Digital Commons Network^™

Gentrification And Displacement: Connections Between Changing Housing Typologies And Long-Time Residents’ Quality Of Life In East Austin, Texas, Grant Wilson

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the impacts of gentrification on quality of life, displacement, and housing typology in East Austin, Texas. The neighborhood is examined as a case study and example of the concepts discussed. Evaluated through both a qualitative and quantitative lens, this study serves as a report and update on the continued disruption of the living patterns of minority residents in the city. Recommendations are given to mitigate displacement for East Austin residents and improve the quality of life for those remaining. By identifying the connection between changing housing typology and displacement impacts, this report aspires to give designers a …

Recommendations For Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences In Mathematics, Rommel J. Miranda

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have benefits for course instructors, undergraduate STEM students, and underrepresented students. CUREs consist of five essential components which include the use of science practices, discovery, broadly relevant or important work, collaboration, and iteration (Auchincloss et al., 2014). Over the past decade, a broad range of CUREs have been developed within and across STEM disciplines. However, resources to assist instructors to develop CUREs in mathematics are limited. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the extant literature on course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), especially in mathematics, to provide future directions for reforming …

The Mechanisms Of Peer Support In An Online Support Group For Veterans, Zachary William Tarbet

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Military veterans experience a transition process when returning to civilian life that involves reintegration across life domains. Reintegration has been shown to be a significant challenge for a contingent of former servicemembers that can be exacerbated by an erosion of social support networks. Difficulty accessing peers due to wider social trends away from community connectedness and geography have inspired the creation of virtual gathering spaces for a wide range of populations. The emerging evidence for peer-driven online support groups suggests the potential for facilitating development of new supportive interpersonal connections and improved access to tangible resources. The current study seeks …

Global Learning: Definition, Assessment, And Approaches, Jiangyuan Zhou

Journal of Global Education and Research

Global learning has become a fundamental aspect of international education. Yet, a clear understanding of global learning and how to develop it remain unclear. Using the dynamic systems approach, this paper analyzed the reasons, methods, and knowledge, skills, and attitudes(KSA) of global learning in higher education. Global learning is the higher education institutions’ critical response to globalization. It is the essential learning outcome of comprehensive internationalization of curriculum requiring students to develop KSA about the external world and their internal selves in their daily lives across local and global communities. With survey results from 142 undergraduate students in one U.S. …

The Influence Of African American Women's Values And Beliefs On Moderate Intensity Physical Activity: A Qualitative Study, Shannon Whitehead

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S VALUES AND BELIEFS ON MODERATE INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY Routine participation in moderate intensity physical activity (MIPA) is one of the most important low-cost activities people can do for optimal health (USDHHS, 2018). Yet, for more than four decades, MIPA participation rates for AAW have been among the lowest compared to other races, and consequently, their health has been among the poorest. AAW have higher prevalence rates for obesity, heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, type II diabetes, and associated premature death. Instead of MIPA participation rates improving, they begin to decline in …

Community Access To Primary Care Is An Important Geographic Disparity Among Ovarian Cancer Patients Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery, Abigail S Zamorano, Angela L Mazul, Christine Marx, Mary M Mullen, Molly Greenwade, L Stewart Massad, Carolyn K Mccourt, Andrea R Hagemann, Premal H Thaker, Katherine C Fuh, Matthew A Powell, David G Mutch, Dineo Khabele, Lindsay M Kuroki

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Given the importance of understanding neighborhood context and geographic access to care on individual health outcomes, we sought to investigate the association of community primary care (PC) access on postoperative outcomes and survival in ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of Stage III-IV ovarian cancer patients who underwent surgery at a single academic, tertiary care hospital between 2012 and 2015. PC access was determined using a Health Resources and Services Administration designation. Outcomes included 30-day surgical and medical complications, extended hospital stay, ICU admission, hospital readmission, progression-free and overall survival. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared analyses …

Virtual Reality In Workplace Learning: Affordances, Limitations, And Future Directions, Roshan Bharwaney, Seth-Aaron Martinez, Madan Panathula, Jeff Dalto, Alejandro Maya, Lindsay Kopasz

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The interest and use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology for workplace learning has been increasing and is projected to increase further based insights from scholarly literature, industry reports, and interviews with organization and learning leaders. We present and discuss perceived affordances, limitations, and future directions of VR learning based on interviews with 21 workplace learning leaders across sectors and industries. Perceived affordances include: (1) simulation of dangerous or difficult real life scenarios, (2) interpersonal and leadership skill development, (3) affordability, (4) data and assessments, (5) social learning, and (6) bridging the real and virtual. On the other hand, perceived limitations …

Overcoming Bias Against Funding Of Female-Led Entrepreneurial Initiatives: The Democratizing Influence Of Online Crowdlending Platforms, Shivendu Pratap Singh, Trina A. Sego, Shikhar Sarin

Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crowdlending platforms are becoming an increasingly prominent alternative funding channel for marginalized entrepreneurs to traditional financing. We examine whether the gender bias generally seen in conventional funding channels extends to the funding of female-led ventures in online platforms and how this potential bias affects service businesses. Our analysis of the KIVA crowdlending platform suggests that while online crowdlending platforms exert a democratizing influence on the funding of female entrepreneurial ventures, female-led service businesses were less able to get financing, mainly for larger loan amounts and longer loan terms. Our findings have significant implications for female entrepreneurs working for marginalized/social causes.

Climate Change And Indigenous Groups: The Rise Of Indigenous Voices In Climate Litigation, Maria Antonia Tigre

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Climate change’s pervasive human rights impacts on populations worldwide are widespread and now widely known. One avenue to address these human rights impacts is the growth of rights-based climate litigation. There are now hundreds of cases worldwide grounded on human rights claims. However, less attention has been brought to how vulnerable groups are disproportionally affected by climate change. Indigenous groups, in particular, are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their connection to their land and dependence on their ecosystems. To increase global attention and seek legal remedies to address how Indigenous communities are impacted by climate change, Indigenous groups …

Association Between Breastfeeding, Oxytocin, And Risk Of Postpartum Hemorrhage, Jordan Davis, Sophia Nelson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rates of maternal morbidity and mortality are far too high in the United States compared to other developed countries. Additionally, breastfeeding is often poorly prioritized, leading to a negative community connotation and low rates of exclusive breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to compile the available research on breastfeeding initiation and its association with risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Fifteen peer-reviewed articles were collected from databases and other scholarly articles and screened for correlation between breastfeeding and maternal health risk. Overall, many articles suggest that skin-to-skin contact and early initiation of breastfeeding may be the most effective way to reduce …

Exploring The Multiple Paradoxes And Challenges Of Uganda's Refugee Law, Policies And Practice, J. Oloka-Onyango

The Transnational Human Rights Review

Uganda has garnered considerable international praise for its ‘open-door’ policies on refugees. This is particularly the case against the backdrop of a global context of the growing phenomenon of states constructing physical and metaphorical walls against the phenomenon of migration, whether forced or voluntary. Nevertheless, such praise conceals a much more complex context of opportunistic strategizing, donor politics and regional geopolitical balancing. In sum, what is lauded as ‘progressive’ is much more problematic and nuanced, especially with respect to the issue of local integration (particularly for long-term refugees), voluntary repatriation and the management and funding of refugee support.

Mapping Of Freedom Of Information Requests (Foirs) For The Publication Of Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Contracts, Chiamaka Ojiako, Uchechukwu Ngwaba

The Transnational Human Rights Review

Freedom of Information Requests (FOIRs) provide the window of access to COVID-19 vaccine supply contracts in times of crisis, yet for COVID-19 supply contracts, FOIRs have recorded limited success due to barriers which have either been legal, institutional, political or a combination of all of these. Despite State’s commitment to freedom of information and open contracting at both the national and international level, the urgency to procure vaccines led many countries to prioritize public health goals over protecting the public’s right of access to information. This empirical study examines freedom of information requests related to COVID-19 vaccine supply contracts to …

Spatial And Temporal Changes Of Sand Mining In The Yangtze River Basin Since The Establishment Of The Three Gorges Dam, Yugai Ma, Yingying Chai, Y. Jun Xu, Zijun Li, Shuwei Zheng

Faculty Publications

The global demand for sand and gravel is at 50 billion tons per year, far exceeding global resource capacities. It reached 7.6 billion tons in 2021 in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB), China. However, production is severely limited in the YRB. Therefore, the incongruity between the supply and demand of river sand is prominent. Wise management of decreasing sand resources in the YRB has become critical since the Three Gorges Dam became operational in 2003. This study synthesized spatial and temporal changes in sand mining activities and quantities along the Yangtze River and its major tributaries from 2004 to 2020. …

Channel Bed Adjustment Of The Lowermost Yangtze River Estuary From 1983 To 2018: Causes And Implications, Ming Tang, Heqin Cheng, Yijun Xu, Hao Hu, Shuwei Zheng, Bo Wang, Zhongyong Yang, Lizhi Teng, Wei Xu, Erfeng Zhang, Jiufa Li

Faculty Publications

Deltaic channels are significant landforms at the interface of sediment transfer from land to oceanic realms. Understanding the dynamics of these channels is urgent because delta processes are sensitive to climate change and adjustments in human activity. To obtain a better understanding of the morphological processes of large deltaic channels, this study assessed the evolution and response mechanism of the South Channel and South Passage (SCSP) in the Yangtze Estuary between 1983 to 2018 using hydrology, multibeam echo sounding and historical bathymetry datasets. Decadal changes in riverbed volume and erosion/deposition patterns in the SCSP were assessed. The results showed that …

Leaf Habit Affects The Distribution Of Drought Sensitivity But Not Water Transport Efficiency In The Tropics, German Vargas G., Norbert Kunert, William M. Hammond, Z. Carter Berry, Leland K. Werden, Chris M. Smith-Martin, Brett T. Wolfe, Laura Toro, Ariadna Mondragón-Botero, Jesús N. Pinto-Ledezma, Naomi B. Schwartz, María Uriarte, Lawren Sack, Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira, Jennifer S. Powers

Faculty Publications

Considering the global intensification of aridity in tropical biomes due to climate change, we need to understand what shapes the distribution of drought sensitivity in tropical plants. We conducted a pantropical data synthesis representing 1117 species to test whether xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity (KS), water potential at leaf turgor loss (ΨTLP) and water potential at 50% loss of KS (ΨP50) varied along climate gradients. The ΨTLP and ΨP50 increased with climatic moisture only for evergreen species, but KS did not. Species with high ΨTLP and ΨP50 values were associated with both dry and wet environments. However, drought-deciduous species showed high ΨTLP …

Social Inequalities In Climate Change-Attributed Impacts Of Hurricane Harvey, Kevin T. Smiley, Ilan Noy, Michael F. Wehner, Dave Frame, Christopher C. Sampson, Oliver E.J. Wing

Faculty Publications

Climate change is already increasing the severity of extreme weather events such as with rainfall during hurricanes. But little research to date investigates if, and to what extent, there are social inequalities in climate change-attributed extreme weather event impacts. Here, we use climate change attribution science paired with hydrological flood models to estimate climate change-attributed flood depths and damages during Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas. Using detailed land-parcel and census tract socio-economic data, we then describe the socio-spatial characteristics associated with these climate change-induced impacts. We show that 30 to 50% of the flooded properties would not have flooded …

Beyond The Unknown: A Broad Framing For Preparedness For Emerging Infectious Threats, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Stephania A. Cormier

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

There have been multiple instances of novel pathogen emergence that have affected the health and security of the global community. To highlight that these novel pathogens presented a clear danger to public health, the WHO included “Disease X” on their list of priority pathogens in 2018. Indeed, since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, Disease X has been pointed to as the looming threat of “the next big thing.” However, developing surveillance and preparedness plans with Disease X as the linchpin is too narrow and ignores a large swath of potential threats from already identified, often neglected diseases. We propose instead the …

Environment And Sustainability: December 2022, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• Recently installed solar panels in Nairobi;

• Upcoming “Meatless Mangal” campaign;

• Engagement of leaders and employees in sustainability workshops;

• Closing of President’s Challenge for Climate Solutions;

• Plastic bag phase-out at BASIC shop;

• And much more…

Consumer Embeddedness And Motivations For Farmers Market Patronage: A Qualitative Exploration In Minnesota, Usa, Alanna Norton, Hye-Young Kim, Virginia Zuiker

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The rise in popularity of farmers markets in the United States reflects consumers’ negative response to more traditional food distribution systems. Farmers markets provide consumers with a more local and often more personal food purchasing experience. The purpose of this study was to examine consumer motivations to patronize farmers markets through the lens of social, spatial, and natural embeddedness. A qualitative approach was employed utilizing semi-structured, in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted in person using a set of predetermined questions and revealed nine themes. The findings indicate that two types of consumer choices with different properties exist in farmers market …

Smce Model For Commercial Areas Suitability In Serang City, Salsa Muafiroh, Adi Wibowo

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

Commercial areas refer to specific zones designated for business activities, such as trade, retail, and industry, which play a critical role in supporting regional economic development. In the case of Serang City, the government has planned its development as a hub for commerce and industry. However, selecting an optimal location for commercial areas involves addressing challenges related to multiple criteria and alternative options, each with varying advantages and trade-offs, which often complicates the decision-making process. This research aims to analyze spatial modeling using simulations based on the Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) method, supported by ILWIS software to determine the most …

The Political Sovereignty Of A Colony In Outer Space, Josselin Lavigne

North Carolina Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Community Engagement And Planning: Reading Center For Active Living (Recal), Ceara Somerville, Caitlin Coyle, Beth Rouleau

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Reading. The goals of this project were to (1) engage the community and (2) investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Reading residents regarding the possibility of a new community or senior center. The content of this report is meant to inform the Reading Center for Active Living Committee (ReCalc) on its mission to “explore the current and future needs of the community and initiate planning for …

The Rise Of Terrorism In Africa And What It Means For U.S. Policymakers, Bridget Mary Hughes

Master's Theses

This thesis utilizes three case studies to measure the rise of terrorism in Africa. This qualitative data leads the reader to one ultimate question: what does the rise in terrorism in Africa mean for the United States (U.S.) and U.S. policymakers, National Security academia, students in National Security, if anything at all? The answer is: if civilian and military compounds are being targeted by these violent extremists, as these three case studies demonstrate, it is my recommendation that U.S. policymakers cease sending troops to the African theater and, instead, allocate funding to the citizens and nonprofits of the countries whom …

“I Suppose An Island Dweller Should Expect It To Be So”: The Contradiction And Drama Of Maternity And Islands In Caleb’S Crossing, Shayla Frandsen

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

Islands have a long tradition of capturing human imagination and functioning as a space that nurtures both magic and mystery. As geographic locations, they seem to avoid easy taxonomy even while behaving easily categorizable: they exist as tourist fantasies separate from everyday landscape even while many operate as an othered land that is still “safe” enough to visit. They are isolated yet capable of nurturing strong cultural identity. They also act as autonomous entities while still being interconnected within larger natural structures, coastlines, and waterways. In these ways and more islands navigate as border spaces of inherent contradiction—contradictions which are …

A Patchwork Community : Exploring Belonging, Gender Roles, And God's Gifts Among Progressive American Mennonites, Christa D. Mylin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation demonstrates that progressive Mennonites in southern Pennsylvania struggle to find belonging within their congregations due to the fluid nature of Mennonite affiliations. Mennonites critically examined their institutions and relations with each other, and this critique often led to schism. This research addresses how a recent schism among progressive Mennonites led some people to experience nonbelonging and highlighted other conflicting values that people had within their conference. An overview of Mennonite history demonstrated that Mennonites have often formed separate fellowships when disagreements could not be resolved. However, this history also demonstrated that Mennonites have been adept at interpreting their …

Spatial Analysis Of Housing Vacancy : Time Lag, Spillover Effects, And Spatial Heterogeneity, Yutian Feng

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The housing vacancy issue has long been a concern for community development and urban planning, especially in old industrial cities since the second half of the 20th century. Following the subprime lending crisis in 2007, the problem of housing vacancy again attracts attention as it causes problems like housing inequity, neighborhood redevelopment, and spatial justice in most U.S. cities. This dissertation systematically builds up an analytical framework to explore the mechanism of housing vacancy, using Buffalo urban area as a case study. Firstly, the research pays attention to the factors contributing to housing vacancy. The dissertation also investigates if there …

Spatio-Temporal Analyses Of The Relationships Between Stop, Question And Frisk And Crime In New York City, Haemi Won

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Previous research has shown mixed findings on a deterrent effect of Stop, Question and Frisk (SQF) on crime. As SQF is one of the most fundamental methods of police crime control, an accurate examination of the relationship between SQF and crime is critical. This dissertation examined spatio-temporal interactions of crime and those of SQF respectively, and then the spatial relationships between SQF and crime at microgeographic level, controlling for the effect of the street network. Using inhomogeneous cross K function with the exact location x-y coordinates of each point of both SQF and crime, this dissertation explored the spatio-temporal relationships …

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding And Infant Support: Breastfeeding's Effects On Maternal Mental Health, Anna Jacobs

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding has proven to be beneficial for infant health and maternal physical health, but there are variable outcomes for maternal mental health. This literature review explores the relationship between breastfeeding and maternal mental health, a topic that is often disregarded when discussing breastfeeding with mothers. After an internship with Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support, a program to make breastfeeding more accessible at Razorback Athletics events, maternal mental health related to breastfeeding was shown to be a topic in need of more current research. This objective of this literature review was to determine how breastfeeding can impact maternal mental health …

Designing A Virtual Driving Tour Using Mapping Programs: A Case Study Of West Virginia’S Northern Panhandle, Abigail Ayers

Historic Preservation Final Projects

No abstract provided.

The Legal Origins Of Catholic Conscientious Objection, Jeremy Kessler

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

This Article traces the origins of Catholic conscientious objection as a theory and practice of American constitutionalism. It argues that Catholic conscientious objection emerged during the 1960s from a confluence of left-wing and right-wing Catholic efforts to participate in American democratic culture more fully. The refusal of the American government to allow legitimate Catholic conscientious objection to the Vietnam War became a cause célèbre for clerical and lay leaders and provided a blueprint for Catholic legal critiques of other forms of federal regulation in the late 1960s and early 1970s—most especially regulations concerning the provision of contraception and abortion.

Over …