Digital Commons Network^™

Analyzing Critical Mineral Supply For Lithium-Ion Battery Demand To 2050, Shaely Sullivan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Battery storage is fundamental in the global initiative to mitigate anthropogenic climate change by decarbonizing the electric power grid and transportation sector. Battery storage stabilizes intermittent energy sources, such as solar and wind, and enables clean transportation through electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries are the most widely used battery chemistry globally due to their performance capabilities. Therefore, demand for lithium-ion batteries is projected to increase exponentially over the next several decades, driven by the growth of electric vehicles. This thesis projects global demand for electric vehicles and stationary storage, to assess the supply risks for critical minerals essential to lithium-ion batteries. …

“Twist But Don’T Break:” Constellating Past And Present Barriers In Black Queer Multimodal Publishing That Shift Text Into Subtext; Addressing Acceptance Into Queer Creative Communities And The Void Of Black Voices Within, Kae Ann Dennert-Frederick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

What does it look like to reframe our understanding of intersectional work? Looking at multimodality I will walk through the multiple frameworks by asking how Black Queer publishing of Young Adult fiction uses visuals to describe what cannot be said and what choices are made to show community structure and language, while also having to adapt for publication standards. I have researched this by looking into examples of Queer publishing (any representation of queerness in a form of publishing—in the text and sometimes in the authors' identity), as well as authors’ use of visuals to say what cannot be said …

Film For Jeanette, Brice Goldberg

Theses and Dissertations

Film for Jeanette is an experimental documentary concerning grief, memory, and what remains of those who have left this physical plane. The film paints the portrait of my late sister, Jeanette Lee Goldberg, who died in a car accident when she was 19. What begins as a memorial becomes a celebration of her life and an exploration into the complexities of her character that led to her death. Jeanette’s story is told through interviews with family members, while the visuals, created with various alternative 16mm film techniques, depict my own journey through the filmmaking process. I was only 3 when …

Religious Television Of Ukraine In Shaping Spiritual Identity In The Context Of Contemporary Media Practices, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Vadym Slyusar, Maksym Melnychuk, Yuliia Kondratiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to analysing religious television in Ukraine as a key institution of contemporary sacred communication, which shapes a new configuration of spiritual presence within the digital media space. Religious TV channels are examined as mediatized spaces for producing and transmitting symbolic meanings, within which traditional theological narratives are adapted to the demands of audiovisual culture, and the sacred acquires new forms of visualisation, emotional accessibility, and communicative dynamism. It is demonstrated that television broadcasting provides a unique format of spiritual support, enabling faith communities to participate in prayer practices, catechetical programmes, and moral-ethical discourse beyond the boundaries …

The Theological Tradition Of The Orthodox Church In The Aspect Of The Formation Of Military Leadership In Ukraine, Olga Dobrodum, Andrii S. Zborchyi, Tetyana Kondratyuk-Antonova, Oleksandr L. Kolomiiets

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Analysis of the Orthodox theological tradition as a moral foundation for military leadership in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the full-scale war. The study moves beyond pragmatic managerial models, exploring Orthodox categories such as service (diakonia), sacrifice, and spiritual warfare. Drawing on patristic heritage and modern theologians, the authors examine leadership motivation, the role of faith in professional resilience, and the integration of Orthodox anthropology into military training. Special emphasis is placed on the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's chaplaincy as a key mechanism for actualizing these values while addressing challenges like secularism and multiconfessionalism.

Digitalisation In The Voluntary Sector: An Empirical Study On The Determinants Of It Acceptance, Deniz Dogu

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Digitalisation represents a major societal trend that drives economic and social trans-formation by increasingly embedding digital information and communication techno-logies (ICT) into processes, interactions, and everyday activities across all domains of life. However, the voluntary sector has yet to fully embrace ICT. The extent to which volunteers integrate digital tools depends on factors such as technical infrastructure and willingness to adopt IT. Research in this area remains limited, and findings are often difficult to transfer across different national contexts. This PhD research addresses the gap in understanding IT acceptance in volunteering, using Germany as a case study. A comprehensive literature …

2026 Spring Commencement, Georgia Southern University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Reframing Narratives, Reclaiming Futures: Antiracist School Counseling And Black And Brown Girls In Stem, Renae D. Mayes, Lia D. Falco, Shontell Zenon, Dequindre Hughes, Yijia Chen, Lydia Ross, Medha Dalal

Journal of College Access

Black and Brown girls often have educational experiences that stifle their career aspirations, especially in STEM fields. These experiences can be exacerbated by educators who misunderstand and refuse to recognize their STEM potential, thus limiting their opportunity to build STEM identities. School counselors can disrupt these experiences through antiracist practices that cultivate homeplace and joy for Black and Brown girls to heal and grow while working to address harmful policies and practices. In this paper, authors discuss how school counselors can specifically use antiracist school counseling practices to support Black and Brown girls in STEM as a part of multi-tiered …

From Victim To Villain: How Gendered Narratives Shape Drug Courier Trials, Serafina C. Russo

Journal of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity

This article examines how gendered stereotypes, coercive trafficking dynamics, and permissive evidentiary practices create systemic bias in criminal prosecutions of women, particularly in drug trafficking cases. It highlights how courts often allow expert testimony and generalized narratives that blur neutral analysis with character judgment, inviting jurors to rely on cultural assumptions rather than objective facts. The “blind mule” phenomenon demonstrates the human cost, disproportionately affecting women from marginalized backgrounds, and reflects violations of due process and the presumption of innocence. The article argues for judicial and legislative reforms, including rigorous enforcement and clarification of Rule 704(b), to prevent stereotypes from …

Body Of Law: When Content Moderation Becomes Gender Oppression And Triggers Legal Consequences, Sarah E. Bahrenburg

Journal of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity

For as long as the Internet has existed, it has been used as a tool for good and as a tool for malice. However, there is a discrepancy between punishment for those maliciously invading individuals’ personal space and those posting consensual images of themselves for art or entertainment purposes (not to mention for work). Over the years, while attempting to create safe spaces for people to express themselves, the Internet has also created barriers to individuals doing just that. The Internet and the laws surrounding exposure therein have become increasingly misogynistic and anti-women’s sexual freedom. The laws encompassing safety on …

Get Out Of Jail Free: The Monopoly Of Big Pharma & Drug Addiction, Melissa E. Morello

Journal of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity

This article analyzes the legal and social parameters of drug addiction and the opioid epidemic, arguing that pharmaceutical companies, lawmakers, and systemic institutions have effectively “gamified” public health, addiction, and their own accountability. It traces the historical trajectory of drug regulation, from early opioid use and racially motivated enforcement policies to the War on Drugs and the emergence of the prescription opioid epidemic fueled by aggressive pharmaceutical marketing. The analysis explores pivotal case law and legislation addressing addiction, highlighting the legal system’s struggle to reconcile criminal accountability with the recognition of addiction as a disease. Throughout this article, there will …

The Impact Anti-Abortion Laws Will Have On Domestic Violence Victims Post-Dobbs Decision, Elissa Schlissel Goldberg

Journal of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity

This paper will focus on the impact a total or near-total abortion law may have on domestic abuse and how male abusers may attempt to seek control by taking advantage of the law. This paper will first address domestic violence, specifically focusing on the different ways domestic violence can manifest and their definitions. Next, the paper will shift focus to abortion and how states have tried to limit a woman’s ability to access abortion. The paper will then move to focus on the connection between domestic violence and abortion, looking into the data from past researchers and the trends that …

Gender As The Moral Framework Of War: Religious Discourse In Wartime Russia, Olga Vlasova Dr., Ulviyya Khalilova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article explores how wartime religious discourse constructs the moral framework of war through gender rhetoric. Based on the critical discourse analysis of wartime public statements by Russian Orthodox and Muslim religious leaders (2022-2026), the study shows how gender can be used as a framework through which violence becomes meaningful and tolerable. It highlights that the discourse of masculinity provides precisely those moral categories (duty, sacrifice, and protection) which depict participation in war as a moral obligation. At the same time, femininity is primarily associated with the reproduction of social order through care, support, and motherhood, while remaining outside the …

Dwelling In Parallel Worlds: Esoteric And New Age Milieus In The Soviet Period And Afterward, Edited By Birgit Menzel And Anna Tessman: A Review, Alexander John Paul Lutz

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Birgit Menzel and Anna Tessmann, eds. Dwelling in Parallel Worlds: Esoteric and New Age Milieus in the Soviet Period and Afterward. Münster: LIT Verlag, 2025. 320 pp. €34.90 (paperback). ISBN: 978-3-643-91580-1.

Eurasianism As The Ideological Foundation Of Putin's Russia: Protestant Dimensions., Pavlo Pavlenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the ideological foundations of contemporary Putinist Russia, identifying Eurasianism as a primary socio-philosophical and geopolitical doctrine driving the Kremlin's imperial ambitions. The author traces the evolution of Eurasianism from its origins in "White émigré" circles to its current role as a conceptual bedrock for Russian fascism. A comparative analysis is provided between Eurasianism and the "Russian World" (Russkiy Mir) doctrine, highlighting their distinct approaches to ethnocentrism and continental unity. A significant portion of the study is dedicated to the "Eurasianization" of Protestant denominations within the Russian Federation, illustrating how these communities have been instrumentalized by the state …

The Human Rights Argumentation Of The Uoc-Mp As A Strategy Of Institutional Self-Preservation Under Conditions Of Armed Aggression, Mariia Rudiuk, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the strategy of institutional self-preservation employed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) under conditions of Russian armed aggression. The relevance of the topic is determined by the adoption of Law of Ukraine No. 3894-IX “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activities of Religious Organizations,” aimed at limiting the influence of religious structures affiliated with the aggressor state. Particular attention is devoted to the ways in which the UOC-MP utilizes democratic legal mechanisms and European human rights rhetoric in order to delay or neutralize Ukraine’s national security measures. The …

Peculiarities Of Religious Communication In The Digital Environment: Ukrainian Experience, Olena Svysiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A comprehensive analysis of the digitalization processes affecting the religious sphere in Ukraine in the context of the society global informatization and the full-scale war. The study outlines current approaches to understanding digitalization and the concept of Digital Religion, which is based on the interaction between the online and offline dimensions of religious life. Digital technologies do not replace traditional forms of religious activity, rather, they expand the possibilities for their implementation by creating new models of spiritual communication, pastoral ministry, religious education, and the formation of religious communities. The paper analyzes main areas of digital religious practices in Ukraine, …

Religious Situation In Ukraine: Main Trends And Prognostic Visions, Olena Predko, Denys Predko, Ihor Maksymenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The contemporary religious situation in Ukraine is characterized by the resilience of religious institutions despite the full-scale war and destruction of infrastructure, which demonstrates a high level of nominal religiosity and the social significance of religion. At the same time, a profound structural transformation of the Orthodox field is underway, reflecting processes of national identification, security, and the delegitimization of pro-Russian structures. In parallel, there is a shift in religiosity from a mobilizational to a reflective, individualized form, in which faith performs psychological, meaning-making, and symbolic functions rather than mere institutional affiliation. At the same time, the post-war period retains …

Politicization Of Christmas Ritual Practices Of Ukrainians During The Modern War, Olga Nedavnya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the manifestations of politicization of Christmas ritual traditions of Ukrainians (nativity scenes (verteps), caroling, Generous Evening performances) during the ongoing war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The corresponding forms (transformations of classical characters of caroling texts and Christmas performances, addition of military-political motifs to them), the influence of political reasons on the organization of customary practices (transition of their Christmas cycle to a new calendar), collections of donations for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are clarified. It is shown that the strengthening of political accents in nativity scenes, carols and Generous Evening performances …

Orthodox–Catholic Relations Between Georgia And Italy: Historical Legacy, Contemporary Dynamics, And Future Prospects, Zaza Tsotniashvili

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines Orthodox–Catholic relations between Georgia and Italy across three temporal registers: the historical legacy of Italian Catholic missionary engagement, the contemporary institutional and legal dynamics binding the two churches, and the prospects and obstacles that will shape ecumenical rapprochement in the years ahead. Building on the seven-century missionary record explored in the author’s preceding study for this journal, the analysis turns its principal attention to the present and future, as recommended by the journal’s editorial guidance. Drawing on Vatican primary documents, Georgian constitutional and statutory texts, the reports of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue, international religious-freedom …

Religious Radicalism And Terrorism In Central Asia After The Collapse Of The Soviet Union: Historical Roots, Geopolitical Factors, And Security Dynamics, Meltem Akıncı Phd

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article provides a comprehensive academic analysis of the historical origins, ideological foundations, and systemic impacts of religious radicalism and international terrorism on the geopolitical landscape of Central Asia in the post-Cold War era. The study closely examines how the ideological vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet legacy, complex socioeconomic transformations during the transitional period, and external geopolitical influences from the Middle East and South Asia facilitated the latent and overt expansion of destructive radical religious movements in the region. Special emphasis is placed on the dual nature of the Islamic factor in the nation-building processes of Central …

Religion And International Relations: The Concept Of Soft Power And Orthodoxy In Kazakhstan, Ali Ukenov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the role of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan (OCK), a constituent part of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), within the framework of religious soft power. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the relationship between the ROC, Russian foreign policy, and transnational religious influence has attracted increased scholarly attention. Drawing on the concept of soft power and constructivist approaches, the study combines qualitative field research with media content analysis. The empirical material includes twenty semi-structured interviews conducted with Orthodox clergy and active parishioners across Kazakhstan, as well as an examination of the case of former priest Yakov …

Framing Addiction In The Age Of Vaping: A Journalism-Focused Reporting Toolkit, Jessica L. Riley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project addresses a critical gap in journalism practice: the lack of accessible, evidence-based guidance for reporting on addiction. Particularly as it relates to nicotine, tobacco and vaping. Journalists play a key role in shaping public understanding of substance use, yet existing resources often focus on opioids, lack specificity, or fail to keep pace with rapidly evolving nicotine products and scientific research. As a result, reporters may struggle with inconsistent terminology, unclear risk communication and the potential for unintentionally stigmatizing language.

Grounded in media effects theory, health communication and stigma research, this project examines how journalistic language and framing influence …

Exploring The Interplay Of Operational Conditions, Microbial Communities, And Water Quality In Drinking Water Ozone-Biofiltration, Kara Yvonne Cunningham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water is a growing global challenge as water utilities face variable source water quality driven by population growth, land‑use change, and climate change impacts. To address these challenges, utilities are implementing advanced treatment technologies designed to improve reliability under variable source water conditions. Ozone-biofiltration has emerged as a treatment approach that can reduce a wide range of natural and anthropogenic contaminants. However, despite its increased use, there is limited insight into the biological processes shaping filter function or how they respond to operational and environmental changes. Advances in molecular microbiology and high-throughput sequencing now …

Acts Of Becoming: A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Lived Experiences Of West Virginia Teacher-Activists, 1990 To The Present, Phillip Elias Howard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This critical phenomenological dissertation explores the lived realities of becoming a West Virginia teacher-activist. Presenting the experiential accounts of three participants, its semi-structured questions Show the lifeworld forces, inherited (factical) self-identities, and occupational, "on-the-ground" classroom experiences that inspired its research collaborators to assert themselves as unionists and natural teacher-organizers. This dissertation utilizes a collection of Marxian, phenomenological, and post-structural interpretation devices to develop robust, sensemaking themes which reveal the meaning of participants’ lived reflections. It also provides thick descriptions of co-researchers' historic and current political, economic, and socio-cultural backdrops amid West Virginia’s right-wing political realignment of the 2010s, the eternal …

Statistical Analysis Of Evidence In Criminal Cases, Giuliana Leon Carrillo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ideally, the evaluation of relevant forensic evidence must corroborate the hypotheses that the prosecution and/or the defense holds regarding the commitment of a crime. Therefore, optimal forensic evidence would be the one that can be found all the time under the same circumstances, and cannot be found otherwise, making the forensic scientist able to evaluate this evidence given the hypotheses provided. Nevertheless, this is hard to find, as ideal evidence being only a concept.

In this project, the probabilistic interpretation of relevant forensic evidence investigated in criminal cases with the aid of Wigmore charts and Bayesian networks was proposed. Using …

A Survey Of Disability-Inclusive K-12 Public School Music Programs In The United States Where Best Buddies Friendship Programs Have Been Established, Geena Louise Jeffries Mattox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the presence and structural characteristics of disability-inclusive band, orchestra, and choir programs serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in K-12 public schools across the United States that implement the Best Buddies School Friendship Program. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is defined as group of chronic, lifelong conditions that originate before age 22, affecting physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. Despite federal legislation, peer reviewed scholarship specifically addressing access to performance-based music ensembles for students with IDDs remain comparatively limited. Employing a survey distributed nationwide within a defined population of schools implementing Best Buddies Programs, administered via …

Georgia Southern Athletics Media Guides, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

This collection consists of reference guides and brochures prepared by the Athletics Department’s Office of Media Relations and includes materials related to Golf, Soccer (Men’s and Women’s), Softball, Swimming, Tennis (Men’s and Women’s), Track and Field, and Volleyball. Materials span 1973, 1987-2010 and include athletic schedules, statistics, win/loss records and notable accomplishments from previous seasons, profiles of coaches and players, general information about the university, and other information useful to reporters covering the team’s current season.

Find this collection in the University Libraries' catalog.

Comparison Of The Biodiversity Of Culturable Yeast From Four Different Habitats, Frank V. Addeo

All Master's Theses

Yeasts are ubiquitous unicellular fungi that play critical roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and fermentation processes across diverse ecosystems. Despite their ecological and biotechnological importance, the diversity and distribution of wild yeast populations in many temperate regions remain poorly characterized. This study evaluated how classifier thresholds influence species assignment and functional inference from internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) Sanger sequences of cultured yeasts collected from diverse habitats in central Washington. The project aimed to assess the stability of taxonomic calls across classifier settings and to illustrate how methodological decisions shape downstream ecological conclusions. Samples from each habitat were enriched under …

Paleo-Environmental Change In Deer Lagoon, Whidbey Island Interpreted From Diatoms And Lithology, Lourdes Garcia

All Master's Theses

Puget Sound is a densely populated, tectonically active area that can be affected by earthquakes from local crustal faults and the Cascadia subduction zone capable of producing abrupt coseismic subsidence. Tidal wetlands are particularly sensitive to abrupt changes because they are depositional environments that reside at sea-level and their lithology and ecological communities are strongly controlled by elevation within the tidal frame. As a result, coseismic subsidence can disrupt established environmental gradients and leave distinguishable signatures preserved within the stratigraphy, like tidal mud directly over peat deposits. These preserved records provide an opportunity to reconstruct past earthquakes and associated relative …