Digital Commons Network^™

Research Portfolio, Kezia Mariam Abraham

Graduate Research Papers

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 …

Florentine Impressions: Artists Abroad, Jaylin Vander Wiel

Honors Program Theses

Florence, Italy has long been a destination for traveling artists and those looking for international inspiration. I wanted to be part of this tradition and experience my own contemporary version of the Grand Tour, a rite of passage trip to Europe for men in the 17th to early 19th century. Several notable female artists also participated in the Grand Tour or their own European travel and served as inspiration for this project. As someone who values travel and planned to study abroad, I was drawn to this history and the idea of developing as a person and artist through immersion …

The Relationship Between Backgrounds And The Perception Of Tones In Mandarin, Abigail Franks

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

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 …

Acoustic Analysis Of Vowels In Foreign-Accented English, Hannah Nedder

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Of Both Parent And Child Technology Use On Developing Literacy Abilities, Ava Mcmenomy

Honors Program Theses

This study explored the effects of both parent and child technology use on developing literacy abilities. Research is limited in this area, but is becoming increasingly important as technology continues to evolve and become more commonplace in the lives of both adults and children. This study aimed to determine if there was a correlation between technology use and decreased literacy abilities of children. This study also explored if increased technology use in conjunction with decreased quality of parent-child interactions resulted in decreased literacy skills. Research was conducted through a survey and 15 responses were analyzed. No decreased literacy abilities of …

Collaborative Groups In Math: How Student Grouping Strategies Can Impact Math Achievement, Trevor S. Fletcher, Jenifer J. Dise

Graduate Research Papers

This study looked into the academic effect of student grouping strategies in math class. Twentyseven third graders, attending a public charter elementary school in the South and nine sixth graders, attending a public elementary school in the Midwest, are the participants in this study. Most of the third grade students scored below grade-level, and most of the sixth grade students scored above grade-level on their recent respective state tests in math. This study focuses on the academic effect of the style of collaborative grouping based on exit tickets and a survey on student thinking about math. When collaboration was used, …

Arts-Integrated Mindfulness: Social-Emotional Learning For Elementary Education, Ashley J. M. Canny, Katherine A. Taylor Clausen, Amanda K. Cox, Bryce D. Cox

Graduate Research Papers

This action research investigates the impact of arts-integrated mindfulness practices on elementary students’ ability to self-regulate. In response to a significant rise in emotional dysregulation and mental health concerns among young learners - exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic - this study explores how combining mindfulness techniques with artistic expression can enhance emotional awareness, focus, and resilience. Through classroom activities such as breathing exercises, movement, music, and visual arts, students were guided to engage in self-reflection and emotion regulation in creative, accessible ways. Data collected through student surveys and observational records indicated that most participants experienced improved calmness, engagement, and readiness …

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

2024-25 Uni Track & Field Record Book, University Of Northern Iowa

Athletics Media Guides

Contents:

--Men's Indoor
--Women's Indoor
--Men's Outdoor
--Women's Outdoor
--Men's Indoor MVC History
--Men's Outdoor MVC History
--Men's Indoor All-MVC List
--Men's Outdoor All-MVC List
--Men's Indoor/Outdoor Honors
--Women's Indoor MVC History
--Women's Outdoor MVC History
--Women's Indoor/Outdoor All-MVC List
--Women's Indoor/Outdoor Honors

Empowering Young Learners From Diverse Economic Backgrounds, Tonya Wilson-Story

Graduate Research Papers

This paper explores the importance and benefits of empowering young learners from diverse economic backgrounds through goal setting, specifically focusing on students enrolled in an urban school serving a highly diverse population. Over time, students have changed neurologically and behaviorally—shaped in part by the influence of technology, which has affected how they process information and maintain attention. As a result, today’s students learn differently than in previous generations. Research shows that many young learners now enter school with only half the vocabulary of their middle-class peers (Wentzel, 2020), underscoring the urgent need for new instructional approaches that effectively engage and …

Student Affairs Professionals' Sensemaking Following Student Disclosures Of Mental Health Concerns, Andrea L. Meluch, Alison Doehring, Maria Hannah

Iowa Journal of Communication

Based on semi-structured interviews with 23 participants, this study explores how student affairs professionals in higher education make sense of the role-related and communication-related challenges that they face when students disclose mental health concerns. Study results indicated that participants construct their role as student affairs professionals as advocates and sources of support for students struggling with mental health. However, despite framing their role as “helpers” to students, participants noted that they must navigate mental health resources within and beyond their institution, manage constraints on their role, and grapple with external factors that inhibit students’ ability to receive mental health support. …

Teasing In Romantic Relationships: The Roles Of Attachment Dimensions, Relational Uncertainty, And Interpersonal Attraction, Nathan Miczo

Iowa Journal of Communication

Drawing upon DiCioccio’s interactionist model of teasing, this study examined positive and negative teasing in romantic relationships, with relational uncertainty and interpersonal attraction as mediators. Participants completed measures of teasing, attachment, relational uncertainty, and interpersonal attraction. Affectionate teasing was positively predicted by anxious attachment, physical attraction, and social attraction, and negatively predicted by avoidant attachment. Social attraction mediated the relationship between anxiety and affectionate teasing, while physical attraction and social attraction were mediators between avoidance and affectionate teasing. There were no significant results for relational uncertainty as a predictor or for aggressive teasing as an outcome.

Por Nuestras Manos: Un Recetario De La Clase Español Para Hablantes De Herencia, Elise Dubord

Faculty Book Gallery

Este libro de cocina, la segunda 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 Osmar Castro, estudiante de la enseñanza del arte; con el apoyo de …

The Fifth (202-195 Bce) And The Sixth (170-168 Bce) Syrian Wars In The Dead Sea Scrolls: Implications For Understanding The Origin Of The Maccabean Revolt, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

The rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires fought six wars for control of the region known as Coele-Syria during the third and the second centuries BCE. These conflicts weakened both powers, allowing them to be conquered by the Roman Republic. For the Jews of Judea, the Fifth Syrian War witnessed increased conflicts in the country among its high priests regarding the nature of Hellenistic reforms and how to deal with the Seleucid Empire. These difficulties continued and led to the Maccabean Revolt at the conclusion of the Sixth Syrian War, which would eventually culminate in Judean independence from …

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.

Addressing Iowa’S Teacher Shortage: University-Led Strategies And Their Impact, Makenzie Mae Morris

Honors Program Theses

Teacher shortages continue to be a critical challenge for Iowa’s education system, affecting both the recruitment and retention of qualified educators. Over the past decade, Iowa’s Regent universities have made significant changes to their teacher preparation programs in response to declining enrollment and workforce demands. This study examines how these programs, particularly at the University of Northern Iowa, have evolved through the expansion of online offerings, accelerated licensure pathways, and strengthened student support systems. The purpose of this research was to identify institutional strategies that effectively address the teacher shortage and provide insight into sustainable models for future teacher preparation. …

Examining The Role Of Mental Health In Prisoner Reentry, Ireland Laughlin

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Hireability Of Female Hispanic Applicants By Accent/Career Type And Participant First Language, Lauren R. Logue

Honors Program Theses

There has been an influx of Hispanic immigrants in the United States, and negative attitudes toward these individuals have been increasingly expressed in the current political climate. There is discrimination toward the Hispanic community, and this includes in the workplace. One factor that may impact discrimination is accents. This study examined perceptions of women with Hispanic accents in an organizational context. Most previous research in this area has examined the perceptions of male job candidates with other types of accents. 314 participants evaluated a female job candidate who either had a Hispanic accent, did not have an accent (but had …

A Deep Dive Into The Alignment Of Classroom Management And A Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum, Aliya James

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.

How Do Documentaries Depict The Experiences Of Juveniles In Correctional Facilities?, Emma Decker

Honors Program Theses

The juvenile justice system is an entity that is separate from the criminal justice system, with the intended purpose of accommodating the unique needs of juveniles. This system has the primary goals of rehabilitation and punishment, with an emphasis on rehabilitation. Most of the general population has had little to no contact with the juvenile justice system.. In order to fill this gap, a great portion of the public relies on media representation to build up a foundation of knowledge. This can include gaining information from news sources as well as crime based tv shows and documentaries. Little research has …

Inked Narratives: Exploring The Motivations Behind Tattoo Culture, Katelyn Bakker

Honors Program Theses

This study explores the motivations behind tattoo acquisition and the meanings individuals attribute to their tattoos, with a focus on a college-aged population in the Midwest. Using an online survey, I gathered responses from 649 participants to understand the cultural, social, and personal factors influencing tattoo decisions. The results show that tattoos are increasingly viewed as a form of self-expression, with significant differences in motivations between genders. Key motivations for obtaining tattoos include honoring relationships, personal expression, and commemorating life events. Additionally, the study highlights the role of peer influence in tattoo acquisition, suggesting that exposure to tattooed friends is …

Outlaws, Lawmen, And The Emergence Of Justice On The Western Frontier, Kaci Mae Krier

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Building Better: Lean Construction Vs. Traditional Methods, Payton Olson

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

It’S A Bird! It’S A Plane! No It’S A Teacher: How Teachers Are Exemplified As Superheroes As A Method Of Control, Charis Crozier

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

One, Two, Unemployment’S Coming For You: How Slasher Films Reflect Societal Fears, Arwen G. Hansen

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Nir Spectroscopy As A Tool For Identifying Additives In Foundry Green Sands, Maurice Kuubata

Graduate Research Papers

The main objective of this study is to investigate the potential of Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a rapid, non-destructive method for identifying key additives such as seacoal and red iron oxides in foundry green sand. Samples comprised of silica sand with bentonite (DC2), seacoal, and/or red iron oxide were prepared. NIR spectra were acquired using an Avantes spectrometer with an Avasphere attachment. To ensure robust results, high-repeatability data was obtained from twelve replicates of two control mixtures.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the spectral data showed that the first principal component (PC1) explained 99.23 % of total variance for Seacoal …