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Using Scenario-Based Design Activities To Explore Sociotechnical Thinking In Engineering Professionals, James M. Whealan

Master's Theses

Sociotechnical thinking is the ability to recognize the interconnectedness of both technical and non-technical dimensions such as environmental, economic, social, cultural, and political factors. Although traditional engineering curriculum often emphasizes technical knowledge and skills, research suggests that engineering work is inherently sociotechnical. While sociotechnical thinking is a critical engineering skill, relatively little is understood about the nature of it or the different aspects comprised within it. To that end, this study addresses the following research question: What sociotechnical factors do engineering professionals consider in a collaborative scenario-based design activity? To answer this question, we conducted a qualitative study of engineering …

Storage-Dependent Variability In Alzheimer Disease-Related Plasma Biomarker Results Using The Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200 Platform, Ibrahim Choucair, Tiffany L. Lee, Linda J. Van Eldik, Jeffrey L. Dage, Brian T. Gold, Erin L. Abner, Gregory A. Jicha, Peter T. Nelson

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Alzheimer disease plasma biomarkers have emerged as minimally invasive, cost-effective tools for early diagnosis and disease monitoring yet their stability under common “real world” pre-analytical conditions remains incompletely characterized. We evaluated the stability of six plasma biomarkers, Aβ40, Aβ42, pTau181, pTau217, NfL, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) using the Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200 platform. Plasma samples were initially collected from four healthy and cognitively unimpaired volunteers. Samples were stored under four conditions: room temperature (0-4h), +4°C (1-10days), −20°C (1-3weeks), and −80°C (4-8weeks). In this pilot study, Aβ40 and Aβ42 remained generally stable. In contrast, pTau181 readings exhibited marked elevations in …

Using Low-Cost Sensors And Gps To Assess Spatiotemporal Variations In Personal Exposure To Pm2.5 In The Washington State Twin Registry, Ningrui Liu, Ally Avery, Elena Austin, John S. Meschke, Nicola K. Beck, Graeme Carvlin, Yisi Liu, Anne V. Moudon, Igor Novosselov, Jeffry H. Shirai, Glen E. Duncan, Edmund Seto

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Epidemiological studies typically rely on exposure assessments based on ambient PM_2.5 concentrations at participants' home addresses. However, these approaches neglect personal exposures indoors and across different non-residential microenvironments. To address this problem, our study combined low-cost sensors and GPS to conduct two-week personal PM_2.5 monitoring in 168 adults recruited from the Washington State Twin Registry between 2018 and 2021. PM_2.5 mass concentration, size-resolved particle number concentration, temperature, humidity, and GPS coordinates were recorded at 1-min intervals, providing 5,161,737 data points. We used GPS coordinates and a processing algorithm for automatic classification of microenvironments, including seven land use …

Knowledge-Informed Deep Learning To Mitigate Bias In Joint Air Pollutant Prediction, Lianfa Li, Roxana Khalili, Frederick Lurmann, Nathan Pavlovic, Jun Wu, Yan Xu, Yisi Liu, Karl O’Sharkey, Beate Ritz, Luke Oman, Meredith Franklin, Theresa Bastain, Shohreh F. Farzan, Carrie Breton, Rima Habre

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Accurate prediction of atmospheric air pollutants is critical for public health protection and environmental management. Traditional machine learning (ML) methods achieve high spatial resolution but lack physicochemical constraints, leading to systematic biases that compromise exposure estimates for epidemiological studies. Chemical transport models incorporate atmospheric physics but require expensive parameterization and often fail to capture local-scale variability crucial for health impact assessment. This gap between data-driven accuracy and physical realism presents a major obstacle to advancing air quality science. We address this challenge through a novel physics-informed deep learning framework that integrates advection–diffusion equations and fluid dynamics constraints directly into neural …

Multi-Ancestry Genome-Wide Meta-Analysis Of 56,241 Individuals Identifies Known And Novel Cross-Population And Ancestry-Specific Associations As Novel Risk Loci For Alzheimer’S Disease, Farid Rajabli, Penelope Benchek, Giuseppe Tosto, Nicholas Kushch, Jin Sha, Katrina Bazemore, Congcong Zhu, Wan Ping Lee, Jacob Haut, Kara L. Hamilton-Nelson, Nicholas R. Wheeler, Yi Zhao, John J. Farrell, Michelle A. Grunin, Yuk Yee Leung, Pavel P. Kuksa, Donghe Li, Eder Lucio Da Fonseca, Jesse B. Mez, Ellen L. Palmer, Jagan Pillai, Richard M. Sherva, Yeunjoo E. Song, Xiaoling Zhang, Takeshi Ikeuchi, Taha Iqbal, Omkar Pathak

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background : Limited ancestral diversity has impaired our ability to detect risk variants more prevalent in ancestry groups of predominantly non-European ancestral background in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We construct and analyze a multi-ancestry GWAS dataset in the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) to test for novel shared and population-specific late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) susceptibility loci and evaluate underlying genetic architecture in 37,382 non-Hispanic White (NHW), 6728 African American, 8899 Hispanic (HIS), and 3232 East Asian individuals, performing within ancestry fixed-effects meta-analysis followed by a cross-ancestry random-effects meta-analysis. Results: We identify 13 loci with cross-population associations including known loci at/near …

Nonfatal Injury Emergency Department Visits And Inpatient Hospitalizations Among Persons Under Age 65 With An Intellectual And Developmental Disability Or Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Disability, Terry L. Bunn, Jacqueline Seals, Dana Quesinberry, Alaina Murphy, Julia F. Costich

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Vulnerable populations at risk of injury include persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). The purpose of this study was to describe and compare emergency department and inpatient hospitalization (ED + IP) injury rates and rate ratios by injury type among persons under age 65 with IDD or with DHH to those without IDD or DHH. Methods: This is a descriptive population-based retrospective cross-sectional study of injuries among patients under the age of 65 with an IDD disability or a DHH disability using Kentucky ED + IP discharge datasets …

Preferences For Harm Reduction Vending Machine Design Among Rural People Who Use Drugs, April M. Young, Tasfia Jahangir, Susan Westneat, Chelsi Cheatom, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Laura C. Fanucchi, Patricia R. Freeman, Jennifer R. Havens, Hannah K. Knudsen, Kathryn E. Mccollister, Susannah Stitzer, Jack Stone, Peter Vickerman, Melvin D. Livingston

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Globally, harm reduction vending machines (HRVMs) have been used for decades to dispense safe injection equipment and other supplies to people who use drugs (PWUD). However, HRVMs have only recently scaled up in the U.S. and few operate in rural settings. This study describes preferences for HRVM design among rural PWUD in two Appalachian Kentucky communities. Peer-referral and outreach were used to recruit participants (n = 731). Eligibility criteria were ≥ 18 years, residing in the target counties, and having used any drug (excluding alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco) to get high within 6 months. Interviewer-administered questionnaires elicited data on behavioral/demographic …

Prospective Cohort Study Of Fentanyl Test Strip Use And Distribution In Three States, Janet E. Childerhose, Kitty Gelberg, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Megan E. Dzurec, Emmanuel Oga, Mallory Harris, Rachel Caspar, Denise C. Babineau, Megan E. Hall, Beth S. Linas, Katherine E. Marks, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Laura C. Fanucchi, Louisa Gilbert, James L. David, Mary Russo, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Soledad Fernandez, Michael Konstan, Redonna K. Chandler, Carter Roeber, Jennifer Villani, Rebecca D. Jackson, Bridget Freisthler, Sharon L. Walsh, Nabila El-Bassel

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: The Stay Safe Study is the first observational prospective cohort study investigating fentanyl test strip (FTS) use by people who use drugs (PWUD) and distribution by community organizations that provide harm reduction services (e.g., naloxone distribution) in three states (Kentucky, New York, and Ohio). The purpose of this paper is to describe the study design, along with implementation successes and challenges. A related goal is to provide recommendations and encourage researchers to undertake multi-state and multilevel studies of FTS use and distribution. Methods: The Stay Safe Study has one primary, five secondary, and three exploratory objectives. From May-December 2023, …

Referrals And Utilization Of Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support (Dsmes) Among Patients With Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes At A Regional Medical Center In Kentucky, Omer Atac, George C. Bryant, William B. Burrows, Kory R. Heier, James W. Keck, Key C. Douthitt, Mary E. Lacy

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: The goal of this study was to examine referral and attendance patterns for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) among patients with both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a regional medical center in Kentucky, and to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with these outcomes. Methods: We analyzed electronic health records of adults with diabetes (n = 10,587; n = 817 with T1D and n = 9,770 with T2D) who received care from 1/1/2016-12/31/2019 at University of Kentucky HealthCare. We compared DSMES referral and attendance rates by various demographic and clinical factors and used logistic …

How Fundraisers Met Goals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cody C. Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of higher education operations, including fundraising and donor engagement. This qualitative study explored how Vice Presidents for Advancement and other senior fundraising leaders in higher education adapted their practices to meet fundraising goals during the pandemic. Using a narrative design, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine participants representing diverse institutions in the southeastern United States. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis was used to code and interpret the data.

Seven major themes emerged: communications, technology, donor relations, managing a fundraising team, overall giving impact, successful strategies, and the future. Participants described how …

From Policy To Practice: How Institutional Interpretations Of Ferpa Shape The Campus Safety Conversation, Britney Deaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a foundational federal law designed to protect the privacy of student education records. FERPA includes exceptions—such as for health and safety emergencies—that institutions may interpret and apply in varied ways. This qualitative study explores how higher education professionals across diverse institutional contexts conceptualize and apply the health or safety exception, and how those interpretations influence campus safety practices and policy-making. Through semi-structured interviews with compliance officers and administrators, the research examines the intersection of federal policy, institutional culture, and individual judgment.

Findings reveal a range of interpretations shaped by institutional risk …

Tennessee K-3 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Structured Literacy Curriculum Based On The Science Of Reading: A Phenomenological Approach, Amy L. Reece Townsend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to explore the perceptions and knowledge of Tennessee kindergarten, first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade teachers regarding early literacy and science-based curricula that incorporate the science of reading. This study examined the experiences of kindergarten through third-grade teachers in a Tennessee school district as they transitioned to a structured literacy approach grounded in the science of reading. The goal was to understand how teachers adapted to the new methods, what helped them succeed, and what challenges they faced during the change.

Data collection included in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization …

Practices To Possibility: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Practices Supporting Post-School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Joshua Reese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to examine how educators in high-performing districts that met or exceeded state targets for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) post-school outcomes implemented and sustained evidence-based practices to support successful transitions for students with disabilities. Despite decades of legislative mandates and educational reforms, students with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately lower rates of employment, postsecondary education, and independent living compared to their peers. This study sought to identify not only which practices are effective but also how they are operationalized and maintained within school systems.

Two Tennessee districts identified by exemplary performance …

Code Crimson Ob: A Lifeline For Maternal Health, Colleen Cowie, Elizabeth Barrera, Leah Williams-Jones, Mercy R. Banaszak, Leonor Ruiz, Arvinder Singh

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage (PH) accounts for 12% of maternal deaths in the U.S. and affects approximately 5% of obstetric individuals. Despite available treatments, delays in recognition and response can lead to severe complications or death. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to improve maternal outcomes by implementing Code Crimson OB, a specialized obstetric rapid response team (RRT) for managing maternal hemorrhage.

Methods: An unannounced maternal hemorrhage drill revealed critical delays in mobilizing appropriate personnel. In response, the RRT protocol was revised to include Code Crimson OB, ensuring rapid, coordinated intervention. Hospital-wide education was conducted, and the protocol officially …

From Crisis To Commitment: How Covid-19 Reshaped Motivation In Small Business Organizational Culture, Boone G. Depenbrock

Honors Theses

This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped employee motivation and organizational culture in small businesses and explores the role of job characteristics in that process. Using an online survey administered to small business employees and owners, respondents reported their experiences before, during, and after the pandemic across validated measures of motivation, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, goal internalization, turnover intentions, and core job design factors. After data cleaning, 21 responses were analyzed. Results showed statistically significant increases in organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and goal internalization after COVID-19, along with a decrease in turnover intentions. Internal work motivation showed a small, …

Beyond Baseball: A Case Study On The Multipurpose Venue Management Practices Of Giants Enterprises, Collette Grace Madden

Experience Industry Management

The success of sports organizations no longer relies on team performance and game attendance. Giants Enterprises utilizes many guest engagement and destination development strategies to expand the brand reach of the San Francisco Giants. The purpose of this study was to examine how Giants Enterprises has positioned Oracle Park and Mission Rock as premier event destinations beyond baseball, with a focus on best practices in event diversification, experience design, and placemaking. A case study was conducted on Giants Enterprises to analyze what event diversification, experience design, and placemaking tactics were utilized as well as their effectiveness. The results of this …

The Impact Of Multiple Measure Placement In Determining College Readiness On Student Perceived Readiness, Steven A. Szeszko Ii

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to propose a qualitative grounded theory study that explores the impact of multiple measures placement on determining college readiness as perceived by students, specifically within a community college located in South Central Texas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities found themselves needing an alternative method to the traditional college placement testing to determine student readiness for college courses. This change impacted not only the higher education sector but also students. Therefore, this study will collect data from approximately 20 students, through the use of open-ended electronic student questionnaires and interviews, filtered for patterns …

The Importance Of Leader-Member Exchange And Psychological Contracts In Highly Qualified Researchers, Robin L. Ingerick Dba

Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the significance of the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and psychological contracts in United States-based research organizations. When the organization-manager-employee relationship deteriorates, psychological contract breaches can occur, negatively affecting employee outcomes and the organization's financial success and stability. Existing knowledge highlights several factors that influence relationships, including reciprocated treatment, work behaviors and reactions, trust, professional respect, affect, mutual interaction, work autonomy, communication, job satisfaction, and fulfillment. The study sought to determine to what extent is there a predictive relationship between LMX and psychological contracts (employee obligations, employer obligations, fulfillment, and contract transitions) of highly qualified United States-based …

Terre Haute Residential Design, Kimberly Smith

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

After meeting with Maitri Desai and Caleb Williams, the project scope was finalized and included a one- or one-and-a-half story home with two to three-bedrooms; the design of the house was to reflect typical architecture styles within the neighborhood surrounding the 19th and Beech streets. The design was to reflect a modest home within the price range of $125,000 and 1400 square feet. Students conducted a site visit to the proposed area to assess the development site; during this visit additional information was gathered by the students such as site analysis and walkability of the neighborhood. Further research was conducted …

Interpretive Education Stations: Keeping Terre Haute Informed, Sara E. Watson

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

Public communication of scientific findings is an important, but often neglected, part of creating solutions to environmental issues facing our communities. To address this gap, students from the ENVI 110: Introduction to Environmental Sciences class worked in small groups to design education stations to be placed around the city of Terre Haute to inform the public about topics in environmental sciences with relevance to local residents. Themes identified by ENVI 110 students for development into interpretive installations include, but are not limited to, food waste, identification of native and invasive plant and animal species, wastewater treatment, conventional and organic farming …

Identifying Climate-Appropriate Tree Species, Christy Pearison

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

The Tree Species Sustainability Symposium project was developed through a partnership between BUS 100-004 students at Indiana State University and the City of Terre Haute as part of the Sustainable Cities Program. The city’s goal for this project was to strengthen public awareness of climate-appropriate tree species, promote biodiversity, and encourage community participation in preserving Terre Haute’s award-winning urban tree canopy. Students collaborated with city and university sustainability leaders to research native tree species best suited for Terre Haute’s environment, focusing on Sycamore, Red Maple, and Eastern Redbud trees. These species were selected for their ecological benefits, resilience to climate …

Building Community Resilience For Disasters In The Wabash Valley, Nathan Myers

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

As part of the 2025 Indiana State University Sustainable Cities Initiative, we worked on two interconnected research projects: conducting a community needs assessment (as requested by Catholic Charities) and developing a climate-related disaster plan for the City of Terre Haute, Indiana. To complete this work, a student research team examined current statistical information for the Wabash Valley region (including Vigo, Clay, Parke, Vermillion, and Sullivan counties), as well as conducting and analyzing interviews, focus groups, and survey data to determine strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats related to community resilience in the area. This same information, in conjunction with information from …

Reimagining Terre Haute's Parks: Smart Parks For A Connected Community, Natasha Rascon

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

Through collaborations with the City of Terre Haute, the following community issue was identified: Resiliency Education (RE-1) Smart parks - Sign designs, Web page design, a community survey to determine park attendance, ideas for ways to track park attendance, recommendations for improvements in high-risk parks, Finding and/or helping with grant applications. To address the identified community issue, students enrolled in Comm495 Senior Capstone partnered with the City of Terre Haute to provide possible solutions. The students in this class conducted research to identify areas of opportunity relevant to the city of Terre Haute to produce their suggestions. The students formed …

The Leaf Composition & Sustainability Initiative, Christy Pearison

2025 Fall Reports (Terre Haute)

The LEAF Composition & Sustainability Initiative was developed by students in BUS 100-005 in collaboration with the City of Terre Haute and Indiana State University’s Office of Sustainability. The primary goal of this project was to raise awareness of leaf and organic waste management, encourage composting, and strengthen community engagement around sustainable practices. Students explored the environmental impact of leaf waste and food waste, discovering that while the United States produces approximately 66 million tons of food waste annually, only a small percentage is composted. Locally, Terre Haute sends thousands of tons of yard waste to landfills each month—material that …

Building The Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role In The Right To Counsel Movement, Housing Justice Leadership Institute

Reports

No abstract provided.

December 1 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Israeli Hasbara And The Nba’S Palestine Exception: The Impossibility Of Capitalist “Social Justice”, Chen Chen, Anthony J. Weems, Roc Rochon, Daniel Sailofsky

Sport Management Collection

Sport is a notable site for the Israeli state in its hasbara (public diplomacy, or “explaining”) effort that seeks to normalize the conditions of ethnic cleansing, illegal settlement, and apartheid practices in historic and occupied Palestine. Against the backdrop of the genocide in Gaza and the lack of international sport sanctions against Israeli teams, this paper maps several hasbara activities/attempts featuring the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the last decade. This is a worthwhile case, not least because of the NBA’s self-branding as a socially “progressive” league composed of a primarily Black/African American athletic workforce. Two major observations are made: …

Beyond The Price Tag: Unveiling The Hidden Impacts Of Tariffs On Businesses And Consumer Behavior, Jacob D. Haas

Honors Theses

In an era marked by global trade disruptions and rising protectionist policies, firms must navigate the complex interaction between tariffs, supply chain strategy, pricing decisions, and marketing communication. This thesis investigates how three multinational corporations Walmart, Nike, and Apple responded strategically to shifting tariff environments and trade restrictions between 2018 and 2025. Drawing on primary data from corporate 10-K filings and secondary analyses from recent economic and management literature, the study examines how each firm’s decisions regarding sourcing diversification, cost management, and consumer engagement contributed to long-term resilience.

Findings reveal that companies integrating supply chain adaptability with coherent pricing and …

Ticking Away: A Study On How Multiple Sclerosis Patients In The Us And Australia Navigate Their Day, Ella M. Stahl

Honors Theses

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that damages the nervous system. Individuals diagnosed with MS experience a wide variety of symptoms, the most common being fatigue and numbness in the hands and feet. This disease affects close to three million people worldwide. Current research shows that individuals with chronic conditions spend more time managing their medical issues, therefore impacting their quality of life. This study compares time use of Multiple Sclerosis patients in the US and Australia. The central investigative question is: what are the differences and similarities in time use of those diagnosed with MS in the United …

Differences In Total Daily Energy Expenditure Across Field Sports: A Narrative Review, Brenen Skalitzky, Jennifer Fields, Margaret T. Jones, Chad Kerksick, Andrew Jagim

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Differences in total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) across sports, sex, and skill level support the need for sport- and athlete-specific energy intake recommendations. The purpose of the current review was to examine TDEE and related markers of energy expenditure across field-based team sports. A secondary aim was to evaluate physical activity levels (PAL), calculated as TDEE divided by resting metabolic rate (RMR), and their utility in estimating energy needs within team sports.

Methods: The review was limited to studies that included the field-based team sports of rugby or soccer and reported energy expenditure data using doubly labeled water …