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Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine, Volume 11, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

EVERY ISSUE
Message from the Dean --- 4
Donor Feature --- 5
CHAS Briefs --- 36
Class Notes --- 38

FEATURES
Engineering Advances --- 6
Japan Water Quality Trip --- 10
Theatre Outreach --- 14
A Future in Physics --- 18
International Teaching --- 24

STORIES
SLP Community Partnership --- 22
Professional Readiness --- 28
Syndaver Lab --- 30
Art Teaching Sisters --- 32
Math Alum Now NBA Coach --- 34

The Next Generation Science Standards And Their Implementation In Iowa High Schools, Janell Wright

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Almost a decade ago, the state of Iowa used the Next Generation Science Standards’ (NGSS) performance expectations as the basis for its state science standards for K-12 students. Several key changes were implemented within these standards, including an increase in the amount of Earth and space science content at the high school level and a three-dimensional approach interweaving science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts along with disciplinary core ideas. In this dissertation, I used a three-paper format in an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to explore how districts in Iowa are using scope and sequence to address the NGSS. …

Using A Research-Based Approach To Develop An Updated Claim, Evidence, And Reasoning (Cer) Writing Rubric For A High School Science Department, Robin Ashley Thaisen

Graduate Research Papers

All students must be proficient in reading and writing, and science materials present an added layer to these skill areas. Both national and Minnesota state standards require students to show their understanding of science content through certain practices, including constructing evidence-based arguments. A common instructional approach is a claim - evidence - reasoning (CER) framework for writing scientific conclusions. While there are many sources of CER rubrics and guidelines, both commercial and non-commercial, there is a wide range of language or word choice and formatting, among other differences, and none have been tailored to the ninth grade level. By using …

Analysis Of The Menstrual Product Initiative At The University Of Northern Iowa, Catrina Marie Tounjian

Honors Program Theses

Period poverty is defined as the inability to access menstrual products or adequate feminine hygiene due to economic vulnerability. This ultimately can cause social, political, and educational barriers. In the USA, 1 in 5 menstruating students will miss school since they are unable to obtain period products. The relationship between period poverty and educational disparities is not well understood but needs to be addressed to ensure equitable education. The provision of free menstrual products in public restrooms has slowly become more prevalent as a potential interventional approach. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, there is …

A New Application Of The Coimbra Method On Cranial Entheseal Changes, Emily Marie Carlo

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

The Art Of Accessing Science, Kyle Mark Trunnell

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Dei Initiatives Through The Eyes Of Young Consumers: Analyzing Gen Z And Gen Alpha Brand Perceptions, Rachel Stephany

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Mental Skills And Social Support During The Injury Rehabilitation Process, Paige Kisley

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Who Owns The Dead: The Unequal Access To Repatriation In Us Law, Sydney Blum

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Mitochondrial Disease On The Eyes And Possible Treatments With An Emphasis On Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, Olivia Chambers

Honors Program Theses

Mitochondrial diseases are a diverse group of genetic disorders that impair cellular energy production, often leading to multisystem complications, including vision loss. This thesis explores how mitochondrial dysfunction impacts ocular health, with an emphasis on Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a disorder caused by point mutations in mitochondrial DNA affecting Complex I of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Through an extensive literature review, this research examines the mechanisms by which mitochondrial mutations damage retinal ganglion cells and evaluates current and emerging treatment approaches. Pharmacological therapies, such as idebenone and other quinone analogs, demonstrate limited but promising results in stabilizing early-stage vision …

Morphtogo: A Video Classification Model For Predicting Protein Functions From Conformational Morphs, Dylan William Bock

Honors Program Theses

Protein function prediction is a crucial task in bioinformatics, traditionally approached through sequence-based, structure-based, or interaction network models. These models, however, fail to capture transient conformations that occur during large-scale conformational changes. MorphToGO proposes a novel methodology of function prediction with the development of a video classification model to analyze morph animations. The image classification portion of the model utilizes the pretrained EfficientNetV2 model to extract features from animation frames, and the video portion consists of a modified GRU architecture for sequence-to-sequence embedding regression to predict the protein’s functional semantics. A custom bidirectional cosine loss function was developed to handle …

Effect Of Seed Mix Design And Planting Time On Floral Resources, Madison Carleton

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of different management strategies used in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) prairie restorations. Specifically, this research assesses how well these practices support pollinator communities, which serve as indicators of habitat quality.

The Impacts Of A Problem-Based Learning Unit On Computational Thinking Skills In A 7th Grade Lego Robotics Classroom, Madison Beeler

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this study was to determine what impact problem-based learning (PBL) has on developing computational thinking skills, self-efficacy, and earth science understanding in a middle school robotics classroom. Twenty-eight students took part in a 36-day instructional unit based on the 5E Learning Cycle. Students explored Martian geology, analyzing rock data collected by the Perseverance rover mission to make connections between landforms, integrating Earth science with computational thinking tasks. Pre and post-test data assessed growth of computational thinking and self-efficacy. Statistical analysis showed significant growth in student self-efficacy, while gains in computational thinking were not statistically significant. Students …

Do Adhd Symptoms Enhance College Students’ Creativity And Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy?, Jorge Sebastian Montesinos

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite years of research focused on impairment, it is possible that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be beneficial in some ways. Past studies have analyzed ADHD’s potential benefits to creativity and entrepreneurship, but the majority have either been underpowered or have had mixed results. In an attempt to add clarity to these potential ADHD-related strengths, the present study explored the relation between symptoms of ADHD, creative achievement, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). The current study was a survey of emerging adult college students from multiple U.S. universities. The purpose of this study was to explore relations between symptoms of ADHD and …

Bumble Bee Population Genetics In Iowa And The Impacts Of Repeated Emergency Management On The Conservation Reserve Program, Michael Mellett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Emergency Management Across The Conservation Reserve Program And Effects Of Emergency Management On Field Vegetation, Gretchen Steffensmeier

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is an extensive government program established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1985 where farmers across the country agree to take land out of agricultural production and plant species to improve environmental health and quality in exchange for yearly rental payments. The main goals of CRP include re-establishing valuable land cover to improve water quality, preventing soil erosion, and reducing the loss of wildlife habitat. Currently, there are approximately 22 million acres enrolled across the country. The CRP is portrayed as a powerful tool that can be used to mitigate the impacts …

Revealing The Hidden Benefits Of Social Emotional Learning: Unpacking What’S Really Going On?, Marissa Schweinfurth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study explores the role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in enhancing executive function (EF) skills among elementary school students, with a particular focus on those facing high levels of adversity. The research was driven by three key questions: (1) Can SEL improve EF skills in young students? (2) Does SEL lead to faster development of EF skills compared to typical age-related expectations? (3) Which specific SEL strategies are most effective in promoting EF skills? Utilizing the "Transactional Model of Stress and Coping" by Lazarus and Folkman as a conceptual framework, this study examined how SEL interventions act as coping …

Competitive School Culture And The Gifted Adolescent, Kailyn Bettle-Nilles

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Academic stress is changing the dynamics of school and the culture of learning for students (Challenge Success, n.d.). This is especially apparent in gifted students who indicate higher instances of feeling it is important to do well in school, being competitive in school, and a desire to be the best at everything (Baker, 1996). Gifted high school students today experience a competitive school culture, defined in this study as the drive for students to take as many honors courses, Advanced Placement (AP), and course accelerations as possible. Previous studies indicate that students in academically rigorous courses like AP experience more …

Facilitating Student Engagement In Elementary Science Classrooms With Reformed Teaching Principles, Nathaniel Bryant

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Science performance among elementary school students in the United States has stagnated in recent years. To address this issue, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced, advocating for a reform in science education. Traditionally, hands-on laboratory work has been used to help students understand scientific concepts through a "learn by doing" approach. However, students often become disengaged during practical work, as following a set procedure to replicate scientific phenomena does not reflect how scientists approach problems in their daily practice. It is now argued that hands-on laboratories should not only involve observation or manipulation of materials and equipment but …

Commencement [Program], December 21, 2024, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates. This commencement program is not an official graduate list.

Contents:

Board of Regents --- 2
Institutional Leadership --- 2
Ceremony Symbols & Traditions --- 3
Academic Honorary Organizations --- 4
University Ambassador Organizations --- 5
University Honors Program --- 6
Graduation with Honors --- 6
Legacy Graduates --- 6
Military Science --- 7
Merchant Scholarship --- 7
Outstanding Student Leader --- 7
Commencement Student Speakers --- 7 …

Detection And Monitoring Of Stress Using Wearables: A Systematic Review, Anuja Pinge, Vinaya Gad, Dheryta Jaisinghani, Surjya Ghosh, Sougata Sen

Faculty Publications

Over the last few years, wearable devices have witnessed immense changes in terms of sensing capabilities. Wearable devices, with their ever-increasing number of sensors, have been instrumental in monitoring human activities, health-related indicators, and overall wellness. One health-related area that has rapidly adopted wearable devices is the mental health monitoring and well-being area, which covers problems such as psychological distress. The continuous monitoring capability of wearable devices allows the detection and monitoring of stress, thus enabling early detection of mental health problems. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the different types of sensors and wearable devices used …

Native Seed Scoop, 2024 Post Harvest Edition, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Native Seed Scoop

Contents:

--- Upcoming Events
--- TPC Highlights
--- What's Your Scoop
--- A New Toolkit for Finding CRP Plant Materials
--- Native Seed Plant Stakeholder Meeting
--- News from the Plots
--- New Collections
--- A Scoop of Science
--- In Other News . . .

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, December 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Meet Drew Miller
--- Farewell Kendall
--- IWRC Advisory Member Updates
--- Changes Coming to Online Painter Training
--- January Reporting Deadlines
--- IAEP: 30 Years of Supporting Iowa Small Businesses

Human Capital Assessment In Indigenous Regions To Enable Sustainable Futures, Victoria N. Sharakhmatova, Elena G. Mikhailova

Faculty Publications

This study is dedicated to the economic valuation of human capital (HC) in the regions where the Indigenous peoples of Kamchatka reside. The entire Kamchatksky Krai is considered an Indigenous people’s ancestral territory. However, in this study, only municipalities whose population is more than one-third Indigenous were chosen for the assessment. This includes six municipal districts and one urban district (Aleytsky, Bystrinsky, Karaginsky, Olyutorsky, Penzhinsky, and Tigilsky municipal districts and Palana urban district). The study employs statistical analysis and integrated, situational approaches: the investment approach was deemed the most appropriate tool for the economic assessment of HC in Indigenous territories. …

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V2i2, 2023, Rod Library. Research & Sponsored Programs. Uni Foundation. University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications and Featured Awards Newsletter

Highlights the scholarship, research, and other scholarly work produced by University of Northern Iowa faculty, students, and staff.

This issue covers the period of July - December 2023.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, October 28, 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

The Overlooked First Intercostal Ligament: Does It Help To Stabilize The Weberian Apparatus?, Jake Leyhr, Tatjana Haitina, Nathan C. Bird

Faculty Publications

The Weberian apparatus is a novel hearing adaptation that facilitates increased hearing sensitivity in otophysan fishes. The apparatus is a complex system composed of modifications to anterior vertebral elements, the inner ear, and the swim bladder. A critical piece of the system that often receives minor attention are the various ligaments that bridge these three regions. The most famous of the ligaments is the interossicular ligament, which connects the Weberian ossicle chain (scaphium–intercalarium–tripus). Several other ligaments are present, including the suspensor (tripus to parapophysis 4) and the triple ligament (tripus–os suspensorium–tunica externa). Here, by combining diffusible iodine-based contrast enhancement (DICE) …

University Of Northern Iowa Fall Faculty Meeting Program, October 7, 2024, University Of Northern Iowa

University Faculty Documents

The program of the annual Fall Faculty Meeting at the University of Northern Iowa held on October 7, 2024.

Top Downloaded Items In Uni Scholarworks, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

No abstract provided.

Premier, Fall 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Education.

Premier

Contents:

From the Dean --- 3
/="/">The Real Deal: From Para to Educator --- 4
/="/">Extending Education Outdoors --- 8
/="/">Finding the Balance in Well-Being --- 10
/="/">A Unified Path for Early Childhood & Special Education --- 15
/="/">Resilience Redefined --- 18
/="/">Alumni Profiles --- 20
/="/">Foundation Focus --- 24
/="/">Center Spotlight --- 28
/="/">Scholarly Spotlight --- 28
/="/">News & Notes --- 30
/="/">Celebrating Excellence --- 34