Digital Commons Network^™

2024-09-03 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Digital Identity Management As A Critical Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Legal Issue: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Reasonable Person Factors Involved In Court Decisions, William H. Nicholson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative applied study is to define and explain through analysis the reasonable person standard as it relates to prosecution and sentencing computer crime cases involving digital identities while addressing the problem of digital anonymity. This has been done by analyzing computer crime cases with the advent of current and planned technologies, and surveying potential jurors to understand the current state of knowledge of digital attribution. This descriptive qualitative research method analyzed the problem through the use of criminological theories of control and social learning theory to better understand the reasonable person standard in computer crime …

The Life And Times Of Francis T. Nicholls: General, Lawyer, Governor, Jeffrey Paul Drury

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The life and times of Francis T. Nicholls, soldier, lawyer, judge, twice governor of Louisiana, and justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Conceptualizing Covid-19 As A Biosecurity Threat To The National Security Of Twelve Countries: Implications For Global Health Policy, Lydia Donkor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Biosecurity threats, including diseases such as COVID-19, influence public health and national security policies. The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, reveals the risks of biological agents to public health. This study investigates how varying perceptions of COVID-19 as a biosecurity threat affected public policy in 12 countries, including the United States (U.S.), the United Kingdom (U.K.), China, and Ghana, aligning with the Copenhagen School's Securitization Theory and employing causal inference methods. This research used qualitative document analysis to examine government responses to COVID-19 within a security framework among the research participants. The findings demonstrate that nations that viewed COVID-19 as …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Approach To Understanding The Academic Support Services That Influence The Success Of Student Veterans, Yuki A. Stephenson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the academic support services that influence the success of student veterans pursuing higher education at Fort Green of the South. The theory guiding this study was Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory focusing on the extrinsic motivators that enhance academic support services for student veteran success. The central research question was: How do academic support services influence the success of student veterans? The methodology of this study used a qualitative approach, employing hermeneutic phenomenology to best address the research question and exploration of the lived experiences of the student veteran’s utilization …

Fieldwork Experiences Of Students In Cacrep Programs: A Descriptive Quantitative Study, Emily Norris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following quantitative descriptive study explored the practicum and internship experiences of counselors in training (CIT) in consideration of the new 2024 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standard requirements. The updated standards mandate fieldwork sites to provide “quantity, quality and variety of expected experiences,” yet they lack specific guidance on what these experiences might entail. Despite the importance of fieldwork in counselor training, current literature offers limited data on the specific experiences of CITs encounter during their placements. To address this gap, this study utilized an anonymous survey to capture a multitude of fieldwork characteristics …

In Defense Of Play: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Exploring Preschool Directors' Beliefs, Education, Experiences, And Perceived Barriers To Implementing A Play-Based Pedagogy, Dusti Nikole Whitfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to describe and interpret the beliefs, education, experiences, and perceived barriers to implementing play-based pedagogy in preschool programs among preschool directors. Froebel’s theory on play and Dewey’s experiential learning theory guided this study. The central research question was: What are the beliefs, education, and experiences of preschool directors in implementing play-based curricula in preschool programs? The design of this study employed a hermeneutical phenomenological approach. Therefore, criterion sampling was used to select participants. The sample consisted of 12 current and previous preschool directors who currently work in or have worked in childcare …

The Lived Experiences Of Charter School Principals With Burnout: A Phenomenological Study, Taera L. Childers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of burnout for charter school principals in California. The theory guiding this study was Jackson and Maslach’s theory of burnout, as it provided the framework and foundation for the meaning of burnout and the effects it has on social sector employees. The central research question for this study was: What are the lived experiences of principals with burnout at charter schools in California? A hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used, including virtual questionnaires, individual interviews, and a focus group. The sample size for the study was 11 principals …

Impacts Of Positive Childhood Experiences That Foster Resilience In Adults With Childhood Trauma A Qualitative Case Study, Jennifer J. Ruiz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s rapidly evolving environment, adolescents face increasingly complex challenges to their health and well-being. A significant contributor to these challenges is exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which have been linked to long-term negative outcomes in physical, emotional, and psychological health. The pervasive impact of ACEs highlights the urgent need to explore protective mechanisms that can buffer against these adverse effects. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have emerged as a promising counterbalance, offering supportive and nurturing conditions that enhance resilience and promote healthier developmental trajectories. This qualitative case study explored the specific types of PCEs that foster resilience in individuals …

The Effect Of Sleep Latency, Duration, And Quality In Adolescents When Altering Nighttime Smartphone And Social Media Use, Ryan R. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Smartphones and social media are quickly becoming standard technological tools for connection and socialization within the modern-day adolescent population. Inversely, sleep for adolescents/young adults is decreasing while sleep problems are rising. This research trend is prompting researchers to investigate how restricting or eliminating smartphone/social media use benefits sleep health. The current study hypothesized that when adolescents/ young adults aged 18-21 eliminate smartphone/social media usage one hour before bedtime there would be a significantly lower number of nighttime awakenings, a reduction in sleep onset, and a higher number of minutes slept for participants in the experimental group when compared to participants …

Understanding The Willingness Of Christian Ethnic Minority Student-Athletes To Seek On-Campus Mental Health Services: A Mixed Methods Approach, Benael J. John-Rose

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Romans 12:1 tells Christians that their unique physical abilities are gifts from God that should be used to honor Him (New International Version Bible, 1978/2011). Christian racial/ethnic minority student-athletes (CMSAs) often navigate complex intersections of spirituality, identity, and stigma in relation to mental health. Despite growing research in biopsychosocial-spiritual (BPSS) models, CMSAs remain underrepresented in mental health literature. This mixed-methods study explored the willingness of CMSAs to seek on-campus mental health services at a public university in the Southwestern United States. Data was collected through a web-based survey (N = 20) and semi-structured interviews with a subset of participants (N …

The Impact Of Stress Reduction Programs In Reducing Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Military Spouses With Disabilities, Faith Clemons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pregnant military spouses with disabilities have high levels of anxiety and depression, as these individuals are more exposed to stress due to various health risks and worries during deployments. Health care experiences of pregnant military spouses who are disabled are explored through interviews and surveys to determine if appropriate services reduce anxiety and depression and help with stress. The study encompasses qualitative design, interviewing with eight participants from the Clarksville, Tennessee area, known for its many military families near Fort Campbell. The study targets evidence-based therapies through theoretical frameworks of attachment, social support and stress and coping theory such as …

Exploring How People Become Investigative Genetic Genealogists Who Assist With Law Enforcement Investigations: A Multiple Case Study, Matthew Serio Hoggatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s world of criminal justice, the use of Deoxyribonucleic Acid, otherwise known as DNA, to solve crimes, has become a popular tool for law enforcement, and a popular subject plot within the entertainment industry. Also growing in popularity at a fast rate, is the use of DNA combined with consumer-based genealogy websites to help identify unknown suspects or unidentified human remains. This process has become commonly known as investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), or forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG). What remains unclear however, is how people learn the skills necessary to establish a career within the IGG field. The purpose …

Loan Restructuring And Deposit Growth: Evidence From The Market Discipline During The Covid-19 Outbreak, Indra Tumbelaka

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, banks boosted loan restructuring efforts to offer borrowers assistance and preserve credit quality. This study employs dynamic and static panel data from Indonesian commercial banks to include restructured loans as a metric for assessing market discipline prior to and during the pandemic. Depositors shown discipline about banks’ credit risk during the COVID-19 period and exhibited heightened sensitivity to restructured loans. Subsequent analysis indicates that the association between deposit growth and restructured loans was more pronounced in government, small, and publicly listed banks during the outbreak

Triple Shock On External Sustainability In Indonesia, Aloysius Deno Hervino, Insukindro Insukindro, Sekar Utami Setiastuti, Amirullah Setya Hardi

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This study evaluates Indonesia’s external sustainability by analyzing exports, imports, and net unilateral transfer payments. The study utilizes Indonesia’s data from the third quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2019, applying both a long-run dynamic model and a short-run forward-looking model incorporating triple shocks. This research excludes the period from 2020 onwards due to the economic upheaval in Indonesia resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. This study concludes that Indonesia’s current account is unsustainable, as neither export nor import variables exhibit a long-term link, hence failing to meet intertemporal budget constraints. Furthermore, imports substantially influence long-term exports, which increase …

Financial Policy For A Green Economy In A Resource-Rich Emerging Economy, Arlyana Abubakar, Prayudhi Azwar, Riris Shanti, Salman Fathoni, Noer Aida Triandini

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This paper analyzes policies aimed at fostering a green economy in a resource-abundant, megadiverse nation such as Indonesia. This study use Delphi and Analytic Network Process methodologies, grounded in the perspectives of regulators, academics, experts, and practitioners in the green economy, to identify the determinants of green financial policies, revealing that fiscal instruments are of paramount importance. Furthermore, both the case and the respondents are Indonesian. This underscores the necessity of instituting incentives in environmentally sustainable sectors and disincentives in carbon-intensive industries. Therefore, the suitable allocation of green budgets within fiscal policy is essential for addressing market failures and expediting …

Exchange Rate And Indonesia Economic Growth, Ayi Supriyadi, Yanfitri Yanfitri, Trinil Arimurti, Sinta Atharinanda

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

We examine the effect of the exchange rate on the economy and the impact of the Dominant Currency Paradigm (DCP) on Indonesia’s export volume. This study employs multiple methodologies, namely the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the non-linear version of ARDL, and panel regressions. The findings indicated that the depreciation of the exchange rate influenced economic expansion. The beneficial effect was mitigated by the influence of finance as seen in the company’s financial sheet. The findings also indicate the influence of DCP on the volume of international trade in Indonesia.

Does Digital Finance Move Together With Technology Innovation In China?, Zhu Wenhui, Zhang Jiajie, Hu Chuanxia, Dong Hanwei

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

Existing academic research has predominantly examined the unidirectional impact of digital finance on technological innovation, thereby neglecting the reciprocal interplay between these two domains. This study fills this gap by investigating the long-term bidirectional cointegrated relationship between digital finance and technological innovation. Using panel cointegration estimation methods on panel data from 286 Chinese cities during 2011–2020, empirical results reveal a long-term co-movement between digital finance and technological innovation. Pooled Mean Group estimation demonstrates that digital finance makes significant contributions to technological innovation in both long-term and short-term contexts. However, sub-sample analyses show that digital finance consistently boosts technological innovation in …

Effects Of Elicitation Method On Functionally Relevant Item Selection In Spanish And English Monolinguals And Bilinguals, Dallin J. Bailey, Esther Barahona Wilkes

Faculty Publications

Purpose: One important decision speech language pathologists make when planning anomia treatment is the identification and selection of the specific vocabulary items to target during therapy. However, this process is not entirely straightforward. Although ‘functional relevance’ has high face validity for the identification of target items, interpretations differ, which may impact which words are selected for therapy. As such, target item selection methods vary, with resulting items impacted by the specific method used. There are also many person-level variables that may impact the functional relevance of specific items, such as the heritage language of the patient or their bilingualism status. …

Precision Care In Screening, Surveillance, And Overall Management Of Barrett's Esophagus, Yeshaswini Reddy, Madhav Desai, Bernadette Tumaliuan, Nirav Thosani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Barrett's esophagus (BE), a metaplastic transformation of an esophageal squamous epithelium into an intestinal-type columnar epithelium, is the primary precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Traditional management strategies have relied heavily on selective screening, tailored surveillance intervals, and early dysplasia detection and treatment algorithms. However, the heterogeneity in progression risk among BE patients necessitates a more nuanced, personalized approach involving precision care, tailoring decisions to individual patient characteristics, promises to enhance outcomes in BE through more targeted screening, personalized surveillance intervals, and risk-based therapeutic strategies. This review explores the current landscape and emerging trends in precision medicine for Barrett's esophagus, highlighting …

Stories Of California Mini-Corps Tutors: Exploring The Experiences Of Bilingual Latinx Early Preservice Teachers, Norma Rueda Santillanez

Dissertations

Restrictive language policies and practices in schools have racialized the experiences of bilingual Latinx early preservice teachers (EPSTs), leading many to internalize the belief that their language and culture are not valued. These deficit-based messages often influence their personal development and emerging professional identities. Despite the volume of scholarship about this pattern, little research has explored how this internalization shapes EPSTs’ perspectives as they move from being multilingual students educated in English-only environments to future credential program students and bilingual teachers. This critical qualitative case study examined this process as students engaged in school-based fieldwork through the California Mini-Corps program …

Unpacking Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Elements: Insights Into Drivers Of Entrepreneurial Activity, Mohamed Yacine Haddoud, Samah Souleh, Omaima Munawar Albadry, Saeyeon Roh, Adah Kole Emmanuel Onjewu

Plymouth Business School

Thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are instrumental in new enterprise creation and growth, as they provide vital support for entrepreneurial activity. However, as this support may be context-specific, the existing literature has yet to capture the contextual factors that shape the contributions of EEs. To address this inertia, a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) is employed, which examines the influence of ecosystem factors on new venture development in two key MENA countries, namely Algeria and Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that physical, commercial, and legal infrastructure are important factors for EEs in both countries. Nevertheless, there are intriguing differences in the …

Implementing A Health Recommendation System From Wearable Data, Priti Pramanick

Doctoral Theses

The rising interest in personalized health monitoring has created a demand for intelligent systems that not only evaluate an individual’s health status but also offer actionable recommendations. This dissertation presents a data-driven approach to assess overall health by calculating a weekly health score using multi-dimensional data sources such as sleep patterns, nutrition, cardiovascular activity, fitness levels, and metabolic parameters. The system integrates and processes data stored in MongoDB using Python, applies scoring logic tailored to each health domain, and aggregates them into a unified health score. Addi- tionally, the system generates a detailed summary and leverages a language model to …

2025-03-18 Leadership Team Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025-02-04 Executive Council Minutes, Susie Salazar

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Thermally Tunable Mid-Infrared Nanocavity Resonance Of Coupled Surface Plasmon-Phonon Polaritons, Satya R. Kachiraju, Zachary M. Brown, Sundar Kunwar, Long Chang, Imtiaz Ahmad, Pinku Roy, Vladimir Kuryatkov, Yejin Kwon, Ayrton A. Bernussi, Chase T. Ellis

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are essential for achieving tunability of metasurfaces. However, they frequently face limitations in the long-wave infrared range because of their lossy behavior. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a thermally tunable mid-infrared nanocavity resonance from coupled surface plasmon-phonon polaritons that are supported within a trilayer structure of metal-PCM layer-polar dielectric (Au-VO2-SiC). The top metal structures configure the Fabry-Perot cavity resonance near 840 cm−1 (11.9 µm), which is sensitively tunable and reversible with small changes in the VO2 refractive index ∆n near below its insulator-to-metal phase transition temperature where the loss is small. The maximum resonance shift of 7.7 cm−1 …

If We Must, We Must: A Better Way To Utilize Placement Exams, Samantha Bravo

Masters Theses (Archived)

College placement exams have been part of a student’s continuing education journey for many years. In a state like Texas, who has had a very extensive and dynamic history in regard to education assessment, students wishing to enter into college must take a state specific college placement exam. Is this state specific placement instrument helping its students? Texas pioneered a shift to a college and career ready focused state curriculum, so does this focused curriculum prepare students for the state college placement exam? How can this potentially be used in a way that can better serve its students? By analyzing …

Timing Of Nodal Metastasis In Patients With Eyelid Sebaceous Carcinoma And Implications For Surveillance And Survival, Tracy Lu, Casey Anthony, Xinyang Jiang, Jing Ning, Ryan Goepfert, Bita Esmaeli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/aims: Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare cancer with periocular predilection. Studies focused on patterns and timing of nodal metastasis are scarce.Our aim is to report patterns of regional nodal metastasis in patients with eyelid SC, including results of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: All consecutive patients with eyelid SC treated during 1999-2023 were retrospectively reviewed.All subjects had standard of care surgery for eyelid SC and regional lymph node evaluation using physical examination and ultrasonography (US) at baseline and during the surveillance period. 38 patients with negative findings on US had SLNB to rule out microscopic metastasis.The frequency and …

The Adaptation And Translation Of A Transition Readiness Scale For Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Antonio F Pagán, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Autistic young adults often face significant challenges during the transition to adulthood, yet few tools exist to assess their readiness in a developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive manner. This study presents the development and initial validation of the Transition Readiness Scale for Autistic Adolescents and Adults (TRS-A), a brief caregiver- and self-report measure designed to assess key domains of transition readiness. Guided by qualitative input from Latino families, community stakeholders, and clinicians, the TRS-A was piloted with 114 autistic young adults, 66 Spanish-speaking parents, and 48 English-speaking parents. Psychometric analyses supported the scale's internal consistency and construct validity, mirroring the …

Navigating Ethical Challenges In Generative Ai-Enhanced Research: The Ethical Framework For Responsible Generative Ai Use, Douglas Eacersall, Lynette Pretorius, Ivan Smirnov, Erika Spray, Sam Illingworth, Ritesh Chugh, Sonja Strydom, Dianne Stratton-Maher, Jonathan Simmons, Isaac Jennings, Rian Roux, Ruth Kamrowski, Abigail Downie, Chee Ling Thong, Katharine A. Howell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in research presents both opportunities and ethical challenges that should be carefully navigated. Although GenAI tools can enhance research efficiency by automating tasks such as literature reviews and data analysis, their use raises concerns about aspects including data accuracy, privacy, bias, and research integrity. This paper proposes the ETHICAL framework, which is a practical guide for responsible GenAI use in research. Employing a multi-stage single case study design, we examine multiple GenAI tools in real research contexts to develop the ETHICAL framework, which consists of seven key principles: Examine policies and guidelines, …