Digital Commons Network^™

After The Storm, Jill Zabih

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Response To Kafka, Roshan Sapkota

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Breaking Point, Drew Thodeson

The Art of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Cambodian Snowballs (Part One), Chris Knaggs

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A look into the life and political climate as a military student amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

A cold wednesday morning in March goes from bad to worse for a Michigan University ROTC student. Wednesdays are the worst.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists …

Tunnel Rat - Part 1, Gene Pearson

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A combat medic serving in Vietnam watches three POWs turn into one, and struggles to understand how.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

The Good Guys, Veronica Ordaz

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A routine patrol around the Tallil air force base takes a sharp turn when our narrator is confronted by a grieving mother, screaming in a language she cannot understand.

Despair transcends language, and guilt sticks around like desert gnats on tape.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and …

What's It Like, Jon Merrill

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

What’s it like

Not training to kill another human being at 18

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Sarge, Jon F. Merrill

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A short story on how a service dog can change a man's life.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Tunnel Rat - Part 2, Gene Pearson

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

Our combat medic has a much needed conversation with the tunnel rat on whether intervention is needed; an understanding is reached.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

God Of Baghdad, Phillip Trezza

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

In a powerful one-act play, a young Army medic rushes to a crowded Baghdad street corner destroyed by an IED hidden in a truck. The human carnage is everywhere; he must choose who will live and who will die. In those moments, in that place, he must be the God of Baghdad.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized …

Wian, Ralph Andersen

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

“Am I named after someone? A relative? A friend of my father? A friend of yours? Or did you just pick it out of a hat?”

Names, like everything else, are made of stories. A boy, on the cusp of adulthood, asks his mother what his is.

Medals, Gene Pearson

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young field medic in Vietnam tries his hardest save his men among the chaos of war.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Journal 2, Ryan Peschman

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A stunningly kaleidoscopic narrative that asks, over and over, what it means to be alive.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit. CONTENT WARNINGS: Animal death, Autopsy related gore, Child …

Wednesday In The Desert, Sabrina Fredrick

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young woman wakes up one beautiful morning, and realizes she has the power to change her own life.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

To Honor Their Courage And Commitment, Laura Bender

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

Two veterans from different eras keep memories alive through archival work.

"So many of the pictures were fading, curling, and cracking. Add a few years, and the history captured in light and shadow will be lost, like so many veterans and the stories they never told.

I commit mine to paper so they won’t be forgotten."

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their …

Twenty Years Later, John Price

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

Twenty years after the death of his son, a grieving father has a chance to meet the soldiers his son had lead in combat. This story serves as a recollection of those few days, and what it means to be loved into the future.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program …

Damaged Goods, Jesse Huckins

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

"I’m ready to go back now // to a place that’s far away-"

Short poem about home, and returning to it.

Tim's Dedication, John Henry Price Iii

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

My son Tim attended VA Tech as a member of the Corps of Cadets. He graduated and was commissioned as second lieutenant in 2002. Attended Military Police Officers Basic course at FT Leonard Wood, MO. Reported to permanent duty station in Giessen, GA. Served as a platoon leader with 527th MP Company in Baghdad, Iraq during OIF 1. Three months after redeploying to Germany, volunteered to return to Baghdad to replace poor leader with 127th MP Company during OIF 2. KIA, Baghdad, Iraq 7SEP04, shot by a sniper.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants …

You're In The Army Now, John Henry Price Iii

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

An Army recruit plots to exact revenge on a bully Corporal everyone despises. How will he do it? Will he get away with it?

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may …

Extra Bucks, Joseph Stanley Maslanka

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young married man, fresh out of the Marine Corps, has to decide whether it's worth joining the Army Reserves just for a few extra bucks every month. For a Marine, that's a heavy lift.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories …

A Medal For My Cat, Margaret Serig

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

“A Medal for My Cat” chronicles the support and sacrifice that family provide to service members, as seen through the eyes of a cat. CiCi graduates from a PetSmart adoption program only to find herself enlisted as a lifelong wingman. She takes on her new role with gusto, usually leading the way, but sometimes… needing to stop and lick her wounds.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, …

Inshallah, Phillip Trezza

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

Set during a deployment in Iraq, Inshallah follows a U.S. Army medic reflecting on the chaos, camaraderie, and moral ambiguity of war. As his platoon conducts a routine patrol, they encounter violence, uncertainty, and a wounded enemy combatant whose life hangs in the medic’s hands. Through moments of tension, dark humor, and introspection, the story explores the psychological toll of combat and the fragile line between duty and humanity. Ultimately, the medic chooses compassion over vengeance, leaving the outcome to fate—Inshallah, if God wills it.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in …

Taken For A Ride, Reinetta Van

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

The author recounts a moment of realization about her fiancé Frank’s drinking during a bike ride, which leads to a deeper conversation at home about alcohol’s impact on their relationship.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience …

Con Thien - The Ambush, Richard Michael Everington

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

This true story takes place just below the DMZ of South Vietnam, during the undeclared war years of 1967- 1968, at Con Thien. The Marine forward combat base had sustained constant artillery bombardment and enemy attacks for a year. The Marine’s newly acquired night vision scopes discovered that North Vietnamese recon teams were coming in at night to spy on the base. An ambush was put together to eliminate the enemy reconnaissance team and to get revenge from loses from the week before. The plot revolves around Rick and Smitty, two of the lowest ranking Marines in the platoon.

Articles, …

Redox Control In A Fused Electron Transfer Flavoprotein From A Thermophilic Archaeon And Expanded Significance Of A Hydrogen Bond From A Conserved Histidine Residue That Contributes To Flavin Redox Tuning And Activation For Covalent Modification, Debarati Das

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

In absence of O₂ as terminal electron acceptors in anaerobic bacteria and archaea, carbohydrate metabolism is 15 times less efficient compared to aerobic energy metabolism resulting in energy deficit conditions. Despite their meager resources these anaerobes were able to generate H₂ and a chemiosmotic potential able to drive energy demanding reactions such as CO₂ or N₂ fixation. These observations raised concerns as production of high energy reductants (H₂) from mediocre fuels (NADH) defied the laws of thermodynamics.

In 2008, a known mechanism “electron bifurcation” but with flavins as redox mediators instead of quinones was …

Towards Automating The Study And Discovery Of Electroactive Π-Conjugated Molecules, Rebekah Ann Duke-Crockett

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Chemistry is entering a new paradigm of automation and data-driven discovery. Automated discovery is grounded in well-curated “big data.” As generative and predictive models fueled by simulation data see growing success, emerging robotic automation enables the generation of unprecedented volumes of experimental data. Automation-powered, data-driven approaches hold tremendous potential for groundbreaking insights and innovations, particularly in the study and discovery of electroactive π-conjugated molecules. Realizing this potential, however, requires democratizing chemical data and the automation needed to generate and use it. There is a need to expand access to the tools for findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data management …

Design And Synthesis Of Novel Ligands For Bioorthogonal Catalysis, Asymmetric Synthesis, And Ferromagnetic Behavior, Alexander G. Olivelli

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Small molecule metal complexes have diverse applications including usage as catalysts, single molecule magnets, photosensitizers and pharmaceuticals. The first research project in this work reports a new ligand which dimerizes upon coordination to afford a trinuclear Cu(I) complex. Due to the coordination geometry of the Cu(I) metal centers, paired with the strong nitrogen coordinating groups, the resulting complex is resistant to oxidation even in the presence of strong oxidants. The complex is shown to be efficient in the CuAAC reaction and used to tag anticancer drug candidates in vitro. The next project focuses on a series of amidine-based ligands featuring …

Machine Learning Models For Molecular-Based Functional Organic Materials, Moses Ogbaje

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Organic semiconductors (OSC) are of interest for a wide range of flexible optoelectronics applications, including transistors, solar cells, and sensors, to name a few. Despite their promise, the design and optimization of OSC pose significant challenges due to the complexity of the structures of the molecular building blocks, varied packing configurations of these building blocks in the solid state, which impacts the optical and electronic response, and sensitivity of the solid-state packing to material processing conditions. Accurately predicting the solid-state properties of OSC traditionally requires high-level quantum mechanical methods. These methods, however, can be computationally demanding, particularly for large molecules …

Investigation Of D-Π-A Re (1) Complexes For The Homogenous Photocatalytic Reduction Of Co2, Ryan M. Chafin

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Increasing anthropogenic emission of CO₂ into the atmosphere is a global issue that shows no signs of deceleration due to the current trends in dependencies on fossil fuels for energy demand. Although deleterious in nature, this greenhouse gas can serve as a useful feed-stock for the production of small-carbon-chain commercial chemicals if the factors owing to its inertness can be overcome. Fortuitously, CO₂’s chemically inert nature is already circumvented in nature through an elegant cascade of biochemical reactions known as photosynthesis, which nearly all plants and some families of bacteria exploit to produce simple sugars for metabolic …

For Her Horror: Sociopsychological Gratifications Obtained By Fem Fans Of The Slasher, Brooke Eaglesong Wilson

Masters Theses

Those who side with the unjustified killer in slasher films are doing so to fulfill sociopsychological needs that are not being met in social reality. There were three main findings found in this study. First, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs that were not being fulfilled in their careers such as the need to perform without having to consult mentors, not unlike how the unjustified killer murders victims without discussing with others. Second, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs in their romantic relationships such as the need to …