Digital Commons Network^™

Dialogues Between First-Generation Mexican American Female Students In Higher Education And Their Parents, Rosa Elena Zavala Morales

Master's Theses

First-generation female Mexican American students are part of the growing Latinx population of students entering American college campuses all over the country. They are students who have had to jump over several obstacles such as traditional gender roles and structures of inequality to attend university on their own. But they are not fully alone. Loyalty to family is a central core value many Mexican American women believe in, making family an integral part of their journey in higher education. Additionally, traditional gender roles, in conjunction with family, play a part in the responsibilities they take at home with their families. …

The Invisible Brats: Bringing Attention To The Unique Experiences Of Coast Guard-Connected Youth, Cameron A. Marshall

Master's Theses

This thesis delves into the unique experiences of Coast Guard-connected youth, filling a gap in the academic literature by examining their challenges due to their nomadic upbringing. Utilizing in-depth interviews with 14 adults, including seven who grew up in Coast Guard families, the study underscores the effects of frequent relocations, isolation, and insufficient support on their lives. Although comparisons to military-connected children are drawn, the focus remains on understanding the distinct adversities encountered by Coast Guard-connected youth. Participants acknowledge the adaptability and social skills acquired from their upbringing while uncovering the emotional burden and difficulties in establishing a sense of …

No One To Save, And Everything To Learn: Decolonial Possibilities For Global Ngos Facilitating Education In Emergencies, Megan N. Patterson

Master's Theses

The field of Education in Emergencies is an emerging field which aims to offer solutions for the continuation of learning in humanitarian settings, but also navigates dynamics of global development in the pursuit of delivering quality learning and universal learning access. In this study, qualitative content analysis is used to examine the beliefs, values, and motivations of three Education in Emergencies (EiE) programs implemented by NGOs. These were selected to offer insight into programming designed for global, regional, and local implementation, as well as nuanced dynamics of power, agency, and saviorism through seven criteria: (1) Purpose of learning, (2) Instructional …

Between Life And Death: Reimagining Black Reproductive Healthcare, Briana Britton

Master's Theses

The state of Black reproductive health is in crisis with mortality rates of birthing people in the U.S. being the worst in the developed world. What compounds this issue is historical and cultural evidence of unethical and inhumane treatment of Black people – Black birthing people in particular – by the U.S. healthcare system primarily due to racism and sexism. Those who do not identify with the binary and heteronormative structures of our healthcare system are at further risk of discrimination and health disparities. Due to social and cultural ideals, stigma, and other structural forces, Black, Black birthing and Black …

Braiding Hearts/Corazones: The Healing Of Intergenerational Stories, Nicole A. Buchanan, Glendy V. Alvarez

Master's Theses

This field project incorporates the practice of fluid desire into the context of migration educational spaces within spaces such as the University of San Francisco Migration Studies Program (MIMS) and nonprofit organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS). Our research objective is to explore the importance of educational spaces for communities who are impacted by migration and how these spaces may allow these communities to be authentically themselves and embody fluid desire. We articulate fluid desire as a practice and state of being that encompasses complementary work from various scholars who focus on one or more components: (1) desire-centered; (2) advocacy …

Calladitas No Nos Vemos Más Bonitas: Testimonios Of Mexican Migrant Catholic Mothers’ Resistance To Marianismo, Jessica Guadalupe Ornelas

Master's Theses

The purposeful killing of women due to their gender (feminicide) is an atrocious global act that has been ascending at an alarming rate, over the past couple of years. Specifically, last year in México and in the duration of six months, there were close to 3,000 victims of gender based killings in México, which is about 10 casualties daily (ONU Mujeres, 2022). While most studies have centered their attention on systemic causes that lead to gender based violence, the amount of research that closely analyzes the ways these causes are interwoven with womens’ everyday lived experiences of social and personal …

Invisibility: Bringing Statelessness To The Forefront Of U.S. Political Advocacy, Claire G. Green

Master's Theses

Currently, an estimated 218,000 stateless persons are living in the United States. With no legal structure specifically addressing statelessness, stateless persons are left in a perpetual state of legal ambiguity. This project explores current research on statelessness in the United States, examines general awareness and attitudes towards the stateless population, and seeks to further understand how to increase empathy and engagement in the push for stateless rights. Guided by the lens of feminist political theory, I attempt to answer the following research question: Can autobiographical works of art be utilized as healing tools of empowerment and catalysts for political recognition …

Feeling The Heat: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects Of Heat On Human Cooperation, Scott K. Klaus

Master's Theses

The goal of this paper is to examine how increased temperatures affect human behavior in terms of cooperation. Currently, there is an abundance of literature regarding increased aggression in humans as temperatures rise. However, there is ambiguity concerning whether a similar effect exists in altering levels of cooperation in human interactions. Additionally, people of different characteristics may be influenced by heat at varying levels. First, we run a baseline model of prosociality on different heat measurements, such as standard and wet-bulb temperatures. Included in this model are experimental specification variables, a “trigger”, and characteristics. The trigger is defined as losing …

Political Economy Of General Normative Force In The Paris Agreement, Jonah B. Jellesed

Master's Theses

The Paris Agreement revolutionizes international cooperation in addressing the urgent threat of climate change. However, its status as an emerging system of global climate governance remains largely unexplored. Drawing on HLA Hart's legal theory, we apply a straightforward test to determine its significance, revealing the Paris Agreement as evidence of a new international legal order. This has far-reaching implications, particularly in the realm of political economy. Unlike previous analyses that merely consider whether a state is a signatory to the agreement or not, our innovative approach delves deeper into countries' commitment. Our analysis shows high compliance levels among populations in …

Undocumented Latinos In California: The Safety Under Ab 60 And Vulnerability Under Real Id, Ricardo Velazquez

Master's Theses

This qualitative research study focuses on the safety under AB 60 driver’s licenses and how the Real ID affects the daily lives of Latino undocumented California residents. The purpose of this project is to further understand the implementation of the second provision of the Real ID Act of 2005 which issues marked identifications and driver's licenses that are federal compliant and understand how it will affect Latino undocumented California residents. The focus of this study through the literature review and the Testimonios is on the experiences of Latino undocumented immigrants living in California, and is viewed through a Latino Critical …

Sweet And Timely Insurance: The Role Of Honey In Reducing Coffee Producer Food Insecurity Exposure In Mexico, Grant Xavier Storer

Master's Theses

Smallholder coffee producers face a combination of pre- and post-harvest risk factors that leaves them particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. A popular form of on-farm diversification is honey production through beekeeping, that has both nutritional and commercial value. This study investigates the role of honey production as means of food security management due to the heightened pollinating activity during the coffee flowering stage that follows the annual coffee harvest provides an additional non-contemporaneous source of income. Using primary data collected in coffee-producing regions of Chiapas, Mexico, I find that during the honey harvest months, which occurs during the early stage …

Understanding The Drivers Of Meat Consumption In Norway: An Exploration Of Environmental And Sociocultural Factors, Paul Wilhite

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on meat consumption in Norway and issues needed to be addressed if it is to be reduced. This thesis aims to explore the sociocultural and environmental factors influencing meat consumption in Norway, a country known for its high per capita consumption of meat. By examining the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of meat consumption in Norway as well as the environmental impacts and ethical considerations associated with meat production and consumption, this thesis seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the drivers of meat consumption in Norway. Following a brief outline of how these issues are to …

Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey

Master's Theses

In 2015, France was rocked by a series of terror attacks that seemed to act as a tipping point for the fears and tensions that had been brewing in Europe in the months leading up to the strike. These attacks, and the subsequent responses to them, point to the influence of a much longer history of French involvement in the Middle East, and the lasting impact that colonization has on French national identity formation. With the creation of French national identity, and therefore the creation of the group that is deemed necessarily outside of this identity, the moral values and …

Refugee Resettlement: Assessing The Quality Of Reception In The Southeast U.S., Adrian Laudani

Master's Theses

When faced with dire situations, refugees are forced to migrate without choice. As a new reality is forced upon them, many don’t have much say in what their futures hold. One option that only the fortunate bunch are presented with is resettlement in a third country. Addressing complexities within the refugee resettlement system consists of various dynamics including integration processes, cultural transitions, multilingualism, among much more. The purpose of this thesis is to address the quality of the current reception services in the United States in order to more effectively assist refugees throughout this general transition period. My main thesis …

Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey

Master's Theses

In 2015, France was rocked by a series of terror attacks that seemed to act as a tipping point for the fears and tensions that had been brewing in Europe in the months leading up to the strike. These attacks, and the subsequent responses to them, point to the influence of a much longer history of French involvement in the Middle East, and the lasting impact that colonization has on French national identity formation. With the creation of French national identity, and therefore the creation of the group that is deemed necessarily outside of this identity, the moral values and …

The Relationship Between Economic Complexity And Income Inequality: A Study On The United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Brooke Johnson

Master's Theses

This paper examines the relationship between income inequality and economic complexity, adding to the literature by providing new evidence for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). With populations in cities rapidly increasing world-wide, settlement scaling research has revealed significant correlations between population size and various aspects of socio-economic wellbeing, including income inequality. Our study utilizes the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), a recently developed measure of economic development, to examine how changes in regional production structures influence inequality and shed light on the evolving nature of urban economies. By employing fixed effects OLS regression with clustered standard errors on both panel data from …

Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe

Master's Theses

This mixed-methods study considers the current reality of the “digital divide” as experienced by adult immigrant ESOL learners following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Although prior research often assumes foreign-born individuals to have lower rates of access, skills and motivation to engage with technology, or to lack it altogether, this study seeks to contribute a more realistic picture which encompasses the full diversity of digital experiences among the foreign-born population. The review of the literature first covers two levels of the digital divide that often evince socioeconomic disparities: primarily access, skills and usage; and more recently, attitudes and motivation. Then, …

Development And Economic Complexity Of Mexican Municipalities: Based On Their Energy Access And Gross Production., Angelica Gloria Velasco

Master's Theses

In 2015, Mexico ranked 22nd in the international list of ECI; Out of 136 countries, Mexico had a higher index than Netherlands and Denmark. How is this possible for a developing economy that in 2014 reached its highest inequality index at 50.3%? This research is focused on the behavior of the Economic Complexity Index when it interacts with income inequality (Gini Coefficient), the gross production and human development (which in this case is focused on access to basic services: education and electricity). In the first and second sections, this paper highlights the importance of the analysis at a municipality level …

From Instability To Civil Liberties: Nonviolent Resistance In Afghanistan, Rachel L. Knowles

Master's Theses

When people have a fundamental issue at stake, giving in is not an option. For these types of conflict, when people’s rights are being violated, when their countries are occupied, or when they are oppressed and humiliated, they need a powerful way to persist and fight back. Oftentimes when people are left with no choice they will use the terrible and destructive nature of violence. For decades nonviolent resistance (NVR) movements have been associated with Gandhi and Martin Luther King, but people have been using nonviolent action for years. In fact, NVR has been a part of political life for …

Caregiver Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac) Education And Training: A Survey Of Caregiver And Slp Perspectives, Michelle Hasenkampf

Master's Theses

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must address caregiver education and training throughout early intervention, including when implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Previous research has made recommendations describing practices for SLPs in this area, such as incorporating direct instruction and caregiver participation, as well as addressed how recommendations compare to implementation of these strategies in actual practice. Two parallel surveys were created to examine SLP and caregiver experiences and opinions of various topics and methods utilized in AAC caregiver education and training. 19 SLPs and 5 caregivers completed the surveys. SLPs notably exhibited differences in practice and opinions related to the methods …

Determining The Refractive Index Of Phytoplankton Via Direct Measurement Of Cellular Structures, Michael Kamowski

Master's Theses

The refractive index of phytoplankton has never been directly measured before despite its importance towards studying the optical characteristics of marine particles. Previous attempts to measure it have been done through indirect methods. While these methods have proven useful, they contain assumptions about the particles morphology and composition that cause for uncertainty with the measurements. Through the use of the 3D Cell Explorer, a high precision holotomographic microscope, the RI of phytoplankton can be directly measured for the first time. With volume measurements, the phytoplankton were found to not display a single bulk RI, instead the bulk RI was different …

Fourthspace: The Role Of Active Social Inclusion In The Workforce Entry Of Syrian Refugees In Scandinavia, Anisa Abeytia

Master's Theses

The 2015 displacement of Syrian refugees into Scandinavian countries provoked a refugee integration policy adjustment that focused on workforce and higher education entry. It is a policy approach that requires attention on barriers to workforce entry to ensure effective policy implementation. This article provides insight into the larger, often overlooked barriers of Eurocentrism and historical biases on refugee labor integration and provides policy solutions to reduce their impact. Active social inclusion (ASI) and Fourthspace are introduced as a framework to reduce biases to workforce entry and integration time barriers faced by Syrian refugees. ASI can provide mechanisms to increase access …

The Armed Forces Of Ukraine: From The Collapse Of The Soviet Union To The Russian Invasion, Gunnar Bash

Master's Theses

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Збройні сили України (ЗСУ), Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, (ZSU)) were once internationally unknown, having fought no wars since the fall of the USSR in 1991. However, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ZSU has become a topic of international debate and one that is discussed daily between major think tanks and war studies institutions, along with the world’s most powerful militaries. Looking back to 1991, I discuss how the ZSU came to be, how they dealt with Russian and partisan transgressions in Ukraine, and how they have evolved from their interactions with the West …

Heating Systems And Households’ Expenditure, Svitlana Holyk

Master's Theses

The heating energy expenditure has been frequently taken to the consideration across different studies of poverty reduction. However, there is an unresolved question related to understanding how households’ expenditures might be distinct due to the heating system characteristics. This research implements matching methods to investigate the causal effect of the heating system on households’ gas and electricity expenditure in Ukraine. The result indicates that there is a significant difference in the utility expenditure between the District heating system (DHS) and the Individual heating system (IHS) households. The inherited from the past the Soviet District heating system Model in Ukraine doesn’t …

Nutrition-Related Factors Impacting The Bone Health Of Female Sports And Performance Collegiate Athletes, Elizabeth Doll

Master's Theses

Low bone mineral density is commonly found in female athletes and has been related to the energy adequacy and nutrient density of the athlete’s diet. Insufficient dietary energy intake and/or excessive energy expenditure can lead to low energy availability in female athletes, which has been shown to disrupt endocrine, metabolic, and physiological functions. Psychological distress in competitive athletes may affect dietary choices and patterns. To meet their personal or performance standards/goals, an athlete may go to extremes to achieve those standards/goals, including altering their dietary intake.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutrition-related factors affecting the bone health of collegiate …

Pollinator Diversity On A Shortleaf Pine-Oak-Hickory Restoration Site, Taygan Kohlman

Master's Theses

Land use and cover are increasingly changing due to climate change and anthropogenic activities with many of these changes negatively impacting biodiversity. However, ecosystem restoration may help reverse these patterns. Northern Louisiana was historically dominated by shortleaf pine-oak-hickory forests but has been converted largely to loblolly pine forests with little-to-no herbaceous ground cover. The objective of this study is to determine how different practices on a shortleaf pine-oak-hickory forest restoration site affect pollinator diversity. I sampled pollinators from locations within areas under three different management regimes: 1) prescribed burning with active herbicide treatments for non-desirable plant species, 2) burning only, …

Lunar Applications Of Direct Contact Membrane Distillation For Regolith And Hydroponic Water Processing, Mark Wong

Master's Theses

Water management has always been a critical issue facing lunar missions, since its uses are as numerous as they are vital. Using ionic liquids has been proposed for the purpose of processing the metal oxides in lunar regolith into oxygen and metals. The process used dilutes the ionic liquid. Recycling the ionic liquid solution after regolith processing is essential to reduce materials required in resupply missions and to supply oxygen. Water will also be needed for lunar farms to both grow food and assist in maintaining a habitable atmosphere. The use of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) technology is a …

Digital Implementation Of An Incremental Quantity Directional Protective Relay Element And Its Applications Using An Automated Testing Procedure, Deven Hymel

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design and analysis of a digital model of an incremental-quantity-based directional protective relay element using the electromagnetic transient program (EMTP). The digital model is based on a similar protective element present in commercially available time-domain-based relays and provides directional fault detection using incremental quantities. Such models are not readily available in transient study programs.

The element’s operating principles are discussed in detail, and the digital design process is outlined. The digital model is designed in a simplified test system, and upon validation using a real-world time-domain-based relay, its performance is analyzed using the model of a …

Incorporating Active Learning Into Breastfeeding Education And Lactation Management Training Of The Future Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Madelyn Sesser

Master's Theses

Background: Breastfeeding has been shown to have multiple benefits for mother and child, yet rates of breastfeeding continue to stay insignificant. Infant nutrition is the base of future health of an individual, yet Registered Dietitians are not provided in depth breastfeeding education during their education.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the active learning component of breastfeeding and lactation education modules meant to increase self-efficacy and confidence in the ability to perform lactation education and to obtain feedback regarding the usefulness of the developed education modules in graduate-level dietetic interns.

Design: This study was part of a …

The Role Of Notch3 In Human Adipose Stem Cell Fate, Sydney Mashaw

Master's Theses

Stem cell-based therapies are the future of medicine, as their natural abilities of self-renewal and differentiation have the potential to treat currently incurable diseases. Stem cells are categorized based on differentiation potential, with multipotent stem cells being the most differentiated while still having the ability to divide down defined lineages. Adipose stem cells (hASCs) are easily derived multipotent, mesenchymal stem cells with already demonstrated therapeutic potential. Despite current success, there are a multitude of factors that regulate the physiology and role of adipose stem cells, including transduction pathways and transcription factors, that remain to be researched and fully understood. One …