Digital Commons Network^™

Western News, September 8, 2016, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: President Dunn to retire at end of 2016-17, New trustee; vice president among recent appointee, Proposed campus wayfinding plan ready to be shown, University continued making improvements all summer long, Event held to showcase Valley Dining Center, Revised University strategic plan now in effect through 2020, Strike Gold ad campaign designed to demonstrate WMU’s value

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session September 7, 2016, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the WMU Board of Trustees meeting include appendices:

• Formal Agenda
• Proposed Meeting Minutes
• Renaming Aviation Facility Building
• AHEC Liquor License
• WMU Catering Liquor License Application
• Gift Report
• Gift Report Supplements
• Grant Report (September)
• Grant Report (June to July)
• Personnel Report
• Operating Cash Accounts
• Annuity Life Income Funds

Discovery, September 2016, Office Of Vice President For Research

Research and Discovery News

• $ 1.6 Million In Grants During April and May
• September 30 Deadline for Internal Funding
• Contracts for Investigators Breakfast Sessions
• Psychology Professor Lauded for Research Expertise

Gpu-Arraysort: A Parallel, In-Place Algorithm For Sorting Large Number Of Arrays, Muaaz Awan, Fahad Saeed

Parallel Computing and Data Science Lab Technical Reports

Modern day analytics deals with big datasets from diverse fields. For many application the data is in the form of an array which consists of large number of smaller arrays. Existing techniques focus on sorting a single large array and cannot be used for sorting large number of smaller arrays in an efficient manner. Currently no such algorithm is available which can sort such large number of arrays utilizing the massively parallel architecture of GPU devices. In this paper we present a highly scalable parallel algorithm, called GPU-ArraySort, for sorting large number of arrays using a GPU. Our algorithm performs …

August 2016 News Items, Office Of Vice President For Research

Research and Discovery News

• Freshwater specialists keep fresh waters...fresh
• Multitalented microbiology student highly lauded for her scholarship
• Degree research evolves into new company for WMU alumni in semiconductor industry
• The other potent greenhouse gas

Crispr Humans: Ethics At The Edge Of Science, Insoo Hyun

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

No abstract provided.

An Intra-Site Spatial Analysis Of Fort St. Joseph (20be23) In Niles, Mi, Katelyn Deann Hillmeyer

Masters Theses

In the field of archaeology, surveying and mapping have played key roles in documenting and analyzing site data. With the advancements in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this integration of spatial data is made easier and better visualization can be attained for site layout and artifact distributions both horizontally, in space, and also vertically through a temporal component. The ongoing excavations at Fort St. Joseph (Smithsonian trinomial- 20BE23), near Niles, Michigan, makes it an excellent site for exploring the evolution of applied GIS methodology and the adjustment of among ongoing static database applications to new spatial methods of investigating site distributions. …

Transportation System And Its Association With Human Health – A Review And Modeling Approach, Fnu Zahed

Masters Theses

Transportation systems constitute of infrastructure, commute modes, land use and other policies. The purpose of transportation is to provide easy access to goods and services. While attaining this purpose, impacts of transportation on human health and well-being have been ignored to some extent. Recently, studies have begun analyzing the impact of transportation systems on quality of life and health disparities. While many studies have discussed the impact of the transportation system on individual factors from health, a very limited number of studies have focused on the impact of multiple factors associated with multiple morbidity and mortality forms. The focus of …

Reducing Marginalization Of Fishermen Through Participatory Action Research In The Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe, Bernard Manyena, Andrew E. Collins, Frank Mudimba, Danisa Mudimba

International Journal of African Development

Equitable sharing of fishing resources has been the major source of tension between Zambezi Valley communities and the Zimbabwe government authorities since the 1950s following the Kariba Dam-induced resettlement. Using participatory action research, it was found that the fishing license system and criminalization of fishermen were the major sources of tension between fishermen and government authorities. Engaging with government authorities to address these tensions, fishermen were recognized as partners in the fishing industry. The conclusion was that enhancing community agencies through participatory action research would be fundamental towards creating socially just and equitable arrangements that could emancipate marginalized communities from …

International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 3, Issue 2

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 3, Issue 2 - Spring 2016.

Student Rating Of Skill Performance Opportunities In Faculty-Directed Research, Carrie A. Ciro, Mary Isaacson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose was to examine the feasibility of creating a faculty-driven research-based fieldwork (FW) I experience and to examine whether students engaged in a research-based FW I would report equivalent skill performance opportunities as students engaged in traditional FW I experiences. Twenty-four first-year occupational therapy students were given the option of choosing either a research-based FW I experience with a faculty member (n = 5) or a traditional FW I site (n = 19). The students self-reported their opportunities to perform ACOTE standards of practice related to professionalism, professional reasoning, use of sciences, and experiential learning using a Likert scale. …

College Of Arts And Sciences E-News Issue 39: July 2016, College Of Arts And Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

• Department of Psychology to celebrate 50 years
• New Michigan budget includes WMU funding for new geologic mapping
• Psychology professors Dr. Alyce M. Dickinson and Dr. Al Poling earn ABAI awards
• Dr. David Karowe, biology, hails Paris climate change agreement
• Poet Alison Swan, environmental and sustainability studies, reimagines freshwater heart of North America

Western Michigan University Magazine, Summer 2016, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• Freshwater specialists WMU, NMC add to the next wave of water experts
• A history of diversions Controlling the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin
• The watery view from 310 miles up Scientist uses twin satellites as few others do
• From music to the Marines to microbiology Doctoral student racks up awards in her latest pursuit
• Honing HeroRATs Prof’s work with heroic rodents nets humanitarian award
• Advertising multiracial identity What happens when ads go beyond white and black
• Meet WMU’s Health DReAM team They use science to boost community well-being
• A view into virtual schools Authors of study say the struggle is …

Western News, June 23, 2016, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: State funds to help aviation programs soar; Notable facilities projects taking place this summer; Researcher earning impressive accolades; On Campus with Stacy Thinnes.

Western News, June 09, 2016, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Researcher advances educational registry; Wellness effort taking fitness, well-being to new heights; Faculty Senate elects board members for 2016-18; Research team wins grant to study impact of speed on crashes; On Campus with Michiko Yoshimoto.

Discovery, June 2016, Office Of Vice President For Research

Research and Discovery News

• Discovery Advances
• Research Team Studies Impact of Speed on Crashes
• NSF Awards Researcher Approximately $800,000
• Aviation Programs to Soar with State Funding
• F & A Recovery

Spatial, Temporal Variability And Trends Within The Tributaries Of The Huron River: Effects On The Frequency Of Flooding, Cheyenne India Stewart

Masters Theses

The Huron River, located in the Great Lakes Region, Michigan, USA is a symbol of success, wealth and prosperity to the residents of Southeast Michigan. In the last 20 years, the river has been subject to degradation due to high growth rates of urban cities and often experience the cumulative effects of channelization, pollution from point and nonpoint sources, as well as a decline in wetland area and quality. Urbanization in watersheds of stream channels has intensified many incidences of flooding in metropolitan areas over the past few decades. Causes for the decrease in the capacity of the Huron River …

A Metaevaluation Of The Commission On Fire Accreditation International Accreditation Process, Stacy A. French

Dissertations

Fire and emergency services throughout the country are being required by local governmental authorities to provide efficient and effective services. In 1996, the International City-County Management Association (ICMA) and the International Association of Fire Chief (IAFC) executed a master trust agreement that established the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) to award accreditation to those fire and emergency services that demonstrated efficiency and effectiveness in the services provided. As of this study, no documented research had been published that challenged the current CFAI Accreditation process to ensure the highest level of accountability and usefulness for both the public and fire …

Guided Educational Tourism As Informal Science Education: An Empirical Study, Joseph Martin Lane

Dissertations

The scientific research and education communities have long had the goal of advancing the publics’ understanding of science. Informal science education is a powerful mechanism for shaping human conduct, enhancing quality of life, and advancing the publics’ understandings and values regarding science. Guided educational tours (that present science content) provide visitors with unique opportunities to observe and discuss scientific phenomena in the field. Available empirical research related to learning science from guided educational tours is, at best, limited. Research leading to the development of effective guided educational tours that present and interpret scientific information is of interest to both non-profit …

Redistribution Of The Chicago’S Divvy Bike-Share Stations Using Linear Optimization Model: An Equity Perspective, Md Mehedi Hasan

Masters Theses

Public bike-share infrastructure has the potential to play an important role in sustainable transport systems by enhancing environmental, public health and economic outcomes. In this research, the temporal distributive equity of bike-share infrastructure was examined for initial (300) and expanded (477) bike-share stations across the city of Chicago using eleven accessibility indices. The eleven accessibility indices were calculated using counts of bike share stations within neighborhood boundaries, buffered catchment areas and network distances. By examining the accessibility indices, it was recommended to re-distribute the bike share stations for optimal allocation across the different economic hardship categories. In this study, Linear …

Intersections Of Poverty, Geography, And Custodial Grandparent Caregiving In Appalachia, Deborah L. Phillips, Ben Alexander-Eitzman

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The purpose of this study is to compare the incidence of custodial grandparenting in Central Appalachia to other areas in Appalachia and the rest of the U.S., to explore how recent economic changes have affected poverty rates of custodial grandparents in all of these areas, and to explore what influences the probability of custodial grandparenting. We hypothesize that the recent economic upheaval of the Great Recession has pressured many families to rely on grandparents to provide care for their grandchildren and that these trends are particularly evident in the Appalachian region due to longstanding historical trends and unique cultural factors. …

Complete Issue-Grandfamilies-Issue 3(1)

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Complete Issue-GrandFamilies-Issue 3(1)

Western News, May 26, 2016, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: First-year law classes offered in Kalamazoo; Famed composer Legrand awarded honorary degree; Interim dean, other key appointments announced; On Campus with Renee Pearl.

Connections, 05/2016, College Of Health And Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Newsletter

• Grant funded project to improve care and training in nursing facilities
• Grant funds study of food selectivity in children
• Alumna receives Faculty Mentor of the Year Award at NIU
• New OT grad cert in low vision rehabilitation to launch fall 2016
• Congratulations to 2015-16 CHHS retirees
• Sammons Center grants support OT advancement through technology
• Clinics now accepting applications for fall

Wmu Board Of Trustees Informal Session April, 22, 2016, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the WMU Board of Trustees meeting include appendices:

• Approval of the Minutes of the March 25 Formal Session
• Property Purchase with Eaton Corporation
• Residency Policy - for Admissions and/or Tuition and Fee Purposes
• Student Room and Board Rates 2015-2016 (ROLL CALL)
• Personnel Report
• Gift Report
• Grant Report
• Program Recommendation

Extended Gamut Printing In Flexographic Packaging And The Impact Of Brand Management, Andrew Bogan

Honors Theses

Flexography is the dominant print process in regards to the reproduction of packaging products. Packaging, particular the color and graphics, is an essential tangible element for brand owners striving for brand management. Extended gamut printing is a printing technique that can produce high color saturations on packaging samples, which can have positive implications for brand management. Currently, most information on extended gamut printing is proprietary, making it very difficult for non-print industry members to obtain and utilize information relating to the benefits of extended gamut printing. The aim of this study was to provide evidence that packaging samples with extended …

An Assessment Of Home Energy Efficiency In Kalamazoo, Alexis Coutts

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess the status of home energy efficiency in Kalamazoo as well as the reasons why (or why not) a homeowner adopts energy efficiency and what their incentives and barriers are. In order to address these questions this study first relies on a literature review to offer insight on this complex topic and reveal the main incentives and barriers to energy efficiency already found by homeowners. Next a survey is completed by a total of thirty participants, fifteen homeowners from two separate neighborhoods of Kalamazoo, using socioeconomics as a variable. Where Milwood neighborhood acts …

Queenship Studies Comes Of Age, Lois L. Huneycutt

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Where Do We Go From Here? Some Thoughts On Power And Gender In The Middle Ages, Theresa Earenfight

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

Current research on queens exposes the biased weaknesses in much of the scholarly work on monarchy and reveals that queens were hardly exceptional. By examining monarchy as a family affair, rather than that of a man alone on the throne, it is clear that queens and noblewomen were fundamental to the operations of monarchy. Taking this meta-discourse of monarchy into account reveals a complex network of affiliations that were obscured by generations of scholars who focused only the deeds of men and thus regarded a woman in power as exceptional.

Woman And Power: Thoughts Arising Out Of The Roundtable "Debating Women And Power In The Middle Ages," International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 2014, Penelope Nash

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

Questions are asked about how we study medieval women in positions of power, with particular reference to elite Italian and German women in the earlier Middle Ages. The essay calls for scholars to search for nuances in former understandings of women’s opportunities to exercise power while re-examining locality, time period, life cycles, and female and male power. The essay includes an appeal to scholars to become better acquainted with the work of their peers who write in other languages.