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Beyond Casebooks: Law School’S Hidden Curriculum, Nubia Nelly Esparza

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study sought to understand how the hidden curriculum affects first-generation, marginalized, and underrepresented law students and attorneys, what educational and career opportunities they have missed as a result of not knowing these unwritten rules, and what law schools could do to better prepare this population for the realities of legal education and practice. Data were collected through an anonymous online survey and a focus group with first-generation law students and attorneys who have been in the profession for ten years or less. Analysis of the data was mapped against the Conceptual Framework of the Hidden Curriculum in …

Summer Proceedings 2026, Computational Modeling Serving Portland, The Altreu Program, Portland State University, Teuscher Lab, Portland State University

altREU Projects

The 2026 Summer Proceedings bring together research conducted by undergraduate students participating in three complementary programs at Portland State University: the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) site, Computational Modeling Serving Portland; the alternative Research Experiences for Undergraduates (altREU) program, Designing, Programming, and Using Computers to Benefit Society; and the Teuscher Lab internship program.

The NSF REU is a fully virtual, 10-week program centered on computational modeling that serves Portland and the greater region. Students begin with two weeks of intensive training in computational modeling, followed by eightweeks of mentored research with faculty, research collaborators, and community …

Nascent Titanium-/Silicon-Containing Particle Formation In Corona-Discharge-Assisted Combustion, Chanakya Bagya Ramesh, Frank Daoru Han, Yang Wang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Adding plasmas to a flame has been shown to introduce high concentrations of charges, ions, and radicals to the said flame. This technique of adding plasma to a flame is called plasma-assisted combustion (PAC), and this addition has been shown to make a flame more stable and efficient. At the same time, PAC has also been shown to alter particle formation during combustion. Here, we investigate the effect of a high-frequency (∼21 kHz) alternating current (AC) corona discharge on particle formation and growth in a premixed flame, especially at the initial stages (with particle sizes below 10 nm). We first …

Impact Of Baseline Cognition On Dual-Task Performance: Tracking Verbal Accuracy And Fluency In Adults At Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, Rebecca Nicole Frederichs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is increasing in prevalence as life expectancy continues to rise, highlighting the need for sensitive measures to detect early cognitive changes. This study examined the effects of baseline cognitive status on dual-task performance over time, in terms of dual-task cost, verbal fluency, and verbal accuracy in older adults at risk for AD. This study utilized a quantitative secondary analysis of the longitudinal dataset, the Digital, Cognitive, Multi-Domain Alzheimer Risk Velocity (DC-MARVel) study (Gray et al., 2022). Participants were categorized into low, medium, or high cognitive tertiles based on baseline Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status …

Seasonality Of Bovine Respiratory Disease Incidence, Nasal Temperatures, And The Nasal Microbiome In Receiving Beef Cattle: Understanding The Risk Of The Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex, Robin Ashley Cheek

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) has persistently been the leading cause of morbidity of beef cattle in the United States. Season has been directly associated with respiratory disease incidence and is likely a proxy for weather conditions, which vary by geographical location. The nose is one of the first points of contact between the outside environment and inside the body. The nasal microbiome and its relationship with BRD have been heavily studied within beef cattle, but there are not yet any studies to determine if the environment within the nasal cavity has a role to play in this mechanism. This dissertation …

Soft Urea Nitridation Of Tantalum-Based Thin Films For Oxynitride Synthesis, Rishabh Srivastava

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rising global energy consumption and the transition toward low-carbon technologies place new demands on functional materials. Particularly, semiconductors that convert sunlight directly into chemical fuels with high efficiency and long operational lifetimes. The synthesis of visible light active tantalum oxynitride (TaON) thin films for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting typically requires ammonolysis with pressurized NH3 gas, which presents persistent barriers in safety and phase selectivity. In this work, a soft urea ammonolysis route was employed in which solid urea was employed as an in-situ nitrogen source inside a vacuum-sealed reactor. The finite urea mass establishes a self-limiting nitrogen chemical potential that …

Item Response Theory Evaluation Of Mental Health Sentiment Scales, Muhammad Amzad Hossain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mental health is an essential part of overall well-being. Accurate measurement of constructs such as loneliness, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction is extremely important in research and practice. Traditional approaches based on Classical Test Theory (CTT) are limited. They rely on total test scores and assume constant measurement error across individuals. They may not reflect true variability in measurement precision (Zein & Akhtar, 2025; Marvianto, 2023). In contrast, Item Response Theory (IRT) provides an advanced approach by examining item-level performance. It models the relationship between latent traits and responses (Zein & Akhtar, 2025 ). To address these limitations, this study …

Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression: Defining Its Scope And Limitations, Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, Álvaro Dowling, Jun Ho Lee, Benedikt W Burkhardt, Óscar L. Alves, Avelino Parajón, Jorge Felippe Ramirez, Nicola Montemurro, Alex R. Vaccaro, Morgan P. Lorio

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal endoscopic lumbar decompression (TELD) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative for managing lumbar stenosis and disc herniations. While the literature consistently reports favorable outcomes, real-world adoption remains variable, with discrepancies often linked to surgeon experience and case complexity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate surgeon perspectives on the clinical applicability of TELD across different pathologies and compare these findings with published evidence.

METHODS: An international cross-sectional survey was conducted among spine surgeons. Responses were analyzed using Rasch modeling to assess consensus levels, with agreement categorized as strong, moderate, weak, or disagreement. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and correlation analyses were applied …

Beyond Semantic Matching: Integrating Graph Structures, Boolean Logic, And Interactive Aggregation In Modern Retrieval, Quan Mai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Information Retrieval (IR) systems have achieved remarkable success in semantic understanding; however, they continue to struggle with complex logical reasoning, structural interactions, and dynamic aggregation. This dissertation presents a comprehensive framework to enhance the structural, logical, and interactive capabilities of language models and retrieval systems across four progressive studies. First, we address the challenge of modeling dynamic conversational logic in online debates. We introduce a Sequence Graph Network (SGN) that captures the temporal and interactive exchange of ideas—such as counterarguments and reinforcements—by updating node features sequentially through a novel Sequence Graph Attention (SGA) layer. …

Evaluation Of Metabolizable Energy And Phosphorus Availability In Conventional And Fractionated Dry-Grind Corn Co-Products For Poultry, Luke Parisi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the availability of energy and phosphorous (P) in dry-grind corn co-products in chickens was assessed. In the first objective, the determination of energy availability, both a precision-fed rooster assay and an ad libitum fed broiler chicken assay were used in order to elucidate energy availability in corn co-products. There were 8 samples of corn fermented protein (CFP) and 2 samples of conventional distillers dried grains with solubles (CDDGS) evaluated for metabolizable energy (ME). The CFP contained a mean CP and crude fat of 55 and 3.7% (DM basis), respectively, compared with 30 …

I Can’T Fight This Feeling Anymore: Investigating The Influence Of Cognitive Emotion-Related Impulsivity On Behavioral Impulsivity Through The Lens Of Emotion Regulation In Daily Life, Dylan Shelton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotion-related impulsivity is a transdiagnostic risk factor that is seen across a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, emotion-related impulsivity has been studied at the trait level, reflecting that it is something that someone has rather than something that they do. However, recent studies have highlighted the importance of viewing emotion-related impulsivity as a dynamic process that occurs in response to momentary emotional experiences. However, it is less clear about the influence of attentional and evaluative processes on downstream behavioral responses that may be aimed at rapidly regulating emotion. This study aimed to investigate emotion-related impulsivity through the lens of …

Potassium Fertilization Timing And Critical Stalk Potassium Concentration As Tools To Improve Corn Production, Gabriela Andrade Leite Mengez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) is a common yield-limiting nutrient in Mid-Southern U.S. corn (Zea mays L.) production, emphasizing the importance of effective diagnostic tools to support fertilizer decision-making. This study integrated two approaches to improve K management in irrigated corn systems: (i) evaluating K fertilization timing to identify in-season opportunities for correcting K deficiency, and (ii) developing a corn stalk-based diagnostic test to assess end-of-season K and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) status and fertilizer adequacy. Seven (2024-2025) and eight (2023-2024) field trials were conducted across Arkansas for the K application timing and stalk testing studies, respectively. For the K timing study, fertilizer-K (112 kg …

A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Examining The Efficacy Of Group-Based Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit) For Autistic Youth: A Mixed-Method Design, Julia L. Kiefer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Caregivers of autistic children experience a myriad of barriers when seeking psychotherapy for their children including a lack of family-based treatment options, lengthy waitlists, and limited access to specialized therapists. As the demand for both accessible and affordable mental healthcare for autistic youth increases, group-based interventions may be a useful alternative to more time intensive individual treatment options – allowing for multiple clients to be seen at once. The present study examined the efficacy of an adapted evidence-based intervention, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, to be delivered in a brief, group-based format with families of autistic youth. Driven by input from a …

Benchmarking Current Progress In 3d Content Generation, Vuong Ho

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, 3D generation has rapidly advanced with the development of powerful generative AI models capable of producing high-quality 3D content from various modalities, including text, images, and multi-view inputs. These advancements have significantly accelerated progress in applications such as gaming, virtual reality, robotics, and digital content creation. Despite this progress, there is still a lack of standardized and fair benchmarking protocols for evaluating 3D generation methods. Existing approaches are often assessed under inconsistent experimental settings, using different datasets, evaluation metrics, and processing pipelines. Such inconsistencies make reliable and objective comparisons difficult, limiting our understanding of the strengths and …

Essays In Whistleblowing, Crime, And Experimental Economics, Danielle Nickeisha Purcell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation comprises three essays on how institutional strength, enforcement practices, and cognitive load affect behavior. The first essay presents a laboratory experiment that varies the extent to which an individual in a position of authority can interfere with the outcome of whistleblowing, holding all other monetary incentives fixed. Strengthening institutions raises whistleblowing rates, lowers theft, and reduces the rate of bribe offers, while leaving authorities’ acceptance of bribes unchanged when they face no punishment for accepting them. The second essay studies the end of stop and frisk in Chicago following the 2015 ACLU-CPD settlement agreement, which cut annual investigatory …

Iterative Generation Of Feature-Based Cad Models Using An Llm With Domain Specific Constraints, Ammon I. Hepworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a method to generate feature-based parametric mechanical CAD models from text input. The method uses domain-specific constraints (DSCs) to guide a large language model (LLM) in the generation of scripts to build models from the CAD API. It also presents a framework for an iterative text-based system that produces parametric CAD models. The method was implemented by developing DSCs for FreeCAD and Open AI GPT-5.2 and incorporated into a web-based software application which generates models that can be visualized with an interactive viewer after each iteration. Tests were run comparing various models with and without this method. …

Evaluating Variety- And Market-Class-Specific Effects Of Dietary Pulses On Human Health, Jiayu Tang

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While pulses are globally recognized for their high levels of dietary fibers, protein, and polyphenols, research often focuses on characterizing the physiological effects of a single variety. This approach overlooks the substantial genetic and compositional diversity that exists across pulse varieties and individual market classes, which can differ extensively in nutrient content and structure. These compositional differences have the potential to produce distinct physiological and microbial responses in humans, yet variety- and market-class-specific effects remain poorly characterized.

This thesis uses two complementary research methodologies to investigate the health-relevant effects of different pulse varieties and market classes, providing foundational knowledge to …

Evaluating Relationships Between Immunometabolism And Excess Adiposity Using Anthropometric And Body Composition Measurements, Corina Grimaldo

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolic dysfunction is a key contributor to the development of chronic disease and is associated with excessive adiposity. Though body mass index (BMI) is a common screening tool used to identify possible metabolic dysfunction, it does not consider fat distribution. Other tools are needed to assess body composition and determine fat distribution. In recent studies, it has been suggested that alterations in metabolic processes may occur prior to a clinical diagnosis, and the combination of body composition and blood-based markers can help identify those early changes. The overall objective of this study is to identify low-cost indicators of metabolic dysregulation …

Pragmatic Measures In Aided Language Measurement: Aac Clinical Expert Perspectives, Makayla Hydiea Smith

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

Purpose: The augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) discipline currently lacks psychometrically sound aided language measures. This thesis is designed to address one step in developing such measures: to begin to establish the clinical feasibility of three pragmatic measures – communicative intent, independence/co-construction, and imitation/non-imitation. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to identify the useability of these pragmatic measures.

Method: A qualitative approach in the form of a focus group was used to examine the perceptions of SLP practitioners who are experts in AAC. Rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) was used to identify relevant themes and subthemes.

Results: Overall, the themes …

Tales Of The Empathic Support Provider: How Emerging Adult Women Make Sense Of Providing Empathic Support To Female Friends, Emma R. Eslinger

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The current study explored the stories and reflections of 33 emerging adult women who made sense of their empathic support provider (ESP) identity in the context of female friendships. From the standpoint of the retrospective storytelling heuristic, within communicated narrative sense-making theory, participants told stories about their ESP identity, including how they provide support to others and reflect on the benefits of drawbacks of serving in this role (CNSM, Koenig Kellas, 2022). Under Proposition 1 of CNSM theory, meanings, values, and beliefs (MVBs) that ESP women expressed in this role were depicted as key takeaways gathered. Findings illuminated how ESP …

Doctor Decision Making And Patient Outcomes, Janet Currie, W. Bentley Macleod, Kate Musen

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Doctors often treat similar patients differently, which affects health outcomes and medical spending. We assess the recent literature on doctor decision making through the lens of a model that incorporates diagnostic and procedural skills, beliefs, incentives, and differences in patient pools. Decision making is affected by beliefs, training, experience, peer effects, financial incentives, and time constraints. Interventions to improve decision making include providing information, guidelines, and technologies like electronic medical records and algorithmic decision tools. Economists have made progress in understanding doctor decision making, but applications of that knowledge to improving health care are still limited.

Framework For Building A Social Media Marketing Strategy For Micro-Small Businesses, Joanna Byrne

Theses

Existing social media marketing literature consistently fails micro-small businesses with five or fewer staff. These sources default to models built for brands with dedicated marketing teams and large budgets. This project addresses that gap using a mixed-methods, practitioner-based action research design. It combines quantitative platform analytics with qualitative process documentation. The research covers four businesses at distinct stages of digital development: Torched Motorsport Supply, a new automotive parts retailer built from zero digital infrastructure; Byrne Diesel Performance, an established diesel shop with an unoptimized presence; Texas Best Compost, a startup developing its brand identity and digital launch disrupted by supply …

Beyond Affection Meters: A Framework For Relationship Repair Mechanics And Meaningful Play, Christopher B. Del Gesso

Theses

This thesis develops and tests a repair-centered framework for relationship mechanics in narrative games, positioned as an alternative to the affection-meter model that reduces relationships to a single accumulating score. Drawing on eudaimonic media research, relational repair theory, and interpretive-attribution research, the framework argues that meaningful relationship play depends on tracking multiple, potentially divergent relational dimensions; distinguishing repair attempts from repair outcomes; modeling interpretation of player actions rather than fixed action-to-effect mappings; and treating stable, non-restorative endings as legitimate outcomes rather than failure states. A comparative survey of five commercial games, Fallout 4, Tell Me Why, Life is Strange Remastered, …

Lab Escape, Peter Brauninger

Theses

The core subject of this paper focuses on several key traits of effective horror games. Using a paper and prototype level, the project conducts a thorough examination of horror in the medium to better understand how to develop effective games in this genre. Looking at examples from different media, the objective of this research is to identify key components of effective horror games. Going through the research, we can identify three key traits that are critical to the genre. Within horror games, accuracy of these elements is even more essential. Having the player be constantly tense, and enjoying the game …

Usa V. Brandon Aumiller

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Improving Continuity Of Care: Evaluating Universal Nursing Handoff Sheets, Elizabeth Ifeloluwa Sanya

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Effective communication during nursing handoffs is essential for safe, patient-centered care, as breakdowns in communication are a leading cause of adverse patient outcomes. At a large academic level I trauma center, inconsistent nursing handoff practices were identified across progressive care units following the COVID-19 pandemic. This variability contributed to incomplete transfer of patient information and was associated with increased patient safety incidents, including delayed wound care, central line dressing lapses, and medication errors involving high-alert therapies. The purpose of this DNP project was to plan, implement, and evaluate the use of  standardized nursing handoff sheet and its impact on continuity …

Dc/Dc Converter For A Solar Module, Stella Uribe, Richie Zaragoza, Olivia Grace Tran, Phillip Tyler Rich

Electrical Engineering

This project focuses on the design and validation of a general-purpose DC/DC power converter intended for use with photovoltaic (PV) solar modules operating under variable environmental and loading conditions. Solar panels exhibit significant variation in output voltage, current, and available power due to changes in irradiance, temperature, and operating point, making direct connection to downstream loads impractical. The proposed system addresses this challenge by providing a single, user-adjustable regulated DC output capable of both stepping up and stepping down the solar module voltage. The converter is designed to interface with solar modules rated between 50 W and 400 W, with …

Remote Controlled Pushcart, William B. Rakoz, Logan M. Beard, Jesus B. Galindo, Jacob Anderson

Electrical Engineering

This senior project developed a low-cost remote controlled golf push cart by retrofitting a conventional cart with independently driven hoverboard wheels, an ESP32 controller, BLE communication, a 36 V battery, an MPU-6050 IMU, an LD-19 LiDAR, and custom PETG components. The final scope emphasized reliable remote operation, differential steering, controlled acceleration, heading stabilization, emergency stopping, and obstacle-aware speed limiting. A separate neural-network controller was trained in simulation as a future autonomy pathway; autonomous target following was not integrated into the final cart. Verification recorded a maximum speed of 4.3 mph, operation on a 15-degree incline, a 0.75 s emergency-stop response, …

Stationary Bike Power/Efficiency Monitor, Paula J. Diaz, Pilar M. Cook, Danielle Rhind

Electrical Engineering

This project developed a real-time power and efficiency monitoring system for a SportsArt ECO-POWR stationary exercise bicycle. The goal was to measure rider mechanical power and electrical power delivered to the utility grid simultaneously, allowing the overall bike-to-grid efficiency to be calculated and displayed in real time. Rider power was measured using Garmin Rally ANT+ power pedals, while grid power was measured using a Yokogawa WT310E power analyzer. A Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ synchronized both data sources, calculated efficiency, displayed live performance metrics through a graphical user interface, and logged measurement data to CSV files for later analysis. The …

Autonomous Terrain-Mapping Robot For Search And Rescue, Soumil Joshi, Seann Calub

Electrical Engineering

This report documents the design, modular testing, and challenges faced while developing an autonomous terrain-mapping robot intended to navigate to a destination waypoint and deliver a small payload for search-and-rescue applications. The system combines a LiDAR sensor, an IMU sensor, and a Raspberry Pi 3B as the onboard processor, and an ESP32 microcontroller interfacing with motor drivers over a four-wheel chassis. A companion mobile application was developed to enable remote control and monitoring of the robot over a WiFi hotspot connection. A lithium-ion battery pack supplies power to all onboard components, with power budgets verified against component datasheets. Testing progresses …