Digital Commons Network^™

On Good Terms: Pathways To Decolonizing Science-Appropriated Indigenous Terminologies In Arctic Research, Stanislav Saas Ksenofontov, Vera Kuklina, Alexander Kholodov, Andrey Petrov

Faculty Publications

Many western scientific disciplines adopted Indigenous Knowledge and terminology without deference to or understanding of the original meanings and values attached to Indigenous terms and concepts. This form of scientific appropriation has become a serious barrier to efforts of decolonizing Arctic research. The notion of Alaas is an example of such appropriation by the western science-based system of Indigenous knowledge about human–nature relations. This paper aims to discuss the term Alaas as it is conceptualized in both western science and Indigenous knowledge. The paper will explore the development of “alas” as an international permafrost science term and Alaas as an …

Emily Clouser, Mezzo Soprano & Noah Fredericksen, Baritone, In A Student Recital [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recital given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, September 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Meet our Energy Efficiency Extraordinaire
--- Where’re having a party! Will you be there?
--- Textile Brewing Company joins the Platinum Green Brewery Certification Family
--- Iowa DNR composting rules now open for public comment
--- Free Assistance Available
--- Industry News

“I Feel Like A Lot Of Times Women Are The Ones Who Are Problem-Solving For All The People That They Know”: The Gendered Impacts Of The Pandemic On Women In Alaska, Marya Rozanova-Smith, Andrey N. Petrov

Faculty Publications

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic recovery in urban communities in the Arctic have been substantial, but their gendered aspects remain largely unknown. The goal of this study was to enhance the understanding of the gender-based impact on women in the urban areas of Alaska by exploring strengths and constraints to resilience in the social and economic domains of gender equality during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on grounded theory methodology, this study is based on 29 in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The study methodology utilized a conceptual framework that integrated deficit-based and strength-based analytical perspectives. …

Bovine Neutrophil Migration, Cd11a/Cd18 Expression, And Cytokine Response To Co-Culture With Mammary Gland Endothelial Cells And Epithelial Cells, David J. Mcclenahan

Faculty Publications

Movement of leukocytes from the circulatory system into a site of inflammation is a highly complex process. The migration of neutrophils into the lumen of the mammary gland during mastitis is no exception. There is information about the involvement of bacterial-produced products during this process, but less is known regarding the role of host products. Two bovine cell lines, a primary mammary gland endothelial cell line and an immortalized bovine mammary gland epithelial cell line (Mac-T), along with freshly isolated bovine neutrophils, were used to study this further. The cell lines were grown on inserts and in wells of tissue-culture …

Duality Of Quadrilaterals Via Quaternions, Parker Sjomeling

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

A quaternion is number which is hyper-complex, it has the form,

Where a₁, a₂, a₃, and a₄ are real “scalars”. Then i, j, and k are imaginary numbers which have the following properties:

q = a₁ +a₂i + a₃j + a₃k

Relevant operations on these quaternions include taking the conjugate and the norm (or commonly described as the distance).

The norm of q is equal to:

(a₁)² + (a₂)² + (a₃)² + (a₄)²

The conjugate of q is:

¯q = a …

Implications Of Plant Clonality For Nutrient Pollution In Grasslands And Wetlands, Sydney Aird, Kenneth Elgersma

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

No abstract provided.

Building Countably Many Disjoint Stat Sets In Ω1, Jordan Mills

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The first uncountable ordinal is ω₁. Here, we will describe the process for partitioning ω1 into countably many disjoint stationary (stat) sets. We first partition ω₁ into 2 disjoint stat sets, and then describe the process for continuing to partition ω₁ into infinitely many disjoint stat sets.

Magnetic Coercivity And Exchange Bias Of Mn2ptin Heusler Alloy, Salar A. Ghumman, Paul M. Shand, Pavel V. Lukashev, Mason Pulse, Alec Venner, Parashu Kharel

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We investigated the resistance properties of thin film gold deposited on a 3D-printed cantilever using a sputter coater. We used current-voltage (IV) curves to measure the resistance of the film as a function of thickness. The results exhibited classic behavior in thicker films and quantum behavior in thinner films. Additionally, we analyzed the change in resistance as the cantilever was flexed. A linear relationship was found between the resistance of the gold film and the displacement of the cantilever. Only the 8 nm film deviated from the trend, showing erratic behavior when bent downward.

Computational And Experimental Study Of Nearly Half-Metallic V2coga, Caden Sadler, Parashu Kharel, Cole Brown, Mohd Anas, Paul M. Shand, Pavel V. Lukashev

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

• Spin degree of freedom in electronic devices.
• Ideal candidate – room temperature half-metal.
• Heusler compounds attractive because of high Curie temperature.
• Various mechanisms altering spin polarization – mechanical strain, structural disorder, temperature, termination surface/interface, etc.
• V₂CoGa – nearly half-metallic material.

Developing A Dna Extraction Method For Mineral Abundant Limestone Cave Samples, Treytun Garcia, Marek Sliwinski

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Caves offer a unique environment to study microbial life that survives under extreme nutrient limitation. To this extent, 16s metabarcoding serves as a sort of “DNA fingerprint” that allows us to identify and study the microbial composition of these environments, but there are hurdles that must be overcome to obtain enough DNA for effective and reliable 16s sequencing. It is important to maximize the amount of DNA that can be extracted from the Wind Cave samples because it is an extremely low biomass environment and sufficient DNA for sequencing can be hard to get. Wind Cave National Park serves as …

Effects Of Resistivity Based On Thin Film Gold Depositions, Emrah Ahmetasevic, Bryan Crow, Ty Porter, Audrey Hager, Andrew Stollenwerk

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We investigated the resistance properties of thin film gold deposited on a 3D-printed cantilever using a sputter coater. We used current-voltage (IV) curves to measure the resistance of the film as a function of thickness. The results exhibited classic behavior in thicker films and quantum behavior in thinner films. Additionally, we analyzed the change in resistance as the cantilever was flexed. A linear relationship was found between the resistance of the gold film and the displacement of the cantilever. Only the 8 nm film deviated from the trend, showing erratic behavior when bent downward.

Tracking The Ice Age: Applying Facies Changes And Grain Size Variability To Trace Environmental Shifts Linked To The Laurentide Ice Sheet, Abigail Mandick, Laura Comstock, Alexa Clements, Dylan Ward

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Reconstructing past ice sheet margins is critical for modeling future environmental change under a warming climate. The Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) was a large glacier that covered much of North America during the Pleistocene Epoch (2,580-11.7 thousand years ago) (Head, 2019). Process associated with advances and retreat of the ice are responsible for many modern landforms. Here, we present a detailed stratigraphic column and measured section of the Paddison Run outcrop near Cincinnati, based on field observations and measurements. By reviewing sedimentary characteristics, we provide a detailed record of environmental changes linked to the ice sheet margin. High resolution records, …

2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University Of Northern Iowa. Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium Programs

The program for the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium of the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences.

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V3i2, 2024, 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 2024.

2025 Annual Report Of The Nominating Committee, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

University Nominating Committee report including committee memberships, produced by the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, August 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Announcing the IWRC’s Painter Training Team
--- Are On-Site Visits the Answer to Easing the Stress Environmental Compliance?
--- Wrap Up: The Rural Compost Operations and Compost Use Training Project
--- ICAW 2026 Poster Contest
--- Partner Events
--- Industrial News

Insights From The Front Line: Uplifting Stories Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Through The Eyes Of The Public Health Workforce In Iowa, Heidi Haines, Amanda Sursely, Hanh Pham, Rylee Beltran, Daniel K. Sewell, Lina Tucker Reinders, Natoshia Askelson, Sarah Dixon, Kaitlin Emrich, Christine Estle, Michelle Lewis, Jimmy Reyes

Faculty Publications

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 was declared a pandemic in March 2020. Studies have characterized some of the negative impact of the pandemic on public health workers (PHW), but few have explored the strength and coping strategies used. Our study documents the experiences of PHW in Iowa during the pandemic. Methods: We used an innovative mixed methods data collection tool, SenseMaker^® to gather stories from PHW in Iowa between March and July 2022. Participants provided additional data about their story via structured follow-up questions. We conducted descriptive analyses of the quantitative questions. A qualitative thematic and sentiment analysis was applied to all …

Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation For Older Adults And Clinical Populations, Darren G. Candow, Sergej M. Ostojic, Philip D. Chilibeck, Igor Longobardi, Bruno Gualano, Mark A. Tarnopolsky, Theo Wallimann, Terence Moriarty, Richard B. Kreider, Scott C. Forbes, Uwe Schlattner, Jose Antonio

Faculty Publications

Background: The biological process of aging is typically associated with a decrease in muscle quantity, muscle performance (primarily strength), bone mass and architecture, functionality and neurological/cognitive function. From a healthy aging perspective, interventions that have the potential to overcome or attenuate these decrements are clinically relevant.

Methods: We conducted a narrative review on the efficacy of creatine monohydrate supplementation (CrM) in older adults. Results: Accumulating research shows that CrM, primarily when combined with exercise training, is safe and has beneficial effects on measures of whole-body lean body mass, regional muscle size, muscle strength, bone area and thickness, functional ability, glucose …

‘They Say There’S More Equality…’: Women’S Perspectives On Progress And Setbacks In Gender Equality In Northern Iceland During Times Of Crisis, Marya Rozanova-Smith, Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Andrey N. Petrov

Faculty Publications

Enabling gender equality through the empowerment of women to fully participate in modern society is one of the most critical steps toward sustainable development. However, recent UN reports indicate that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have jeopardized the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 by 2030 in many countries worldwide, including Iceland, which has consistently been ranked as a global leader in gender equality. The main objective of this qualitative study is to examine the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by exploring women’s lived experiences during the crisis and its aftermath across the primary domains of gender equality—personal …

Health Insurance Benefits As A Tool For Employee Attraction And Retention: Evidence From The Nursing Industry, J. T. Garcia

Proceedings of the Jepson Undergraduate Conference on International Economics

This paper explores the critical role of employer-provided health insurance in employee recruitment and retention, focusing on the nursing industry in Iowa. As labor markets grow increasingly competitive, especially in industries such as healthcare, non-wage benefits like health insurance can be an important factor influencing job choice and employee loyalty. This paper connects labor economic theory with employment data from Iowa nursing homes, to demonstrate that health insurance can significantly enhance employee satisfaction and reduce turnover and can do so more effectively than wage increases alone. The paper argues that in professions especially with high demand, such as nursing, investment …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, July 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- 150th Anniversary & Homecoming Kickoff
--- SQG re-notification requirement
--- Introducing the Food, Beverage & Organics Team
--- A Historic First in Corrosion Control
--- Important Reminders
--- Industry News

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V3i1, 2024, 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 January - June 2024.

Uni Schedule Of Classes: Policies And Procedures, Summer 2025, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Schedule of Classes

A listing and schedule of the courses being taught as well as policies and procedures concerning attending classes at the University of Northern Iowa.

Crosssections, Summer 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Physics.

CrossSections

Contents:

A Message from the Department Head, Dr. Paul Shand --- 1
Department Happenings --- 3
Faculty Profile - Takeshi Yasuda --- 7
Student Profile - Brandon Schmidt --- 8
Student Research --- 9
Student Focus --- 10
Physics Education --- 13
Alumni Profile - Roger Burkhart --- 14
Alumni News - Sterling Hartman --- 16
New Physics --- 17

From Disruption To Integration: Cryptocurrency Prices, Financial Fluctuations, And Macroeconomy, Zhengyang Chen

Faculty Publications

This paper examines cryptocurrency shock transmission to financial markets and the macroeconomy using a Bayesian structural VAR with Pandemic Priors from 2015 to 2024. By affecting overall risk appetite, cryptocurrency price shocks generate positive financial market spillovers, accounting for 18% of equity and 27% of commodity price fluctuations. Real economic effects are significant in driving investment but remain limited, contributing only 4% to unemployment and 6% to industrial production variance. However, cryptocurrency shocks explain 18% of price-level forecast error variance at long horizons. Narrative analysis reveals sentiment and technology as primary shock drivers. These findings demonstrate cryptocurrency's deep financial system …

Portrayals Of Disabilities In Picturebooks With The Schneider Family Award, Sohyun Meacham

Faculty Publications

This study analyzed the portrayal of disabilities in picturebooks that have received the Schneider Family Award, a well-known children’s literature award in the United States focused on disability representation. The purpose of the study was to conduct an intersectional analysis of these picturebooks to explore how characters are positioned across multiple categories such as disability, race/ethnicity, gender, class, age, and language. Using the Rating Scale for Quality Characterizations of Individuals with Disabilities in Children’s Literature, the study analyzed all 17 picturebooks appropriate for early childhood that received the Schneider Family Award from 2004 to 2020. The analysis found that these …

Changes In Aggressive Behaviors Over Time In Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences: Focusing On The Role Of School Connectedness, Sei-Young Lee, Mijin Choi

Faculty Publications

Previous research has found the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and externalizing behaviors later in adolescence and adulthood. However, limited studies have explored longitudinal trajectories of aggressive behaviors affected by ACEs. This study aimed to investigate how aggressive behaviors change over time and compare the trajectories of aggressive behaviors between children with three or fewer (low-risk ACEs) and those with four or more ACEs (high-risk ACEs) with the role of school connectedness on the trajectories of aggressive behaviors over time. The study sample consisted of 4231 children collected by the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal …

Joker Forum Theatre As A Classroom Teacher: Qualitative Research Data., Nadarajan Thambu

Spect-actor: A Journal of Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed

The task of maintaining the focus and interest of students on the teaching and learning process in the classroom is still a challenge for teachers of Moral Education subject. Students who do not pay attention, cannot understand moral values, accept and show commitment to them. The failure of students to focus will also fail the effort to produce moral human beings. Meanwhile, the role of theater in the field of education is also undeniable. Therefore, a form of community theater named Forum Theatre has been used as a pedagogy of teaching Moral Education among preservice teachers. In the context of …

The Very Fine Line: Utilitarian Aesthetics And Threshold Politics In Now You See Me Moria, Nik Rye

Spect-actor: A Journal of Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed

Now You See Me Moria (est. August 2020) is an international socially engaged art collective that brings visibility to the inhumane conditions of the Moria refugee camp, aiming to influence European Union migration policies. This paper examines the collective’s work across digital and physical gallery spaces, analyzing the role of utilitarian aesthetics in both image and process, and situating the project alongside the migratory journey of a specific member. The resonance of this initiative, and the actions it has catalyzed, reveals a societal push to disrupt the contemporary art mainstream in favor of an emergent movement that privileges lived experience …