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Guide To The School Of Peace Studies Dean Papers (University Of San Diego), University Of San Diego School Of Peace Studies

University Records

The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego was founded in 2007 under President Mary E. Lyons in order to expand the active peacebuilding mission of the Institute for Peace and Justice. With the creation of this school, the study of peace and justice at USD grew from a minor and small masters program run by another academic unit into an undergrad major and later graduate program centering on peace and justice, social innovation, humanitarian action, conflict management and resolution, and restorative justice. Father William R. Headley was selected as the inaugural dean of …

Improving Child Safety: Enhancing Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge And Confidence In Reporting Maltreatment Through Targeted Education, Molly Sullivan

DNP Projects

Child maltreatment remains a significant public health concern associated with serious physical, emotional, psychological, and developmental consequences. Healthcare professionals are often in a unique position to identify signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect; however, many report limited education and lack confidence regarding recognition and mandated reporting responsibilities. Educational interventions may help address these knowledge and confidence gaps. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention designed to improve healthcare professionals' knowledge, confidence, and preparedness related to the identification and reporting of child maltreatment. A pre-survey/post-survey design was …

Bridging The Gap In Public Perceptions Of Nurse Practitioners: A Community-Based Pilot Project, Kenneth Hawkins

DNP Projects

The nation is currently facing substantial healthcare needs, and limited access to care remains a major contributor to health disparities. Projected outlooks are grim, predicting a national provider shortage by the year 2030; this issue is already present in Mississippi. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS] (2024), Mississippi ranks 49th in the nation for health outcomes, and the upcoming provider shortage will leave the state on this detrimental path. However, there is a select group of healthcare providers who are willing to face these disparities and increase the overall health of all Mississippians. According to …

Ready. Set. Prevent: Turning Risks Into Results, Demi Goolsby, Keyuanna Mcgee, Jeannie Ricks, Jimesha Walker, Manuel Zuniga

MSN Research Projects

Hypertension remains a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in Mississippi. Despite the availability of evidence-based clinical treatment guidelines, rates of uncontrolled and undiagnosed hypertension remain disproportionately high. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which nurse practitioners in Mississippi are aware of and incorporate the updated 2025 American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guidelines and the PREVENT cardiovascular risk stratification tool into clinical practice. A non-experimental, descriptive, quantitative design using survey methodology with convenience sampling was employed. Online scripting via social media platforms was utilized to recruit licensed …

Exploring Practices Leaders Of Teleworkers Use To Foster Employee Engagement: A Phenomenological Approach, Ronald Eric Snipes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the leadership practices used to foster employee engagement among teleworkers in the Veterans Health Administration’s Workforce Management and Consulting division and to examine why leaders believe those practices are important to sustaining employee engagement. The study was guided by the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, which proposes that employee engagement is strengthened when job resources buffer job demands and support motivational processes. As telework continues to expand across organizations, understanding how leadership practices influence engagement in remote environments has become increasingly important.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological research design was …

Flourishing Together, Kate Strater

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Our churches are incomplete without the presence, gifts, and friendship of people with disabilities and their families. Yet many congregations still struggle to gather and worship in ways that welcome these indispensable members. How can our churches become communities of belonging and full participation for people of all abilities? How might we flourish together as one body? More than 100 people convened at Calvin Theological Seminary on the evening of June 25 for a unique “community conversation” on disability and the church. The purpose of the gathering was to explore together how churches throughout the region might become more accessible …

Parental Knowledge And Prevention Perspectives On Hpv, Patti Bell, Roshida Dixon, Marnie Gill, Adrianna Hendrix, Anna Mathis Larson, Briana Quinn

MSN Research Projects

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and is responsible for many preventable cancers (Braaten & Laufer, 2008; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025). Even though a safe and effective vaccine is available, HPV vaccination rates remain lower than desired because of ongoing misinformation, limited knowledge, and parental hesitancy (Aninye et al., 2021; Beavis et al., 2022; Petagna et al., 2024). Since the vaccine is recommended during childhood and adolescence, parents play a major role in the decision to vaccinate (Park et al., 2023; Lopez et al., 2022). The purpose of this study was to …

Skin Cancer Education And Prevention In The College-Age Population, Amanda Altman, Elizabeth Honeycutt-Bolton, Ethan Moore, Kimberly Watkins

MSN Research Projects

Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States; although through consistent sun-protective behaviors and early education, it is preventable. Despite the availability of evidence-based prevention strategies, young adults continue to engage in behaviors that increase their risk for ultraviolet (UV) exposure and skin cancer. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to assess skin cancer knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors among college-age students. Guided by Pender’s Health Promotion Model, a cross-sectional survey was distributed to 208 college students between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 30 …

Healthcare Provider Confidence And Practices In Human Trafficking Screening, Regan Moore, Robyn Slaton, Madison Tolbert, Mandy Wedgeworth

MSN Research Projects

Human trafficking is a growing public health crisis that affects millions of individuals worldwide and often remains undetected within healthcare settings. Healthcare providers are uniquely positioned to identify trafficked persons; however, limited training, inconsistent screening practices, and lack of confidence hinder effective identification and intervention. The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine healthcare provider confidence in identifying and reporting trafficked persons and to explore current screening practices and barriers to identification. Data were collected using a 17-question anonymous survey distributed electronically to healthcare providers engaged in direct patient care, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and doctors …

The Ai Revolution In Virtual Try-Ons: A Means-End Chain Model Perspective, Ju-Young M. Kang, Ji Young Lee, Dooyoung Choi, Sumin Helen Koo, Jeehyun Song, Youngjin Bahng

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Leading brands have begun to implement artificial intelligence-driven virtual try-on (AI VTO) technology, which helps reduce returns and increase conversion rates, repeat purchases, and customer loyalty. This research aimed to examine how retail user experience with specific perceived quality factors of AI VTOs influences users’ value equity and downstream loyalty and to investigate the moderating effects of clothing in relation to the self as structure and concern for physical appearance, based on a Means–End Chain model. Data were collected from 509 U.S. online apparel shoppers using a consumer panel. Structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis were used for data analysis. …

Human Centered Learning Management System Design Inspired By Social Networking Platforms, Giseung J. Lee

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Publications

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into higher education is reshaping interaction within digital learning environments. As AI-enabled tools such as conversational agents and automated feedback systems become embedded in Learning Management Systems (LMSs), questions arise regarding how these systems can support social presence, dialogue, and human-centered pedagogy without reproducing the attention-driven logics of commercial social media. This paper presents a conceptual, design-oriented framework for human-centered LMS design inspired by selected interactional affordances of Social Network Sites (SNSs). Drawing on social presence theory, post-process pedagogy, and hyperpedagogy, the framework articulates four interrelated design dimensions—Familiar Interaction, Dialogic Feedback, Community …

Scaling Sustainable Fashion: Consumer And Operational Insights From Human Collective, Pedro Zeballos

Business ETD Collections

This study investigates the factors influencing consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable fashion, with particular focus on the persistent attitude-behaviour gap between consumers’ stated commitment to sustainability and their actual purchasing behaviour. The research examines key demand-side factors, including attitudes towards sustainable fashion, willingness to pay, price sensitivity, and trust in sustainable fashion brands, alongside supply-side and operational factors that may influence consumers’ ability to make sustainable purchasing decisions. A mixed-methods approach is adopted, combining survey data from consumers with an interview with a staff member from Human Collective. The study aims to identify the main barriers and drivers affecting sustainable …

The Impact Of Brand Awareness On Customer Perceptions And Purchasing Decisions At Small Chinese Takeaway Restaurants In Ireland, Jiajia Wang

Business ETD Collections

This study examines how brand awareness influences customer perception and purchasing decisions, and explores the branding challenges faced by small Chinese takeaway businesses in Ireland. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining 57 customer questionnaires with three semi-structured interviews with takeaway business owners.

The findings show that brand awareness influences customer purchasing behavior, as customers are more likely to choose familiar takeaway brands. However, its impact on customer perception, particularly perceived value and willingness to pay, is limited. Customers place greater importance on practical factors such as price, food quality, and service.

The study also identifies key branding challenges for small …

The Direct Impact Of The 2026 Tariff Hikes On The Cost Of Living For Mexican Consumers, Alexia Sarai Alvarez Sanchez

Business ETD Collections

This study examines the impact of Mexico’s 2026 tariff increases on household welfare, consumer behaviour, and perceptions of rising living costs; the research explores the extent to which protectionist trade policies achieve their industrial objectives while also affecting consumers and overall economic welfare. The study draws on key theoretical perspectives including comparative advantage, industrial policy, trade diversion, pass-through theory, and behavioural economics.

The research adopts a quantitative exploratory approach, combining a review of existing literature with primary data collected through an online survey of 50 Mexican participants; the survey was designed to evaluate perceptions of price increases, financial pressure, and …

Reliance Retail (Ajio): Digital Payment Trust, Perceived Cybersecurity, And Indian Consumers’ Intention To Shop Cross-Border Online, Mohammed Amer Ahmed

Business ETD Collections

This study examines how digital payment trust and perceived cybersecurity influence Indian consumers’ intention to shop cross-border online through Reliance Retail’s AJIO. The research used a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 59 Indian adults with online shopping experience. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, Spearman’s rank correlation and supplementary linear regression. The data analysis showed that trust in digital payments was the most influential of all factors on cross border purchase intentions. In addition to being positively associated with purchase intentions (and the only factor positively associated with purchase intentions), trust in digital payments is also the …

Trust And Social Licence Challenges In Oyu Tolgoi’S Engagement With Local Communities In Mongolia, Anudari Enkhbayar

Business ETD Collections

This dissertation explores trust and stakeholder engagement in the case of the Oyu Tolgoi Mine in Mongolia. It focuses on the relationship between the mine and local communities, especially in terms of trust, fairness and long-term social licence to operate. While mining can support economic growth, jobs and investment, it can also create environmental concerns, social tension and conflict when local communities feel ignored or unfairly treated.

The study asks two main questions: what factors have contributed to trust challenges between Oyu Tolgoi and local communities, and how stakeholder engagement can help strengthen long-term social licence to operate.  The research …

Ai Tips And Traps, Patrick Barry

Books

Based on a series of popular courses and workshops that Professor Patrick Barry has created for students, professionals, and anyone else interested in taking a skills-based approach to artificial intelligence, this book gives you a chance to engage with important AI concepts, experiment with exploratory AI exercises, and then ultimately develop your own customized list of AI traps to try as well as AI traps to avoid.

Still The Same Daughter, Still Your Friend: How Social Media Enables Role Continuity In Transnational Relationships, Sahar Abedikedenji

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Scoring Equitable Transit: A Data-Driven Framework For Affordable Transit-Oriented Development In California, Ahoura Zandiatashbar, Anton Rozhkov, Stephanie Nemet, Atticus Washington, Mounashree Prasanna

Mineta Transportation Institute

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a cornerstone of California’s climate and land use policy, promising walkable, compact neighborhoods near high-quality transit. However, these benefits are not always distributed equitably. This study introduces a scalable framework for identifying and scoring Affordable Transit-Oriented Development (A-TOD) across the state’s High-Quality Transit Areas (HQTAs). The goal is to equip policymakers, planners, and housing agencies with tools to evaluate station areas based on their physical form, affordability, and equity outcomes. Using a 1.5-mile network-based pedestrian buffer around over 66,000 transit stations, the research team developed a three-stage clustering and scoring system. Station areas were classified by …

Infrared Simulation, Sophia Zhou, Ashton Hoo, Tyler Ricks, Sebastian Fox, Kathy Phu

UROP Posters

Infrared image recognition is more difficult than visible-spectrum recognition due to limited high-quality training data. This project addresses that challenge by generating simulated infrared images using temperature-driven rendering in Unreal Engine and other 3D software. These simulations can support applications such as health monitoring, heat detection in mechanical and structural systems, thermal regulation, and engineering process control.

‘Politics! Not My Thing!’:The Misrepresentation Of Anne Boleyn In Six: The Musical, Natalie M. Bowen

UROP Posters

With the rise of Hamilton and Come From Away, stage musicals have become the next hottest form of historical reenactment, and the six wives of Henry VIII are no exception. These modern spins on Tudor history are typically riddled with inaccuracies that leave audiences with a skewed idea of Tudor England. The wives of Henry VIII, in particular, are the victims of centuries of historically inaccurate fictional media. Six: The Musical is a modern musical spin on this centuries-old story, following the six wives of Henry VIII as they reclaim their narratives in a pop concert competition on who had …

“A Couple Days In The Life Of What It’S Like In Washington Heights:” The Representation Of Latine Immigrants In Lin-Manuel Miranda’S In The Heights, Natalie M. Bowen

UROP Posters

The United States of America is a nation built by and made up of immigrants, being home to one-fifth of all migrants across the world. Anti-immigrant prejudice and xenophobia have long defined the American people and national policy, but the target demographic is constantly changing to reflect current narratives and fears. In recent years, Latine immigrants have been a prominent topic of concern in American politics. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2021 movie musical In The Heights aims to celebrate the existence of immigrants in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in New York City. Using peer-reviewed scholarly sources and movie reviews, this comprehensive literature …

Agrivoltaics Swot Analysis For Implementation In The United States, Vani Ramesh

UROP Posters

Agrivoltaics is the implementation of solar installations alongside agricultural land in order to improve the efficiency of land usage in both industries. Research in European and Asian countries developing agriculture and solar developments in tandem has indicated that implementation in the United States, including Virginia, is feasible and beneficial. The US has the highest energy use per capita in the world, with the increase of various technologies has resulted in land developments using higher energy levels than previously. While Virginia’s energy demand has increased with the addition of data centers. Increased energy demand and food security requirements have unearthed policy/political …

The Gendered Heart: Closing The Gender Gap In Heart Disease Diagnosis And Treatment, Aiden Varghese

UROP Posters

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the primary cause of death for both men and women in the United States, being characterized and treated in a historically male-centric manner. This research paper will address the disparities in risk factors for heart disease between genders, gender differences in diagnosis, and gender differences in management/treatment, thereby demonstrating the critical importance of incorporating sex specific factors into the field of cardiology. It has been demonstrated that lifestyle changes such as physical activity and smoking cessation can reduce CVD risk universally. This signifies a necessary shift toward being proactive in the prevention of CVD. …

“America Is For Americans Only”: Journalistic Professionalism, Populism, And Latino Ethnic Media In The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Maria Villarroel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how journalistic professionalism shaped news coverage of Latino-related issues during the 2024 U.S. presidential election across mainstream and Latino ethnic media outlets. In a polarized political environment, immigration and the “Latino vote” were not only central campaign issues but also sites of radicalized rhetoric that frequently targeted Latino communities and journalists. In this context, journalists were tasked with reporting on highly contentious, hostile narratives while adhering to professional norms. This study argues that these norms influenced how journalists selected, framed, and contextualized political rhetoric, and how media coverage further elevated immigration and Latino communities as key electoral …

Addressing Algorithmic Bias In Ai Journalism: A Toolkit For More Equitable Coverage Of Marginalized Communitie, Sierra Monet Worden

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project addresses a critical gap in journalism reporting concerning the use of artificial intelligence (AI) when covering stories on marginalized communities. Partially as it relates to the bias that exists in artificial intelligence algorithms, and the lack of training that exists for the implementation of these tools. Journalists play a crucial role in providing accurate and fair information on marginalized communities, yet the implementation of AI presents a set of all new challenges and allows opportunities for more bias to make its way into news coverage. Existing resources for reporting focus more on ethics and less on how to …

Numerical Modeling Of Climate Change Impacts On Transportation Embankments, Amr Morsy, Mamata Sapkota, Emma Varela, Odalys Portillo

Mineta Transportation Institute

Embankments are essential components of transportation infrastructure, providing crucial support for long stretches of highways, railways, and other routes in California and around the world. Clay embankments are susceptible to weather-related deterioration processes that can gradually compromise their stability and, in some cases, lead to unexpected failures. Climate change, along with the associated shifts in weather patterns, is projected to adversely impact the weather-related deterioration processes, leading to exacerbated failures and/or shorter service life. Additionally, climate change is projected to increase the frequency of extreme precipitation events, leading to an increase in embankment failure potential. This study evaluated (1) the …

Ideology And Iconography In Gustav Machatý’S Ecstasy (1933), Karl E. Toepfer

Open Educational Resources

This essay discusses the cinematic construction of sexual ecstatic experience in Gustav Machaty's 1933 film Ecstasy. Sergei Eisenstein's theory of cinematic montage governs the shapes the way the filmmakers organize the representation of erotic desire and rapture. But the film also shows affinity with the Czech "Poetist" movement of the 1920s in constructing a guiding view of ecstatic experience. The essay analyzes many images in the film, and concludes with an application of montage theory of ecstatic cinema to the consumption of erotic videos and internet imagery.

Use Of Generative Ai In Scholarly Research: Challenges And Opportunities, Marco Marabelli, Robert M. Davison, Giovanni Gatti, Ankita Srivastava, Monideepa Tarafdar

Computer Information Systems Faculty Publications

The focus of this panel report is to present evidence of a panel discussion that took place in October 2025 on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in academic research and publishing. The panel included publishers (Elsevier, Emerald, Gailot Press, MIT Press, Nature/Springer, Wiley) and editors in chief (representing the Information Systems Journal, Journal of the AIS, Journal of Data Science and ICES Journal of Marine Science). Key outcomes of the panel are the following: 1) publishers and editors have some disagreements regarding GAI use; 2) besides disagreements, all recognize that GAI is here to stay, therefore outstanding issues …

Measurement Invariance Of Transtheoretical Model-Based Measures For Covid-19 Vaccination Readiness, Allegra Opiela

Open Access Dissertations

Purpose. To assess the measurement invariance of four novel Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-based measures for readiness to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Design. Cross-sectional.

Setting. Online survey study in the United States (US).

Participants. 1169 US-based adults aged 18-85.

Measures. Demographics, Stage of Change, Vaccination History, Decisional Balance, Self-efficacy, Myths, and Barriers to COVID-19 vaccination.

Analyses. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses with increased restraints on model parameters to assess configural (no constraints), metric (factor loadings constrained), and scalar invariance (factor loadings and item intercepts constrained) in a sequential manner.

Results. Decisional Balance, Myths, and Barriers demonstrated scalar …