Digital Commons Network^™

Can An Ai System Be Creative? A Critical Perspective From Art And Engineering, Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau

Presidential Fellows Articles and Research

This paper examines the question of whether artificial intelligence (AI) systems can be creative, approached from the dual perspective of a researcher trained in electrical engineering, pattern recognition, machine learning, and neural networks, who has also spent most of his life engaged in the arts as actor, stage and film director, writer, composer, and visual artist, and in philosophy. Drawing on Margaret Boden’s foundational framework — both her three properties of creativity (novelty, surprise, and value) and her three types of creative processes (combinatorial, exploratory, and transformational) — the paper argues that AI systems are structurally incapable of creativity in …

Reality Check: How Avatar And Face Representation Affect The Perceptual Evaluation Of Synthesized Gestures, Haoyang Du, Yinghan Xu, John Dingliana, Brian Keegan, Rachel Mcdonnell, Cathy Ennis

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The capacity to create realistic virtual humans has progressed significantly, and such characters can be found in many applications across entertainment, education and health. As an essential element of interactive virtual humans, speech-driven 3D gesture generation still depends heavily on perceptual evaluation, yet studies often vary avatar appearance and facial presentation when judging the generated motions. Prior work suggests these visual choices can bias motion judgments, but controlled evidence remains limited. We address this gap with controlled evaluations of co-speech gestures across motion sources, spanning seven representative avatar renderings used in contemporary research and application pipelines. Our results show that …

One-For-All Community Search On Unseen Graphs, Mo Li, Zhaosong Zhao, Linlin Ding, Renata Borovica-Gajic, Zhongming Yao, Jianxin Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Community search is a fundamental graph-based retrieval problem that aims to identify a query-dependent subgraph whose nodes exhibit strong internal connectivity. While recent learning-based methods improve retrieval effectiveness via graph representation learning, they follow a ''one-use-one-train'' paradigm that requires retraining or fine-tuning for each target graph, leading to high data dependency, high training costs, and limited generalization. To handle this, we propose OFA-CS, a ''one-for-all'' community search framework trained once on source datasets and directly deployed to arbitrary unseen graphs without retraining or fine-tuning, while preserving strong performance. Specifically, we introduce a Spectral-Aware Feature Alignment module to unify feature dimensionality …

Visual-Motor Coordination In Automated Driving: Effects Of Temporal Urgency And Motor Demand On Intervention Behavior, Kailin Cui, Jonathan Chiu, Pranav Meda, Gaojian Huang, Yue Luo

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Occupational Applications: This study shows that time-critical automation intervention requests increase drivers’ visual-motor demands, reflected in measurable changes in driving performance and posture (i.e., limb engagement and trunk positioning) during transitions of control. These responses indicate that maneuver urgency and takeover timing can place elevated biomechanical and coordination demands on drivers, particularly in work-based automated driving. For ergonomics and human factors practice, the findings underscore the need to design automated transportation systems (e.g., ridesharing services) that align request timing with operators’ physical and perceptual capabilities. In occupational settings such as automated shuttles and fleet-supervised vehicles, intervention requests should provide adequate …

Reproduction Beyond Benchmarks: Constbert And Colbert-V2 Across Backends And Query Distributions, Utshab Kumar Ghosh, Ashish David, Shubham Chatterjee

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Reproducibility must validate architectural robustness, not just numerical accuracy. We evaluate ColBERT-v2 and ConstBERT across five dimensions, finding that while ConstBERT reproduces within 0.05% MRR@10 on MS-MARCO, both models show a drop of 86-97% on long, narrative queries (TREC ToT 2025). Ablations prove this failure is architectural: performance plateaus at 20 words because the MaxSim operator's uniform token weighting cannot distinguish signal from filler noise. Furthermore, undocumented backend parameters create an 8-point gap due to ConstBERT's sparse centroid coverage, and fine-tuning with 3x more data actually degrades performance by up to 29%. We conclude that architectural constraints in multi-vector retrieval …

The Female Voice, The Male Gaze: Ai Colonial Paradox And African Feminist Futures, Aishat Olayetunde Isiaq Mrs

ELO (un)supervised 2026

At ELO 2026, I propose to examine the feminization of artificial intelligence as a deliberate design choice rooted in a long history of technology and service labour. From the “Hello Girls” of early telephone switchboards to the default female voices of Siri, Alexa, and contemporary chatbots, technology has repeatedly been paired with performed femininity, framing assistance as innate, emotional, and subservient. This paper will critically analyze the paradoxical gendering of artificial intelligence, in which AI assistants are feminized to evoke care and service, while the algorithmic structures behind these systems remain embedded in patriarchal and colonial logics. Drawing on African …

The Question Is A Node: Online Quizzes As Interactive Non-Fiction, Michael Merriam

ELO (un)supervised 2026

The quiz is the most widely deployed form of interactive text in education. Even when it is not digitally administered, it presents a prompt, receives a response, and contains within it a formula determining the consequences of that response. A wrong answer is taken as a failure of learning (not mere recall) and, by virtue of their quasi-digital objectivity, a batch of low quiz scores might warn of difficulty in reaching benchmarks. Ergo, quizzes embody the automation of the supervisory function of the instructor, and the supervision of curricula. 

Quiz questions have something in common with nodes in digital interactive …

The Effect Of Blended Learning Style On Certain Motor And Skill Variables In Volleyball For Female Students, Hussein Alaa Abdel Hussein, Zaid Abbas Hassan Ali, Nahidah Abd Zaid Aldulimey

Modern Sport

The aim of the research was to identify the effect of the blended learning method on some motor and skill variables in volleyball among female students. The researchers followed the experimental method with a design of two equivalent groups. The research sample consisted of second-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Babylon, totaling 28 students, equally divided into a control group and an experimental group. Considering the research results, the researchers concluded that the experimental group showed a clear superiority in post-measurements over the control group in some motor and skill variables in volleyball. …

The Effect Of Using The Tasc Model On Learning The Volleyball Spike Skill For Students, Qaisar Mohammed Mahdi, Mohammed Qaisar Mohammed

Modern Sport

The research problem was identified through the researchers' observation of weak performance in the volleyball spike skill among second-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, despite their regular participation in practical volleyball sessions. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the effect of the TASC (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) model on learning the volleyball spike skill. This study is also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), which emphasizes ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. An experimental method was adopted using a two-group equivalent design (experimental and …

The Effect Of Skill Exercises Using Equipment On Some Functional Abilities And Learning The Handstand In Artistic Gymnastics For Students, Osama Abdul-Khaliq Kamel

Modern Sport

This research aims to determine the effect of skill exercises using equipment on some functional abilities and skill performance, specifically the handstand skill in artistic gymnastics for students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Diyala. The study also aimed to determine the effect of skill-based exercises using equipment on certain functional variables within the research sample. The researcher hypothesized that skill-based exercises using equipment have a statistically significant impact on some anaerobic functional abilities in learning the handstand gymnastics skill for students. The research population and sample consisted of (12) students representing the college's team, …

Depth-Dependent Characterization Of Vertical Cracks In Concrete Using Lamb Wave Active Sensing, Nontawat Srisapan, Theo Asumah, Roohollah Askari

Michigan Tech Publications

Vertical cracks in concrete present a major challenge for many conventional nondestructive testing methods (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) methods. Elastic wave-based approaches offer strong interaction with crack faces and depth sensitivity; however, their effectiveness is often limited by the lack of repeatable and tunable excitation sources. Repeatability is critical because scattered and attenuated signals require stacking to achieve adequate signal-to-noise ratios, while tunability is essential because key crack attributes are frequency-dependent and must be probed at appropriate wavelengths. In this study, we develop an active sensing system utilizing a linear impact actuator as a repeatable and tunable mechanical …

Depth-Dependent Characterization Of Vertical Cracks In Concrete Using Lamb Wave Active Sensing, Nontawat Srisapan, Theo Asumah, Roohollah Askari

Michigan Tech Publications

Vertical cracks in concrete present a major challenge for many conventional nondestructive testing methods (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) methods. Elastic wave-based approaches offer strong interaction with crack faces and depth sensitivity; however, their effectiveness is often limited by the lack of repeatable and tunable excitation sources. Repeatability is critical because scattered and attenuated signals require stacking to achieve adequate signal-to-noise ratios, while tunability is essential because key crack attributes are frequency-dependent and must be probed at appropriate wavelengths. In this study, we develop an active sensing system utilizing a linear impact actuator as a repeatable and tunable mechanical …

A Bayesian-Optimized Ensemble Deep Learning Framework For Automated Detection And Classification Of Retinal Diseases In Ghana Using Oct Images, Gifty Duah, Eric Nyarko, Gideon Nana Amo, Theophilus Dwamena Frimpong, Anani Lotsi

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Retinal diseases pose a significant global health challenge due to their potential to cause severe visual impairment and blindness. This study aimed to develop a robust deep learning ensemble framework for the automated detection and classification of retinal diseases from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. This study used OCT images from WATBORG Eye Services in Ghana, including glaucoma, macular edema, posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), and healthy eyes. The data preprocessing steps included augmentation, resizing, and one-hot encoding. The dataset was divided into training (56%), validation (14%), and testing (30%) sets using stratified sampling. Six convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures, Visual …

Complete Issue-Volume 44, Issue 4, Patricia Galloway, M. Philip Lucas, Frank Allen Dennis, Wayne Flynt, James W. Silver

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Choctaw Factionalism And Civil War, 1746-1750, Patricia Galloway

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Hazards For The Female Athlete: Disparities In Acl Injury Risk And The Evolving Research Base, Abby Skiena

Bone Bulletin

Introduction

Sex plays a significant role in sports medicine risk factors, but historically, there has been a lack of research involving female participants and investigating physiologic factors unique to female athletes.^1–4 Male athletes face a 2.26 times higher risk of hip and groin injuries, a 2.4 times higher risk of hamstring injuries, and a 1.8-2.8 times higher risk of acute fractures, especially in competitive situations.² Alternatively, female athletes experience a 2-8 times higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, a 3.4 times higher risk of bone stress injuries, a 1.25 times higher rate of foot and ankle …

Outcomes In Robotic Knee Surgery, Tyler West

Bone Bulletin

Introduction

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries worldwide and is the mainstay for treating severe knee arthritis. In the United States, surgeons perform over 700,000 TKAs each year, and that number is expected to climb as osteoarthritis becomes more common in an aging population.^1,2 Roughly, two TKAs are completed for every one total hip arthroplasty (THA) and yet patient satisfaction after TKA has always lagged behind the THA.³ Hip replacements routinely see satisfaction rates above 90 percent.^2,3 For knees, however, satisfaction rates historically have fallen between 80 and 89 percent.^{4 …}

Unicompartmental Versus Total Knee Arthroplasty In Osteoarthritis: Indications, Outcomes, And Value-Based Care, Spencer Uggla

Bone Bulletin

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent and disabling condition, affecting an estimated 654 million people worldwide in 2023. It is the most common diagnosis among patients over 45 years of age who present with activity-related knee pain.1 When nonoperative management fails, surgical intervention is frequently required to relieve pain and restore function. Traditionally, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been considered the gold standard surgical treatment for advanced OA, with approximately 700,000 procedures performed annually and projections exceeding 1 million by 2030.²

Book Reviews, Claude E. Fike, Robert P. Hay

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

The Vicksburg Diary Of Mrs. Alfred Ingraham (May 2-June 13, 1863), W. Maury Darst

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Electronic Literature In Ai Data Work, Mihai Bacaran

ELO (un)supervised 2026

This paper is based on my personal experience of working as a transcriber for AI projects between 2023 and 2025 in a Business Process Outsourcing company located in Eastern Europe. The job of transcribers is to listen to audio recordings provided by The Client (a major tech company whose name cannot be mentioned due to nondisclosure agreements) and either transcribe them from scratch or correct an AI generated transcription. The recordings are gathered from users of digital devices, many of whom appear unaware of being recorded.

During the transcription work, probably due to the excruciating boredom of performing the same …

System And Method For Tracking And Identifying The Source Of Refractory Inclusions In Metal Products, Don Allen Doutre, Philip Meslage, Patrick Pouly, John Robert Buster Mccallum

Defensive Publications Series

Refractory inclusions caused by the degradation of materials used in the handling, filtration, flow control, and processing of molten metals, especially aluminum, are a persistent challenge that conventional analytical techniques struggle to trace. Refractory inclusions are a non-metallic particle or fragment that originates from the degradation or erosion of refractory materials used to line and contain molten metals, which subsequently becomes entrained in metal products and can lead to defects or compromised material properties. Refractory applications may be used in a range of processing and fluid-handling systems, including using grid plates in the bottom of deep bed filters that act …

Method And Apparatus For Digital Identity Construction Using Graph-Based Similarity Analysis, Karanjit Saha, Riddhi Banerjee

Defensive Publications Series

A method for digital identity construction includes extracting, by a processor, information related to a plurality of users or entities from one or more data sources. The method includes creating a plurality of tables to organize the extracted information. The method includes constructing a connected component graph based on the created plurality of tables, wherein the connected component graph is a single-dimensional graph. The method includes splitting the single-dimensional connected component graph into a multi-dimensional graph and converting the multi-dimensional graph into a vector data structure. The method includes comparing vectors of the vector data structure to identify similarity and …

Dynamic Cascades In Hyper-Connected Geopolitical Systems: Quantifying Attrition Wave Mechanics And Resonance Stabilization Paths Toward Type 1 Civilizational Metrics, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

Modern global security architectures behave not as isolated friction points, but as a fluid, hyper-connected ecosystem. When a high-friction decision or structural error occurs within a single systemic node, it generates a kinetic wave that propagates throughout the entire network, building destructive momentum as it strikes secondary institutional vulnerabilities. This paper introduces a rigorous, quantitative framework for mapping these interconnected crises.

By defining an 18-Month Continuous Friction Engine and deploying object-oriented system dynamics modeling, we evaluate how global stability degrades when states systematically trade technical and operational merit for ideological compliance. We anchor our wave mechanics calculations in empirical, real-world …

Parson Winans' Pilgrimage To "The Natchez," Winter Of 1810, Ray Holder

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

The Birth Of The Mississippi "Loyalist Democrats" (1965-1968), William Simpson

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Collaborating With Our Ai Research Companion: Exploring The Use Of Microsoft Copilot To Conduct Inductive And Deductive Coding In Qualitative Research, David Wolff, Melissa Wolff, Mark Diacopoulos

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Higher Education faculty balance time in teaching, scholarship, and service, along with many other duties in their roles (Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, 2024). In our efforts to be stewards of our time and craft, faculty look for ways to be more efficient in these areas. With the increase of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our personal and professional lives, this paper discusses the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), Microsoft Copilot, as an analytic tool in the qualitative data analysis process. Qualitative data was collected from transcripts of recorded meetings and an online journal that included text and …

Preparing Teachers To Read The Data: Strengthening Data Literacy For Early Literacy Decision-Making, Tevia Q. Strand

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Teachers are increasingly expected to use literacy screening and benchmark data to guide instruction, identify student needs, and participate in multi-tiered systems of support. However, pre-service and early-career teachers may enter the profession without sufficient preparation to interpret assessment data or connect benchmark patterns to instructional action. This white paper examines the gap between teacher preparation and the realities of K-12 data use, with particular attention to early literacy decision-making. Drawing from Bradbury’s discussion of teacher preparation and the changing realities of education, this paper argues that data literacy is an essential part of preparing teachers for equitable classroom practice. …

Emotional Sobriety As Liberation: A Critical Pedagogy Of Resilience, Carl Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper extends the Reclaiming Model of trauma recovery by examining what follows critical consciousness when trauma persists and systems remain largely unchanged. Building on Reclaiming My Story, which framed healing as a Freirean act of reclaiming authorship through naming harm, dialogue, and praxis (Bryan, 2026), this paper addresses how reclaimed consciousness is sustained under ongoing emotional, relational, and structural strain. Drawing on critical pedagogy, trauma scholarship, and a first-person case narrative, it reframes post-trauma survival not as incomplete recovery but as ongoing praxis. The analysis challenges resolution-based and individualizing models of healing by conceptualizing emotional sobriety, relational regulation, …

Provocable Forgiveness In Noisy Brand--Consumer Systems:An Agent-Based Study Of Repeated Interaction, Tahere Ahmadiyan, Hamidreza Navidi, Behbod Keshavarzi

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Repeated brand--consumer exchange is often treated as a managerial problem of loyalty, recovery, and trust. It can also be read as a small complex system: many local decisions about cooperation, retaliation, and forgiveness accumulate into market-level selection. This study uses that perspective to examine which relational rules survive when communication is imperfect. Eight canonical Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma strategies are translated into marketing archetypes and evaluated through round-robin tournaments, a six-level noise sweep, proportional-fitness ecological dynamics, and finite-population Moran invasion tests. The tournament leaderboard is calculated without same-strategy self-play, so that reported payoffs reflect inter-archetype competition rather than homogeneous self-coordination. At …