Digital Commons Network^™

Into The Fire: An Examination Of Violence In Reconstruction Texas, 1865-1868, John Gorman

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

This article examines the scale, patterns, and political implications of racial violence in Texas between 1865 and 1868, arguing that white terror functioned as a systematic effort to suppress Black freedom and restore antebellum racial hierarchies. Drawing on Congressional testimony, Freedmen’s Bureau records, and the 1868 Report of the Special Committee on Lawlessness and Violence in Texas, the study reveals that violence was not random but structured along social, labor, and political lines. Murders, whippings, intimidation, and organized attacks—such as the Millican riot—intensified when freedpeople asserted labor autonomy or political rights. Despite nearly 900 reported murders, convictions were exceedingly rare, …

Gendered Words And Patent Grant Rates: A Textual Analysis, Deborah R. Gerhardt, Miriam Marcowitz-Bitton, W. Michael Schuster, Avshalom Elmalech, Omri Suissa, Moshe Mash

Faculty Publications

Text is a vehicle to convey information that reflects the writer’s linguistic style and communication patterns. By studying these attributes, we can discover latent insights about the author and their underlying message. This article uses such an approach to better understand patent applications and their inventors.

While prior research focuses on patent metadata (i.e., filing year or gendered inventor names), we employ machine learning and natural language processing to extract hidden information from the words in patent applications. Through these methods, we find that inventor gender can often be identified from textual attributes—even without knowing the inventor’s name. This ability …

Who's Afraid Of Copyright And Ai?, Deborah R. Gerhardt

Faculty Publications

Copyright and AI need not be a copyright no man’s land. Recent decisions by the Copyright Office have gotten so much media attention that many creators are unsure if they can secure copyright protection if they use AI as a creative tool. The proposed creative control paradigm can help us all tackle the challenge of determining when works created with the assistance of AI are copyrightable. Instead of relying on long-established nuanced precedent for protecting works generated with new technology, the Copyright Office asserts that any content generated with assistance from AI tools is unprotectable. This position is radically inconsistent …

The Influence Of Metacognition On College Readiness And Persistence, Michael L. Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the influence that metacognition has on college readiness and its most traditionally used metrics: performance-based outcomes and persistence. Specifically, this study addressed to what degree underlying metacognitive structures differ between college students’ successful metrics of performance and persistence compared to a more general sample of college students.

The research characterized metacognition along three domains of analysis: (a) selfefficacy/ motivation, (b) soft skills/psychological capital (Psycap), and (c) expected value of control (EVC). The quantitative study included 54 college students and a crosssectional design. Participants completed a four-part Likert-style survey, where their responses were measured along the three …

The Implementation Of Small Group Direct Instruction For Reading Domains Of Second- Grade Students, Tarmeka Smith-Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored how implementing small-group direct instruction in an elementary school setting affected the reading performance of second-grade students. The study examined how organized small-group direct instruction can elevate students’ reading achievement in phonics, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Over a six week instructional period, a mixed-methods research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data.

Pretest and posttest students’ reading assessments were collected using quantitative data, while teachers' weekly reflections and surveys were collected using qualitative data. A total of 30 students identified as struggling readers, and three second-grade teachers who implemented small-group direct instruction participated in …

Evaluation Of Chromium-Crosslinked Amps-Hpam Copolymer Gels: Effects Of Key Parameters On Gelation Time And Strength, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman, Yin Zhang, Mingzhen Wei

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Controlling CO₂ channeling in heterogeneous reservoirs remains a major challenge for both enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and secure geological storage. AMPS-HPAM copolymers exhibit high-temperature resistance and brine tolerance compared with conventional HPAM gels, making them well suited for the harsh environments associated with CO₂ injection. Chromium-based crosslinkers (CrAc and CrCl₃) were investigated because sulfonic acid groups in AMPS can coordinate with trivalent chromium ions, enabling dual ionic crosslinking and the formation of a robust gel network. While organic crosslinked AMPS-HPAM gels have been widely studied, the behavior of chromium-crosslinked AMPS-containing systems, particularly their gelation kinetics under …

Effect Of Ionic Strength On Gelation Time And Strength Of Amps-Based Polymer Gels, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi, Xuyang Tian, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman, Yin Zhang, Mingzhen Wei

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polymer gel treatment has been widely applied for improving sweep efficiency and controlling excessive water and gas production. Their performance depends on gelation time and final gel strength. In most studies, brine salinity is used to describe the effect of formation water on gel behavior. However, changing salinity also changes ionic strength and ion composition at the same time. Because of this coupling, it is difficult to identify the mechanisms controlling gelation, which has led to inconsistent trends in the literature. Increasing salinity has been reported to either slow or accelerate gelation and to weaken or strengthen gels depending on …

Religious Freedom Without Material Autonomy: Property Dispossession And The Containment Of Religion In Socialist Macedonia, 1945-1958, Aleksandar Spasenovski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the relationship between religious freedom and property rights in socialist Macedonia within Yugoslavia between 1945 and 1958. It argues that the formal constitutional recognition of religious freedom did not necessarily guarantee the institutional autonomy of religious communities. Through a legal-historical analysis of federal Yugoslav and Macedonian legislation, implementing regulations, and administrative mechanisms, the article shows how agrarian reform, nationalization of private economic enterprises, expropriation, and the nationalization of rental buildings and construction land progressively reduced the material foundations of religious organizations. The central claim is that property was one of the clearest indicators of the practical scope …

Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge

Masters Theses

Low-head dams serve as intermittent barriers to aquatic connectivity and directly alter both upstream and downstream habitats and biotic communities. In 2018 and 2019, two low-head dams in the Vermilion River watershed of eastern Illinois were removed, reconnecting over 1,700 kilometers of upstream habitat within the basin. To determine the impacts of these dam removals, fish community surveys were conducted at 12 fixed sites across three reaches in two rivers from 2012-2022. This study assessed reach-specific temporal responses of the fish community and habitat characteristics. I linked trait expressions within the fish community to abiotic variables using the co-inertia RLQ …

The Disability History Of Brown V. Board Of Education, Britney Wilson

Articles & Chapters

In 1952, two years before the Supreme Court of the United States decided Brown v. Board of Education, Black deaf students in Washington, D.C., who had been prohibited from attending the local school for white deaf students and forced to go to school in Maryland, won the right to be educated in their hometowns in Miller v. Board of Education of District of Columbia. Brown is heralded as one of the most important racial justice cases of all time. It overturned Plessy v. Ferguson's longstanding "separate but equal" mandate and ruled that the segregation of students based on race violates …

Carbon Nanotube/ Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Cnt/Tpu)-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator With Self-Charge Pumping For Implantable Knee Load Sensing And Energy Harvesting, Osama Abdalla, Maryam Hosseini, Milad Azami, Amir Ameli, Emre Salman, Milutin Stanacevic, Ryan Willing, Shahrzad Towfighian

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Aseptic loosening and joint instability remain the primary modes of failure in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). To provide real-time biomechanical load monitoring, this study presents a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) utilizing a carbon nanotube/foamed thermoplastic polyurethane (CNT/TPU) composite dielectric layer paired with a Kapton tape between dual electrodes. By leveraging the triboelectric effect, the device functions simultaneously as an energy harvester and a self-powered load sensor. To overcome power density limitations, a self-charge pumping mechanism via a multi-stage voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) was integrated and evaluated under physiological cyclic loading (2100 N at 1 Hz). The system’s charge dynamics were further …

Relationship Between Foraminiferal Assemblages And Cassiopea Coverage Across A Gradient Of Human Influence In Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Puerto Rico, Nylah Barber, Angelique Rosa Marín, Natalia López-Figueroa, Darma Ramos-Negrón, Xiomara Cruz-De León, Andrea Acevedo Colón, Pamela Hallock

Making Waves REU

Ecological Relevance: Foraminifera and Cassiopea (upside down-jellyfish) are symbiont-bearing organisms that respond rapidly to environmental changes in tropical systems, hence potential candidates as bioindicators to support ecological monitoring at JBNERR. Purpose: By using foraminiferal assemblages and Cassiopea as potential bioindicators, we can assess environmental conditions and contribute to management needs in the reserve. Hypothesis: Foraminiferal assemblages and the percent coverage of Cassiopea will reflect the habitat conditions of sites with varying levels of human influence at JBNERR.

Religious Radio Broadcasting In Ukraine In The Context Of Digital Mediatisation And Social Transformation, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Olena Yurchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The study carries out a religious studies analysis of contemporary forms of spiritual communication implemented through audio and digital media platforms. The work highlights the particular features of organizing religious broadcasting under conditions of transformation of the information space, when traditional models of transmitting doctrine become integrated into new technological formats. Mechanisms of the formation of religious identity, ways of maintaining spiritual continuity, and strategies of interaction between religious institutions and their audiences are examined. An analysis is conducted of the structures that ensure access to spiritual content, including forms of catechetical communication, mentoring practices, and models of pastoral support …

Signs Of Life: Interkingdom Communication And The Sympoietic Organism, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Backward Scrunching: Planarians Escape From Noxious Stimuli, Cannibalism, And Predation, Liesel Blau , '27, Hannah Poon , '27, N. S. Tellakulla, Katherine C. Hallmark , '26, Erin Szuromi , '25, Evangeline Coffinas, W. B. Kristan Jr., Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Animals have evolved escape behaviors to survive. Freshwater planarians have many predators, including conspecifics in cannibalistic species such as Dugesia japonica. When agitated, planarians escape via a locomotory behavior called “scrunching”, whereby the planarian periodically elongates and contracts its whole body. Current understanding is that planarians move forward when they scrunch. However, when transversely cutting D. japonica, we observed that while head pieces scrunched forward, tail pieces scrunched backward instead. Previous work has shown that forward scrunching is a conserved planarian escape behavior in response to transection and adverse stimuli such as low pH, noxious heat, hydrogen peroxide, …

Low Uptake, High Stakes: Late Metastatic Recurrance Of Ewing Sarcoma, R Jake Beede, Roger Smalligan, Belinda Maples, David Bramm

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2026 clinical vignette poster

A Transport Problem: Unraveling Allan–Herndon–Dudley Syndrome, Durell King, Leen Matalka, Hussein D. Abdul-Latif, Roger Smalligan

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2026 clinical vignette poster

Immuno-Toxic Effects Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles And Protective Role Of Moringa Olifera On Thymus Of Male Albino Rats, Marwa Abdelsalam Abdallah, Alaa Fehaid, Aml Abdelmonem Halawa, Mmdouh Mohammed Abou Ealmagd

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Background and Aim The present study aims to evaluate the protective role of Moringa olifera (MO) extract against Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) induced immunotoxicity in male albino rats. Methods Forty-eight Male albino rats were divided into six groups. The 1st group (control) orally received distilled water. The 2nd group received 100 mg/kg of MO extract. The 3rd group was administered 200 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs. The 4th group received 200 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs in combination with 100 mg/kg of MO extract. The 5th group received 400 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs. The 6th group received 400 mg/kg B.W ZnO …

Occupational Identity & Career Preparation, Leah Shea Simpkins, Karen R. Puckett

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Regardless of the profession, having occupational identity is highly important. Students are in need of preparing themselves for their future careers whilst in college. Having a career portfolio is a great tool for students to have upon graduation which showcases their occupational identities regarding future career preparedness.

Fostering Durable Skills In A Hybrid Accelerated Program: Insights From Doctor Of Physical Therapy Education For A Practical Approach For Teaching Essential Professional Competencies, Rajiv Dalal, Vicki Lafay, Steven Hammons

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Durable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and self-management are essential in today’s professional world. These skills should be reinforced through various educational platforms. This application from a hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy program highlights AI-driven simulations and innovative strategies adaptable across disciplines, offering practical methods to prepare career-ready students.

Using Market Research To Teach Durable Skills, Zachary Miller, Justin R. Dodd

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This paper is a case study on the use of a market research assignment to develop durable skills that directly transfer to professional environments. By engaging students in the development of a personal financial budget, the assignment provides a practical context for applying quantitative reasoning and critical thinking.

Exploring Faculty And Student Experiences With Languages: Building Durable Skills Through Multilingual Engagement, Ali Yaylali, Cui Zhang, Sara Rico-Godoy

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This creative activity focuses on students’ and multilingual faculty members' real-life experiences navigating linguistic and cultural diversity. The informal dialogue across multiple undergraduate courses in a third space strengthens student learning by enhancing multiple durable skills such as intercultural communication, career readiness, and the understanding of different cultural backgrounds.

Teaching Transfer: Building Durable Skills For All Learners, Jilliane Mccardle, Jessica Spears, Ty Shouse, Amber Catron

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Transfer tasks in educational settings offer opportunities for durable skill development in areas including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication. This article explores research and the implementation of transfer tasks at a university and the affiliated P12 lab school, highlighting the role in fostering authentic assessment and enhancing durable skills.

Book Clubs: Building Communication, Critical Thinking, And Leadership Skills, Erin Eliassen

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This brief report describes the structure of a book club in the college classroom to build specific durable skills, reflects on an assignment in a nutrition research course, and identifies benefits of a book club in a college classroom. Applications are versatile based on course content and student learning outcomes.

Durable Skill Development Through Creative Audio Projects: Student Podcasting, Meg Gravil, Jeff Reed

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Students in two classes, one face-to-face and one asynchronous online, created podcasts to meet course objectives while engaging in durable skill development. Creating podcasts enabled students to navigate cultural, developmental, and familial differences through discussion with others. Student feedback on podcasting as a course assessment was reflective and positive.

Harnessing Ai For Medical Education: A Faculty Development Series For Pre-Clinical And Clinical Educators, April Hatcher, Tama The

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This manuscript describes a faculty development series designed to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into medical education. Faculty participants discussed practical applications of AI, student perspectives on their use of AI, and innovative collaborative projects with local faculty. This short series was scaffolded as an introduction to AI for medical educators.

Tek Faculty Fellows: Building Faculty Confidence In Teaching Durable Skills Through Transdisciplinary Collaboration, Shawna Felkins, Madeline Aulisio Miller, Trey Conatser, Diane Parr

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

The TEK Faculty Fellows program was created to support faculty in the design of new courses or enhancement of existing courses to engage students in transdisciplinary learning and skill-building. This paper shares early evaluation findings and practical strategies to support faculty in making durable skills more visible in the classroom.

Beyond The One Shot: Plan A Library Workshop Week For Any Course, Melony Shemberger

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Writing a research paper requires solid information literacy skills. This article will guide the design of a weeklong library focus into courses to strengthen students' information literacy. Lessons for embedding essential information literacy components into a course will be provided to help learners find, evaluate, and format sources and citations.

Better Practices In Feedback, Sarah Wackerbarth, Madeline Aulisio Miller

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Feedback is an essential part of the learning process. This paper examines various types of feedback, identifies barriers, and presents practices for enhancing classroom feedback. A case study of quick polling in an online course demonstrates how to collect timely student feedback to improve teaching.

Competency-Based Education At Eku, Christopher Budano, Elizabeth Curran Smith

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

While implementation of competency-based education (CBE) courses has grown significantly in the last two decades, adoption in teacher preparation programs is in its infancy. This paper examines the creation of CBE courses in teacher preparation, providing leaders in higher education with recommendations for considering this approach at their institutions.