Digital Commons Network^™

Building Engaged Readers: Fostering Students Engagement And Motivation, Breanna R. Gierak

Masters Projects

Student engagement and motivation are essential components of literacy development and academic achievement in elementary classrooms. However, research indicates that many elementary students are becoming disengaged due to a variety of factors, including increased technology use, decreased motivation, limited family involvement, and fewer opportunities for meaningful interactions around literacy. This masters project is grounded in research that examines the importance of fostering engagement and motivation in elementary literacy and synthesizes current research on the instructional practices that promote positive reading experiences. The literature highlights the influence of supportive classroom environments, teacher-student relationships, collaborative learning, purposeful technology integration, and storing family-school …

The Hidden Costs Of Accountability: Unpacking The Emotional Labor Of Student Conduct Work And Building Tools For Resilience, Tiffany Marlene Shierling

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation explored the psychological challenges student conduct administrators (SCAs) face in higher education. These professionals have encountered significant emotional labor, vicarious trauma, and ethical dilemmas as they address student misconduct while striving to achieve educational and developmental outcomes. The study highlighted a research gap concerning the impact of these challenges on the mental well-being of SCAs, which hinders the development of effective support systems. This study aimed to address the mental health needs of SCAs by developing a comprehensive toolkit. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, the toolkit provides resources for emotional self-regulation, supervisor training, and institutional recommendations.

Electronic Structure Discretization And Compression Using Diagonal Basis Sets, Casey Lee Dowdle

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Numerically solving the electronic structure problem is a fundamentally difficult problem due to the exponential growth in the dimension of the Hilbert space as the system size increases. In order to solve problems at a chemically relevant accuracy, both the choice of basis set and numerical method are important factors that are intrinsically connected.

In this thesis, we study the discretization and resulting compression of electronic Hamiltonians using diagonal basis sets. A diagonal basis set approximately diagonalizes the matrix and tensor representations of the one- and two-body potentials. This can reduce storage, simplify matrix-vector products, and lower the complexity of …

Advancing Maternal Health Equity In Nebraska: Examining Prenatal Care Access Disparities, Policy Context, And Doula Integration As A Complementary Solution, Marlette Grace Dulcinee Mabiala-Maye

Theses & Dissertations

Maternal health inequities persist across the United States, with Black, Native American, and immigrant-origin women facing disproportionate barriers to timely prenatal care. This dissertation examined access to prenatal care in Nebraska, a mixed rural and urban state with extensive maternity care deserts, through three interrelated aims. Aim 1 analyzed PRAMS data using survey-weighted regression with race-by-socioeconomic-status interactions to characterize disparities in the timing and barriers to care. Aim 2 evaluated the state’s October 2020 Medicaid expansion across pre-pandemic, acute pandemic, and post-expansion periods. Aim 3 applied qualitative description and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to interviews withtwenty-three maternity care …

Imsa Summer Symposium 2026, Student Inquiry And Research(Sir)

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

For nearly four decades, IMSA has worked to advance the human condition through educational innovation. The Summer Symposium is our annual showcase for the research projects that were conducted in IMSA’s experiential learning programs between May and August. These programs include Student Inquiry and Research (SIR), IN2 Business Internships, and the Student Research and Experiential Learning Opportunity (SRELO) program. For the first time, we are also excited to welcome IMSA Research, Inquiry Skills, and Experimentation (RISE) students to present at the Summer Symposium.

Interpreting Title Vi: Translation Theory And The Making Of Language Policy, Olivia A. Allred

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act provides the primary statutory basis for the development of policies supporting language access. Rather than explicitly requiring institutions to accommodate individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP), the statute establishes a broad prohibition against discrimination based on race, color, and national origin. This thesis examines the process through which that broad statutory mandate has been interpreted and applied to specific language-access policies.

To elucidate the application of language access polices at the federal level, this analysis focuses on three landmark Supreme Court decisions concerning Title VI: Lau v. Nichols, Regents of the University …

The Sound Of Branding: How Homophonic Store Names Shape Perceptions Through Pleasure And Persuasion, Tao Xu, Hua-Yu Cai, Yu-Hao Zheng, Xiazhao Chen, Juhua Meng, Lin-Rong Fan, Bo-Ya Wang

Plymouth Business School

PurposeDrawing on attribution theory and an interactive marketing perspective, this research examines how homophonic (vs. non-homophonic) store names, conceptualized as a form of offline consumer–message interaction, influence brand image through inferential and affective pathways and how informational cue type moderates these mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachAcross three scenario-based experiments, this research tests the effects of homophonic versus non-homophonic store names and examines the moderating role of informational cue types, including image-based, text-based and no-cue conditions.FindingsHomophonic names enhanced brand image via a dual-path mechanism: positively valenced persuasion knowledge, reflecting favorable inferences about merchant motives and perceived pleasure from meaning resolution. Image-based cues most clearly amplified …

Improving Pressure Injury Prevention Through Braden Scale Compliance And Education In The Emergency Department, Joycelyn Lee, Kira Simone Faerstain, Alyssa Kristine Ortiz, Ashley Briseida Cruz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Pressure injuries are a major burden in healthcare, particularly in the Emergency Department (ED). Patients can be sedentary for prolonged periods of time and don't always get their skin checked promptly. Patients visiting the ED often have comorbidities and patient-specific medical needs, such as seniors with fragile skin, malnourishment, immobility, etc. At a Southern Los Angeles Hospital, leadership found that there was a need for improvement in this area. Implementing standardized risk assessment methods can help to improve the consistent use of the Braden Scale as a predictive and preventive tool for identifying patients' risk for pressure injuries and promoting …

A Middle School Reading Intervention Framework, Ryan Patrick Eder

Masters Projects

Middle school students face increasing literacy demands as they transition from learning to read toward reading to learn content knowledge in science, social studies, and other subjects. However, reading intervention frameworks found in most elementary and middle schools may not fully meet the growing cognitive, academic, and affective needs of middle school students. The purpose of this project is to present a schoolwide reading intervention framework designed for middle school students. Drawing from current research, the proposed framework integrates daily, teacher-assisted intervention and enrichment with data-driven identification of students’ specific literacy growth points using rigorous, grade-level informational texts to provide …

Enhancing Algae Biofilm Quantity And Value Through Controlled Light Intensity For Treatment Of Municipal Anaerobic Digestor Effluent, Joshua D. Wintch, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Student Research

Rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABRs) have been shown to remove nutrients from wastewater and to cultivate algae for bioproducts. Another key variable in RABR technology for cultivating microalgae biomass is light intensity. The goal of this study was to address a gap in the design and operation of algae biofilm reactors by analyzing the effects of light intensity on biomass quality and quantity, chemical precipitation of phosphorus, and phosphorus uptake into biomass. This study utilized a triplicate laboratory-scale experiment with PAR intensities from 10 to 2000 µmol m⁻²·s⁻¹. Municipal wastewater anaerobic digester effluent (ADE) was utilized …

Self-State Shifts During Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Associations With Trauma History And The Functions Of Self-Harm, Katie E. Callahan

Dissertations, 2020-current

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a clinically significant behavior associated with substantial psychological distress and elevated suicide risk. Despite considerable research on the emotional triggers and functional implications of NSSI, the internal relational states activated during self-harm remain poorly understood. This study examined shifts in self-directed relational patterns during NSSI episodes using the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) model and Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT) theory. A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted with 125 participants who reported current or past NSSI. Residualized change scores were computed to index shifts in self-state between general and NSSI conditions. Measures included the SASB-based …

Fall Risk In Community-Dwelling Adults: A Comparison Of English And Spanish-Speaking Individuals, Jesus D. Gomez

Dissertations, 2020-current

Falls are a leading cause of injury-related mortality among middle-aged and older adults. Although vestibular dysfunction, hearing loss, behavioral factors, and social determinants of health have been associated with increased fall risk, few studies have examined these relationships. Furthermore, limited research in audiology and vestibular science has investigated fall-risk vulnerability among Spanish-speaking individuals.

This study aimed to: (1) estimate the prevalence of fall risk among community-dwelling adults and compare prevalence between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking participants; (2) assess the prevalence of previously undiagnosed benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and compare prevalence between language groups; and (3) develop predictive models of fall …

African American Gold Star Mothers: Race, Black Motherhood, Loyalism And European Superiority In The First World War, Giovanni Nickolette Gibbs

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis examines the US government’s pilgrimages for Gold Star Mothers of the First World War. It focuses on the Jim-Crowing of black Gold Star Mothers. Through the analysis of archival records, letters, telegrams, newspaper articles, poems, and secondary literature, the thesis explores how two domineering forces, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the federal government of the United States of America, captured dissension when seeking to send black Gold Star Mothers on segregated pilgrimages to Europe. The War Department’s announcement that the widows’ pilgrimages to Europe in the 1930s would be segregated caused a great …

Imsa Summer Symposium 2026, Student Inquiry And Reserach Reserach (Sir)

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

For nearly four decades, IMSA has worked to advance the human condition through educational innovation. The Summer Symposium is our annual showcase for the research projects that were conducted in IMSA’s experiential learning programs between May and August. These programs include Student Inquiry and Research (SIR), IN2 Business Internships, and the Student Research and Experiential Learning Opportunity (SRELO) program. For the first time, we are also excited to welcome IMSA Research, Inquiry Skills, and Experimentation (RISE) students to present at the Summer Symposium.

Cover Design

Luke Berryman

Brain Perivascular Macrophages Regulate Endothelial Cell Function Via A Cmaf-Dependent Transcriptional Program In Mouse And Human, Simone Brioschi, Julia A Belk, Steffen E Storck, Yue Wu, Zhuoying Wang, Ziang Feng, Lynn Van Olst, Josie L Emery, Raki Sudan, Junjie Wu, Siling Du, Marco Genua, Federica La Terza, Alex J Edwards, Khai M Nguyen, Jessie Sanford, Daniel D Lee, Mattia Bugatti, Arnold J Federico, Yun Chen, Zuoxu Wang, Silvia Penati, Patrick Fernandes Rodrigues, Alina Ulezko Antonova, Hui Qi Loo, Igor Smirnov, Susan Gilfillan, Carmen M Halabi, Jennifer Ponce, Jun Yan, Howard Y Chang, Gwendalyn J Randolph, William Vermi, Marina Cella, Michael Meers, Renato Ostuni, David Gate, Aivi T Nguyen, Carlos Cruchaga, Song Hu, Jonathan Kipnis, Marco Colonna

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Brain perivascular macrophages maintain brain physiology, yet their transcriptional regulators and functions in health and disease remain unclear. Using single-cell multi-omics and functional experiments, we identify cellular musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene (cMAF) as a key transcription factor for brain perivascular macrophages, and conditional deletion of cMAF disrupts their phenotype in vivo. Functionally, cMAF drives insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) expression in perivascular macrophages, enabling communication with endothelial cells. Consistently, cMAF deletion in perivascular macrophages causes transcriptional alterations in cerebral arteries, affecting vascular functions. Notably, cMAF emerges as the main transcription factor for human perivascular macrophages, suggesting conservation of this transcriptional module. During …

Re: Approval Letter For The Diggings East 100% Remedial Design Package Submittal (Dated July 23, 2026), The 100% Sbcca Programmatic Technical Specifications Submittal (Technical Specifications) (Dated May 29, 2026), The Final Revised Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Construction Quality Assurance Plan (Cqap) (Dated July 29, 2026), The Final Sbcca Construction Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated July 29, 2026), And The Final Sbcca Materials Management Plan (Mmp) (Dated July 29, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Cultural Tailoring Of Digital Nutrition Interventions: A Scoping Review Of Adaptation Strategies, Evaluation Methods, And Evidence Gaps, Wendy Liang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Nutrition-related chronic diseases disproportionately affect culturally diverse populations, highlighting the need for effective and equitable interventions. Digital nutrition interventions have expanded rapidly due to their accessibility; however, the extent to which they incorporate and evaluate cultural tailoring remains unclear.

Research aim: This scoping review maps the existing evidence on culturally tailored digital nutrition interventions, describes cultural adaptation strategies used, examines methods used to evaluate cultural appropriateness, and identifies gaps for future research and public health practice.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Findings: Culturally tailored digital nutrition interventions generally improved participant engagement, acceptability, and dietary …

Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Building Fluent Readers: Developing Comprehensive Reading Fluency In K-2 Classrooms, Erika Yersak

Masters Projects

Despite extensive research establishing reading fluency as essential to literacy development, many early elementary students fail to achieve grade-level fluency, compromising their reading comprehension and academic success.  Fluency instruction has been narrowed to measuring reading speed, dismissed beyond third grade, and taught as an isolated skill disconnected from authentic reading across content areas.  While research demonstrates that fluency encompasses accuracy, automaticity, and prosody and should be integrated meaningfully across disciplines, many K-2 teachers lack practical resources and guidance for implementing comprehensive fluency instruction in their classrooms.

To address this gap, this project presents a research-based fluency integration guidebook for K-2 …

Establishing Partnerships Between Families, Schools, And Communities To Support Family Involvement In Literacy Education, Matraca Bourdo

Masters Projects

As the percentage of fourth grade students reading at a proficient level continues to decline, schools are seeking effective ways to improve literacy education and student achievement. Research emphasizes the importance of early literacy development in supporting academic success and lifelong learning. However, not all families have the same background knowledge of literacy skills and how to develop them with their children. Partnerships between schools, families, and communities can provide the support and resources needed while working toward the goal of improving student achievement.

The purpose of this project is to implement a team that partners with families to educate …

Building Culturally Informed Classrooms Through Professional Learning, Samantha Grimm

Masters Projects

Black Americans remain disadvantaged within today’s current education system. Teachers are not always equipped with equitable resources and teaching practices to effectively teach literacy to historically marginalized groups, where cultural differences are complex. When teachers utilize a culturally informed pedagogy that values students’ cultural identities, personal and academic achievement are enhanced. Culturally informed instruction builds upon previous research by Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, and Gholdy Muhammad. This project is designed to support teachers when working alongside culturally diverse students. The resources created in this project are intended to create positive and equitable learning experiences for Black students. These students deserve …

The Parkinson's Pathway: Enhancing Knowledge And Care Management In Skilled Nursing, Kaitlyn Chau

Master's Projects and Capstones

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is commonly diagnosed among the older population, contributing to high utilization of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. Objective: SNF A’s current onboarding and training program for staff discussed general geriatric topics but failed to include structured PD-specific education. This may lead to gaps in competence, confidence, and workflow related to PD care and management, resulting in low quality of patient care, poor health outcomes, and decreased safety and satisfaction. Aim: The project aimed to establish and incorporate a structured PD-specialized education program within a SNF located in Northern California, to increase employees’ self-reported confidence, competence, …

When Policy Meets Public Distrust: A Social Network Analysis On Indonesia's Mbg Program, Rizky Fauziah, Rehia Karenina Isabella Barus, Ressi Dwiana

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

The Indonesian government program Free Nutritious Meal, locally abbreviated as MBG, launched in early 2025, has generated significant public controversy. Data from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) indicate that, as of August 2025, approximately 4,000 students across Indonesia had reportedly suffered food poisoning associated with the program. This situation has fueled widespread public concern and contributed to declining trust in government. This study aims to analyze communication networks surrounding the MBG on the social media platform X. This study draws on Trust and Distrust Theory and employs a Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach to examine how …

Retired Doctors As Users Of Patient-Facing Electronic Health Records: A Mixed-Methods Survey In The Uk And Spain, Ray Jones, Shang-Ming Zhou, Angeles Lazcoz, Brian Mcmillan, Olanrewaju Bamidele, Richard Fitton, Brian Fisher, Mar Soler-Lopez, Charlotte R. Blease

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BackgroundOnline patient access to electronic records is expanding internationally but remains contested. Although practising clinicians’ concerns are well documented, less is known about the views of retired doctors who are more likely themselves to be patients. We explored the experience of retired doctors in accessing their own medical records as patients in the UK and Spain.MethodsWe conducted an anonymous mixed-methods online survey of retired doctors aged 60 years and over in the UK and Spain. Participants reported their experiences of accessing their own medical records and their views on whether online access should be available to all patients. Quantitative analyses …

Cultivating Civility: A Multicomponent Approach To Reducing Workplace Incivility In An Assisted Living Facility, Sanam Bral, Kaylyn Chang, Catherine Dinh, Sanjil Kumar, Truc Mai Moon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Workplace incivility remains a common challenge in healthcare, negatively affecting communication, staff well-being, and the quality and safety of resident care. Baseline survey findings from a faith-based assisted living facility in Southern California identified concerns related to workplace incivility, psychological safety, and gaps in staff knowledge of available reporting resources. This project aimed to reduce workplace incivility by improving staff knowledge and recognition of uncivil behaviors, with a target of at least 90% staff training attendance among nursing, assistive nursing, and medical technicians, and 80% attendee-reported high confidence level (agree or strongly agree) in recognizing incivility and understanding reporting options. …

Fireready Oc: Developing A Public Health Protocol For Wildland-Urban Interface (Wui) Fire Events In Orange County, Christian Andre O. Gequillo, Allyson Hayakawa, Selin Erdogan, Natalie Albarran

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective/Problem: Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) fires expose communities to a greater number of hazardous pollutants than traditional wildfires and can pose significant health risks; however, Orange County does not have a standardized public health protocol to address WUI fires. A review of the literature identified the need for standardized WUI fire guidance that is focused on improved preparedness and response. Aim: The FireReady OC quality improvement project aimed to develop an evidence-based public health protocol to improve Orange County’s public health preparedness and response for WUI fire events from 0% to 10% during the 12-week period from May 27, 2026, to …

Improving Nursing Adherence To Chg Bathing And Pivc Maintenance Practices To Reduce Hospital-Onset Bacteremia In An Adult Medical-Surgical Unit, Mohabat Barikzai, Dinazar Altamirano, Edward Rivas, Sarah Trilles

Master's Projects and Capstones

Preventing hospital-onset bacteremia (HOB) is a healthcare priority given its association with increased morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare costs. Literature identifies inconsistent adherence to evidence-based practices for chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing and peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) maintenance as a modifiable risk factor for HOB. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated whether implementing standardized nurse education, routine compliance audits, and performance feedback would improve adherence to evidence-based CHG bathing and PIVC maintenance practices. The project aimed to achieve at least 90% nursing compliance with HOB prevention practices over an intended 8-week implementation period. A pre-post quality improvement design was implemented …

Food For Thought: Building Confidence In Healthy Food Choices Among Seniors In A Residential Facility Through Nutrition Education, Amy Rodríguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project evaluated the effectiveness of a 10-week nutrition education program designed to improve nutrition knowledge and confidence among independently living older adults residing in a low-income senior housing community. Aim By August 10, 2026, this project aimed to increase average nutrition knowledge and confidence scores related to selecting nutritious foods and preparing healthy meals by 20% among senior housing facility residents. Methods A microsystem assessment, literature review, SWOT analysis, fishbone diagram, and GANTT chart were completed to guide project development and implementation. Weekly nutrition education workshops were conducted over a 10-week period and included presentations, group discussions, …

In The Loop: Delivering Consistent, Compassionate Communication At Every Step Of The Ed Journey, Karina Basilio

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Nearly 70% of patients in the emergency department (ED) at Hospital X are never roomed and instead wait in the main waiting area for evaluation, results, or disposition. Frequently, without structured updates on their plan of care, expected wait time, or next steps. This communication gap leaves patients feeling forgotten and disengaged from their own care. It is associated nationally with lower satisfaction, increased anxiety, and higher rates of patients leaving without being seen. Context: Hospital X is a mid-sized, community-based acute-care hospital in the Bay Area, California, serving a diverse patient population, with an ED that …

Breaking The Silence: Standardizing Routine Intimate Partner Violence Screening At A Community Clinic Serving The Latinx Community, Victoria M. Hall

Master's Projects and Capstones

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects the Latinx population disproportionately due to socioeconomic status, cultural stigma, and language barriers. However, routine screening remains inconsistent and unstandardized at a local community clinic in San Francisco’s Mission District, despite evidence-based practices recommending it. The gap in IPV screenings across the Adult, Teens, and Women’s clinics resulted in only 1.6% of patients being screened in July 2025 and 4.1% in June 2026. This quality improvement project aimed to address low screening rates by standardizing IPV screening through a printed bilingual screener, a 60-minute staff in-service on IPV and the new screening protocol, and by …