Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Equipment Type On Measured Particle Size Of Civil Engineering Materials, Tanner Turben, Tasnimul R. Ferdous, Andrew Braham, Wen Zhang

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Particle size analysis (PSA) captures the size distribution of finely graded materials with particles generally smaller than 1000 microns. Many civil engineering materials do not leverage PSA for material specifications or acceptance despite the insight into material performance and quality gained through understanding the particle size. The objectives of this study are to compare PSA measurement principles by testing 13 civil engineering materials by laser diffraction, Coulter counter, and microscopy. Asphalt emulsions, cementitious materials, sands, clays, and biological samples were selected to represent a wide set of interests and shapes. It was found that between laser diffraction and Coulter counter …

Enhancing End-Of-Life Quality In Hospice Care, Gerson Orellana Prudencio

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The‍‌‍‍‌ increasing demand for hospice care in Monterey County is a clear indicator of the rapid growth in the need for end-of-life services driven by the aging population. The project was developed at the Department of Hospice of the Central Coast, which is under the Montage Health Foundation, a non-profit organization. The community served consists of elderly people receiving hospice and end-of-life care, as well as volunteers who provide administrative and indirect support. The Volunteer Handbook aims to create a comprehensive procedural manual for hospice volunteers to improve administrative efficiency and ensure the quality of care. Interviews were conducted with …

Evaluating Parent Workshops To Reduce Sexual Health Misinformation, Marshall Farrior

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addressed the problem of sexual health misinformation among youth in Santa Cruz County, which stems from cultural factors, limited parental communication, and inadequate comprehensive sexual health education. Implemented through the Santa Cruz County Public Health Department’s Teen Health Outreach (THO) program, the project evaluated the effectiveness of parent workshops designed to build the capacity of adults’ knowledge and confidence to discuss sexual and reproductive health topics with youth. Serving primarily Hispanic/Latino communities in Watsonville and Freedom, THO collaborates with local schools and organizations to deliver workshops. The intervention aimed to reduce misinformation by empowering parents as trusted …

Barriers To Hospice Access For The Latino Community, Guadalupe Rivera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Latino community in Monterey County faces significant obstacles to accessing hospice care, including language barriers and cultural misunderstandings. Many community members are unfamiliar with available hospice services or hold common misconceptions, such as equating hospice only with dying or abandonment. This capstone project, in partnership with the Central Coast Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), investigated these barriers through interviews conducted at a local senior event. An important outcome of the project was the creation of a bilingual (Spanish and English) resource guide for new Social workers which helps social workers efficiently connect Latino families to appropriate services in their preferred …

Advocacy At The Front Door, Tenisha S. Hill

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project examines how integrating social work practices into the jail intake process can strengthen support for clients represented by the Public Defender’s Office. The project focuses on understanding the challenges clients face at the earliest point of contact often marked by trauma, instability, and limited access to services and how a social-work-informed approach can improve outcomes. Through direct observation, interviews with staff, and review of intake procedures, the project identifies key gaps in assessment, communication, and referrals. Findings highlight the need for more holistic intake practices that address clients’ social, mental health, and resource needs alongside their legal …

Building Healthy Smiles: A Bilingual Oral Health Workshop With The Monterey County Health Department, Paulina J. Moran

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Untreated dental decay remains high in Monterey County, particularly among low-income, Spanish-speaking families, due to provider shortages and persistent gaps in oral-health education. In partnership with the Monterey County Health Department’s Oral Health Program, which delivers prevention, education, and access initiatives countywide, this capstone project focuses on parents and caregivers of young children living in a diverse community with long-standing access barriers. The project’s purpose was to strengthen parents' knowledge, confidence, and intentions to practice preventive oral-health behaviors at home. To achieve this, an interactive, bilingual (Spanish/English) workshop was designed and delivered on November 5, 2025, featuring demonstrations on proper …

Students Insufficient Reading Proficiency, Carmen Bolanos Chavez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Students’ lack of foundational reading proficiency continues to be a significant barrier to academic success, particularly among bilingual and underserved communities. This capstone project was implemented at ProYouth, an expanded learning program serving students in grades K–12 in King City, California, where many families speak primarily Spanish and face limited time to support reading at home. The project aimed to strengthen students’ literacy skills through targeted small group reading interventions and to gather parent input through surveys to better understand student needs and family challenges. Intervention groups met daily during the six-week ProYouth Summer Program and utilized evidence-based strategies focused …

Supporting Self-Regulation In Middle Childhood Through Social-Emotional Building, Karen Jimenez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children in middle childhood, ages 6–12, may struggle to self-regulate their emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. They are becoming more independent, forming deeper friendships, facing greater academic demands, and experiencing more complex situations. Struggles with self-regulation can lead to difficulties in resilience, peer relationships, and school performance, but children who can identify their feelings, understand their emotional triggers, and recognize how these emotions impact their behavior are better able to cope with challenges and stay focused. According to McCabe and Altamura (2011), children with strong social-emotional skills usually have better relationships, more friends, and greater success in school, while those children …

Grounded & Connected: Enhancing Mental Health Literacy And Resilience Among Transfer College Students, Alyson Morgan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college transfer students experience poor mental health, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and suicidal ideation. Recent findings show that transfer students face unique stressors related to adjusting to a new campus environment and often struggle to access support services (Center on Transition Innovations, 2023). Although many students recognize the signs of deteriorating mental health in themselves, they may not know how to seek help or use healthy coping strategies. To address this need, I created an 80-minute workshop for transfer students at Modesto Junior College to address the lack of awareness of mental health struggles, the different stressors of …

Mental Health Education For Latinx Students In High School, Wilbert F. Rivas-Vides

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Mental health has become a significant concern for adolescents, especially high school juniors and seniors who are getting ready to transition into adulthood. At this age, students often face academic pressure, uncertainty about their future, and the challenge of balancing increased independence with family and cultural expectations. These stressors can be even harder for students from immigrant, low-income, or bilingual backgrounds because they may face extra barriers when trying to seek support. National data show that mental and behavioral health conditions are common among teens, with anxiety and depression standing out as leading concerns (Sappenfield et al., 2024). To address …

Bridging The Digital Divide: Educating Older Adults To Recognize And Prevent Scams, Isabella S. Chan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The older adult community, especially those 60 years and older, is a frequent target of scams and financial exploitation. When an individual is scammed, and with the likelihood of older adults choosing not to report, many do not recover their money (CFPB 2022). Social isolation and cognitive decline are significant factors that increase an older adult’s susceptibility to scams; however, digital literacy and their lack of understanding of technology are also obstacles to detecting a scammer’s deception. In response to these concerns, I created an hour-long presentation to educate and bring awareness to older adults about scams and how to …

More Than Words: A Parent-Led Approach To Triqui Language Revitalization At Home, Monica Andrade

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Preserving indigenous languages is crucial for maintaining cultural identity, strengthening family bonds, and promoting the healthy development of children. For many immigrant Triqui families, the shift to using dominant languages like English or Spanish can lead to language attrition, a gradual loss of their native language when it is no longer spoken regularly at home (McCarty, 2003). To help Triqui parents actively preserve and promote their heritage language, I conducted a workshop specifically for a group of Triqui mothers at the Greenfield Community Center. The workshop provided practical strategies to engage children in everyday Triqui conversations, strengthen intergenerational connections, foster …

Supporting Healthy Eating Habits In Preschoolers, Adrian Arechiga-Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Unhealthy eating habits in early childhood are a growing health concern that has long-term effects on children’s physical and emotional health. Early childhood is an ideal time to support healthy eating habits because nutritious food choices support 1 children’s growth, brain development, and overall well-being. Making healthy food choices also helps prevent diseases such as diabetes and heart disease (Al-Mahshi et al., 2025). However, many young children face limited nutrition education, a lack of parental influence, and inadequate food environments. To address this issue, I created a one-day workshop for children at an early childhood daycare, Ale’s Learn and Play …

How Negative Accounting News Events, Voluntary Esg Assurance, And Assurance Provider Influence Consumer Purchasing Intentions, Clark Hampton, Macy Knutson, Adi Masli, Chad Stefaniak

Faculty Publications

Consumers are increasingly conscientious of societal and environmental impacts of their purchases, prompting companies to make environmental, social, and governance (ESG) claims and engage in voluntary ESG assurance. However, prior literature lacks insight into whether consumers consider negative accounting news events (e.g., error/irregularity restatements) and their effects on purchasing intentions. Using real world consumers of sustainable goods, we investigate how varying levels of negative accounting news events (i.e., error or irregularity restatements), the presence of ESG product-quality assurance (e.g., cage free egg certification), and the type of assurance provider (e.g., an accounting firm that also audits the financial statements, an …

Data Driven Design Of Ultra High Performance Concrete Prospects And Application, Bryan K. Aylas-Paredes, Taihao Han, Advaith Neithalath, Jie Huang, Ashutosh Goel, Aditya Kumar, Narayanan Neithalath

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a specialized class of cementitious composites that is increasingly used in various applications, including bridge decks, connections between precast components, piers, columns, overlays, and the repair and strengthening of bridge elements. The mechanical and durability properties of UHPC are significantly influenced by factors such as low water-to-binder ratios, the inclusion of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and fiber reinforcement. Machine learning (ML) has been employed to predict the performance of UHPC and optimize its mixture designs by using various raw materials. This study first provides a comprehensive review of ML applications in UHPC, focusing on predicting workability, …

The Effect Of An English Mother Tongue On Spanish Language Acquisition, Erin Wallace

Honors Theses

This study investigates how English influences the Spanish acquisition of English-speaking learners by analyzing written errors, background factors, and interview data. Using two linguistic classification frameworks, it identifies both the types and underlying causes of errors, revealing that gender and plural agreement issues, verb forms, word order problems, and subjunctive misuse are the most frequent difficulties. These errors primarily stem from first-language transfer, overgeneralization, and instructional gaps. The findings highlight the need for targeted practice, contrastive analysis, and greater exposure to authentic Spanish input. Despite limitations such as small sample size and incomplete interview participation, the study offers direction for …

Investigating The Correlation And Synergy Of Artificial Intelligence Techniques, Construction Technologies, And Their Key Benefits, Fareed Salih, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Despite its reputation as one of the least digitized sectors, the construction industry increasingly adopts artificial intelligence (AI) and construction technologies. However, previous research has not adequately explored the benefits of AI techniques and construction technologies nor the correlations between them. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap. To this end, the authors used a multistep research methodology. First, a systematic literature review of studies published between 1985 and 2022 was conducted to identify AI techniques and construction technologies. Second, content and frequency analysis were performed to determine the benefits associated with AI and technology adoption. Finally, a survey …

The Essence Of Black Parenthood Amid Juvenile Justice Contact: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Through Historical Trauma And Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome, Dana M. Wallace

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Traditional psychology was created by defining adaptive and maladaptive behaviors based on Eurocentric cultural norms. As a result, much of the research within the African American family utilizing Eurocentric ideologies and typologies has contributed to themes of inferiority and deficit-deficiency. This study attempts to move away from a deficit-deficiency model that assumes that because of the historical mistreatment of African American adults in this country, African American parents have developed competency deficits in areas necessary for the rearing/socialization process. In centering the African-ness of the Black family and utilizing Historical Trauma theory and Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome as contextual lenses, the …

Examining The Relationship Between Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (Ocb) And Student Achievement In K-12 High Poverty Schools, Trayvonia S. Duhe

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between teacher OCB and student achievement in high-poverty public and charter schools in Louisiana, where 71% of students are economically disadvantaged. 96 ELA and math teachers participated, completing the Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale alongside their classroom-level LEAP 2025 results. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, the study also explored the association between OCB and teachers’ perceptions of organizational justice. Findings indicated that teachers reported moderate engagement in OCB; however, the relationship between OCB and student achievement was weak, positive, and non-significant. This suggests that while teachers consistently engage in discretionary behaviors that support school …

Purpose And Nonprofit Enterprise, Cathy Hwang, Dorothy S. Lund

Faculty Scholarship

Nonprofit enterprise is responsible for a large share of economic activity across the globe. And yet, leading theories fail to explain why nonprofit business survives and even thrives across a vast number of industries, ranging from artificial intelligence to beer brewing, despite an absence of shareholder control. Indeed, as shareholder ownership and intervention rights have become the core component of successful corporate governance, this success is all the more surprising.

This Essay offers a novel “purposeful enterprise” theory to explain the puzzling success of nonprofit enterprises. Drawing on research in behavioral economics and organizational science, it argues that organizational purpose …

The Value Of Jury Rights, Philip A. Hamburger

Faculty Scholarship

The right to a civil jury trial is often dismissed as an inefficient anachronism ill suited to the complexities of modern litigation, and these efficiency concerns have long overshadowed any serious defense of the Seventh Amendment. This Article argues that such skepticism profoundly misunderstands the constitutional function and enduring value of civil jury rights. The Article observes that the Seventh Amendment’s jury right was adopted with the understanding that it would come with some inefficiencies and that contemporary concerns about its inefficiencies tend to be overstated. Ultimately, the Article finds that civil juries are essential for structural reasons such as …

Before Meyer And Pierce, Joshua Gupta-Kagan

Faculty Scholarship

In the standard story taught in typical Parents, Children, and the State or Children & the Law courses, analysis of parental rights has a clear beginning. In 1923, at the height of the Lochner era, in Meyer v. Nebraska, a case of first impression, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that “[w]ithout doubt” the Due Process Clause protected the right “to marry [and] establish a home and bring up children.” Two years later, in Pierce v. Society of Sisters, the Court recognized “the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control.” …

Experimental Determination Of Tnt Equivalence Values For Binary Energetic Materials, Gracie May M. James, Rachel L. Bauer, Emily M. Johnson, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

TNT equivalency quantifies the impact of energetic materials relative to TNT, aiding in safety guidelines and performance evaluations. Despite widespread use in industry, military, and research, many binary energetics lack published TNT equivalence values. This study experimentally determines TNT equivalency values for Helix, Texpak, Rimfire, Tannerite, and Kinepak using three tests: (1) plate dent, (2) reaction velocity and (3) air blast. Each test evaluates distinct aspects of energetic performance, addressing both close-in destructive power and downstream effects. Helix produced TNT equivalence values from 0.64 to 1.10, comparable to TNT, while Kinepak had lower values (0.18 to 0.58) indicating limited brisance, …

A Precipitation-Hardened High-Entropy Alloy With Excellent Mechanical Properties Additively Manufactured By In-Situ Alloying, Matthew Luebbe, Shahryar Mooraj, Jonathan Poplawsky, Hans Pommerenke, Wen Chen, Haiming Wen

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Studies on precipitation-hardened high-entropy alloys (PHEAs) have demonstrated high strength, good ductility, and thermal stability, making them excellent candidates for high-temperature structural applications such as nuclear reactors. However, many complex parts for those applications would need to be produced via additive manufacturing (AM), whose rapid cooling rates and multiple heating cycles could change the microstructure of the chosen alloys and accordingly their mechanical properties. A PHEA, (Fe0.3Ni0.3Mn0.3Cr0.1)88Ti4Al8, which was developed and produced via conventional manufacturing in our previous work with high strength but low ductility, was chosen to test the effects of AM on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Scanning …

Applications Of Machine Learning In Gravitational-Wave Research With Current Interferometric Detectors, Elena Cuoco, Marco Cavaglià, Ik Siong Heng, David Keitel, Christopher Messenger

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article provides an overview of the current state of machine learning in gravitational-wave research with interferometric detectors. Such applications are often still in their early days but have reached sufficient popularity to warrant an assessment of their impact across various domains, including detector studies, noise and signal simulations, and the detection and interpretation of astrophysical signals. In detector studies, machine learning could be useful to optimize instruments like LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and future detectors. Algorithms could predict and help in mitigating environmental disturbances in real time, ensuring detectors operate at peak performance. Furthermore, machine-learning tools for characterizing and cleaning …

Series Resonant Converters With Medium Voltage Sic Mosfets For Electric Aircraft Applications, Xinyuan Du

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To develop high-performance high- power-density MV power converters, the emerging silicon carbide (SiC) devices are more attractive than their silicon (Si) counterparts, since the fast switch frequency brought by the SiC can effectively reduce the volume and weight of the filter components and thus increase the converter power density. From the converter topology perspective, with the MV dc distribution, the single stage isolated dc/dc converter are suitable for next-generation electric aircraft system due to soft switching and high power density. In this work, comprehensive static and dynamic characterizations were conducted for the latest 6.5 kV silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs from …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black International Graduate Students’ Experiences In Building A Sense Of Belonging And Community At A Predominantly White Southern University, Hilda Solange George

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black international graduate students’ experiences navigating and developing a sense of belonging and community at higher educational institutions in the United States and particularly at predominantly white institutions have received minimal attention in scholarly inquiries, despite their cultural, intellectual, and financial contributions to host institutions and the country. To fill this gap in the existing literature, this hermeneutical phenomenological study aimed to gain a nuanced and in-depth understanding of Black international graduate students' perceptions of their sense of belonging and community at a predominantly white southern university (PWSU) in the United States. Guided by the research questions and the Black …

Evaluating A Self-Guided Cognitive Behavioral Coping Skills Workbook For Sexual Violence-Exposed College Students Using A Nonconcurrent, Multiple Baseline Design, Marley F. Fradley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College students endorse high rates of sexual violence victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Help-seeking behaviors in college students are low and may be impacted by limited financial resources, competing obligations, treatment-related stigma, and features of PTSD such as avoidance, fear, and shame. Novel opportunities for sexually victimized college students to engage with trauma-focused interventions are necessary to mitigate the biopsychosocial consequences of PTSD. In a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline trial of a self-guided cognitive behavioral workbook for PTSD, sexual violence-exposed college students (N = 6) completed a 3-, 4-, or 5-week baseline period and then utilized the study workbook for …

There, But Not There: Pre-Service Teacher Identity And Transformation In The Internship Semester, Jacob G. Warren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive multiple-case study investigates how five secondary pre-service teachers constructed and negotiated their professional identities during the internship semester. Guided by a single overarching research question—How do pre-service teachers form and narratively negotiate their identities as educators within the liminal space of the internship?—the study conceptualizes identity as a dynamic, socially mediated, and storied process. Sociocultural theory and narrative identity theory provide the analytical framework, emphasizing development through interaction, participation, and reflective meaning-making. Participants were enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching program and completed internship placements in middle and high school classrooms. Data were collected through pre-internship …

Reading Between Lines: Mapping El Orinoco Ilustrado, Guillermo Pupo Pernet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines El Orinoco Ilustrado (EOI) by Joseph Gumilla as a layered textual and cartographic artifact central to the production of colonial knowledge in the Orinoco River basin. Moving beyond surface narratives of evangelization and exploration, it interrogates the sombras and silencios implanted in the Jesuit chronicle. Through an intradisciplinary approach combining literary analysis, archival research, and visual studies, the study reveals how EOI helped construct imperial visions of space, race, and resource extraction in eighteenth-century Spanish America. The dissertation is structured around six chapters. Chapter One outlines a theoretical framework. Chapter Two provides a longue durée historical context, …