Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Long-Term Outcomes: Implementing Community Engaged Research To Augment Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Kevin M. Quinn

Masters Theses

The Universal Evaluation Tool is an intuitive self-assessment instrument to enhance long-term treatment outcomes for Guiding Light’s residential addiction rehabilitation program. Designed as a versatile method for collecting primary data, the Universal Evaluation Tool can be administered to clients at any point during the recovery program (i.e., intake to discharge). The data collected from the survey can be used as a framework to guide treatment decisions, develop personalized care plans, offer insight into a client’s progress, and collect baseline data (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics) on a treatment population for use in grant applications.

A pilot study to generate preliminary data was …

Effects Of Dietary Phytoestrogens On Spermatogenesis And Male Reproductive Tract In Mice, Trenton A. Dalm

Masters Theses

Increases in infertility over the past 50 years are linked to environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). One type of EDC is phytoestrogens, commonly found in soy-based diets and foods such as cauliflower, tofu, and broccoli. Phytoestrogens may bind estrogen receptors and have positive or negative effects on receptor signaling. The developing male reproductive tract is potentially susceptible to endocrine disruptors leading to changes in adult reproductive function and possibly infertility. We hypothesized that dietary phytoestrogen exposure would have a dose dependent effect with the high diet yielding the lowest sperm count and worst performance compared to the medium …

Consistency Is Key: Investigating Vocal Consistency In Field Sparrows, Stephanie Stanton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Pm-Nato3’S Influence On Neural Progenitors And Mature Dopamine Neurons, Mary E. West

Masters Theses

This thesis presents significant findings regarding the role of PM-Nato3 in its interaction with developing neurons in the context of Parkinson's disease (PD) and regenerative medicine. We investigated the effects of PM-Nato3 on dopamine (DA) neurogenesis under different culture conditions, both in vitro and in vivo. In the standard dopaminergic culture condition, PM-Nato3 potentially increased the speed of DA neuron production but did not significantly increase the yield of DA neurons. In a minimal culture condition, there was no notable difference between the control and PM-Nato3 conditions, suggesting minimal impact on DA neurogenesis. In vivo studies using a mouse model …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Treated Sewage Sludge From Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plants, Garrett Wesley Link

Masters Theses

Concentrations, compositions, and variability of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in sewage sludge are characterized using an extensive dataset of 350 samples from 190 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Michigan. All samples are comprised of final treated sewage sludge generated at the end of the wastewater treatment process. Concentrations of Σ₂₄ PFAS are log normally distributed with a range of 1 to 3200 ng/g dry wt. and of average 108 ± 277 ng/g dry wt. Compounds with carboxyl and sulfonic functional groups comprised 29% and 71% of Σ₂₄ PFAS concentrations, respectively, on average. Primary sample variability is associated …

The Misadventures Of Expectations, Laura Elizabeth Solano

Masters Theses

The following research and manuscript discusses the art of using characterization and storytelling to teach younger generations. If used effectively, characterization has the power to transport a reader into the story’s world. The manuscript that follows is the first attempt at a story about friendship, loyalty, and self-actualization. Against all odds, a young man leaves his country to uncover the truth about his family’s demise and reported treason. As he ventures forward, he meets all kinds of people and learns the value of true friendship.

Alanda Macmaster & The Realm Of The Faes, Allana Lynn Walker

Masters Theses

Though there are exceptions to this rule, today’s bestselling Young Adult (YA) fantasy novels tend to be riddled with gratuitous sex and violence—material far too mature for developing minds. While this kind of content is hardly new to adult fiction, it has, over the last few years, crept steadily and insidiously into books for younger readers. Reading today’s fiction, one would think these were essential elements of a good story. The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings clearly prove otherwise. Through The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien demonstrated …

Developing And Enhancing Believable Characterization In Fiction, Hollie Boyd Nelson

Masters Theses

Developing and enhancing characterization in fiction is key to gaining a readership as well as perfecting the craft of writing. Through foundational information, relatability, and context within the work, a writer can create new and intricate ways to enrich their story. This then sets them apart from others in their field.

Exploring Fiction Writer’S Approaches To Plot Outlining During The Planning Stage Of The Writing Process, Paul A. Wilson Jr.

Masters Theses

This thesis is about one person’s discovery and growth as a writer of creative fiction that spans decades. It specifically explores and analyzes how professional authors approach plot outlining during the planning stages of the writing process. Some professional authors prepare plot outlines prior to writing their first draft, while others do not. Over the course of the author’s writing life, experimenting with both methods has been instructive to the development of a personal approach to plot outlining. The Artist statement provides background on the author. Next, the Critical Paper examines and analyzes plot outlining and plot structure. Plot structure …

Auditory Development In Beginner Elementary Strings Classes, Lydia Y. Cooley

Masters Theses

Integrating auditory and visual learning is vital in instrumental music instruction. There is an order of precedence that guides the teaching sequence to raise students who can hear and read the music they play. In order to teach students to think musically while reading notation important auditory preparation needs to take place. It should not occur via passive listening but via active music-making. This practice-based method creates experiential knowledge of music which can then lead to a conceptual understanding of musical symbols. Such practical engagement produces positive long-term effects on the depth of skill and the emotional state of the …

Apologetics And Popular Culture Phenomena: A Critique Of Ted Turnau's Method Concerning Anime, Matthew Hunter Hamilton

Masters Theses

Limited work has been performed in the field of Christian apologetics and popular culture, much less the intersection between anime and Christian apologetics. One scholar who has attempted to broach this gap has been Ted Turnau, who has developed a five-step diagnostic method for apologetically engaging popular culture phenomena. However, his method contains key flaws. Using the work of Thomas Lamarre, a scholar in the field of anime studies, a central contention will be made: that the material and technology of anime have processes that affect how viewers inhabit and orient themselves in the world, which in turn influences their …

How Do International Students In A University In The United States Relate Their Cultural Identity To Fashion Trends, Kharen Alejandra Martinez Murcia

Masters Theses

International students who move to the United States must endure the challenge of adapting to a new culture. Understanding different aspects of how the adaptation process works is essential to create better avenues to connect with these students as they go through the acculturation process. This research focuses on how international students communicate their cultural identity through clothing choices. This study followed a qualitative method through in-depth interviews with ten participants from eight countries. Participants answered questions regarding motivation, cultural adaptation, clothing adaptation, and cultural identity and expression. Findings show that participants consider clothing communicates something about themselves and their …

New Chapter, Gunju Kim

Masters Theses

This thesis addresses the challenges posed by rapid aging in Korean society, particularly in depopulated rural areas, where the aging population ratio is significantly higher compared to urban areas. With the predicted elderly population reaching 40% by 2050, it is crucial to develop effective strategies to cope with this demographic shift.

The increasing closure and abandonment of schools in depopulated rural areas further exacerbate the challenges faced by these communities. While efforts have been made to repurpose closed schools, many of them still remain unused. This thesis proposes the reuse of abandoned schools as community centers to tackle both the …

Metal/Emo Music And Their Effect On Millennials In The United States, Kevin Mcpherson

Masters Theses

The goal of this paper is to understand the relationship between two related genres and a generation. Both genres have different interpretations, some catharsis, and others self-destruction. Finding modern and historical evidence of a need for sad music revealed a need for music that empathizes with a person’s current state. These genres did have the potential to engage in self-destruction, however, it was found this was due to external factors far more than the cause itself. When music is involved in destructive behavior it gives the individual permission to do so, rather than be the motivator towards it. As art …

Music Literacy And Worship Theology For Volunteer Choir And Worship Teams, Timothy Ray Marsden

Masters Theses

When building a worship team and a worship-leading choir, worship pastors seek gifted volunteers within their congregations to add to the numbers of their groups. Assessing team members' music literacy and theology of worship often comes later in the process, if at all. This project aims to determine the essentials of music literacy for a volunteer choir or worship team member. It will create a curriculum for developing those skills further through weekly rehearsals. The project will also seek to define a theology of worship for the First United Methodist Church of Red Oak, Iowa, and a plan to study …

Student Expectations From Faculty Based On Their Enneagram, Kate Clinton Ndikumagenge

Masters Theses

In this study, the researcher uses the Enneagram to examine whether students’ expectations of faculty change during a crisis. This mixed methods study used surveys to collect data from full-time students from higher education institutions. The data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic was used to predict students’ expectations of faculty during any crisis. The overall goal of this study is to understand whether students’ personality types affect how they expect faculty to act during a crisis and whether their expectations were met during a crisis. The results indicate that students’ Enneagram types affect their perception …

The Design Of Consequences, Yuqi Tang

Masters Theses

Young professionals entering the architecture industry face an imminent and abrupt realization of the disparity between their academic training and the reality of what a career in practice entails.

The architectural industry has long been susceptible to criticism for unpaid internships and overtime. The issue stems from an ambiguity of architectural practice as neither a service or an outcome product, isolating the perception of our work from constructors, lawyers, doctors and even artists, and making it difficult for design labor to be commodified, or for the value of design labor to be asserted, consolidated and fiscalized1. This thesis aims to …

Input / Output, Zach Scheinfeld

Masters Theses

Input/Output emphasizes the processes and systems that create engagement, narrative, and meaning in graphic design, as opposed to singular inputs and outputs. In a series of experimental frameworks, ranging in form from 3D printed objects to browser-based painting tools, variables are put into the hands of the audience and user, creating conditions that are prime for retooling, repurposing, world-building, and play. Throughout, an open dialogue and feedback loop is formed between interface and user, author and reader, and teacher and student, where power, agency, and structure are in constant circulation, resulting in the emergence of unexpected forms, speculative technologies, and …

Finding The Balance, Danyang Song

Masters Theses

Translating different invisible emotions, feelings and symbiotic relationships. Explore the Traditional Chinese Humanistic Philosophy of 'Tian Ren He Yi'.

The interwoven relationship between human, nature and machine is complicated yet beautiful. I explores how visceral emotion, feeling, language and communication all play an important part of how our bodies react, to visualize this invisible feeling. I attempts to visualize the mystery of the human body and society through various ceramic and glass techniques, such as hand-building, blowing and ceramic 3D printing. Using different methods of combining and stressing the material, capturing that resistance and embracing the outcome through a series …

Explorations And Reflections: Gendered Experiences In Teaching And Learning, Francesca Matarese

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the history of women's access to education and the issues of gender disparity in education. I focus on single-gendered schools as I write from personal experience to describe the benefits for individuals in single-gender educational systems. I cite conflicting research on how men and women learn regarding biological, cognitive, and developmental differences. I illuminate some of the benefits of single-gendered education through research, experience, and personal communications. I write about the controversies and disparities regarding education and single-gender schools. I document research on the issues women face in education and the politics of women’s bodies and minds …

Movement, Mechanization, And Coexistence, Yukyung Chung

Masters Theses

A movement is a tool that expresses the subject I pursue, ‘mechanization of human beings’. There are many technologies that replace humans these days, such as artificial intelligence. This makes me skeptical and afraid of being replaced as an artist in the future. Paradoxically, people, including myself, are enthusiastic about it, indicating that we do embrace the mechanization process as a society.

I will reveal this phenomenon of coexistence by demonstrating the possibility that machines cannot replace us, through motion experiments where rules increase, first starting with the reliance on intuition. I will explore not only the things that machines …

Green + White = Pink, Dora Chen

Masters Theses

My thesis seeks to explore the unknown forces that are constantly shaping our lives. I am intrigued by the intangible connections that link people, objects, and places together, and how they manifest across space and time. As a ceramicist emphasizing both interiority and tactility, my work will dissect layered ideas of closeness and disruption in order to reveal a nuanced understanding of how we exist in perpetuity with what can’t be seen. I wish to explore this topic through carefully directed installations that emphasize intimacy and engagement among audience members. Through inspiration from my past experience, childhood memories, as well …

Rebuild Relationships Between City, Agriculture And Ecosystem In The World Of The Drought, Ninghao Wang

Masters Theses

The drought is a threat to our planet and our way of life, causing serious consequences for both people and the environment. These consequences include crop failures, food shortages, water conflicts, and so on. Arizona is currently at the center of the water crisis affecting the American West. The state depends on the Colorado River for a third of its agricultural and urban water needs. However, the river is shrinking due to drought, leading to water scarcity in the region. Rebuilt Relationships Between Agriculture, Ecosystem, and City in the World of the Drought: rethinking regenerative landscape practices in the drought-prone …

Soft City: Reclaiming Urban Public Spaces For Play, Jennifer Pham

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between children’s play and urban public spaces. What kinds of play are prioritized, and consequently, what ways of learning are celebrated above others? How are public spaces serving or not serving to nurture children’s development and joy?

The thesis design project is a strategic plan for spatial activism. Using a “guerilla architecture” approach, I am developing a series of workshops with the local community that culminate in collectively designed urban installations. This participatory design process enables people to perceive public spaces in new ways, and it invites community members and children to become active parts …

A Body Finding Freedom Within Itself, Malda Smadi

Masters Theses

When a dislocation of any type occurs, whether geographical, emotional, or spiritual, the disorder pushes the self to retreat to safety. For me, that safety is in my body. It is in this place of retreat where I locate my original home.

In this space of translocation, I forage for materials from my surroundings and places that I belong to. Moving between Dubai, Damascus, Beirut, and Providence, I shape a reality dependent on what is available. I then transform these materials, searching for the forms and relationships that emerge while meditating on home and the body as a moving vessel …

Interstice, Shravan Rao

Masters Theses

When I was about three years old, I distinctly remember being too small to see what was on top of the table. A couple of years later, when I could see those objects, I thought the world around me had grown smaller. In a way, it did, as I experienced, lived, captured, remembered, and shared the space repeatedly. This sense of the world shrinking was exaggerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing new behaviours and modes of interaction to emerge. Continually shaping our modern lives, virtual technologies redefine how we access and share information and stories or even explore new places. …

Finding Psychological Healing In College Settings, Dici Zou

Masters Theses

This thesis addresses the mental health crisis among college students by proposing an alternative, demonstrated through an adaptive reuse of the psychological counseling center at the Rhode Island School of Design. The existing design of many campus mental health spaces falls short in addressing the psychological needs of students. The aim of this thesis is to propose a solution by redesigning an existing space that caters to the requirements of students' mental health, through the manipulation of lighting, color, layout, acoustics, and materials to address individual sensory issues. Based on the limitations of the existing conditions of the RISD mental …

Imaginatorium For Children With Visual Impairment, Xueyun Tang

Masters Theses

Although accessible city planning and architecture codes, such as the ADA standards, have significantly improved the lives of people with disabilities by providing physical access to infrastructure, individuals with visual impairments, particularly blind children, still face significant obstacles to fully engage in social activities. Blind children are a vulnerable group that encounters various challenges in developing their cognitive and motor skills, as well as accessing education and social opportunities. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the factors in spatial design that impact blind people’s spatial perception, this thesis conducted a review of existing architectural approaches and proposes a …

Postindustrial Playbook++, Maxwell Fertik

Masters Theses

There is no such thing as an undisrupted ecosystem. Every inch of the planet is impacted by industrial development and its chemical legacy has mutated the soil and water. As a response, this thesis is designed to promote abundant over extractive resources and visualize a post-industrial reality. It consists of a series of objects, writing and design research on the relationship of industry and ecosystem.

In many ways it is a playbook++, laying out possible strategies or “plays’’ for making do with what exists around us amid collapse.

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)(ي'ڑ*), a plant that grows in the most degraded …

Orchestration Of Experience, Jingyi Shen

Masters Theses

The sensory experience shaped by the landscape unconsciously influences people’s emotional and mental states. Contemporary urban landscape designers prioritized the functionality of the landscape, sometimes ignoring the spiritual impact of the atmosphere created by imperceptible environmental sonic factors. Orchestration of Experience explores the connections between sound and vision in shaping people’s sensory experience of the landscape. Drawing from soundscape ecology, environmental psychology, and dynamic visualization, this study demonstrates how they are closely intertwined. Motivated by the idea that white noise can unconsciously affect people’s mental health by Michael Rutter, we question how physical and sound landscapes shape each other, how …