Digital Commons Network^™

Barrel-Rides And She-Elves: Audience And Anticipation In Peter Jackson’S Hobbit Trilogy [Note], Janet Croft

Faculty Publications

Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, to the audience that loved the Lord of the Rings films, is an exciting opportunity to revisit Tolkien’s fantastic world and see favorite characters acting out their earlier adventures. The reader of the books, though, is often likely to find the difference in tone between the children’s book and the vastly expanded films jarring. This essay will explore audience expectations, the difficulties of filming a “prequel” after a “sequel,” and issues of “anticipation” in relation to character development.

Nitrate Levels In The Tap Water Of Several Northeast Iowa Communities In 2026, Kamyar Enshayan

Faculty Publications

Tap water samples were taken from numerous sites in several northeast Iowa communities along the Cedar River to learn what levels of nitrate people are actually drinking over a several-months period in 2026, with the hope of inspiring public conversations, understanding and action. Samples were taken from February to June 2026.  None of the tap water samples violated the current outdated nitrate limit of 10 mg/l set 35 years ago. However, published public health studies in the past 15 years reveal that consuming nitrate in drinking water at levels as low as 5mg/l for a long time can increase the …

Long-Term Changes In Ground-Level Ozone And Nitrogen Dioxide, Blake Bixby, Kevin Du, Noah Teske

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Ground-level ozone (O₃) is a secondary pollutant formed through photochemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sunlight. This study combines satellite observations from NASA OMI with surface monitoring data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to evaluate long-term changes in NO₂ and ozone between 2005 and 2025. Global NO₂ distributions, Houston monitoring stations, and hourly pollutant concentrations were analyzed to investigate temporal and seasonal variations. Results indicate declining NO₂ concentrations over many developed regions, while ozone continues to exhibit strong photochemical and seasonal behavior.

Evaluating Floral Species Richness As A Predictor For Pollinator Diversity Across Crp Sites, Alayna Whitson, Ai Wen, Kenneth Elgersma, Morgan Sullivan, Greyson Brandt, Grant Van Nieuwenhuyzen

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The Conservation Reservation Program (CRP) is the nation's largest management effort to preserve and protect fragile landscapes that have been eroded due to excessive agricultural practices.

A major consequence of vast agricultural usage includes an extreme decline in pollinators due to substantial habitat loss. In response to this crisis, a CRP incentive called CP- 42 was introduced to target habitat reconstruction through seed mixes that support these pollinators' nutritional needs. The seed mixes are made up of floral cocktails that provide an ongoing nutrient safety net from spring to fall to create a bloom cycle.

Opportunistic plants (unsown, invasive species) …

Analyzing The Effect Of Physical And Chemical Properties On Spectral Absorption Of Hemoglobin, Anna N. Gregorsok, Carl L. Thurman

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Hemoglobin oxygen affinity is influenced by intracellular pH through the Bohr effect, making pH an important regulator of oxygen delivery throughout the body. Before oxygen-binding affinity can be quantified, the optical properties of hemoglobin under different pH conditions must first be characterized. In this study, free hemoglobin was analyzed at five physiologically relevant pH values (6.72, 7.00, 7.33, 7.63, and 7.92), representing conditions ranging from acidosis to alkalosis. Human red blood cells were lysed in hypotonic phosphate solutions, and absorbance spectra were collected using a scanning spectrophotometer. The resulting spectra establish baseline optical characteristics of hemoglobin across physiologically relevant pH …

Bird Habitat Selection In A Mosaic Restoration, Sykora Smith, Claire Newton, Myah Sierens, Mark C. Myers

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Birds are known to specialize in habitats based on vegetation characteristics like litter and bare ground cover, vegetation stature, and density (Fisher and Davis 2010). On a global scale, birds reside in certain regions where the vegetation suits their needs. Habitat selection by species is influenced by many factors, including food and resource availability and vegetation structure (Gumede et al. 2022). In restored tallgrass prairie habitats, plots of different ages and management histories may have varied vegetation characteristics, resulting in a mosaic of heterogeneous patches that may influence bird habitat use and maintain grassland bird species diversity (Hovick et al. …

Comparison Of Passive Acoustic Monitoring And Visual Surveys On Birds At Irvine Prairie, Claire Newton, Sykora Smith, Myah Sierens, Mark Myers

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Traditional visual bird surveys performed by human surveyors include point count methods and strip transect surveys. The developing technologies of acoustic recording units are a tool for surveying bird communities by sound, reducing the hours researchers spend in the field for long-term monitoring. Passive acoustic monitoring of birds in Iowa has proven to be a valuable method of detecting species of conservation concern as well as general species richness (Dixon et al 2023; McGovern et al 2024). There is continued debate on the performance of human surveyors compared to the quickly advancing technologies for sound identification (Goodman et al 2025). …

Compositional Shifts Of Sown And Unsown Flowering Species In Cp-42 Habitats, Greyson Brandt, Alayna Whitson, Grant Van Nieuwenhuyzen, Ai Wen

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The Pollinator Habitat Enhancement Conservation Reserve Program Practice (CP-42), is designed to provide pollinators a diverse and season-long variety of blooming flora. Although CP-42 plantings include specific, florally rich, prescribed seed mixes, the communities that develop over time can differ from what was originally sown. Understanding how sown and unsown flowering species shift in abundance and composition is critical for evaluating the prairie quality, pollinator support, and long-term ecological outcomes.

Seasonal Morphological Growth Patterns Of Cattail Taxa (Typha Spp.), Grant P. Van Nieuwenhuyzen, Greyson A. Brandt, Alayna G. Whitson, Kenneth J. Elgersma

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

While considerable research has focused on cattail ecology and invasion dynamics, less attention has been given to seasonal changes in morphology during early growth. Consequently, the extent to which morphological characteristics stabilize and can be used for accurate species identification throughout the growing season remains poorly understood. Based on our current state of knowledge, it's expected that early in the summer season, a spike in growth will occur for all morphological characteristics. These traits may eventually plateau in the later months, providing a time period of morphological stability.

Revised Restriction-Site Associated Dna Sequencing Protocol And Bioinformatic Analysis, Halle Hoefing, Michael Mellett, Ai Wen

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) created habitat across the US to decrease erosion and increase wildlife populations in agricultural landscapes. Its utility for wildlife is the subject of ongoing research, both the restoration and incoming habitants. We investigated the population genetic diversity of the brown-belted bumble bees in CRP sites within the agricultural landscapes in Northeastern Iowa. We generated Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data using Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq) and compared fixation indices and heterozygosity across four common SNP filtering levels. Due to sudden inadequacy of the RADSeq protocol, the final product was not resulting in usable concentrations of …

Cross Species Translational Science Using Systems Biology Networks, Jacob Dougherty, Dylan Bock, Đorđe Racić, Sinisa Grozdanic, Aleksandar Poleksic

Undergraduate Student Work

The goal of this project is to create a translational network between canine and humans for the purpose of discovering new drug target interactions both for canine and human diseases. This is the first phase of our larger project to create a Non-Euclidean ML algorithm for Systems Biology between these two species.

This summer we have been specifically focusing on data mining biomedical knowledge that will be used to train a ML algorithm that will be developed in phase two of this project.

2026 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.

Chemurgy 2.0 Data Science, Dylan Bock, Ratul Chowdhury, Ali Tabei, William Harwood, Aleksandar Poleksic

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Graduate Recital In Voice, Morgan Horning-Griffin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Artists have long been captivated by the myth of Ariadne. Her story is depicted in a multitude of musical settings, and in a range of genres dating back to the early seventeenth century. In addition, there are many dramatic works and visual art this legendary female has inspired. This leads one to question: what is it that creators and audiences alike continue to find so compelling about Ariadne? To understand this question, it is necessary to revisit the Ariadne myth. The story begins with the grotesque Minotaur, a monster trapped within a labyrinthine prison and appeased by offerings of Athenian …

Description Of Leptuca Capillosa Sp. Nov., A New Fiddler Crab Species (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) From The Continental Coast Of Ecuador, Carl Thurman, Mariana Capparelli

Faculty Publications

A new species of fiddler crab, Leptuca capillosa sp. nov., is described based on two preserved specimens from the U.S. National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) as the holotype and paratype. In addition, specimens (N = 46) collected at eight locations along the Pacific cost of Ecuador were used for an anatomical description and a biometric study. Biometric relationships among major anatomical features are described by linear-regression algorithms with coefficients of correlation and determination. From a previously published DNA analysis of the new species, L. capillosa sp. nov. is related to other Leptuca species in the Gelasiminae subfamily of …

Ka Lei No Kane: The Whole Libretto, Harvey Hess

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center News, June 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Thank you, Leslie
--- Zane joins the IWRC
--- DNR Air Fee changes
--- What does MSEI assistance look like?
--- P2 Green Brewery Certification webinars
--- Energy Efficiency resources
--- Industry News

¡Tengo Hambre! Un Recetario De La Clase Español Para Hablantes De Herencia, Elise Dubord

Faculty Book Gallery

Este libro de cocina, el tercero en una serie, se produjo en el curso Español para Hablantes de Herencia en el Departamento de Lenguas y Literaturas en la Universidad del Norte de Iowa. A través de esta clase, los estudiantes se dedicaron a fortalecer sus habilidades de escritura y expandir su uso del español. Esperamos que los lectores encuentren una receta nueva para probar y que el proyecto sirva como modelo para otras clases de español. Editado por Elise DuBord, Profesora de Español; arte de la portada por Melinda Beland; con el apoyo de Anne Marie Gruber, Profesora de Servicios …

News Media Coverage Of Measure Ula: How The Story Of La’S Big Project To Address Homelessness And Affordable Housing Got Sidetracked By The Story Of Big Real Estate, Christopher R. Martin

Faculty Publications

“Measure ULA,” named after United to House LA, was approved by voters in Los Angeles in 2022 to create a dedicated, long-term funding source for solutions to homelessness in LA, including funding the construction of affordable homes and preventing homelessness by helping tenants stay in their homes. The funding would come from a new tax on the most expensive real estate transactions in L.A. (i.e., mansion tax), and would affect fewer than 4% of all property transactions. At the end of three years of local news coverage about Measure ULA from the Los Angeles Times and LAist, the news audience …

Notes For The Stalled, V18n09, June/July 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Did You Know . . .?
--- You Belong @ Rod
--- Pardon Our Progress
--- Information Overload!
--- Upcoming Events

The Historical Persistence Of Working-Class Culture: How Laborers Created The Ethical Foundation Of Western Civilization, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

This article highlights four historical events that shape our present: the world’s first industrial strike in ancient Egypt to protest workers’ health and safety; working-class efforts to improve labor conditions during the Roman Republic and Middle Ages through strikes and the creation of guilds; the social justice activism of the prophets of Western religions (all working-class folks!); and the creation of the selfie and the transition from a culture of character to our present obsession with celebrities and individualism that began during the Renaissance. Each case highlights unique features of working-class culture, working class reactions to societal changes, and the …

Operational Responsibility In Ai Governance: A User-Centric Liability Framework, Zhengyang Chen

Faculty Publications

Who bears responsibility when artificial intelligence systems cause harm? This question has become central to AI ethics and governance. Most existing approaches focus on developers, yet this faces serious practical and theoretical problems. Drawing on tort law, agency law, and philosophy of technology, this paper argues that AI should be understood as an instrument whose outputs remain the responsibility of human operators rather than developers. We call this 'user-centric governance.' Placing accountability with deployers promotes public trust by creating clear lines of responsibility, a concern that governance approaches have often overlooked. It preserves democratic accountability by keeping human actors answerable …

Sesquicentennial Commencement [Program], May 15-16, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

Contents:

Brief History of UNI --- 2
Board of Regents --- 3
Institutional Leadership --- 3
Ceremony Symbols & Traditions --- 4
Commencement Over the Years --- 6
University Honors Program --- 8
Graduation with Honors --- 8
Legacy Graduates --- 8
Military Science --- 9
Merchant Scholarship --- 9
Outstanding Student Leader --- 9
Commencement Student Speakers --- 9
Purple and Old Gold Awards --- 10
Lux Service Award --- 11
7 p.m. Program --- 13
College of Education --- 15
David W. Wilson College of Business --- 22
10 a.m. Program --- 29
College of Humanities, Arts & …

How Can The Endangered Species Act Critical Habitat Designation Process Be Revised To Provide Better Protection For Listed Species Today And Under Future Range Shift Scenarios Due To Climate Change?, Matt Kerber

Mary Ann Bolton Undergraduate Research Award

Humans have interacted with the flora and fauna of Earth in many ways throughout our evolutionary history. Whether that be from a place of fascination, or as a resource to be exploited, humans have relied upon the millions of species that share the Earth with them. These interactions have led humans to both destroy and degrade ecosystems, but also to conserve ecosystems so that they may continue to provide their services and intrinsic value. A major shift in exploitation of wildlife began around the advent of industrialization and the acceleration of technological advancement. The ability and rate at which species …

Notes For The Stalled, V18n08, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Extended Hours
--- Duck Hunt
--- DeStress Days
--- Congratulations!
--- Upcoming Events

Iowa Waste Reduction Center News, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- P2 Green Brewery Webinar #2 Registration
--- Solid Waste Educators Meeting
--- Farewell Interns
--- Energy Efficiency Resources
--- Industry News

Considerations When Designing In Vivo Protocols For Conducting Biomechanical Research Of The Shoulder Joint In Hockey Athletes, Kylie Giesler

Honors Program Theses

While the numbers and details of hockey-related injuries are variable across sources due to variations in sample age, sex, location, and confidentiality of many large hockey leagues, a 2023 narrative review study identified more than 100,000 upper extremity injuries documented in research since 2000. Nearly half of those injuries were to the shoulder with common injuries being acromioclavicular joint sprains, shoulder instability and dislocations, labral and rotator cuff tears, and clavicle fractures. In respect to the National Hockey League (NHL), the highest level of play in ice hockey, 12% of all injuries are to the shoulder, second only to head …

Community Engagement Newsletter, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- UNI's Day of Service - Thank You
--- A Snapshot of Our Collective Impact
--- Online Engaged Department Institute

International Panther Monthly, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Last Month With OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Next Month's Activities
--- Additional Opportunities
--- Find Connection at OIE
--- Get Involved

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, April 27, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

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