Digital Commons Network^™

Msw Portfolio, Katharine Ann Turpen

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio paper showcases my development as a Master of Social Work student, highlighting personal and professional growth across the CSWE competencies and the four dimensions of practice: Knowledge, Skills, Values, and Cognitive & Affective Processes. The portfolio reflects my evolving identity as a social worker and outlines my ongoing commitment to ethical, reflective, and client-centered practice.

Who Do You Want To Become?, Taylor Greene

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Master’S In Social Work: Professional Portfolio, Josephine Star Lange

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Disability Pride And Community Connection In Eastern Virginia: The Disability Resource Center Of The Rappahannock Area, Inc., Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, Rayna Sage

Independent Living and Community Participation

The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC) is a Center for Independent Living (CIL) that provides services that promote independence, advocacy, and leadership among the people with disabilities they serve. dRC focuses on disability-led services and programs to meet consumers' needs, with an extraordinary level of peer support. RTC:Rural researchers explore dRC's peer mentoring and peer support groups through the Rural Community Living Development project.

“I Now Have The Freedom To Do What I Want, When I Want, Like Anybody Else”: The Impact, Creation, And Management Of Transportation Voucher Programs, Luke Santore, Andrew Myers

Independent Living and Community Participation

Poor access to transportation is associated with negative results in life outcomes such as health, quality of life, employment, and community participation. Rural people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to poor transportation access. Transportation voucher programs are an effective but underutilized resource that addresses transportation for rural people with disabilities. In this factsheet, RTC:Rural researchers explore how Center for Independent Living (CIL) staff establish and manage voucher programs, and illustrate how vouchers affected the people with disabilities who have used them.

Learning Through Relationship, Eileen L. Lamble

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A brief compilation of growth and learning through the 10 core competencies of social work.

Zero Waste Initiatives Across Three Institutions: Local Government, An Academic Institution, And A Retail Business, Soren G. Gray

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

May 2025 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Local Systems Change: Applied Research Methods For Sustainable Communities, Taylor Barrett Hill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Decadal Effects Of Wildfire On Macroinvertebrate Communities In Southwest Montana, Mason J. Wiggins

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In the western United States, wildfires are increasing in frequency, intensity, and size due to climate change and historical land management practices. These environmental events have reshaped forested landscapes, affecting stream ecosystems and riparian zones. High-intensity wildfires can increase sediment and nutrient loading, reduce riparian canopy cover, and alter in-stream habitat, leading to changes in macroinvertebrate community composition. While the immediate (1-10 years) wildfire effects on macroinvertebrates are fairly well documented, decadal (10+ years) responses remain understudied. This research gap limits our understanding of post-fire trajectory and stream ecosystem resilience. To address this knowledge gap, we can identify how wildfires …

Xr(Extended Reality) Explorations In Gis World-Building, Jeremy Jeffay

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Extended reality (XR) in geospatial data visualizations presents exciting opportunities to enhance existing analysis and visualization tools. The goal is to help academics deliver immersive experiences that promote a deeper understanding of their subjects. This project is being developed using Unreal Engine and various related emerging tools and APIs. As a solo developer, I am creating environments using satellite map data and building digital assets with LiDAR scans and Gaussian Splatting, then geo-referencing them onto a virtual twin of the Earth. The next step in this research involves streaming real-time data to drive environmental simulations.

Experiencing XR first-hand can feel …

No Evidence For Warming Effects On Tallgrass Prairie Plant Extirpation In Kalamazoo Michigan, Emily D. Horner

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Title: No evidence for warming effects on tallgrass prairie plant extirpation in Kalamazoo Michigan

Author list: Emily Horner, Meredith Zettlemoyer

Abstract:

More and more species face extinction as our climate warms. Understanding how climate change influences local extinctions may help us comprehend and predict global extinctions. Ultimately, local extinction originates from declines in vital rates such as survival, growth, and reproduction. One way to examine how warming affects local extinctions is to compare responses between locally extinct (or “extirpated”) versus still present (or “extant”) species. In this comparative framework, more negative effects of warming on extirpated species’ vital rates would …

The Heat Exposure Schedule On Vascular Inflammation Responses To Heat Acclimation, Kenzie Williams, Amanda Alfaro-Chaverri, Mariam Rojas-Ledezma, Alejandro M. Rosales, Ron Michalak

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Understanding thermoregulatory acclimation during work challenges in both females and males remains an active area of environmental physiology research. Myriad body-wide adaptive responses are frequently influenced by a milieu of circulating factors, including blood markers of vascular inflammation. How these markers respond to variations in acute and repeated challenges of exercise+heat may influence heat acclimation outcomes. PURPOSE: To quantify circulating markers of vascular inflammation following either sustained (1x 90 minutes) or intermittent (3x 30 Minutes) exercise+heat exposure protocols. METHODS: Females and males (n=30 each) were randomized to receive a week of low intensity exercise performed during one of two identically …

Describing The Nature Of Head Contacts In Adolescent Female Youth Ice Hockey Players, Bree K. Knutson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The physical nature of ice hockey often results in head contact with players of all ages and the ramifications of repeated head trauma may lead to deficits in social and cognitive skills development, as well as the potential for long-term concerns related to academic, neurological, physical, and mental health. The purpose of this study was to better understand how head contact occurs while playing ice hockey, how frequently head contacts occur, and what player behaviors frequently result in head contact. Adolescent female ice hockey players participating on either the 14 and under (14U) girls team or the 19 and under …

A Look Into The Past: What Historic Field Data Tells Us About Understory Succession Post-Fire, Augustus Lawson, Dalton Brantley, Dean Pearson, Yvette Ortega

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As wildfires grow in frequency and intensity, long-term records documenting responses to altered fire regimes are essential for understanding and predicting changes in vegetation communities in burned landscapes. Peter Stickney was a renowned ecologist, dedicating his life to studying understory species succession following wildfire. In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the MONTU Herbarium, we organized and analyzed Peter Stickney’s 50-year dataset to gain insight into how plant communities respond to disturbance. We added information on various functional characteristics for each species, including growth form (shrub, grass, or forb), native status (invasive vs. native), and conservatism value (c-value, a …

The Burial History Of The Eastern Margin Of The Powder River Basin, Wy, As Interpreted From Late Cretaceous Aged Rocks, Emma Braddock

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Economic energy resource development is dependent on the intrinsic understanding of the geologic evolution of a sedimentary basin. This geologic evolution is recorded by changes to the sedimentary rock during burial (i.e. diagenesis) and often can only be identified on a microscopic scale.

This study analyzes diagenetic changes of the Late Cretaceous Turner Sandstone, a major hydrocarbon reservoir in the Powder River Basin, WY, USA. Samples were collected from outcrops along the Black Hills, WY, to be compared with the burial history of the central Powder River Basin. These samples were thin-sectioned and analyzed with a petrographic microscope and a …

Abdominal Wall Pain Is Frequently Underdiagnosed Leading To Wasted Healthcare Resources, Bailey Cook

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Myofascial abdominal wall pain (AWP) is a well-recognized presentation of chronic abdominal pain which can be diagnosed solely based on history and a focused physical exam in the out-patient setting. However, current clinical practices rely on diagnostic imaging studies and invasive procedures which can lead to incorrect or delayed diagnosis. We assessed the clinical implications of AWP misdiagnosis and associated healthcare costs in diagnosing AWP in a tertiary care medical practice. In this retrospective single center study, patients undergoing trigger point injections (TPI) for suspected AWP were selected based on the current procedural terminology code 20552. AWP was defined based …

The Role Of Diet And Exercise In Reducing Risk Of Dementia Development In Type Ii Diabetics; A Meta Analysis., Silas W. Acker

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Dementia, particularly vascular dementia, is increasingly recognized as a complication of type II diabetes. The goal of this review is to determine whether a healthy diet and adequate physical activity can effectively manage common comorbidities of diabetes that lead to the development of dementia. This review pulls from a variety of sources examining the shared risk factors between type II diabetes and dementia, and the effectiveness of evidence-based lifestyle modifications focused on prevention.

A comprehensive review of twenty peer-reviewed medical studies, articles, and journals was conducted to investigate the link between Diabetes Mellitus and Dementia. The review aimed to identify …

Perceived Loneliness Among Older Adults, Max D. Olson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Older adults experience unique isolation, such as living alone and losing loved ones, which correlates with worse mental health. Few studies have examined how the number of close relationships impacts perceived isolation in older adults. I hypothesize the number of close relationships in an older adult’s life may predict perceived isolation; further, I will assess if depression moderates this relationship. This secondary analysis is based on a study of 153 older adults in the northeastern part of the United States (average age = 67.51, SD = 8.3180). The participants completed a measure of perceived isolation (UCLA Loneliness Scale, ULS-3), a …

Detrital Quartz Provenance Of The Turner Sandstone, Amelia M. Fullwood

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Geology can provide solutions to energy security and climate change issues by promoting informed practices within the fossil fuel industry, supporting efficient extraction strategies that minimize overall environmental impact. Efficient drilling techniques begin with a thorough understanding of the reservoir, which can be characterized through various methods, including provenance analysis to identify the sediment origins and depositional environments. Interpreting sediment provenance is crucial for refining paleogeography and revealing Earth’s past environments, climates, and tectonics.

My research focuses on reconstructing the provenance and paleogeography of the Late Cretaceous Turner Sandstone, a significant hydrocarbon reservoir in the Powder River Basin (PRB), WY. …

Auras Of The Big Sky, Logan O. Colberg

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Spirituality encompasses diverse beliefs and practices that help individuals develop meaning and connection in their lives. As participation in organized religion declines, spiritual practices are growing in popularity. I aim to analyze the core values of spirituality and how they are expressed in the state of Montana.

In order to accomplish this analysis, I am conducting ten interviews with spiritual practitioners across the state. I developed a standardized set of interview questions to ensure consistency across all participants. Interviewees are chosen based on their spiritual practice, location within Montana, and the level of experience they have in their field. Each …

Field Notes From The Crumbling Ivory Tower, Emily Van Hoose

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Gone is the era of academic neutrality as American culture continues to grow and ride the turbulent waters of its political societal pillars. The saying “leave your baggage at the door” is not only incredibly outdated, but for anthropology students at UM it is impossible. The worries and curiosities of our students do not inexplicably stop when they open the doors to the social science building. Their concerns follow them not only into the classroom, but into their career prospects as well. Anthropology classes do not have the luxury of neutrality that other disciplines like mathematics, chemistry, and physics are …

Geographic Context And Spatial Analysis Of Montana's Missing And Murdered Indigenous Persons, Madalyn Rose Gabel

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This project focuses on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) in the state of Montana, specifically in the geographic and spatial context.

In the United States, Indigenous people have long faced discrimination that exposes them to higher rates of violence and a greater likelihood of going missing (Department of Justice, 2016). This study builds upon scholarship within geography and allied social sciences to better understand the geography of missing and murdered Indigenous People in Montana. This study in particular draws on the theoretical underpinnings of ‘cultural cycles’ by linking this concept with

relationships to physical environment, culture, …

Missoula Atmospheric Chemistry Mobile Lab Overview And Preliminary Controlled Wildfire Data, Joseph Knudsen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Missoula Atmospheric Chemistry Mobile Lab (MAC Lab) is a modular array of chemical and particulate matter (PM) quantification instruments networked to a central data logger and two computers. It is designed for prolonged field deployment in the challenging environmental and terrain conditions of wildfire research as part of the NSF EPSCoR SMART FIRES project. Our contribution to the many thrusts of this collaborative work is to elucidate the efficacy of prescribed burns in reducing wildfire emissions, quantify constituents of fire emissions, and provide scientific evidence to carry out prescribed burns efficiently and effectively to reduce smoke emissions. Much of …

Rewilding Rattlesnake Creek, Cameron M. Kirwan, Ethaniel Marshall

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Rattlesnake Creek north of Missoula lacks significant in-stream structure in the form of large wood downstream of the National Recreation Area. The natural introduction of large wood from the “derecho” wind event in July of 2024 has the potential to provide much needed aquatic habitat and stream complexity.

The focus of this project is monitoring the process of “rewilding” on Rattlesnake Creek through surveys of large wood and pool habitat. The Rattlesnake has historically been subject to various forms of degradation. It was dammed in 1904, with the dam being removed 116 years later in 2020 as part of stream …

Nature, Community And Suicidality: A Cross-Cultural Study Between Frankfurt, Germany And Missoula, Usa, Cyrus Hanan Gertz

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The ideas, thoughts, and plans around suicide are often treated with hospitalization and psychotherapy. However, connection is often glossed over in the conversation on treatment. Research suggests having a sense of belonging within our human and natural communities is crucial for human health. Globally, young men are the most likely to report high degrees of loneliness and are more likely to live alone, strong risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt and men in both Frankfurt and Missoula show higher suicide risk than women. In contrast, according to research by ecopsychologists, Integration of Nature into Self (one's perceived relationship …

Social Engagement And Minority Stress In Lgbt+ Elders, Eyza Y. Abbas Carrasco

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Social engagement is crucial to elders' well-being. Prior research suggests that social interaction, community engagement, and support networks improve quality of life for older LGBTQ adults (Reyes et al., 2024). Additionally, social connectedness, particularly diverse networks and strong support systems, has been linked to better health outcomes in this population (Kim et al., 2024). However, gaps remain in understanding how minority stress relates to social engagement in older LGBTQ adults. This study examines these connections through a secondary analysis of data from a parent study on support networks and mental health in elders. Participants (N = 153, aged 55+) completed …

Cervid Breakage Patterns In Western Montana, Tanner D. Liermann

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Sexual weapons are expected to withstand intense combat as weapon failure can directly impact an individual's reproductive success. Most weapons are permanent and a broken weapon costs that animal for the rest of its life. However, a few species regrow their weapons. The consequences of structural failure are lower in these animals, and they may invest less in their production as a result—leading to increased rates of breakage in the wild. Cervids (true deer) regenerate antlers each year, yet their rates of weapon failure remain unclear. In our study, we recorded breakage rates, antler point symmetry, harvest location, and age …

Meltwater Percolation's Impact On Firn Densification, Hayden S. Brimberry

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The impact of meltwater on the compaction of snow and firn is becoming increasingly important as surface melt increases across the Greenland Ice Sheet. However, our understanding of the effect meltwater infiltration has on firn densification is limited, complicating ice sheet mass estimates and sea level rise predictions. We hypothesize that meltwater infiltration alters firn densification regimes to the point where models developed for the dry snow zone are ineffective. This study evaluates the Herron and Langway (H&L) firn densification model by comparing model outputs to in situ measurements from multiple sites on the Greenland Ice Sheet, with a focus …

Queer In & Out Of Montana: Oral Histories Of The Lgbtq+ Exodus From Montana, Erin Heaton

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This presentation will summarize findings from six oral histories of LGBTQ+ people who lived in Montana, but have left or are leaving in the near future. This presentation will explore the questions: Why are queer and transgender people leaving Montana? What are common experiences for LGBTQ+ people living in Montana? The answer to these questions will be derived from the stories of the Narrators who provided their oral histories. The questions utilized in the oral histories covered topics of identity, “coming out,” living history, cultural observations, community experiences and perceptions, well-being, healthcare, laws, and reasons for leaving. Thematic Analysis was …