Digital Commons Network^™

A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Autistic Adults' Leisure Experiences, Sevia Raelson, Otr/L

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations

Introduction: Across ages and populations, leisure participation is essential to humans and associated with improved well-being, and both mental and physical health (Bishop-Fitzpatrick et al., 2017; Coster & Khetani, 2008; Lapa, 2013). The American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA] formally defines leisure as intrinsically motivating, non-obligatory, self-chosen, and enjoyable activities done in one’s free time (AOTA, 2020). Leisure participation trends for autistic populations are better understood in pediatric populations than adults, but studies rely on neurotypically defined leisure activities. Given the differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent brains, it is likely that leisure activities are experienced differently by autistic adults; thus, …

Assistive Technology Transitions From School To Adult Life For Students With Intellectual Disability: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Madeleine Clements, Ms, Otr/L, Atp

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations

Introduction
In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that schools consider assistive technology (AT) during transition planning for students with intellectual disability (ID) as they move from school to adult life (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). AT can improve outcomes for adults with ID across multiple areas, including vocational, daily living, and communication (Johnson et al., 2023; Morash-Macneil et al., 2018). However, AT is often underutilized by adults with ID (Boot et al., 2017; Alshamrani et al., 2025). The Quality Indicators Assistive Technology (QIAT)-Transition framework provides best practice guidelines, in the form of six quality …

176th Commencement, Fall

Commencement Programs

Commencement program (graduate and undergraduate exercises) for fall 2025

From Energy Abundance To Blackouts: Political Explanations For Ecuador’S 2024 Electricity Crisis, Selene V. E. Diaz Martinez

Political Science ETDs

Ecuador’s growing reliance on hydropower has positioned it as a regional leader in renewable energy development. However, recent droughts have exposed the vulnerability of this energy model in the face of climate change. In 2024, widespread blackouts underscored the risks of overdependence on hydroelectricity in the country. The media suggested that the cause of the blackouts was due to an abnormal drought that year. However, climate change alone cannot explain the lack of use of other generation sources to meet demand. suggesting that a review of political choices could provide insight into the sector's failure. This research examines the political …

Kakeya Sets Over The Heisenberg Group, Gabriel Jacob Gress

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

The Hausdorff dimension of Kakeya sets is an interesting problem where the two-dimensional case can be proven directly, but even obtaining bounds on the higher dimension analogues can require highly technical machinery. The difficulty of the general case has inspired analysts to look at Kakeya sets from non-Euclidean viewpoints.

In this paper, we explore a construction of the Kakeya set in the first Heisenberg group H^1. By utilizing the sub-Riemannian manifold of H^1 we can apply tools in geometric measure theory which at this time cannot be applied in R^3. We restate and provide a detailed proof for a sharp …

On Sharpest Tail Bounds For Functions Of Tail Bounded Random Variables, Stephen Harrison

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Consider n real/complex, independent/dependent random variables with respective tail bounds and g a measurable function of the r.v.’s. Consider f the “sharpest” tail bound of g (sharpest in the sense, if f were any less, then for some X1, ..., Xn satisfying the conditions, g(X1, ..., Xn) would not satisfy the tail f). Significant research has been done to approximate f often with high accuracy. These results are often of the form, for g in this family, and tail bounds of Xk in this family, f is bounded by some f′ with high accuracy. However, the question “what would it …

2025 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 13. 
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Susan Kehl

Dense Temporary Array Investigation Of Jemez Uplift Seismicity, Jillian D. Podmore

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

A protracted multi-stage tectonic and magmatic evolution combined with low regional crustal strain rates make it challenging to characterize active structure that may host earthquakes in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Here, we leverage temporary 1-month deployments of nodal seismometers to gain new insights into seismicity of the Jemez Mountains, which only have continuous seismic monitoring on their eastern flank as a result of the Los Alamos Seismic Network. Our catalog is built using 4 steps: phase picking in continuous seismic data, association of picks to detect unique events, event magnitude estimation, and absolute hypocenter estimation. We detect and …

Application Of Bimetallic Transition Metal Oxides Electrocatalysts For Li-Co2 Batteries And Li-O2 Batteries, Jianda Wang

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Li-ion batteries are the dominant commercial rechargeable batteries nowadays, which are used in electronic devices and electrified transportation widely. However, undesirable energy density of Li-ion batteries prohibits them from meeting requirements of new generation electronic devices. Therefore, it is important to find more alternative electronic energy storage systems with higher capacity. Fortunately, Li-CO2 batteries, featured high capacity and ability to convert CO2, have become a promising candidate to replace Li-ion batteries. In addition, Li-O2 batteries also attract people’s attention due to their high energy density and low cost. However, Li-CO2 batteries and Li-O2 batteries both face challenges of terrible cycle …

Thermally Stable And Regenerable Catalysts For Alkane Dehydrogenation, Ryan Alcala

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Shale gas upgrading reactions have gained much interest since production dramatically increased around 2010. These reactions occur at high temperatures (600°C +) where undesired processes like sintering and/or coking often occur. It is of interest to use materials like ceria as a catalyst support in these alkane conversion reactions, but ceria is prone to losing active surface area through sintering. It is also of interest to understand the behavior of PtMn and PtZn intermetallics for propane dehydrogenation as they have been identified as some of the best catalysts by theory-based prediction in literature. This manuscript explores ways of utilizing ceria’s …

Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Of Psychotic-Like Experiences And Cannabis Use, Ethan Campbell

Psychology ETDs

As cannabis use has increased steadily over the past decade, there is critical need to evaluate early cannabis use as a potential risk factor for the development of psychosis. Neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying novelty salience could clarify how cannabis exposure may influence subclinical psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The present study leveraged dynamic functional connectivity and task-fMRI to assess the role of novelty processing in cannabis use and PLEs. A group of brain regions dynamically tied to the salience network while viewing short films were found to increase their activation as a function of stimulus novelty during a novelty bandit task. PLEs were …

Testing Tocqueville’S Troops: American Democracy At War In Mexico, Corbin V. Cali

History Theses

This thesis explores Alexis de Tocqueville's theory of democratic armies through the lens of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), testing his predictions about how democratic social conditions influence military institutions and performance. Tocqueville argued that armies in democratic societies would face tensions between egalitarian ideals and military discipline, with citizen-soldiers resisting hierarchy while professional officers, often isolated from civil society, grew dangerously ambitious for war. He predicted that democratic armies would show energetic initiative but struggle with weak formal discipline, and that equality would fundamentally change the relationship between the military and the broader society. The Mexican-American War serves as an …

Contemporary Martian Geomorphic Processes And The Suitability Characterization Of Terrestrial Analogues, Daniel Paul Mason

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Both historical and contemporary evidence for geomorphic activity on the surface of Mars is apparent. This evidence is showcased by features including a) well-preserved deltaic remnants in an otherwise cold and arid environment, present along the western flank of Jezero Crater, and b) the seasonal appearance of candidate recurring slope lineae throughout Martian equatorial, lower, and mid-latitudes as seen within both the Eos Chasma region and on the walls of Raga, Lohse, Rauna, and Tivat Craters. In this dissertation, I elucidate the role that geomorphic processes, whether aqueous or dry, have played in shaping both the ancient and contemporary Martian …

Simulation Of Stress Induced By Laser Heating Of Glass, Austin Marsh Schuberth

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The purpose of this work is to create a method for accurately simulating the stresses due to heating from femtosecond laser pulses. Our work aims to calculate stress and strain in glass exposed to laser pulses used for laser welding. We simulate the effects of thermal heating, thermal expansion, and the viscoelasticity of glass for a single straight weld bead. The laser heating of K9 borosilicate glass was simulated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Thermal models developed by other researchers in earlier work were utilized in calculating the temperatures due to the laser exposure to the glass material. 2D simulations …

When Two Worlds Collide: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Teacher Identity Development Of Graduate Students Of Additional Languages, Hannah L. Garver

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study explores a population that has been understudied in teacher identity research: native English-speaking graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) of additional languages who assumed this role with no prior teaching experience. Influenced by my own experience as a GTA, the purpose of this study is to gain insight into how this population’s experiences shape their identities as teachers and later careers. This qualitative study uses narrative inquiry as a method by which to examine their experiences through the stories told by participants: six former GTAs of French and German.

Using data in the form of semi-structured interviews and some participants’ …

Guillaume Dustan's Ethico-Politics Of The Body, Noah Mertz

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

In this MA Thesis, I lay out a synthetic overview of polemical French writer Guillaume Dustan's (1965-2005) political philosophy. He is criticized first as irresponsible and dangerous for his defense of barebacking (sex without condoms) in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, and then, after his death, as a neoliberal/anarcho-capitalist for his focus on individual liberty. My overview touches on Dustan's Freudian belief that repression is the root of all social ills, his functional ethics of self-responsibility, the revaluation of heteronormative Judeo-Christian morality towards 'virtusex,' and his social contract that minimizes repression. Dustan’s goal is for you to autonomously subjectify …

Physical Education Through The Lens Of A Transgender Individual, Allison L. Graham

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Transgender students face unique challenges in K–12 physical education (PE) that other groups of students do not experience. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the life history of a transgender woman, Evergreen, with a focus on her experiences in PE throughout K-12 school. This study was guided by Queer Theory (Jagose, 1996) and Atkinson’s (1998) life history methodology, data was collected through nine semi-structured interviews and participant-selected artifacts. Data was analyzed using Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) coding procedures to identify themes. Findings revealed distinct experiences across four areas: (1) Elementary School PE—positive memories centered on play …

Predicting The Unpredictable: Advancing Risk Management In Fitness Centers Through Data Science-Driven Judicial Outcome Modeling, Hongyoung Kim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

This study developed a prediction model of judicial outcomes in fitness exercise-related injury lawsuits to identify key factors influencing fitness centers’ success in litigation. Using 209 U.S. court cases from Westlaw, Phase One employed text mining and content analysis to identify legal variables. Phase Two applied descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to evaluate the combined influence of these variables on judicial outcomes. For the multiple logistic regression analysis, the sample size was reduced to 184 cases after excluding 25 remanded cases.

Results showed that victim behavior, hazardous facility conditions, and enforceable waivers or exculpatory clause defenses significantly predicted judicial …

Can Web-Based International Standardized Tests Be More Inclusive? A Udl Mixed-Methods Study Of Accented Tasks, Abdelbaset Haridy

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This dissertation explores the critical, yet understudied, issue of using a variety of accents/dialects within standardized listening assessments. The current study argues for a paradigm shift from dominant accent to the use of a variety of accents in foreign language testing and assessment. The shift is guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), World Englishes, and Intercultural Communication Theory. Following a mixed-methods design, the study compares student perceptions (N=202) and experts’ (N=64) opinions across two distinct linguistic contexts: English and Arabic. College student participants rated listening samples across nine parameters, including Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehensibility, Intelligibility, and Approachability. …

Treating Atrial Fibrillation: Cryoballoon Vs. Radiofrequency Ablation, Nile A. Latowsky, Jordan E. Andre

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Objective: Assess the effectiveness of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by cryoballoon ablation (CBA) compared to the current gold standard of care, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), for the treatment of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation in a symptomatic population. Design: Literature review. Methods: Searches were done in PubMed and Cochrane Library, utilizing the terms atrial fibrillation, cryoballoon ablation, and radiofrequency. In PubMed, the following limits and terms were used: published in the last 10 years, humans, randomized controlled trial, and English. Results: Search results revealed four studies meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Conclusion: Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) is as efficacious in treating atrial fibrillation …

Non-Destructive Characterization Of Ion Irradiated Yttrium Hydride For Microreactor Applications, Ryan E. Pena

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

As energy demands increase, nuclear reactors, especially microreactors, become a promising energy source. These reactors run at high temperatures (>280°C), requiring moderators that can endure these environments. Yttrium hydride is a possible moderator, but little is known about the material’s phase stability and hydrogen retention under irradiation. Through the use of a gold ion beam, samples with stoichiometries ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 were irradiated and tested. Through Vickers hardness testing, a model was created showing a correlation between hydrogen content and hardness. Raman spectroscopy showed high temperature and irradiated samples have significant hydrogen loss. XRD quantified this hydrogen …

Sequential Low Dose Proton Irradiation And Nanomechanical Testing To Understand Mechanical And Microstructural Property Changes In Alloy 709, Abhishek Kc

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Alloy 709, a 20Cr25Ni alloy, is an advanced austenitic steel designed for next generation sodium fast reactors. Preliminary studies have shown the potential of Alloy 709 in sodium fast reactors. In this study, Precipitate Treated Alloy 709 specimens are irradiated with 2 MeV H⁺ at 500 °C from 0.0057 dpa to 1.7 dpa. Electron microscopy characterization techniques are used to understand the effects of radiation on mechanical properties as well as microstructure of Alloy 709. The microstructure did not show formation of voids, amorphization of precipitates, or increase in grain size up to 1.7 dpa. Correspondingly nano-indentation and micro-pillar …

Coupled Adjoint-Based Perturbation Theory For Dynamics And Heat Transfer Multiphysics For Nuclear Transients, Alexis Maldonado

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Nuclear reactor multiphysics modeling and simulation (M&S) enable advanced reactor design by analyzing how systems will react over time to various configurations, scenarios, and perturbations. However, high-fidelity coupled transient M&S for reactor cores are computationally expensive, making robust analyses challenging. This work develops a Coupled Adjoint-based Perturbation Theory for dynAmIcs and heat traNsfer (CAPTAIN) framework to rapidly quantify the impact of uncertainty to overall transient responses by generating sensitivity coefficients for temperature, power, and delayed neutron precursor concentrations using forward and adjoint solutions. This work presents an initial proof of principle, verified with direct perturbations to several inputs. Furthermore, this …

A Risk-Informed Approach To Performing The Pre-Closure Safety Analysis For The Deep Borehole Disposal Of Radioactive Waste, Jennifer Elizabeth Leute

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Deep borehole disposal is an emerging concept which involves disposing of radioactive

waste in boreholes several kilometers deep then backfilling to minimize radionuclide

transport and distribute weight. Unfortunately, little documentation exists on borehole

safety case development, especially for pre-closure operations. This study aims to close

this gap by proposing a graded approach matrix based on consequence, maturity, and

complexity. Two case studies are used to demonstrate this application: Hanford CsCl

capsules and spent PWR assemblies. Simulations are used to predict potential for dose

exposure, revealing CsCl capsules have a much higher potential for being above the 5

rem public dose …

Modeling Mineral Redistribution In Biological Tissue Using Apple As An In Vitro Analogue, Daler Djuraev, Ali Algemsh, Halima Alazeb, Zeenia Ahmed

Publications and Research

This project aims to model mineral (ion) redistribution that occurs in human soft tissue after injury or mechanical/thermal stress. Because direct, repeatable in vivo measurements are difficult, we use apples as an in vitro analogue: their mineral content is relatively uniform and the tissue can be cut, dried, and repeatedly imaged under controlled conditions. Using X-ray imaging, we tracked how minerals in apple tissue move toward damaged regions immediately after cutting, and how subsequent drying at room temperature drives a redistribution toward the central core. We also observed that biological degradation (decay) alters mineral density over time, indicating that even …

Using Vaginal Cytology To Confirm Estrus In Swine - Pilot Study, Carly J. Johnson

Honors College Theses

This study aims to determine whether there is a correlation between cellular changes observed in vaginal cytology and the physical signs of estrus in swine. Vaginal cytology is a technique commonly used in dogs, cats, and rodents, and if proven effective in swine, it could serve as a practical tool for producers to confirm estrus status and improve reproductive management.

Travels In West Africa: A Critical Edition, Erere Iwhi

Student Works

First published in 1897, Mary Henrietta Kingsley’s Travels in West Africa became one of the most influential travel narratives of the Victorian era, changing the way British audiences encountered accounts of West Africa and its peoples. This critical edition examines the book not only as a travel narrative but also as a material artifact shaped by the historical, publishing, and cultural networks that guided its production, circulation, and reception. Extending its analysis beyond Kingsley's experiences of exploration, this edition investigates the forces behind the book’s creation, including Kingsley’s intellectual development, her identity as an independent female traveler and writer, and …

Patient-Derived Ovarian Cancer Models Provide Insight Into Cancer Cell-Intrinsic And Immune Cell-Dependent Effects On Therapeutic Response, Parisa Nikeghbal

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, largely due to late diagnosis and resistance to chemotherapy. This dissertation applies patient-derived organoids (PDOs), xenograft-derived organoids (PDXOs), and humanized xenografts (huPDX) to investigate therapeutic responses and immune interactions. Organoids were shown to retain critical features of the original malignancy. Across platinum-sensitive, -resistant, and -refractory cases, both PDOs and PDXOs exhibited drug sensitivities that aligned with patients’ clinical classifications. Building on this foundation, a drug screen revealed novel strategies. Auranofin restored platinum sensitivity in Notch3-active models, afatinib broadly reduced viability, and adavosertib–gemcitabine and sorafenib–topotecan combinations produced synergy. Extending this work, immune interactions …

Parameter-Efficient Multimodal Adaptation: Ocr-Integrated Lora For Textvqa And Captioning, Karthik Ganesh Malini

Master's Theses

Vision-Language Models (VLMs) have emerged as transformative technologies for multimodal AI, yet they face significant hurdles in processing text-rich images required for enterprise applications like document understanding, medical imaging, and industrial inspection. Current VLMs struggle with accurate text extraction and reasoning, often exhibiting high hallucination rates and poor Optical Character Recognition (OCR) token utilization. To address these limitations, this research presents a comprehensive framework for optimizing parameter-efficient Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) fine-tuning strategies on state-of-the-art architectures, including LLaVA-1.5 and BLIVA-FlanT5. Our methodology integrates enhanced OCR token utilization, faithful caption generation, and specific hallucination mitigation techniques. We employ a multi-dimensional evaluation protocol …

Instrumental Music Educator Strategies To Reduce Or Remove Participation Barriers For Middle School Students, Rachel A. Gorden Mercer Ed.D

Doctorate in Education

Scholars have found that students who participate in instrumental music programs achieve higher academic levels, have better attendance, and build stronger community connections than students who do not participate. This dissertation examines successful strategies for increasing participation in instrumental music programs by reducing socioeconomic barriers, enhancing instrument access, creating ensemble opportunities, and fostering a positive culture within the instrumental program for students during the middle school years. Music educators have found successful strategies to recruit and retain students despite the barriers they encounter.

Researchers have investigated the benefits of participating in instrumental music and the reasons why students discontinue their …