Digital Commons Network^™

Revisiting The Life Cycle Of Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Kenneth N. Mertens, Pjotr Meyvisch, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

Dinoflagellates produce cysts as a strategy to withstand environmental stressors, with nutrient depletion generally considered a key trigger for cyst production. Resting cysts are thick-walled, typically composed of one to several layers, and characterized by a prolonged dormancy period. In contrast, pellicle cysts possess a thin, single wall and exhibit no dormancy or a markedly shorter dormancy than resting cysts of the same species. Margalefidinium polykrikoides produces pellicle and resting cysts, whereas its congener, M. fulvescens, has been shown to produce pumpkin-like structures. Using phase-contrast microscopy, time-lapse microscopy, FlowCam, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (ATR μ-FTIR), …

The Effects Of A Microplate On Plume-Ridge Interactions: Constraints From Comparing Easter And Juan Fernandez Microplates In The Eastern Pacific Ocean, Katherine Ames, Jennifer Georgen

OES Faculty Publications

This study investigates the nature of plume-ridge interactions near a tectonic microplate using mantle Bouguer anomaly (MBA) gravity calculations. The focus of this investigation is a comparison of the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates, which are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the Pacific, Nazca, and Antarctic plate boundaries. The microplates have several similar characteristics, including general size, time of formation, and clockwise rotation within the larger bounding mid-ocean ridge systems. Unlike the Juan Fernandez microplate, however, the Easter microplate is located near a mantle plume (Easter/Salas y Gomez). Previously published geochemical data suggest that material from this plume …

Biggar Papers, George C., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The George Biggar Papers document the career and activities of a broadcaster active in agricultural communication and radio production from the 1920s through the 1960s. The collection includes biographical materials, photographs, correspondence, clippings, scripts, writings, and an M.S. thesis that reflect Biggar’s work in rural and agricultural broadcasting, radio programming, and wartime agricultural reporting. A substantial portion of the collection relates to a World War II agricultural tour and includes diaries, interviews, maps, speeches, research notes, and related documentation. Additional materials address agriculture, economic studies, and professional recognition. Together, the papers provide insight into the development of agricultural radio, the …

South Dakota Farmer's Alliance Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota Farmers Alliance Records reflect the early organization of farmers in Dakota Territory during the 1880s in response to declining wheat prices and opposition to railroad monopolies. The collection includes an 1887 address by Alliance president H. L. Loucks, proceedings from an annual convention, and an undated agricultural advertisement, illustrating the Alliance’s advocacy for economic reform and practical agricultural education. Together, these materials provide insight into the leadership, priorities, and strategies of the Farmers’ Alliance during a formative period of agrarian activism in South Dakota.

Marghab Papers, Vera Way, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Vera Way Marghab (1900–1995) was a pioneering entrepreneur in the luxury textile industry. Born in South Dakota, she studied piano in New York before co-founding Marghab, Ltd. on the Portuguese island of Madeira in 1933 with her husband, Emile Marghab. Together, they built one of the most esteemed embroidery houses, producing linens celebrated for their craftsmanship, exclusivity, and innovative design. Following Emile’s death in 1947, Vera led the company for nearly four decades, navigating shifts in global markets and political changes in Portugal before closing the business in 1984. Today, Marghab linens remain a benchmark of excellence, with a complete …

Chicago, Milwaukee, And St. Paul Railway Company Collection, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, widely known as the Milwaukee Road, was a major Midwestern rail carrier whose operations spanned from 1847 until its merger with the Soo Line Railroad in 1985–1986. Established originally as the Milwaukee and Waukesha Railroad, the company evolved through successive name changes and expansions to become a vital transportation network linking the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest. By the late nineteenth century, its lines stretched across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and beyond, shaping patterns of commerce and settlement. Although the corporation no longer exists as an independent entity, …

Academic Affairs Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Prior to 1960, the administration of academic programs at South Dakota State College was managed independently by departments and offices. As administrative responsibilities expanded, the position of Dean of Academic Affairs was established in 1960 to centralize oversight, later becoming the Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1973. This role, reporting directly to the university president, oversees college deans and plays a key role in curriculum development, faculty governance, accreditation, and institutional planning. The office has been instrumental in shaping academic policies, managing faculty development, and ensuring compliance with higher education standards.

The Academic Affairs Records Collection (1902–2018) documents the …

South Dakota Nurses' Association Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota Nurses’ Association (SDNA), founded in 1916 as the South Dakota State Association of Graduate Nurses, has served as the leading professional organization for nurses in the state for more than eight decades. Established in Rapid City with seventeen members and Elizabeth Dryborough as its first president, the association became the 43rd constituent of the American Nurses Association and adopted its current name in 1929. From its earliest accomplishment, drafting and promoting the 1917 Nurse Practice Act that established licensing standards and led to the creation of the South Dakota Board of Nursing, SDNA has shaped nursing regulation, …

Karolevitz Papers, Robert F., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Robert F. Karolevitz Papers document the life and career of South Dakota journalist, author and historian Robert F. Karolevitz (1922-2005). Born in Yankton, Karolevitz began writing as a student and later studied printing and journalism at South Dakota State College, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1948 and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army Infantry in the Pacific, rising to the rank of captain and serving as division historian for the 25th Infantry Division, which led to the publication of his first book in 1946. Over …

South Dakota Resources Coalition Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota Resources Coalition was established in the early 1970s amid expanding federal environmental regulation and growing grassroots activism. In 1972, Governor Richard Kneip encouraged coordination among citizen environmental groups, and Esther R. Edie helped connect organizations statewide. This effort culminated in a South Dakota Environmental Symposium on September 28, 1972, which brought together state officials, specialists, and community representatives to address issues including water management, forestry practices, air quality, recycling, and the creation of a formal statewide organization. The South Dakota Environmental Coalition emerged from this meeting and soon engaged in state and national issues such as the …

Johnson Papers, Dan W., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Donald Dale Johnson (1925-) of Brookings contributed family and local history materials to South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections. The Donald D. Johnson Papers include a translated narrative recounting the experiences of his grandfather, Johan Peter Johnson, a Swedish immigrant in South Dakota during the 1870s, and The Quill, a Marion High School publication issued in memory of Johnson’s parents. The collection highlights Swedish immigration to South Dakota and the preservation of family history through translation.

Cultivating Critical Consciousness: The Role Of Dialogic And Reflective Writing In An 8th-Grade Literacy Classroom, Lucijan Jovic

Theses & Dissertations

Developing critical consciousness is an integral component of literacy instruction in education. Using Freire’s Conscientização, or Critical Consciousness, Theory, I conducted a qualitative action research study to examine how engaging in the dialogic writing processes contributes to the development of critical consciousness among students in an 8th-grade literacy classroom. Additionally, this study seeks to unpack, further understand, and make meaning of the instructional practices and experiences in my writing course. Utilizing ethnographic methods such as reflective field notes and memos, critical observation, and inductive/deductive coding helped me trace class and dialogue group conversations for arising themes and examine student work …

Access, Outcomes, And Sustainability In Seal Of Biliteracy Programs: Exploring Coordinators' Perceptions On Long Island, Faith Patricia Tripp

Theses & Dissertations

The New York State Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) is an award recognizing high school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional world language. Despite New York State's early adoption of the SoBL in 2012 and Long Island's regional leadership in awarding the seal, research suggests the credential disproportionately benefits White, English- dominant students rather than the multilingual learners it was originally meant to serve. Through semi-structured interviews with eight SoBL coordinators across fiscally and demographically diverse districts on Long Island, my study investigated how they described the program's value, the challenges and successes in implementation, and …

Navigating Hunger And Academic Success: College Students’ Experiences With Food Insecurity And Campus Food Pantries, Casey J. Weaver, Carl H. Sorgen, Cordelia D. Zinskie

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Food insecurity is a growing issue faced by many college students, and there is an increasing call for more qualitative research examining food insecurity on college campuses. It may be posited that students who experience food insecurity but have access to resources are more likely to succeed academically than those without access to such resources. This research examined how the resources provided to college students experiencing food insecurity influenced their academic success at a university in the United States. This study explored the experience of four students who identified as food insecure and utilized campus resources to address this issue. …

Emotional Labor, Well-Being, And Community Care In Student Conduct Administration, Tiffany Shierling, Kelly Burlison

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined emotional labor, stress, and coping among student conduct administrators (SCAs). SCAs work in emotionally intensive, high-stakes environments that require balancing student development, institutional risk management, and legal compliance. Despite clear parallels to other helping professions, the emotional toll of student conduct work remains underexamined. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the emotional labor demands, stressors, and coping strategies experienced by SCAs in higher education. Quantitative (n = 101) findings revealed strong relationships among stress, burnout, and anxiety, while individual self-care practices offered limited protection without institutional support. …

Review Of Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed's: Media, Culture, And Decolonization: Re-Righting The Subaltern Histories Of Ghana, Ignatius Suglo

Rhetoric and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

"In Media,Culture,and Decolonization: Re-righting the Subaltern Histories of Ghana, Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed sets out not only to offer a grounded examination of how colonial encounters and legacies still shape media cultures in Ghana but also to demonstrate how we can re-right these subaltern histories. The author playson re-rightingsubaltern histories by re-writinghistories that not only center the past and present work of indigenous communities but more importantly the conceptual grounding of this kind of work. Key here is how Mohammed centers indigenous communities in our thinking of decolonization, which stands starkly against mapping transatlantic experiences onto the nation-state by asking what …

The Impact Of Pre-Trial Attitudes And Educational Jury Instructions : Juror Decision-Making In Mens Rea Cases Involving Mental Illness, Victoria E. O'Connell

Theses

Juror decision-making in cases involving mental illness is shaped by legal understanding and subjective attitudes. This study examined how juror attitudes and jury instruction type influence the application of mens rea defenses—Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), Diminished Capacity (DC), and Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI)—in criminal case vignettes involving defendants with mental health presentations. Enhanced jury instructions improved understanding of mens rea concepts but did not improve the application of these concepts to verdict decisions. Biases against mens rea defenses were associated with DC verdict decisions, with more negative NGRI attitudes predicting less legally accurate but more confident …

Down The Rabbit Hole : A Journey Of Writing And Liberation, Mckenzie Sharp

Theses

Down the Rabbit Hole: A Journey of Writing and Liberation is a hybrid creative thesis composed of poetry, memoir, and auto-fiction that explores trauma, mental illness, abuse, and resilience through non-linear narrative and surrealist imagery. This collection examines writing as both a survival practice and reclamation of agency after prolonged silencing by drawing on feminist theory, trauma studies, and experimental literature techniques. Structured as an anthology, the thesis mirrors fractured memory and identity and the cyclical nature of healing. Organized into three chapters— “Awakening,” “Deconstruction,” and “Enlightenment”—the collection traces recognition of harm, dismantling of inherited belief systems, and the ongoing …

Transformation Of Public Earth Datasets For 3d Narrative Visualization Of Disaster Events, Connor Bleisch

Theses

Communicating large datasets in ways that are appealing to non-scientific audiences has been a recent focus of big data visualization. Interest has grown for using 3D environments with game-like structures and immersive technology like AR and VR since they are more engaging. We introduce a method, based on the structure of the datasets and domain knowledge of the natural phenomena, for transforming public National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth datasets into 3D narrative data visualizations, specifically of disaster events. Two visualizations were created using this method: one of the KNP Complex Wildfire in 2021 and one of Hurricane Beryl …

The Influence Of Defendant Mental Illness Characteristics On Prosecutorial Decision Making, Claire Elise Martin

Theses

As most criminal cases are now resolved via plea-bargaining, research on legal decision making has extended beyond the jury to evaluate judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors. Although legal actors are obliged to remain objective and dispassionate, extralegal factors regarding defendant characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic class) can influence case outcomes. Extant research on the effect of defendant mental health status and defendant demeanor on sentencing outcomes in court hearings is limited. Therefore, the present experiment solicited 134 prosecutors in a vignette study designed to assess how extralegal characteristics, specifically those related to mental illness, may affect the punitiveness of …

Nandworks : A Low-Cost Testbed For Interfacing Onfi-Compatible Nand Flash Memory Devices, Mark Scheidker

Theses

NAND flash memory is the basis for modern digital storage, but direct access to raw flash functionality remains difficult due to limitations in available interface tools. Industrial characterization systems can issue low-level commands but are prohibitively expensive for most researchers and students. USB-based bit-banging tools lack the timing fidelity needed for certain experiments. This thesis introduces NANDWorks, a testbed based on the Raspberry Pi 4 that provides direct access to ONFI-compatible NAND flash devices via GPIO bit-banging in Linux user space, building on prior work for the Terasic DE1-SoC platform. NANDWorks has a layered software stack that includes a hardware …

Observations Of Internal Boundary Layers And Near-Surface Wind Estimation During The Landfalls Of Hurricanes Ida (2021), Zeta (2020), And Laura (2020), Zebulon W. Leffler

Theses

Accurately estimating near-surface winds during hurricane landfalls is crucial for enhancing situational awareness and facilitating post-storm recovery efforts. Previous studies have used coastal radar Velocity Azimuth Display (VAD) winds to estimate 10-m winds during hurricane landfalls; however, a notable weak bias was observed. This work demonstrates that the significant weak bias results from neglecting the wind structure within a shallow internal boundary layer (IBL). Results from an operational radar VAD analysis during the landfalls of Hurricanes Ida (2021) and Zeta (2020) indicate that leveraging the IBL winds is essential for accurate 10-m wind estimates during hurricane landfalls. Additionally, a theoretical …

Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Mapk Signaling In Human Pancreatic Ductal Cell Line, Alexis Fink

Theses

The main processes linked to diabetes (type 1 or type 2) and obesity are impaired insulin production and glucose intolerance. The imbalance between antioxidant defense systems and oxygen-reactive species are known as oxidative stress. Understanding oxidative stress and its substantial effects on diabetes is crucial. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). We hypothesize that altered MAPK phosphorylation and hence downstream signaling is associated with changes in oxidative stress in the human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line (H6C7). While H6C7 cells are often engineered to be cancerous precursors, the natural phenotype of these cells and their expression …

Optical Turbulence Estimation From Numerical Weather Prediction Models: Methods And Error Analysis, Richard Minor

Theses

Optical turbulence plays a critical role in electromagnetic wave propagation through the atmosphere, directly affecting imaging systems, wireless communications, and high-energy laser (HEL) performance. Realistic three-dimensional characterization of atmospheric turbulence is essential for understanding these impacts, particularly within the atmospheric surface layer, where turbulence is often strongest. The refractive index structure parameter, Cn2, is used to quantify optical turbulence. This thesis evaluates the capability of the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model to characterize surface layer Cn2. As the highest resolution and most frequently updated numerical weather prediction model covering the continental US, HRRR offers strong potential for operational HEL …

Intercomparison Of Remote Sensing Methods For Calculating Cn² Profiles, Isaiah Joseph Montgomery

Theses

Propagation of electromagnetic waves through the atmosphere is affected by turbulence. The impact of turbulence on wave propagation is characterized by the refractive index structure function (Cn²), which characterizes the intensity of fluctuations of the refractive index of air due to turbulence. Observations of vertical profiles of Cn² are essential for evaluating numerical model predictions. This study presents an intercomparison of Cn² derived from multiple ground-based remote sensing systems, including 915 MHz profiler, sodar, and a parameterized method that uses doppler wind lidar and radiometer. Results indicate that the sodar is the most accurate near- surface Cn² profiler, but above …

Mapping Cave Vulnerability And Priority Areas For Biospeleological Conservation, C. Lael Anderson

Theses

Alabama contains some of the highest levels of subterranean biodiversity in North America, yet no statewide assessment of cave vulnerability has previously been conducted. A spatially explicit vulnerability assessment was developed for Alabama caves using species occurrence records, landscape characteristics, anthropogenic threat data, and groundwater vulnerability metrics. Distribution maps were generated for cave- obligate and bat species, and vulnerability was assessed using human population, land- use, groundwater quality, groundwater quantity, and modified DRASTIK models. Results identified numerous single-site endemic species, regional biodiversity hotspots, and cave systems facing elevated anthropogenic threats. Conservation priority rankings highlighted species and caves of greatest management …

Effects Of Energetic State On Male Mating Preferences In Poeciliid Fishes With Differing Mating Strategies, Katherine E. Taylor

Theses

Reproduction is energetically costly, making condition (i.e., energetic state) a potential factor in shaping reproductive behavior. However, its role in male mate choice remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate condition-dependent effects on male mate choice in two species of Poeciliids: one coercive species (Gambusia affinis) and one courting species (Xiphophorus hellerii). Diet treatments were used to manipulate male and female conditions, and male preferences were assessed in dichotomous-choice tests using animated female stimuli. X. hellerii males showed a preference for high-condition females, whereas G. affinis males showed no overall net preference. Diet influenced preference in G. affinis, with high-fed males …

Experiencing Followership: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Executive Assistants In Higher Education, Trina R. Smith

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The burgeoning study of followership needs more follower-centric qualitative research that describes follower beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and experiences. The traditional view of leadership is that a single person is responsible for the success or failure of a project, team, or organization. However, scholars have suggested that 80% of the success of a team or organization may be attributed to followership. Followership research is rapidly expanding, and scholars are calling for more empirical follower-centric research to add to the discipline. Likewise, the executive assistant (EA) position is one of increasing responsibility, but there are few empirical studies on EAs' experiences across …

Comprehensive Performance Evaluation Of Devops Infrastructure Under Dynamic Workloads, Abdulrazaq Mamud

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research aims to investigate performance optimization and reliability issues related to cloud-based computing environments through an analysis of three key infrastructure components: virtualized CPU resource management, distributed API rate limiting, and web server deployment architectures. This research combines machine learning and system experimentation as a way of exploring the impact of infrastructure-level behaviors on overall system performance and scalability. The first component of the research focuses on analyzing CPU Fragmentation in Virtualized Environments, where unbalanced workload allocation on Virtual CPU Cores causes increased tail latency, resulting in Service Level Agreement violations. Metrics are analyzed using the Random Forest classifier …

Examining The Multilevel Effects Of Instructional Leadership On Teachers’ Professional Commitment And Classroom Management, Nuruddin Ahmed Masud, San Su Su San, Kim Ki Bong, Mst Taherun Nesa Subarna

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study examined the multilevel effects of instructional leadership on teachers’ professional commitment and classroom management in secondary schools. Using a multilevel modeling (MLM) approach, data were collected from 250 teachers nested within 8 schools. The analysis assessed the influence of both school-level instructional leadership and teachers’ perceptions of leadership on professional commitment and classroom management outcomes.

Results indicated that instructional leadership at both levels significantly predicted teachers’ professional commitment (teacher-level: β = .32, p < .001; school-level: β = .45, p < .001). Similarly, instructional leadership demonstrated significant positive effects on classroom management (teacher-level: β = .28, p < .001; school-level: β = .41, p < .001). Furthermore, teacher professional commitment was positively associated with classroom management (β = .36, p < .001) and moderated the relationship between instructional leadership and classroom management, such that the effect was stronger under higher levels of leadership support.

These findings highlight the importance of instructional leadership in shaping teacher-related outcomes across organizational levels. The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence …