Digital Commons Network^™

Determining The Influence Of A Low-Head Dam On Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Bouie River, Natalie Santiago

Honors Theses

The Bouie River is a tributary of the Leaf River and belongs to the Pascagoula River watershed, the latter of which has no flow impediments in the form of sills or dams. The Bouie River has been heavily altered in the lower 10 river kilometers (rkm) from aggregate mining (creating a series of deep gravel pits) and the presence of an earthen and concrete low-head dam (sill) located 6 rkm from the mouth of the river. However, despite these alterations, the immediate stretch of river below the low-head dam is a known spawning habitat for diadromous fish species, including the …

Bases Of Influence: Military Installations And Partisan Realignment In The American South, Regan Steen

Honors Theses

Attributable to the First and Second World Wars, the 20^th-century military mobilization of the American South caused significant change in the region as the previously rural locale was economically and socially transformed. During this period, the American South also experienced a major shift in partisan politics as traditional voter patterns changed and party alignments were reshaped. This transformation, or realignment as it is called, took place as rooted Democratic-leaning voting behaviors were altered by increasing trends of Republican support. Previous literature discusses the history of the military and realignment, with both fields recognizing the significance of economic development. …

Comparing Urban And Rural Mississippi Residents’ Health Literacy Of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Leah Tucker

Honors Theses

Health literacy is an individual’s ability to understand medical information to make decisions regarding their health, and it has become an important topic of discussion in the medical field. This is because people with low health literacy are more likely to be in poor health. There have been several programs aimed at improving health literacy across the US, but health literacy varies geographically. Typically, urban areas have higher health literacy rates than rural areas since rural areas have less access to health resources and health care. Almost 80% of Mississippi’s counties are considered rural, and Mississippi has some of the …

Knighted Pawn's Tour, Morgan Wilson

Honors Theses

The Knighted Pawn’s Tour is a variant of the traditional Knight’s Tour problem, whichitself is an instance of the Hamiltonian cycle problem. The deviation from the Knight’s Tour problem is that a pawn begins on any field on the second rank (row), and advances with legal moves that can include captures to the opposite end of the board to become a knight. These fields, used by the pawn on the path to knighthood, are subsequently forbidden for the knight’s return to the starting field. The knight must traverse the rest of the chessboard, visiting each remaining field exactly once …

Chemistry Education At The University Of Southern Mississippi Through Computation And Active Learning Methods, Sadie Pitre

Honors Theses

Education is one of the pillars of society. It evolves alongside scientific progress, shaping how students learn and engage with complex topics. The incorporation of new educational standards at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was implemented in two parts: through computational chemistry laboratory exercises for teaching laboratories and through the synthesis of organic molecules for research projects in an upper-level spectroscopy class. The goal of these projects is to improve learning of abstract and/or complex topics beyond the teaching methods traditionally utilized in the undergraduate laboratory and in the classroom.

Computational chemistry, which uses theoretical calculations to model molecular …

Capturing The Digital Scene: Applying Routine Activity Theory To Iot Smart Frames, Jordan Bakar

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project investigates the forensic risks and investigative challenges posed by smart frames, which are WiFi-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) devices used to store, display, and share digital media. These devices often collect and synchronize sensitive media, metadata, and behavioral logs across cloud ecosystems that lack adequate transparency and privacy safeguards. Routine Activity Theory (RAT) provides a criminological framework for examining how the convergence of a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of capable guardianship creates opportunities for misuse and forensic exploitation. Smart frames represent ideal targets because of weak default security configurations, passive data synchronization, and limited …

Strategic Construction Of Anomalies: A Quantum International Relations Framework For Uap, Nate Ostdiek

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, are notoriously tricky to understand and analyze. The persistent ambiguity surrounding UAPs is not accidental but strategic; by keeping them in a liminal state of explanation, actors construct a geopolitical anomaly that blurs the boundaries between threat, curiosity, and control. Utilizing a Quantum International Relations (QIR) framework pioneered by Alexander Wendt, James Der Derian, and others enables new analytical tools to explain the creation and impact of these strategic anomalies. The social ontological status of UAP (extraterrestrial, fake, interdimensional, secret technology, natural phenomena, etc.) is determined by an entangled network of epistemological …

Intersecting Identities And Ipv: The Impact Of Sexual And Gender Minority Stressors On Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Across Racial Groups, Kameryn S. Dunn Freeman

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Previous research has found that sexual and gender minority People of Color (SGM-POC) report higher rates of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victimization than White SGM. In a sample of AFAB SGM people, Whitton et al. (2021) found that sexual minority stressors, adverse childhood experiences, and structural inequalities partially explain this disparity. This study replicates Whitton et al.’s study in a sample with greater sexual and gender diversity and extends the study by examining additional SGM stressors as potential mediators. We used data from a large, nationally-recruited sample of same-sex couples to test the indirect effect of race on IPV victimization …

No Unified Ableukhov: Orientalism And Imperialism In Andrei Bely's Petersburg., Tuesday Shaw

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This project brings into dialogue the 1913 Russian novel Petersburg by Andrei Bely and postcolonial approaches to literature, primarily those developed by Edward Said in Orientalism (1978) and Culture and Imperialism (1994). Petersburg was the product of an artistic movement, Symbolism, that idealized breaking apart boundaries between artforms. Said’s notion of Orientalism, in contrast, is based on the idea that there is an essential division between “East” and “West.” While there might appear to be a tension in applying a theory premised on division to a work that apparently wants to dissolve all boundaries, attention to Petersburg’s depiction of …

Design Dogma: Redefining Tradition And Innovation Through Mahjong., Isabel L. Ahnemiller

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This design project explores the creation of a Riichi Mahjong set that bridges the traditional cultural heritage of the game with modern design, aimed at introducing the game to new audiences. Riichi Mahjong, a variant of the traditional Chinese Mahjong game, has evolved significantly over the centuries. This project focuses on the development of a visually appealing and functional set that enhances a player’s experience, while staying true to the historical roots of Mahjong. The design uses careful selection of color schemes and symbols, such as the use of both Chinese characters and Arabic numerals to encourage recognition and learning …

Two-Player Trick-Taking Games On Bipartite Tournaments., Allan Bagley

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

We consider a two-person game played on a bipartite tournament with equal size parts. The game is modeled after trick-taking card games like bridge or euchre. The two players, South and North, each receive one of the parts as their hand, and the arcs from a vertex in one hand beat the corresponding vertices in the other hand. The game is played over rounds called tricks where the number of tricks is equal to the number of vertices in each player’s hand. At the beginning of the game, one player is designated as the leader, and they play the first …

The People's Ledger: Reform Or Revolution?, Kostantinos R. Grigoras

Applied Economics Theses

The ramifications of the 2007-08 financial crisis, the later Covid-19 pandemic, and the technological developments surrounding cryptocurrencies and digital ledgers have led to increasingly explicit political views on banking apart from dominant mainstream economic narratives. As such, a widening range of authors from varying perspectives have sought to contribute a “programmatic vision” to the set of changes they assert as necessary in the current financial system. Saule T. Omarova’s (2021) controversial article, “The People’s Ledger: How to Democratize Money and Finance the Economy,” and the resulting political reaction to its goal of advancing such a programmatic vision in order to …

Artificial Intelligence Through Young Eyes: A Study Of Students’ Perspectives And Experiences With Artificial Intelligence In Education, Chad Preston Salyer

Ed.D. Dissertations

Artificial intelligence was an emergent and powerful new force in education. The public release of ChatGPT 3.0 in 2022 transformed learning for many students. This phenomenological qualitative study sought to record and analyze student’s perspectives on the influence of artificial intelligence on their learning routines. This study collected data through surveys and interviews with undergraduate students, analyzing patterns of artificial intelligence usage, perceived benefits, and challenges. The findings revealed that most students used artificial intelligence as a primary learning tool and that those students viewed artificial intelligence as beneficial for personalized learning and skill development. However, concerns about over-reliance on …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Racial Differences In Comorbidities And Prenatal Care Among Pregnant Women, Ryian Owusu, Kurt R. Wharton

Posters

• Research highlights that women of color face significantly higher risks of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality.¹

• Factors contributing to these disparities include: 2,3

• Access to healthcare

• Health literacy

• Education level • Community support

• Prenatal care plays a pivotal role in mitigating these risks by educating women on healthy lifestyles and identifying those at high risk for complications. 4

• Determining patient satisfaction with their prenatal care could greatly contribute in defining a link between prenatal care services and maternal-fetal outcomes. 4

Optimization Of Soft-Sphere N-Body Simulation Through Choice Of Programming Language And Priority Queue, John Mcmahon

Physics & Astronomy Honors Theses

In this thesis I will describe my efforts to improve the performance of the current Rust softsphere N-body simulation. To do this I undertook two projects; validating the performance of our chosen programming language Rust along with comparing Rust to other languages, and implementing and testing a novel priority queue, the Parallel Bucket Queue, for object collision processing. In order to validate our programming language choice I benchmarked the parallel performance of C, C++, Go, Java, Julia, and Rust for N-body simulations. This benchmarking is based off the O(N2) simulation done each language in the Benchmark Game, with simulations modified …

A Study Of Knots And Quandles, Zhaoqi Wu

Math and Computer Science Honors Theses

We explore the mathematical theory of knots through the lens of algebraic structures known as kei and quandles. We begin by introducing classical knot invariants and then study the fundamental kei of a knot as a tool for distinguishing knot types. We generalize this approach using various kinds of quandles, including Alexander and dihedral quandles, and investigate their associated polynomial invariants. We also examine the connection between quandles and group theory, as well as their algebraic representations in quandle rings. Moreover, we analyze idempotent elements in quandle rings over finite fields, providing both general results and specific examples.

Analysis Of Opposition To Multifamily Housing In Shrewsbury, Ma, Justin Dobson

Master of Public Administration for Senior Leadership

Massachusetts is experiencing a critical shortage of affordable housing, driven by decades of underbuilding, which is exacerbated by local opposition to multifamily housing development. Although the Commonwealth has adopted policies to increase housing supply, such as Chapter 40B and the MBTA Communities Act, the impact of these efforts is mitigated by resistance from residents at the local level. This research analyzes whether common concerns voiced by opponents of multifamily, affordable housing, such as adverse impacts on school enrollment, property values, municipal services, and infrastructure, are substantiated by data. Using Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, as a case study, this research employs a quantitative …

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Jeff Bezos, Kyna Shah

Honors Scholar Theses

Understanding what makes a good leader is a topic of ongoing interest in the practice of business. Research to-date has distinguished between being a manager and being a leader and also has established a set of principles to consider in assessing leadership. In this thesis, I draw upon principles of leadership, including emotional intelligence; vision creation; inspiring others; leading in good and difficult times; fostering, developing, and recognizing others; and creating a winning culture to offer a critical assessment of Jeff Bezos as a leader within the business arena.

A Systematic Review Of Weight Loss Interventions Among Black Postpartum Women, Jhelma Velveder Perez

Honors Scholar Theses

Cardiovascular disease is a leading contributor to maternal mortality, which remains disproportionately high among Black women. Obesity and postpartum weight retention exacerbate cardiovascular disease risk and increase the likelihood of complications in future pregnancies. Weight loss during the postpartum period may reduce long-term chronic health risks and mortality for Black women. This systematic review aimed to understand the weight-related health needs of Black postpartum women by evaluating behavioral weight loss interventions within the first year after childbirth. A comprehensive search of the PubMed database identified 3 randomized controlled trials that met inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated home-based programs, mobile health …

Quality Of Affected Upper Extremity Use During A Ride-On Toy-Based Training Program In Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study, Megan Carlmark

Honors Scholar Theses

Unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) is a subtype of cerebral palsy that impacts movement and coordination on one side of the body. This condition often leads to reduced use of the affected upper extremity in daily tasks. This pilot study explored the feasibility and potential of a joystick-operated ride-on-toy training program as an engaging home-based and play-based intervention to promote affected upper extremity use in children with UCP. Five children from a larger sample of 15 children with a diagnosis of UCP between the ages of 3 and 8 years old were used as data for this thesis. This study included …

Multimodal Benchmarking For Ncaa Basketball, Brendan Barnett

Honors Scholar Theses

We present the first multimodal, multitask benchmark for NCAA basketball, synthesizing structured statistical features with large language model (LLM)-generated game summaries across 19,739 games spanning four NCAA Division I seasons (2021--2025). We evaluate three model families---XGBoost, deep neural networks, and Transformers---under tabular-only and early-fusion settings to measure the impact of LLM-derived textual embeddings. To assess practical utility, we simulate fixed-stake and Kelly criterion-based betting strategies using historical bookmaker odds, analyzing both profitability and downside risk via Monte Carlo simulation. Our results show that XGBoost with early-fusion achieves the highest return on investment and the lowest risk of loss. This work …

Garver, Lucas G. Ortiz

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis is a summary of my two-year internship at Garver, an engineering firm headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. I interned with the finance department in the North Little Rock office. During my time with Garver, I gained an abundance of technical experience in the accounting field, as well as invaluable networking and professional development skills.

Identifying Cognitive, Affective, And Developmental Mechanisms Linking Threat And Deprivation With Adolescent Psychopathology, Ekaterina Sadikova, David G. Weissman, Maya L. Rosen, Elise Robinson, Liliana J. Lengua, Margaret A. Sheridan, Henning Tiemeier, Katie A. Mclaughlin

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

Background: The mechanisms linking early-life adversity with psychopathology over the life-course are complex. In this prospective study, we collectively examined cognitive, affective, and developmental mediators previously found to individually link childhood threat and deprivation experiences to adolescent psychopathology to identify the most potent mechanisms. Methods: Data came from a community sample of 227 children (mean child age 11.5 ± 0.5 years, 48.5% female) from the Seattle metro area with recruitment designed to reflect diversity in family income. Candidate mechanisms included self-rated pubertal development and task-measured attention bias to threat, emotion regulation, theory of mind, fear learning, inhibitory control, language ability, …

Art Of Returning: Supporting Students After Psychiatric Hospitalization, Kaly Mariano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Reintegrating into campus life after a psychiatric hospitalization can be deeply challenging for college students. Research shows that in the two weeks following discharge from inpatient care, individuals are 200 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population—making this a critical period of vulnerability (Chung et al., 2017). Suicide remains the second leading cause of death among college-aged adults (Centers for Disease Control, 2023). In response to these risks, this capstone project utilized a mixed-methods approach, through community-based participatory research to explore how CSUMB’s CARE Team and Dean of Students’ Office can best support students before, during, …

Bridging Gaps: Connecting Santa Cruz Seniors To Services, Elsa B. Tamayo Alvarez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addresses the lack of awareness among the senior population in Santa Cruz County about available resources and services that support healthy aging. Nonprofit Connection Santa Cruz County is a county-wide nonprofit that provides a platform to connect people, ideas, and resources for the benefit of nonprofits across all sectors. It serves a diverse population of over 270,000 residents, including a significant older adult population (19.8%) and a large Hispanic/Latino community (35.2%), by supporting nonprofits that address health and social needs. The project aimed to increase awareness through the creation and distribution of an informational pamphlet and a …

Increasing Student Awareness Of Mental Health Resources, Vanessa M. Morga

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Rates of anxiety and depression are too high among youth in Greenfield. Portola Butler High School is an alternative education institution serving students that struggled in traditional school environments. Many students at continuation schools deal with unique stressors such as academic struggles, family issues and social isolation which can significantly affect their mental well-being. Located in a rural area with limited access to mental health resources, Portola Butler faces unique challenges in addressing the mental and emotional needs of their students.The intervention included a presentation to a class of high school students at Portola Butler Continuation School. The focus was …

Promoting Safety And Sustainability: A Community-Based Approach To Road Safety, Nicole V. Vargas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Pedestrian and cyclist injuries remain a public health concern in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, where low safety awareness and infrastructure gaps contribute to preventable collisions. This capstone project, in partnership with Ecology Action’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) and Modo Active Transportation programs, assessed the impact of community-based education on road safety awareness and behavior. Using convenience sampling, two tailored surveys were distributed at farmers' markets and tabling events in February–March 2025. Over 800 individuals were engaged, and 113 surveys were completed. Results showed that 75% of Bay View Elementary participants increased active transportation and felt more confident in …

Teaching Diversity In Early Childhood, Allison Debellis

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Diversity and inclusivity is not taught enough in early childhood education. This project is a curriculum based project in order to show children about diversity and kindness to people who are different.

Impacts Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy On College Students' Self-Esteem And Mental Health, Adriana Hay

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this senior capstone research project is to examine the potential impacts of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) on the self-esteem and mental health of college students. CRP is an approach which connects students’ cultures, experiences, and identities to what is taught in the classroom. Through the use of literature review and anonymous surveys to college students, faculty, and professors, the results suggest that students indeed benefit from the caring relationships which CRP creates at the university level. By assessing the methods of CRP implementation within higher education, this senior capstone also evaluates how educators could optimize their students’ …

Empowering Parental Involvements In School Activites, Aracely Ramirez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The benefits of empowering parental involvement in school activities are many; however, due to parents' lack of time or school’s lack of resources, there are a lot of students that do not have parents involved in school activities. The purpose of this senior capstone research project is to empower parent involvement in school activities with different resources that schools or parents can use to help them get more involved in school activities. Through the use of literature review and survey of parents in five schools and interviews with five principals about parental involvement in their schools to impact their students’ …