Digital Commons Network^™

From Synapse To Circuit: Mechanisms Of Behavioral Flexibility And Its Restoration After Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Jayapriya Chandrasekaran

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Behavioral flexibility—the ability to adapt behavior when contingencies change—is a fundamental executive function supported by orbitofrontal–striatal circuitry. This dissertation examined molecular, motivational, and circuit mechanisms underlying flexibility and its restoration after prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). In healthy mice, GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in the orbitofrontal cortex increased during outcome updating, while AMPA receptor subunits in the dorsal striatum rose during new learning, defining temporally distinct plasticity processes. PAE impaired reversal learning under low-reward conditions, but not when motivation was high, indicating altered thresholds for circuit engagement rather than permanent loss. Finally, optogenetic stimulation of OFC→dorsal striatum projections rescued flexibility in PAE …

The Eviction Caste System, Allison Freedman

Faculty Scholarship

The United States is facing a dire housing crisis, and most Americans agree that housing is a universal necessity. Yet under current Supreme Court jurisprudence, housing is not a fundamental right, and individuals facing housing insecurity from an eviction are generally not members of a suspect class. This is because eviction is often viewed as an individual problem and a symptom of poverty, which the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed is not a suspect classification. This Article disrupts the superficial narrative that eviction is an individualistic symptom of poverty, and instead views evictions from a systemic and historical perspective. It …

Without Their Consent: The History Of Involuntary Sterilization Of Women Of Color In The United States, Guadalupe Cataldo

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Throughout the history of the United States, there is a continuous theme of women of color and immigrant women experiencing violations of their reproductive rights, including sterilization abuse. Under eugenics laws and initiatives, these women have been sterilized to prevent the reproduction of people that those in power deemed “unfit.” Due to intersecting gender, racial, and socioeconomic statuses, women of color have been more vulnerable to involuntary sterilization than their more privileged peers. Through the review of research articles, analysis of documentary interviews, collection of relevant news articles, and archival research of materials produced by organizations fighting sterilization abuse, this …

How Academic Pressure Is Declining The Mental Health Of South Korean Students, Lilyanne Boyland

East Asian Studies

South Korea’s education system is widely recognized for its academic excellence; however, this may highly impact students’ mental health and overall well-being, which can hinder their academic performance. Students are known to dedicate long hours of their day to their education, in addition to their daily academic schedules. This study focuses on how academic pressure, that is mostly driven by parents and educators, as well as traditional cultural values on education, affects the mental health of South Korean students. This thesis is divided into three sections: Historical and Cultural Contexts, South Korea’s Current Educational Environment, and Next Steps for South …

Intersectionality And Belonging: Higher Education Mathematics, Ashley Natalie

Mathematics and Statistics

Students with intersecting marginalized identities (such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, or first-generation background) often face unique challenges in advanced mathematics that affect confidence, participation, amounting to a sense of belonging. These experiences remain underrepresented in mathematics education research. This qualitative, narrative-based study examines how these students experience classroom dynamics and belonging in upper-level mathematics courses. Semi-structured interviews will be analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to identity, classroom culture, instructor behavior, and peer interactions. Findings aim to highlight barriers and supportive practices, informing more inclusive teaching strategies and equitable learning environments in advanced mathematics.

Intersectionality And Belonging: Higher Education Mathematics, Ashley Williams

Mathematics and Statistics

Students with intersecting marginalized identities (such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, or first-generation background) often face unique challenges in advanced mathematics that affect confidence, participation, amounting to a sense of belonging. These experiences remain underrepresented in mathematics education research. This qualitative, narrative-based study examines how these students experience classroom dynamics and belonging in upper-level mathematics courses. Semi-structured interviews will be analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to identity, classroom culture, instructor behavior, and peer interactions. Findings aim to highlight barriers and supportive practices, informing more inclusive teaching strategies and equitable learning environments in advanced mathematics.

Youth In Leadership Positions: A Mediation Program Proposal, Abigail Horn

Sociology

Encountering the justice system can have harmful impacts on a child’s well-being and can lead to negative outcomes in the future, such as missing school and reoffending. This paper proposes a program to combat these impacts by creating infrastructure for schools to handle low level offenses within schools through a mentoring program. After a review of the literature on the current justice system in the United States, rehabilitative and restorative justice practices, and the effects of youth leadership positions, the “Re-Mentoring Program” is proposed. A play on the words "restorative" and "rehabilitative," this program involves youth who have offended, victims, …

The Human Touch: Lawyer Leadership In The Age Of Generative Ai, Kathleen Elliott Vinson

Suffolk University Law School Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Rethinking The Scope Of State Power: Territorial Jurisdiction, Popular Sovereignty, And Extraterritorial Legislation, Jeffrey Schmitt

William & Mary Law Review

The Supreme Court applies the territorial framework of international law to resolve disputes over the reach of state power. Under this framework, a state’s power is coterminous with its borders, such that a state’s regulatory power within its territory is limited only by federal law. The Court recently used this framework to overrule an obscure line of Dormant Commerce Clause cases that held that a state regulation of local conduct could have impermissible extraterritorial effects.

This Article argues that the territorial model of state power from international law does not account for the division of sovereignty within our federal system. …

Unrestricted: Why Access To A Special Victims' Counsel Should Not Rest On Victim Credibility, Kate Franco

William & Mary Law Review

Part I discusses the role of courts-martial in the military and the distinction between civilian ideals of justice and the military’s objective of “good order and discipline.” It also describes how the sociopolitical landscape in the early twenty-first century shaped the Uniformed Military Code of Justice (UCMJ), the internal decision to introduce counsel specifically for sexual assault victims, and Congress’s decision to require SVC [Special Victims' Counsel] programs across all branches. Part II examines the state of SVC programs today within branches and across the political landscape. It also provides a more detailed analysis of United States v. Deremer and …

Too Cruel For School: How Parental Rights Doctrine Can Help Protect Against Book Bans, Tessa K. Wild

William & Mary Law Review

This Note argues that parents’ rights protections are crucial to protecting against broad censorship in public schools, and that if states want to effectively regulate book removals, they should preemptively adopt laws similar to Minnesota’s section 134.51.

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Part I of this Note will provide background information about book removals as a freedom of speech issue, as well as a history of how parents’ rights rhetoric is tied to book-removal issues. Part II will address both the history and legal standards of parents’ rights protections. Finally, Part III, using Minnesota and Utah as case studies, will apply parents’ rights law …

Belonging, Ver Ikeseh

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores belonging as the core of my artistic practice, developed through public murals and participatory installations in shared spaces. Grounded in a studio practice that engages directly with communities, the work positions art within everyday environments rather than separate from them. Through murals created across James Madison University and within surrounding communities, I examine how public art can generate moments of connection, visibility, and reflection. The thesis culminates in the participatory mural Belonging, created in the Duke Hall Gallery at James Madison University, where these ideas are brought together through direct public engagement. Developed through collaboration, the …

Statutory Backups For Endangered Constitutional Rights, Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl

Faculty Publications

This Article concerns the phenomenon of “statutory backup rights,” or statutes that provide protections parallel to constitutional rights that are believed to be at risk of judicial abrogation. Proposals for backup rights gained attention in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which not only eliminated the constitutional right to abortion but called into question some other constitutional rights as well. Shortly after Dobbs, Congress enacted a limited statutory backup for same-sex marriage. States have created backup rights across a range of topics, some of which appeal mostly to those …

Attitudes Toward Harm Reduction Among Criminal Legal Staff, Diamond Meadows

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent among individuals interacting with the criminal legal system (Moore et al., 2019). Despite the high rates of individuals with SUDs interacting with the criminal legal system, there continue to be barriers to integrating harm reduction approaches within the system. Harm reduction approaches (i.e., medication assisted treatment) are effective in reducing the negative consequences associated with substance use and the pathway to recovery for many. The purposes of this study are to: 1. examine the psychometric properties of the Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale (HRAS) among criminal legal staff, 2. explore individual differences in staff attitudes …

Rationalizing Atrocity: Vindicatory Careerism And Mass Murder As A Career Path, 1939-1943, Bethany G. Bare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines members of the Nazi Schutzstaffel from an occupational perspective, focusing on how professional roles shaped their participation in systematic mass murder. As National Socialism gained influence in interwar Germany, it coincided with the rise of a generation of ambitious and embittered men eager to distinguish themselves. The transition from the T4 Program (1939-1941), the involuntary euthanasia of disabled Germans, to Operation Reinhard (1942-1943), the extermination of Polish Jews, demonstrates how mass murder evolved into a career path, as each of the men examined served as T4 personnel before transferring to Poland to assume positions as extermination camp …

Academic And Demographic Predictors Of Retention And Persistence In Business Programs: Post-Covid Cohorts Of Traditional And Ncccs Transfer Students, Matthew K. Crump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined academic and demographic predictors of first-year retention and major persistence among traditional first-year and North Carolina community college transfer students enrolled in undergraduate business programs. Guided by Tinto’s 1993 Model of Student Retention and Astin’s 1984 Theory of Student Involvement, the research focused on students who entered two AACSB-accredited institutions within the UNC System during Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023 as traditional first-year students or as transfer students from North Carolina community colleges.

Institutional data from the Banner Student Information System provided the basis for logistic regression analyses that examined predictors including high school …

A Machine Learning Framework For Early-Stage Cost Estimation Of Transportation Projects, Pritom Paul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To address the limitations of traditional planning-level cost estimating methods, such as reliance on statewide averages, heavy reliance on engineering judgment, and high levels of inaccuracy, this study developed two data-driven frameworks and corresponding tools. The first framework focused on resurfacing projects and used treatment-specific simple linear regression based on lane miles and geographic location. The second addressed a broader group of construction projects and used multiple linear regression with project length, route type, and right-of-way cost as key predictors. In both frameworks, the final estimates are computed by aggregating multiple estimates produced by county-, region-, and state-level models. The …

Discrete-Event Simulation: A Leslie System Model For Transportation Demography, Md Zobaer Ahammad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transportation systems are influenced by demographic change, household formation,and patterns of vehicle ownership. These factors affect long-run transportation demand and congestion levels within urban infrastructure. Understanding how demographic dynamics interact with transportation behavior is therefore important for analyzing the long-term evolution of transportation systems. This thesis develops a modeling framework that integrates discrete-event simulation with a Leslie-type matrix model to study transportation–demography interactions.Simulation outputs are aggregated to construct a transition matrix describing changes in transportation states. This matrix acts as a linear (or affine) transformation on the transportation state vector, allowing the system to be analyzed as a discrete linear …

A Global Prospective Harmonization Framework For Suicidality, Anhedonia, And Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms In Psychiatric Genetic Studies: A Cross-Continental Study Within The Ancestral Population Network, Ana Diaz-Zuluaga, Jacey Anderberg, Ana Ramirez-Diaz, Andrea Marques, Catherine Rast, Daniel Bustamante, Deborah Jonker, Johanna Valencia-Echeverry, Stella Gichuru, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

This study aims to prospectively collect harmonized, quantitative, and dimensional psychiatric phenotypes (suicidality, anhedonia, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms) and information on discrimination, stigma, and unfair treatment in up to 27,500 individuals across diverse ancestries and clinical populations for genetic analysis within the NIMH Ancestral Population Network (APN). Five APN projects are participating in the current study (PUMAS-Paisa, PUMAS-NeuroGAP, KOMOGEN-D, LATINO, and SAX-II), spanning recruitment over 15 countries across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Participants are being enrolled via the recruitment protocols specific to each participating project. The harmonized clinical battery includes the Columbia-Suicide Severity Scale, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, and Florida Obsessive-Compulsive …

Ai Institute Summer Camp Webinar Summary, Dora Nguyen

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This report summarizes the AI Institute Summer Camp informational webinar hosted by the Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (PEAAII) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The webinar introduced the structure, curriculum, learning objectives, and student outcomes associated with the 2026 AI Institute Summer Camp. In addition to summarizing the webinar content, this report analyzes participant questions, engagement trends, and areas of audience interest. Findings indicate strong interest in coding accessibility, mentorship opportunities, student outcomes, research experiences, and program flexibility. The report also identifies opportunities for improving future webinar delivery, including expanded eligibility guidance, pre-camp learning resources, enhanced presentation of …

Beyond Moving Hands: Narratives Around Deaf Education, Sara Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative study explored the experiences and perspectives of deaf educators and educational interpreters working in high school settings. Participants shared narratives about their professional experiences, training, and roles in deaf education. By considering their professional histories, backgrounds, and cultural perspectives, this study examined how these experiences shaped participants’ perceptions of the current state of deaf education.

Using a qualitative narrative research design, three participants with experience working in high school deaf education settings were interviewed individually and later participated in a focus group discussion. The interviews and focus group centered on participants’ perspectives regarding key issues in deaf …

Examining The Effects Of Lateral Loading On Railroad Tapered Roller Bearings, Abel David Sanchez Trinidad

Theses and Dissertations

The loading conditions experienced by freight railcar bearings vary as a function of vehicle operating conditions. Under static conditions, bearings are primarily subjected to radial loads transmitted through the wheelset. During operation, however, track irregularities, braking events, railcar load imbalances, and curving introduce complex impact, longitudinal, and lateral forces in addition to the normal radial loading. These lateral forces increase friction within the bearing raceways, which could accelerate wear and potentially lead to premature spall initiation and propagation. While prior research at the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) has demonstrated that vibration signatures can be used to detect …

Examining Professional Self-Doubt And Professional Quality Of Life Among Licensed Professional Counselors In Texas, Celia A. Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in Texas frequently navigate emotionally demanding work, including high caseloads, complex client needs, and sustained exposure to client distress. Over time, these professional demands can contribute to stress, emotional fatigue, and job strain, increasing vulnerability to burnout and reducing professional quality of life (Bardhoshi & Um, 2021; Maor & Hemi, 2021; McCarthy et al., 2010; Thompson et al., 2014). This quantitative research study examined the professional quality of life of LPCs in Texas using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) based on gender, ethnicity, age, licensure type, years of experience, does work setting induce compassion …

Developing An Independent Shallow-Water Survey For The Western Rock Lobster Fishery: Tracking Pre-Recruitment Abundance And Habitat Change, Lucy Rudd, Simon De Lestang, Owen Young, Benjamin Hebiton

Fisheries Research Reports

Background

Puerulus settlement has proven to be a good forecaster of legal recruitment of Western Rock Lobster entering into the commercial and recreational fisheries. However, in 2011, this relationship broke down, with average puerulus settlement levels not being reflected in commercial catch rates four years later. Some northern areas showed unexpectedly low catch rates, while other southern areas showed unexpectedly high catch rates. Since this change followed the 2011 marine heatwave, it was assumed that this event changed some component(s) which were important to the growth and survival of juvenile lobsters. It was determined that a better understanding of this …

Polyglot File Detection For Forensic Investigations, Chase Stevens

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

As technology has become far more ubiquitous over the years, so too has the amount of digital evidence that can and needs to be collected and processed. Forensic tools are developed in response to the growing need, but are limited to what they are programmed to do. One such forensic tool is Autopsy, one of the most widely used open-source tools. Autopsy uses known file-type signatures (e.g., headers, trailers) to identify and recover files from forensic images. Polyglot files introduce a unique problem to both these forensic tools and investigators alike. In the context of the research conducted, polyglot files …

Detecting Sophisticated Cyberattacks On Public Water Infrastructure, Ayrton Purdy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

In recent years there has been an increasing number of cyberattacks on public water generation and distribution systems. Advanced persistent attackers could usurp sensors and control systems to contaminate public drinking water. In order to conceal their malicious activity, they can manipulate sensor data flows to give the appearance of normal activity. The compromised sensors would report normal chemical levels even though unsafe water is entering the distribution system. In response, this research proposes a multi-sensor, cross-comparison approach to anomaly detection. The proposed approach is designed to detect sophisticated cyberattacks which are not easily detectable using traditional cyber tools. The …

Developing A Framework For Microchip Design Recovery, Eric Diep

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Due to the increase in diverse chip production over the past decade, reverse engineering has become a difficult and daunting task. This research develops a methodology for microchip design recovery, seeking to validate and reproduce prior approaches to physical reverse engineering using low-cost tools and techniques. We used mechanical hardware abrasion tools and techniques to delayer and capture silicon integrated chip (IC) layout. We focused on the Mifare Classic EVl microchip, commonly implemented in public transit/transportation cards, to extract information for design recovery. The research explores limitations and advantages of mechanical abrasion and optical microscopy in context to modem chip …

Meikyu, Diana D. Dyer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This thesis explores the relationship between digital and physical practices through the integration of traditional glassworking techniques and digital media. The project combines glass fusing and glass blowing with woodworking, screen printing, vinyl cutting, animation, and augmented reality (AR) technologies to create dialogue between physical and digital forms. This thesis documents the full creative process, beginning with conceptual sketches and progressing through the fabrication and assembly of glass components into finished sculptural pieces. Digital technologies are then incorporated to augment and extend the physical artwork. Three-dimensional (3D) assets were created using Maya, a 3D modeling software, and implemented within Snapchat's …

Perceptions Of The Teacher Excellence And Accountability For Mathematics And Science Act On Rural Secondary Math Teachers' Practices, Motivation For Professional Development, Collaboration, And Job Satisfaction, Katina Stallworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The persistent shortage of qualified secondary mathematics and science teachers in rural schools has prompted states to adopt incentive-based policies aimed at improving teacher recruitment and retention. In Alabama, the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) Act was enacted in 2021 to address these shortages through substantial salary supplements tied to professional development requirements and the relinquishment of tenure protections. While early reports indicate that the TEAMS program has increased the number of credentialed STEM teachers in classrooms, less is known about how participation in the program influences teachers' instructional practices, motivation for professional development, collaboration, and …

Evaluating The Psychometric Validity Of Science Curiosity, Brooke Simila

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

As political polarization and mass distrust in scientific consensus increases, psychologists have sought to understand individual differences that contribute to polarized political and scientific reasoning. One emerging concept in this area is science curiosity (SC), the disposition to seek and engage with scientific information for personal gratification (Kahan et al., 2017). A handful of studies have identified SC as an offsetting variable in politically motivated reasoning (Motta et al., 2021). However, the psychometric structure of SC remains underexplored; it is unclear whether SC represents a distinctive, unidimensional disposition or merely a manifestation of general curiosity traits. The purpose of this …