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Metapopulation Genomics Of American Goshawks In The Intermountain West, Megan M. Sidran

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Understanding a species dispersal ecology and population dynamics is essential to effectively manage and conserve a species. As advancing technology improves our knowledge of species movements, it is becoming clear that many species form metapopulations to some extent. A metapopulation is a network of interconnected subpopulations that exchange reproductive individuals with subpopulations occupying nearby patches. Metapopulations have been observed in a variety of species, ranging from plants to vertebrates, and can vary greatly in their dynamics (level of connectivity and gene flow) based on the species behavior and life history strategy.

Forming a metapopulation can add much resilience to the …

Discounting Of Delayed And Probabilistic Outcomes Across The Adult Lifespan, Haoran Wan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Intertemporal and risky decision-making predicts many problem behaviors that also decline with age, raising the question: Do intertemporal and risky decisions change with age? Despite the theoretical and empirical importance, the literature under both rubrics reveals inconsistent findings. Some studies suggest that these inconsistencies may be due to the presence of unassessed demographic differences. The present study examined age differences, evaluating the role of demographic variables in intertemporal and risky choice of gains and losses using the discounting framework. Four experiments were conducted, each with one of the four types of discounting: discounting of delayed gains, discounting of delayed losses, …

Imperfect Church, Perfect God, Claire N. Barr

Honors Projects

Jesus’ death on the cross demonstrates the most radical act of love. So when the church, which is biblically supposed to reflect Jesus’ love, causes pain and disagreements, there is no doubt as to why people choose to leave, completely stay away from the church, or lose their faith altogether. Despite this, the solution remains in Jesus. Through His ministry represented in scripture, one can see the way in which the church is called to care for the world. Despite this, the church has come short of Jesus’ example, often skewing people’s perspective on Christ. When on Earth, Jesus defied …

Assessing The Role Of Groundwater In Road Salt Pollution Of Urban Lakes, Jacquelyn Molloseau

Honors Projects

Salinization of freshwater ecosystems through the use of road de-icing salts has altered both the chemical and biological structures of these systems. In addition to the contamination of surface waters, there are also increasing concerns about how groundwater is being affected by road salt pollution and its role as a potential pathway for salt to reach other freshwater systems. This study focused on an area in eastern Grand Rapids, MI where salt pollution from winter applications to the East Beltline Highway is affecting a string of three residential lakes. To assess the potential role of groundwater in the pollution of …

Comparative Healthcare: Changing Us Health Policy, Georgia Barber

Honors Projects

The United States healthcare system differs from any other system because of its unique health coverage that varies depending on the individual. In other developed countries, healthcare access has been deemed a human right, and insurance access and healthcare costs are equal and shared among citizens. The US has failed to create a healthcare system that values the life of the American rather than the monetary value that the healthcare sector can provide for the country. Countries with far less gross domestic product have more inclusive healthcare systems that provide equal access to residents. Additionally, the US has various healthcare …

Investigations Of The Impact Of Excess Gut Volume On Spinal Angles, Carly Stoops

Honors Projects

This compilation of research projects investigates the impact of increased gut volume on the lumbosacral disc angle and the central lumbar angle of the spine. The magnitudes of the lumbosacral disc angle can change due to age, pregnancy, sex, and, as hypothesized, gut volume. It is unknown how the central lumbar angle changes due to increased gut volume. This is important because these spinal modifications can result in pain, specifically in the lower back. The consequences of being overweight or obese rarely include the anatomical changes that result due to excess gut volume and center of mass changes. My goal …

The Quality Of Life In Assisted Living Facilities In Grand Rapids, Nina Alpers

Honors Projects

This research study looked at the quality of life of residents in assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids. The purpose of this study is to consider the life satisfaction of residents of assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids and explore the determinants that can make their time spent at assisted living facilities as enjoyable as possible. This study highlighted the voices of the residents in assisted living facilities by doing a qualitative study using an interview-styled approach that asked the residents about a variety of topics, such as routines, feelings, values, personal facts, health status, care provided, relationships, and views …

Privacy Shield 2.0—A New Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework Between The European Union And The United States, Sara Gerke, Delaram Rezaeikhonakdar

Cardozo Law Review

This Article is the first to thoroughly examine the new adequacy decision for the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework (also known as “Privacy Shield 2.0”), including the relevant events and milestones ultimately leading to its adoption. The European Commission adopted the new Privacy Shield on July 10, 2023, to restore transatlantic data flows and commercial exchanges between the European Union and the United States. This Article first explores the holdings of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the groundbreaking cases Schrems I and Schrems II and elaborates on the reasons for the invalidation of the Safe Harbor Decision …

Terror And Tenderness In Criminal Law, M. Eve Hanan

Cardozo Law Review

Sentencing reductions, executive pardons, prison release programs, and progressive prosecutors have something in common. In word choice and design, they suggest tempering the violence of criminal law in a limited number of cases. The prisoner may be released early based on a record of good behavior. The President may grant clemency to those sentenced in an earlier era to decades in prison for a drug crime. The prosecutor may recommend drug court rather than a jail sentence to a defendant addicted to illegal substances. In the era of “smart on crime,” reform often comes through expanding these mechanisms of relief …

Characteristics Of Breast Cancer In Carriers Of Pathogenic Variant In Atm In A Large Academic Health Center, Ujjwal Karki, Tara Rangarajan, Dana Zakalik

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background: Pathogenic variants (PVs) in ATM are associated with an increased risk of breast, pancreas, and other cancers. The clinical and pathological characteristics of ATM-associated breast cancers have not been well defined. Methods: Patients who underwent multigene panel testing between December 2012 and May 2023 and were identified to harbor ATM PVs were included in the study. We analyzed demographics, germline findings, histopathology, genomic recurrence score, and management of ATM PV carriers with breast cancer. Results: A total of 222 individuals were identified to have PVs in ATM, of whom 184 (83%) were female. The majority were Caucasian (n = …

Breast Cancer In Pms2 Related Lynch Syndrome: Evidence Of A Possible Association?, Ujjwal Karki, Tara Rangarajan, Dana Zakalik

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background: Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome caused by pathogenic variants (PVs) in mismatch repair genes, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2. LS is associated with increased risk of colorectal, and endometrial cancers but breast cancer risk is uncertain, with some studies suggesting MSH6 and PMS2 PVs may have a higher risk for breast cancer. Our study outlines the incidence and clinical characteristics of breast cancer in PMS2-related LS identified at a large academic center. Methods: Patients with PMS2 PVs identified between July 2009 and May 2023 were selected from a database at the Nancy and James Grosfeld …

The Political Mobilization Of The Croatian Diaspora: Analyzing The Impact Of The Croatian Diaspora On Croatian Politics., Regina Cabrera Hernandez

Honors College Theses

This paper examines the relationship between the Croatian diaspora and the Croatian nation with the goal of better understanding this relationship and how diasporas can affect the homeland politically. I attempt to do this by studying and analyzing the history of the diaspora, their identity formation, and their actions throughout the 20th century. I begin with a look at the origins of the Croatian diaspora, and the developing relationship between the diaspora and the government of the homeland. With this, as changes in the makeup of the diaspora affected the relationship with the homeland, changes in the homeland also affected …

Reproductive Health Care Data Free Or For Sale: Post-Roe Surveillance And The "Three Corners" Of Privacy Legislation Needed, Eunice Park

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Conditions will be harsher now for women than before Roe v. Wade for one key reason: We live in a surveillance state. While reproductive health care will continue to be a political hot button, one way to manage some of the fallout from Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is by placing over-due limits on state surveillance to protect the politically uncontroversial expectation of privacy for personal data. Specifically, measures are needed to protect the privacy of health care data, and, in particular, reproductive health care data. Currently, law enforcement can obtain such data not only through failings in existing …

Survivors Of Domestic Violence: Reclaiming Their Freedom, Flor Icel Ortega

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monarch Services is an agency that is dedicated to helping victims or survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking. Their mission is, “Lives Free from Violence and Abuse.” Case managers want to empower their clients to take back control and gain their freedom and independence safely. As the agency grew there was a need to create programs that would cater to the needs of the client, with the Housing First Program as one of the newer programs. The Housing First Program is a homeless assistance model that focuses on prioritizing long-term permanent housing for individuals and families, thus …

Increasing Social And Emotional Competencies Among Special Education Preschoolers, Alix Li Katz-Polowitz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

My capstone project focused on preschoolers’ emotional competence, which is defined as the ability to purposefully and truly experience a variety of emotions while regulating behavior patterns (Domitrovich et al., 2017). It is difficult for preschoolers to regulate their emotions and even more challenging for SPED children. Children who have difficulties associated with being in SPED are often rejected by other children and do not have opportunities to develop strong social skills. This can result in these children avoiding social situations in general, which causes them to fall further behind their peers with their social abilities (Schmitt et al., 2021). …

Self-Care Through Nature For Adolescents, Sumiko Strachan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Self-care is defined as actions or activities done by an individual to improve their own health; most often referring to mental health. This project focused on giving tools for self-care and mindfulness through nature. These tools included ways to self-soothe through meditation, mindfulness and nutrition. The project’s activities were conducted at MEarth, an outdoor learning facility located in the Carmel Valley. MEarth is a prime location for this project as it is still a place of learning, but it is not a traditional classroom and teaches in a more engaging way for presenting information. The self-care project lessons aimed to …

Benefits Of Existing Educational Programs For Migrant Elementary School Students, Jasmin Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Due to the constant mobility of migrant families, migrant students face disadvantages in their academic performance. This senior capstone research project is to examine the benefits of existing education programs for immigrant elementary school students on migrant students available for a largely Hispanic community on the Central Coast of California. Through the use of literature review, interviews with migrant teachers, migrant coordinators, and migrant directors, the results show that even though migrant students obtain physical and emotional support for the Migrant Education Program, their academic achievement and personal identity are constantly being challenged. In order to help mitigate these effects, …

Role Of Teachers In Empowering Migrant Students In Their Education, Maricruz Fragosa

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many migrant families working in the Monterey Bay areas have to move from one place to another, so their children are considered to be migrant students. The majority of these families migrate to California so their children can continue their education with the support of their teachers. There are existing programs at the national, local and university level to support migrant students. These programs provide the migrant students with the resources needed to succeed in their education. They provide tutors for migrant students in their classroom as well as one-on-one service to them throughout the school year. This senior capstone …

Awareness Of Mental Health Among Adolescents, Gloria Ortiz-Wilson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal point of this capstone project is to bring mental health awareness to the adolescent community in Soledad, California. With the numbers rising in the likelihood of adolescents developing a mental health disorder, it is extremely important for adolescents to know the different types of mental health disorders and the signs of these disorders (Abrams, 2023). Between 20-30% of adolescents have a form of depression, 37% have anxiety disorders, and there has been a 16% increase of suicide in youth 12 and older (Valdez et al., 2022).

Because of adolescents’ increasing risk for mental health issues, there is a …

Self-Regulation In A Preschool Classroom, Karen Ruby Vasquez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on preschool aged children’s development of self regulation. Self-regulation involves children's developing ability to regulate their emotions, thoughts and behavior to enable them to act in positive ways toward a goal. Young children have a harder time with self regulation than older children. Working in a preschool made me learn that some children have a harder time controlling their emotions and behaviors than others. It is important to address this because good early self-regulation is associated with later positive developmental outcomes. “Supporting self regulation development in early childhood is an investment in later success, because stronger …

Improving The Social Emotional Recognition And Regulation For Special Education Adolescents, Isabella Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal topic for this project is emotional learning in high school students in special education programs. Social emotional learning is focused on emotions, recognizing emotions, and expression of emotions in connection to interacting with others. This is important in any stage of development because it creates the foundation of children’s future social interactions and how they deal with emotions in adulthood. Students with special needs sometimes lack the ability to recognize their own intense emotions and enact appropriate ways to express them. For these students, it can be difficult to process and express emotions in a social setting, like …

Social Media Effects On Adolescent Social Skills And Mental Health, Precious Kol

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on young adolescents’ use of social networking sites. As technology continues to grow and progress, its influence on adolescents grows and progresses along with it. Social networking sites provide adolescents with the opportunity to present their individuality to the digital world and the opportunity to connect and communicate with their peers. On the other hand, these sites also present vulnerabilities such as exposure to strangers, predators, and potential bullies. Due to the related psychological development, mental health and perspective of self issues with adolescents on these sites, it is important for parents to teach them how …

Incorporating Social-Emotional Learning In Latino Communities, Jesus Moreno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The capstone project focuses on teaching social-emotional skills to second-grade students in Latino communities. Many second-grade students are still developing socially-emotionally and some have not yet mastered self-awareness, self-management, and relationship skills which all fall under Social-emotional skills. As said by National University, obtaining these 3 skills “helps students of all ages to better comprehend their emotions, feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others”. According to Guzman (2022), they are “key components to succeed academically, interpersonal relationships, family, and community life”. Social-emotional development provides long-term skills that can be learned during childhood and is beneficial throughout the lifespan. …

How Swim Lessons Improve Overall Health In Children Ages 7 To 13, Fiona Sonni

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

My capstone project focuses on increasing school-aged children’s awareness about the need for physical activity to improve overall health. There are reports that children’s physical activity has decreased in recent years. Because they spend so much time behind a screen, they do not get adequate exercise and experience feelings of depression and lack of motivation to change their habits. Potential reasons for this could include the COVID-19 pandemic forcing children inside, increased popularity in video games, and an increase in social anxiety due to the pandemic. By focusing my project on swimming-related skills, I hope to increase children’s physical activity …

Informing Adolescents From Latino Immigrant Families About The Effects Of Their Family Responsibilities, Roxanna Emigdio Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on the different types of responsibilities that Latino immigrant families give to their adolescents and the effects it may have on them. Children play an active role in many immigrant families because of cultural traditions and immigration challenges (Fuligni & Telzer, 2012). Adolescents of immigrant parents are often involved in responsibilities such as caring for their younger siblings and cousins, cleaning, cooking, and translating for family members. Adolescents are given these duties because their parents often work multiple jobs and long hours to provide for their families. It is also important to note how difficult a …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of Ppe Compliance Among South Mississippi Medical- Surgical Nurses, Jenna Roush

Honors Theses

Utilizing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriately is critical in protecting nurses and patients from contracting infectious diseases. Poor compliance with PPE is associated with increased hospital-acquired infections and directly impacts infection control measures. This thesis delves into the perceptions of PPE compliance and awareness among medical-surgical nurses in South Mississippi. A quantitative study utilizing a 28-item survey was implemented. Likert-style and open-ended survey questions were completed by n=28 participants. Univariate analysis was used to determine compliance among each PPE item, awareness and confidence of PPE items, and whether there was a lack of training or a PPE shortage. Based on …

Filming A Hidden Resource: The Soil In The Seventh Art Narrative, Antonio Ganga, Ludmila Ribeiro Roder, Enzo Antônio Paganini, Arun Dilipkumar Jani, Cassio Hamilton Abreu-Junior, Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira, Gian Franco Capra

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The general public often perceives soil as a hidden resource. In recent years, the film industry has shown an increasing awareness about the soil environment. Indeed, as public opinion about environmental problems has increased, soil as a natural resource has become more popular in public discourse, and, consequently, the film industry, partly because of its ability to showcase public concerns and mainstream opinion. This review aims to identify depictions of soil in films and the following consequences regarding their impact on society. We investigated movies containing different perspectives and aimed to understand: i) the role of the soil environment in …

The Economic Impact Of Artprize 2023, Christian Glupker, Paul Isely

Other Faculty Publications

ArtPrize is estimated to have generated or supported economic benefits for Kent County in the following ways:

• The total economic impact of all primary visitor spending and ArtPrize operational spending is estimated at $54.7 million in economic output supporting 434 jobs.
• 714,345 total visitors, with 53% visiting from outside the local region. The average age of all visitors was 47 years old.
• 39% of local visitors and 69% of all nonlocal visitors stated that ArtPrize was their primary reason for visiting Grand Rapids.
• All local visitors spent an average of 2.6 days at ArtPrize and all nonlocal visitors spent an …

The Wto Dsu 2.0: How Can We Go Back To The Future?, Aris Georgopoulos, Petros C. Mavroidis

Faculty Scholarship

In this chapter, Aris Georgopoulos and Petros Mavroidis examine the contribution of the WTO dispute settlement body to the resolution of trade disputes. This chapter documents the problems and challenges faced by the WTO’s dispute settlement body and reveals their debilitating impact on its work. This chapter then puts forward concrete proposals for the establishment of a new WTO Court and explains why such a course of action has a realistic chance of breaking the current impasse and creating an effective dispute settlement body for trade disputes.

Real-Time Analysis Of Aerosol Size Distributions With The Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (Fims), Daisy Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS) has emerged as an innovative instrument in the aerosol science domain. It employs a spatially varying electric field to separate charged aerosol particles by their electrical mobilities. These separated particles are then enlarged through vapor condensation and imaged in real time by a high-speed CCD camera. FIMS achieves near 100% detection efficiency for particles ranging from 10 nm to 600 nm with a temporal resolution of one second. However, FIMS’ real-time capabilities are limited by an offline data analysis process. Deferring analysis until hours or days after measurement makes FIMS' capabilities less valuable for …