Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Canopy Materials To Improve The Performance Of Sea Anchors Used For Fishing Operations, Namgu Kim, Su-Hyung Kim, Yoo-Won Lee, Kyung-Jin Ryu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Sea anchors used for fishing operations help improve catch rates by stabilizing vessel drift speeds to match tidal or ocean currents. The underwater resistance experienced by a sea anchor's canopy significantly impacts its performance, yet there has been limited research on canopy materials. This study investigates how different canopy materials can enhance sea anchor performance. Specifically, we tested sea anchors made from three fabrics: the currently used polyamide (PA) material, PA material with increased yarn density in the weft direction, and polyester (PES). Using Korean national standards, we compared the yarn density, weight, water absorption capacity, drying rate, air permeability, …

Comprehensive Measurements And Analyses Of Ear Canal Geometry From Late Infancy Through Late Adulthood: Age-Related Variations And Implications For Basic Science And Audiological Measurements, Susan E. Voss, Aaron K. Remenschneider, Rebecca M. Farrar, Soomin Myoung, Nicholas J. Horton

Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of ear canal geometry from 0.7 to 91 years, based on high-resolution computed tomography scans of 221 ears. Quantified features include cross-sectional areas along the canal’s length, total canal length, curvature, and key anatomical landmarks such as the first and second bends and the cartilage-to-bone transition. Significant developmental changes occur during the first 10 years of life, with adult-like characteristics emerging between ages 10 and 15 years, likely coinciding with puberty. Substantial interindividual variability is observed across all ages, particularly in the canal area. The canal becomes fully cartilaginous at and lateral to the …

Kreisky, Israel, And Jewish Identity., Matthew P. Berg

2025 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Legal, Professional, And Ethical Issues In Identifying Bias In Artificial Intelligence-Based Personnel Selection, Dennis Doverspike, Arthur Winfred, Rosanna Miguel

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Although still in its infancy, the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) in personnel selection has sparked concerns regarding potential implications for bias, fairness, discrimination, and unethical decision-making. This article delves into the complex issue of AI-based personnel selection as it pertains to the preceding concerns, exploring key definitions, bias-assessment methodologies, legal frameworks, professional and government considerations, and ethical dilemmas unique to AI-based selection. The critical role of consulting and industrial-organizational psychologists in ensuring fairness, validity, and nondiscrimination in the selection process is emphasized. The need for transparency, informed consent, and a holistic consideration of diversity/validity in the design of AI-based …

Effect Of Creatine Monohydrate On Spatialworking Memory, Body Weight, And Food Intake In Male And Female Rats, Cyrilla H. Wideman, Alexandria Iemma, Olivia Janolo, Anastasiya Kalinina, Helen M. Murphy

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Background/Objectives: Creatine monohydrate supplementation has gained popularity in the fitness industry due to its ability to enhance athletic performance and has sparked curiosity about other possible effects of the supplement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of creatine supplementation on spatial working memory, body weight, and food intake in male and female rats.

Methods: Experimental rats, six male and six female, were administered creatine while six male and six female rats served as controls. The Morris water maze (MWM) was employed to assess spatial working memory. Body weight and food intake were measured daily.

Results: Neither …

A Lament For The Perishing Barbarians Of Edith Wharton’S Summer, Anna Marsh

All ETDs from UAB

This thesis considers Edith Wharton’s Summer through a Darwinian perspective. Wharton studied Darwin’s works extensively, so applying The Descent of Man to Summer’s communities has merit. Specifically, I consider Darwin’s writings on evolution as evolution may be altered by feelings of sympathy. In Summer, it is sympathy, loyalty, and ultimate benevolence for one’s people that furthers community evolution as a whole. This relationship between sympathy and community evolution seems to be one Wharton focuses on in Summer. The urban communities of Wharton’s novel pretended to be the most civil and therefore the most evolved, but it is their Mountain neighbors …

Reimagining Coach Evaluations: High School Athletic Directors' Perspectives On Program Evaluation Practices, Ashley Gerome

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

High school athletic programs increasingly face the challenge of ensuring coaches not only are technically proficient but also how well the coaches support their student-athletes’ personal growth, well-being, and development. As traditional, performance-focused evaluation models fall short in addressing these broader goals, there is a growing need for more effective, holistic approaches to coaching evaluation. This study explores how athletic leadership is evolving to meet that need, focusing on the shift from results-driven metrics to athlete-centered, developmental evaluation practices. Though interviews with seven athletic directors to understand how coaching experience, professional identity, and evaluation methods affect leadership and program growth. …

A Design For Teaching Strength And Conditioning In High School Physical Education: Curriculum Development, Kamren Mullican

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

This project was developed out of an interest in providing an example of a flexible, evidence-based curriculum for teaching strength and conditioning in high school physical education. Rather than viewing the weight room as simply a place for exercise, the curriculum presented here positions strength and conditioning as a structured, safe, and standards-aligned instructional component of physical education. It is designed to be organized and adaptable across a variety of high school physical education settings.

Swing Into Strength: A Golfers' Guide To Bodyweight Exercise, William Welker

Master of Education in Applied Human Development Graduate Projects

The purpose of this guide is to improve your overall fitness which can potentially lead to better sport performance. Golf is a sport that is continuing to grow in popularity. More people are playing the sport than ever, and people are looking for different ways to get an edge against their opponents. Not everyone has the time to go to the course and spend hours at the driving range or short game area, so it is worthwhile to learn other ways you can get results. If you are not regularly engaging in exercise, then following this guide will serve as …

Atomic Physics For Everyone: An Introduction To Atomic Physics, Quantum Mechanics, And Precision Spectroscopy With No College-Level Prerequisites, Will Raven

Open Educational Resources: Textbooks

This open access textbook introduces beginning undergraduate students and high school students to the world of quantum mechanics and atomic spectroscopy. Requiring no previous knowledge of physics and no math beyond basic algebra and sines and cosines, this book focuses on concepts to make the excitement of atomic physics more accessible for learners than ever before. It comes replete with learning goals, exercises and solutions, and an optional experimental component, making this text readily adoptable for both the classroom and the undergraduate lab. The book takes the reader on a lively and engaging tour through topics at the forefront of …

Learning And Belonging In A Museum-School Environmental Stewardship Partnership, Joanna K. Garner, Mel Kuhn, Andrea M. Rocchio, Grace Friedenreich

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

Students in urban, low-income communities can lack access to environmental science outreach in natural settings. As a result, they may face barriers to applying course content to real-world contexts and developing an agentic, hopeful stance towards environmental stewardship. In this paper, we describe a partnership between a maritime museum and park, an urban school district, and ecology experts. The project aimed to increase students’ knowledge of aquatic ecosystems, develop awareness of stewardship-related actions and career pathways, and support a sense of belonging to the museum. Activities included classroom visits by experts, field trips to plant classroom-grown grasses in the museum’s …

Computer Science For Middle School (Cs4ms), Melani Loney, Lisa Steffian, Tancy J. Vandecar-Burdin

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

This session will discuss the project Computer Science for Middle School and the associated findings. This Virginia Department of Education funded project provides computer science Professional Development opportunities for in-service teachers, located in Southeastern Virginia, who instruct students in middle school grades 6- 8. Participating teachers learn to integrate computer science standards into core and elective content through online, asynchronous microcredentials and in-person Summer Workshops. The presentation will include project findings and next steps including teacher efficacy for implementing the computer science standards before and after completing the microcredentials and their students’ attitudes about computer science.

Exploring Occupational Therapy Students’ Coping Strategies And Styles, Ashley E. Stroud, Amanda J. Mohler, Amanda M. Carpenter

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study aimed to determine occupational therapy students’ coping strategies and styles to manage stress. The final sample included 160 students, with 39 master of occupational therapy (MOT) students and 121 occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students who were currently enrolled in an MOT or OTD program. This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive survey. The survey included both closed-ended and open-ended items to provide a greater insight into occupational therapy graduate students’ stressors, coping strategies, and coping styles. Results of the survey showed the most frequently reported coping strategies for both programs were emotional support, instrumental support, self-blame, and religion. The …

Implementing Reading Mastery As A Component Of Tiered Literacy Instruction, Kristen R. Rolf, Peter Ehlen, Teresa Buttars

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

Despite attempts at reform over the decades, many students with and without disabilities in the United States struggle to learn to read. Bear River Charter School is a K-6 public charter school in Utah that has effectively used Reading Mastery Signature Edition to teach most students to read at grade-level by the end of third grade. Data from the 2022-2023 school year show that over 80% of students in kindergarten, over 70% of students in Grades 1 and 2, and over 90% of students in Grade 3 met grade-level reading benchmarks by the end of the year. This chapter describes …

Observations In Writing, Education, And The Internet In The Ai Era, Jacob Westberry

Master's Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) has reached a point in society where it is difficult to ignore or find integrated into everyday life. To keep up with AI’s rapid growth, modern workplaces and educational institutions are scrambling to identify the best practices that align with ethical guidelines, causing unexpected uncertainties. Still, the path to achieving such standards has been nonlinear, leading many to reconsider how AI can best fit their environments, if at all, especially in pedagogy. This portfolio is a compilation of projects, published articles, applied use cases, and supported research created within the MAPW program at Kennesaw State University to …

Girl, You Crazy, Stefani T. Flanagan

Master's Projects

The main premise behind Girl, You Crazy is to inform others of what life is like as someone who experiences psychosis (specifically schizoaffective disorder), as well as show the warning signs that I believe people should be aware of. This text is a nonlinear narrative of my personal experience that explores themes of substance abuse, hallucinations, religion, interpersonal conflict, and family dynamics starting from 2019 through 2025, through the onset of symptoms to diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. This work also entails some of my experiences as a gay Black woman who was raised in a religious family, bullied throughout my …

Between Prompt And Page: Writing, Reflection, And The Rise Of A.I. Collaboration, Mallory Bowen

Master's Projects

This Capstone examines how generative AI reshapes the act of writing by treating co-writing itself as a site of inquiry. Using an autoethnographic method, I document my collaboration with ChatGPT across months of drafting, tracing how the model’s predictions influence tone, syntax, and rhetorical choice. The project argues that large language models are not neutral tools but participants in a shared writing process shaped by the linguistic hierarchies embedded in their training data. Through examples of prompting, revision, and negotiation, I show how AI leans toward standardized English, simplifies sentence structure, and reproduces dominant linguistic norms, often in ways that …

Trust During Troubled Times: Evidence From Sierra Leone’S Ebola Epidemic, Colin Cannonier

Funded Scholarship

Existing literature provides evidence that crises can considerably impact public trust. However, research on these dynamics in lower-income and postconflict countries like Sierra Leone is limited. Using nationally representative survey data and district-level Ebola infection data, herein, we examine the relationship between the Ebola epidemic and various measures of government trust. Our analysis, which employs propensity score matching and other techniques, reveals a notable decline in trust among individuals exposed to the outbreak. Our estimates indicate that individual perceptions of trust in government and other government entities decreased by 11.6%– 33.6% following the Ebola epidemic. This relationship is driven by …

Influence Of Multi-Species Data On Gene-Disease Associations In Substance Use Disorder Using Random Walk With Restart Models, Erich J. Baker, Everest U. Castaneda, Sharon Moore, Jason A. Bubier, Stephen K. Grady, Michael A. Langston, Elissa J. Chessler

Funded Scholarship

A major challenge lies in discovering, emphasizing, and characterizing human gene-disease and gene-gene associations. The limitations of data on the role of human gene products in substance use disorder (SUD) makes it challenging to transition from genetic associations to actionable insights. The integration of data from multiple diverse sources, including information-dense studies in model organisms, has the potential to address this gap. We demonstrate a modified performance of the Random Walk with Restart algorithm when multi-species data is integrated in the heterogeneous network within the context of SUD. Additionally, our approach distinguishes among disparate pathways derived from the Kyoto Encyclopedia …

Rescued From Oblivion: Antoni Benaiges And Transgressive Pedagogy In El Maestro Que Prometió El Mar (Font, 2023), Parker Lawson

Funded Scholarship

Patricia Font’s historical drama, El maestro que prometió el mar (2023), focuses on the pedagogy of Antoni Benaiges (1903–1936), a Republican educator who served for two years at a school in rural Burgos prior to being assassinated just days after the Nationalist uprising in July 1936. Focused also on the efforts to recuperate the legacy of Benaiges, whose body was deposited in a mass grave and has never been identified, the film employs a dual timeline narrative, telling interconnected stories in the past and the present to shed light on pre-Civil War education and contemporary discourses and practices of historical …

Floor-To-Stand Transfers In Older Adults: Insights Into Strategies And Lower Extremity Demands, Lyndsay Stutzenberger, Tyler Whited

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Background/Objectives: Getting up from the floor is an important functional skill for independence in older adults but is not often assessed clinically. The purpose of this study was to investigate how floor-to-stand transfer (FTS) ability is related to self-report measures and five-time sit-to-stand (5XSTS) performance, as well as compare peak joint angles during common FTS strategies and lower extremity demands between the 5XSTS and a commonly instructed FTS strategy. Methods: Thirty-four community-dwelling older adults completed self-report measures and performed the 5XSTS, a FTS in a self-selected manner, and an instructed FTS strategy. Biomechanical analysis of the lower extremities was used …

How Identities Shape Belonging In Occupational Therapy Education: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Student Belonging, Quinn P. Tyminski, Rowhea Elmesky

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging is defined in a variety of ways but most often refers to an individual’s feelings of acceptance, inclusion, support, and respect within a certain environment. Belonging is an innate human need and contributes to success in academic and professional settings. Within occupational therapy (OT) education, minimal attention has been paid to the specific concept of belonging with no research focused on long-term qualitative explorations of student belonging for students with historically minoritized identities (HMIs). Thus, the goal of the present study was to better understand how students with multiple HMIs experienced the phenomenon of belonging in OT education. Utilizing …

Contemporary Pain Neuroscience Knowledge And Attitudes Among Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sue F. Curfman, William J. Best, Molly T. Williams, Kathryn Schmidt, Amy Rasmussen, Gary P. Austin

Funded Scholarship

Purpose: Healthcare education programs often provide limited training in contemporary pain neuroscience, leaving future professionals ill-prepared to address the pervasive and biopsychosocial problem of chronic pain. Exploration of the level of understanding of contemporary pain neuroscience and the attitudes toward people in pain among university students may help educators identify appropriate roles for students in pain-related interprofessional education. This study assessed and compared knowledge of contemporary pain neuroscience and attitudes and beliefs toward individuals experiencing pain among university students.  

Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: 284 undergraduate and graduate, healthcare and non-healthcare students completed the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire and …

Genetic Influences On Individual Variability In Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) Social Behavior, Hadley Mueller-Hill

Master's Theses

While primates are considered highly social animals, the evolutionary origins and mechanisms underlying their social behaviors remain unclear. Not only do they exhibit an extensive range of behaviors, but individuals within the same species can also vary widely in their social interactions. Genetics play a significant role in shaping these individual variations in behavior; multiple genetic variants have been associated with differences in social behavior in mammals. Examples of these include MAOA and OXTR genes, which influence the expression of behaviors associated with antisocial and prosocial temperaments. Genetic polymorphisms affect primate interactions, impacting an individual’s ability to maintain its status …

Evidence-Informed Teaching Practices Across Faculty Terminal Degree Categories, Steven D. Taff, Meredith Gronski, Yejin Lee, Ashley Stoffel, Theresa Carlson Carroll, Jenica Lee, Carolyn M. Baum

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many faculty spend a considerable proportion of their time and effort in teaching, yet intentional preparation for this important responsibility is rare. Currently, there exists no standard guidance for which content areas or competencies are necessary for quality educator development as they perform the various faculty roles. In this descriptive study, we surveyed 334 occupational therapy/ occupational therapy assistant (OT/OTA) faculty from across the United States using a 53-item instrument that explored to what degree do OT/OTA faculty use and document evidence-informed teaching practices and if the use of evidence-informed teaching practices differs across faculty terminal degree category (entry-level occupational …

Professionalism…What Is It Anyway? Researching And Communally Defining An Elusive Social Construct In Occupational Therapy Programs, Carol Lambdin-Pattavina

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

For its entirety, the profession of occupational therapy’s understanding of and approach to the development of professionalism in occupational therapy students (OTS) has remained relatively static and based largely on a White, Western, and male-dominated understanding of professionalism and how it manifests in academic environments. This understanding and approach are highly problematic in that it does not take into account the kaleidoscope of cultural differences that require occupational therapy practitioners to show up in different ways based on the needs and preferences of clients, communities, and populations. This research qualitatively analyzed existing documents containing references to professionalism utilized in one …

Impact Of An Educational Workshop On Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions Of People With Justice System Involvement, Emily K. Simpson, Sara Engimann, Jamie N. Deal, Sydney M. Sabbagha, Lexi Frazier

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The United States has the highest number of people per capita in detention centers when compared to all other nations in the world. Stigma exists against people with justice system involvement, resulting in discrimination by healthcare providers and students and ultimately health inequities. This convergent mixed-methods study aimed to impact occupational therapy students’ (N=25) knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about the criminal justice system and people with justice system involvement. The workshop included education, a panel of people with lived experience, and an occupational therapist with experiences in the criminal justice system. Significant changes were seen in the number of correct …

Financial Literacy Among Occupational Therapy Students: A Survey Study, Joanne Gallagher Worthley, Sarah Dimeo, Tanya Trudell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy students face professional and personal financial literacy challenges. Professionally, financial management has been identified as an instrumental activity of daily living, and recent research has examined how occupational therapy has helped clients with these skills. Personally, occupational therapy students may face higher debt levels due to degree escalation and economic changes. The study aimed to determine the level of understanding of financial literacy among matriculating occupational therapy students in a combined baccalaureate and entry-level master’s program. Nineteen occupational therapy students completed a virtual survey distributed through Google Forms. The survey included demographic questions, the Financial Self-Efficacy Scale (FSES), …

Developing A Trauma Informed Occupational Therapy Workforce, Shruti Gadkari, Ethan A. Mcmahan

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Trauma is a prevalent condition that impacts individuals, groups, and populations. Trauma informed care (TIC) is a strengths-based approach that was developed to address the pervasiveness of trauma and prevent re-traumatization. Occupational therapy practitioners are likely to encounter individuals and groups who have experienced trauma and need to be familiar with the impacts of trauma as well as principles of TIC. While trauma and TIC concepts have been taught as learning modules, workshops, or continuing education courses, this study adopts the innovative approach of integrating these concepts across a two-course sequence on pediatric occupational therapy through readings, didactic content, and …

Factors Influencing Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Offer Acceptance Across Student Demographics, Megan Hoover, Mckenna Johnson, Colleen Bullen, Elizabeth K. Schmidt, Jackson M. Miller

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This research study aimed to identify key factors influencing Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students' acceptance of program offers. An online survey was developed based on relevant literature and study objectives and validated through expert review. A total of 281 students, including a sub-set of students from underrepresented backgrounds (n=70), across the United States completed the survey. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, Chi-square tests with Bonferroni correction, and multinomial logistic regression including demographic variables and factors moderately to strongly influencing program acceptance. Qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis. Key findings reveal geographic location, application process, cost …