Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Community Assets, Place-Based Learning, And Career Development Through Project-Based Learning In Rural Settings, Denae Kizys, Christine Lotter Ph.D., Lucas Perez, Rachel Gilreath, Dodie Limberg

Faculty Publications

Our study investigates the first year of a two-year place-based education (PBE) professional development model that focuses on career development in rural middle schools through project-based learning (PBL) units. Rural science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators face unique challenges, including geographic isolation, limited resources, and reduced access to professional development opportunities, which can hinder the effective integration of career-oriented learning in the classroom. We addressed these challenges by implementing professional development in which school counselors and teachers collaborate to design PBL units aligned with rural community local needs and STEM careers. Using a descriptive multiple-case study methodology to document …

Generative Ai For Thematic Analysis In A Maternal Health Study: Coding Semistructured Interviews Using Large Language Models, Shan Qiao, Xingyu Fang, Junbo Wang, Ran Zhang, Xiaoming Li, Yuhao Kang

Faculty Publications

Study Objectives: The coding of semistructured interview transcripts is a critical step for thematic analysis of qualitative data. However, the coding process is often labor-intensive and time-consuming. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presents new opportunities to enhance the efficiency of qualitative coding. This study proposed a computational pipeline using GenAI to automatically extract themes from interview transcripts. Methods: Using transcripts from interviews conducted with maternity care providers in South Carolina, we leveraged ChatGPT for inductive coding to generate codes from interview transcripts without a predetermined coding scheme. Structured prompts were designed to instruct ChatGPT to generate and summarize …

Exploring The Public Health Agency Of Canada’S And The Ontario Government’S Vaccine-Related Crisis Communication On X During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sheraza Burney, Lori Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Anita Kothari

Publications

Crisis communication strategies must be tailored to the unique nature of social media. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, public health agencies have widely used social media to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. This research utilized the social media pandemic communication model to describe the key themes disseminated through the Ontario government and the Public Health Agency of Canada's vaccine-related crisis communication on X (formerly Twitter). Between 27 January 2020 and 6 April 2021, 1271 posts related to COVID-19 vaccination were collected from three official government X accounts—two from the province of Ontario and one from Canada. Posts were analyzed …

Pulse Pressure, White Matter Hyperintensities, And Cognition: Mediating Effects Across The Adult Lifespan, Jade Hannan, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Natalie Busby, Sarah C. Wilson, Roger Newman-Norlund, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To investigate whether pulse pressure or mean arterial pressure mediates the relationship between age and white matter hyperintensity load and to examine the mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on cognition.

Methods: Demographic information, blood pressure, current medication lists, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for231 stroke- and dementia-free adults were retrospectively obtained from the Aging Brain Cohort study. Total WMH load was determined from T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance scans using the TrUE-Net deep learning tool for white matter segmentation. In separate models, we used mediation analysis to assess whether pulse pressure or MAP mediates the relationship between age and total …

Pulse Pressure, White Matter Hyperintensities, Andcognition: Mediating Effects Across The Adult Lifespan, Jade Hannan, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Natalie Busby, Sarah C. Wilson, Roger Newman-Norlund, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson, Leonardo Bon, Nicholas Riccardi

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To investigate whether pulse pressure or mean arterial pressure mediates the relationship between age and white matter hyperintensity load and to examine the mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on cognition.

Methods: Demographic information, blood pressure, current medication lists, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for231 stroke- and dementia-free adults were retrospectively obtained from the Aging Brain Cohort study. Total WMH load was determined from T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance scans using the TrUE-Net deep learning tool for white matter segmentation. In separate models, we used mediation analysis to assess whether pulse pressure or MAP mediates the relationship between age and total …

2025 Persimmon Creek - Full Journal, Beth Keefauver, Wayne C. Robbins

Persimmon Creek

Persimmon Creek runs through the Susan B. Jacobs Arboretum, an oasis of nature in the center of our dynamic and thriving campus community at the University of South Carolina Upstate. My colleague Wayne Robbins and I were recently tasked with bringing back the student-edited literary journal formerly known as Writer’s Inc. Dr. Marilyn Knight stood at the helm of Writer’s Inc. for nearly twenty years, and when she retired, the journal left with her. We thought it would be an opportune time to pay homage to the legacy of Writer’s Inc. by renaming and reimagining our home department’s literary journal. …

When The Siren Sounds, Madelynn H. Morgan

Persimmon Creek

Growing up being the daughter of a fire fighter was not easy. I had a very absent father growing up, and this was due to his work in the fire service. Through this reflective essay, I discuss what growing up as a first-response family was like, and how it has shaped me into the adult I am becoming.

The Madonna - Whore Complex, Rhiya S. Ashman

Persimmon Creek

In this work, I wanted to explore the literature/media trope of the Madonna/Whore complex, specifically when it comes to Black women in media. The Madonna Whore complexes illustrate how women are often written into one of two extremes - they are either extremely pure, innocent, and childlike (The Madonna), or they are sexual, rebellious, and seductive (The Whore). The piece is full of symbolism, including the materials used to make it. I wanted to illustrate these extreme yet two dimensional ways these women were portrayed by creating them in flat paper, with no faces, to show how they are still …

Wulver In Appalachia, Wylan Blair

Persimmon Creek

A poem about a mysterious figure who comes to the aid of a mountain community.

Glimpses Of Myself In The Underground, Madelynn H. Morgan

Persimmon Creek

Through poetry, a older teenager reflects on a place that has made her who she is. She sees ghosts of her past self in every wall of this place, and it makes her feel oddly sentimental. She realizes how far she has come and how much has changed, and begins to understand how ever fleeting any given moment in time is.

Dodo, Lyxia C. Vue

Persimmon Creek

A short poem about the extinct animal known as the Dodo Bird.

The Stereo Skips, Maryssa H. Mckinney

Persimmon Creek

"The Stereo Skips" is a reflective poem that captures the chaotic and emotional experiences of a child navigating family struggles and religious expectations on a typical Sunday morning growing up in their household. Through the recurring image of a skipping stereo, the poem emphasizes the dissonance between external appearances and internal turmoil, as the child reflects on their relationship with God, the absence of their father, and the contradictions in their family life. The stereo's skips serve as a metaphor for the interruptions and unresolved emotions in the speaker's world.

Tsenacommacah, Wylan Blair

Persimmon Creek

This poem is about the area that was once called Tsenacommacah, the Powhatan people, and the horrors of the centuries that followed 1607.

Ode To A Carolina Cotton Mill, Joshua S. Lanier

Persimmon Creek

Ode to a Carolina Cotton Mill is a poem about the lives of generations of textile workers who left the farm in search of a better life for their families. THe poem is somewhat autobiographical, as my family had worked in the cotton mill for many generations.

Whiplash, Jillian M. Canady

Persimmon Creek

Whiplash is an abstract poem that emphasizes emotion and imagery over narrative clarity. Through the juxtaposition of a moth and a neon sign, it delves into themes of struggle and transience, blending surreal elements—sickly slouching figures, flickering candles, and woven snakes—to create a landscape of sorrow and light. With fragmented language and rhythmic shifts, the poem invites deep engagement and personal interpretation, culminating in a sensation of rapid motion and transformation, challenging readers to find meaning within its evocative chaos.

The Man In The Frame, Joshua Holt

Persimmon Creek

The Man in the Frame - Poetry by Joshua Holt

Clicky Pen, Allison E. Potter

Persimmon Creek

This is a poem about a clicky pen, an inanimate object that I gave life to. It is an original work that I submitted as homework for my Poetry Class.

Kabul, A Memory Bittersweet, Medina Z. Mayar

Persimmon Creek

A free verse poem.

Girls Are Coming Out Of The Woods (Title Taken From Tishani Doshi), Jillian Canady

Persimmon Creek

This evocative haiku, inspired by Tishani Doshi’s poem, Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods, beautifully captures the essence of resilience and emergence. It portrays women as powerful forces, symbolized by roaring fires and vibrant sunsets, evoking warmth and intensity. The detail of "pink painted toes" adds a playful yet bold touch, blending femininity with strength. This concise piece invites readers to reflect on the dynamic spirit of women stepping into their own, embodying both elegance and fierce determination.

Theodore B. Taverner, Joshua Holt

Persimmon Creek

A war veteran with PTSD wakes on abandoned train tracks, a gun in hand, blood on his clothes, and a body by his feet. Disoriented and haunted by fragmented memories, he struggles to piece together the truth as sirens close in.

Warmth, Brandi E. Shuler

Persimmon Creek

The short story Warmth is about an unnamed character who encounters a violent fire elemental. It is an experimental piece about what it feels like to experience a traumatic burn and what the character went through afterward.

Father's Circle, Samuel Bass

Persimmon Creek

An abusive Father and musically-inclined son go on a roadtrip through time and discover their universal connection.

The Work Of Persimmons, Aaliyah D. Wilkes

Persimmon Creek

I wanted to create a persimmon cover that was very light and abstract. I used illustrator to create a wallpaper of persimmons.

May 7, 2025 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Review Of Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Building Versatile And Robust Tethered Multirotor Uav System, Dario Handrick, Mattie Eckenrode, Junsoo Lee

Faculty Publications

This paper presents a comprehensive review of tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), focusing on their challenges and potential applications across various domains. We analyze the dynamic characteristics of tethered UAV systems and address the unique challenges they present, including complex tether dynamics, impulsive forces, and entanglement risks. Additionally, we explore application-specific challenges in areas such as payload transportation and ground-connected systems. The review also examines existing tethered UAV testbed designs, highlighting their strengths and limitations in both simulation and experimental settings. We discuss advancements in multi-UAV cooperation, ground–air collaboration through tethers, and the integration of retractable tether systems. Moreover, we …

How Extreme Rainfall And Failing Dams Unleashed The Derna Flood Disaster, Ayman Mokhtar Nemnem, Ahad Hasan Tanim, Audrika Nahian, Sadik Khan, Erfan Goharian, Jasim Imran

Faculty Publications

On September 11, 2023, Storm Daniel unleashed unprecedented rainfall over the Wadi Derna watershed, triggering one of the most devastating floods in modern history, striking Derna, a coastal city in Libya. This study reconstructs the disaster using an integrated modeling approach that combines satellite imagery, hydrologic, hydraulic, and geotechnical simulations, machine learning, eyewitness accounts, and digital elevation data to assess the impact of cascading dam failures. Our findings reveal that the region’s dams, even if structurally sound, would have provided minimal protection against the extreme runoff. However, their failure unleashed a destructive surge wave, amplifying the disaster’s magnitude and devastation. …

Cardiovascular Health In The Transition From Adolescence To Emerging Adulthood: A Scientific Statement From The American Heart Association, Jewel Scott Phd, Rn, Fnp-C, Anandita Agarwala, Carissa M. Baker-Smith, Matthew J. Feinstein, Karen Jakubowski, Jill Kaar, Niyati Parekh, Kershaw V. Patel, Janna Stephens

Faculty Publications

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the United States, with an alarming rise in the proportion of young adults experiencing cardiovascular events. Many adolescents enter adulthood with significant cardiovascular disease risk factors. This scientific statement addresses the critical need for cardiovascular health promotion during emerging adulthood, a transitional stage between the ages of 18 and 25 or 29 years of age. We discuss the significance of social determinants of health and the interplay between individual-level risk factors and developmental changes, including shifts in substance use, social connections, and emotional well-being. We conclude by outlining strategies for optimizing …

How Extreme Rainfall And Failing Dams Unleashed The Derna Flood Disaster, Ayman Mokhtar Nemnem, Ahad Hasan Tanim, Audrika Nahian, Sadik Khan, Erfan Goharian, Jasim Imran

Faculty Publications

On September 11, 2023, Storm Daniel unleashed unprecedented rainfall over the Wadi Derna watershed, triggering one of the most devastating floods in modern history, striking Derna, a coastal city in Libya. This study reconstructs the disaster using an integrated modeling approach that combines satellite imagery, hydrologic, hydraulic, and geotechnical simulations, machine learning, eyewitness accounts, and digital elevation data to assess the impact of cascading dam failures. Our findings reveal that the region’s dams, even if structurally sound, would have provided minimal protection against the extreme runoff. However, their failure unleashed a destructive surge wave, amplifying the disaster’s magnitude and devastation. …

Cultivate Community With Bilingual Programs And Services, Aliza Peryea, Cassie Welch

South Carolina Libraries

Patrons of all backgrounds feel welcome in the library when bilingual programs and services are prioritized. By providing programs and services in multiple languages, libraries bridge the language barrier and create more opportunities for the community. The Charleston County Public Library centers equity, diversity, and inclusion in its practices by prioritizing bilingual programs and services; creating and maintaining local partnerships; and sustainably enhancing library services for all.

Successful Subject Headings For Moving Image Resources, Jen M. Jones, Charlotte G. Grubbs, Scott M. Dutkiewicz

South Carolina Libraries

Based on an SCLA conference presentation, this article explores principles for assigning subject headings to moving images. Using a digital metadata-inspired graphic organizer, authors discuss case studies illustrating the Library of Congress’ Subject Headings (LCSH) Manual, instruction sheet H 2230, noting commonly omitted facets and misinterpretations of subject and subdivision usage. Emphasis is on LCSH and instructions in LCSH authority records.