Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Health And Sexual Victimization Among Incarcerated Populations: A Literature Review On Types, Prevalence, And Services Provided, Brianna Cerda, Laura King

2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Incarcerated individuals have a high risk of developing a mental illness and experiencing sexual victimization due to a variety of individual and system risk factors. There is extensive research on the prevalence of mental illness and sexual victimization among the incarcerated population, but research on mental health and victim-support services offered during incarceration is limited. This review examines the prevalence of mental illness and sexual victimization among the incarcerated population, the relationship between mental illness and sexual victimization, and the mental health and victim-support services provided during incarceration. Overall, findings indicate that 66.1% of individuals in prisons and 44.3% of …

How Pollinator Populations Can Impact Chronic Disease Risk, Kylee Cubbison

Honors Projects

This project investigates how pollinator populations can impact chronic disease risk. Pollinator populations are declining, which can have serious implications for human health. Declining pollinator populations can limit healthy food production and affordability. Poor nutrition is a major risk factor for most chronic diseases. Less healthy food available for people to consume can negatively impact diets and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases. This project aims to address a potential gap in research existing on this specific topic regarding pollinator populations and human chronic disease risk. A brochure targeted towards educating the general public on this topic was created …

Politics, Profit, And Programming: Examining The Distinct Effects Of Artificial Intelligence In The Corporate And Political World, Grant Lotts

Honors Projects

How has AI diffusion impacted the power and success of existing countries and corporations? This paper analyzes how these entities have invested their resources into expanding their AI presence, and how it has affected their role in their established spheres. For countries, it is examined how the amount of AI publications they create affects their means of using power, along with how efficient their governments have become. For corporations, it is examined how their capital expenditures (of which AI is becoming increasingly tied to) affects their stock price and annual revenue. Conflicting results are found. Countries tend to exhibit behavior …

“…You Lost Your Way On That River As You Would In A Desert…”: Spec Ops: The Line As A Post-Imperialist Adaptation And Response To Heart Of Darkness, Logan Grime

Honors Projects

As an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the military shooter video game Spec Ops: The Line grapples with adapting the themes and the narrative of an imperialist work into a modern post-imperialist context. By swapping England in Africa for America in the Middle East, the game criticizes America’s conduct of war in the Middle East by showing its similarities to the novella’s imperialism. Furthermore, Spec Ops: The Line focuses on America’s imperialism by adapting Heart of Darkness to an interactive format. “The horror” of violent imperialist action is placed upon the player as Spec Ops: The Line …

Swosu Standing Committees 2025-2026, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

University Standing Committees

2025 – 2026 SWOSU Standing Committees

Unsettling Settled Science: The Perils Of And Rationale Behind Blind Faith In Forensic Evidence, Jaclyn Marra

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

Science—a seemingly compelling and infallible adjudicative element—plays a pivotal role in criminal trials, serving as a cornerstone for evidence interpretation and decision-making. However, the perceived infallibility of scientific evidence often masks its inherent limitations and vulnerabilities. Forensic methods, widely regarded as objective and precise, can suffer from a plethora of inconspicuous constraints—including flawed methodologies, human error, and biases—which undermine their reliability. The American public and legal system frequently place undue trust in forensic evidence and experts, influenced by portrayals of their certainty in media and popular culture. This phenomenon has been referred to as the “Reverse CSI Effect.” This note …

Presumed Guilty By Proximity: How Geofence Warrants Undermine The Fourteenth Amendment, Radha Patel

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

Geofence warrants are utilized as a surveillance tool to gather location data on every user within a specific area and are being integrated into policing without a stable legal framework. This integration threatens individual rights and disproportionately impacts people and communities of color. While these warrants are often scrutinized under the Fourth Amendment, this note argues that they significantly undermine the Fourteenth Amendment by granting law enforcement excessive discretion. This unchecked discretion allows systemic bias and racial profiling to influence criminal investigations, creating the potential for wrongful convictions. The analysis in this note details the three-step execution process of geofence …

On The “Storied” History And Sustained Impact Of A Thriving Social Justice Journal, Mario L. Barnes

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

No abstract provided.

Separate But Equal In The Bold New City Of The South: A Shadow Of What Remains, Charity Dera

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

This project undertakes the task of analyzing the historical and contemporary landscape of Jacksonville, Florida, the “Bold New City of the South,”1 from a multidisciplinary vantage point. It argues that the spirit of the overturned “separate but equal” holding of Plessy v. Ferguson2 and its bold segregationist ideologies reverberate today in both subtle and overt ways. Yet, that reality has not come without the resilience and perseverance of pioneering natives who have resisted such ideals in bold ways. While segregation is deeply rooted in U.S. history and scholars have readily addressed the contemporary effects of landmark cases such as Plessy …

Nahuatl Club, Language Learning Center

LAII Events

Join the Nahuatl Club for a conversation about the influence of Nahuatl in New Mexico with Dr. Damián Vergara Wiilson

Simposio De Lenguas Indígenas De America Latina: Pedagogía Y Práctica, Kevin Terraciano, Adrian Roque Corona, Marisol Nechochea Estacio, Silvia Lucrecia Carrillo Godinez, Pacual Roberto Tahay Tzaj

LAII Events

*This event will be held at 2:00 PM PST

Este simposio ofrece una oportunidad para que educadores, investigadores y estudiantes dialoguen y compartan avances en pedagogía, recursos y estrategias para la enseñanza de lenguas indígenas de las américas en contextos académicos de los EE.UU.

• Kevin Terraciano (Historia, UCLA, Náhuatl)
• Adrian Roque Corona (Facilitadora de LAISA, Hñähñu)
• Marisol Nechochea Estacio (Fellow de LAISA, Quechua)
• Silvia Lucrecia Carrillo Godinez (Fellow de LAISA, Maya Mam)
• Pacual Roberto Tahay Tzaj (Fellow de LAISA, K’iche’)

Assessing Usability Gaps And Implementing User-Centered Practices In Nonprofit Web Applications, Mackenzie R. Swain

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Nonprofit organizations increasingly rely on web applications to coordinate volunteers, yet many such systems lack the usability necessary to support diverse user populations. This study evaluates and redesigns the Gwyneth’s Gift Volunteer Management System using established human–computer interaction principles and user-centered design methodologies. A systematic assessment identified four major usability gaps—menu navigation, form structure, breadcrumb trails, and selection‑bar behavior—each contributing to user confusion, inefficiency, or error. High‑fidelity prototypes were developed to address these issues, emphasizing consistency, reduced cognitive load, transparent navigation, and improved interaction flow. These prototypes informed the implementation of redesigned interface components, including streamlined menus, multi‑step registration forms …

Nurse Education On Nonpharmacological Management Of Knee Osteoarthritis, Toyin Mary Ajayi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aims to fill the gaps in the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in adults aged 40 to 75 years in a primary care practice. Knee OA is a common chronic disease that significantly impacts pain, mobility, and quality of life. Although there is empirical evidence that nonpharmacological interventions, including exercise, weight control, and self-management education, are effective, these methods are not consistently used in clinical practice, and pharmacologic treatment continues to be used. The project was designed to inform healthcare personnel about evidence-based nonpharmacological strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce reliance on …

The Scarlet - Volume Civ, No. 11 (April 24, 2026), Scarlet Staff

The Scarlet (Student Newspaper) (2011-present)

The April 24, 2026 edition of The Scarlet (est. 1939), Clark University's student-run newspaper. The Scarlet is intellectually and editorially independent of the University.

A Pentadic Rhetorical Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai’S Address To The United Nations’ Youth Assembly, Alexis Rehm

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This paper is a rhetorical criticism of Malala Yousafzai’s 2013 address to the United Nations Youth Assembly using Kenneth Burke’s pentad. Malala Yousafzai’s address was delivered less than one year after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban. The address reframes access to education as a shared moral responsibility rather than a personal or political issue. By analyzing the scene, act, agent, agency, and purpose, this analysis shows how Malala constructs rhetorical authority through personal narrative, forgiveness, and moral appeal. Her speech positions education as a universal human right and challenges global audiences to move from sympathy to accountability.

Between The Middle Kingdom And The Middle Way: An Analysis Of State Power And Sacred Authority In The Sino-Tibet Conflict, Madison M. Berry, Aimee N. Ebeling, Jayden A. Hanson

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This research paper addresses the growing concerns of the Sino-Tibetan conflict by analyzing the relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) through an intercultural communication and negotiation lens. By analyzing historical relationships between the two parties and comparing them to similar contemporary situations, this paper examines the sinicization of the Tibetan people. By exploring the “Old Tibet” and “New Tibet” narratives, while acknowledging the centrality of the Dalai Lama to both parties, it also addresses territorial disagreements and the contrasting understandings of sovereignty and modernization, which fuel the conflict. Finally, a policy framework …

Partnership For Observation, Leadership, And Arctic Resilience (Polar): Strengthening Eu–Us Cooperation Through Technology, Trade, And Arctic Governance, Nikki Quartuccio, Emily White

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This speech was presented at the EU Delegation to the United States’ 2026 Schuman Challenge. The Schuman Challenge is an academic competition for U.S. undergraduate students to debate transatlantic issues, judged by a panel of stakeholders. The prompt for this speech was to create a policy that analyzes a current issue area in the E.U.-U.S. transatlantic relationship and suggests ways to strengthen it in the years ahead. Our policy, POLAR, the Partnership for Observation, Leadership, and Arctic Resilience, establishes a neutral, AI-enabled early-warning and consultation mechanism hosted within the International Maritime Organization (IMO). By institutionalizing shared situational awareness, structured clarification …

How Additive Manufacturing Is Changing The Automotive Industry, Gavin B. Schumacher

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Are You Lost? Developing A Map (Metadata Application Profile) For Your Institutional Repository, David Advent, Connor Murphy

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Developing a MAP (Metadata Application Profile) for your Institutional Repository.

Community-Based A1c Screening Initiative To Improve Diabetes Risk Identification Among People Experiencing Homelessness, Rebecca Drake, Deedee Long, Mariita Carter

Student Works

Abstract

Purpose: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) experience high rates of undiagnosed diabetes yet face significant barriers to preventive screening. This quality improvement project aimed to improve access to diabetes screening for PEH through on-site hemoglobin A1C (A1C) testing in a trusted community setting.

Methods: On-site A1C screening was implemented at the Utah County Food and Care Coalition (F&CC) using a low-barrier, community-based approach. Screening was conducted during routine service hours and integrated into existing workflows. Process, outcome, and balancing measures were used to evaluate feasibility, reach, and unintended effects.

Results: The intervention primarily supported identification of diabetes risk and referral …

Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With Ret P.V804m, Eml4-Alk Fusion, And Braf V600e Positivity, Jacob Beiriger, Leonard Estephan, Lubna Zuberi, Stacey Gargano, Elizabeth Cottrill

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Multifocal papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) can arise from independent primaries with discordant drivers in parallel clonal evolution rather than a single-clone pattern. We present a 31-year-old female with multifocal PTC harboring 3 distinct oncogenic alterations: a germline RET p.V804M mutation, low-frequency EML4-ALK fusion, and BRAF V600E mutation. The RET and ALK alterations were identified in a midpole nodule, whereas BRAF positivity was seen in a separate lower pole tumor. Ultrasound revealed multiple right-lobe thyroid nodules; the dominant 2.1-cm lesion was hypoechoic with calcifications. Fine needle aspiration revealed Bethesda III cytology, prompting thyroid lobectomy and an ipsilateral central neck dissection was …

Innovate Springfield's Ben Hage Named Director Of Illinois Wesleyan Petrick Idea Center, Ann Aubry

Press Releases 2020-2029

No abstract provided.

Volume Cxlv, Number 19, April 24, 2026, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Suspicious Activity Reports (Sars) Intake, Triage, And Outcomes, Jeff Gruenewald, Noah Turner, Seamus Hughes

Reports, Projects, and Research

The Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (NSI) established a national infrastructure for sharing information related to terrorist activity. Fusion centers facilitate the receipt, investigation, documentation, and sharing of suspicious activity reports, or SARs. Eighty fusion centers currently operate across the United States, but research into how these centers process SARs is limited. Using closed-source data on SARs from two fusion centers, this brief describes the characteristics of SARs in terms of intake, triage, and outcome.

Microburst Day Potential Index: Improving Launch And Public Safety, Zachary Kopel

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Microbursts

•  A common convective wind event 
• Capable of causing damage from wind exceeding 30kts (NWS) 
• Cape Canaveral is a prime microburst environment 
• Can affect launch ops and daily activities by exceeding safety standards

Brevards Microplastics: A Literature Review And Proposed Methods To Study Florida Beaches, Kenna Peters

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

With populations along coastlines rapidly increasing so does the risk of microplastics entering the environment. Previous studies have found that 68% of microplastics found in the environment come from man-made cellulosic materials like rayon. Little information is known about the distribution, transportation, and final location of microplastics once they are introduced. Brevard County contains multiple types of beaches that differ substantially in human activity levels, urban density, and land-use patterns. Having a full picture of microplastic distribution and intensity is vital to understanding and reversing the impact these pollutants have on the environment.

Spacepnp, Khurram Valiyev, Sam Warner, Jabari Sterling, Samuel Kaguima

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Student Publications

Our mission is to eliminate design-to-procurement using a unified ecosystem that users can discover, validate, and preview components with confidence.

Words That Work: Healthcare Providers’ Acceptability Of Aba Terminology, Marisa A. Hurlock

Thesis Projects

Effective collaboration between behavior analysts and healthcare providers depends on a shared understanding. This study explored how healthcare professionals perceive technical versus plain-language ABA terminology. Healthcare providers (n = 44) rated 10 common ABA terms and their plain-language counterparts across clarity, acceptability, comfort, and likelihood of use. In addition, participants completed a paired-choice procedure in which they selected their preferred terminology for each term pair. Plain-language terminology was generally rated more favorably across all four dimensions and was preferred by approximately 70.6% of respondents. However, this pattern was not consistent across all terms, as several technical terms (e.g., negative …

Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans, Katharine Boyd, Timothy A. Crombie

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

Pyrethroids are a type of insecticide widely used in agriculture and public health programs. These insecticides disrupt neuronal signaling in target insects through voltage-gated sodium channels and have been linked to cardiovascular and neurological disease in humans.The nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is fully mapped, and specific behavioral circuits can be tested, making it a powerful model for studying neurotoxicity. Because the primary target of pyrethroids is not conserved in C. elegans, secondary mechanisms of pyrethroid neurotoxicity can be identified by testing whether specific behavioral circuits are affected.

Unf Student Research Symposium Conference Program Spring 2026, Office Of Undergraduate Research, Graduate School, Digital Humanities Institute, Hicks Honors College

UNF Student Research Symposium

Formerly known as SOARS, ARISE and U-GLIDE, the Student Research Symposium is a multi-disciplinary conference series at the University of North Florida (UNF) in which undergraduate and graduate students showcase their research projects during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Research at UNF includes inquiry and investigation in all forms. Communication of knowledge produced through student research can be presented in poster format or as an oral presentation at the Student Research Symposium in a welcoming environment. This is an excellent opportunity for students to refine their presentation skills through interaction with peers and faculty as they explain their projects, …