Chapagain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The chicken gut microbiome comprises hundreds of bacterial species whose functional roles remain largely unknown, in part because the tools needed to experimentally manipulate these organisms in their native community context have not been systematically developed or validated. This dissertation addresses the gap through three connected research chapters that progressively build a framework for transposon-based genetic delivery in the chicken cecal microbiome, moving from community-wide accessibility mapping to vector optimization to library preparation refinement. In Chapter 2, we established the community-level insertion landscape in chicken cecal metagenome using Himar transposon delivery via RP4 conjugation and aligned Tn-seq reads to a …

Investigating The Influence Of Dietary Phytogenics And Postbiotics On Horizontal Transmission Of Histomonas Meleagridis In Commercial Turkey Poult Hens, Diego Fernando Cortes Velez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histomonas meleagridis is a parabasalid protozoan and the causative agent of histomonosis, or blackhead disease, in turkeys. Withdrawal of the last remaining in-feed arsenical from the market in 2015 led to the re-emergence of the disease. As a result, there is a need to investigate alternatives, such as dietary inclusion of postbiotic and phytogenic compounds, to reduce H. meleagridis transmission and disease severity in commercial turkey flocks. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the influence of dietary inclusion of three different combinations of postbiotic and phytogenic compounds on H. meleagridis transmission in turkey poult hens. A thesis introduction …

Evaluating The Role Of Hosa–Future Health Professionals In Addressing The Healthcare Workforce Shortage, Amy Warner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States continues to face a significant healthcare workforce shortage, particularly in rural and underserved communities, with implications that extend globally. As a practitioner in health science education, this study was driven by a problem of practice: understanding how HOSA–Future Health Professionals contributes to developing the future healthcare workforce. While the need for effective workforce pipeline strategies is widespread, this study is centered specifically on Oklahoma HOSA as a model of practice within one state. HOSA is designed as an intracurricular extension of health science programs, providing students with opportunities to apply classroom learning through leadership development, competitive events, …

Effects Of Wetting And Drying On Nutrient Mobilization In Aquatic Systems, Karessa Grace De La Paz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wetting and drying cycles are a fundamental, but underexplored, control on nutrient mobilization and transport in aquatic ecosystems. Such intermittency impacts approximately 60% of the world's streams and rivers, and the extent is expected to increase with future climate change. Additionally, aging reservoir infrastructure is driving restoration efforts, like large-scale drawdowns, that can expose benthic sediments to extended dry periods before refilling. Despite the prevalence of wet-dry cycles, how they influence nutrient transport and mobilization across different aquatic ecosystems remains poorly understood. To address this gap, this thesis presents two complementary studies exploring nutrient dynamics in Arkansas aquatic ecosystems that …

Religion, Crime, And The Mediating Effects Of Social Control And Self-Control, Parker Bowman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Past research on the relationship between religion and crime has found the two variables have a significant negative correlation. Currently, there are two main mechanisms used to explain this relationship: social control and self-control. Social control theorists argue that participation in religious organizations decreases criminal behaviors by increasing social bonds. Self-control theorists argue that religious norms and values decrease criminal behavior by increasing an individual's self-control. While both mechanisms have been well supported by research, there remains the question of which is the stronger mediator of the religion-crime relationship. This study seeks to answer this question by comparing the effects …

Religious Extremism & Courtroom Cooperation: Examining Variability In Terrorism And Religiosity, Amanda P. Hux

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

While prior studies have investigated the impact of religion on terrorism, our study specifically aims to inform the literature of religious affiliation's effect on a defendant's propensity to plead guilty. Our study uses data from the American Terrorism Studies (ATS) database from the University of Arkansas’s Terrorism Research Center. The study focuses on twelve variables in relation to pleading guilty, gender, categories of terrorism, race, and ethnicity. Crosstabulation and Binary Logistic Regression were used to analyze the subset “Offender” within the ATS. Three hypotheses were reviewed, finding that religious affiliation has a positive correlation with a defendant’s propensity to plead …

Geospatial Science And The Changing Environment: Applied Methods For Sustainable Agriculture And Landscape Management, Harrison Wakefield Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid environmental change is disrupting agricultural productivity, ecological function, and the long-term resilience of managed landscapes. At the same time, the rapid growth of geospatial data science has improved our understanding of environmental change and increasingly is being used to improve sustainability in agricultural and environmental management. However, critical gaps remain that limit the applicability of data-driven insights in landscape management. This dissertation investigates the potential of geospatial analytics for sustainable agriculture and landscape management, with a focus on applied methods that operate across spatial and temporal scales. Using field, landscape, regional, and national datasets, it explores the capabilities and …

Fantasies Of Just Torture: On Violent Efforts To Navigate The Intolerable, Tonya Sims

Philosophy Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines why torture, despite being among the clearest objects of moral revulsion available to us, remains imaginable as a serious moral possibility. I begin by refining the concept of torture through an examination of the United Nations Convention Against Torture, while arguing that insufficient attention has been paid to what I take to be its paradigmatic form, namely sadistic torture. Against definitions that treat torture primarily in instrumental terms, I argue that torture is best understood as the intentional infliction of extreme pain upon an unwilling person in order to dominate or otherwise manipulate their autonomy. Drawing on …

The Effect Of Including A Yeast Culture Containing Essential Oils In Receiving Cattle Diets On Growth Performance And Health, Taylor Deanna Foster

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the increased risk of bacterial populations developing resistance to current antibiotics, consumer perceptions surrounding the utilization of antibiotics use in cattle, and the endemic incidence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) among growing and finishing cattle, alternative management strategies to improve the health of cattle must be developed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a supplement containing a yeast culture and an essential oils blend (YEO) on the health and growth performance of stocker calves at high-risk for BRD. Crossbred male beef calves (n = 185) received on two separate dates were used in …

Influence Of Increased Supplementation Of Organic-Complexed Zinc To Beef Cows During Gestation: Effects On Preweaning Health Of Offspring, Naija N. Sharpley

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing zinc supplementation from organic-complexed sources to beef cows during gestation on calf performance. In May 2025, during gestation, Angus crossbred cows were confirmed pregnant with female sexed semen (n = 83) and enrolled in the current study. Cows (4.7 ± 2 years of age and 531 ± 84.4 kg body weight, mean ± standard deviation) were allotted to 4 groups (20 to 21 cows/group) based on, sire of heifer calf, cow age, and cow body weights taken at weaning. Assigned groups received 1 of 2 treatments (2 groups/treatment): …

Cultural Authenticity And Commercialization: The Journey Of Southwest Indigenous Jewelry, Kaytlin M. Dwyer

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction Today, Southwest Indigenous jewelry exists at the intersection of cultural expression and commercial exchange. Drawing on interviews with Native artists, this study focuses on the lived experiences of those who design, produce, market, and curate Indigenous jewelry to argue that authenticity is not defined by visual appearance alone, but by the cultural knowledge, community relationships, and generational practices embedded in each piece. As Native silversmiths navigate increasing pressures from mass production, appropriation, and global markets, they actively work to maintain both artistic integrity and cultural authenticity. At the same time, this paper explores the tension between appreciation and appropriation. …

Tiny Tusk Internship: Gut Instincts: A Review Of Literature On The Impact Of Breastfeeding On The Infant Gut Microbiome, Rayla Payne

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate both the short- and long-term benefits that breastfeeding has on the infant gut microbiome. The PICOT question was: In full-term infants, how does exclusive breastfeeding compared to mixed or formula feeding influence the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome throughout the first 12 months of life? For this research, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, and the National Library of Medicine databases were searched to find relevant studies and systematic reviews. Terms such as “breastfeeding and infant gut microbiome” were used to conduct the search. Other terms used included “breastfeeding OR formula feeding”, “human …

Developing Warning Signage For Harmful Algal Blooms At Lake Fayetteville, Abigail R. Evans

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) poses many risk factors for human health, and once microcystin concentration has reached a certain level, that water source will be closed for the duration of the bloom. Agencies tend to use static signage with limited information to inform the public about the current status of the water, but a sign similar to the one used by the National Fire Danger Rating System can allow for constant updates detailing specific risk levels for the public. Using previously reported data on Lake Fayetteville, thresholds for risk factors that are easily measurable were determined. The …

The Genetic Basis Of High Transformation Efficiency In The Model Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Mary Kathryn E. Cheek

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Transformation, a type of horizontal gene transfer, describes the uptake, maintenance, and integration of environmental DNA by cells. Despite the known effects of transformation on evolutionary processes, little is known about the genetic basis of this phenomenon. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a eukaryote able to transform at quantifiable rates when made chemically competent and treated with a heat shock. S. cerevisiae also has variation in transformation efficiencies between various strains, and high recombination rates allow for sufficient allele “shuffling” in intercross populations. This project utilizes a bulk segregant analysis approach to compare sequencing data between transformant pools and non-transformant pools of …

The Environment, Health, And Vector Nexus: Evaluating The Spatiotemporal Variability And Societal Impact Of Ticks In Arkansas, Dalton Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a surging public health and veterinary concern in the United States. In states like Arkansas, climate change and shifting land use have recalibrated the ecological niches of vector species. This research utilizes species distribution and ecological niche modeling to assess the spatiotemporal suitability of ixodid tick habitats, specifically where environmental and socioeconomic factors intersect. By integrating spatial science with public health frameworks, this study identifies priority intervention areas in underserved rural regions where healthcare resources are often constrained. This study provides a comprehensive methodological framework, leveraging remote sensing datasets and historic disease data to delineate exposure …

Developing Transparent Sustainability Data Systems In A Poultry And Pet Food Company: An Internship Case Study, Catherine L. Warren

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

My honors thesis examined my internship experiences and its implications on sustainability data gathering and reporting in poultry and pet food companies. It highlighted my internship projects, the skills I developed, and the connections to sustainability data transparency and reliability in a corporate environment.

In my thesis, I shared details about my internship. I described what projects I worked on, the places I visited, the hands-on experience I gained, and the different teams I worked with throughout the internship duration. I discussed the analytic and professional skills I developed through conducting a waste audit, developing Tableau dashboards, and helping to …

Cross-Facility Reliable Deep Learning Based Beef Marbling Assessment Via Unsupervised Domain Adaptation Regression, Samuel Vinson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Inconsistent quality grading in beef production leads to inefficiencies, economic disparity, and consumer mistrust. While USDA meat grading traditionally relies on skilled visual inspectors, these human evaluations suffer from cross-facility variability and subjectivity. This paper introduces the first known application of unsupervised domain adaptation regression for cross-facility beef marbling score prediction—an innovation that improves generalization across diverse environments in the beef supply chain. Utilizing numerical scores ranging from 100-900, the research employed convolutional neural networks (CNNs), including ResNet, VGG, and AlexNet architectures. The study specifically introduced and validated a unified unsupervised domain adaptation regression method using the ResNet-50 architecture to …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Cave And Withrow Springs, Arkansas, Luke A. Ahlemeier

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The class of chemicals known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are believed to be widespread in the natural environment, but the full extent of PFAS prevalence is not well understood, particularly in karst springs. The objectives of this study were to (1) collect water samples from Cave Springs and Withrow Springs, Northwest Arkansas, (2) measure for concentrations of 40 PFAS compounds using EPA Method 1633, and (3) compare differences in PFAS concentrations and discuss potential sources of PFAS for each spring. Each spring was sampled on September 29, 2025, October 13, 2025, and November 10, 2025, and water samples …

Preserving The Past: Exploring The Last Frontier's Ecosystem Shifts And Biodiversity Of The Tallgrass Prairies, Gisell Maldonado, Amelia Villaseñor

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

In North America, grasslands are a cornerstone of the environment. Historically, the tallgrass prairie was expansive and reached from Manitoba in Canada to Texas. Today this unique ecosystem is highly fragmented and reduced, but it remains an important ecosystem for biodiversity and cattle management. While there are many complex ecological interactions in the prairie, recent research shows that large herbivores are vital in maintaining grasslands through grazing and other behaviors that reduce woody encroachment and support nutrient cycling. Here, we examine cow and bison dietary behaviors and connect these to the ecosystem services provided by these large herbivores. In the …

Primate Craniofacial Trauma And Its Relationship To Socioecological Factors, Kaitlyn Harden R. Harden

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Postmortem analysis of the skeleton can reveal patterns of trauma that have accumulated over an individual’s lifetime. Patterns of trauma within a species can also provide key insights into how that species lived and reflect aspects of their socioecology and life history. Research has been conducted often on postcranial trauma, but is rare regarding the craniofacial region and has not been examined broadly across primates. To fully understand patterns of trauma in primates, rates of trauma must be compared and placed into context of a variety of socioecological factors. To do so, I examined hypotheses including that species with higher …

No Place But Here, Dillon Bryant

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The writing in this document is a dovetailing of fragments ranging from critical inquiry, analysis, scripts, and other observations that relate to the body of work in “No place but here”. It is an accompanying document attempting to enrich the visual work rather than a direct illustration. The installation of “No place but here” at the Rogers Creamery is an investigation utilizing collage, text, and other constructed photographs, images, and objects to play with and against familial and broader narratives of power, control, and ambiguity associated with the American West. Underpinned and intersected by interior questions revolving around artifice, connection, …

A Better Box To Lie In, Camille Gros

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This written thesis accompanies an exhibition of textiles and works on paper that explore the emotional, architectural, and political structures that relay experiences of a Queer Southern livelihood; it is about girlhood, homoeroticism, isolation, passion, hunger, sweet love, and terrible fear. The show is a celebration of our dependance upon one another, and an expression of grief. I am sure that this work will need to be repaired in time, and I hope for many hands to mend it.

Advancement In Electrochemical Generation-Collection: Snapshot Redox Cycling Voltammetry For Rapid Analysis At Chip-Based, Individually Addressable Microband Electrode Arrays, Blake Aleck Sterling

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Snapshot redox cycling voltammetry (Snapshot RCV) is introduced as a rapid electrochemical technique that reconstructs the current-potential profile of a redox active species using a microband electrode array. By simultaneously biasing individual generator electrodes alternating in the array to different voltages across the analyte’s potential range while individually holding collector electrodes at a reversing potential, “spatial” voltammetry is achieved in as little as 1 s with the temporal speed of chronoamperometry, rapidly capturing the steady-state redox cycling (RC) profiles. During RC (a mode of generation-collection), the analyte is oxidized (or reduced) at generator electrodes and converted back at neighboring collector …

A Q-Methodology Study Of How Viewers Within The Southeastern Circuit Perceive The Future Of The Western Sports Industry, Molly Mckettrick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Western Sports occupy a unique position within American Culture, reflecting traditions rooted in agricultural communities and livestock practices, while also evolving as contemporary spectator events. Despite the growing visibility of Western Sports through media coverage on various digital platforms, there is limited research on how general audiences perceive the sport, which is the purpose of this study: to examine how viewers perceive the sport. This study examines viewer perspectives regarding the sport across various digital platforms, due to limited research on how general audiences perceive the sport while employing Q-Methodology to identify shared perspectives among spectators. A total of forty …

Conservation Wins And Woes: A Meta-Synthesis Of Ecotourism Impacts On Primates And Local Communities, Madison Lanie Mckinniss

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biodiversity assessments identify 612 extant species of primate, but ~50% of these species are at risk of extinction. Threats include agricultural and industrial production, urban development, and poaching. As concerns have grown regarding impacts on the environment, researchers have proposed ecotourism as a tool for conserving ecosystems while improving human welfare. Although conservation initiatives are pursued at these ecotourist sites, the presence of humans can cause additional influences on non-human primates (NHP). Primatologists have posed questions regarding implications of ecotourism on NHP, but research remains scarce. This study will investigate the practices executed at ecotourist sites where endemic NHPs reside. …

Let The Mystery Be: Meditations On Process, Wildness, And Collaboration In The Creation Of The Play Camp Wyldwood, Basilton Parnell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a mix of personal reflection and examination of my time in graduate school and the creation, development, and subsequent production of my full-length play, Camp Wyldwood. Camp Wyldwood was performed as a part of the spring 2026 ArkType New Works Festival at the University of Arkansas.

The Resurgence Of Nationalism In Germany And The Alternative Für Deutschland, John L. Wardlaw Jr

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

I examine the rise of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) within the broader historical and ideological course of German nationalism. In doing so, I argue that following the Prussian-led unification of Germany in 1871, nationalism became entrenched as a constitutive feature of the German identity, not only as a political ideology, but also as a foundational sociocultural framework. Rather than emerging sporadically, nationalism persisted in a latent form throughout Germany’s modern history; latent in that nationalism could be reactivated and shaped through the intentional efforts of particular political parties during periods of sociopolitical and economic strain. To analyze this phenomenon, …