Digital Commons Network^™

Puff, Puff, Pass? Examining Cannabis Use Among Black American Adults, Christopher B. Walker

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In the United States, cannabis has become one of the most widely used controlled substances due to its increase in social acceptance, the growing number of states legalizing it for medical and non-medical purposes, and the expansion of consumption methods.  However, little is known about the modes of cannabis use chosen by Black American adults.  This population is of importance due to existing research suggesting their increased risk of developing cannabis use disorder compared to their White counterparts and their underrepresentation in existing literature.  The goal of this study is to examine cannabis use among Black adults in the U.S., …

How Did Covid-19 Affect Volunteer And Donor Management For Human Services Agencies? What Are The Lessons For Future Response?, Nina Yon

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for human services agencies, disrupting the interdependent systems of volunteer engagement and donor support essential to nonprofit sustainability. This study integrates insights from literature, theory, and empirical analysis to examine how nonprofit organizations adapted their volunteer and donor management strategies during this prolonged crisis. Drawing on Contingency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), the research explores how organizational structures and strategies evolved in response to shifting environmental conditions, health mandates, and resource constraints. Using a multiple-case qualitative design, data was collected from semi-structured interviews with 20 leaders representing five Central Florida human services agencies, …

Michigan Academician Volume 50, Issue 2

Michigan Academician

Volume 50, Issue 2 - Abstract Issue

Large Language Models For Neurology: A Mini Review, Donald C. Wunsch, Daniel B. Hier

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Large language models have the potential to transform neurology by augmenting diagnostic reasoning, streamlining documentation, and improving workflow efficiency. This Mini Review surveys emerging applications of large language models in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy, with emphasis on ambient documentation, multimodal data integration, and clinical decision support. Key barriers to adoption include bias, privacy, reliability, and regulatory alignment. Looking ahead, neurology-focused language models may develop greater fluency in biomedical ontologies and FHIR standards, improving data interoperability and supporting more seamless collaboration between clinicians and AI systems. Two future developments have the potential to be particularly impactful: (1) …

Evaluation Of Multiple Generative Large Language Models On Neurology Board-Style Questions, Mohammad Almomani, Vijaya Valaparla, James Weatherhead, Xiang Fang, Alok Dabi, Chih Ying Li, Peter Mccaffrey, Dan Hier, Jorge Mario Rodríguez-Fernández

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Objective: To compare the performance of eight large language models (LLMs) with neurology residents on board-style multiple-choice questions across seven subspecialties and two cognitive levels. Methods: In a cross-sectional benchmarking study, we evaluated Bard, Claude, Gemini v1, Gemini 2.5, ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, ChatGPT-4o, and ChatGPT-5 using 107 text-only items spanning movement disorders, vascular neurology, neuroanatomy, neuroimmunology, epilepsy, neuromuscular disease, and neuro-infectious disease. Items were labeled as lower- or higher-order per Bloom's taxonomy by two neurologists. Models answered each item in a fresh session and reported confidence and Bloom classification. Residents completed the same set under exam-like conditions. Outcomes included overall and …

Self-Calibrating Uav Navigation: Reinforcement Learning Approaches For Horizontal Trajectory Estimation, Shirin Nasr-Esfahani, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trajectory estimation is essential for autonomous navigation, particularly in GPS-denied environments. Visualodometry and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) approaches require precise camera intrinsic parameters, which are typically obtained through predefined or offline calibration. Instead, in this work, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL)-based self-calibration framework that estimates camera intrinsic parameters directly from monocular video sequences, without requiring prior knowledge of the camera, environment, or calibration targets. This intrinsic parameter estimation is then leveraged to achieve robust UAV trajectory estimation using only video data. We formulate the problem as a sequential decision-making task, where an RL …

Enhancing Explainable Ai For Medical Imaging: Improved Lime Interpretation With Influence Mapping, Abiha Tahsin Chowdhury, Dhanush Bavisetti, Daniel B. Hier, Rahul Dubey, Tayo Obafemi-Ajayi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into medical imaging is progressing rapidly. It is essential for these AI tools to be transparent, interpretable, and explainable to gain the trust of clinicians and regulators. Current state-of-the-art explainable AI (XAI) techniques in imaging includes Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). Recent studies have shown that LIME often suffers from inconsistency and unreliability which limits their utility in sensitive fields like medical imaging. This paper proposes Influence Map based Explanation (IME), an enhanced variant of the original LIME framework, that aggregates multiple runs to …

Perspectives Of Rural Educators On The Dependencies And Drawbacks Of Chat Gpt In Nigerian Higher Education Practices, Adedayo Olayinka Theodorio Dr, Francisca Jumoke Theodorio, Olumide Gbenga Olugbodi, Peter Adebowale Samson, Olusegun Olawale Olakotan

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

ChatGPT remains a valuable tool for transforming teaching strategies and supporting students’ comprehension of subject matter. However, its adoption and research remain uneven within the context of higher education in Nigeria. Specifically, there is limited empirical research that exemplifies real-world experiences regarding the dependencies and drawbacks in rural educational settings. This qualitative single-case study explored this phenomenon at a southwestern institution in Nigeria, involving a purposively selected group of educators. Data were gathered through participatory observation and focus group interviews, which were thematically analysed. The results indicated that the effective use of ChatGPT in rural higher education heavily depends on …

Developmental Themes Associated With Religious Activity After Early Return From A Latter-Day Saint Mission, Samuel E. Hancock, Sam A. Hardy, Michael Goodman, Camron Angell, Jenae M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, qualified young men are expected (and young women are given the option) to complete extended missionary service during the transition to adulthood. Some youth end their missionary service short of the anticipated duration, which is associated with markedly lower rates of religious activity post-return. This study is a qualitative inquiry into the developmental themes associated with early returned missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who chose to remain active (be consistently involved with the church), sampling from areas with high rates of Latter-day Saint activity, where stigmatization …

Australian University Websites As Colonialities Of Gender, Emily M. Gray, Ampersand Pasley, Emma Fishwick, Mindy Blaise, Jacqueline Ullman, Maria Delaney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper offers analysis of the first phase of a research project, Understanding and Addressing Everyday Sexisms in Australian Universities. This phase involved a critical content analysis of all 39 of Australia’s public university websites, focusing on how they represent gender, absences in relation to gender and the navigability of the websites in relation to gender equity policy. Drawing on Maria Lugones’s colonialities of gender, this paper demonstrates how university websites have the potential to reproduce or renegotiate inherited institutional everyday sexisms and broader gender inequities. Themes of reconfiguring acceptable gendering, conspicuous absences, and in-built obscurity that emerged from this …

Can Environmentally Friendly Hotels Lead Customers To Green Behaviors? Evidence From The Stimulus–Organism–Response Model And Social Cognitive Theory, Saeid Nosrati, Mohtaram Rabbani, Razieh Sharifipur Shirazi, Ilkay Yorganci, Niusha Talebzadeh, Negin Bassirat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose Using the stimulus–organism–response model and social cognitive theory, this study aims to examine how environmentally friendly hotels influence customers’ green patronage intention and green word-of-mouth. The study explored the mediating effects of hedonic value and utilitarian value and the moderating role of environmental concern. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 200 customers of environmentally friendly hotels in Iran and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Mplus (version 8.3) software. Findings The results indicate that environmentally friendly hotels positively influence hedonic and utilitarian values, as well as green patronage intention and green word-of-mouth. Additionally, hedonic and utilitarian values partially mediate …

Exploring The Use Of Strategic Influencer Leadership (Sil) In Health Communication: A Cross-Cultural, Multi-Case Study, Katharina Wolf, Catherine Archer, Syafiq B. Assegaff, Joseph Nalloor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose This study challenges the social media-centric view of influencers, arguing that health communication benefits from diverse strategic influencers beyond commercial figures. Trust, credibility and cultural resonance are essential for effective public health messaging, yet contemporary approaches often prioritise engagement metrics over strategic influence. Design/methodology/approach This paper employs a multi-case study approach to examine the strategic use of influencers in health communication across Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how health professionals, royal representatives and a politician shaped public health messaging within culturally specific contexts. A mixed-methods approach, incorporating ethnographic research and thematic …

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Genai) In Procurement And Supply Chain Management: Applications, Opportunities And Challenges, Vinay Singh, Laurie Hughes, Mousa Ahmed Albashrawi, Il Jeon, Yogesh K. Dwivedi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This article aims to explore the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in procurement and supply chain management (SCM), with a focus on its practical applications, strategic implications and integration challenges. Design/methodology/approach: Adopting a conceptual approach, this article presents the authors’ views and arguments, supported by a review of existing literature and informed by insights from discussions with industry experts. The discussion in this conceptual article is anchored in the supply chain operations reference model. Findings: This research addresses critical questions regarding the practical and strategic impacts of GenAI, emphasizing its ability to simulate scenarios, deliver real-time insights …

Are Iowa Pk-12 Schools Prepared For A School Shooting? A Needs Assessment Of Iowa Superintendents, Kurt Mj Devore

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As school shootings remain a persistent threat to PK-12 education, this quantitative survey study examines the preparedness levels and beliefs of 75 out of 277 Iowa superintendents regarding active shooter events. In the wake of the 2024 tragedy in Perry, Iowa, results indicate a near-universal recognition of risk (97.3%), prompting a shift toward "muscle memory" training and the adoption of the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to ensure a common language during a crisis. The data reveals a significant move away from high-intensity simulations in favor of trauma-informed tabletop exercises, alongside a definitive rejection of arming educators (0%) due to insurance …

Can’T Sue A Movement: Greenpeace’S $667 Million Crisis Narrative, Trevor Hart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In March of 2025, the environmental group Greenpeace was found liable for nearly $667 million to Energy Transfer, the oil company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The lawsuit was widely regarded as a SLAPP, or Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, because it weaponized civic torts to infringe upon Greenpeace’s First Amendment rights. The $667 million verdict is an unprecedented figure in SLAPP litigation–it’s enough to bankrupt Greenpeace in the United States and “chill” democratic participation. This thesis used a hybrid blame-renewal crisis narrative framework to analyze Greenpeace’s public response to lawsuits against a backdrop of cultural and political economic …

Analysis Of Environmental Site Assessments Of Brownfield Redevelopment In Waterloo, Iowa, Sage Cappi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines how Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) are interpreted and utilized in the context of Brownfield redevelopment, with particular attention to the relationship between historical context, contamination, health risk, and future redevelopment possibilities. While ESAs are widely used to inform redevelopment decisions, there remains a gap in understanding how reported environmental data translates into meaningful assessments. To address this, this study analyzes historical and environmental data from six Brownfield sites, identifying documented contaminants, their associated carcinogenic group, and redevelopment potential. Central to this research is the development of a relational framework designed to function as a more approachable interpretive …

Viral And Host Cell Determinants Of Resistance To Complement-Mediated Killing During Parainfluenza Virus Type 5 Infection, Jenna R. Aquino

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

RNA viruses are a major global public health concern due to high mutation rates, zoonotic potential, and immune evasion. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) can establish persistent infections (PIs) despite encountering innate immune responses, including the complement (C′) system. RNA virus replication produces defective interfering particles (DIPs) containing truncated defective viral genomes (DVGs) that depend on standard (STD) virus for replication. DVGs are increasingly detected in natural infections and modulate type I interferon (IFN-I), but their role in the C′ system is unclear. We investigated how DVGs affect C′-mediated lysis during PIV5 infection using real-time in vitro cell viability assays. C′ …

The Uncanny And Uneasy: An Exploration Into Using Puppets To Share Dark Stories, Grace Auls

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In this thesis, I will explore the role of puppetry and practical effects in evoking the uncanny and the uneasy as well as questioning the implications they have in dark theater and cinematic contexts. This paper will examine how puppetry and practical effects can contribute to potentially disturbing and dark imagery both on screen and in live theater. I will be focusing on looking at Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, as well as at different puppetry performances used in Voyage of the Little Mermaid (1992), Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Kirikou and the Sorceress (Kirikou et la Sorciere), and even …

Restoring Digital Trust: Decentralized Frameworks For Identity, Consent, And Media Provenance, Raghu N. Avula

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Digital platforms are deeply embedded in modern society through centralized network architectures. As online interactions transition to the physical world handling sensitive data, user privacy and cryptographic security require enhancement beyond traditional limits. This dissertation presents a decentralized “Tri-Layer Trust Architecture” that leverages Verifiable Trust Registries, Cryptographic Binding, and Edge Verification to prioritize data sovereignty and local authentication. To demonstrate the architecture’s applicability across distinct operational environments, we implement three solutions: (1) Verifiable Presence for peer-to-peer ride-sharing via D-RideX, which encrypts biometric data on physical hardware (TEEs) and Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) to prevent impersonation without cloud database exposure; (2) Verifiable …

An Integrated Framework For Last-Mile Delivery Optimization Using Reinforcement Learning And Social Media-Based Traffic Prediction In Underdeveloped Megacities, Vasanth Bhat

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Supply chain management has become increasingly critical as transportation costs rise and urban delivery systems place additional pressure on already congested networks. Last-mile delivery—the movement of goods from distribution centers to end users—represents the most expensive and operationally complex segment of the logistics process, particularly in underdeveloped megacities characterized by unpredictable traffic, limited infrastructure, and sparse real-time data. This dissertation proposes an integrated framework for optimizing last-mile delivery in such environments by combining social media–based traffic intelligence, machine learning, and deep reinforcement learning. The framework leverages unstructured, real-time data from social media platforms to enhance traffic prediction and incorporates these …

Essays On Politics And Ideology In Asset Management, Madison Borrelli

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This dissertation examines how political influence and ideology shape the investment and governance decisions of institutional investors. My first essay studies the effects of political interference on public pension plan asset allocation. Plans facing investment restrictions shift away from low-cost traditional assets toward higher-fee, lower-performing alternative assets. While politicians advocating these restrictions receive increased media attention, state economies do not benefit. These findings underscore how political incentives create agency problems that adversely affect investment decisions and outcomes.

The second essay examines whether differences in political ideology between asset managers and investors give rise to conflicts of interest. Mutual fund institutions …

Computational Modeling Of Bubble Dispersion In Alginate Hydrogel Foams For Radiologically Equivalent Biomedical Phantoms, Godson N. Brako

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The foaming of hydrogels presents a promising strategy for tailoring mechanical and radiological properties to replicate biological soft tissues for biomedical phantoms. Achieving uniform and predictable void fraction distributions in alginate hydrogel foams remains a challenge due to the complex interplay between bubble dynamics, matrix rheology, and interfacial forces during the pre-gelation aeration stage. This thesis develops a Computational Fluid Dynamics framework using the transient Eulerian two-fluid approach to predict void fraction distribution in alginate hydrogel precursor solutions aerated by air injection through a bottom nozzle. The objective is to use the framework for design of the foaming system to …

Developing The Whole Child: A Retrospective Ethnographic Case Study Of Prosocial Learning Efforts At One Elementary School, Bevan Brown

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

An alarming trend among elementary-aged students in the United States exhibiting significant deficits in social-emotional competency development has intensified since the Covid-19 pandemic. Challenges in developing competent prosocial skills in the elementary-aged years have been associated with difficulties in emotional regulation and social interactions, which can result in compromising school readiness and long-term academic success. Existing school infrastructure provides a vehicle for early intervention, specifically in supporting students with poor social and emotional wellbeing. Thus, the need for innovative pedagogical and instructional approaches that address the complex challenges of the 21st century has become increasingly essential. Coordinated approaches to prosocial …

Making Art For The Love Of The Game, Alissa Beth Burch

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

“Making Art for the Love of the Game” interweaves visual aesthetics from video games and associated online fan community practices with self-portraiture to reflect and process personal past medical trauma, a developmental period in online interactive environments, and showcases self-expressive fan content which joins an underrepresented and emerging sub-culture to contemporary art. Working through an interdisciplinary studio practice, combining printmaking, found-sticker collage, and painting refracts digital aesthetics found in online communities. I intentionally juxtaposed these physical modes of making with digital subjects to examine these subjects’ merit as artistic mediums.  It reflects a contemporary mode of art making, and acts …

Applying Harm Reduction To Binge-Eating Disorder: Protective Behavioral Strategies Against Uncontrolled Eating, Emily Burr

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a highly deleterious mental illness, with ramifications ranging from psychological impairment to premature mortality. Despite the awareness of intervention urgency, treatment strategies to manage BED have limited long-term efficacy. Therefore, it is of high necessity to illuminate other methods of reducing the potential effects of binge eating (BE), either by combatting severity or frequency of the behavior. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS), first identified in the substance use field, are methods by which an individual attenuates potential harm from a behavior without expectation of abstaining (i.e., a harm reduction approach). Given high likelihood of treatment relapse for …

The Bite Model And Multi-Level Marketing: How Monat Propagates, Lilly D. Cheung

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This study aims to understand how MONAT Global Corp, a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company, utilizes rhetoric that aligns with Steven Hassan’s BITE Model of Authoritarian Control. Hassan is a cult expert and cult survivor whose work primarily explains undue influence and thought control with BITE representing Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional control. The MLM MONAT is a haircare brand that operates through a recruitment-and-sales-based hierarchy, in which sellers sign up and work under one another in a layered marketing structure. To meet quotas and maintain ranks, representatives will use rhetorical strategies to recruit new sellers beneath them in their ‘downline’ …

I, Cock-A-Doodle-Do: Reclaiming Masculinity Through Queer Joy And Humorous Self-Exploration, Nelson J. Garcia

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

I examine the contemporary norms of masculinity. My research wrestles with ultimately unresolvable stereotypes and imagery influencing current masculine behavior. I unearth queer potential through the physicality and behavior of the stereotypical “man’s man”. I infuse my own queer identity into my studio practice with an emphasis on humor and joy to subvert traditional models of male performance. This process drives self-exploration that allows me to personally respond, react, be directed, and redirected by the interactions between queerness and masculinity. Masculine and queer representations across various media, such as film, music, and television, historically and continuously inform restrictive cultural norms. …

Contested Air: Politics, Prejudice, And Radio Broadcasting In New York State, 1925-1928, Sebastian Garcia

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis examines the intersection between radio broadcasting as the "new media" of the 1920s and American political culture of the period, using New York Governor and 1928 Democratic presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith as a case study. Smith entered 1925 as a political lone wolf and left the year as a triumphant victor set to take the presidency. Building on the work of Smithian scholars, this thesis illuminates how Smith’s radio use remained central to this political transformation. Smith found in radio an apt space to bypass Republican opposition and mobilize the body politic through direct engagement, which, in …

Emotional Support Friends: Creating Social Impact Through Art And Polite Humor, Kenyari Gil Rosario

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis aims to provide new imagery to the conversation of mental health and neurodivergence. It does this through forms of soft sculpture, digital paintings, marker drawings, and community murals. Inspired by the practices of Keith Haring, iconographic characters are used to portray common struggles and coping habits of mental conditions in an endearing light. With the goal of social impact, this project is affiliated with the non-profit organization Providing Autism Links and Support (P.A.L.S). This partnership has given the community an opportunity to share their compassion through art and donations and uses art as a means of social impact …

Centered A Story Of Family And Compassion In The Face Of Parkinson's Disease, Savannah Hill

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Centered is a three-dimensional (3D) animated short film that explores the topic of parental illness and how families must respond with compassion and adaptability when loved ones face mental or physical challenges. The story is inspired by the director’s own experience with her father’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease when she was in high school. The main characters, a father and daughter, must navigate the father’s changing needs after his diagnosis by prioritizing their connection and adapting to his new physical challenges. In the film, they do this through the creation of pottery. The imperfect, handmade design style of the film …