Digital Commons Network^™

Customization That Clicks: Human Factors Evaluation Of A User-Centered Vehicle Customization System, Noah Clark, Shawn Mathura, Sarah Bailey, Paul Seal, Brandon Ibarra, Kailey Hrbek, Carissa Aumack, Kevin Sun, Olivia Honan, Kelly Nguyen, Caroline Deck, Brandon D. Dreslin

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Older adults (OAs) and drivers with disabilities (DwDs) often encounter challenges when customizing vehicle features (e.g., seat adjustment, lighting, climate control) because existing human-machine interfaces (HMIs) may not be designed to accommodate diverse sensory, motor, and cognitive capabilities. HarmonIQ is a biometric-based, user-centered vehicle customization system designed to improve accessibility and inclusivity for OAs and DwDs, developed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in collaboration with Bethune-Cookman University (BCU). This research, supported in part by the EcoCAR Electric Vehicle Challenge, builds on Fall 2024 proofs-of-concept and Spring 2025 initial development of HarmonIQ and its components, namely the driver profile software and …

Simplified Flight Controls For Urban Air Mobility (Uam), Sierra Martinez, Frank Cunningham Iv, Nicole Giordano, Olivia Honan, Katie Stubits, Heather Bond, Paul Seal, Brandon Ibarra

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Air taxis are meant to perform short-distance, lower-altitude flights in challenging terrain- whether it be maneuvering around skyscrapers in urban areas, or for emergency responders in remote, difficult to access areas. It is paramount that the control system is intuitive and user friendly, since air taxi pilots will likely receive less training than commercial airline pilots. The Human Factors Department is working to advance Urban Air Mobility (UAM) initiatives by evaluating alternative inceptors (ie. control systems) that might be used in Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) air taxi designs. The controller itself needs to have specific and distinct enough operations …

Comparing Student Perceptions: Self-Directed Learner And Sense Of Responsibility With Their Measured Self-Direction In Learning Programming, Abigail Blalock

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This research poster presents findings from a broader study examining self-direction in learning (SDL) programming among first-year engineering students enrolled in an introductory programming course at Embry-Riddle. Developing learner autonomy and self-direction is essential for fostering lifelong learning and adaptability, particularly in programming, where rapidly evolving tools and techniques require continuous skill development. Using a quasi-experimental approach, this study investigates students’ self-direction in learning using a 25-item validated instrument on the Personal Responsibility Orientation to Self-Direction in Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS). Grounded in the Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) model, the instrument distinguishes between the external teaching–learning process and the internal characteristics …

Ronald E. Mcnair Research Symposium Presentation Schedule 2026, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This is the presentation schedule for the 24th Undergraduate Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium 2026.

From Crisis To Reform: How The 1918 Influenza And Covid-19 Pandemics Redefined The Relationship Between Nurses And The American Healthcare System., Anh N V Le

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

The 1918 Influenza and COVID- 19 pandemic have become two major public health crises that reshaped the role of nurses in the America healthcare system. Although a hundred years apart, both pandemics revealed how deeply the country depends on nurses during emergencies without proper and efficient strategies. This paper argues that these pandemics acted as turning points that redefined the social contract between nurses and the U.S. healthcare system. By examining historical context, nurses’ responsibilities, public perception, and long-term effects, this research show how pandemics expanded nurses’ authority while also exposing long-term weakness of the systems. In 1918, nurses were …

The "3 A'S" Of Sport Specialization: Emerging Themes To Characterize Athletes' Sport Participation Pathway Decisions, Adelaide F. Stark, Justin S. Disanti Ph.D.

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

In this study, former youth sport participants were grouped by their developmental sport pathways (i.e., if they specialized and when they specialized over the course of their participation) to identify emerging themes regarding why they chose their respective pathway, as well as how this impacted their sport experience. 948 participants completed a retrospective survey measure detailing their sport histories. Based on their specialization trajectory across their sport involvement (i.e., during elementary school, middle school, and high school) participants were sorted into three participation pathways – Early Specialization, Late Specialization, or Continued Multi-sport. Participants responded to open-ended questions about their decision-making …

Lights, Camera, Acting! A Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Approach To Basic Filmmaking, Jessica Maloney, Chris Nelson

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

No film studio? No problem! This activity is designed to introduce basic concepts of filmmaking across disciplines such as theatre and communications, but could be used by either. It includes an emphasis on acting as well as the technical processes and procedures on set. We have geared this activity specifically towards use in a cross-listed class in Communication and Theatre Arts.

"The Climate Emotion Wheel" - An Exercise To Address Climate Anxiety Inspired By Boal's Forum Theatre, Talin Abadian

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The goal of this exercise is to provide students a space to articulate these complex emotions, engage in collaborative problem-solving with their peers, reclaim a sense of agency and empowerment by exploring meaningful action collectively while also highlighting individual responsibilities towards the environment. This exercise can be used effectively to demonstrate the power of Boal’s Forum Theatre as a tool for collaborative problem-solving and communal rehearsing of solutions to real-world challenges.

Everything I Learned About Teacher Noticing I Learned From Yoga Teacher Training, Grace Giorgio

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The following activity promotes teacher noticing as a pedagogical tool for teachers in training, with a focus on the public speaking classroom. Many students enter the public speaking classroom filled with performance anxiety and fears of how their peers will perceive them. When a teacher can tap into these concerns via by noticing how students are reacting in the moment, they can assuage those anxieties and fears. Hence, teaching instructors effective teacher noticing in teacher training improves the classroom experience for teachers and students alike.

The Chameleon Experience: Queer Identity, Mental Health, And Transformation, Cameron Penny

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

In this autoethnographic piece, I examine the correlation between queer identity and mental health through reflective analysis of my own experiences within a Western socio-cultural setting. I expand external perspectives on the queer experience by highlighting the normalization of queer prejudice and its adverse impact on self-image. I share how the religious praxis of Catholicism enforces binary conformity by promoting dichotomous thinking that simultaneously constricts queer expression and subjugates implicit biases. In tandem, I utilize autoethnography as my medium because it provides a unique outlet to raise awareness for chronically stigmatized identities by centering marginalized voices (Atay, 2011; Chavez, 2013). …

Best Practices And An Agenda For Research In Benefits Communication, Kristi Egbert, Anne Kerber

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Benefits communication is information an employer/organization provides to employees about the types of benefit plans offered and information about them (i.e., health insurance, retirement, vacation time). Despite its importance to jobs across all sectors of the workforce, there is a dearth of current academic research regarding benefits communication. This paper defines benefits communication, examines its impact on organizations and workers, and explores existing research on best practices. Findings underscore the complexity of benefits material and emphasize the need for simpler and clearer language, employee-preferred formats, and adequate time for employees to review information and receive guidance from a knowledgeable source. …

State Of The World: Presidential Rhetoric At The United Nations, Jason A. Edwards, Zoe Hess Carney, Kory Hoyt

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

In 1982, President Reagan spoke to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the first time. In doing so, Reagan established a presidential tradition that, we argue, created a new genre of presidential rhetoric. Like the State of the Union speech, presidents, in this address, outline their vision for U.S. foreign policy and global politics for the coming year. Specifically, presidents mediate on the history and values of the United Nations, assess the current state of global affairs, and offer policy recommendations to deal with those issues. Examining presidential rhetoric at the United Nations offers a heuristic to understand U.S. …

Communication & Theater Association Of Minnesota Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, 2026

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Volume 49, Issue 1 (2026) of the Communication & Theater Association of Minnesota Journal.

Techniques, Skills, And Synthesis For “Cooking” In The Organic Laboratory, Emily C. Sylvester, Tim Evans

Open Education Materials

Lab manual for CHEM 211L, Organic Chemistry I Laboratory. Provides background and procedures for laboratory experiments, including fundamental techniques and several organic syntheses.

Creative Commons attribution.

The Gut-Bladder Axis: How Symbiont Microbes Alter Urinary Tract Infections, Benjamin S. Olson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Consequently, they are one of the leading indications for antibiotic prescription. Despite the typically successful treatment of an acute UTI, recurrent infections are exceedingly common, particularly among women. Nearly a quarter of otherwise healthy women will suffer recurrent UTIs (rUTI) after a primary UTI; why these select individuals are continually afflicted is unkown. There are no successful therapeutics to treat rUTI representing a gap not just in the medical toolkit but in our understanding of why rUTI is so prevalent. There are many hypotheses for the risk factors …

Clinical Practice Guideline For Fall Prevention And Reduction, Wendy Zitzloff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls are a significant concern for residents in long-term care facilities who are 65 years old or older, which places them at a higher risk of injury. The risk of falling is unique to each patient and cumulative with advanced age and complex comorbidities. A Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility in Minnesota had 6.6% of long-stay residents experience a fall resulting in a major injury, higher than the Minnesota average of 4.1%. This Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) outlines foundational components for preventing and reducing falls among geriatric patients in long-term care facilities. The purpose of the CPG is to outline the …

Changes In Psychological Adjustment Among Laryngectomized Patients Through Nursing Intervention: Rct, Kumiko Kotake, Kaori Haba, Mami Kurita, Ichiro Ota, Kazuyo Iwanaga, Yoshimi Suzukamo, Ichiro Kai, Aya Takahashi, Yoko Ishibashi, Yoriko Hara, Hirokazu Uemura

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in psychological adjustment among laryngectomized patients through nursing interventions and to verify the effectiveness of these interventions.

Methods: Of the 76 hospitalized laryngectomy patients who received the study explanation and provided consent, 74 were included. The intervention involved providing information through interviews and a guidebook. The study method involved conducting follow-up surveys at preoperative, pre-discharge, and three months, six months, and one year post-discharge to examine the temporal changes in psychological adjustment. This study used the Nottingham Psychological Adjustment Scale for laryngectomized patients. The higher the subscale score, the greater …

Shape: A Photovoice Study Exploring Student And Educator Perceptions Of School Built Environments, Megan L. Jester, Dawn Loraas, Cian L. Brown, Madelynn Henderson

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: School buildings shape daily experiences, well-being, and professional satisfaction for those who work and learn within them. Schools are increasingly primary access points for student health services.¹ Teaching in public schools ranks among the most stressful occupations, driving burnout and turnover.² As these groups spend most days in schools, the built environment serves as a crucial social determinant of health.³ Factors like extreme temperatures, poor air quality, and noise pollution impact health outcomes^4-6, creating barriers to learning.⁷ Limited nurse-driven research exists on how building attributes impact well-being. Spatial Habits Advance Personal Excellence examines …

Life Of Patients After Laryngectomy Before Hospital Discharge, Kaori Haba, Kumiko Kotake, Mami Kurita, Kazuyo Iwanaga, Ichiro Kai, Yoshimi Suzukamo, Aya Takahashi, Yoko Ishibashi, Yoriko Hara, Ichiro Ota, Hirokazu Uemura

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: This study aims to identify how patients after laryngectomy (PaL) feel about their lives before discharge.

Methods: The participants received total laryngectomy for peri-laryngeal cancer. They were interviewed for physical condition and concerns in daily lives, and how they coped with them before discharge. Qualitative induction was used to analyze. This study was conducted by obtaining the approval of the Ethical Review Committee of the university the researcher belongs to.

Results: All 9 participants were male, and the mean age was 68.2 years.
They “felt their bodies were recuperating” from the surgical invasion with free from respiratory distress and …

Caring Science And A Magnet Culture Positively Influence Patient Experience: A Theoretical Framework, Mary E. Lough, Grissel Hernandez, Kathleen Bradley, Alice Yan, Cassendra Munro, Rachyl Pines

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

BACKGROUND: An academic hospital implemented both Watson Caring Science and a Magnet® culture to support nurse wellbeing and optimize patient outcomes.^1-3 The goal was to create a culture of caring. The research challenge was how to measure culture, which is complex, intangible and often difficult to quantify. Few healthcare organizations deploy theory-driven quantitative evaluations. Most rely on atheoretical data mining rather than conceptually grounded frameworks.

PURPOSE: To develop a theoretical framework to test the hypothesis that: (1) Human Caring Culture directly influences Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS); (2) Human Caring Culture indirectly influences HCAHPS’ outcomes …

Silver Linings Among Youth Living With Hiv: An Integrated Mixed Methods Analysis, Emily Anne Barr, Mary Catherine Lingwall, Himabindu Reddy Basani, Joanna S. Vennekotter, Alyssa Goldsmith, Joseph Crane, Leah Jane Anthony, Re'undre Malone, Veronica Brady

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Youth living with HIV experience stigma, mental health challenges, and barriers to engagement in care. Silver linings are positive shifts in perception, connection, or opportunity that arise from adversity. This project examined silver linings across two studies of youth living with HIV and explored associations with stigma, trust, mental health, and viral suppression.

Methods: An integrated mixed methods design was used. The first study (Colorado, USA) was a cross-sectional survey of 109 youth that assessed stigma, mental health, trust in the healthcare relationship, viral load, and one open-ended item on silver linings. The second study (Texas, USA) included semi-structured …

Listening, Learning, Accommodating: A Critical Look At Inclusive Research Help, Michelle Lee, Laura Beane, Kristina Lang, Jillian Speck, Kristina Clement

Faculty Articles

Research consultations continue to be a valuable means of connecting with users and supporting their research needs. As we’ve received an increasing number of research consultations where one or more accommodations have been requested, the Kennesaw State University Libraries have been exploring ways to provide accommodations in research consultations. Since there is a lack of research on this specific facet of research consultations, this literature review focuses on the related topics of assistive technology in libraries, accommodations in library services and spaces, and library anxiety to show how these topics relate to providing accommodations in research consultations. The objective of …

Sac Newsletter 2026, South Asia Center

Newsletters from the South Asia Center

No abstract provided.

Pre-Implementation Factors For Active Music Engagement (Ame): Barriers And Facilitators To Integrating An Evidence-Based Dyadic Intervention Into Pediatric Oncology Care., Kristin M. Story, Elizabeth Harman, Kristin Stegenga, Jelena Golubovic, Sheri L. Robb

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Pediatric cancer treatment is a difficult and distressing experience that often results in sustained, interrelated distress in young children and parents, and traumatic stress symptoms for some parents. Few evidence-based interventions address this dyadic distress. Active Music Engagement (AME) is a manualized, evidence-based music play intervention that significantly reduces distress in child/parent dyads and mitigates traumatic stress and improves well-being among highly distressed parents and those experiencing sociodemographic risk. Successfully integrating AME into standard care requires a systematic understanding of implementation factors. This study aimed to identify site-specific barriers and facilitators that influenced successful AME delivery during a recently …

Philosophical Education As A Vision For Lasting Peace: Keynote Address At The Phase 1 Workshop Of “Ethics, Society, And Education: Empowering Early Career Philosophers In The Philippines”, Armin A. Luistro Fsc

SDRC Media Releases

Background

This keynote address was delivered by Br. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, during the Phase 1 Workshop of Ethics, Society, and Education: Empowering Early Career Philosophers in the Philippines on 12 August 2026 at De La Salle University.

The project aims to strengthen the research, writing, and professional capacities of early career philosophers in the Philippines. It is supported by the British Academy International Writing Workshops 2025 Programme under the United Kingdom Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund. The initiative is led by Dr. Hazel T. Biana of the De La Salle University Department of Philosophy, in partnership with Durham University …

"Tithing Is An Insurance Premium": A Framing Analysis Of Speaker Innovation And Diachronic Trends In Latter-Day Saint Religious Discourse, Reid Empey

Theses and Dissertations

Religious language relies on shared metaphor and frames that contextualize religious experience and practice. Current approaches to frame semantics (Fillmore 1982) and cognitive metaphor (Lakoff & Johnson 1980) lend important insight into religious language, particularly in describing the role that figurative language serves in a religious speech community. However, a vital component of many religious speech communities is the presence of and engagement with a scriptural canon, which often contains metaphorical and framing language that religious speakers can directly reference. Yet, past conceptualizations of speech communities have not accounted for this engagement with a shared canon. To illustrate the role …

Psychological Interventions For Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities In The Context Of Neurodiversity: A Systematic Review, Kalliopi Megari, Dimitra V. Katsarou, Evangelos Mantsos, Soultana Papadopoulou, Efthymia Efthymiou, Maria Theodoratou, Maria Sofologi, Eugenia Toki

All Works

Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?Abstract Background/Objectives: This systematic review examines psychological interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities within a neurodiversity framework, emphasizing that variations in cognition, behavior, and neurological functioning represent natural forms of human diversity rather than deficits. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2010 and 2025. Studies were included if they focused on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning or intellectual disabilities …

Race And Ethnicity And Overall Survival In Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Daniel J. Zheng, Long Khuong, Catherine Aftandilian, Kira Bona, Emi H. Caywood, Caitlin W. Elgarten, Brian T. Fisher, Cody-Aaron L. Gathers, Taumoha Ghosh, M. Monica Gramatges, Gary Hettinger, Meret R. Henry, Yuan-Shung V Huang, Yimei Li, Kelly Maloney, Amir Mian, Tamara P Miller, Arunkumar Modi, Rajen Mody, Regina M. Myers, Haley Newman, Jose Ortiz, Alix E. Seif, Caroline Smith, Jamie Stokke, Naomi Winick, Jennifer J. Wilkes, Victor Wong, Richard Aplenc, Kelly D. Getz

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black (hereafter, Black) children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have historically experienced worse survival outcomes compared with non-Hispanic White (hereafter, White) children. Understanding specific intermediate pathways underlying these outcome disparities is a critical step to directing interventional efforts and resources.

OBJECTIVE: To compare survival outcomes by race and ethnicity in a large contemporary cohort of pediatric patients with AML and to examine presentation acuity, frontline organ toxic effects, and relapse as potential mediators of any observed outcome disparities.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study was analyzed from April 2025 to January 2026 and included …

Explicit Writing Instruction Across Content Areas: A Professional Development, Bethany B. Richardson

Masters Projects

Research shows that writing instruction has diminished in the elementary classroom due to high stakes testing in reading and math.  Writing is a driving force for literacy achievement and should be prioritized.  In order to improve writing instruction, teachers need professional development in explicit instructional strategies for writing in other content areas.  According to cognitive processing theory, students are using multiple cognitive and metacognitive processes to complete a singular writing task.  Using scaffolds like write alouds, mentor texts, and graphic organizers can help teachers support students in their writing. Scaffolding theory suggests that students need high levels of support in …

Staff Education To Reduce Burnout Among Psychiatric Nurses Caring For Patients With Schizophrenia, Gloria Laizer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education project addressed occupational burnout among psychiatric registered nurses caring for patients with schizophrenia. Workplace violence, compassion fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and staffing shortages place psychiatric nurses at high risk for burnout, threatening nurse well-being, workforce retention, and patient safety. The practice site lacked a standardized resilience education program. The practice-focused question was, In psychiatric nurses caring for patients with schizophrenia, does implementation of an evidence-based resilience education program, compared with current practice, reduce occupational burnout? The purpose was to implement and evaluate such a program, informed by the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) Model …