Digital Commons Network^™

Panopticism And Pan-Oticism: Sound-Power From Foucault To Deleuze, Eric Dillenberger

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

From Muzak to long range acoustic devices (LRADs), the contemporary proliferation of sonic technologies for governing moods, behaviors, and potentialities complicates the virtual absence of sound within Michel Foucault's primarily visual modality of disciplinary power in Discipline and Punish, exemplified by his central conceptual model of the panopticon. This thesis develops the corollary concept of pan-oticism to theorize the transformation of sound-power and its political function within administered sonic ecologies from Foucault's disciplinary societies to Gilles Deleuze's societies of control. Within the enclosed spaces constitutive of disciplinary societies, sound-power remains subordinated to Foucault's visual logic of panopticism, extending …

Ai Slop, Jessica Silbey, Woodrow Hartzog

Faculty Scholarship

The term “AI slop” has become popular to describe the output of generative AI systems seen as voluminous, low quality, or the result of little effort. When AI-generated music and videos flood platforms, they are called slop. Peer-reviewed journals and legal tribunals are drowning in low-quality and low-reliability AI slop submissions.  Employees are seen to be producing mountains of slop in their reports and communications with each other. The term has inertia and heft, and the phenomenon has significant consequences. Most of them are not good.

But the boundaries of “AI slop” and its usefulness in policy discussions are not …

2026-09-01 Rivisal To Uar 906.02, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Proposed revisal to UAR 906.02 submitted to the Faculty Senate for review on September 1, 2026.

Patents And Incentives To Assign, License, Or Litigate, Keith N. Hylton

Faculty Scholarship

This paper presents a model of the activity of patent intermediaries and potential infringers in a system of costly patent litigation.  Because the intermediary, in comparison to the inventor, has a more credible threat to sue, both the revenue from infringement litigation and the intrinsic value of the patent are greater in the intermediary’s hands.  The central finding is that intermediaries license patents to potential infringers when infringement litigation is inefficient. Intermediaries tend to acquire high-quality patents from inventors and assign low-quality patents to potential infringers. Another issue this model addresses is the differential between the private and the social …

Greennet: Ai-Driven Routing Simulator For Sustainable Internet Energy Optimization, Olta Zagraxha

Theses

Reducing the energy consumption of communication networks while maintaining reliable service is an important challenge in sustainable computing. This capstone presents GreenNet, a simulation and evaluation framework designed to investigate whether energy-aware network control can reduce estimated energy consumption without unacceptable degradation in Quality of Service (QoS). GreenNet combines a graph-based network simulator, configurable traffic scenarios, and a web-based interface for examining network behavior and comparing control strategies. Three approaches are evaluated: an All-On baseline that keeps all links active, a rule-based heuristic that selectively deactivates links, and a hybrid controller based on Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), whose proposed actions …

Women Entrepreneurs In Kosovo: Family And Institutional Implications, Lona Arifi

Theses

Women’s entrepreneurship represents an important source of economic participation, job creation, and local development in Kosovo. Despite gradual progress, women entrepreneurs continue to face structural constraints linked to family responsibilities, unequal care burdens, and uneven institutional support. This study examines how family-related responsibilities and institutional support mechanisms interact to shape the entrepreneurial experiences of women entrepreneurs in Kosovo. The analysis is guided by the 5M framework of women’s entrepreneurship developed by Brush et al. (2009) and applies a mixed-methods research design combining survey data from 145 women-owned businesses, semi-structured interviews, and secondary evidence. The findings show that women entrepreneurs in …

Legal Geographies Of The Public Trust Doctrine, Alida Cantor, John P. Casellas Connors, Elizabeth Carlino

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Public Trust Doctrine (PTD) is a legal principle that recognizes a duty of the government to hold certain natural resources in trust for public benefit. The doctrine has been extended within the United States to address issues of water, coastal access, wildlife conservation, and climate change. Its implementation is spatially uneven and subjective, however, raising geographic questions around scale, power, and political economy. This article uses a legal geographic approach to understand the PTD. Focusing on water, wildlife, and atmospheric resources, we analyze themes of scale and jurisdiction, property and commons, and legal and environmental subjectivity. We argue that …

The Cross-Section Of Empirical Evidence And Personal Experience: A Deeper Look At School Resource Officers Through The Lens Of Demarcus A. Jenkins' Research On The Public Opinion Of Their Potential Removal From Public Schools, Quin Armstrong

University Honors Theses

Following the 2020 Black Lives Matter and Anti-Police movements, there were many discussions across the nation about possible changes to law enforcement operations. Among these discussions included specific discussions about what to do about law enforcement officers stationed in schools. These law enforcement officers are known as school resource officers, or SROs.

The focus of this thesis is specifically on Portland, Oregon's Portland Public School (PPS) district's decision to sever ties with the Portland Police Bureau, and what may have contributed to that ultimate decision. This is accomplished through an analysis of a research paper written by fellow Criminal Justice …

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence And Cancer Risk In Two Large European Prospective Cohorts, Emma Fontvieille, Vivian Viallon, Laia Peruchet-Noray, Quan Gan, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Yvonne Koop, Anne Tjønneland, Nicola Bondonno, Verena Katzke, Rudolf Kaaks, Matthias B. Schulze, Catarina Schiborn, Calogero Saieva, Vittorio Simeon, Claudia Agnoli, Rosario Tumino, Fulvio Ricceri, Leila Luján-Barroso, Maria José Sánchez, Conchi Moreno-Iribas, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Marc J. Gunter, Adam Butterworth, Elio Riboli, Heinz Freisling, Pietro Ferrari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Our study investigated the association between incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequent cancer risk in two large European prospective cohorts. We included 568,926 adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition and United Kingdom Biobank, all of whom were free of CVD, cancer and type 2 diabetes at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate cancer hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in relation to incident CVD events. CVD was treated as a time-varying exposure, and models accounted for time since CVD diagnosis and other lifestyle factors. Study-specific estimates were pooled using …

International Competency And Regulatory Standards In Osteopathic Practice: A Comparative Documentary Analysis Of Regulated And Formally Recognised Jurisdictions, Lee Muddle, Gopi Anne Mcleod, Loïc Treffel, Oliver P. Thomson, Ana Paula A. Ferreira, Brett Vaughan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To compare competency standards and regulatory expectations for osteopathic practice across jurisdictions where the profession is formally regulated or recognised as a healthcare profession. Methods: A documentary analysis was undertaken across regulated and formally recognised jurisdictions. National competency frameworks, regulatory standards and professional guidance documents were identified through regulatory and professional body websites and direct contact with relevant organisations. Nineteen national competency, regulatory or professional framework documents from 17 jurisdictions were included. The World Health Organization Benchmarks for Training in Osteopathy and EN16686 Osteopathic Healthcare Provision were included as international comparison points. Data were extracted using a structured template …

Characterising The Beyond 50 Cohort: Preliminary Exploration Of Physical And Psychosocial Health Factors And Substance Use Among A Cohort Of Community Dwelling Adults Aged 50–70 Years, Rose Laing, Tina Lam, Bosco Rowland, Paul Dietze, Aislinn Lalor, Keith D. Hill, Laura Alfrey, Nadine E. Andrew, Shalini Arunogiri, Stephen Bright, Louisa Picco, Suzanne Nielsen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Older adults exhibit unique risks associated with poor mental health and substance use. The Beyond 50 study is a longitudinal cohort investigating the determinants of healthy ageing, including relationships between physical and psychosocial health and substance use. We aim to characterise the Beyond 50 cohort and explore patterns of physical and psychosocial health and substance use. Methods: Baseline data collection was completed between September 2023 and August 2024. Annual follow-up data collection commenced in September 2024. Descriptive statistics will be used to characterise the cohort at the time of baseline survey completion. Results: Of the 1059 participants, the mean …

Culturally Safe Nursing: Transformative Learning Experiences Through Critical Reflection Assessment, Lesley Andrew, Michelle Pedlow, Bev Ewens

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To explore the transformative learning experiences of postgraduate nursing students engaging in an Aboriginal culture and history module, through an analysis of a critical reflection assessment, in particular the student development of cultural awareness and culturally safe practice.

Background: Despite mandated inclusion of Aboriginal cultural content in Australian nursing curricula, culturally unsafe practices and racism persist. Transformative learning, underpinned by critical reflection, can challenge fixed assumptions and promote cultural awareness and culturally safe care.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study using thematic analysis. Methods: Written critical reflections from 15 consenting postgraduate nursing students who completed the Ngany Kalyakal Katatjiny Boordawan …

Forty Years In The Making: Reporting On The Co-Creation Of A National Roadmap For Birthing On Country Services For The Best Start To Life, Res Mccalman, Anneka J. Bowman, Roianne West, Kristie Watego, Jyai Allen, Claire Clack, Sue Kildea, Sue Kruske, Melanie Briggs, Cleone Wellington, Rebecca Coddington, Yu Gao, Isabella Garti, Sascha Kowalenko, Sarah Ireland, Catherine Austin, John D. Boffa, Marah Prior, Kelsie Kahl, Bettina Chaseling, Sarah Khaw, Emily Armstrong, Donna Hartz (Kamilaroi), Yvette Roe (Njikena Jawuru)

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

For over 40 years, First Nations communities in Australia have called for community-controlled birthing and maternal–infant health programs that restore First Nations-led, community-controlled birthing systems grounded in cultural authority and sovereignty. ‘Birthing on Country’ services have demonstrated improved First Nations maternal–infant health outcomes, more babies kept out of the child protection system, and reduced health system costs. Restoration and expansion of Birthing on Country services across regions has been inconsistent, and has lacked support for national implementation. In 2022, a large national gathering (‘Best Start to Life’) was co-hosted in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). The focus was Birthing on Country service …

Stat 216.50: Introduction To Statistics, Scott Davis

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Introducing The Math Narrative Project, Liza Bondurant, Sarah Salisbury, Darolyn Flaggs, Belinda Edwards, Uchenna Miles, Daniel Kaufmann

Publications

Whether you teach calculus to engineering students, algebra to future teachers, or developmental math to first-generation college students, the students in your classroom carry narra- tives about mathematics—about whether they belong, wheth- er it matters, and whether asking for help is safe. You carry narratives too. We authors are mathematics educators who work across university classrooms, secondary schools, and teacher preparation programs in Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, and Pennsylvania. In this piece, we introduce the Math Nar- rative Project (2026), a professional development initiative led by the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity ([BranchED], n.d.) that we participated in as field testers. …

Capacity Development Priorities For Enduring Biodiversity Conservation: A New Methodology And Evidence From Peru, Katia Nakamura, Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek, Johanna Eklund, Jenny Brooks, Daniel C. Miller

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Capacity development is essential for long-term biodiversity conservation. Yet knowledge of conservation capacity development needs and priorities remains limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with high biodiversity and limited institutional capacity. This study addresses this gap by identifying and analyzing the priorities highlighted by conservation professionals in Peru. Using Q-methodology and open-ended surveys, we found three distinct perspectives from 27 conservation professionals working in Peru: strengthening legal enforcement and financing, shifting power to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and embedding conservation values in public norms. These perspectives reflect fundamentally different theories of change, yet converge in their call for …

Building Wellbeing Through Nature And Adventure For Justice-Involved Youth, Lewis Kogan, Meagan Ricks, Janna Coulter, Miranda Margetts, Lori Butterfield, Ben Ukoh-Eke

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Justice-involved youth often experience elevated levels of stress, mental health challenges, and reduced access to positive developmental opportunities. A nature- and adventure-based youth development program designed to strengthen resilience, self-efficacy, nature-connectedness, and well-being among justice-involved youth was piloted in 2025 to address these challenges. Pilot findings indicated improvements in resilience, self-efficacy, hopefulness, and connectedness to nature.

Expanding Access To Outdoor Recreation Through Adaptive Trail Riding In Utah, Makenna L. Pahlke

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Limited access to outdoor recreation limits opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy the physical and psychosocial benefits of horseback riding. The Utah State University Equine Experience, an Extension program focused on horses, assessed an adaptive trail riding initiative for participants aged 12 to 40. Findings showed improvements in confidence, self-awareness, engagement, and social connections, highlighting the public benefit of enhancing accessible equine-assisted activities.

Mechatronics: Fundamentals, Design, Integration, And Validation, Guoming Zhu

Mechatronics

This textbook is a product of Co-DREAM OER (Collaborative Development of Robotics, Mechatronics, and Advanced Manufacturing Open Educational Resources), an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education to develop open educational resource textbooks on robotics, mechatronics, and advanced manufacturing processes. The texts are written for students enrolled in 2-year associate’s, 4-year bachelor’s, and graduate-level courses. This specific text has been created by a team of scholars, students, support staff, and other professionals from across the country. It is intended for mechatronics courses for 4-year bachelor’s and graduate-level programs.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary’S Office Of Safety ‘Safety Academy’, Gabriel Dadi, Farshid Taherpour, Amanda Casolare

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Safety Academy was developed to provide a structured and practical safety training program that strengthens safety leadership, planning, communication, employee engagement, hazard recognition, and continuous improvement across KYTC operations. The program was refined over the course of multiple discussions with Cabinet representatives to ensure that the content reflected the needs and responsibilities of KYTC personnel. The final Safety Academy consists of six modules: Safety Academy Welcome, Safety Leadership, Safety Planning, Safety Engagement, Hazard Recognition, and Safety Academy Closeout and Evaluation. The modules combine instructional content with discussions, practical examples, group exercises, and KYTC-related scenarios to …

Remembering The Great Gumpert, Susan Drucker

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

No abstract provided.

A Gary Gumpert Remembrance, Lewis Freeman

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

No abstract provided.

Gary Gumpert As Mentor, Teacher, Friend, Thom Gencarelli

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

No abstract provided.

Remembering Gary Gumpert, Mary L. Kahl

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

No abstract provided.

Remembering Gary Gumpert, Lance Strate

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Thoughts on Gary Gumpert.

Finding One’S “Voice” Within A World Of Generative Generics: Exploring Human-Forward Strategies For Framing Student Assignments, Evelyn Plummer

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

The onset of A.I. applications has brought much consternation to all sectors of education. In the current phase, we are exploring the effective yet ethical adoption of A.I. tools. However, the presumption remains that A.I. is to be used for enhancing time efficiency & data comprehensiveness—as if those factors represent the best of all human endeavors. However, this GIFTS addresses a different learning objective: maintaining one’s authentic voice amid the generative tools which enable the outsourcing of one’s thinking, writing, and expression. The goal is to help students exercise autonomy and adaptation rather than relying on generated material which neither …

Personalizing Assignments In The Ai Era: The Role Of Engaged Pedagogy, Ann Liao

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) has taken the academic world by storm.  This G.I.F.T.S. paper argues that personalizing academic assignments may curb students’ tendency to copy and paste content from Gen AI outputs.  I demonstrate how I personalized a written assignment in one of my courses.  A total of 81 paper grades were analyzed, and no significant difference was found between students who engaged in personalizing their learning and those who did not.  Final course grades showed the same result.  Although no statistically significant difference was detected, personalizing assignments remains a valuable way to engage students in the Gen AI …

A Sign Of Our Times: Cities, Protest And Public Space, Susan Drucker

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

The U.S. is a country born out of protest, a nation which enshrined in its Constitution the right to assemble and petition the government, which includes the right to protest peacefully. Cities are spatial media and the site of much current contentiousness and controversy in the Trump administration’s America.  Cities can be symbols of protest such as sanctuary cities. Appropriation of everyday urban spaces and activities has been key to opposition politics. City streets have historically been the site of sign toting protesters watched o masked members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This paper explores the historical and …

Nonverbal Communication In New York Fashion Week, Lianna Cruz, Maia Coyle

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Nonverbal communication research has largely explored materiality and performance independently, leaving their joint role in meaning-making underexamined. The authors applied Langerian aesthetic theory and examined how three key kinesic variables intersect with clothing to create significance and symbolism by asking, “How do rhythm, body movement, and dance build meaning in New York Fashion Week?” Following Langer and Edward T. Hall, we conducted close visual analyses of three Spring and Fall 2025 New York Fashion Week shows: Coach, Off-White, and Thom Browne. Findings indicate that these variables build meaning by creating degrees of professionalism, reinforcing meanings through clothes, and renegotiating meanings …

Social Media Management: The Career That's Still Growing Up, Gabrielle Iorio

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

This paper explores social media management careers through in-depth interviews with 10 social media managers, analyzed using organizational communication theories. The interviewees reveal gendered and age-specific labor dynamics of the profession, struggles with mental health and work-life balance, and difficulty attaining internal visibility and fair compensation within organizations.