Digital Commons Network^™

Artificial Intelligence, Tribal Sovereignty, And The Criminal Justice System, Kevin Angelo Brown

South Dakota Law Review

As artificial intelligence (“AI”) has become increasingly integrated into everyday life in Indian Country and into governmental functions, including policing, courts, and corrections, it is creating new circumstances that can undermine tribal sovereignty. The 575 federally recognized Tribal Nations are under significant pressure to maintain their sovereignty while adapting to new AI-based technologies. With the implementation of AI, tribes should retain control over how it is used to benefit their communities, without compromising their legal rights or well-being, particularly in light of past harms caused by inadequate legal protections that allowed technological developments to damage tribal health, environments, economies, and …

Navigating The Ai Maze: Evaluating Emerging Tools In Academic Databases, Grace Norris, Grace Allbaugh, Eric Willey

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Library database vendors have recently begun introducing AI tools to their platforms at an increasing pace. While some of these tools cannot be turned off, some can, leaving libraries to make the decision with little in the way of past practice to rely on. There has been considerable research done on the generally available large language models (LLMs) but less on methodologies for evaluating platform add-on tools. This paper outlines the development of such an evaluation process at an R2 academic library in the US, from conception to implementation. It offers practical insights on bringing in stakeholders across the library …

Dakota Territory Living History Museum, Inc. Collection, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

This collection highlights the Dakota Living History Museum concept, created by Mel Thorne, to interpret the lives of American Natives and Dakota Frontier settlers from 1600 to 1890. It includes resources on living history presentations, pioneer life, and historical activities like oxen-drawn wagon trains, alongside modern data on Brookings County traffic patterns. Together, it offers a comprehensive look at Dakota Territory's history and culture.

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 …

Hansen, N. E., Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The N.E. Hansen papers represent a comprehensive archive chronicling the career of Niels Ebbesen Hansen. The collection encompasses a diverse range of materials, including authored articles, bulletins, and circulars from Hansen's tenure at the South Dakota Experiment Station, as well as field notebooks, and ledgers from the South Dakota Horticultural Society.

Contributions from Helen Hansen Loen, Hansen's granddaughter, further enrich the collection with addresses, correspondence, journals, and travel documents, offering a deeper understanding of his professional and personal life. Notable highlights include addresses delivered by Hansen at prestigious events like the International Congress of Genetics in Berlin, underscoring his scholarly …

Berg, Donald, Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The papers of Professor Donald Berg document his career as a geographer and historian at South Dakota State University and his sustained engagement with American Indian history and regional issues. The collection primarily consists of records from the Conference on American Indian History and Culture, including materials from the first through eighteenth annual conferences held between 1993 and 2010.

Additional materials include Berg’s research files on the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad, focusing on railroad safety, environmental impact, and proposed expansion projects in South Dakota and the upper Midwest. Together, the papers reflect Berg’s application of historical and geographic research …

Harding, Neva Whaley Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Neva Marie Whaley Harding, born in 1872 in Illinois and later settling in South Dakota, lived a life marked by community engagement and cultural contribution. After she married Albert S. Harding, the couple became an integral part of Brookings, South Dakota, with Neva notably founding the Brookings Women's Club and contributing to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Jane Alexander was born in Brookings, South Dakota to Ruth Ann and William Alexander. She began her journey of community engagement during her high school years, forming a lasting friendship with Neva Harding. This connection inspired her to delve into Neva's life, eventually leading …

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, …

Students' Association Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota State University Students’ Association Records document the development and activities of the university’s student governing body from the early twentieth century through the early twenty-first century. The collection includes administrative files, constitutions and by-laws, minutes, reports, financial records, committee files, and subject files that reflect student participation in governance, policy formation, and campus life. Early materials relate to the Board of Control, which oversaw student activities, funding, and student enterprises, while later records document the transition to a Student Senate model and the expansion of advocacy, services, and shared governance.

These records provide insight into the evolving …

Goodale: Joann And Eugene Goodale Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

JoAnn Olson Goodale and Eugene C. Goodale were residents of Brookings, South Dakota, and alumni of South Dakota State University. Eugene C. Goodale (ca. 1935–2022) graduated from South Dakota State College in 1957 with a degree in civil engineering and pursued a career in engineering. JoAnn Goodale, originally from Huron, South Dakota, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South Dakota State College in 1959 and later completed a master’s degree in rehabilitation administration and management at DePaul University. She worked in nursing and remained active in community service. The Goodales were active supporters of South Dakota State University, …

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 …

Dwyer Papers, David, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Poet David Dwyer (1946–2003) grew up just north of New York City and commuted to Manhattan for high school before relocating to Lemmon, South Dakota, with his wife, writer Kathleen Norris, to manage her maternal grandparents’ farm. A recipient of the Juniper Prize for his debut poetry collection, Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days (1976), Dwyer also published Other Men and Other Women (1988), completed with a National Endowment for the Arts grant, as well as numerous poems in renowned literary magazines and anthologies, including The New York Quarterly, The Agni Review, and The Virginia Quarterly Review.

This collection …

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. …

Good Trouble For Good Debt? A Comparative Analysis Of Financial Factors And Racial Differences In U.S. Student Loan Debt Burdens, Carlton R. Smith, Kim E. Bullington, Matthew J. Smith

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This study examines the relationship surrounding undergraduate student loan debt burdens and income levels post-graduation, focusing particularly on the financial impacts of both on Black student borrowers. Using two datasets from the National Center for Education Statistics, our quantitative analysis highlights that while student loan debt in and of itself is not problematic in theory, when combined with other factors and barriers, debt becomes an additional stressor potentially impeding student success during and after college. We offer short-, intermediate-, and long-term implications, while also highlighting examples of targeted intervention programs tailored to specifically benefit Black student borrowers.

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. …

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 …

Application Of A Scale-Resolving Turbulence Model To Supersonic Retropropulsion Flows In Earth And Martian Atmospheres, Rebecca Thompson

Theses

The Blended Partially-Averaged Navier-Stokes (BPANS) turbulence model was used to simulate complex turbulent compressible flows seen in supersonic retropropulsion (SRP). The model was incorporated in the OpenFOAM solver sonicFoam to investigate SRP flows in Earth and Martian atmospheres. The new sonicFoam with BPANS was first tested for subsonic flows using the shear flow benchmark case of flow around a cylinder. Results show good agreement of velocity profiles with experimental values. SonicFoam was then validated for compressible flows using an experimental SRP configuration. Pressure coefficient distribution along the forebody and aft body of the geometry show good agreement with experimental results. …

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 …

Development And Validation Of An Automated Image-Based Framework For Bubble Size And Velocity Measurement In Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket Experiments, Olivia Williams

Theses

Accurate measurement of bubble size and rise velocity is essential for characterizing multiphase flow behavior in Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (CNTR) experiments, where dynamic imaging conditions complicate traditional analysis methods. This thesis presents the development and validation of an automated image-based framework for extracting bubble equivalent diameter and rise velocity from high-speed experimental videos of injected gas bubbles rising through controlled liquid-filled volumes. Representative datasets include air bubbles injected into water and Sodium Polytungstate (SPT-3). The framework employs a staged analysis workflow with instance-level bubble segmentation using a Mask R-CNN model, secondary classification for detection verification, multi-object tracking, and velocity …

Modeling And Characterization Of Pond And Fresh Ash Leaching In Citric Acid, Christina Fleming

Theses

Resourcing rare earth elements (REEs) from coal ash offers the opportunity to recycle industrial waste and reduce national dependence on foreign suppliers. In this research, the leaching behaviors of pond and fresh ash were studied to evaluate their suitability for REE recovery. Concentrations of REEs in leachates were measured and compared to kinetic models from literature, and the ash was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to characterize the observed behaviors. The pond ash leachate exhibited lower REE concentrations with steady release patterns, likely due to the acid resistant, REE-bearing aluminosilicate glass phases. In contrast, the …

Experimental Characterization Of Gas-Injected Bubble Dynamics In Various Fluids And Injector Arrays For Centrifugal Nuclear Propulsion Applications, Julia Kondrat'yev

Theses

This study experimentally characterizes gas-injected bubble dynamics in analog fluids to establish baseline behavior for Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (CNTP) systems. Nitrogen was injected through mass flow ranges of 3.3E-05 to 9.6E-05 lbm/s through various injector arrays in a transparent tank apparatus using water or sodium polytungstate (SPT-3) to vary fluid properties. Four injector configuration cases were tested on a 4-in deep, clear-sided chamber at atmospheric surface pressure to examine the effects of fluid viscosity and density, circular injector diameter, injector location, and mass flow rate on bubble diameter, rise velocity, and plume structure. Bubble equivalent diameters, positions, and velocities …

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 …

High Strain Rate Behavior Of Soft Polymeric Materials : Polymer-Bonded Explosive Simulants And Polyimide Aerogels, Benjamin Jeffrey Solomon

Theses

Soft polymeric materials exhibit strain sensitive behaviors and are used in various applications where dynamic loading conditions may be present, making understanding the responses at high rates vital to safe application. Investigation of the mechanical response of soft materials at high strain rates has proven challenging due to low forces, mismatching impedances, and longer times to obtain dynamic force equilibrium limiting the quality and accuracy of data acquisition. Two polymeric materials were evaluated in this study. The first is polymer-bonded explosive (PBX) 9501, which experiences dynamic loading during use as solid propellant and warhead explosive material. It is found that …

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 …

Influences Of Charge Structure And Storm Microphysics On The Relationship Between Optical And Vhf Lightning Observations, Kaitlyn Wheeler

Theses

Lightning observations provide valuable insight into convective intensity, storm structure, and microphysical processes. Much of the current understanding of lightning-convection relationships is derived from ground-based very high frequency (VHF) measurements, while space-based optical observations remain comparatively new. This study investigates how storm charge structure and microphysics influence observed optical lightning emissions using coordinated observations from the 2017 GOES-R Post Launch Test campaign. Optical measurements from the Fly’s Eye Geostationary Lightning Mapper Simulator were combined with Lightning Mapping Array observations for ordinary multicell storms exhibiting a normal charge structure on 18 April 2017 and a supercell exhibiting an anomalous charge structure …

Impacts Of Vertical Wind Shear And Coastal Friction On The Pre-Landfall Rapid Intensification Of Hurricane Nicholas (2021), Ethan O. Prunty

Theses

Predicting tropical cyclone (TC) rapid intensification (RI) under moderate-to-strong vertical wind shear (VWS) remains challenging, particularly when cyclogenesis and RI occur within 48 hours of landfall, as with Hurricane Nicholas (2021). This study analyzes Nicholas’ RI using NOAA’s Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System. Results reveal a two-stage vortex alignment before the early RI stage: diabatic heating first draws the mid-level center toward the low-level center, followed by cyclonic precession. A nearly-saturated core below 500 mb develops before RI onset as column-integrated moist static energy (MSE) increases, and the moistening process continues during the early RI stage as surface heat and …

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 …