Digital Commons Network^™

2023 Scholarly Productivity Report, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Scholarly Productivity Reports

No abstract provided.

Building A Recovery Ecosystem For The Catawba Region, Mary Beth Dunkenberger, David Moore, Lara Nagle, Sam Rasoul

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

The opioid and addiction crisis has become a defining characteristic of

21st century America, profoundly affecting the Commonwealth of Virginia in

terms of lives lost, families devastated, communities compromised, and

economic and opportunity costs at multiple levels. This scenario originated

with a rapid increase in opioid prescriptions issued to patients by health care

providers for various pain diagnoses during the 1990s and into the early

2000s. Despite early warnings that the new opioid formulations were far

more addictive than indicated by faulty research trials and marketing claims,

treating pain as the “fifth vital sign” became a widespread practice as a …

Socially Engaged Engineering: A Framework For K-8 Education, Christine M. Cunningham, Gregory J. Kelly, Ashwin Mohan

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Socially engaged engineering provides for student learning of the design, analysis, and practices of engineering as well as the ways that engineering is situated in sociocultural contexts. This paper provides a conceptual framework regarding socially engaged engineering for K-8 educators, researchers, and curriculum designers. The framework identifies ways to support youth learning of engineering and considerations of technical, social, environmental, and ethical dimensions of engineering. As engineering enters K-8 educational settings, it is important to introduce the discipline in equity-oriented ways. We draw from the field of engineering for social justice to build this framework for examining engineering at the …

E Hui Me Ke Kaiāulu: To Connect With The Community, Heather Kayleen Bartlett

Dissertations and Theses

Urban planning literature contains a wealth of knowledge on community engagement as a crucial component of the planning process, yet there remains a notable gap in our understanding of best practices when it comes to sustaining community involvement for ongoing plan implementation. The County of Hawai'i, has charted a unique course through the establishment of Action Committees which serve as an intermediary to uplift grassroots implementation efforts while remaining closely entwined with County resources and processes. This interplay provides a unique case study that results in somewhat of an "identity crisis": Action Committees do not have the autonomy of external …

About The Cover: Horned Lark, William E. Davis Jr.

Bird Observer

No abstract provided.

Forests As Social Safety Nets During The Covid-19 Lockdowns: Evidence From India, Alder Keleman Saxena

Sustainability Seminar Series

This presentation reports on research assessing the social-ecological dynamics of the Covid-19 lockdowns in India in 2020 and 2021. Preliminary findings of research in forest- adjacent communities in three states (Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh) suggest that while forest resources did serve as a buffer for some of the most vulnerable households, they did not stand in as a full substitute for the market-derived goods and income opportunities curtailed by the lockdowns. Findings from the research to-date suggest two major conclusions: first, the ecological context (including the seasonal timing) of the lockdowns influenced the extent to which forest communities …

Relational Empowerment Among Public Safety Outreach Workers And Violence Interventionists In U.S. Cities: A Qualitative Inquiry, Christopher M. Thompson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The nation-wide uprisings for racial justice in the Summer of 2020 brought into mainstream awareness the calls to shift resources away from police departments and channel funds to mental health, education, and other social services. However, in the wake of recent post-pandemic surges in community violence, police budgets increased, while public opinion for grassroots, radical initiatives like “defund the police” that many activists, organizers, and abolitionists pushed into public consciousness has faltered. Studies have shown that the implementation of community-led public safety programs significantly reduce incidents of street violence in U.S. cities. Thus, research that informs community-driven violence intervention and …

Let The Music Play:Using Community Engagement To Develop A New Sustainable Audience, Leslie D. Wilcher

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

Abstract

The Symphony is a dying breed of live music. The lack of classical music education and interest has left barriers to the symphony. Around the country, nonprofit symphonies are adapting to build a sustainable audience. So, how do we stop the closures of the orchestras? How does the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra engage the community through programming and events to accommodate a new sustainable audience for the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra (KSO)? My research will show that new audience members are waiting to be introduced to the symphony.

This research shows that community engagement is the key to bringing a sustainable …

Ohio University Faculty Senate Minutes December 4, 2023, Angela Brock

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Benefits And Challenges To Cycle-Based Adoption Of The International Code Council’S Model Building And Energy Conservation Codes, Hailey M. Mattingly

Commonwealth Policy Papers

This green paper, written in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and applicable to any jurisdictions in the U.S. and abroad, provides policy guidance to state and local authorities that wish to bring their building and energy conservation codes to more current technological and methodological standards. Specifically, this green paper presents the case for cycle-based adoption of model building and energy conservation codes published every three years by the International Code Council (ICC). In doing so, the paper also discusses the numerous benefits and challenges to implementing such a policy.

Assessing The Sustainable Development Dimensions Of Environmental Public Policies For Protected Natural Areas In Mexico: A 1970-2018 Perspective, Cielo María Ávila López, José Israel Herrera

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract: This abstract discusses the challenges and issues related to the implementation of Environmental Public Policies (EPP) for Protected Natural Areas (PNA) in Mexico from 1970 to 2018. EPPs aim to achieve sustainable development by balancing economic, environmental, and social dimensions while reconciling conservation and the use of natural resources with restrictions on their use and economic compensation to communities. However, the results of this study reveal that the establishment of PNA has been unilateral and without consensus, leading to limitations on communities' use of the environment without granting them economic compensation or productive alternatives. This has resulted in conflicts …

Navigating Professional Paradigms: Transactional Sex, Behavior Change, And Structural Responses In Uganda, Shelley K. White, Hugo A. Kamya

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Professional paradigms within social work and related social service fields have been critiqued for being behaviorally focused, thereby obscuring and perhaps excusing structural determinants of health and well-being. Recent initiatives in international social work have aimed to align theory, practice, education, and research with sustainable development, reflecting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to address structural determinants. Our qualitative research examined responses to transactional sex among Ugandan youth through in-depth interviews with 23 professionals working in social services with youth who were vulnerable to HIV. Through thematic content analysis, using deductive and inductive analysis, we examined the demographics …

Developing Community-Engaged Learning In Chemistry To Address Food Insecurity And Nutrition With University Farms And Gardens, Douglas B. Collins, Mark Spiro

Faculty Contributions to Books

Adding context to educational environments has shown benefits in a variety of cases, but it can be difficult to generate relatable and relevant real-world materials with which students can engage meaningfully. Community engaged learning (CEL) is a high impact educational practice that delivers place-based context to course content through a partnership with community organizations. It has been demonstrated in the literature that CEL leads to improved academic outcomes for students, and there has been increasing interest in having CEL appear throughout the curriculum (across levels and disciplines). Introducing community engagement can be challenging for courses that traditionally have significant amounts …

Eminent Domain: Unconstitutional, Unjust, And Unnecessary, Ashley Norris

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Perhaps the most important undertaking of our time is the ubiquity of sustainable energy vital for the continuation and improvement of living conditions worldwide. The utmost care must be taken with the means used to achieve this feat. The fossil fuel industry has used and abused eminent domain since its inception. Ironically, environmental advocates now propose the same means to a cleaner, greener end. The taking of private land for private development, regardless of intent, is unconstitutional, unjust, and unnecessary. The Fifth Amendment states: “…nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

As stated by the …

A Social-Ecological Systems Inquiry For Understanding Environmental Change In Los Angeles Outer-Ring Suburbs, Farnaz Kamyab

All Dissertations

Within the framework of the city's green infrastructure, urban and suburban green coverage play a pivotal role in delivering substantial benefits to health, economy, and the environment. However, the permanence of these green coverage is threatened by dynamic changes in neighborhood socio-economic, spatial, and ecological elements and their loss or degradation presents a problematic issue. Social-Ecological System Theory (SES) offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the potential correlations between socio-economic trends and the degradation of green coverage. This research is based on a case study of the highly diverse megacity, Los Angeles (LA), which encompasses a wide array of built-environments, …

A Global Gene Expression Approach To Exploring Rock Colonization By Blastococcus Saxobsidens, Ryan Patrick Wilmot

Doctoral Dissertations

Introduction: Blastococcus saxobsidens is an endolithic bacterium associated with biodegradation of stone monuments across the Mediterranean basin. Recently, strains of the bacterium have been isolated from high altitude deserts in Chile, volcanic glass in Iceland, and from masonry of several cultural heritage sites across Europe and the Americas. Blastococcus saxobsidens global dispersion has been linked to patterns of wind distributed dust particles. The physiology that this bacterium uses to colonize a wide range of rock types in such distinct locations has not been previously explored however. This project has established that B. saxobsidens colonizes and respires a variety of chemically …

Addressing Challenges Faced By Public Organizations: The Central Role Of Agility At The Federal Level During The Covid-19 Crisis, Shuktika Chatterjee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation investigates the role of organizational agility in public organizations (such as the United States Federal Agencies) and demonstrates how agility works in public institutions. This study explores how organizational agility within public institutions can lead to successes and prevent failures stemming from underutilized agility, identifies the societal demographics impacted by these outcomes, and offers recommendations for effectively implementing agility to enhance efficiency and societal progress. Agility in sum, is adaptability and proactiveness. If developed and practiced by public organizations, this process can avert prominent institutional failings that impede the dispersal of services and resources that would promote social …

Examining The Social Equity Pillar Of Sustainability: The Effects Of Public Participation And State Actions On Local Social Services Initiatives, Jennifer Mary Crownhart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sustainability policies are vital in promoting social equity in municipalities across the United States. When examining economic development, environment protection, and social equity, the three pillars of sustainability, the third pillar of social equity is shown in research to be largely ignored. Using understanding drawn from co-production theory and the multilevel governance perspective, this study proposed to advance the literature on urban sustainability by examining the effects of public participation and state grants of local authority on municipal social equity. Affordable housing, transportation, and childcare programs are essential in promoting livability and social equity within urban communities. National survey data …

An Emergent Genealogy Of Kahuku’S Contested Red Raider Mascot, Kali Fermantez, Lisa Uperesa

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Vol. 46 No. 2 (2023): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lā ‘ie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$40.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, …

Exploring The Impact Of Discussion Interfaces On Diversified Interconnectivity In Online Learning Communities, Hoda Harati, Eri Ono, James K Ingram, Nesma Ragab Nasr, Cherng-Jyh Yen, Chih-Hsiung Tu

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Asynchronous online discussions are widely recognized as potent pedagogical practices for actively involving learners in the process of constructing knowledge and cultivating a thriving learning community. This study examined how the types of online discussion threads (i.e., student-based vs. topic-based) moderate diverse of social interconnection in discussions and how it changes over time. An upward trajectory in the diversification of interconnectivity was discerned. In spite of the shift from student-based to topic-based, students continue valuing the power of diversified interconnecting with their classmates. The significant drop, but transitory, from Week 3 to 4 can be explained by the switch to …

The Current State Of Abortion Law In Virginia Leaves Victims Of Domestic And Sexual Violence Vulnerable To Abuse: Why Virginia Should Codify The Right To Abortion In The State Constitution†, Courtenay Schwartz

University of Richmond Law Review

All people must have access to safe and legal reproductive health care—especially victims of sexual and domestic violence who can and do become pregnant because of the violence they experience. This year, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In doing so, the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not protect the right to an abortion. Though abortion access is currently protected in Virginia, this could change with each new General Assembly session. To guard against the danger that this poses to …

The Information Literacy Class As Theatrical Performance: A Qualitative Study Of Academic Librarians’ Understanding Of Their Teacher Identity, Mark Aaron Polger

Publications and Research

This qualitative study examines how academic librarians understand, conceptualize, and describe their teacher identity. The role of the academic librarian has greatly changed due to the advent of information technology. Traditionally, they were generalists, who were responsible for selecting and maintaining library collections. Academic librarian roles have evolved into web developers, information literacy (IL) instructors, emerging technology innovators, marketing and outreach coordinators, open education resources (OER) advocates, and scholarly communication experts. This research investigates the academic librarian as teacher phenomenon, how they describe their professional identity as teachers, the skills, knowledge, and competencies they teach, and their beliefs of how …

Profiles Of Youth Citizenship: A Cluster Analysis Of Ethical Factors, Demographics, And Problem-Solving Disposition, Sarah Bush, Rick Rudd, Curt Friedel, Thomas Archibald, Kerry Redican

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Youth have the capacity to drive positive change in their communities through active and engaged citizenship (AEC). Teen leadership programs provide youth with opportunities to develop the skills necessary to participate as partners in community problem-solving efforts. Situated in relational developmental systems metatheory, this study examined how cluster membership based upon demographic characteristics, ethical factors, and problem-solving disposition impacted AEC. The findings indicated significant differences between clusters for AEC, civic duty, and civic skills. These differences were predominately observed through membership in long-term or short-term leadership programs, gender, enrollment in honors/AP courses, ethical views, and problem-solving disposition. Youth leadership practitioners …

Implementation Of State Of New Mexico's Manual Of Procedures Psab Supplement 12 Capital Assets By A Southern New Mexico School District In Disposal Of E-Waste In The Post Covid 19 Environment, Hector Serrato Giron

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused diverse social, economic, and political challenges. The particular challenge that was the focus of this study is the upsurge in electronic use and consequent upsurge in electronic waste. This was caused by the implementation of online instructional delivery processes during Covid-19 (Ermakova, 2021), the switch to home offices (Adejumo & Oluduro, 2021) and the fact that school districts have directed massive financial investments to instructional technology (Baldé & Kuehr, 2021). This trend of heightened e-waste generation is likely to continue (Jiang et al., 2021).

I used a qualitative approach to address the two research questions. …

Analyzing Transportation Amenities In The City Of Shamokin: An Emphasis On The Lower Anthracite Transportation System, Zane Hensal, Jeff Cianfrocca, Kosta Varkaris

Coal Region Field Station Student Projects

As the population gets older, and means of transportation get more expensive, the need for increased public transportation has increased exponentially. To develop recommendations for the Lower Anthracite Transportation System (LATS) in Northumberland County, this report compared various forms of multimodal transportation throughout the United States, and other foreign countries, and compared them with the current standards and practices set by LATS service. According to the United State Census Bureau, Shamokin is a small 3^rd class city in Northumberland County Pennsylvania, with a population of 6,901, a poverty rate of 35.9%, and is in the LATS service area. Shamokin …

Reconciling Philanthropy’S Role In Disruption And Revolution: Hard Lessons From A Community-Driven Power-Building Strategy To Achieve Health Equity, Kien S. Lee, Courtney Ricci, Mia Ramirez

The Foundation Review

This article shares The Colorado Trust’s experience with Community Partnerships for Health Equity (CPHE) after initiating a resident-led strategy for systems change and encountering the myriad challenges to its implementation that ultimately led to exiting the initiative.

The CPHE strategy intended to fund community members directly instead of working through the nonprofit sector in the state, and thereby shift power from nonprofit organizations to residents. It eventually involved more than 20 communities across Colorado and created change in certain communities — from filling service gaps and creating local partnerships to shifting local systems.

The Trust had good intentions in its …

Identifying The Disproportionate Impacts Of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, And Covid-19 On African Americans: A Pandemic Within A Pandemic, Daniella Plaza

Dissertations (2016-Present)

African Americans have endured a disproportionately high amount of exposure to natural and man-made calamities. The racial inequities against African Americans following the hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and the Coronavirus were examined in this study. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey took place in two different states, but the low-income vulnerable populations encountered the same outcome which manifested as deteriorating health, lack of rapid assistance from the government, and, the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. Literature reviews have uncovered political apathy and systemic racism. These people have lost faith in the government as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and COVID-19. The results …

Atherogenic Index Of Plasma’S Association With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Postmenopausal Pakistani Women, Amad Wafa Khan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol. 14 Issue 9, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.