Digital Commons Network^™

Early Effects Of The Emergency Rental Assistance Program: Evidence From A Natural Experiment, Logan Kern

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Building Resilience To Extreme Weather And Climate Events In The Rural Water And Wastewater Sectors, Nathan P. Kettle, Sarah F. Trainor, Renee Edwards, Donald Antrobus, Curt Baranowski, Tina Buxbaum, Kevin Berry, Michael Brubaker, Kristine L. De Long, Steve Fries, Davin Holen, Barry Keim, Danielle Meeker, Harry Penn, Cheryl Rosa, Rick Thoman, John Walsh, Jian Zhang

Faculty Publications

Extreme weather and climate events pose significant risks to rural water and wastewater systems. We examine the vulnerability of the water sector to weather and climate extremes in rural, predominantly Indigenous and underserved coastal areas and analyze how networks support resilience. Drawing on the analysis of 39 web-based questionnaire responses and 19 interviews with rural water and wastewater managers and service providers in southern Louisiana and western Alaska, this article reports a range of interrelated historical, environmental, and social factors that influence vulnerability to extreme weather events. Formal and informal social networks serve multiple roles in building resilience. These roles …

Environment And Sustainability: December 2023, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• AKU’s Honourable Mention at the 2023 IHF Awards

• 7% energy savings at Stadium Road

• FMIC’s new solar water heater

• 2 Electric Shuttles for campus commuting

• AKU at COP28

• And much more…

Trends Of Autumn Phenology In Response To Environmental And Meteorological Variables, Meagan Renee Maguire

Masters Theses

Previous studies have identified that changes in plant phenology are most likely induced by climate variability. One such change is the end of season (EOS) for deciduous forests in the United States. In essence, the EOS represents the end of plant productivity for a given year; the phase in which plant dormancy is reached. However, our wealth of knowledge on plant phenology largely overlooks the phases that occur in autumn, especially the EOS, with many previous studies focusing on spring phenology. This study uses remote sensing MODIS aerial imagery data and historical meteorological data to analyze any relationships that may …

Equipping Extension Professionals To Lead Volunteer Systems: An Evaluation Of An Online Course, Kandi O'Neil, Rachelle Vettern, Sarah Maass, Rebecca Harrington, Kari Robideau, Patricia Mcglaughlin, Josset Gauley

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Extension professionals enter their role with content-specific expertise; however, experience in volunteer leadership and management competencies is often limited. This study focused on the effectiveness of the Achieving the Extension Mission Through Volunteers (AEMTV) course in preparing professionals to use the Identification, Selection, Orientation, Training, Utilization, Recognition, Evaluation (ISOTURE) model to learn and apply volunteer systems concepts in a cohort-based online learning environment. We used quantitative and qualitative methods to assess how the course impacted participants and the programs they lead. Data from 127 participants indicated they increased their knowledge, improved volunteer systems, and influenced the quality of programming delivered …

Exploring The Impact Of High-Temperature Stress On Physiological, Anatomical, Molecular, Productive, And Quality Parameters In Diverse Olive Cultivars, Bassam F. Alowaiesh, Taghreed S. Alnusaire

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most important horticultural crops in Saudi Arabia. High temperatures are typical in most regions during the summer season. This study explored the effect of high temperatures on diverse olive cultivars (Manzanillo, Chemlali, and Picual) grown in three different geographical locations in Saudi Arabia (Sakaka, Basita, and Al-Qurayyat). Sakaka region was classified as a hot region, while the Basita and Al-Qurayyat regions were characterized by relatively mild or low temperatures. Genotypic components were assessed by studying Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers and physiological, anatomical, productive, and oil quality parameters. The …

The Human Environment: Awakening To The Indomitable Cuban Spirit—Government, Culture, And People, Berta E. Hernández-Truyol

UF Law Faculty Publications

My thoughts are to write about The Human Environment. I will address the recent events concerning the increased silencing of dissent and the criminal law reforms that prohibit peaceful gatherings.

Embedding The Scientists: Civic Issues As Context For Teaching And Learning, Heather Lettner-Rust, Alix Dowling Kink, Edward Kinman, Joellen Pederson, Phillip Poplin

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

We teach science as a path to meaningful civic engagement in a participatory democracy and as a path that should be open to all; our concern lies in how the next generation of young citizens1 address challenging civic issues both by applying science to other contexts—public and civic—as well as communicating science to others—peers and the public. To that end, our article seeks to explain an interdisciplinary capstone course for our general education program that we developed to promote and support science learning and science communication by teaching in the context of important civic issues.

Contributors To Jaepl, Vol. 28, Wendy Ryden

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

List of contributors and biographies for JAEPL, Volume 28.

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). To combat USS, streams can be restored, but most restorations are not monitored so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, increasing pool …

States As Laboratories: Colorado Constitution (Reactants) + Independent State Constitutionalism (Catalyst) = Constitutional Lgbtq+ Protections (Products), Pelecanos

Denver Law Review

This Article began as a research project on the current state of LGBTQ+ rights under the Constitution of the State of Colorado during an internship at the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado. It quickly became an extensive examination of state constitutionalism, Colorado history, and queer theory. Ultimately, this Article imagines how the Colorado Supreme Court might interpret Colorado constitutional provisions to create more protections for LGBTQ+ people.

Cyber Insurance As An Effective Cyber Risk Management Strategy For Local Government Resiliency: The Case Of Municipalities In New York State, Elisabeth V. Dubois

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In an era of escalating cyber risks, municipal governments grapple with mounting challenges stemming from their increasing reliance on IT systems and limited resources. This dissertation presents a novel exploration into the uncharted realm of cyber insurance adoption within municipalities, aimed at enhancing their cyber resiliency by exploring to what extent municipalities utilize cyber insurance to manage their cyber risks and what effect this has had on their cyber resiliency. With a focus on New York State, a dynamic backdrop offering diverse municipalities, notable cyber incidents, robust security regulations, and economic influence, this study delves deep into the extent to …

Toward A Seed Commons: Practicing Commons For Future Economies, Caitlin Corleen Denny

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT In this thesis, commons theory is utilized to critically assess the impact of the expanding consolidation of the global seed industry on the seed's status as a common resource. Various understandings of the commons are considered and contradictions and recent insights into the significance of relational dynamics in commons governance are acknowledged. I argue that our daily interactions are instrumental in reconstructing the commons and act as transitional ways of relating that can guide us toward future economies. I use instances of cooperation in the Capital Region, as well as existing seed commons at both local and global scales, …

Pathways To The Middle East And North Africa At Bridgewater State University: The First Federal Grant For Bsu’S Global Programs, Madhusudana N. Rao, Jabbar Al-Obaidi

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

The Dictator Novel In Ya Latinx Fantasy, Catherine Gallegos

English (MA) Theses

The Dictator Novel in YA Latinx Fantasy explores the power of the dictator novel in Latinx literature, specifically within the young adult fantasy genre. Drawing upon the work of Jennifer Harford-Vargas to examine the relationship between the forms of power and the power of the narrative form and how this creates ways to defy and rebel against repressive authoritarian figures. The young adult Latinx fantasy novel calls for a challenge to the authoritarian presence that occupies these imagined worlds that reach beyond the cycle of oppression and injustices that have silenced generation after generation. These YA Latinx fantasy novels use …

Dna Barcoding Indicates Multiple Invasions Of The Freshwater Snail Melanoides Tuberculata Sensu Lato In Florida, Lori Tolley-Jordan, Michael A. Chadwick, Jimmy K. Triplett

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Melanoides tuberculata sensu lato (Thiaridae) are polymorphic female-clonal snails of Asian and African origins that have invaded freshwaters worldwide, including those in Florida. Although the snails have been documented in Florida for at least 70 years, no studies have investigated whether the observed distribution is due to a single introduction or multiple independent invasions. Here, cytochrome oxidase I was used to measure genetic diversity within and among sites in Florida and compare genetic diversity between Florida and other regions of the world. We also examined the relationship between shell morphology and haplotype diversity to determine if shell morphs can serve …

Proving Actionable Racial Disparity Under The California Racial Justice Act, Colleen V. Chien, W. David Ball, William A. Sundstrom

UC Law Journal

Racial disparity is a fact of the United States criminal justice system, but under the Supreme Court’s holding in McCleskey v. Kemp, racial disparities—even sizable, statistically significant disparities—do not establish an equal protection violation without a showing of “purposeful discrimination.” The California Racial Justice Act (CRJA), enacted in 2020 and further amended in 2022, introduced a first-of-its-kind test for actionable racial disparity even in the absence of a showing of intent, allowing for relief when the “totality of the evidence demonstrates a significant difference” in charging, conviction, or sentencing across racial groups when compared to those who are “similarly situated” …

Pathways To Liberty: What Colonial, Antebellum, And Postbellum Education Can Teach Us About Today, Danielle Wingfield

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Education is a critical part of nation-building. More specifically, it can also be a powerful pathway to liberty and a tool for disseminating knowledge. However, historically it has been used to subjugate and censor vulnerable groups like women, socio-economically disadvantaged persons, as well as men of color. Therefore, to avoid subordinating members of such minoritized groups and suppressing uncomfortable historical facts, advocates must continually evaluate the purpose and method of education. Such persistent monitoring can provide a basis for constructive reform of public education in the United States. Such reform must also consider changing social conditions.

Presently, for example, public …

Respectful Research: Working With Indigenous Peoples In Psychological, Anthropological And Cross-Cultural Sciences, Gesa Solveig Duden, Daniel Bagheri Sarvestani

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

Indigenous peoples today face a wide range of constantly evolving political, epistemic and socio-cultural forms of contemporary colonial violence. Modern discourses and research practices both continue to promote Eurocentric narratives while marginalizing non-Western Indigenous perspectives. In our research project focusing on Maya Ch’orti cultural identities in the context of Indigenous peoples’ rights movements, we aimed to follow Indigenous Rights guidelines on how to conduct respectful, collaborative research with instead of on or about Indigenous peoples, thereby exploring forms of subjective epistemologies. In the present article, we provide a description of our endeavour and practices as well as of the challenges …

African Bovid Tribe Classification Using Transfer Learning And Computer Vision, Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, Juliet Brophy, Gregory J. Mathews, Marcos Pizarro-Monzo, Enrique Baquedano

Faculty Publications

Objective analytical identification methods are still a minority in the praxis of paleobiological sciences. Subjective interpretation of fossils and their modifications remains a nonreplicable expert endeavor. Identification of African bovids is a crucial element in the reconstruction of paleo-landscapes, ungulate paleoecology, and, eventually, hominin adaptation and ecosystemic reconstruction. Recent analytical efforts drawing on Fourier functional analysis and discrimination methods applied to occlusal surfaces of teeth have provided a highly accurate framework to correctly classify African bovid tribes and taxa. Artificial intelligence tools, like computer vision, have also shown their potential to be objectively more accurate in the identification of taphonomic …

Multiscale Analysis Of Spatial Accessibility To Acute Hospitals In Carinthia, Austria, Changzhen Wang, Michael Leitner, Gernot Paulus

Faculty Publications

Health care accessibility studies are well established in the US but lacking in Austria, even though both experience high costs and have hospital care as the largest contributor to health care spending. This study aims to examine multiscale spatial accessibility to acute hospitals in Carinthia, Austria. Using the most recent data at census block and 250 meter grid levels, we refine proximity and generalized two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) methods while accounting for the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) and edge effects. For census blocks and 250 meter grids, the mean travel times to the nearest acute hospitals are 16 …

Analysis Of Online Platforms’ Free Trial Strategies For Digital Content Subscription, Li Chen

College of Business and Economics

Adopting subscription models has become a popular trend in e-commerce. Digital content platforms often use free trials to attract potential subscribers. However, rigorous research on platforms’ free trial strategies is lacking. Our paper aims to fill this gap using a horizontal duopoly framework. We investigate both the scenario of market symmetry and of market asymmetry. We study the benchmark case with no free trial for each scenario and derive equilibrium results with free trial promotion. We find that the platform will not benefit from free trials unless consumers’ learning rate exceeds a threshold. When a free trial is introduced in …

Apples And Oranges, Daragh Henchy

Postgraduate

This exegesis delves into the complex relationship between cinema and art, focusing on the development of story documents within the cinematic arts. Positioned within the realm of practice-led research, it is an academic companion to a creative work—a fantasy murder mystery augmented treatment set in Paris, 1914. The exegesis and the creative work collectively aim to describe an aesthetic experience akin to that of fine art, drawing upon Gilles Deleuze’s taxonomy of cinema, specifically the concepts of movement-image and time-image.

. Central to this study is the exploration of how cinema, as a form of art, engages with philosophical ideas …

Full Issue 15(5)

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

A Critical Analysis Of The Fulbright Program From A World Systems Perspective, Marisa Lally, Shadman Islem

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Ethical Considerations For Artificial Intelligence In Educational Assessments, Lim Ming Soon Tristan, Gottipati Swapna, Michelle L. F. Cheong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In the vital context of education, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to assessments necessitates a nuanced examination of the boundaries between ethically permissible and impermissible practices. In this chapter, the authors applied a systematic literature mapping methodology to scour extant research, so as to holistically structure the landscape into explicit topical research clusters. Through topic modelling and network analyses, research mapped key ethical principles to different assessment phases in a triadic ontological framework. The chapter looks to provide researchers and practitioners the insights into the ethical challenges that exist across an end-to-end assessment pipeline.

Attitudes Of Experiential Designers Across Design Disciplines, Danielle Degarmo

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

The expanded use of the term scenography is widening its understanding of the word to encompass many experiential design disciplines beyond its origin in theatre. At its essence, scenography is the culmination of a designer’s collaborative efforts to take a prompt, whether it be a client program, a script, or other, and produce a holistic assemblage of experiential design elements to spatially engage an end user. Many experts in across design fields have acknowledged that there is disciplinary cross over among those practicing in experiential design fields in terms of design output or intention. By means of designer surveys and …

Edaphic And Climatic Regulation Of Microbial Carbon-Use Efficiency In Managed Semi-Arid Systems, Kirsten R. Butcher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In agricultural systems, an increasingly prevalent goal is to promote carbon sequestration into stable, mineral-associated soil organic matter, as increases in soil organic matter have been linked to increases in soil water-holding capacity and increases in nutrient availability. Because microbially-produced compounds are the foundation of soil organic matter, understanding interactions between management strategies and abiotic controls on microbial activity can prove invaluable for producers and ranchers interested in building soil organic matter and safeguarding production systems under a changing climate. The ability of microorganisms to contribute to growing soil organic matter stocks is dictated by their carbon-use efficiency, which is …

Developing Empirical Predictive Models To Support Conservation Planning For Threatened Frogs, Toads, And Turtles In South-Coastal California, Umarfarooq Adavudi Abdulwahab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Amphibians and reptiles (i.e., herptiles) are among the most threatened groups of species on Earth. The major threats to these species include the direct, indirect, and synergistic effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, disease, overexploitation, and pollution. To protect and restore species, natural resource managers need effective, data-driven conservation plans that are grounded in sound knowledge of species distributions and habitat requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools used to assess species-habitat relationships. However, SDMs are sensitive to the choice and quality of input data, both of which can affect model accuracy and precision and lead to …

Scooting To A Brighter Tomorrow: Shared E-Scooters And Their Use In Lincoln, Nebraska, Tanner J. Hiemer

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

As a recent addition to our transportation systems, shared e-scooters have the potential to improve how people travel in the urban environment. While there is a lot to be hopeful about, the relative novelty of e-scooters calls for closer examination of how they interact with the built environment and other modes of transportation. Additionally, the equity of shared e-scooters must be at the forefront of discussion when considering their utility in the future. Given their flexibility in use, e-scooters could fill spatial gaps in transportation systems and provide improved mobility to those who are most transportation disadvantaged. This research aims …