Digital Commons Network^™

Breaking The Glass: Jewish Identity Through A Sociological Lens, Shayla Mostyn

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This project uses Charles H. Cooley’s theory “The Looking-Glass Self” to magnify the depth of Jewish identity. As a Jewish student, I have firsthand experience in experiencing society normalize acts of antisemitism and it having a negative impact on my Jewish identity. Within my research, 200 Jewish college students from around the world were provided with a platform to anonymously reflect and report on what being Jewish means to them and how their social surroundings impact their Jewish identity. This concept tells that one’s identity or concept of identity is based on how others see them or how they believe …

The Impact Of Michigan's Public Act 308 On Foster Care Outcomes: A Synthetic Control Analysis, Maruis D. Martello

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper evaluates the impact of Michigan’s 2014 Public Act 308 on foster care adoption outcomes. By converting traditional adoption subsidies into dynamic, redeterminable contracts, the policy aimed to reduce the financial uncertainty associated with adopting children with latent or evolving special needs. Using data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) from 2000 to 2022, we implement a generalized synthetic control method to account for unobserved time-varying heterogeneity. We find that the policy had no statistically significant impact on the aggregate adoption rate. However, it generated significant gains within targeted subpopulations, increasing the probability of …

Strategic Reconsolidation Of U.S. Foreign Policy, Kaden J. Kosniewski

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Is the United States' global hegemony sustainable if its society continues to decline? It is undeniable that global U.S. power is declining as a plethora of internal crises weaken the country from the inside out. Over many years, the U.S. has spent trillions of taxpayer dollars overseas to garrison and develop many countries, while millions of its citizens struggle weekly to maintain a respectable quality of life. The cries of injustice from the American people grow louder as the Pax Americana weakens under internal and external pressures. This research examines the rationale and advantages of the United States reorienting its …

How Candidates Campaign To Sway Minority Voter Bases, Katelyn Karwick

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Religious groups in the United States are making large partisan switches–decades-long Democrats are questioning their support and often change their vote to another party. This phenomenon contributed to Michigan’s flip to Republican in the 2024 presidential election, as well as divided Jewish support for New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Past research has linked a positive correlation between religious participation and political mobilization, though the tactics used by campaigners to create this connection have gone under research. Looking at Donald Trump’s victory in Dearborn, Michigan in 2024 and Zohran Mamdani’s extensive New York City mayoral campaign, this study focuses …

The Effects Of Nature Exposure On Workplace Engagement, Allison Emmons

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The idea that nature is beneficial to humans is somewhat unclear in the field of psychology. Many studies have found that exposure to natural elements can improve human emotions and performance on cognitive tasks. However, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding whether both outcomes can be enhanced at once. There is also limited research on how nature can impact attitudes about the environment and tasks at hand. This study seeks to examine whether or not incorporating natural elements into workplaces improves employee performance and engagement measures, such as decision-making quality, job satisfaction, job motivation, and current emotional state. This …

Examining Weight Related Attitudes And Health Behaviors Among College Students, Alexis C. Denski

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

BACKGROUND: College is a pivotal period for the development of lifelong health behaviors. Factors such as greater personal freedom, poor diet, social norms, and insufficient physical activity (PA) contribute to common weight gain and increase of body image challenges. Although many college students report trying to lose weight, there is limited research examining if their PA and dietary behaviors align with evidence-based health recommendations. PURPOSE: Examine the proportion of college students trying to change their weight and their engagement in weight-related behaviors such as PA, strength training (ST), and dietary factors. METHODS: In Fall 2019, a random sample of 5,000 …

The Development Of Wordercord, Rylee J. Curley

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper delves into the ongoing development of the series, WONDERCORD, providing documentation of the progress, evolution, and future direction of the series. WONDERCORD is an indie animated series about 10 characters who get stuck in a new world and must explore games to collect batteries to return home. Motivated by the desire to innovate within the field of animation, Pokito Productions, our production studio, seeks to use a unique approach to storytelling through dynamic style changes in various media forms. Additionally, the paper delves into the marketing campaigns used to garner attention, and it will serve to offer a …

Should Citizens Or Politicians Draw The Lines: A Michigan Case Study, Grant M. Clark

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The American system of government requires that voters be able to choose their politicians, not the other way around. For centuries, politicians of all stripes have utilized the redistricting process to draw electoral districts that benefit themselves and their political party. This practice has triggered calls for redistricting reform at the national and state levels, including in Michigan. This research provides a case study of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC). It focuses on the commission’s activities as part of a national conversation about redistricting reform and the use of Independent Redistricting Commissions (IRCs), composed of ordinary citizens, compared …

The Effect Of Perception & Trust: How Our Flaws Shape Prices, Institutions, Systems, And Economic Stability, David Mackinnon Butler

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

A Comprehensive Overview Of Prison Rape And The Impacts Of The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Kayn L. Bienhold

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper will examine prison rape by exploring sexual abuse rates, the causes of underreporting, the gender-based prison and rape cultures, reasons why victims are targeted, and the impact The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) has had on the issue. It draws on both qualitative research and national surveys. Findings have shown that sexual victimization is much more widespread than indicated by official reports due to high rates of underreporting, fears of retaliation, and flawed implementation and enforcement of PREA’s policies. Culture in male prisons are shaped by hypermasculine hierarchies that discourage reporting, while female prisons experience disproportionately high rates …

Aurora 2026: A Year Of Art And Design, Aya Ghassan Bazziz

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The goal of this project was to revive the Aurora yearbook publication in order to illustrate the need for physical media as a form of documenting memory. Inspired by a century of volunteering editors of the yearbook program, particularly those of the late 70’s, I decided that the best way to conclude a year of hard work in the School of Art and Design would be the creation of a booklet and its exhibition for the program to view. While I struggled to complete this project due to shifting plans, my goals had been seen through; a booklet was created, …

College Of Arts And Sciences: Mcandless Distinguished Professorship Procedures, Responsibilities, And Expenses

Academic Affairs – Policy Library

No abstract provided.

Graduate School : Academic Policies And Processes

Academic Affairs – Policy Library

No abstract provided.

From Wikipedia Tables To Public Data Visualizations, Tanvir Prince

Open Educational Resources

This open educational resource presents a practical mathematics lesson in which students turn numerical data from Wikipedia into a clear data visualization. Students select a Wikipedia page with a data table but little or no visual representation. They examine the original source, date, units, definitions, and possible data limits. They then organize the data in Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet, choose an appropriate chart, and explain what the visualization helps readers understand. A complete worked example uses the 2017 population growth rates of South American countries.

The resource package includes an instructor lesson plan, a student project guide, a Wikimedia …

Clinical Identity And Cognitive Difference: Neurodivergence Among Speech-Language Pathologists, Domonique M. Mitchell

Brehm Scholars Research

Neurodiversity has been increasingly recognized within speech-language pathology in relation to client populations; however, comparatively little attention has been given to the cognitive diversity of clinicians. Professional norms in healthcare and allied health often emphasize neurotypical standards of communication, productivity, and professionalism, which may shape how neurodivergent clinicians experience their work.

This study explored the lived experiences of neurodivergent speech-language pathologists (SLPs), with particular attention to professional identity development, workplace experiences, and the perceived impact of neurodivergence on clinical practice. Using a qualitative design, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five neurodivergent SLPs across varied professional settings and analyzed using …

Student Perceptions Of The Learning Environment In A Hospital School Program, Hannah Buck

Brehm Scholars Research

Most research related to hospital school programs has focused on adult perspectives (e.g., teachers, administrators, parents, and clinical staff) rather than on the perspectives of hospitalized students. This study examined the education-related perspectives of hospitalized K–12 students (N = 10) who had engaged with the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital School Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Participants completed one semi-structured interview and two short surveys. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, in vivo coded, and thematically analyzed. Despite the challenges associated with hospitalization, participants generally reported equal or greater enjoyment of in-hospital schooling compared to non-hospital schooling. Survey responses revealed that higher …

Communication Sciences And Disorders Faculty Perspectives On Collaborating With Students As Instructional Partners, Bryanna Cosman

Brehm Scholars Research

Student-faculty partnerships, such as instructional partnerships, have been shown to benefit both students and faculty members who engage in them. This form of collaboration does not commonly occur at public, comprehensive universities, especially in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of CSD faculty on collaborating with students as instructional partners (IP), as there is limited research on it. IPs are students who have successfully taken a class in the recent past, attend the course in a subsequent semester, and meet after each class with the professor to discuss …

Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Neurons In The Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis Modulate Avoidance Behaviors And Feeding, Juan Manuel Romero, Shae-Marie Stafford-Trujillo, Mitzy Mendoza, Pey-Shyuan Chin, Snigdha Srivastava, Mikhail Kochukov, Qingchun Tong, Benjamin Russell Arenkiel

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Introduction: Animals rely on defensive avoidance of exposed or potentially threatening environments as a fundamental survival strategy, often expressing this behavior as thigmotaxis, or a preference for the periphery of an open space. However, researchers still do not understand how neural circuits coordinate avoidance behavior with competing physiological drives such as feeding. In this study, we investigate how corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-expressing neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) integrate environmental avoidance and feeding behavior.

Methods: We used adult male and female mice and applied fiber photometry to monitor BNST CRF neuronal activity in vivo. We performed both …

A Cause Sprinkled With Blood: The Life Of Owen Lovejoy, Abolitionist, Pastor And Congressman, Owen Bryant Lovejoy

Books

No abstract provided.

A Quantum Quandary: Does Algorithmic Complexity Inherently Diminish Security, Chinyere Isaac-Heslop

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Although essential, cryptographic security practice often relies on assumptions and abstractions that are difficult to audit under emerging quantum resource models. This creates an unnecessary barrier between the algorithms that govern the connected and the people cryptography protects. Modern cryptography relies on the assumption that computational complexity guarantees security. As algorithms become increasingly complex, their resistance to attack is presumed to increase. Practical constraints suggest that this relationship is neither linear nor indefinite. Resource limitations, algorithmic structure, and pressures from quantum computing introduce points at which added complexity ceases to improve and may instead degrade cryptographic robustness. This dissertation asks …

Altars Of Freedom: Forty Devotions From The Asbury Community For A Nation’S 250th Year, Chris Kiesling, Robert Danielson

Books

No abstract provided.

Qualitative Exploration Of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Healthcare Workers In Sierra Leone: Do The ‘Trusted Messengers’ Trust The Vaccine?, Ifeolu David, Enid Schatz, Wilson Majee

Population Health Leadership and Analytics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction

Vaccine hesitancy is a global issue, and the important role of healthcare workers in addressing vaccine hesitancy is well documented. However, there is limited theory-guided research on the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations among healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examined COVID-19 vaccine uptake among healthcare workers in Sierra Leone and assessed the relevance of the 5C model—which posits that vaccine uptake is shaped by confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility—in explaining their vaccination attitudes, intentions and behaviours.

Methods

24 indepth interviews were conducted in 2022 with healthcare workers in Freetown, Makeni and Kenema. The …

Walking Through The Valley Of The Shadow: A Pancreatic Cancer Journey, Don Butterworth

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Micronized, Electrospun Fiber Matrix Effect On Outcomes Of Major Lower Extremity Amputations, Michael Dearman, Brittany Wagner, Luis Fernandez, Alireza Behbudi, Alan Cook, Rebecca Swindall, Brandi Pero, Alisha Thedford

School of Medicine Student Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Adverse Experiences Of D/Deaf Individuals, Lily Buchholz

Graduate Research Papers

With over 1 million people making up the Deaf and hard of hearing community in the United States, this population faces Adverse Childhood Experiences and intimate partner violence at rates higher than the hearing population. D/deaf people experience adversity specifically related to their inability to hear, including discrimination and daily microaggressions. Researching the adverse experiences of the D/deaf population allows for greater awareness to better serve them in professional settings. Clinicians using this information can provide more trauma-informed services, schools can create healthier and safer learning environments for D/deaf students, and D/deaf communities can support each other through connection and …

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures Of The Americas Volume Xvii 2026

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas

No abstract provided.

Climate Change Impacts On Forest Canopy Temperatures: From Mechanisms To Implications, William Hagan Brown

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Forests are a vital interface between the biosphere and the atmosphere. As global temperatures rise due to increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, it is important to understand the response of forest tree canopy leaf temperature (T_can). Additionally, understanding variation in T_can and regulation across species within ecosystems is crucial for understanding how climate change affects plants. Thus, this research aimed to measure T_can in temperate and tropical forests under contrasting environmental conditions to advance understanding of T_can. At the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (BIFoR-FACE) site, continuous thermal infrared (TIR) …

Evaluating Blanket Mire Vegetation Recovery Following Hydrological Restoration, With Specific Focus On The Influence Of Molinia Caerulea, Oscar Kemble

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

This thesis evaluates the ecological processes involved in passive blanket peatland vegetation restoration following hydrological rewetting and evaluates the role of Molinia caerulea tussock development as a barrier to blanket mire vegetation establishment. Using data collected from restoration pools and terrestrial peat surfaces across blanket bog habitats on Dartmoor National Park, vegetation responses to rewetting over timescales of up to 10 years were evaluated. Observations were made on the restorative processes of terrestrialisation in pools and paludification of the terrestrial peat surface, and on the role of M. caerulea tussocks in shaping microclimates and vegetation assemblages. Results show that aquatic …

Quantifying The Lower Limits Of Plastic Detection With Absorption Features And Mesma Spectral Unmixing Over Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery, James Delaney

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Plastic pollution is a widespread environmental issue, with larger macroplastic objects resulting in harm to the environment, economies, and human health. Satellite remote sensing can detect plastic over widespread areas, but quantifying plastic on the spatial scale within sensor pixels (sub-pixel) in imagery poses challenges to medium-resolution sensors. Determining the factors affecting the ability of plastic to be detected at small scales within satellite imagery and testing little-explored spectral unmixing sub-pixel plastic quantification on these open-source satellite images can increase the value extracted from this data source. Spectral measurements of plastic packaging at changing abundances were measured using a hyperspectral …

Characterisation Of Biodegradable Polymers And Their Degradation In The Environment, Robyn Barrett

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

The escalating accumulation of persistent plastic waste necessitates the transition to sustainable materials, with bio-based and/or biodegradable polymers increasingly adopted for applications, such as forestry tree shelters, where retrieval is costly and impractical. However, the true environmental fate and long-term stability of these complex bio-based and/or biodegradable polymer products remain uncertain. This uncertainty is exacerbated by reliance on conventional degradation assessments that employ indirect metrics (e.g., carbonyl index, CO$_2$ evolution) under ideal laboratory conditions, often failing to predict performance in the heterogeneous and complex natural environment. This research addressed this critical analytical gap by establishing a high-resolution, untargeted chemical framework …