Digital Commons Network^™

A Systems Engineering-Based Method For Enabling Digital Transformation In A Binational Small Healthcare Enterprise, Manuel Adrian Alvarez Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The year 2020, often described as "the great accelerator" for emerging technologies, marked a period of significant transformation in lifestyles, work patterns, and business strategies. For instance, online meetings have become more convenient than in-person interactions, even with colleagues in neighboring offices. For small businesses, rapid regulatory and technological changes required swift adaptation, including the acquisition of new technologies, tools, and software to ensure survival. This transition also necessitated adopting indirect engagement, revising communication protocols, and digitally transforming information. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in essential service sectors face also a fundamental paradox: their dependence on the skills, relationships, and …

Language Attitudes In El Paso: Investigating Language Loyalty, Public Perception, And The Impact Of English-Only Policies, Dalton S. Ascone

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Language attitude studies have been a vital aspect of Sociolinguistics research along the U.S.-Mexico border, with significant contributions having been made by Hugo Mejias and his colleagues in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (1986; 2003) and Hidalgo (1986) in Ciudad Juarez. However, there has been a lack of updated language attitude research in the region in recent decades, particularly in the city of El Paso, which, up to now, has not been the subject of a general language attitude survey. The present project seeks to investigate the language attitudes of bilingual Spanish-speakers living in the El Paso region through the …

Unlearning Patriarchy And Reframing Gender Politics: Challenging White Feminist Identity And Men's Negotiated Resistance Toward Social Justice, Laura Erickson Alvarado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines gender politics and the unlearning of patriarchy in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, centering lived experiences of Latinas and Black women while critically engaging men's roles in both reproducing and challenging gender inequality. Grounded in Critical Pedagogy, intersectionality, Critical Race Theory (CRT)/LatCrit, and whiteness studies, the research employs a mixed-methods design, including metadata analysis, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and critical discourse analysis. Intersectionality serves as the analytical framework, highlighting how patriarchy, white supremacy, predatory capitalism, race, class, and geopolitics intersect to shape differentiated experiences of marginalization and agency. Critical consciousness is conceptualized as the capacity to link lived experiences …

What Are You Doing In My Classroom? -- Elementary Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Coaches, Maria Erika Avalos-Fernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study uses a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore elementary teachers' perspectives as they work with instructional coaches on their campuses. The primary purpose of the study is to examine teachers' perspectives and gain insight into how these interactions influence their professional practice. Participants included elementary teachers from a single campus in El Paso, Texas, all of whom have had experience working and collaborating with instructional coaches. The constructivist grounded theory provides a lens for examining participating teachers' lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Convenience sampling was used, allowing flexibility in selecting participants for the …

Bayesian Deep Learning For Photovoltaic Power Forecasting: A Probabilistic Framework For Uncertainty Quantification And Grid Reliability Optimization, Pablo Abraham Bustamante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the urgent need to decarbonize power systems, enhance energy security, and meet growing electricity demands. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power has emerged as a critical component of future energy infrastructure due to its abundance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, PV generation is inherently variable and weather-dependent, introducing significant uncertainty into grid operations and complicating the task of balancing supply and demand. Accurate forecasting of PV power generation-particularly on day-ahead and hour-ahead horizons-has become a strategic necessity for grid stability, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability. PV output is influenced by numerous factors, …

Bridging Industry And Academia In Engineering Leadership Education: Using Q Methodology To Identify The Viewpoints Of Engineering Professionals On Effective Engineering Leadership, Pamela Edith Campos Valles

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Engineering leadership has been recognized as a key professional skill by the U.S National Academy of Engineering, leading to increased attention and integration in engineering education research and development. The perception and recognition of leadership within the engineering field remains limited by the widespread definitions of leadership and limited characterization of engineering leaders. The Contextual Engineering Leadership Development framework is grounded on a discipline specific definition of engineering leadership and approaches to leadership development derived from engineering undergraduate programs. The use of this framework provides the opportunity to describe what engineering leaders prioritize, enabling the identification and characterization of …

Timing And Synchronization: Software And Hardware Approaches For Precision Maximizing, Christina Alicia Alejandra Carreon Jimenez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the design of synchronization mechanisms that allow multiple FPGA boards to operate as if they were a single coherent timing domain. The solutions span three layers: a software PLL for E1 telecommunication links, a PCIe-based timestamp exchange protocol, and a hardware-level multi-FPGA mesh architecture. Across these layers, the work demonstrates that practical, low-cost synchronization can achieve sub-microsecond accuracy without the burden of specialized hardware such as GPSDOs or White Rabbit infrastructure. Experiments show stable alignment within the nanosecond-microsecond range, validating the feasibility of the proposed methods for SDR and telecom applications.

Whirlpoole: A Creative Thesis And Analysis Of Creating Fiction From Real Life Experiences, Holly Marie Cesario

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

N/A

‘Enemy Communist Cocksuckers’: Conceptualizing Patriotic Masculinity In Threats To Election Officials, Alma Harrison

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on political violence demonstrates how certain aspects of masculinity are linked to asserting ideological authority and reinforcing exclusionary social identities through physical aggression, such as assaults, homicides, and gender-based violence. However, little research analyzes the use of violent threats as masculinity performances to achieve these same ends. To address this gap, this study analyzes messages from qualitative interviews with 26 election officials who experienced violent threats, examining performances of a distinct form of masculinity – patriotic masculinity – which fuses hegemonic masculine norms with patriotic values. Findings reveal ways in which actors construct and perform patriotic masculinity to frame …

The Intersection Of Occupational Therapy And Optometry In The Treatment Of Visual Impairments: Addressing An Unmet Need, Grace Bannon

Capstone Projects

The prevalence of visual impairments in the United States is substantial and anticipated to increase in severity over the coming decades. These impairments have wide-reaching consequences on an individual’s occupational performance in daily living. While both occupational therapists and optometrists focus on the relationship between visual function and engagement in meaningful and purposeful occupations across the lifespan, only a limited number of optometrists offer specialized vision therapy services. This gap emphasizes a growing demand for vision services to manage the needs of individuals with visual deficits. Therefore, this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) sought to bridge this gap by exploring the …

Identifying The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Suicide Prevention, Grey Buchheit

Capstone Projects

Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to identify and support individuals experiencing suicidal ideation; however, suicide prevention education remains limited within occupational therapy curricula despite its relevance across diverse practice settings. This doctoral capstone experience sought to address this educational gap by developing evidence-based suicide prevention resources for Western Michigan University's Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program while promoting student wellness and burnout prevention as complementary components of suicide prevention. Guided by a literature review, SWOT analysis, faculty interviews, and a needs assessment that included a survey of Level I fieldwork educators, this project identified opportunities to strengthen occupational therapy education related …

Supporting Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice For Young Adults: Resource Development For A Level I Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Clinic, Grace Campbell

Capstone Projects

Neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based practices are a growing area of focus within occupational therapy, viewing neurological differences as natural variations of human diversity rather than deficits to be corrected. This Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) focused on applying these perspectives within the Work-to-Work Clinic, a Level I occupational therapy fieldwork clinic that serves young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. Commonly-used assessments and treatment materials at the clinic were outdated, deficit-focused, and poorly suited to this population’s developmental stage, leaving many clients with unmet needs. Additionally, Level I fieldwork students are still developing clinical reasoning skills and …

The Back Page: Thanks, Mda, For 35 Years, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Retiring managing editor Dave Foe reflects on his 35-year tenure with the Michigan Dental Association. He traces the technological evolution of the Journal and the association's member communications from paper-based systems and typewriters to the digital era. Foe underscores the vital role of dental journalism as a pillar of the profession and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to have served Michigan dentists and documented their history for over three decades.

May 2026 Endorsed Programs News, Reva Darling

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This source details several MDA-endorsed services intended to improve practice efficiency and profitability. Key topics include selecting a fiduciary financial adviser, the regulatory requirements for surcharging credit cards to offset processing fees, and the cost-competitive benefits of the MDA Health Plan. It also promotes iCore solutions for Revenue Cycle Management, which automate insurance verification and billing to reduce administrative friction and enhance financial performance.

The 2026 Mda Award Winners: Recognizing Outstanding Service, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article lists the recipients of the 2026 MDA awards, highlighting their contributions to the dental profession and public health. Notable winners include Dr. Christopher Smiley, recipient of the Meritorious Award for a lifetime of achievement in dental journalism and leadership, and Dr. Charles Burling, honored as Dentist Citizen of the Year for his community service. The feature also recognizes educators, legislative advocates, and volunteers in the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program who provide care to vulnerable populations.

Congratulations, Class Of 2026!, Mel Adler, Tina Croley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This commemorative piece celebrates the Class of 2026 graduates from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. It includes the full class names and composite photos, which are traditionally funded by the MDA Insurance & Financial Group. The article serves as a formal welcome to these new professionals entering the Michigan dental community, marking the successful completion of their rigorous doctoral education.

May 2026 Government And Insurance Affairs, James Budd Mpp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This report summarizes the MDA’s participation in the ADA's annual Lobby Day in Washington, D.C.. MDA representatives met with congressional offices to advocate for student loan reform, including interest-free deferment during residency (H.R. 2028), and ERISA reform to ensure consistent patient protections across all dental insurance plans (H.R. 7931). The update also highlights efforts to protect the federal oral health infrastructure and introduces the "Member Minute" program for submitting legislative and insurance questions directly to the advocacy team.

Pictured And Framed: A Media Analysis Of Local News Coverage Of The Unhoused In Fayetteville, Sabine Skoch

School of Social Work Undergraduate Honors Theses

Amid a growing housing crisis in Fayetteville, local media serves as an influential force in shaping public understanding of homelessness. This study examines how homelessness is framed in local news coverage through a reflexive thematic analysis of ten randomly selected articles published between May 2022 and November 2025. Guided by media framing and attribution theory, this analysis explores how causes, consequences, and solutions to homelessness are constructed within a rapidly growing Southern city.

Three central themes emerged. First, local reporting centers empathy through lived experiences and community testimonies, emphasizing dignity, vulnerability, and structural precarity rather than individual failure. Second, coverage …

Exploring Servingness Through Pedagogy: A Critical Case Study Of An Hispanic Serving Institution, Yemin Sánchez

Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic case study advances current understandings of what it means to teach at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and how faculty enact servingness within an HSI enrolling high indices of Latin@/Hispanic students. Drawing on decolonial, culturally sustaining and liberatory pedagogical frameworks, this study interrogates how constructs such as Hispanic, Latin@/Latinx, or coloniality shape the pedagogical conditions under which faculty operate. Using pláticas with ten faculty members, this research study demonstrates servingness is not a technique or an institutional designation, instead, it is a fluid and deeply humanizing ecology with five mutually reinforcing dimensions: Servingness as Relational Praxis, Servingness …

Together In Sync: Assessing Prosocial Behavior With A Full-Body Interactive Mixed Reality Experience, Sena Beste Ercan, Belen Gonzalez, Olga Gali, Gray Atherton, Liam Cross, Narcis Pares

School of Psychology

This study investigates how interpersonal synchrony (IPS) in full-body interactive Mixed Reality (MR) environments can shape children's prosocial behavior. We introduce DragonIce 2.0, a two-part MR game designed to induce synchronous or asynchronous group activity and assess their impact on prosocial behavior. To examine changes in affiliation (team belonging and peer liking) and collaboration (overt joint actions), we conducted a comparative study with children aged 9–10, using both system logs and self-report measures. The results highlight the importance of context, task structure, and perceived coordination in shaping social outcomes, offering insights into how interaction dynamics shape social engagement in immersive …

Draft Final 2026 Interim Site-Wide Groundwater Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

U.S. Shareholder Activism: Convergence With Japan, Nobuhisa Ishizuka

Faculty Scholarship

To many observers long accustomed to slow, incremental change, the current boom in shareholder activism in Japan comes as a surprise. The opening for U.S.-style activists was created by market conditions that eventually resulted in policy changes that attracted significant numbers of foreign investors. However, even the current market would not have emerged without a parallel evolution in U.S. hedge-fund tactics, which gradually shifted over a number of years to a sophisticated and more nuanced approach, one based on partnership and dialogue with target companies, in contrast to adversarial relationships and public campaigns. This article attempts to place current trends …

Climate Vulnerability In Context: Interpretations Of Risk And Reality In Maine And New Hampshire, Sophie Hope Goodwin

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examines the relationship between place-based climate vulnerability and belief in anthropogenic climate change in Maine and New Hampshire. While exposure-based models suggest that direct experience with environmental hazards should increase climate belief, sociological research emphasizes the role of political ideology and social context in shaping attitudes. Using county-level measures from the U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index combined with individual survey data from the Pine Tree State Poll and Granite State Poll, this study evaluates whether multidimensional climate vulnerability is associated with belief that climate change is happening now and is primarily caused by human activities. Results from three-step logistic …

Support Leads To Success: Exploring Culturally Responsive And Relevant Education For Tertiary Level Students Of Color, Aisha Milaham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Culturally responsive and relevant education (CRRE) teaching practice are crucial to implement at the tertiary level to support post-graduate preparation for students from marginalized communities. This case study explores the impact, or lack thereof, of these teaching principles in a higher education program specifically created to support diverse populations of students in preparing for graduate level studies and professions in academia. Data were collected via one-on-one interviews with students and staff in the program. Data were then analyzed to explore the extent to which culturally CRRE principles were integrated into TP and how that integration impacted student preparation for academia. …

Developing A Questionnaire For The Interoceptive Awareness Of Stuttering, Leslie Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stuttering is commonly measured through its overt characteristics (blocks, prolongations, and repetitions). This equates to stuttering “severity,” or the frequency of these behaviors. This method, however, does not reflect the lived experience of adults who stutter. This “measurement problem” has been the subject of numerous studies. In this graduate thesis, the measurement problem is addressed by using qualitative data previously gathered by Malcolm (2024) from adults who stutter about the internal experience of stuttering to create survey. Quotes from adults who stutter were gathered, categorized, edited for clarity, and formatted into a survey, The Multidimensional Interoceptive Awareness of Stuttering Scale …

Advancing Apparel Education Through 3d Simulation In Vstitcher: Confidence, Competence, And Career Readiness In Higher Education, Jonah Diniakos Graham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rapid adoption of 3D garment simulation in the apparel industry has created new demands of higher education to better prepare students with both technical proficiency and confidence within digital design platforms to better enable them for many career avenues. This study examines the integration of Browzwear’s VStitcher in an undergraduate apparel production course, addressing the need to assess both competence and self-confidence in digital garment construction while also fostering broader career readiness competencies. Guided by a combination of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT), the study emphasizes the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the shaping …

Quantifying The Short-Term Hydrogeologic Responses Of Highway Construction In Hot Springs, Arkansas, Billy Jack Summerford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In late 2020, excavation for the Highway 5 Bypass in Hot Springs, Arkansas exposed seepage faces along roadcut walls. Groundwater levels at nearby wells decreased by up to 20.9 ft and have remained ~20 ft below pre-construction values on average. This study quantifies changes in storage in the unconfined aquifer within the Hot Springs thermal recharge zone associated with the seepage faces using a numerical groundwater model calibrated to pre-construction head at well ARb4. Model scenarios are used to evaluate whether construction-induced seepage or drought best explains the decrease from late 2020 to early 2021. The numerical groundwater simulation represented …

Exploring A 'Fishy' Solution: Uncovering Human Norovirus Using A Zebrafish Model, Sahaana Chandran

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide; however, the lack of robust laboratory culture systems and reliable animal models has limited progress in understanding viral replication and developing effective intervention strategies. While alternative models such as the zebrafish system have been explored, gaps remain in evaluating their ability to support replication across diverse HuNoV strains and in identifying factors that influence infectivity. This dissertation provides a comprehensive investigation into the use of the zebrafish model for studying viral replication, host interactions, and potential inhibition strategies. Initial studies focused on optimizing viral delivery methods using Tulane virus …

Marvelous And Disturbing: Surreal Imagery, Elaboration And The Limits Of Persuasion In Women's Health Journalism, Shelby Elizabeth Gill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1930s, surrealism has lent its abstract hand to journalism, offering a visual language for topics that resist literal depiction. Given its historical and often fraught association with the female form, surrealist imagery has found a natural home in editorial coverage of women's health, most recently in reporting on endometriosis, a condition whose invisible, stigmatized and difficult-to-articulate experience makes conventional photojournalism an inadequate representational tool. The present study experimentally compared surreal imagery, realistic imagery and a text-only control condition to assess their effects on knowledge acquisition, comprehension, attitudinal responses, perceived risk and behavioral intentions related to endometriosis in a …

Design And Optimization To Advance Silicon Carbide Modules For Medium Voltage High Power Applications, Ahmed Ismail

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The commercial availability of the first 10 kV silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET removes the principal semiconductor barrier to medium-voltage power conversion, enabling converter topologies that are structurally inaccessible to silicon IGBT solutions at this voltage class. This dissertation presents the characterization infrastructure, device-level data, and preliminary system-level validation needed to advance the deployment of the third-generation 10 kV SiC MOSFET in converter applications. A custom-built 10 kV double-pulse test platform is developed with a fully documented component-sizing methodology, custom medium-voltage magnetics, and a measurement infrastructure capable of high bandwidth waveform capture at kilovolt common-mode potentials. On this platform, the third-generation …