Digital Commons Network^™

2026 Report On The State Of Great Salt Lake Social Science, Creed Jones, Avyrlie Smith, Shae Barber, Stacia Ryder, Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed, Georgie Corkery, Jennifer Givens, Anna Mcentire, Carla Trentelman, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Kirsten Vinyeta, Bryn Watkins

Publications

Great Salt Lake (GSL) faces rapid decline that presents more than just a hydrological risk; it poses an existential social hazard. As water levels decline, ecosystems, economies, cultures, and societies face irreversible harm. Since the lake reached its lowest levels in 2022, this issue has specifically gained increased attention in Utah and beyond. Given both the degree to which human consumption contributes to the problem, and the potential risks that the drying of the lake poses for community health, social science research is a crucial for informing successful water management policies and mitigating impacts. The purpose of this report is …

When School Culture Excludes: Deficit Discourse, Microaggressions, And The Mental Health Of Marginalized Students – A Conceptual Framework With Implications For School Psychology Practice And Equity Policy, Modupe Mercy Oyewunmi

Publications

Deficit-laden language like ‘behavior problem,’ ‘not college material,’ ‘won’t fit in’, ‘not a cultural fit’, operates as a systemic form of implicit bias and microaggression in school settings. Despite decades of research on school belonging and well-being, school psychology has yet to integrate these exclusionary discursive practices into a coherent health-determinant model that also accounts for the current anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy environment. This conceptual paper proposes a testable framework linking deficit discourse and school-based microaggressions to student identity suppression, academic impostor phenomenon, and educator moral injury, with downstream effects on school mental health outcomes. We situate these …

Course Insight Portfolio: Math 1080, A Gentle Introduction To Infinite Series, Igor Luis Aureliano, Leyanis Falcon Hernandez, Ross George, Fnu Monika

Publications

This lesson aims to introduce the concept of an infinite series through geometric representations and partial sums to help students develop an intuitive understanding of convergence. A common misconception students may have when first encountering infinite series is the belief that “a sum of infinitely many things must be infinite”. Through the study of a convergent geometric series, students will investigate how the limit of partial sums can produce a finite value, thereby addressing this misconception and developing a more accurate understanding of infinite series.

Slowing Down, Caring Deeply, Trusting Children: An Ethnographic Study Of Forest School Practice, Steph N. Dean, Amanda Gladys, Julianne A. Wenner

Publications

Forest School is an experiential, nature-based educational approach that often evolves as it takes root in new cultural and ecological settings. This ethnographic study explores how one Forest School in the Southeast United States interprets and enacts the Forest School model within its local context. Drawing on participant observations, interviews, field notes, and photography, we examine the lived experiences of the Forest School community to understand how cultural practices shape daily life at the school. Three central themes emerged: (1) slowing down to deepen learning and connections, (2) supporting the whole child through individualized care, and (3) trusting students with …

Course Insight Portfolio: Math 1020 Business Calculus I, Ibrahim Khalilullah, M.G.M. Al Faruque, Jessica Ratovondranto, Leslie Spahr

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This portfolio presents an overview of the student educational context, key course concepts, and some approaches to clarify student misconceptions associated with MATH 1020 (Business Calculus I). The portfolio includes a concept map illustrating the major topics of the course and an overview of common student misconceptions, and lesson plans designed to address those misconceptions through research informed instructional practices.

The concept map highlights the interconnected nature of topics such as functions, limits, continuity, differentiability, derivatives, optimization, graph interpretation, and applications of calculus. Particular attention is given to areas where students commonly experience difficulty, including distinguishing domain, codomain, and range; …

Course Insight Portfolio: Math 2070 Business Calculus Ii, Samuel Ajibola, Zachariah Baer, Kensey Doughtie, Abby Hyatt

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MATH 2070 - Business Calculus II, is a course that most students in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business will likely take, but can also meet the mathematics requirement for many majors outside of the College of Science and the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences. Like most second semester calculus courses, it requires decent foundations in both algebraic manipulation and derivation to succeed, skills that students will prove through pre-college examination and by passing a first calculus course. Where it differs from a STEM-oriented calculus II course is that it goes beyond integration, touching on …

Unpacking Developmental Programming: A Conceptual And Historical Analysis In The Context Of Dohad, Andrea Gretchev, Heide S. Temples, Gillian England-Mason, Deborah Dewey, Sara M. Sarasua, Christopher Farrell, Vivian Haley-Zitlin

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The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm posits that early environmental factors may influence a child’s development and long-term health outcomes. Developmental programming (DP) is central to this paradigm, whereby specific early life exposures during critical periods of development are associated with changes to physiological and metabolic pathways, potentially predisposing individuals to disease. However, no standard definition of DP exists, and various terms have been used to describe similar processes. This analysis aimed to develop a conceptual definition for DP to inform interdisciplinary research, education, and practice. Walker and Avant’s eight-step method was employed to analyze the literature, …

Meet The Team: Exploring Health Professional Roles And Responsibilities In An Introductory Interprofessional Course, Elizabeth W. Blake, Kimberly A. Taylor, Beverly Baliko, Teri Browne, Donna D. Ray, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Mph, Me

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Introduction: Health professional academic programs require interprofessional education (IPE) to meet accreditation standards and better prepare students for collaborative patient care. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) includes the roles and responsibilities of the health professions as a key domain of IPE curricula. A learning module focusing on this domain was developed for an interprofessional introductory course involving 12 health professions. Adaptations to this module over time aimed to enhance content and student knowledge. Methods: Students were assigned to small interprofessional teams throughout the course and completed modules aligned with the IPEC core competencies. The first module highlighted roles and responsibilities. …

“It’S A Lot More To It Than Just Research”: Integrating Critical Data Literacy And Reasoning With Data Into A Stem Summer Camp, Marc T. Sager, Saki L. Milton, Candace Walkington

Publications

Purpose: This study explores how middle-grade girls from predominantly underrepresented and underserved racially and ethnically minoritized (UUREM) backgrounds developed critical data literacy (CDL) through participation in a week-long residential STEM camp. Given the increasing importance of data science education in a data-driven world, this research examines how informal learning environments can support CDL development among youth from historically marginalized groups.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study draws on qualitative interview data from eleven participants, and their group-produced artifacts to investigate how the camp experience supported engagement with data and the development of CDL. Interviews explored participants' experiences with data collection, organization, analysis, and …

Nebraska Insights 2026, Josie Gatti Schafer, Morgan Vogel, Tara Grell, Michael Lee, Mahmuda Akhter Nishu, Meagan E. Paez, Ignacio Ruelas Avila

Publications

Nebraska Insights is a collaboration between the Nebraska Chamber Foundation and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research. The series provides a curated set of indicators that benchmark Nebraska’s demographics, economy, and quality of life against all U.S. states. Each webinar explores selected indicators from the guide and offers guidance on how Nebraska stakeholders can effectively interpret and apply the data.

The State Of The Unions: Organized Labor In Maine, 2022-2024, Joseph Van Der Naald, Kevin Van Meter

Publications

“Vacationland,” one of the State of Maine’s unofficial

motos, adorns license plates, road signs, and

welcomes visitors as they travel to enjoy the region’s

natural wonders. Vital to the tourist experience

are services provided directly by servers, baristas,

receptionists, hospitality workers in addition to cooks,

janitors, housekeepers, and public employees in state

and local agencies..."

“We’Re All In The Struggle Together”: The Experiences Of First-Generation Graduate Students During Covid-19, Rebecca Stallworth, Danielle E. Maurici-Pollock, Jade Obler, Rachel A. Starr

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This study explores the experiences of first-generation graduate students (FGGS) during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on their learning experiences and their implications for the design of online graduate programs that foster a sense of belonging.

Law As A Form Of Life: On Capitalism And Critical Theory, Justin Deystone

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No abstract provided.

Late-Stage Capitalism And Consumerism In Higher Education: A Morphogenetic Analysis, Kallen Zhou

Publications

Facing widespread student disengagement and dissatisfaction, U.S. higher education is undergoing a paradigm shift, detaching from its civic and pedagogical origins. A key force driving this transformation is the rise of student consumerism. While existing literature documents market-driven actions adopted by higher education institutions (HEIs) and the consumer roles students play, it overlooks structural market forces. Specifically, little theorization exists on the relationship between late-stage capitalism and student consumerism. This paper addresses that gap through two steps: first, offering a historical analysis of the traditional university model, late-stage capitalism, academic capitalism, and the decline of the liberal arts; second, developing …

Turning Language Into Insight: How Ai And Forensic Linguistic Analysis Are Transforming Investigations, Alan Saquella

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Language is the fabric of human thought and communication, subtle, layered, and deeply revealing. When scrutinized, it can offer far more than simple testimony; it can hold the keys to motive, identity, intent, contradiction, and context. Traditionally, law enforcement has focused on fingerprints, DNA, surveillance, and physical evidence to solve crimes. Yet one of the most untapped wells of intelligence lies between the lines of written statements from suspects, witnesses, and victims. Now, with the advent of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and the sophisticated science of forensic linguistics, investigators have powerful new tools to mine language for insights that were …

Students’ Solutions To Student Problems: A Participatory Assessment Of Student-Centric Approaches To Common Classroom Conflict At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Ernest Ogbozor, Katie Lopez, Claudia Cornejo Happel, Dome Klonggumrai, Jillian Brown

Publications

Classroom conflict between students and instructors, as well as among students, is a phenomenon that significantly impacts student academic engagement, performance, and emotional well-being; yet, it is often overlooked. Conflicts may result from poor attendance, lack of participation, unclear grading policies, miscommunication, and technology-related disruptions, and are frequently addressed through top-down course policies that exclude student perspectives. This research is a participatory assessment of common classroom conflict and student-centered approaches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The purpose of the study is to examine students’ solutions to classroom conflicts in comparison to prevailing faculty-led course policies. Using participatory research (PR) methodology …

Shoplifting In The Us: Problems, Progress, And The Path Forward, Alan Saquella

Publications

Shoplifting has moved from a manageable nuisance to an urgent threat across the U.S. In large metropolitan and suburban markets alike, retailers, communities, and law enforcement are grappling with increasingly sophisticated theft both opportunistic and organized. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail theft (including organized retail crime) cost U.S. businesses nearly $112 billion in 2022. The consequences ripple beyond balance sheets: consumers face higher prices, employees confront increased risk, and some communities lose storefronts that cannot survive persistent losses.

Community-Engaged Research For Gulf Resilience, Devon Brenner, Brenna Jungers, Katerina Sergi

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The Gulf Coast faces complex environmental, economic, and cultural challenges, often resulting in conflicting community interests. Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) offers a collaborative approach where researchers and community members co-design and implement studies to address these issues. By involving communities from the onset, CEnR fosters trust, respects local knowledge, and ensures research outcomes are beneficial and equitable. This method is particularly vital in the Gulf region, where diverse interest group needs must be balanced to maximize positive impact and minimize harm.

Community Organizations, Immigrants, And Air Pollution Risks In Utah, Nowrin Fatema, Kirsten Vinyeta, Erin Hofmann

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Over the past 25 years, Utah’s Wasatch Front, a metropolitan region along the Western flanks of the Wasatch Mountain Range that includes Salt Lake City, has emerged as a new international immigrant gateway (1). While in Utah, immigrants may find economic opportunity and safety relative to their home countries, they may also experience notable life-altering disparities, including disproportionate exposure to the region’s worsening air pollution. As some of the first and few institutions interacting with newly arrived immigrants and refugees, non-governmental community organizations are well positioned to serve as information hubs regarding regional air pollution risk. Yet our research, in …

Spotting And Preventing Air Rage: Proactive Strategies For Pilots & Flight Attendants For Handling Unruly Passenger Behavior, Alan Saquella, Joe Frary

Publications

Unruly passenger behavior has become an increasingly common challenge for airline crews. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), more than 53,500 disruptive passenger incidents were reported globally in 2024, averaging one incident every 395 flights. In the U.S., the FAA recorded over 900 cases by mid-year, with more than 100 directly tied to intoxication. While the majority of flights operate without issue, the rise in verbal abuse, intimidation, and physical altercations is impacting both safety and morale in the skies.

What We Talk About When We Talk About First-Generation Students: Exploring Definitions In Use On College And University Websites, Danielle E. Maurici-Pollock, Rebecca Stallworth, Sasha Khan

Publications

First-generation students (FGS) are a population that has received increasing attention, but the term has been inconsistently defined. Such inconsistency creates challenges not only for research, but for students themselves, many of whom may find they meet the FGS definition in one institutional context, but not another. In this study, we analyze how the term first-generation student is defined on the public websites of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada and discuss implications for students and academic libraries.

Light In The Darkest Places: Analyzing News Coverage Of A U.S. Immigrant Detention Center, Stephanie M. Madison, Mikel W. Cole, Susan Cridland-Hughes

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Immigrants remain one of the most disempowered groups within the United States. Drawing on critical media literacy research that focuses on power dynamics and positioning, this article addresses ways the news media reports on immigrants and immigrant detention centers. We conducted a critical content analysis of 180 articles on one specific location, Stewart Detention Center (SDC), to demonstrate variability in newspaper reporting on several levels, including frequency, geographic location, and context. Our first research question explored changes in reporting over time, and our second research question considered differences in reporting by geographic level. Our third research question examined differences in …

Chief Executive Officers, Accountability And Hidden Violations, Alan Saquella

Publications

Corporate governance demands transparency, ethical leadership and accountability from Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). However, numerous cases suggest that CEOs often wield significant influence over what is reported to their boards of directors, particularly when it comes to internal misconduct, regulatory violations, and criminal activity. This lack of transparency raises serious concerns about ethical and legal obligations, as well as the effectiveness of board oversight.

Evolution Of Teachers’ Perspectives On Family Engagement: Building Dual Capacity For Multilingual Learners, Lindsey W. Rowe, Hazel Vega, Emily Howell, Katie M. Crook, C C. Bates, Kavita Mittapelli, Amlam Banerjee

Publications

Family engagement in multilingual learner education offers benefits associated with improved academic performance, stronger parent-teacher communication, and more inclusivity of cultural and linguistic diversity. Responding to calls for professional development that enables teachers to meaningfully involve families, this paper draws from surveys and course assignments to examine how teachers expanded their perceptions about the incorporation of multilingual learner families in a graduate program. We conclude by discussing implications for teacher professional development with specific attention to how teachers can integrate multilingual learner families.

Evolution Of Teachers’ Perspectives On Family Engagement: Building Dual Capacity For Multilingual Learners, Hazel Vega, Emily Howell, Lindsey W. Rowe, Katie M. Crook, C. C. Bates, Kavita Mittapalli, Amlan Banerjee

Publications

Family engagement in multilingual learner education offers benefits associated with improved academic performance, stronger parent-teacher communication, and more inclusivity of cultural and linguistic diversity. Responding to calls for professional development that enables teachers to meaningfully involve families, this paper draws from surveys and course assignments to examine how teachers expanded their perceptions about the incorporation of multilingual learner families in a graduate program. We conclude by discussing implications for teacher professional development with specific attention to how teachers can integrate multilingual learner families.

A Critical Challenge: Understanding And Addressing Insider Threats, Alan Saquella

Publications

In today’s hyper-connected world, insider threats have become one of the most pressing challenges for organizations. While external attacks like ransomware and hacking often dominate the headlines, insider threats posed by employees, contractors, or others with internal access are equally, if not more, dangerous. Whether arising from malice, negligence or coercion, insiders have unparalleled access to sensitive systems and data, making their actions potentially catastrophic. The critical insider security issues organizations face and the actionable strategies for mitigation are actions that organizations must take.

Food Resource Efficiency Decision Support Hub: Workshop 1 - Summary Report, Jennifer Attard, Tracey O'Connor, Simon Patterson, Julia Lessa Feitosa Virgolino, Mina Sadeghzadeh

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FRED is focused on informing policy on food waste prevention using a total food system sustainability approach.

Construction Workforce And Business In Nebraska, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell, Ignacio Ruelas Avila

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A skilled and readily available construction workforce is crucial for Nebraska’s growth and vitality. This workforce not only builds and maintains the infrastructure that supports communities but also creates jobs and addresses essential housing and business needs. This brief provides an overview of Nebraska’s construction workforce, highlighting opportunities and challenges to foster a robust labor force for the construction industry.

What's The Harm In (Partisan) Gerrymandering? Collective Vs. Dyadic Accounts Of Representational Disparities, Sanford C. Gordon, Douglas M. Spencer, Sidak Yntiso

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Traditional approaches for documenting the harm of gerrymandering emphasize collective representation by legislatures, minimizing the relationship between individual voters and their respective representatives. Federal courts have struggled to map collective accounts onto cognizable constitutional harms, reflecting a discomfort evaluating a system of representation inescapably rooted in geographic districts using diagnostics that treat districts and their boundaries as an inconvenience rather than an intrinsic feature. A normative account of representation and accountability rooted in the dyadic relationship between voters and their legislators addresses the exact harms that courts have articulated yet struggled to substantiate. We derive a formal model of dyadic …

Being Pregnant In Someone Else's Body, Jennifer S. Hendricks

Publications

No abstract provided.