Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Delivery Of Music Learning In Nsw Public Schools: Primary Teachers' Survey - New South Wales, Rebecca Taylor, Daniel Edwards

School and system improvement

The Music Education: Right from the Start Primary Teachers’ Survey New South Wales was conducted to understand the delivery of music education in NSW Department of Education (the department) public primary schools and to provide baseline data for policy and program development. This broad-ranging survey of teachers and representatives from 706 New South Wales public primary schools. The results highlight the status of music education in NSW public primary schools, demonstrating teachers' need for better resources, improved preparation in Initial Teacher Education (ITE), increased access to quality professional learning, and integration of music into the broader curriculum.

An Artificial Neural Network-Based Battery Management System For Lifepo4 Batteries, Roger Painter, Ranganathan Parthasarathy, Lin Li, Irucka Embry, Lonnie Sharpe, S. Keith Hargrove

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

We present a reduced-order battery management system (BMS) for lithium-ion cells in electric and hybrid vehicles that couples a physics-based single-particle model (SPM) derived from the Cahn–Hilliard phase-field formulation with a lumped heat-transfer model. A three-dimensional COMSOL® 5.0 simulation of a LiFePO4 particle produced voltage and temperature data across ambient temperatures (253–298 K) and discharge rates (1 C–20.5 C). Principal component analysis (PCA) reduced this dataset to five latent variables, which we then mapped to experimental voltage–temperature profiles of an A123 Systems 26650 2.3 Ah cell using a self-normalizing neural network (SNN). The resulting ROM achieves real-time prediction accuracy comparable …

Integrating Community Assets, Place-Based Learning, And Career Development Through Project-Based Learning In Rural Settings, Denae Kizys, Christine Lotter Ph.D., Lucas Perez, Rachel Gilreath, Dodie Limberg

Faculty Publications

Our study investigates the first year of a two-year place-based education (PBE) professional development model that focuses on career development in rural middle schools through project-based learning (PBL) units. Rural science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators face unique challenges, including geographic isolation, limited resources, and reduced access to professional development opportunities, which can hinder the effective integration of career-oriented learning in the classroom. We addressed these challenges by implementing professional development in which school counselors and teachers collaborate to design PBL units aligned with rural community local needs and STEM careers. Using a descriptive multiple-case study methodology to document …

Human Endogenous Retroviruses (Hervs) Associated With Glioblastoma Risk And Prognosis, Harun Mazumder, Hui Yi Lin, Melody Baddoo, Wojciech Gałan, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Chindo Hicks, David Otohinoyi, Francesca Peruzzi, Zbigniew Madeja, Victoria P. Belancio, Erik K. Flemington, Krzysztof Reiss, Monika Rak

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Emerging evidence suggests expression from human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) loci likely contributes to, or is a biomarker of, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) disease progression. However, the relationship between HERV expression and GBM malignant phenotype is unclear. Applying several in silico analyses based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we derived a locus-specific HERV transcriptome for glioma that revealed 211 HERVs significantly dysregulated in the comparisons of GBM vs. normal brain (NB), GBM vs. low-grade glioma (LGG), and LGG vs. NB. Our analysis supported development of a unique HERV scoring algorithm that segregated GBM, LGG, and NB. Interestingly, lower HERV …

Engaging Undergraduate Students In Critical Visual Reflections Using Their Visual Journals, Madeleine A. Barney-Gibbs

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This qualitative, arts-based study examines how undergraduate students engage with visual journaling to construct and articulate knowledge in a social science course centering issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Drawing on Freirian critical pedagogy and critical visual reflection, this research centers students’ voices and creative processes. Through one-time, audio-recorded interviews, participants share insights about their journaling experiences, reflect on memorable pages, and articulate both the significance and intended future use of their visual journals. The collaboration between researchers and student participants involves shared reflective practices, flattening hierarchies, and emphasizing embodied expression, including nonverbal and vocal cues. This approach builds …

Programming A More Efficient Onboarding Process For New Employees, Long H. Pham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current onboarding process for new hires in the University of San Diego’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering is inefficient. There is no central location where new hires and administrators can track onboarding progress. Both parties have to manage multiple email chains and write their own reminders to keep track of everything. This leads to delays, missing deadlines, and confusion for both parties. A web-based onboarding application has been developed recently to address these issues and streamline the onboarding process for new hires. However, this application contains several accessibility issues and does not follow all of the standards for effective employee …

Setting Up Students For Success: Analysis Of Effectiveness Of Mathematics Placement, Jeff Carvell, Jason Ho, David Klanderman, Sarah Klanderman

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

How do we e!ectively and equitably place students into math classes in a way that provides them the best chance of success? As many higher education institutions veer away from placement based on standardized testing, many departments are seeking placement alternatives that will properly support students. Additionally, math placement determines not only a student’s mathematics courses but also influences their progress in related fields, including physics, chemistry, engineering, and more. This paper will describe three di!erent existing placement systems at each of our liberal arts institutions as well as the a!ordances and constraints of each approach. Further, we analyze data …

Application Of Bioinformatic Tools To Tuberculosis Surveillance At The Arkansas Department Of Health, Brian Scott Delavan

Theses and Dissertations

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health threat in Arkansas. Great strides have been made over the past fifty years to reduce the number of TB cases in Arkansas. However, the rate of TB cases has remained steady since 2010. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, from 2012 through 2023 the TB Case rate per 100,00 population was between 2.0 and 3.1. To continue Arkansas’ drive towards elimination of TB in Arkansas, defined as one TB case per million residents, new data analysis tools are needed. This project employs multiple bioinformatic tools to analyze TB cases and latent tuberculosis infections …

Evaluation Of Challenges In The Open Data Services Industry Under Uncertainty: A Methodology Based On Artificial Intelligence And Digital Transformation, Eman Sayed, Gawaher Soliman Hussein

Sustainable Machine Intelligence Journal

This paper proposes a novel multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework based on Triangular Linguistic Neutrosophic Cubic Fuzzy Sets (TLNCFSs) integrated with the COBRA method to evaluate strategic alternatives addressing key challenges in the Open Data Services (ODS) industry. In the era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI), open data initiatives face multifaceted obstacles, including regulatory compliance, data interoperability, public engagement, and sustainable governance. To assess effective strategies, this study considers five potential alternatives aligned with AI and digital transformation, evaluated against fourteen critical criteria spanning policy, technical, governance, strategic, economic, and human-centric dimensions. Expert assessments are collected using TLNCFSs to …

Goodness Of Fit Tests In Spatial Autoregressive Stochastic Frontier Models, Ming-Yu Deng, Yue Fu, Levent Kutlu, Minxian Wang

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This article mainly considers goodness of fit tests for the inefficiency in spatial autoregressive stochastic frontier (SARSF) models by utilizing the characteristic function of the centralized composite error term. As a prerequisite of the tests, we propose easy-to-compute moment estimators for distributional parameters of such a term, showing the consistency based on spatial near-epoch dependent properties. Meanwhile, the asymptotic distribution of the estimators is derived by generalizing the central limit theorem (CLT) in Kelejian and Prucha (Citation2001) from linear-quadratic forms to polynomial-trigonometric forms. Then, the cosine and sine tests, being simple to implement in SARSF analysis, are established …

Bubble Image Velocimetry Application To Flow Characterization For Incipient Overtopping Events@ Challenges And Opportunities, Corrado Altomare, Xuexue Chen, Alison Raby, Xavier Gironella, Tomohiro Suzuki

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This study employs the Bubble Image Velocimetry (BIV) technique to characterise the flow velocity of individual extreme waves that overtop sea dikes. Physical experiments were conducted in the small-scale wave flume at the Marine Engineering Laboratory (LIM) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya –BarcelonaTech (UPC). The objective of the experimental campaign was to develop methods to enhance predictive models for wave overtopping volumes of structures with emergent toes. Focused wave groups were used to simulate extreme individual wave overtopping under realistic random sea states. In addition, the campaign prioritized the development of non-intrusive measurement techniques to quantify overtopping volumes and …

An Efficient Nsga-Ii-Based Algorithm For Multi-Robot Coverage Path Planning, Ashley Foster, Mario Gianni, Amir Aly, Hooman Samani

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This work presents an algorithm based on the Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) to solve multi-objective offline Multi-Robot Coverage Path Planning (MCPP) problems. The proposed algorithm embeds a donation-mutation operator and a multiple-parent crossover that gener-ates solutions which maintain the longest path while minimizing the average path length. The algorithm also uses a library of elitism-selected high-fitness robot paths, and tournament-selected high min-max fitness paths, to construct high multi-objective fitness offspring. We evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithm against the state-of-the-art NSGA-II extended with an improved Heuristic Genetic Algorithm Crossover, and we demonstrate that for different instances of …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Revised Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Bres No. 158 Site Evaluation Summary Report (Dated February 24, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Estimating The Future Frequency Of Bonnet Carré Spillway Openings, Kayla Thomas

LSU Master's Theses

In the 2010s, the Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS) in southeastern Louisiana, U.S.A., experienced an unprecedented uptick in openings to mitigate the possibility of flooding, including a record double-opening in 2019. Both the environmental consequences of BCS openings associated with nutrients that run from the Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain and the synoptic-scale meteorological conditions that necessitate these openings are poorly understood. With the unexpectedly frequent openings in recent years and the ever-present threat of climate change, it is vital to consider the future shift of synoptic-scale climate patterns and how it can relate to BCS openings. Understanding the potential for …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Bres No. 158 – Waste Rock Dump Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp) (Dated March 28, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Tax Adviser, Volume 16, Number 12, December 1985, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Tax Trends, Nicholas J. Fiore

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Lastarmco: Which Comes First, The Dividends Received Deduction Or The Percentage Depletion Deduction?, Julie H. Collins, John L. Kramer

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Political Polarization And Voter Turnout: A New Political Paradigm?, Kyle Thaller

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Political polarization has characterized most recent U.S. elections through further widening the gap between the two parties to the point that many people fear a second U.S. Civil war is approaching. This begs the larger question of how polarization impacts the electorate? Does it turn voters off or push them to vote? Does it have a negative impact on American elections, or is it merely a next step in the grand experiment we define as American democracy? This paper uses Logistic regression (via SPSS Statistics) with data from American National Election Studies (ANES) to address these questions by analyzing the …

Post Racial Reckoning: Montessori Instructors' Perspectives On Teaching Through An Antibias Antiracist Lens, Jasmine E. Williams

Dissertations

Prior to the racial reckoning of 2020, Montessori teacher education programs (MTEPs) have only narrowly focused on social justice education (Aronson et al., 2020; Bartolomè, 2004; Cook, 2015; Cross, 2005; D’Cruz, 2022; King, 1991). Although MTEPs began to respond differently post-reckoning, support for implementing practices like antibias antiracist (ABAR) instruction was often absent. This study sought to understand how the racial reckoning and efforts to include an ABAR lens impacted the teaching practices of instructors in MTEPs. While ABAR-related studies exist in general teacher education (Blanchard et al., 2018; Madkins & Nazar, 2022; Martinez-Alba, Herrera, & Hersi, 2022), few focus …

180th Commencement University Of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame

Commencement Programs

• SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 4
• HEARING IMPAIRED INFORMATION 9
• GRADUATE SCHOOL 10
• MENDOZA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS GRADUATE BUSINESS 30
• GRADUATE ARCHITECTURE 36
• LAW SCHOOL 37
• UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY 40
• COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS 42
• COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 50
• COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 55
• MENDOZA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 60
• SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE 66
• KEOUGH SCHOOL OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS 66
• VALEDICTORIAN CANDIDATES 67
• EMERITI FACULTY 67
• HONOR SOCIETIES 68
• AWARDS AND PRIZES 74
• TASSELS 98

Pollinator Plant Communities Within Restored Montane Longleaf Pine Ecosystems, Hanen Van Rossem

Master's Theses

Historically the fire-dependent and biodiverse longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem was the dominant ecosystem of the Southeastern US. This ecosystem’s range was massively reduced due to land conversion and fire exclusion, causing the decline of many native species. Efforts to restore and protect longleaf pine stands are now ongoing with the goal of expanding habitat and refuge for threatened species. Differences in restoration practices and prior land use may influence the extent to which restored habitat patches can support pollinators and their plants. This study compared pollinator plant biodiversity between restored neighboring montane longleaf pine stands that differed in …

Striking The Balance: The Relationship Between Government Funding And Nonprofit Financial Health, Mehrnoush Jamshidi

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The nonprofit sector plays a vital role in society, partnering with the government to provide essential services across various fields, including education, healthcare, social services, arts and culture, and environmental protection. Salamon (1987) highlighted the cooperative relationship between nonprofits and the government, where nonprofits contribute expertise and community-based knowledge, while the government offers financial stability. Through this partnership, the government helps address “voluntary failures,” such as philanthropic insufficiency, particularism, and paternalism, which can limit a nonprofit’s ability to serve the public effectively. Given this close working relationship, understanding the financial health of nonprofits is crucial for ensuring …

So Much More Than Summer Camp: The Importance Of Environmental Education At Nature Centers, Olivia Upton

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Education in the U.S. currently faces a deficit in the promotion and proper teaching of climate change curriculum. Obvious gaps are created by a lack of clear teaching standards for environmental education, the American political machine stirring up controversy over the legitimacy of climate change, or teacher preferences. As climate change is considered one of the greatest threats facing humanity today, there is a need to educate people, especially younger generations, in order to navigate future challenges and make informed decisions. Nature centers offer the ideal location for the promotion of climate change education based on their direct connection to …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Chatgpt In Solving Math Problems Across Varying Levels Of Difficulty And Its Implications On Education, Emma Nicol

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This project aims to make the literature on LLMs, like ChatGPT, more accessible, while also evaluating its effectiveness in solving math problems of varying difficulty. In order to achieve this, I generated and ranked math problems based on their difficulty and the analysis/steps required to complete them correctly. From there, these problems were inputted into ChatGPT to be solved, and patterns of error were documented in order to see what steps or sections of these problems were conducted incorrectly. Additionally, analysis of this information allowed me to determine the benefits of ChatGPT and what areas still need improvement, in terms …

Optimizing Genetic Ancestry Adjustment In Dna Methylation Studies: A Comparative Analysis Of Approaches, Kira D Höffler, Seyma Katrinli, Matthew W Halvorsen, Anne-Kristin Stavrum, Kevin S O'Connell, Alexey Shadrin, Srdjan Djurovic, Ole A Andreassen, James J Crowley, Jan Haavik, Kristen Hagen, Gerd Kvale, Kerry Ressler, Bjarne Hansen, Jair C Soares, Gabriel R Fries, Alicia K Smith, Stéphanie Le Hellard

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Genetic ancestry is an important factor to account for in DNA methylation studies because genetic variation influences DNA methylation patterns. One approach uses principal components (PCs) calculated from CpG sites that overlap with common SNPs to adjust for ancestry when genotyping data is not available. However, this method does not remove technical and biological variations, such as sex and age, prior to calculating the PCs. The first PC is therefore often associated with factors other than ancestry.

Methods: We developed and adapted the adapted EpiAnceR + approach, which includes 1) residualizing the CpG data overlapping with common SNPs for …

The Normalization Of Clandestine Graves In Mexico, Alejandra Vela

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Clandestine graves are increasing at an alarming rate in Mexico, as cartels fight for dominance over the wealthiest territories. Those who fall victim to cartels are brutally tortured into submission or are murdered and disposed of. These graves are the preferred method of body disposal by the cartels. By disposing of various victims in hidden locations, the cartels seek to erase the existence of these individuals. Victims are reduced to only bone fragments and ash. Friends and family of those who have gone missing have created a large search organization, Madres Buscadoras, to combat the helplessness of authorities. Madres Buscadoras …

Challenging $\Lambda$Cdm: Unraveling Cosmic Distances, Dark Sector Phenomenology, And Alternative Primordial B-Mode Sources, Kylar L. Greene

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

The dominant Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) cosmological model, while remarkably successful, increasingly shows signs that it may not fully describe our Universe, as persistent tensions in expansion rates and structure formation remain unresolved. In this thesis, I challenge the LCDM paradigm using novel theoretical frameworks combined with rigorous numerical analyses. I demonstrate that the expansion-rate tension fundamentally reflects underlying distance disagreements, and that the Thomson scattering rate strongly restricts higher pre-recombination expansion rates without additional physics. Further, I present a novel cosmological model using a mirror dark sector and varying fundamental constants, revealing an observational degeneracy allowing significantly higher …

Commencement 2025

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Examining Factors That Shape The Perspectives Of Afro-Caribbean Parents On The American Special Education System, Eldine Beaubrun Montauban

Educational Studies Dissertations

Cultural beliefs of disabilities and education can impact parents’ perspectives of special education. There are pertinent concerns over the cultural factors shaping the perspectives of Afro-Caribbean parents on the American special education system. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of six parents of children with special needs who identify as Afro-Caribbean living in Massachusetts. Applying a theoretical/conceptual framework that includes acculturation, assimilation, social identity, and school family partnership, this study reveals challenges Afro-Caribbean parents and their children encounter in the U.S. special education system. The analysis of the data yielded seven findings. The findings detail parents’ negotiations of their …