Digital Commons Network^™

The Evolution Of Topological Structures In Climate Networks, Kiera Kelly

Theses

We investigate higher-order interactions in climate networks using topological data analysis (TDA) and analyze their evolution since 1948. Using the correlation between surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies, we define relationships between spatial locations and examine the patterns that emerge over time. We extend the framework of temporal climate networks and apply TDA methods, including persistent homology, curvature analysis, and the Euler characteristic, to identify dynamic structural features. Persistent homology tracks the births and deaths of topological features such as connected components and loops. Curvature quantifies a node’s participation in higher- order structures (cliques), while the Euler characteristic captures global trends …

Inside The World Of Probation Officers: Challenges, Perspectives, And Purpose, Achilles A.C. Beumel

Honors Theses

In the United States, probation is the most commonly imposed criminal sentence, necessitating an abundance of probation officers (POs) to serve the system. Given high rates of failed reentry in tandem with high rates of recidivism, there have been calls for a reevaluation of post-conviction supervision systems and strategies, including the PO. The PO is the final form of assistance provided by the criminal justice system to those facing reentry and can heavily impact a client’s likelihood of recidivism. Despite years of research and attempted reform, more studies are still needed to determine strategies for successful reentry outcomes. This study …

Examining Data Quality Management Practices In Light Of The Adoption Of Llms And Genai: Closing The Gap Between Iq Theory And Iq Practice, Venant Habamungu

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) has intensified longstanding data quality concerns while exposing important gaps in current Data Quality Management (DQM) practice. This dissertation examines whether widely used DQM frameworks sufficiently address semantic data quality dimensions that are critical for trustworthy GenAI and LLM applications. Guided by Information Quality (IQ) theory, particularly the Wang and Strong conceptualization of data quality, the study evaluates selected DQM frameworks used in practice to determine the extent to which they emphasize semantic dimensions such as accuracy, value-added, relevancy, objectivity, reputation, believability, security, and appropriate amount of …

The Cost Of Compassion: Mixed Methods Insights Into Healthcare Chaplains’ Experiences Of Workplace Violence, Dana Fachner

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare workers’ exposure to workplace violence has been well documented, with research emphasizing both its frequency and severity among clinical staff like physicians and nurses. Still, one group remains markedly overlooked: healthcare chaplains. Despite their frequent presence in high-stress, unpredictable, and emotionally charged situations, chaplains have never before been included in research regarding healthcare workers’ exposure to workplace violence. Healthcare chaplains provide spiritual and emotional care to patients, families, and staff by offering support that is culturally sensitive and appropriate to patients’ religious traditions. Chaplains collaborate with medical teams to deliver holistic care and are involved in a wide range …

Proceed With Caution: Ethical & Technical Guidelines For Using Artificial Intelligence In Strategic Communication, Delani Watkins

Student Work

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how strategic communication professionals plan, deliver, and measure the effectiveness of their messages. AI offers an opportunity to enhance efficiency with generative text platforms, predictive analytics, and automated social listening tools. However, it also introduces ethical risks, including misinformation, data bias, and reduced transparency. The core question guiding this project is: How can strategic communication professionals ethically and effectively integrate AI tools into their work to improve communication outcomes while maintaining integrity, accountability, and human oversight?

This project begins with the guiding idea that AI must be governed by clear ethical and technical guidelines. Strategic …

The Okc Model: Exploring Nonprofit-Led Innovation District Development, Mickey D. Loveless Ii

Student Work

This capstone project consisted of a paper and podcasts on the Innovation district in Oklahoma City.

Innovation districts have emerged over the past decade as a prominent strategy in contemporary urban economic development, reflecting broader shifts in how innovation is produced, shared, and sustained. Rather than existing in isolated research parks or corporate campuses, innovation is becoming more dependent on dense, place-based ecosystems where proximity fosters interaction across sectors. These districts are not simply physical spaces, but coordinated environments where research institutions, private industry, and civic actors intersect to generate both economic and social value. Early models of innovation districts …

Storytelling As A Pedagogical Tool For Improving Memory In Lectures, Sydney E. Rutter

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine if utilizing storytelling in lectures caused a positive effect on students' memory over a week-long period. Storytelling has been used as a mnemonic device to improve memory, however its benefits have not been experimented much in higher education. In this study, 53 undergraduate psychology students were placed into two groups: traditional lecture or storytelling lecture. Students then watched the lecture they were assigned, both lectures discussed the ASURE model. A week later, students returned and took a 17 question memory test. Results indicated that students who watched the storytelling lecture performed significantly …

An Analysis Of Accounting Topics Through Case Studies, Nathan J. Hilzinger

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses and evaluates various contemporary accounting topics and issues through five different case studies in both a group and individual setting. These cases are intended to give students an opportunity to research a broad range of topics and get an in-depth view of different companies, economists, and current events relating to accounting and broader business topics. Through this process students are required to use their financial accounting knowledge gained from previous classes, critical thinking skills, and continue to develop their writing skills in both an educational and professional capacity. The content of this thesis is largely derived from …

The Myth Of The Italiani Brava Gente In Cinema Since 1945, Bradley P. Reimer

Honors Theses

The myth of the italiani brava gente has been intertwined with cinema since the end of the Second World War. This thesis aims to examine the ways in which these movies, from neorealist classics to disregarded comedies, are influenced by this myth.

By analyzing thirteen films of both Italian and American origin, clear trends begin to emerge between the socioeconomic state of Italy and the ways in which the myth is manifested on the silver screen. When Italy emerges from the war a rebuilding country, the films focus on the futility of war and the evil of Nazi Germany. During …

Dissecting The Connection Between Technological Advancement And Environmental Justice Through An International Perspective, Benson H. Le

Honors Theses

This thesis dissects the connection between technological advancement and environmental justice through an international perspective. With modern-day technologies advancing by the day, the implications of these technologies on our environment have been rising as well. This thesis looks to dissect the connection between these two entities, as well as view this connection through an international lens. Countries around the world view this connection very differently, and the way these technologies are implemented within the environment is drastically different based on different international views. This thesis aims to answer the questions about this phenomenon. How do countries around the world view …

Penitential Systems In The Latin West And Byzantine East, Elijah C. Dodson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the development and organization of penitential discipline in early medieval Christianity through a comparison of the penitential tradition associated with Theodore of Canterbury in the Latin West and the canons attributed to John the Faster in the Byzantine East. The study focuses on how these texts regulated sexual sin and what their structures reveal about the institutional role of the Church in different historical contexts. The analysis is based on a comparative reading of penitential texts, supported by patristic writings and modern scholarship. By examining how specific categories of sexual misconduct are classified and disciplined, this study …

The Price To Rent Ratio As An Indicator For Valuation In The U.S. Real Estate Market, Timothy C. Mahaffey

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the usefulness of the price-to-rent ratio as a primary indicator of housing market valuation within fifteen Metropolitan Statistical Areas that have universities (MSAs). While traditional economic theory suggests that housing prices and rents maintain a stable long-run relationship, recent market volatility has challenged the reliability of this metric. This study utilizes a localized, trend-based analysis to determine the extent to which deviations in the price-to-rent ratio signal genuine market overvaluation or undervaluation.

The empirical results demonstrate a high degree of correlation between ratio deviations and home value trajectories. During the 2021–2022 period, all 15 analyzed cities experienced …

Unequal Paths: Experiences Navigating The U.S. Naturalization Process And The Role Of Education, Cecilia Rayburn

Honors Theses

This study examines how educational attainment shapes immigrants’ experiences with the U.S. naturalization process, with a focus on how education influences confidence, access to resources, and the ability to manage bureaucratic demands. While the legal requirements for naturalization are standardized, the ability to navigate them varies widely across individuals. Applicants’ experiences reveal that the U.S. naturalization process is often more complex and unequal than it may appear. This research was conducted through five semi-structured interviews with naturalized citizens of varying levels of higher education. These interviews explored participants’ experiences with the application process, including their preparedness, access to support systems, …

Spaceforge: Spatial Reconstruction For Signal Simulations, Compton Ross

Honors Theses

Signal simulation environments require accurate three dimensional representations of physical spaces, yet current methods for generating these representations, including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning, manual 3D modeling, and commercial photogrammetry, are both costly and time intensive. SpaceForge addresses this gap with a prompt guided pipeline that takes an ordinary indoor photograph and a configurable set of simulation relevant object categories as input and produces a voxelized 3D scene compatible with downstream signal simulation workflows. The pipeline proceeds through five major stages: open set object detection and segmentation, object level preprocessing, single image 3D mesh reconstruction, heuristic pose estimation and …

The Proportionality Trap: Why Retributivism's Core Principle Falls Short, Neely C. Kiihnl

Honors Theses

The notion that punishment should “fit” the crime dates back to legal retribution’s origins. Retributivism posits that offenders deserve punishment matching the severity of their crimes, lending intuitive appeal over utilitarianism, which critics argue ignores moral wrongdoing by focusing solely on social benefits like reduced harm.

Yet Adam Kolber’s work exposes proportionality’s vagueness: it raises more problems and questions than it solves. In the first section of this paper, the concept of proportionality is explored in more depth. The second section, led by Kolber’s critiques, casts doubt on the stability of proportionality. Finally, in the third section, I propose a …

The Impact Of Hearts For The Homeless On Students At The University Of Mississippi, Ellie Menszer

Honors Theses

Hearts for Homeless (H4H) is an international organization that works to help one of the most vulnerable populations for cardiac disease, the homeless, due to the lack of access to health care and information. At the University of Mississippi, H4H is a registered student organization that volunteers weekly at the Oxford Community Market (OXCM) to provide free blood pressure screenings and heart health information. H4H helps the community while also providing students with hands-on patient care experience. The goal of this research is to determine how volunteering with H4H impacts students at the University of Mississippi. A literature review informed …

Accounting 420 Case Studies Of Current Accounting Topics And Trends, Reed Anderson

Honors Theses

This thesis consists of six separate accounting cases including a three part case that analyzes the effects of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement on the company Conagra Brands. These cases were assigned by Dr. Dickinson during the 2024-2025 school year. During the fall semester, we were given four cases referencing different accounting related trends and were instructed to research these topics extensively. We were placed in groups where we could conduct research and consult amongst each other in order to expand our understanding of each topic provided. In between cases, we were lucky enough to hear from multiple …

Applied Accounting Perspectives: Case Studies In Theory, Regulation, And Practice, Zoe Justice

Honors Theses

This document includes two semesters of casework completed under the instruction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in ACCY 420. These case studies were designed to expose accounting students to more applicable research to their field of study that will help them in their future careers. This document includes a total of eight case studies, spanning various topics in the accounting field. Most cases were completed in a group, with a few being completed individually. For each case, the topic was researched thoroughly using online resources and a solution was proposed or observations synthesized. During the second half of the course, my …

Beyond The Numbers: A Patterson School Of Accountancy Practicum, Olivia R. Mardis

Honors Theses

This practicum comprises six case studies that explore a range of accounting topics. While each case stands independently, the work collectively emphasizes the interpretation of financial information. Although financial statements may appear to some as a series of abstract figures, accountants are trained to understand and apply the “language of business,” transforming numerical data into meaningful insights that inform decision-making.

The first case provides an objective analysis of a company’s Form 10-K, focusing on interpreting financial statements and using that interpretation to evaluate performance and guide decisions. The second case examines the Corporate Transparency Act, analyzing its intended purpose, potential …

Authenticity And Audience Relationships Among Nano-Influencers, Samantha O. Lichtenstein

Honors Theses

This study examines how nano-influencers with 2,500 to 25,000 Instagram followers utilize authenticity and vulnerability to build audience trust and drive engagement. Through a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 10 creators, the research identifies three core strategies: maintaining a digital best friend persona through reciprocal interaction, practicing "calibrated vulnerability" that balances personal disclosure with strict safety boundaries, and prioritizing ethical brand alignment to ensure honesty. Grounded in Parasocial Interaction Theory, the findings demonstrate that nano-influencers disrupt traditional one-way media models by fostering intimate, two-way relationships. Ultimately, the results suggest that for this influencer tier, success and consumer action are …

Community Composition Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Marisa Martin, Colin Jackson

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is an important resource for transportation, economic development, and recreation. Given its economic and cultural importance, it is crucial to maintain clean and safe conditions along the coast for public health, but other than routine beach monitoring, few studies have examined microbial contamination of coastal waters in this region. This study aimed to determine the quantity, composition, and distribution of bacteria resistant to six different antibiotics (Vancomycin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, or Amoxicillin) in seawater at seven public beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. No bacteria resistant to Ciprofloxacin were detected, and bacteria resistant to Kanamycin …

The War On American Consumers, William C. Morrill V

Honors Theses

In this work I seek to discuss the various avenues that consumers have been abused by both individual corporations and wider market trends. I also attempt to shed light on how recent consumer advocacy movements have been gaining momentum to combat these issues. The background information for this work has been collected through years of personal observation of the issues at hand. The areas of technology, automobiles, and agriculture that are featured prominently throughout the essay are all topics of either personal impact to myself and family or things that I have a hobby-like interest in. I have kept up …

Esports Cosmopolitan Canopy, Reice Hicks

Honors Theses

This thesis concerns the area of sociology. Specifically, it is a sociological study of a community on Ole Miss’s campus and how they form what is known within the sociology field as a “cosmopolitan canopy,” a term coined by Elijah Anderson. Using this term, I proceed to prove not only how the Ole Miss Esports club falls under this jurisdiction, but the effects of esports on the youth as a whole, both positive and negative. All of my data was extracted via literature review, online research, note-taking, visual observation, and one-on-one interviews with people involved with the club. The entire …

The Role Of Media Coverage Of Conflicts In Shaping Public Opinion: Exploring The Cnn Effect In The Russia-Ukraine War, Grace A. Landry

Honors Theses

This study examines how media coverage of the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 influenced public opinion and policy discourse in the United States through the lens of the CNN Effect, agenda-setting, and framing. Focusing on the initial reporting is important because it captures a moment of high uncertainty, when audiences and policymakers were most reliant on journalistic framing to interpret the conflict that is still ongoing today. This research utilizes a qualitative content analysis to analyze fifteen news articles from three major U.S. newspapers, the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, covering the …

Strategies U.S. Defense Industry Government Contractors Use To Train Unskilled Workers, Dartagnan Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Radiology Residency Staffing Models Across Years Of Training, Alex Zhang, Alexander Swantek, Adela Pouzar, Sayf Al-Katib

Posters

Case staffing is the primary method by which radiology residencies teach at the workstation. Despite this, the styles and methods for how staffing is performed have not yet been comprehensively described. Understanding these models and evaluating resident perspectives can inform best practices and enhance radiology education.

Equitable Exposure, Unequal Outcomes Summative Performance Following Clinical Integration Anatomy Laboratories, Christopher Ramus, Stefanie Attardi

Posters

Cadaver-based anatomy education remains essential but faces high content demands, limited physical and personnel resources, and a continually condensed timeline. These challenges necessitate efficient instructional efficient instructional strategies. Pedagogical research supports active learning strategies for better retention, engagement, and application.

Posttraumatic Symptoms As Predictors Of Engagement With A Mobile App For Coping After Military Sexual Trauma: Public Usage Data Analysis Study, Shilpa Hampole, Shannon Mccaslin-Rodrigo, Valerie Carr, David Schuster, Sofia Reyes, Sarah Senti, Kelly M. Ramsey, Jason E. Owen, W. Christopher Skidmore, Amy E. Street, Katherine Taylor, Margaret Anne Mackintosh

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: Military sexual trauma (MST) can have significant adverse effects on mental health and well-being, often leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and maladaptive beliefs. Although effective psychotherapies exist, stigma, confidentiality concerns, and systemic barriers often hinder help-seeking among service members and veterans. Mobile mental health apps offer an accessible and anonymous support alternative, potentially addressing such barriers. However, app effectiveness depends on user engagement and emerging evidence suggests that engagement may be shaped by symptom severity. Objective: This retrospective observational study aimed to explore the relationship between posttraumatic symptom severity and user engagement with Beyond MST (US Department …

May 7, 2026

The Breeze, 2020-

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Artificial Intelligence–Circular Economy Framework For Sustainable Industrial Waste Management System: Case Study From The Carpet Industry Supply Chain, Noha Mostafa

Mechanical Engineering

Waste management has become a critical issue in industry due to its environmental and  economic impact. This urges societies to move towards circular economy and sustainability in managing wastes to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits that cannot be achieved by using traditional disposal methods. Artificial intelligence technologies can play an effective role in developing systems and applications that help in realizing circular economy approaches. This research explores using circular economy in the carpet industry with a focus on being eco-friendly and achieving operational excellence. Circular economy aims to use resources efficiently within a reduce, reuse, recycle paradigm. Critical literature …