Digital Commons Network^™

Total Energy Expenditure And Water Turnover During A 335 Km Mountain Ultramarathon, Alejandro Rosales, Brooke Stayner, Dustin Slivka, Dale Schoeller, Timothy Shriver, Michele Ravelli, Brent Ruby

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Among the highest empirically reported doubly labeled water (DLW) derived total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (rH2O) values occur during 161km (100-mile) ultra-endurance events. TEE and rH2O of ultra-endurance events surpassing 161km present an anomalous physiological stressor to further detail human endurance limits. PURPOSE: To quantify TEE and rH2O during a multi-day ultra-endurance event. METHODS: Two runners (female [R1], male [R2]) completed 322 km following DLW (2H218O) consumption. Urinary isotopic elimination rates were used to calculate TEE and rH2O. Race-provided GPS monitors measured duration, moving time, and non-activity time. RESULTS: R1 finished in 73.6h (50.3h moving, 23.3h resting) at …

Evaluation Of Silk Textile Waste As An Alternative Source Of Silk Fibroin For Biotechnological Applications, Ndiana-Abasi Sunday, Bogdan Serban, Hayden Scoular

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Silk fibroin (SF) is a structural protein with good mechanical properties, allowing its processing into scaffolds, including films and hydrogels for biotechnological applications. SF is traditionally sourced from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons and silk textile yarn—sources also relied upon by the textile industry for fabrics. This shared dependence creates high demand for cocoons and yarn, which is met through large-scale silkworm rearing and cocoon harvesting. These practices are associated with environmental and ethical concerns, including a heavy carbon footprint and silkworm killing, necessitating the search for alternative SF sources for biotechnology purposes.

Silk textile waste (STW), with over 11 million …

Race, Sexual Danger, And The Moral Logic Of Punishment In The Registry Era, Edith Meade

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Across U.S. history, sexual regulation has operated as a powerful tool for producing racial hierarchy, defining moral boundaries, and legitimating punishment. From the colonial construction of Indigenous “savagery” to the hypersexualization of Black Americans under slavery and Jim Crow, sexual deviance has repeatedly been mobilized to justify surveillance, punishment, and racial terror. This project argues that the contemporary sex offender registry, widely understood as a neutral mechanism of public safety, is best understood as a modern extension of long-standing racialized narratives that link sexuality, danger, and exclusion.

The purpose of this study is to examine how offender race and age, …

Functional Neuroarchitecture Of Brain Activation And Network Organization In Bilinguals During Native And Second Language Processing, Onila Rasanjala Narayana Mudalige Don

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Bilingual language processing requires the coordinated engagement of large-scale brain networks, yet how these networks dynamically reorganize across native (L1) and second language (L2) use—and how this reorganization depends on language proficiency—remains poorly understood. Traditional fMRI studies often characterize brain connectivity as static, overlooking moment-to-moment fluctuations in network interactions that may be critical for successful second-language processing.

In this study, we investigated dynamic brain network organization in Spanish–Basque bilinguals performing a semantic animacy judgment task in their native (Spanish) and second (Basque) language. Using Independent Component Analysis (ICA), we identified large-scale functional networks engaged during L1 and L2 processing and …

Musculoskeletal Injury Risk In Collegiate Football Players Following Concussion, Elizabeth J. Mangen

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Collegiate Football Players Following Concussion

Context: Concussions are among the most common injuries in collegiate football, with the sport demonstrating one of the highest concussion incidence rates (6.71 per 10,000 athlete exposures). Following a concussion, athletes may experience lingering neurophysiological impairments that affect neuromuscular control, balance, postural stability, reaction time, and cognitive-motor integration. Although athletes may report symptom resolution, growing evidence suggests that these deficits can persist beyond clinical recovery. Such impairments may alter movement patterns and delay muscular responses, increasing the risk of subsequent musculoskeletal injury. Athletes with a history of concussion have been shown …

Lower Extremity Neuropraxia In A High School Football Player: A Case Report, Briiahna Kc Staker, Valerie Moody

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Background: Traumatic nerve injuries occur at a rate of approximately 350,000 cases per year, with 74% affecting males; only 2.4% are sport related. In athletics, acute peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) usually result from compressive forces, stretching, traction, or lacerations and are most common in high-contact sports. Although PNIs are uncommon, 71.3% of nerve injuries in high school sports occur in football, with nearly half of affected athletes missing about one week of participation.

Patient: A 16-year-old male varsity football player was evaluated on the sideline after hyperextending his right knee while twisting his upper body. He reported severe pain and …

Right Anterior Thalamic Stroke Via Paradoxical Embolism Through Patent Foramen Ovale (Pfo): A Case Report, Kyler W. Mack

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Background: World-wide, stroke is the leading cause of acquired physical disability in adults and is the second leading cause of mortality in middle-to-high income countries, with an overall incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke at 85-94 per 100,000. About 10-15% of all strokes occur in adults aged 25-49 years, with approximately 85% of all strokes being ischemic.

Patient:  A 20-year-old male hockey player presented with facial tingling and balance difficulty. The patient woke up after a nap with a headache and tingling on the left side of his face. First responders noted the patient had left facial droop …

Valgus Extension Overload Injury In A Professional Baseball Pitcher: A Case Report, Reegan Rakel Walsh, Valerie J. Moody

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Valgus Extension Overload Injury in a Professional Baseball Pitcher: A Case Report

Walsh, R, Moody, VJ, University of Montana

Background: Baseball has one of the highest incidences of injury to the elbow as it is most vulnerable during the late cocking phase of throwing. Throwing creates an abutment of the olecranon into the olecranon fossa, leading to valgus extension overload (VEO).  These stresses cause a tensile force upon the elbow, which may lead to cartilaginous degeneration, loose bodies, and many other pathologies.

Patient:  A 22-year-old male professional league baseball pitcher, diagnosed with valgus extension overload, with associated triceps …

Minority Stress In Children Of Lgbtq+ Parents: Extending Beyond Individual-Level Minority Stress Theories, Anna J. Sanchirico

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

To understand if children of LGBTQ+ parents experience minority stress, this narrative review integrates minority stress theory with empirical research on LGBTQ+ parent families. To this end, I will illustrate the history of LGBTQ+ parent family research, outline emerging frameworks for understanding the impact of minority stress on the family unit, and examine outcomes research on children of LGBTQ+ parents. Researchers have indicated that children of LGBTQ+ parents may experience discrimination due to their familial status; however, little is known about the extent to which children of LGBTQ+ families experience minority stress, or about nuanced protective and risk factors that …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Role Of Sex In Load Carriage, Rachel E. Perez, Brooke E. Stayner, Dustin R. Slivka

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Axially loaded weight may impose a metabolic demand equivalent to that of fat mass (FM). As males (M) typically have a lower body fat percentage than females (F), differences in the metabolic demand of load carriage may be resolved by accounting for FM in pack loads. PURPOSE: To determine whether normalizing pack load to FM will equalize metabolic cost across sex during load carriage. METHODS: Twenty-eight participants (14M, 23±5 y, 1.81±0.07 m, 78.7±10.0 kg, 12.7±5.4% body fat, VO₂peak 4.18±0.54 L·min^-1; 14F, 22±4 y, 1.68±0.07 m, 63.7±8.1 kg, 22.6±5.2% body fat, VO₂peak 2.76±0.47 L·min^{-1 …}

Sex Differences In Bone Metabolism Biomarkers Due To Prolonged Daily Load Carriage, Josey K. Walker, Alejandro M. Rosales, Walter S. Hailes, Brent C. Ruby, Dustin R. Slivka

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Load carriage transiently stimulates bone metabolism biomarkers, but impact by sex is unclear. Males (M) generally exhibit higher circulating bone metabolism biomarkers than females (F). Sclerostin (SOST) inhibits a key formation pathway. Human procollagen type 1 N-terminal propetide (P1NP) is a formation byproduct. C-Terminal Telopeptide of Type 1 Collagen (CTX1) is a resorption byproduct.

PURPOSE: Investigate sex differences in bone metabolism following 5 days of load carriage.

METHODS:  12M (29±9 y, 54.6±8.2 mL∙kg^-1∙min^-1) and 20F (27±5 y, 43.4±4.9 mL∙kg^-1∙min^-1) completed the protocol. Each day consisted of two 1-hour ascents separated by a …

Engaging Older Adults Through Artefact-Driven Approaches For Ai Literacy Development: A Multi Stakeholder For Digital Inclusion, Paula Kelly, Mayank Parmar, Damon Berry, André Almo, Fatima Badmos, Peterson Jean

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes deeply integrated into modern ICT and e-Accessibility services, older adults face a growing "digital divide" often characterised by a lack of awareness regarding how automated AI systems frequently functioning as "black boxes" infiltrate and impact their daily lives. This paper presents a multimodal workshop model designed to foster critical AI literacy among older adults, transitioning them from passive recipients to active stakeholders. Utilising an Action Research framework, the study details the co-creation phase of a three-phase national Age- Friendly AI literacy initiative in Ireland. Central to the methodology is the use of tangible exhibits as …

The Narrative Voice And The Fragmented Self In Black Skin White Masks, Emmanuella Abaidoo Kwarteng

Department of French Studies Graduate Student Association Conference

No abstract provided.

Lidar Mirror Detection Model For Autonomous Robotics, Sofiia Sarana

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

LiDAR sensors are widely used in autonomous robots and vehicles for mapping, navigation, and obstacle avoidance. Because mapping is a foundational capability in nearly all robotic systems, it must be both accurate and reliable. However, LiDAR frequently fails in environments containing mirrors or highly reflective surfaces, where distorted returns corrupt maps and generate false obstacles. Current solutions typically rely on additional sensors and computationally expensive sensor-fusion pipelines, which is costly and difficult to scale for compact robots with limited onboard resources. This paper presents a machine-learning–based LiDAR mirror detection model that identifies reflective surfaces directly from LiDAR data, reducing the …

When Irl Is Not An Option: Social Media Bans And The Exclusion Of Autistic Youth, Melanie Gruben, Ashley Sheil, Anne Ryan Duffy, Jacob Camillleri, Michelle O'Keeffe, Hazel Murray

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

After the roll-out of the social media ban in Australia in 2025, policy makers are considering psychosocial benefits and logistical implications. However, the needs of autistic people, who may rely more on the Internet for social connection earlier in life, should be taken into account. This white paper proposes a responsibility to support alternative means of social connection for autistic young people where bans are considered, as IRL (in real life) socialising is not always accessible.

Selfhealth: Continuous Semantic Intelligence For Privacy-Aware Lifelogging, Allie Tran

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Lifelogging — the continuous digital recording of everyday experience through wearable cameras and sensors — has long promised benefits for memory augmentation, health monitoring, and lifestyle analysis. However, current systems follow a capture–store–retrieve model that delays analysis until after data collection, limiting their practical usefulness and creating significant privacy risks through prolonged retention of sensitive raw data. This paper argues that lifelogging should instead analyse data at the moment of capture, enabling timely, context-sensitive support and safer handling of personal information through privacy-by-design. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach through SelfHealth, an early prototype system built on a custom …

A Human-Centred View Of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Operations Using The Shell Model, Natasya Habibah, Paul Hegarty, Breda Kenny

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

The concept of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) has existed for decades and is advancing rapidly as a result of developments in artificial intelligence. Despite these technological advancements, human involvement remains essential to ensure safety and reliability. This study applies the Software, Hardware, Environment, and Liveware (SHELL) model to develop a human-centric framework for examining the integration of human elements with intelligent and automated technologies in MASS. The framework considers software, with particular attention to regulatory aspects; hardware, including general system and sub-system architecture; environmental factors, including both natural and artificial, as well as dynamic and static elements; and liveware, …

What Educational Experiences Influence 2nd Level Students To Study Computer Science? - A Longitudinal Phd Study, Miriam Harte

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Computing is an increasingly vital skill within the modern economy [3], prompting the Irish Department of Education to take action to integrate computing curricula across all stages of formal education. Despite the growing demand for computer scientists, a significant gap exists between the introduction of computing at 2nd level and students’ continuation in computing at Senior Cycle and 3rd Level education. We are aware that factors such as socioeconomic back- ground [2] and even teacher availability affect student engagement in Computer Science (CS) [1]. We intend to investigate the role of educational experiences in shaping 2nd Level students’ decisions to …

Comparative Time Series Forecasting Of Pedestrian Footfall In Dublin City Centre, Mercy Koech

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Research on urban populations has turned out to be a significant field of study for a long duration.Forecasting pedestrian footfall is important for urban management,retail planning,crime analysis and evaluating the influence of public gatherings.With the rise of smart cities and the proliferation of sensor technologies there now exists a rich supply of data that offers unprecedented insight into the behaviour of pedestrain traffic.This study undertakes a comprehensive analysis of timeseries forecasting methods to predict pedestrian footfall trends in Dublin City Centre a key urban area with diverse spatial characteristics and high foot traffic variability.Using data collected via PYRO-BOX Counters sensors …

Letter From Editors, Andrea C. Heaney, Elizabeth Darnell

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Letter from editors of 2026 Women+ Early Career Research Symposium

Libération Educative À Travers La Poésie Africaine Francophone: Les Contributions Pédagogiques De David Diop Et De Léopold Sédar Senghor, Stanley Ugochukwu Dibiah

Department of French Studies Graduate Student Association Conference

Cet article met en avant l'impact transformateur de la poésie africaine francophone dans la reconstruction de l'éducation postcoloniale et l'encouragement d'un changement sociétal durable. Suite à la période coloniale, la poésie en Afrique francophone est apparue non seulement comme une expression artistique, mais aussi comme un outil puissant pour redécouvrir l'identité, la langue et l'histoire. Bien que les aspects culturels et politiques de la littérature postcoloniale aient attiré une attention académique significative, son utilisation dans l'éducation reste encore insuffisamment exploitée. Cette recherche examine comment les œuvres poétiques de David Diop et de Léopold Sédar Senghor peuvent être employées comme des …

Textbook Spending Poster Results, Hunt Library

ERAU Open Education Week

No abstract provided.

Epigenetic Constraint Landscapes And Repair-Mediated Genome Evolution In Human Lineages, Jaymes Mozingo

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Evolutionary change is often framed primarily in terms of mutation and selection, yet this perspective overlooks a prior, testable question: which genetic changes are permitted to persist within the genome at all. This project presents a methods-driven pilot analysis that examines whether epigenetic regulation of DNA repair context constrains the retention of rare genomic variants, leaving a falsifiable signature in population-level data. The study uses de-identified, consented high-coverage Y-chromosome sequencing data and public phylogenies (e.g., FamilyTreeDNA, YFull). An explicit, a priori variant-selection rule is applied to define a class of rare lineage-discordant SNP states arising within a specified downstream phylogenetic …

Land Imaginaries And Rural Realities In The Mountain West, Ande Peersen

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Land is central to the history and mythology of the American West, and yet owning and accessing land is increasingly unattainable for most Americans. Changes in who can own land alter material practices of agriculture or conservation as well as ideas and narratives underlying those material practices, i.e., the land’s imaginary. This research employs a mixed-methods approach to 1) geospatially analyze how the regime of land ownership is changing in two agricultural communities in Montana, and 2) explore associated shifts in rural land imaginaries.

Scholars have researched the effects of land ownership changes in rural logging communities and highly-desirable Western …

Finding My Voice: Patsy Cline's Voice Meets Patsy Rodenburg's Method, Chae Clearwood

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

I am a musician, actress, and woman who has led with my singing voice since I was a child. I have encountered both Patsy Rodenburg and Patsy Cline in my professional career, bringing awareness and growth to my own voice through embodied performance and practice. I am working towards my MFA in Directing in the School of Theatre and Dance and am fortunate enough to encounter opportunities to sing the songs of many women who championed the music industry before me. One who has made repeated encores in my life and career is Patsy Cline. The freedom and power in …

Simulating Rewriting Style: Algorithmic Reproduction Of Camus’S Literary Voice In Machine-Generated Texts, Peter Akongfeh Agwu Ph.D

Department of French Studies Graduate Student Association Conference

Virtual Presentation

La Satire, Un Outil Pour La Conscience Sociale : Le Rôle Public De La Littérature Aujourd'hui, Arshdeep Kaur

Department of French Studies Graduate Student Association Conference

No abstract provided.

Reversible O-O Bond Activation And Formation On Dinuclear Cobalt Complexes, Wenting He, Yan Li, Dong Wang

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Dinuclear metal-peroxo species have been proposed as key intermediates in the dioxygen activation pathway for a number of nonheme diiron and dicopper enzymes such as soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO). A key step in the O activation is the cleavage of the metal-peroxo O-O bond to form higher-valent metal-oxo species. Meanwhile, the reverse O–O bond formation process catalyzed by the Oxygen-Evolving Complex (OEC) in natural Photosystem II is a pivotal step in the conversion of water into molecular oxygen during photosynthesis. In synthetic chemistry, compared to the diiron and dicopper complexes, dicobalt peroxo complexes are relatively less studied. Furthermore, none of …

Lovecraftian Hybrids And Transgender Embodiment, Mari K. Newman

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

     While much of Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s oeuvre has been analyzed by queer theorists for homosexual metaphors within Lovecraft’s monsters, less argued is the subject of his hybrids mirroring transgender embodiment. I posit the rise of transgender identities in the Western mainstream and access to breakthrough gender-affirming care in the United States during Lovecraft’s life lend to a reading of his hybrids as embodying gender queerness. The proposed research is a literature review which draws upon interdisciplinary texts ranging from scholars in the social sciences—such as sociology and anthropology—to the hard sciences such as ecology and health sciences.

In this paper, …

Coordinating Lewis Bases To Ni(Iv) Enhances Reactivity Toward Strong Sp3 C-H Bonds, Collin R. Bryant

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

High-valent transition metal-oxo (TM-oxo) species have been ascertained to be key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of various metalloenzymes involved in C-H functionalization. Advances in the structural and mechanistic elucidation of these metalloenzymes have provided new rationale for designing biomimetic and bio-inspired systems that harness high-valent TM-oxo chemistry and in turn provide further insights into the electronic, structural and reactive properties of enzymatic TM-oxo intermediates. However, high-valent oxo complexes of late transition metals are less accessible due to electronic bonding restrictions. Synthetic efforts can be shifted toward developing high-valent late TM-non-oxo systems, which present electronic, structural and reactive properties similar …