Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Youtube Finance Influencers: Guidance Or Hype For Generation Z?, Alyse Alfred

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This study evaluates the content of YouTube finance influencers (finfluencers) to assess whether they provide overly promotional advice or can help improve the low financial literacy of Generation Z. A total of 407 videos sampled using the nine knowledge areas tested in the TIAA Institute Personal Finance Index (P-Fin Index) were analyzed using Structural Topic Modeling (STM). Eight topics were observed in the videos, ranging from general literacy to emergency planning. Comparing the observed topics to the P-Fin Index categories showed that finfluencers address six of the nine key areas of financial literacy, with gaps in the coverage of long-term …

Generation Z And The Ai Misinformation Paradox: Understanding A New Digital Vulnerability, Cecilia Cooley, Elizabeth Sperber

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This paper asks: How and why is Generation Z more vulnerable to AI-generated misinformation and disinformation than older generations? Using a comparative review of recent empirical studies, survey data, and meta-analyses from 2019–2025, this paper synthesizes research on Gen Z’s exposure to and interaction with AI-produced content across social media platforms. Although it is commonly assumed that Gen Z ’s technological exposure and fluency make them better equipped to recognize false information, findings show the opposite: Gen Z is consistently outperformed by older cohorts in detecting AI-generated falsehoods. This vulnerability stems from three intersecting factors: (1) the sheer volume of …

Mothers On The Ballot: Gender And Partisan Dynamics In The Evaluation Of Maternal Political Candidates, Jimena Sanchez

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

While scholarly research on the interaction between gender and political candidacy has grown, there is limited research on the way mothers are perceived in politics when they choose to run for office. The goal of the paper is to answer the following research question: how do partisanship and gender influences public perceptions of mothers running for political office, and to what extent does social desirability shape these attitudes? Through a list experiment, I surveyed individuals in the United States to capture the beliefs of the public toward mothers running for political office. Specifically, I analyze the opinions of survey participants …

Urban Removal: The Long-Term Impacts Of The Displacement Of Denver’S Auraria Neighborhood, Sophia Krout, Reginald A. Byron

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

In the early 1970s, the Auraria Center for Higher Education was developed, displacing a well-established Denver Latino neighborhood, which encompassed a 38-block district at the time, including 155 families, 49 single individuals, and 237 businesses, and clearing the way for the establishment of the Metropolitan State University of Denver, the University of Colorado Denver, and Denver Community College. The implementation of remedial measures for the displacement has fallen short of meeting the needs of displaced residents. The residents were promised affordable education through a program named the Displaced Aurarian Scholarship, which has similarly stated intentions of improving the educational attainment …

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Sophia Wismar, Henry Staats, Allison Metzler, Chloe Puckett, Rachel Levine, Christa Kilpatrick, Scott Wolf, Joe Walsh, Grace Doolittle, John Engebreston, Zoe Lopez, Christopher Aaby, Audrey Duff, Timothy Sisk, Katelyn Lamberton, Angela Narayan, Gilkah Argueta, Habiba Samir, Girena Tesfazghi, Genet Kenore, Sinit Tesfamariam, Effley Brooks, Abi Newell, Megan Doherty, Natalie Baer, Lexi Blood, Talya Riciputi, Jessica Jimenez, Devin Hernandez, Lynn Clark, Taj Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Allen Rutman, Mira Pronobis, Tess Carson, Anna Sher, Frankie Stroud, Tamra Pearson D'Estree, Alyssa Wilson, Emily Melnick, Jenalee Doom, Yihang Gao, Gwendolyn Geiger, Noah Gettle, Scott Nichols, Clare Ayoub, Cara Dienno, Sunny Walker, Zoe Hansen, Maya Wheeler, Addison Rice, Patrick Martin, Sanjana Acharya, Daniel Mcintosh, Amanda Mckellips, Calli Cain, Justin Blake, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Natalie Miller, Max Weisbuch, Sophia Dellota, John Macikas, Charlotte Snow, Mark Siemens, Zoe Lynch, Alex Huffman, Prachi Shah, Jason Roney, Halcyon Levi, Nicole Herzog, Andrea Koly, Daniel Linseman, Annie London, Xi Yang, Avery Zwisler, Jane Smith, Chaz Contag, Michael Kerwin, Lucy Rand, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Nissa Tapper, Guiming Zhang, Mateo Mazariego-Halpern, Keith Meyer, Julie Do, Dakota Park-Ozee, Travis Herink, Kara Neu, Jonathan Plomin, Eve-Odine Duchaufour, Debbie Gale Mitchell, Tennyson Anderson-Stricklin, Lily Treitz, Samantha Rosenberger, Sierra Griffith, Finley Joseph, Daniel Sampson, Emmy Davis, Skyler Kasnoff, Evon Lopez, Vivian Nguyen, Cassy Young, Franklin Sellner, Martin Tobon, Ila Graham, Zach Billings, Holden Hedit, Decatur Boland, Paul Kosempel, Cory Chandler, Jay Mahoney, Sam Dragan, Susan Dagget, Yarrow Ator, Heidi Vuletich, Owen Weber, Andrew Kloeppel, Petersen Gray, Mandi Schaeffer-Fry, Razleen Bassra, Bryanna Rodriguez, Christina Blue, Taubie Sanders, Rachel Epstein, Luke Milburn, Camryn Evans, Ezra Martinez, Mary Westwood, Gabri Notov, Robin Tinghitella, Lilou Cabrol, Eli Barbour, Juliet Mendik, Selma Myers, Zac Wise, Noah Fahlin, Michelle Knowles, Abigail Hopper, Michael Greenberger, Romi Laclair, Sarah Watamura, Sabrina Efroymson, Casey Barker, Sydney Seltzer, Bryn Yehle, Jennifer Hoffman, Sara Garcia, Ryuka Nagamine, Trevor Briggs, Remy Le Boeuf, Elena Krone, Eileen Farrell, Regan O'Rourke, Elena Roel, Greg Mortimer, Ali Ayoub, Stefani Langehennig, Caitlin Turk, Logan Scmid, Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, Karen Kim, Tatiana Peccedi, Courtney Cassidy, John Sebesta, Rhianna Lewis, Janice Bening-Lacek, Vivian Lawless, Mckenna Hanson, Jeffrey Amidon, Riya Joshi, Ram Ambre, Brady Worrell, Perrin Schneider, Ali Azadani, Brooke Agulnek, Lyndsie Salvagio, Elise Siemanowki, Yan Qin, Andre Allen, Melodie Nguyen, Megan Livengood, Abby Reams, Saffron Hartreeve, Bri Wylie, Sarah Brookman, Mariah Loiacono, Green Russo, Abhia Lodhi, Gabrielle Welsh, Nika Spehar, Shahked Levin, Evrim Baykal, Kimberly Chiew, Jocelyn Torres, Kailey Hicks, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Bellows, Akam Chahal, Madeline Tepper, Shannon Murphy, Alexa Fonseca, Deborah Han, Cassandra Perez, Oluwatoyin Alaba, Julia Roncoroni, Vy Nguyen, Nana Burn, Sarah Sasse, Rubin Tuder, Anthony Gerber, Nancy Lorenzon, Christine Vohwinkel, Camryn Gunter, Tristan Weber, Sam Rommel, Brian Michel, Muskan Fatima, Alannah Oleson, Kira Frey, Edward Garrido, Beckett Morris, Kerstin Haring, Drew Middleton, Abigail Walpert, Liam Dee, Gabby Ishaw, Cole Carnes, Maddie Weiser, Claire Fox, Valeriia Vlasenko, Kateri Mcrae, Riley Smith, Abigail Templin, Kushani Rajapaksha

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Effects Of A Complexity-Based Expressive Language Treatment On Comprehension In Children With Down Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation, Aliese M. Pedro

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether a complexity-based expressive morphosyntactic intervention targeting auxiliary BE questions improves morphosyntactic, vocabulary, and narrative comprehension in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). Two participants (ages 15;11 and 14;2) received intervention delivered over 15 and 12 sessions, respectively, using a structured narrative-based protocol. Comprehension was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Fifth Edition (CELF-5) Following Directions subtest, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fifth Edition (PPVT-5), the Test of Narrative Language-Second Edition (TNL-2), and the Test of Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI) Grammaticality Judgment (GJ) task. Results indicate no reliable or clinically significant improvements in comprehension across …

An Exploration Of The Lived Experience Of Married Couples Impacted By Aphasia, Summer Ewell

Theses and Dissertations

People with aphasia and those closest to them experience changes in their lives and relationships due to aphasia. These changes may be particularly impactful for married couples. The aim of this study was to increase understanding of the dynamic and complex experiences of couples impacted by aphasia and to add personal perspectives to the creation of practical treatments and resources. Twenty-eight participants (14 married couples) participated in both individual and couples' semi-structured interviews, resulting in 42 total interviews for analysis. Participants answered open-ended questions about aphasia's influence on the couple's communication and relationship. Interviews were then transcribed orthographically and coded …

Quantum And Structural Effects Captured Via A Statistical Method: The Sacm Applied To Hcn And Hnc Colliding With Co, F. Tonolo, Ernesto Quintas-Sánchez, A. Batista-Planas, Richard Dawes, F. Lique

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study spotlights the statistical adiabatic channel model as an efficient and accurate method for deriving low-temperature (de)-excitation rate coefficients for collisions induced by heavy projectiles. For such systems, fully quantum treatments become intractable, while quasi-classical methods fail at low temperature. Here, we demonstrate that the statistical adiabatic channel model overcomes these limitations by combining statistical sampling with an adiabatic channel representation. Its application to the HCN and HNC isomers colliding with CO yields rate coefficients in quantitative agreement with full quantum results benchmarked for the lowest total angular momentum. These systems are relevant for modeling cometary comae, where reliable …

Spectator 2026-05-28, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Ole Miss Continues Boren Scholarship Success With Six New Awardees, Marisa C. Atkinson

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Six University of Mississippi students have been selected as Boren Scholars by the National Security Education Program.

Patron-Client Relationship Undermines Sustainable Fishery Governance: A Case Of Small-Scale Fishing Certification In Sulawesi, Indonesia, Desiree Simandjuntak

Forest and Society

One of the ways market-based fishery governance attempts to boost sustainable fishing is through economic incentive. Offered as an above-market price to producers, it is commonly practiced in seafood certification to encourage sustainable and equitable production. However, certification is mainly inaccessible to small-scale fishers who are typically tied to pre-existing patron-client relationship, particularly those from developing economies. This study analyzes the extent to which economic incentive can benefit small-scale fishers amidst the intricate power imbalance in producer community. Based on a ten-month ethnography study in Sulawesi, Indonesia, it finds that prevalent patronage impedes participating fishers' income as it is affected …

Lindenwood To Host St. Charles County Executive Debate, Lindenwood University

Archived Lindenwood Press Releases

No abstract provided.

Environmental Ethics And The (Dis)Continuity Of Meaning In Experience And Nature, Harrison S. Jackson

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Bridging The Justice Gap: A Comparative Study Of Legal Aid Marketing In Canada, Australia, And The United States, Farah O. Haq

Student Theses and Dissertations

Access to justice remains a central challenge across legal systems, particularly for immigrants and refugees, Indigenous communities, and survivors of domestic violence. While legal aid organizations play a critical role in bridging this gap, their effectiveness increasingly depends on how clearly and compassionately they communicate legal information online to their target audience. This thesis conducts a comparative content analysis of nine nonprofit legal aid organizations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, three countries united by a common law tradition but divided by the communication barriers their communities face, examining 180 social media posts and nine websites through the lens …

The Importance Of Career And Retirement Services For Student Athletes, Vincent R. Giuliano

Masters Projects

There are hundreds of thousands of collegiate student-athletes competing in organized sports in the NCAA. Research shows the different resources that are available to them during their time competing, as well as how sports can open different opportunities for them during their competitive years. However, once this is over, an individual may realize they spent their time becoming an athlete and not enough time on their holistic well-being and professional development due to time constraints, identity engulfment, etc. While institutions do well in nurturing students during their competitive years, they lack in considering the retirement of these student-athletes. This project's …

What Is Fsma Section 204, The Food Traceability Rule?, Hema Lingireddy, Amanda J. Deering, Tari Gary, Scott Monroe, Katheryn Parraga, Rama Radhakrishna

Purdue Extension Numbered Publications

The Food Traceability Rule is a federal food safety regulation. In this publication, Purdue University researchers provide a plain-language overview of the rule, why it was created and how it differs from other FSMA requirements. This publication pairs with FS-74-W and FS-75-W.

The Food Traceability Rule — Who Does It Cover? Fsma Section 204: A Practical Guide For Small And Midsize Operations, Hema Lingireddy, Amanda J. Deering, Tari Gary, Scott Monroe, Katheryn Parraga, Rama Radhakrishna

Purdue Extension Numbered Publications

Does the Food Traceability Rule apply to your operation? The answer matters, and that’s the reason for this publication by Purdue University researchers. It’s aimed at helping growers, processors and other food system stakeholders make good decisions as FSMA Section 204 takes effect. This publication pairs with FS-73-W and FS-75-W.

Backscattering By Particles Of Sizes <0.2 Μm In Seawater, Xiaodong Zhang, Yuanheng Xiong

Faculty Publications

We measured the angular scattering functions at 517 nm in different size fractions, including bulk and very small particles (VSP for diameters <0.2 μm), in a variety of waters ranging from coasts to open oceans and from surface to depths as deep as 3,000 m. The measurements revealed a strong covariation in backscattering between VSP and bulk particle populations. The fractional contribution by VSP decreases from 60% in clear oceanic water where bulk particle backscattering coefficient bbp is on the order of 0.001 m⁻¹ to <2% in turbid coastal water where bbp ∼0.1 m⁻¹. An empirical model is developed (r² = 0.89) to estimate bbp for VSP from the bulk bbp, which can now be routinely obtained from satellite observations.

The 1st International Workshop On Foundations And Architectures For The Agentic Web, Boualem Benatallah, Pradyumna Chari, Abul Ehtesham, Abderrahmane Maaradji, Luca Muscariello, Fatma Outay, Ramesh Raskar, Yacine Sam, Sabrina Senatore, Aditi Singh

All Works

The Agentic Web is emerging as billions of AI agents discover, communicate, and coordinate across the open Web, shifting from isolated models to Web-Inetgrated entities. This workshop explores the state of the art, open challenges, and emerging research directions in the foundations and architectures of the Agentic Web. It provides a forum for researchers and practitioners to examine interoperable architectures, protocols, and standards enabling AI agents to operate as first-class Web entities. Beyond technical interoperability, it also adresses economic and societal mechanisms including reputation, governance, accountability, and large-scale coordination.

Unlocking The Colleague Next Door, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

The structural barriers that isolate faculty from one another—individualistic reward systems, professional identity protection, disciplinary silos, fragmented time—have been documented in detail elsewhere. This paper begins where that analysis ends. Its sole focus is solutions: what actually works, what you can do without waiting for your institution to change, and most importantly, what you can do today. It is organized in three movements: evidence-based institutional strategies, community-level structures any group of faculty can build, and a granular map of the smallest possible individual first steps—the ones that cost almost nothing and have an outsized probability of changing how you experience …

Food Traceability Rule Vs. Produce Safety Rule, Hema Lingireddy, Amanda J. Deering, Tari Gary, Scott Monroe, Katheryn Parraga, Rama Radhakrishna

Purdue Extension Numbered Publications

The federal Food Traceability Rule and Produce Safety Rule address different but complementary aspects of food safety. In this publication, Purdue University researchers support understanding and clarification by explaining the differences and how the rules work together within the Food Safety Modernization Act. This publication pairs with FS-73-W and FS-74-W.

Movement, Residency, And Behavioral Plasticity Of Reef Manta Rays In The Samarai Islands Of Papua New Guinea, Anna Knochel, Joanna Harris, Shannon Murphy, Annie Murray, Guy M.W. Stevens, Mark Erdmann

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) is a highly mobile pelagic marine ray found throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, but investigation into their behavior and ecology within Papua New Guinea has not been previously undertaken. Furthermore, the home range, dispersal characteristics, and inter-seasonal fine-scale habitat use of this species is limited. To address these data gaps and investigate the vertical and horizontal habitat use of a previously unstudied population, SPLASH10-F-321A pop-off archival satellite tags were used to track ten adult individuals from 4–181 days between 2016–2018 across two distinct monsoonal periods in the Samarai Islands of …

Leading In The Classroom Empowering Educators In Paraguay, Carissa State Gober, Donna Zerr, Jason Clemensen, Aaron Hurt

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Here’s a simplified version of the abstract with clear, straightforward language:

Abstract

In May 2026, faculty and staff from Pittsburg State University gave presentations in Asunción and Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. The sessions focused on practical topics for educators and students, including strategies for teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), ways to use artificial intelligence in education, leadership tips, and international opportunities available at Pittsburg State University. Each session encouraged participation and discussion, helping connect Paraguayan educators and students with new ideas and resources. These events showed the university’s commitment to building international partnerships, supporting teachers with useful …

Social, Economic, And Environmental Sustainability Of Small-Scale Hydroponic Farms, Alexa Genevieve Kaminski

Theses

Controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) is well-positioned to contribute to a more sustainable food system. It has the potential to offset some of the negative impacts of conventional agriculture through its ability to optimize the crop growing environment, locate production closer to population centers, and take advantage of non-arable land. The focus of this dissertation is one type of CEA: the hydroponic container farm (HCF). The HCF grows crops using only water and fertilizer inside a 40-foot shipping container that can be located anywhere in the world. Manufacturers are optimistic about this farm’s abilities, but little research exists that investigates the …

Hope And Resilience For Families Affected By Alcoholism Within The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing (Dhh) Community, Jessica Ellen Kuehne

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation will cover research-based information about family alcoholism, children of alcoholics (COA), and adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) and explore how it impacts the Deaf community. Cultural considerations regarding alcohol use will be included in the presentation. The purpose of the workshop is to engage participants in increasing their knowledge and understanding of working with the unique group. It is important to note that the lack of studies and resources focusing on family alcoholism which impacts a group of COAs and ACOAs in the Deaf community. The presentation will begin with a brief overview of how family alcoholism impacts …

Plant-Derived Bioactives, The Gut-Brain Axis, And Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mechanistic Roles Of Diet-Microbiota Interactions, Ashley Reynolds, Ethan Glenn, Brigitte Lavoie, Suzanne L. Ishaq, Yanyan Li

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Diet is increasingly recognized as a potential upstream modulator of the gut-brain axis (GBA) through its effects on the microbiome, microbial metabolites, and host immune and endocrine responses. The GBA is a complex, bidirectional network connecting the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, with diet influencing microbial community structure and metabolic output. Plant-based diets, such as Mediterranean and MIND, have been associated with increased production of anti-inflammatory microbial metabolites and improved barrier function, while high calorie/low nutrient diets are often linked to increased immune activation and barrier dysfunction. However, while microbial metabolites, especially short-chain fatty acids, indoles, bile acids, and …

A Political Ecology Of The Orang Rimba's Struggle And Existence In Jambi, Indonesia, Aditya Dipta Anindita, Arya Hadi Dharmawan, Soeryo Adiwibowo, Didik Suharjito

Forest and Society

Since the 1970s, forest conversion in the name of development has encroached upon the living spaces of the Orang Rimba, a forest-dwelling indigenous group in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Some of the forest areas, which serve as the cultural and livelihood foundation for this hunter-gatherer community, have been transformed into transmigrant settlements and oil palm plantations, while the remaining forests were designated as a National Park in 2000. Although they still have access to the national park, many Orang Rimba have built their livelihoods among the oil palm trees—not as owners or workers, but believing that these lands are their ancestral …

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Inc. V. State Ex Rel. Office Of The Nevada Attorney General (Civil), 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 40 (May 28, 2026), Charnel Gibson

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

Nevada’s parental notification abortion statute is likely unconstitutionally vague because it fails to provide physicians with adequate notice of the conduct required and permits arbitrary enforcement.

The Relationship Between Musical Ability And Perceptual Skills For Speech Motor Learning In Young Adults, Emily Catmull

Theses and Dissertations

Speech motor learning is the multimodal process of acquiring speech sounds. Speech motor learning is trained through speech-language pathologist intervention in individuals across the lifespan. Previous research has explored which factors can influence speech motor learning, such as musical experience or training, which is the subject of this study. Sixty young adult participants (four male, 56 female) were recruited as part of a larger study that examined four possibly influential factors: bilingualism, phonetic knowledge, perceptual skills, and musical experience. Since the adult population has already acquired all the speech sounds in English, learning was measured using nonnative consonant clusters. Participants …

Structure Of Ergosteryl-Aspartate Synthase Reveals How An Entrapped Trna Is Used Like A Prosthetic Swinging Arm In The Synthesis Of Aminoacylated Sterols, Hanako Murayama, Nathaniel Yakobov, Nassira Mahmoudi, Sasha Legrosdidier, Nicolas Fournier, Solène Zuttion, Kanata Matsumoto, Michihiro Nishimura, Jingwei Ji, Bruno Senger, Laurence Huck, Howard Gamper, Yoshiaki Kise, Ralph Kleiner, Mathieu Frechin, Ya-Ming Hou, Hubert Becker, Yuzuru Itoh, Frédéric Fischer, Osamu Nureki

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Ergosteryl-3β-O-L-aspartate synthase (ErdS) catalyzes tRNA-dependent aspartylation of ergosterol, a lipid essential for fungal cell membrane integrity. However, the functional significance of ergosteryl-aspartate and the molecular mechanisms underlying its synthesis remain unclear. Here, we show that ErdS localization is highly dynamic and that Erg-Asp is required for proper hyphal growth, sporulation, and spore germination, and likely influences stress tolerance. The cryo-electron microscopy structure of ErdS revealed an unprecedented sterol-binding pocket. In addition, the structures in complex with a non-hydrolyzable Asp-N-tRNAAsp show a tRNA-guided intramolecular aminoacyl transfer mechanism between two functional domains of the enzyme. The CCA end of tRNAAsp undergoes a …