Digital Commons Network^™

Unveiling Injustice: The Rule Of Law And Indigenous Rights In Guatemala -- A New Haven Perspective, John Mendez

Lex Specialis

No abstract provided.

Office Of Grants And Research Services Awards 2024-2025, Office Of Grants And Research Services, Seton Hall University

Office of Grants and Research Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Office Of Grants And Research Services Submissions 2024-2025, Office Of Grants And Research Services, Seton Hall University

Office of Grants and Research Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Better Together: Improving Youth Mental Health Through Dv Intervention, Melanie Alvarez, Rajan Bell, Katie Lopez Vasquez, Caleb Oppong, Zori Cooper

DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP)

Domestic Violence, forms of abuse that occur at home, significantly and negatively impacts the long-term physical, emotional, and mental health of those who experience and witness it. Child victims face a harder time coping with their trauma as they lack access to supportive resources, the autonomy to utilize those resources, and not knowing there are available support systems in the first place. And in socio-economically disadvantaged areas in D.C. like Wards 7 & 8, the gap in access is even greater. To address this disparity, we’ve developed Better Together: a peer mentorship program focusing on supporting child victims of domestic …

Returning To School After A Pandemic And The Lived Experiences Of 9-12 Grade Athletic Coaches On Student-Athlete Success, Louie Vallejo

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological examination examines ninth-12th grade athletic coaches’ perceptions of the impact on athletes returning to athletic competition after being online during the pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, athletic achievement, attitude, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed athletic coaches in the Tri-County Athletic Conference in Central California. Semi structured open-ended interview questions were the main source of data collection. Data were coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns, and the results were validated through the interrater process by an experienced researcher.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes, the researcher …

President Eisenhower’S Farewell Address, Is Hindsight 20/20?, Max Seldon Winslow

Communication 300 Papers

While less famous than MLK's “I have a dream” speech or George Bush's “Axis of evil” speech, Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell address stands as an equally important part of American speech history. Eisenhower’s farewell address holds great significance in terms of 20th-century American political development, from its direct appeal to the people in regard to the all-but prophetic prediction of the rise of the military industrial complex, to its standing as a “Last Hurrah” of small government traditional American conservatism. The United States may have changed entirely, yet Eisenhower’s farewell address stands in time as an unheeded warning to the …

Investigating Woody Vegetation Recruitment Post Riparian Enhancement Extraction Along The Baduwa't, Rize Martins De Oliveira, Wiley Hughes, Owen Lenox

Forestry, Fire, & Rangeland Management Senior Capstones

The Baduwa’t River in Humboldt County, California, faces a legacy of channelization, poor land management, and severe flooding that has left high, dry floodplain terraces disconnected from the river and dominated by invasive vegetation. In response to sediment deficits during drought years, Riparian Enhancement Extractions (REEs) were introduced as an alternative gravel mining method that simultaneously presented opportunities for habitat restoration. This study evaluates five REEs along the Baduwa’t to identify the construction features and site conditions that promote successful riparian vegetation establishment. Findings show that REEs can create seasonal wetlands conducive to native riparian habitat reestablishment, when excavation is …

Assessing Understory Along The Elk River (Hikshari') In Headwaters Forest Reserve, Humboldt County, California, Julie R. Meyers, Aliyah M. Ingram, Caleb N. Larkin, Joshua L. Carpenter

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Northern California’s extensive logging history and lack of forest management has altered old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, leaving dense, homogenous second and third-growth forest stands. This has led to the use of modern restoration techniques such as variable density thinning (VDT) which aims to rehabilitate old-growth forest conditions by improving stand heterogeneity and light availability for understory species. Our study was done in Headwaters Forest Reserve (HFR) along the Elk River (Hikshari’) Trail in Humboldt County, California. Initially, the project was supervised by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arcata Field Office. However, the 2025 U.S. government …

Restoration Plan For A Seasonal Wetland In Fortuna, Ca, Samuel Webb, Jack Mccann, Cody Swabash, Bryan Randolph

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

This paper outlines the initial phase of planning for a seasonal wetland restoration on private property in Fortuna CA. It includes a site description, general background information, the methods we used to create our 30% plan, and a discussion of challenges and possible next steps of the project. Our plan consists of a revegetation plan that has the goals of the landowner and environment in mind, and includes our methods for planning revegetation in a seasonal wetland, our design, as well as suggestions for additional restoration design elements.

Ecological Assessment And Restoration Strategy For The Riparian Wetlands Of Woody Ryno Farms, Bee Krstich, Ethan Michael Gilmore, Kai Jeremy Hensley, Nicolas Augusto Yanez, Vanessa Luis

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Woody Ryno Farms is situated in McKinleyville, Humboldt County, California. The surrounding area is a mosaic of farmland, homes, and wetlands. This project aims to gather information about the health and species composition of the wetlands on Woody Ryno Farms. A step-point method was used to collect data on species composition along 16 m transects at 2 m intervals; all plants within a 1 m radius were identified and documented. Following data collection, we used Excel to analyze data based on several factors, including transect number, plants identified to the lowest taxonomic level, and native versus invasive taxa. Statistical analysis …

Restoring Riparian Health And Cultural Resources Along School Creek, A Baduwa’T Tributary, At Blue Lake Rancheria, Humboldt County, Ca, Karlie G. Hall, Fern W. Mcbride, Natalie R. Christenson, Olivia C. Brock, Emily A. King

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Riparian corridors are essential components of the landscape, supporting healthy streams and surrounding habitats by stabilizing banks, retaining water, and regulating stream temperatures. Indigenous peoples have stewarded these environments since time immemorial, cultivating deep relationships with the land and its culturally significant plants. Their continued ability to practice, transmit, and sustain this knowledge is vital not only for maintaining Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) but also for fostering resilient and healthy ecosystems. The purpose of this project was to revegetate a riparian area of School Creek with culturally significant plants. School Creek is a tributary in the Baduwa’t watershed at Blue …

Becoming Reacquainted: Baseline Habitat Assessment Of Streams On Returned Tribal Lands Of Blue Lake Rancheria, California, Haley Davis, Sophia Enriquez, Cecilia Olnes, Grace Poitras

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

This project presents baseline habitat data for three tributaries of the Baduwa’t (Mad River) – Powers Creek, School Creek, and Kelly Creek – located on or adjacent to reacquired Blue Lake Rancheria (BLR) lands. These small coastal streams hold ecological and cultural significance and have the potential to support salmonids and other aquatic species. Powers Creek and School Creek were dry during the survey period and were assessed using qualitative, waypoint-based observations of vegetation, substrate, instream cover, channel morphology, and potential fish passage barriers. Kelly Creek, a perennial tributary, was surveyed using the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) …

Assessing Wood Jam Formation In The South Fork Elk River In Headwaters Forest Reserve, California (Year 2), Blaine Follrath, Nico Hutton, Diego Rodriguez, Torrey Stapp

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Large woody debris (LWD) contribute to the formation of complex habitat structures by stabilizing channels, creating refugia, and enhancing spawning conditions. A lack of LWD in the South Fork Elk River in Headwaters Forest Reserve has been identified by the BLM as a limiting factor in salmonid resurgence. Salmonids provide vital ecological functions to their watersheds; however, their populations face the pressure of habitat loss. This study expands upon last year’s assessment of wood jam formation on the South Fork Elk River and examines how log jam structures have changed over time since the BLM’s 2022 accelerated recruitment project. This …

Leadership In Times Of Crisis: Motivating Employees Through The Challenges Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hanan Khamis

Dissertations

Purpose: This study explores the critical role of leadership and employee motivation in sustaining organizational effectiveness during times of disruption, focusing specifically on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates how leadership styles and motivational theories evolve in response to heightened uncertainty, rapid operational changes, and emotional strain. Central to this purpose is understanding how adaptability, empathy, communication, and relational leadership practices help maintain employee engagement and ensure continuity within higher education institutions during crisis conditions.Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to capture the lived experiences of 10 human resource (HR) leaders representing public and private universities …

Deep And Continuous Palliative Sedation Without Artificial Nutrition And Hydration: An International Review, Richard Liu, Thaddeus Pope, April Xiaoyi Xu

Faculty Scholarship

Deep and continuous palliative sedation combined with withholding or withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration (collectively termed “PSs̄ANH”) is a medical process regularly used in end-of-life care as a means of alleviating suffering. But PSs̄ANH is often not governed by a clear legal framework. To shed light on different approaches to regulating PSs̄ANH, this Article conducts a comparative analysis of the PSs̄ANH legality across twelve jurisdictions.

To facilitate understanding of this broad issue, we subdivided PSs̄ANH into three categories:

(1) PSs̄ANH will not hasten death (“Type 1 PSs̄ANH”),
(2) PSs̄ANH might, but is not certain to, hasten death (“Type 2 …

2025 F1rst Look, Nova Southeastern University

First Look

No abstract provided.

2025 Nsu Fact Book, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Fact Book

In 2025, NSU was recognized by the Carnegie Classification system as one of only 21 universities nationwide to hold all three of the following designations: Very High Research Activity (R1), Community Engaged Institution, and Opportunity College & University (OCU). Its R1 classification places NSU among the top tier of U.S. research universities, a milestone that reflects our continued growth and commitment to research that leads to real-world impact.. As an R1 institution, NSU is shining a new light on scientific discovery, medical breakthroughs, and technologies that advance quality of life: from pioneering treatments in neuro-immunology and cancer, to safeguarding coral …

Integrating Data Management Plans Into The Unified Architecture Framework Standards Views, Cansu Yalim, Holly A. H. Handley

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

System Architecting translates an operational concept into a model of the system to be realized. There is a need for a Data Management Plan (DMP) to be included in the overall system engineering process with the advent of Digital Engineering. Data longevity, accessibility, and integrity can all be improved throughout the system's lifecycle by a well-defined DMP. System engineers use an architecture framework to arrange the system data into several sets of viewpoints. Incorporating a DMP at this point specifies the procedures for gathering, storing, retrieving, and maintaining data to ensure that all interested parties have access to current, correct …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Supporting Sustainable Trauma-Informed Wellness Practices In A Surfing Program For Women, Margaret J. O'Hara

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Individuals living with trauma-related mental health conditions are often less participatory in meaningful occupations. Additionally, women are two to three times as likely as men to experience a trauma-related mental health condition or event (Olff, 2017). A local surf therapy organization was founded to provide local women who have experienced trauma an empowering community and meaningful activity to heal. The purpose of this quality improvement capstone experience was to enhance the sustainability of the skills taught within clinics through the creation and dissemination of a user-friendly resource platform. The skills specifically addressed are 1) Mindfulness, 2) Growth Mindset, 3) Comfort …

"Discovering The Mysterious Ocean: A New Approach To Igniting Children’S Interest In Marine Sciences", Laura Goretti

Theses & ETDs

This thesis presents the development of a series of interactive musical books designed to ignite children's interest in marine sciences. The project addresses the lack of ocean literacy and school curricula in children’s books by integrating ocean principles and the New College of Florida Marine Biology curriculum with art and hands-on activities. The books target kindergarten and early elementary-aged children as the importance of early exposure to scientific concepts and children's innate scientific inquiry are discussed. Current challenges in science education are examined, highlighting the possible tools that should be utilized to enhance students’ engagement, interest, and excitement towards marine …

I’M All The Fishes In The Sea: Creating An Animal Care Ethic From Spinoza’S Ethics, Denicia Finney

Theses & ETDs

Although Spinoza encourages us to understand Nature, and our place as parts in it, he felt inclined to say that the lower animals have nothing in common with our nature, and so ‘we have every right against them that they have against us’. Is he ultimately justified in making this claim? I believe that Spinoza's ethic, and the end that ensues from it would actually warrant fair consideration of the lower animals. I demonstrate this through the separation of the eternal essence and the particular essence which each individual is composed of. Insofar as humankind acts according to the universal …

Analyzing The Evolution Of Major League Baseball Hitting Strategies (1950–2010): A Machine Learning And Interactive Dashboard Approach, John Mcintosh

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines the evolution of Major League Baseball (MLB) hitting strategies from 1950 to 2010 using statistical analysis and machine learning techniques. The study investigates changes in player performance metrics to determine how hitting styles have evolved, specifically focusing on distinguishing "power hitters" from "contact hitters." Principal Component Analysis “(PCA)”, t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding, and clustering methods, such as K Means Clustering, were applied to historical MLB data from Baseball Reference to reveal underlying trends and shifts in player roles over time. An interactive dashboard was developed utilizing Streamlit to visualize these trends dynamically. This was done by incorporating …

Who We Don’T See: Paternal Kinship In Adoption, Nikhita Razdan

Theses & ETDs

The topic of this research is discovering what defines the connection between adopted people and their biological fathers due to the lack of research regarding that perspective. The research was conducted through repeated in-depth interviews online and in person. The subjects that are addressed here involve the intersection between adoptees' gender and adoptive identity, biases held within the adoptive household, and negative biases towards their countries of origin. These topics assist in understanding the kinship found, or not found, between the participants and their biological fathers. Two frameworks are also presented here, deemed the Adoptive Environment Bias and the Motherland …

Taylor Karnopp, Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio, Taylor Karnopp

Senior Art Portfolios

This is work created for the Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio 2025. This work includes graphic design, package design, ad design, and brand identity.

Navigating Barriers: Challenges And Strategies For Adopting Artificial Intelligence In Qualitative Research In Low-Income African Contexts, Kahabi Isangula

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction:

 AI is transforming qualitative research. It enhances efficiency, accuracy, and depth in studies. Technologies like machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and large language models (LLMs) simplify tasks like transcription, coding, and thematic analysis. However, in low-income African settings, there are barriers to AI adoption. These include ethical concerns, infrastructure limitations, financial constraints, and technical skill gaps. Issues around data privacy and the dehumanization of research also add challenges.

Methods: 

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of AI in qualitative research in low-income African contexts. It uses a descriptive approach, reviewing literature and personal experiences from rural …

Artificial Intelligence In Radiology, Olivia Sweeney

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly transformed radiologic practice by improving diagnostic accuracy, streamlining workflows, and reducing interpretation errors. As AI integration has expanded across imaging modalities, questions have emerged regarding its effectiveness compared to traditional radiologist-only interpretation.

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the impact of AI-assisted radiology on diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and error reduction, while also assessing clinician perceptions of AI as a collaborative tool in imaging analysis.

Methodology: This qualitative study has used a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025, following PRISMA guidelines, combined with an interview …

Teaching On The Edge Of The Snap: Exploring The Constraints And Capacities Of Emotion Regulation, Kate Atwood Heyboer

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) explored the barriers and supports for teacher emotion regulation at a small, suburban K-8 school district in the Northeast United States. The author utilized a mixed-methods convergent research design to evaluate the impact of an 8-week mindful awareness and educational neuroscience-based PD intervention on teachers’ emotion regulation abilities (ERAs). Teacher participants from grades K-5 attended five PD sessions utilizing curricular content from the MindUP “The Science and Practice of Well-being and Mindful Teaching” online program (The Hawn Foundation, 2025). The researcher merged qualitative data from participant interviews and narrative writing samples with quantitative …

How Climate Change And Environmental Policies Affect Impoverished Communities, Nicole Skala

Journal of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity

Climate change is a global problem that affects everyone, but not proportionately. Lower income communities face greater physical and economic impacts, and policies often fail to consider their needs. These communities struggle to adapt and recover from disasters due to limited resources, and they lack access to resilient housing. Major corporations like Exxon and Shell profit while their workers are underpaid for dangerous labor. Historically, regions like rural Appalachia have seen exploitation through industries like coal. People of Color (POC) communities experience environmental racism, suffering greater environmental harm due to systemic neglect. Increasing commodity costs can hurt lower income individuals, …

Artificial Intelligence And Illicit Drugs: A World Of Possibilities, Ralph A. Weisheit

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

Large scale drug production and distribution organizations (DTOs) are businesses. As such they face many of the same challenges faced by legal businesses, such as the creation of new drugs, supply chain issues, and identifying new markets. The legal business world is finding creative ways to meet those challenges utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). This discussion uses a horizon scan methodology to suggest how current and anticipated applications of AI in the legal business world might be adapted by large-scale illicit drug trafficking organizations. The focus in this discussion is on its potential application for the largest organizations that control the …

Introduction To The “Mappings” Issue, Asa Mittman, Dan Terkla

Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture

No abstract provided.