Digital Commons Network^™

A Trap For Local Governments: Legislative Exactions After Sheetz V. County Of El Dorado, Andrew Klemm

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

When Justice Destroys Cement Monsters, Abigail Fleming, Photini Kamvisseli Suarez

University of Memphis Law Review

Dusty, toxic “cement monsters”⎯cement plants⎯have plagued Black communities in the United States for decades. Spewing air pollutants while contributing to greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, cement plants cause detrimental long-term health and environmental effects, making it impossible for Black communities to breathe. In the face of the global climate crisis, Black communities are demanding a radical shift. This Article explores the impacts of cement production on Black communities, barriers to change, and potential avenues for change. First, it provides an overview of the process of cement production in cement plants, highlighting how pollution is produced and the specific pollutants of concern. …

Bs Middle Level Education, Teaching, Learning, And Foundations

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Meeting And Event Management Minor, Hospitality And Tourism

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Teaching English As A Second Or Foreign Language, English

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Belonging At A Historically White Institution: Understanding The Men Of Color Experience, Riley Cain Sisk, Tara J. Hefner, Kelsie N. Potter, Nicholas A. Williams

Doctor of Education Capstones

Sense of belonging is a vital need that supports an individual’s journey of becoming. Studies have shown the positive impact sense of belonging can have on education outcomes, especially for underrepresented communities. Consulting with the Assessment Office in the Division of Student Affairs (The DSA Assessment Office) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the research team sought to understand how men of color make sense of belonging at historically white institutions (HWIs) such as VCU. This qualitative, instrumental case study utilized a subjectivist approach grounded in Strayhorn’s (2019) definition of ‘sense of belonging’ paired with Baxter Magolda’s (2014) theories of self-authorship. …

Riverview Community Park Commoning Plan, Haley B. Keene

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Riverview Community Park began as an illegal DIY skatepark in the Maymont neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Now, although it is a city park, it is still entirely managed by volunteer community groups (skateboarders, the neighborhood Civic League, and a community garden) who view the park as a creative, experimental community-led spatial project. Due to a dearth of communication between the three groups, the park has suffered political strife between the groups and a chaotic physical atmosphere. This plan utilizes a commons governance framework and participatory, asset-based community design to usher in a new era of enhanced collaboration, common narratives, and …

Repurposed Energy, Hannah Jacobs Wiseman, Alexandra Klass

Faculty Scholarship

Wildfires, weather extremes, and other conditions induced partially by climate change add urgency to the project of accelerating the clean energy transition from fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy infrastructure. Yet the hurdles to accomplishing such a massive industrial-scale transition are daunting. Indeed, large renewable energy generation projects regularly face denials or project-killing delays across the United States. This Article proposes a national policy to channel the bulk of new clean energy projects to targeted categories of both rural lands and urban, post-industrial lands that we define collectively as “repurposed energy” sites. Such lands will consist of marginal farmland, abandoned coal …

The Nebulous Binaries Of C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, Amantia Menalla

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Much of C.S. Lewis’ novel Till We Have Faces can be examined through one of two binaries. The tension between rationality, or reason, and spirituality, or religion, is one of the core facets of both the text and its main character, Orual. Orual feels the pull of both ideas and thus spends most of the novel in a nebulous space between them. This tension is further complicated by the space between the feminine and the masculine which she also inhabits. By covering her face and body, Orual de-emphasizes her feminine identity and takes on a masculine role, dressing as a …

We Have Conducted A Comprehensive Review Of The Digital Accessibility Of This Content And Made A Good Faith Effort To Ensure It Meets Minimum Accessibility Standards., Aurea M. Jimenez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the influence of bilingualism on personality traits specifically in English and Spanish-bilingual individuals. This examines how linguistic and cultural contexts have an impact on direct personality traits—extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and openness. Using a sample of 91 participants, paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate differences in personality trait scores between languages and calculated effect sizes to understand the practical significance of these differences. The results demonstrated no statistically significant differences in personality traits across the two languages. Furthermore, effect sizes were small, suggesting that any observed differences were not practically meaningful. While these findings do …

Paleodemographic Research In Ancient Túcume With A Focus On Infant Mortality, Tyler J. Pilarski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research analyzed bioarchaeological data from the Peruvian site of Túcume in an attempt to understand what the overall mortality profile may have been like, as well as what patterns may have been seen in juvenile and infant mortality. The primary data set, which consisted of estimated age-at-death values from previously excavated skeletal remains, was examined via three different models (Life Table, 5 Year Incremental, and Categorical), as well as compared to data from two other comparable sites (Pacatnamú and Farfán). It was found that individuals at Túcume were dying in unequal proportions across the age groups, ranging from newborn …

A Bargaining Theory Of Us-China Economic Rivalry: Differentiating The Trade And Technology Wars, Cathy Xuauxuan Wu

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This article examines the outbreak and persistence of US–China economic war, which comprises both the trade war, featured with retaliatory tariffs, and the technology war, featured with restrictions on Chinese access to US technologies. Building on the analytical framework of bargaining and war, I argue that different components of the economic war emerged from distinct causes. The outbreak of the trade war was primarily driven by the information problem, characterized by mutual uncertainty and the lack of effective communications. The technology war was largely a result of the commitment problem driven by the existing power’s concern regarding potential future changes …

The Influence Of Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers On Estuarine Food Webs At Various Spatio-Temporal Scales And Levels Of Complexity, Michelle Shaffer

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Global coastal ecosystems support human life by providing critical services like food, water purification, and coastal protection, yet these ecosystems are among the most threatened due to natural and human-driven disturbances. The long-term maintenance and restoration of these ecosystems is a complex challenge for resource managers due to the wide range of factors affecting these ecosystems ecological condition over long timespans. Most studies in marine ecology evaluate ecosystem change over relatively short temporal scales (ago), often resulting in shifting baseline syndrome. To effectively manage and restore these ecosystems, resource managers must consider long-term ecosystem baselines.

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) …

One Click From Conflict: Some Legal Considerations Related To Technology Companies Providing Digital Services In Situations Of Armed Conflict, Jonathan Horowitz

Chicago Journal of International Law

Private technology companies (tech companies) are increasingly providing their digital goods and services to clients living and working in situations of armed conflict. Tech companies may own, operate, or maintain significant portions of the digital infrastructure that allow day-to-day essentials—such as water, medical care, and electricity—to reach civilians living in places affected by armed conflict. They may own communications platforms that people use to call emergency services. They may own social media outlets that organizations rely on to inform communities in need about access to humanitarian services or that families use to maintain contact with each other. Those fighting today’s …

Telehealth Utilization In Mental Health: The Unexpected Catalyst, John Perrys

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This quantitative research study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of telehealth in mental health services, focusing on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The study assessed changes in appointment types across location, modality, gender, age, race, and rurality. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and introducing a COVID-19 moderation factor, the study investigates the adoption of telehealth technology and its effects on traditionally underserved groups. The research method involved a quantitative analysis of de-identified patient appointment data from FY 2017 to FY 2022, encompassing 66 million appointments. Empirical …

Words Matter: Use Of Gender Identity Pronouns In Business Communication, Patricia Carlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Through this research, I provide quantitative evidence on the use of gender identity pronouns in business communication as it relates to sexual stigma theory and psychological safety theory in the workplace. This theoretically grounded, empirical investigation uncovers what impact, if any, psychological safety has on the use of gender identity pronouns in the workplace. My research measures the degree to which respondents feel psychologically safe enough to use their gender identity pronouns in a work context and which other factors (such as age cohort or the sociopolitical leanings of the company where they work) impact their decision to do so.

Foundation Of Sand: The Eisenhower Doctrine And The 1958 Lebanese Crisis, Douglas Provenzano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Occurring in the context of the Cold War, the 1958 Lebanese Crisis forced U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and top policymakers to balance a multitude of factors when considering an appropriate response to the crisis. While Eisenhower claimed publicly that Operation Blue Bat was an intervention aimed at containing the every looming threat of communism, meeting records of top U.S. policy makers contradict such explanations and offer insight to the President’s true motivations. Eisenhower instead sought to maintain U.S. influence among a coalition of Middle Eastern conservative governments operating in a U.S. led regional military alliance. The crisis forced the …

Flood Risk And Social Vulnerability In Walton County, Fl: An Integrated Assessment For Urban Resilience, Letícia Sábio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Walton County, Florida, a low-lying coastal region, is highly susceptible to flooding, sea level rise, and storm surges. These hazards disproportionately impact communities, with socially vulnerable populations being less likely to recover from disaster events. This study presents an integrated assessment of vulnerability to flooding, considering natural hazards such as a 1-day 100-year storm event, a 3-foot sea level rise scenario, and storm surge risk, combined with a social vulnerability analysis, aiming to identify the most socially vulnerable communities within Walton County's flood-prone areas. Additionally, the integrated analysis takes into consideration a priority of land use approach, identifying facilities that …

Expanded Range Of Nasutitermes Callimorphus Mathews, 1977 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Comparison With N. Corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) And N. Ephratae (Holmgren, 1910), And Synonymy Of N. Dasyopsis Thorne, 1989 Into N. Nigriceps (Haldeman, 1854), Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The imago of N. callimorphus is described for the first time. Nasutitermes callimorphus occurs from Mexico to Paraguay. Nasutitermes callimorphus is smaller in all measurements but generally resembles its widely distributed sympatric congeners, N. corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) and N. ephratae (Holmgren, 1910). Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a portion of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and the COII mtDNA marker revealed that N. callimorphus forms a distinct clade using both maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis. Unlike N. corniger and N. ephratae, N. callimorphus does not build epigeal or arboreal carton nests. We further regard N. dasyopsis Thorne, 1989 as a …

Public Influence On Small Wars: Somalia And A Theory Of Constituent Discontent, Barry Smith

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Public opinion predicts American small war sustainment through institutional causal mechanisms of Congress and political-military relations. An increase in general public disapproval (not necessarily connected to a war) predicts the time when Members of Congress look to their constituents for policy changes to appease broad frustration. Constituent discontent toward a U.S. small war is absorbed by individual legislators, translated into legislative constraint, and projected onto the Department of Defense that is highly attentive to Congress. America abandons war aims, despite its military advantage over adversaries, when the ways and means available for military operations are constrained by a threat or …

Bridging Urban Divides: The Impact And Implementation Of Bridge Parks, Elvis Brian Velazquez

Landscape Architecture Theses

This study examines the role bridge parks have in the enhancement of community connectivity across fragmented neighborhoods. By conducting a comparative analysis of bridge parks in various urban settings, identifying the key factors that contribute to their success and the challenges encountered during their development. Using case studies such as The Highline in New York and Klyde Warren Park in Dallas. Diving into the social and economic impacts of bridge parks, the findings state that they foster community bonds and enhance social unity while addressing obstacles such as financial sustainability, ongoing maintenance, and integration with the surrounding area. This study …

Mind The Gap: Bridging A Community Bisected By An Interstate, Brittany Silver

Landscape Architecture Theses

As a result of discrimination in urban design, many communities of color have been forced to pick up the pieces of their neighborhood after they have been paved through by major interstate developments. Among these communities is the historical neighborhood of Bronzeville, Milwaukee, which was destroyed in the 1950s by discriminative urban planning and the development of Interstate 43. In recent years, there has been an uptake in restoration to these communities. Urban design factors such as land caps or land bridges over freeways have been proven successful in reconnecting the communities that have been bisected by interstates. In this …

Dispersal Limits Poleward Expansion Of Mangroves On The West Coast Of North America, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Dustin Carroll, Rémi Bardou, Tom Van Der Stocken

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

While much attention has been paid to the climatic controls of species' range limits, other factors such as dispersal limitation are also important. Temperature is an important control of the distribution of coastal mangrove forests, and mangrove expansion at multiple poleward range limits has been linked to increasing temperatures. However, mangrove abundances at other poleward range limits have been surprisingly insensitive to climate change, indicating other drivers of range limitation. For example, along the west coast of North America, the poleward mangrove range limits are found on the Baja California and mainland coasts of Mexico, between 26°48ʹ and 30°18ʹN. Non-climatic …

The Future Of Our Future: Designing Early Education For All, Anne Rebecca Manstrom

Architecture Theses

“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society” (“About IDEA,” n.d.). Starting from a young age, children strive to be wanted, accepted and included. Elementary schools serve as a launching pad for the rest of everyone's lives. Making sure students, in all capacities, are thought of from the beginning is crucial to successful design. Often, students with learning disabilities are sent to different rooms with different teachers to learn at different rates. What if there was a way to keep all students together …

A Riverfront Revival: Transforming St. Paul's Downtown In Synergy With The Mississippi River, John Roman Meyer

Architecture Theses

St. Paul is the capital city of Minnesota and a very historical area. It is one of the biggest cities in the state and has started the birth of other cities in the metropolitan area. It has been a leader to other cities and is a very important location, but St. Paul still has many issues. The downtown area of the city is located next to the Mississippi River, but the connection is not as strong as it should be. With this, the skyline of the city is not very impressive and could do with some upgrades. While working with …

International Grain Origin Switching: Contract Washouts And Embedded Switching Options, Caleb Hauck

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Changing dynamics in the international grain trading industry have led to a rise in two new contracting practices colloquially termed washouts and switching options and formally defined as contract washouts and embedded origin switching options. When spatial arbitrage opportunities exist, grain buying firms switch from one origin to another. This thesis documents the increased frequency with which these contract practices have been used and examines the factors that incentivize firms to use them. Using data from 2018 to 2023, two models are developed with a binomial lattice that value these contracting terms. The results indicate that these practices have significant …

Stories Of Separation: Reunifying The Emotional Border Of The Korean 38th Parallel, Samuel Lee Nelson

Architecture Theses

When encountering conditions with unknown aspects, it is an impulse to occupy them with experiences and memories to alleviate the associated feelings and reach a form of understanding. This thesis explores how our understandings are influenced and establish a precedent for architectural interventions to assist in resolving the conditions of the unknown. Following World War II (WWII), the 38th parallel marked the beginning of the separation of the Koreas before it developed into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Contrasting the stagnant characteristics of this physical division, the emotional division in Korea has continuously evolved and shifted throughout the years. Designed in …

A Multi-Omics Multi-Environment Prediction In Pulse Crop, Rica Saludares

Plant Sciences

Understanding the genetic bases underlying seed yield and protein, and eventually recombining them in desired genetic backgrounds, continues to be a challenge to pulse crop breeders. Phenotypic selection for seed yield and protein in preliminary yield trials is hindered by the need to phenotype a large number of early-generation lines (>10,000) with limited seeds, resulting to trials with few replications and limited environments. In this study, we evaluated and applied a multi-trait multi-environment (MTME) and a multi-omics prediction framework to address phenotyping bottleneck and the complexities underlying negatively correlated traits, and maximize connectivity among genotypes for predicting performance of …

The Names Of All Wild Things: Field Guides And Environmental Thinking, Frank Izaguirre Phd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The project first traces the earliest origins of natural history writing, surveying how natural history writing from antiquity presented and categorized the living world, and then how the rise of print culture and growing popularity of natural history writing would facilitate the rise of European empires. Values and conventions emerged that would later feed into the field guide, like the pairing of text and illustration to aid identification and the decontextualizing of plants and animals from their environments.

Near the end of the nineteenth century, the field guide genre emerged. Some wildly popular books, mostly written by women, emphasized the …

The Phylogeny Of Chasmataspidida, B.D. Voss

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chasmataspidids are a group of Early Paleozoic (Middle Ordovician-Middle Devonian) chelicerates with an unclear phylogenetic placement. Though recent phylogenetic tests that include chasmataspidids support a monophyletic Chasmataspidida as sister to a Sclerophorata (Eurypterida+Arachnida) clade, very few previous phylogenetic analyses have sampled more than three of the fourteen currently recognized species. Without a robustly tested phylogenetic hypothesis, understanding macroevolutionary and biogeographic trends within chasmataspidids is difficult. Chasmataspidids also represent the earliest preserved euchelicerate in the fossil record, with Chasmataspis laurencii Caster and Brooks, 1956, dated to approximately 478 million years ago, and the group’s relationship to other euchelicerates has implications on …