Digital Commons Network^™

The Powers That Perpetuate Child Marriage In India, China, And The United States, Ava Kegler

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Child marriage is a crisis that continues to be practiced in many countries around the world. This is not to discredit the progress that organizations like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Girls Not Brides have made to aid countries in their process of eliminating child marriage. However, the commitment to completing the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending child marriage by 2030 seems less achievable as we enter 2025. The question this thesis considers is why this goal is challenging to reach. While child marriage is prominent in developing nations, caused by high poverty rates, low education, …

Digital Chinese Medicine In The Western World: A Conceptual Framework, David C. Mainenti

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Digital technology plays an increasing role in Chinese medicine and Western modalities alike. This research uses content analysis and grounded theory for developing a conceptual framework for a digital health system in the Western world termed Digital Chinese Medicine (DCM). Four research questions were proposed: • What are the functional requirements of a DCM system? • What inputs, processes, and outputs are necessary for a DCM system to be both effective and efficient? • What components and features are most desired in a DCM system? • What will a graphical representation of a DCM system look like? Over 475 publications …

Neurodivergent Students And Higher Education: Barriers, Challenges, And Supporting Measures, Courtney Tricarichi-Funk

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

When neurodivergent students attempt to go to colleges and universities, they often face barriers in accessing higher education and encounter challenges post-admission. This study explores what measures higher learning institutions can develop and implement to make postsecondary education more accessible and less challenging for neurodivergent students by answering the following questions: • What barriers do neurodivergent students face when planning to access higher education? • What challenges do neurodivergent students encounter in higher education after they are admitted? • What measures can be developed and implemented to help neurodivergent students access and succeed in higher education? To address these questions, …

Exploring The Development Of Mental Health Training Programs For Black And Brown Female Teens And Preteens In Illinois Nonprofits, Darryca Brim Mims

All Capstone Projects

The spread of social media has posed severe mental health issues to Black and Brown female teens and pre-teens (BBFTPTs), as they are particularly prone to cyberbullying, racial discrimination, and Eurocentric beauty ideals. This qualitative analysis explored the incorporation of negative effects of social media by Chicago nonprofits on their mental health training programs for BBFTPTs. Employing semi-structured interview methodology on seven nonprofit leaders, the research examined organizational decision-making on curriculum development within the theoretical framework of resource dependency theory, institutional theory, and change management theory. Data analysis revealed funding limitations, pressure from external stakeholders on curricular decisions, and the …

Movement And Mastery: The Artistic Evolution Of Artemisia Gentileschi, 1613-1640, Molly E. Russom

Capstone Showcase

This thesis examines the artistic evolution of Artemisia Gentileschi between 1613 and 1640, focusing on how her extensive travels shaped the development of her style, subject matter, and professional identity. While Artemisia’s work is frequently interpreted through a biographical or feminist lens, this study emphasizes her artistic agency and technical mastery by situating her paintings within the distinct artistic environments of Florence, Rome, and Venice. Through visual and contextual analysis of her key works—Penitent Magdalene, Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, and Corisca and the Satyr—this paper demonstrates Artemisia’s evolving use of …

An Eye For An Eye Makes A Vigilant Society, Liam C. Preyer

Capstone Showcase

Vigilantism is one of the oldest practices of mankind; for as long as there have been moral and legal laws to govern us and live by, there have been individuals who have sought justice outside these systems. Vigilantism is the response to failures in the justice system, and in the United States in particular, we have seen examples from the Western Frontier to the modern-day digital landscape. This paper will explore the nature of vigilante justice through historical, psychological, media-driven, legal, and digital lenses. We will explore how cultural narratives, media influences, government actions, and psychological motivations have shaped the …

Who Are The Future Leaders In Dental Education?, Marsha A. Pyle D.D.S., M.Ed., Karen P. West D.M.D, M.Ph.

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Future leaders in oral health education will need a refined traditional skillset characterized by virtues, core competencies, and emotional intelligence. However, the lingering impact of the COVID-19 era and its influence on workforce development and talent retention have altered approaches to leadership training and succession planning in business and education sectors. In addition to adaptability and flexibility, future leaders require dynamic strategic skills to navigate the rapid pace of change plus the exponential advancements in technologies affecting equipment, software, and decision-making processes. The leaders of tomorrow need to be developed across traditional and new-age leadership characteristics. Current leaders can influence …

Rasa3 Identified As A Potential Effector Of The Brain G Protein G⍺o By Mass Spectrometry, Halie Adesin Bell

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

G⍺o, the alpha subunit of the most abundant heterotrimeric G protein in the brain, mediates signaling by opioids and by many neuromodulators to inhibit neural function. An open question is whether activated G⍺o-GTP directly binds to and regulates effector molecules, like all other animal G⍺ proteins, or if it signals solely by releasing Gβ�� subunits. Using mouse brain lysates as native source of G⍺o and its potential effectors, I analyzed immunopurified G⍺o protein complexes by mass spectrometry. I identified several proteins that interact preferentially with inactive or active G⍺o. I focused my analysis on proteins that are significantly upregulated in …

Coach For The Approach: The Educator’S New Role In The Age Of Ai, Kevin Yee, Laurie Uttich, Elizabeth Giltner, Anastasia Bojanowski

UCF Created OER Works

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Breast Tissue Expanders On Radiation Therapy In Breast Cancer Patients, Nohemi Calderon, Thuc Dinh, Tram Nguyen, Ying Rath, Shaun T. Caldwell

Research Methods Poster Session 2025

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Ai-Generated Essays For Bias In Public Health Topics, Spring Cooper

Open Educational Resources

This is a sample assignment: Students will use AI tools to generate essays on public health topics, critically evaluate these essays for potential biases, and understand the ethical implications of using AI-generated content in public health.

The Effect Of Inclusive Leadership By Pastoral Leaders On Catholic Parish Vitality, Matthew F. Manion

Dissertations

Catholic parish life in the United States has passed the point of decline where minor changes will enable it to grow again. Church leaders need a new missionary culture and outward-focused approaches to reach people today with the timeless truths of the faith. The old mindset of putting all the responsibility on the shoulders of the clergy to solve problems no longer works. Since heterogeneous groups make better decisions than homogeneous groups in complex, adaptive situations, this study explores the hypothesis that inclusive leadership by Catholic parish leaders leads to more innovation and better solutions to the challenges of church …

A Phenomenological Study Of Success Despite Barriers: How Leaders With Disabilities Experience Supervisory Leadership Through The Lens Of Adaptive Leadership, Ashley Oberlander Townsend

Dissertations

People with disabilities experience unemployment and underemployment more frequently than those without disabilities and encounter obstacles to becoming supervisory leaders (Harlan & Robert, 1998; Krzeminska et al., 2019; Roberson et al., 2021). The American workforce is significantly impacted by this problem, as more than one in four people have a disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). This hermeneutic phenomenological research utilized interviews to collect data from three participants to answer the research question to explore the problem: what are leaders with disabilities’ lived experiences in overcoming barriers to achieving supervisory roles using an adaptive leadership lens? The research …

Civil Rights Law—One Foot In, One Foot Out: Fourth Circuit Holds Tester’S Informational Injury Obtains Sufficient Standing—Laufer V. Naranda Hotels, Llc, 60 F.4th 156 (4th Cir. 2023), Abigail Walsh

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law—Prepared For What? Oregon Officials Granted Immunity After Failing To Prioritize Inmates In Covid-19 Vaccines—Maney V. Brown, 91 F.4th 1296 (9th Cir. 2024), Emily Riccio

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Plasmonic Nanopore Sensing For The Characterization Of Viruses And Biomolecules, Scott Renkes

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

The rapid advancement of nanomedicine has enabled increasingly precise nanotherapeutic platforms, including targeted nanoparticles, monoclonal antibodies, and viral gene delivery vectors. As these technologies mature, quality control and analytical characterization have emerged as critical bottlenecks, particularly in systems where functional outcomes depend on one-to-one molecular or particle–biological interactions. Conventional ensemble-averaged techniques obscure heterogeneity that is often central to therapeutic efficacy, safety, and manufacturability. A prominent example is adeno-associated virus (AAV)–based gene therapy, where production yields heterogeneous populations of empty, partially loaded, and fully loaded capsids. Genome fill percentage and integrity directly influence therapeutic efficacy and dosing accuracy, while limited understanding …

Life Cycle Assessment Approach For Trenchless Cured-In-Place Pipe Sewer Renewal Method, Shiva Mandari

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The advancement of underground infrastructure is vital to the development of modern society and continues to inspire technological progress. As environmental concerns grow, innovative approaches to pipeline rehabilitation are increasingly emphasizing sustainability. Assessing and contrasting the environmental effects of renewing existing pipelines versus complete replacement is key to fostering eco-conscious improvements in subsurface utility systems. Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) is a commonly used trenchless method for rehabilitating pipelines. It involves inserting a flexible liner, saturated with resin, into the existing pipe. This insertion can be achieved through inversion using air or water pressure, or by mechanically pulling and inflating the liner. …

The Effects Of Family Communication Patterns On Young Adults’ Healthcare Encounters, Victoria Esquivel

Communication Theses - Archive

Family communication through childhood is shown to affect young adults’ health decision-making over time. This study examined young adults’ (18-28 years) perceptions of family communication patterns and their effects on avoidance of healthcare encounters, communication self-efficacy, ratings of healthcare quality and trust with healthcare providers, through the lens of Family Communication Patterns Theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a large southern university (n=127). Results showed that young adults from families high in conversation orientation rating their healthcare encounters more positively. Implications are discussed with healthcare providers, educators, and family members in mind. Future research should examine these relationships qualitatively.

Addressing Fine Motor Skills In Kindergarten Through Embedding Occupational Fine Motor Skills In Classrooms, Mary L. Hesterwerth

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Fine motor and visual–motor delays are becoming more common among young children, driven by the shift from traditional physical play to screen time and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues are particularly concerning for kindergarten students, whose academic demands for handwriting and classroom participation are increasing despite their limited prior school experience.

Purpose: This Capstone project aimed to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapist-led training workshop for kindergarten teachers, focusing on how it helps integrate fine motor activities into daily bellwork routines. The main research question was whether this Tier 1, classroom-based strategy could enhance students’ fine …

Gc-Ms, Gc-Fid, And Icp-Oes Analysis Of Produced Water: Characterization, Method Comparison And Environmental Implications, Anush Pabley

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

This thesis presents a comprehensive analytical investigation of produced water samples from various oil and gas extraction sites using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Produced water, a significant byproduct of hydrocarbon extraction, contains complex mixtures of organic and inorganic compounds that present analytical challenges and environmental concerns. This research focuses on comparing analytical methodologies, identifying chemical constituents, and evaluating the performance of these techniques against established reference data.

The study analyzed multiple produced water samples for organic compounds using EPA Methods 8260 and 8270, and for elemental composition …

Enhanced Load Detection With Data-Driven Appliance Signatures Using Mixed Integer Linear Programming In Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring, Marina Materikina

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Despite the numerous research studies and interest in the non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) area to improve energy efficiency, the problem of accurate and precise disaggregation of electrical devices has not been solved yet. The goal of our research is to build a method with a focus on higher accuracy on complex state-based appliances, which most approaches struggle to detect due to their power signal complexity and low consumption. Our approach is NILM with data-driven signatures (DS), with the ability to potentially predict power usage over time that would work great for suitable applications such as demand response, anomaly detection, and …

A Multi-Method Geophysical Approach For Complex Shallow Landslide Characterization, Mohammadyar Rahimi, Clinton Wood, Meersad Fathizadeh, Salman Rahimi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study demonstrates the value of combining multiple non-invasive geophysical methods to characterize a landslide along Highway 7 near Jasper, Arkansas, USA. Geophysical testing was conducted using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), supplemented by select soil borings. The geophysical investigation aimed to provide a high-resolution, near-continuous view of subsurface conditions, including bedrock depth and the location of the groundwater table or highly saturated zones within the slide area. These factors are important contributors to slope instability. The MASW results revealed a highly variable depth to weathered bedrock …

Schizophrenia: Breaking The Myths, Peighton Hunt

A with Honors Projects

Throughout the years, schizophrenia has been commonly misunderstood and misrepresented within the media. Film, television, news outlets, and even social media frequently fail to do research before involving mental health, both intentionally and unintentionally creating turmoil for innocent people. Most of the depictions created are completely false and fail to properly reflect the reality of the disorder. Mental health is a hot topic, especially with young adults and college students. However, to this day schizophrenia still continues to be one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized mental disorders. By being educated on the reality of schizophrenia, we can help eliminate …

“The Entire Art Movement Has Become An Enormous Business Venture” Financing The American Art Museum, Lucy Owen

MA Theses

This thesis examines the intricate relationship between financial operations and the public function of American art museums. The distinctive American nonprofit model relies heavily on private funds for its survival and success. The thesis traces the historical development of this model, and then analyzes the contemporary state of American art museums, with a specific focus on two prominent institutions: MoMA PS1 and the Yale University Art Gallery. The analysis highlights the significant influence of board members' financial contributions and their business expertise on museum operations. Moreover, the thesis argues that the museum world has undergone rapid financialization in the twenty-first …

Female Photographers’ Practices And Markets: A Three-Part Case Study, Emma Howard

MA Theses

This thesis explores the intertwined histories of artistic legacy, cultural impact, and market reception of female photographers, who have often been decentered in art history and overshadowed by male contemporaries. While photography has historically been more inclusive to women than other art forms, women photographers have nonetheless faced marginalization in the canon of photography history and the art market. Building on efforts to reclaim and elevate the contributions of women photographers, this research integrates art historical and market analyses to provide a holistic understanding of their careers and legacies. Through detailed case studies, this thesis examines the artistic practices, biographical …

How Social Media Is Reshaping The Art Market: Catalyzing The Rise Of The Art Agency Model In The United States, Leo Braudy

MA Theses

The art world is undergoing a fundamental transformation, marked by a shift from the traditional gallery-centric model to a talent agency model akin to those in the entertainment and music industries. This evolution is driven by the increasing influence of social media platforms, which empower artists to directly engage with audiences, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers of galleries and auction houses. Drawing on insights from industry reports, social media analytics, and case studies, this thesis explores how social media has catalyzed this shift and examines its implications for artists, collectors, and the broader art market. It argues that the rise of …

From Evidence To Evaluations: Explicit And Implicit Competence Impressions Of A Robot, Nicholas Surdel

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

This dissertation presents 20 studies (N = 8,595) that focus on how people integrate inconsistent evidence when forming explicit (i.e., directly measured) versus implicit (i.e., indirectly measured) competence impressions of robots. It documents our attempts to understand explicit and implicit impressions’ sensitivity to counterattitudinal evidence, capacity to update, and susceptibility to pragmatic inferences. Although implicit impressions initially appeared insensitive to the robot’s inconsistent “oddball” performances (Chapter 2), subsequent experiments revealed implicit impressions can rapidly update when a single oddball provides sufficiently strong evidence of the robot’s true capabilities (Chapter 3). Furthermore, we found that explicit impressions’ sensitivity to relatively …

Barriers To Spiritual Growth, Brian A. Brunke

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the barriers to spiritual growth among believers, analyzing biblical and theological sources alongside perspectives from additional literature. The study identified significant obstacles to spiritual development, including persecution, cultural and religious differences, conflict, lack of understanding, and worldly influences, as illustrated in the Book of Acts. Furthermore, modern challenges, such as the implications of neuroscience for spiritual formation, lifestyle choices, and cultural shifts, also contribute to these barriers. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing an online survey to assess spiritual growth across six dimensions: commitment to God, evangelism, engagement in spiritual disciplines, pursuit of intentional relationships, stewardship, and …

Student Behavior In The Special Education Setting, Ashley Ila Gilbertson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of positive reinforcement in special education settings plays a crucial role in shaping and modifying student behavior. This approach involves rewarding desired behaviors, thereby increasing the likelihood of their recurrence. Research indicates that positive reinforcement not only enhances academic performance but also fosters social skills and emotional well-being among students with diverse needs. By providing immediate, specific feedback and rewards, educators can create a supportive environment that encourages engagement and participation. Furthermore, positive reinforcement helps build self-esteem, as students experience success through consistent acknowledgment of their achievements. Overall, the strategic use of positive reinforcement proves to be an …

Understanding Free Speech Values At The Supreme Court, Noah C. Chauvin

Faculty Articles

This essay is a book review of The Supreme Court and the Philosopher: How John Stuart Mill Shaped US Free Speech Protections, by Professors Eric Kasper and Troy Kozma. The book argues that John Stuart Mill had an indelible impact on the Supreme Court's free speech jurisprudence, and that through the power of precedent, we have come to have a "Millian "First Amendment. As I explain in the review, Kasper and Kozma have made a compelling case. However, because Mill offered an expansive defense of freedom of expression, it is not enough to say that the Court's free speech jurisprudence …