Digital Commons Network^™

The Lre Provision Of Idea's Impact On Deaf Students' Socio-Emotional Satisfaction In K-12th Grade Education, Shealyn Junge

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students represents a unique challenge in implementing inclusive practices that balance physical integration with meaningful language and communication access. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provision reflects a federal commitment to educating students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers whenever possible. This mixed-methods study examined how mainstream, co-enrollment settings, and Deaf schools shape the socio-emotional development of DHH students, including those transitioning between settings. While participants across placements reported increasing DHH identity pride, their social experiences diverged markedly: mainstream-educated participants universally reported loneliness by high school. Deaf …

Data Encoding, Compilation, And Algorithms For Quantum Machine Learning, Aviraj Sinha

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Quantum computing enables new approaches to data processing, especially in quantum machine learning. Unlike classical systems, quantum data must be synthesized through operations and can exist in superposition. Encoding choices affect efficiency, noise resilience, and trainability—key factors in quantum machine learning models. This dissertation enhances quantum data encodings by extending quantum read-only memory (QROM) beyond binary representations, improving efficiency and parallelism. It introduces new compilation methods for quantum random number generators (QRNGs), supporting non-parametric distributions for post-quantum cryptography. Additionally, it explores Cayley graph-based encodings to extract spectral features for quantum machine learning.

How Does A Neural Network's Topology Affect Its Accuracy And Resource Utilization For Semantic Segmentation Of An Image?, Samuel Gallagher

Computer Science

No abstract provided.

In Their Own Words: Exploring The Political Lives Of Women Legislators In Guam, Sarah G. Elmore-Hernandez

Anthropology

In 2018, Guam experienced a historic political transformation with the election of its first woman governor and a supermajority of women senators. This electoral outcome was widely framed as a feminist milestone, reinforcing dominant narratives that equate increased female representation with progressive policy advancements. This study critically examines these assumptions by shifting the focus from quantitative representation to the political strategies and lived experiences of Guam’s women lawmakers. Employing oral history interviews, this research investigates how lawmakers conceptualize their political roles, navigate institutional structures, and shape legislative agendas. The findings reveal that while many advocate for policy priorities traditionally associated …

Control Of Invasive Plants At High Latitudes With Persistent Herbicides: Understanding Persistence, To Manage Pesticide Residues And Achieve Effective Control, Gino Graziano

Natural Resources

Invasive plants are considered a problem in management of natural resources and maintenance of ecosystem services in Alaska. Persistent herbicides are often used to control invasive plants because of increased duration and efficacy of control; however, applicators must understand that persistence impacts rotations to sensitive crops or restoration to sensitive desirable species. The purpose of this study was to define and document the impacts of aminopyralid and clopyralid degradation and movement in boreal ecosystems when used in agricultural settings or applied to Prunus padus, a problematic invasive tree in the boreal ecosystem. In laboratory microcosms clopyralid did not adsorb to …

Sea-Ice Bloom Dynamics, Putative Parasitoids, And Crude-Oil Impacts To Microbiota Modified By Irradiance, Kyle Dilliplaine

Oceanography

Arctic sea ice serves as a critical habitat for microbial communities, supporting, in part, the Arctic food web and influencing global biogeochemical cycles. However, climate change is rapidly altering this environment leading to a shorter ice-covered period and increased light transmittance. Greater accessibility due to less ice coverage is increasing industrial and commercial activities which raises the risk of crude oil spills that threaten sea-ice microbial communities. This dissertation explores the seasonal dynamics of prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes during the spring algal bloom, and the impacts of potential light stress in combination with crude oil exposure on Arctic sea-ice diatoms …

Sea Ice Strain, Stress, And Fracture Activity At Kilometer Scales, Emily R. Fedders

Oceanography

Through-thickness fractures including cracks, leads, and pressure ridges divide sea ice into individual plates and plate assemblies. While they remain intact, plates deform via continuous strain as they interact. Radar interferometry can identify active fractures at plate assembly boundaries and measure the continuous strains between them at high spatial resolution and spatial scales from meters to kilometers. However, interferograms are only sensitive to the one­ dimensional component of surface strain parallel to a radar’s lines of sight. Working with coauthors, I develop a novel analytical inverse model to estimate two-dimensional, horizontal surface motion from the one-dimensional information provided by interferograms …

Comparison Of Student Success Between Asynchronous Online And In-Person Sections Of Calculus 1 Using Multiple Statistical Methods, Everett Masterman

Mathematics and Statistics

This observational study compares outcomes for students taking the in-person and asynchronous online sections of Calculus 1 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Propensity score covariate models, propensity score stratification, propensity score matching, and multiple logistic regression were used to predict student pass rates in the course and on the final exam after accounting for demographic variables, student engagement, and student preparation. Propensity score methods showed no difference between asynchronous and in-person students. Multiple logistic regression showed that students in the in-person modality performed better after accounting for covariates.

Dynamic Pairwise Sparse Tuning (Dpst) Vs. Static Two-Predictor Selection: A Neural Network Approach, Raymond Dacosta Azadda

Mathematics and Statistics

Identifying two active predictors driving a response variable is critical in fields like genomics, medicine, and finance, yet standard methods, such as penalized regression, often fail to isolate these pairs consistently. We propose Dynamic Pairwise Sparse Tuning (DPST), a novel feedforward neural network (FNN) method that enhances sparse predictor selection by augmenting standard backpropagation with custom weight updates using adaptive thresholding, smoothed refinement, and pruning. Through simulations across predictor counts (P = 3, 4, 5) and sample sizes (N = 1800, 3600) using a controlled sparse coefficient matrix defining pair relationships, DPST consistently outperforms our static FNN baseline, also developed …

Modeling The Effects Of Socioeconomic And Environmental Factors On Child Malnutrition And Contamination Risk Using Generalized Estimating Equations, Samuel Amoateng

Mathematics and Statistics

Malnutrition and environmental contamination remain critical public health problems among children under five years old, particularly in developing environments. This paper investigates the sociodemographic, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence the risk of contamination and child malnutrition using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) in order to adjust correlations across repeated observations. Two multivariate binary response variables were taken into consideration: SWUbinary comprised of three binary indicators of whether the child was stunted, wasted, or underweight; and RTbinary comprised of two binary indicators of contamination exposure based on the presence of Relative Light Unit (RLU) and Total Coliform Analysis (TCA) contamination in …

The Musical Implications Of The Personal Relationships, Political Influences, And Culture On Seven Composers For Flute: Friedrich Kuhlau, Carl Reinecke, Franz Doppler, George Enescu, Eldin Burton, Jonathan Cohen, And Carlos Simon, Anne Weaver

Music

This project explores the influences of the personal relationships, political circumstances, and culture on the music of seven composers for flute: Friedrich Kuhlau, Carl Reinecke, Franz Doppler, George Enescu, Eldin Burton, Jonathan Cohen, and Carlos Simon, with a specific focus on eight pieces by these composers. Through this exploration it is apparent their music not only conveys their art but also embodies the composer's personal relationships, political circumstances, and culture.

Spravato® Fda-Approved As Monotherapy For Adults With Treatment-Resistant Depression, Rileigh Rahrig, Kennedy Kosikowski, Haylee Whyde, Kiley Devoll, Allie Honigford, Macy Davis, Joshua Honaker, Samantha Mccord, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a challenging and possibly life-threatening condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are diagnosed with TRD once they have tried and failed to respond to two antidepressant treatments at the maximum dose for a full trial of six to eight weeks. Most traditional antidepressant therapies work by increasing the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. These medications have a delayed onset of action, ranging from two to eight weeks, and often fail to relieve depressive symptoms in a patient with TRD. Therefore, targeting …

Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices At West Valley High School, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Connor Lehmkuhl

Anthropology

This research examines the pedagogical model of Culturally Responsive Education and how it is implemented in urban Alaska (Fairbanks). The main objective is to document the voices, perspectives, and opinions of individuals and schools who are engaged and/or interested in Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices at a time when the interest in this topic is growing. As a result, this thesis allows for a better understanding of these practices, as well as of their applicability to existing curricula. The main research questions are (1) What is the current understanding of Culturally Responsive Education among global studies teachers at West Valley High …

Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Of Potential Mineral Resources At Elephant Mountain, Interior Alaska, Khawaja Ahad Javed

Geosciences

This study explores the application of hyperspectral remote sensing for mineral mapping purposes at Elephant Mountain, Interior Alaska, focusing on airborne and laboratory-based spectroscopic techniques. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was conducted using the HySpex imaging system, acquiring airborne hyperspectral imagery over an area of proven mineral resources. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of HSI in identifying alteration minerals, considering the impact of spatial resolution, sensor altitude, and spatial resampling on mineral detection accuracy. A spectral feature-fitting algorithm within the USGS-developed PRISM software was employed to compare airborne-derived spectra with USGS spectral library standards. Laboratorybased spectrometric analyses of rock samples …

From Answering Questions To Replacing Staff: Analyzing The Effect And Possibilities Of Artificial Intelligence On The Structure Of Organizations, Caleb J. Cissna

Honors Projects

Over the last several years artificial intelligence has risen in commonality, availability, knowledge and usage across multiple industries, including business firms and organizations. Terming the multitude of tasks that are completed by these machines “artificial intelligence” is somewhat dismissive – the broadness of the tasks is unmatched by most any other innovation within the 21^st century. The widespread nature of artificial intelligence today have advanced many organizations, with many using the technology to create competitive advantage for themselves in certain industries, while others have seen it level the competitive field between firms in a given industry. Following this research …

Guidelines For The Creation And Implementation Of A School-Based Vision Program For The Greater Seattle Area, Suzanna P. Gill

Honors Projects

Proper vision care contributes to a child’s ability to perform academically as well as their overall health and wellbeing. Pediatric vision care begins with vision screening, which occurs in public schools in Washington state. These vision screenings allow for possible vision issues to be identified in children. They are not, however, a replacement for eye examinations that help determine what is causing the problem and provide treatment. A substantial proportion of children that are recommended to receive the exams will not, partially because Washington does not require parents to take their children to eye care professionals. These children are more …

Noise-Embedded Image Processing Based On Quantum Data Encodings, Yayu Mo

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in quantum information have significantly impacted the field of image processing, although challenges remain. Especially in the edge detection and image encoding area, distorted feature and noises would affect the further classification or super resolution tasks. In our work, we conduct researches on two stages to both evaluate the potential of Quantum-based Convolutional Structure in extracting distorted feature and further explore the effects of quantum noise channels on quantum image encodings.

In the first stage, we propose a method to extract distorted edge features by applying shallow layers in quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNN). By combining the advantages of …

How The Integration Of Bosnian Refugees In Saint Louis Is A Model For Success For Current Afghan Refugees And Future Resettlements In The U.S., Indira Kar

Senior Theses

Refugee resettlement and integration are vital in fostering inclusive communities, enriching local economies, and promoting cultural diversity while also offering displaced individuals the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety. Considering the successful resettlement of Bosnian refugees in St. Louis, Missouri, starting in the 1990s, I explored what factors could be attributed to their positive integration outcomes. I found a combination of (1) policy, (2) social compatibility, and (3) cultural values that can be attributed to their thriving community and applied these factors to the recent resettlement of Afghan refugees in St. Louis. While Afghan refugees have found success in …

Imperial Fabrication Of Ethnic Cleansing: Czarist Through Soviet Russian Practices And Policies Responsibility In The Ethnic Cleansing Of Georgians In Abkhazia., George Kane

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the direct correlation and connection between Goergia’s struggles against Russian imperialism and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia that resulted from the 1990s Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict. After examining the historical and cultural ties of the Abkhaz as one of the many Georgian nationalities, this thesis examines the concerted effort by Czarist and Soviet Russia to separate the two identities in order to further imperial ambitions in the Caucasus region. This targeted separation over decades, along with direct Russian military support during the conflict, would then result in an ethnic cleansing taking place perpetrated by the Abkhaz against …

Digital Voices Of The Arab Spring: Mainstream Media, Social Media, And Narrative In Egypt's Tahrir Square Protests, Sofia Nogueira Sanca

Senior Theses

This thesis questions and examines the dynamics between social media activism and mainstream media coverage during the Tahrir Square protests of the Arab Spring, focusing on how these platforms collectively shaped the global narrative and challenged the Mubarak regime's control over information. How exactly did these two types of media coverage work in tandem to contribute to the revolution's success? Through qualitative textual analysis of the events of January and February of 2011, it analyzes the tweets from activist Gigi Ibrahim alongside reports from The New York Times and Al Jazeera English to identify recurring themes, including corruption and suppression, …

Evaluating The Opportunities And Limitations Of Social Enterprises In Addressing Period Poverty In Rural India, Abigael Hartlieb

Senior Theses

Social enterprises play a significant role in advancing social justice and global health by employing innovative strategies to address health disparities within underserved communities. Period poverty, defined as the lack of access to feminine hygiene products, represents a global health challenge. Social enterprises have emerged as a tool to combat this issue in several countries, including India, but face barriers in widespread implementation in rural areas. This study evaluates the opportunities and limitations social enterprises have in combating period poverty in rural India with a focus on Goonj, a New-Delhi based social enterprise dedicated to bridging the gaps of resources …

Searching For Seismic Precursors: The Barry Landslide Hazard, Gabrielle Davy

Geosciences

Landslides pose a serious geohazard, particularly when they occur in steep coastal or fjord environments where they can generate tsunamis. Barry Arm, located in Prince William Sound, Alaska, exemplifies this threat. The unstable slope, with an estimated failure volume of 500-700 million cubic meters, could produce a tsunami capable of devastating communities such as Whittier, Valdez, and Cordova. Recognizing the potential consequences, the region has been intensively monitored since 2020, providing a valuable opportunity to study the interactions between seismic activity, environmental drivers, and slope stability. Monitoring landslide-prone regions with seismic and geophysical instruments can offer insights into the processes …

A Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Immunosensor For Cortisol Detection, Pritu Sarkar, Ali Ashraf, Ahmed Hasnain Jalal, Fahmida Alam, Nazmul Islam

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

In this research, an interdigitated gear-shaped working electrode is presented for cortisol sensing. Overall, the sensor was designed in a three-electrode system and was fabricated using direct laser scribing. A synthesized conductive ink based on graphene and polyaniline was further employed to enhance the electrochemical performance of the sensor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed for physicochemical characterization of the laser-induced graphene (LIG) sensor. Cortisol, a biomarker essential in detecting stress, was detected both in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH = 7.4) and human serum within a linear range of 100 ng/mL to 100 µg/mL. …

Electric Power Regulation For A Novel Riverine Hydrokinetic Energy Conversion System, Kawsar Ahammed

Engineering

Transportation of diesel fuel used to produce electricity for Alaska remote communities is highly expensive. Thus, people living in those remote areas pay a high rate for electric energy compared to the national average cost. The availability of renewable energy resources may help to minimize these high expenses. As many rural Alaskans live near rivers, hydrokinetic energy could be used as a renewable source of electric power. This renewable resource, if successfully harvested, has immense potential to help power Alaska remote communities and significantly reduce electric energy costs. This project aims to investigate the implementation of an energy conversion system …

Optimizing Power Fluid In Jet Pump Oil Wells, Kaelin Ellis

Engineering

A method for optimizing power fluid to a network of jet pump wells is established. Jet pump performance is modeled by numerically solving a system of equations for specific throat and nozzle geometries. An upper boundary is established of the most efficient geometries for each well which creates a continuous function relating power fluid to oil production. Jet pump oil wells are segregated into networks which share a common power fluid surface pump. These boundaries are added together to create a non-linear objective function. To solve power fluid distribution in a network, a reduced Newton method is applied that incorporates …

Letter From Jeffrey Kadet To The Internal Revenue Service Re: Notice 2025-19, 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan, Jeffery M. Kadet

Articles

Based on my working experience with numerous clients that spanned over thirty years and my studies over the past twenty-three years both as an academic and in connection with my published articles and governmental submissions, I have identified a number of projects that should be considered a high priority for the Treasury and the IRS. These projects, which are attached as appendices to this letter, cover a number of areas. Importantly, I have not been a paid advisor for over a decade and a half. As such, my recommendations are free of any influence from potentially affected taxpayers. I do …

At The Crossroads Of Technology, Policy, And Society: Energy Transitions In Rural Alaska, Gwen Holdmann

Engineering

The future of energy in remote and rural communities is shaped by a complex interplay of technology, policy, and social structures. This dissertation explores why some regions--despite facing similar economic, geographic, and environmental constraints--have successfully developed renewable energy systems while others have struggled. Focusing on rural Alaska, this research examines the factors that drive or inhibit local energy transitions, considering historical institutionalism, governance structures, policy interventions, and economic incentives. Through a mixed-methods approach including case studies, qualitative comparative analysis, and statistical methods, this dissertation examines how energy subsidies and the pooling of resources--whether through shared infrastructure, cooperative utilities, or other …

Modal Investigation Of The Usibelli Building Using Spectral And Dynamic Analysis, David Kulikovskiy

Engineering

The purpose of this master’s project is to complete a modal analysis of the Joseph E. Usibelli Engineering Learning and Innovation Building. The modal analysis was conducted in two ways: by completing a spectral analysis using data collected from 7 seismometers and using a computer model of the building’s structural Lateral Force Resisting System. Power spectrum density plots were generated using a Fast Fourier transform routine within MATLAB to identify the natural periods of the building. A building model was created in RISA-3D using construction plan sets to apply a dynamic load and then to find the natural periods of …

Neoadjuvant With Low-Dose Radiotherapy, Tislelizumab, Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel, And Cisplatin For Resectable Locally Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase Ii Single-Arm Trial, Zhigang Liu, Dong Wang, Guanjun Li, Muhua Yi, Zhaoyuan Zhang, Guihua Zhong, Liangfu Xu, Rong Jiang, Yannan Zheng, Linxuan Huang, Yingpeng Peng, Lizhong Liang, Jianpeng Li, Ye Liu, Jun Lai, Xianjuan Lv, Yongqiang Xu, Qiaodan Liu, Zhiqiang Wang, Zhutian Liu, Qinan Yang, Li Nie, Jiao Lei, Xiaotao Huang, Zhijie Liu, Wen Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although pathological complete response (pCR) and major pathological response (MPR) rates of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) trials remain suboptimal, emerging evidence highlights the synergistic potential of combining low-dose radiotherapy with immunotherapy to promote the efficacy of immunotherapy. This phase II, open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial (NCT05343325) enrolled 28 patients with untreated stage III-IVB HNSCC (NeoRTPC02). Patients received neoadjuvant low-dose radiotherapy, the programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor tislelizumab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and cisplatin for two cycles, followed by radical resection ~4 weeks after treatment completion. The primary endpoint, pCR rate, was achieved in 14 of …

Breaking Boundaries: The Function Of Supernatural Women In Arthurian Literature, Emma P. Allen

English

Women in Arthurian literature tend to be overlooked in favor of the knights. This thesis focuses on supernatural women in three texts: Parzival, Le Morte D’Arthur, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Examining the behavior and actions of these women places the male protagonists’ behavior into a new light. Parzival is placed on his narratively correct path by Cundrie’s rebuke. Arthur is given Excalibur by The Lady of the Lake, and is further protected by Nimue, allowing him to survive until the text demands his death. The Mage, a new addition to the Arthurian literature, both protects and advises …