Digital Commons Network^™

Post-Experience Survey Of Backcountry Anglers And Hikers In Rocky Mountain National Park, Robin Graham, Anna Miller, Christopher Monz

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO), visitation has increased by over 1 million visitors per year over the last 5 years (NPS Stats, 2021). Park managers are especially concerned about the impacts of crowded conditions in the Bear Lake region of the park where hiking and fishing are common activities and those participants may perceive crowding differently (Kainzinger et al., 2015). Therefore, this study focuses on describing the perceptions of crowding and potential displacement of hikers and anglers. Additionally, to aid in park-visitor communication, specifically for hikers and anglers, this study also addresses how visitors are getting information …

Spatial Behavior Of Backcountry Anglers And Hikers In Rocky Mountain National Park, Robin Graham, Noah Creany, Christopher Monz

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In Rocky Mountain National Park, managers are concerned about informal trails resulting from off-trail travel in popular backcountry areas. The distribution of informal trails near water bodies raised questions for park managers about the potential impacts of different visitor activities, specifically hiking and angling use. This report examined the spatial behavior of hikers and anglers using GPS tracking and explored hiker experience preferences in relation to their spatial behavior. Anglers on average traveled farther and spent more time during their trip than hikers. Across all study locations, there was no difference in the amount of off-trail travel between hikers and …

Understanding Climate Change Impacts And Adaptation Potentials At Utah Ski Resorts, Rachel Hager

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Increasing temperature and shifting precipitation regimes due to climate change are a significant threat to winter recreation. Some businesses such as high-elevation ski resorts are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. However, ski resorts may be able mitigate the impacts of climate change by proactively implementing adaptation strategies. The overall goal of this study was to investigate the impact of climate change on Utah ski resorts, and to understand adaptation perception, barriers, and strategies for different resorts across the state.

To meet that goal, we used a mixed-methods approach including examining temperature shifts at all Utah ski resorts …

Covid-19 Outcomes And The Incidence Of Slavery, Amanda Ortega

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Environmental factors have been shown to correlate with COVID-19 outcomes. This study advances the literature on health economics by examining the importance of socioeconomic factors. In addition to standard economic factors, I consider the relationship between the past incidence of slavery and COVID-19 outcomes. I analyze county-level U.S. Census data and Georgia Department of Public Health county-level COVID-19 data using regression analysis. I find that the Covid-19 county vaccination rate in Georgia is related to 1860 slave concentration. No statistically significant relationship is found between 1860 slave concentration and COVID-19 death rate, case rate, or vaccination rate when health, socioeconomic, …

It Isn't Easy Speaking Green: The Influence Of Moral Factors On The (Non-) Adoption Of Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Deferral, And Back Again, Alexi Elizabeth Lamm

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is one of the major issues humans face in the 21^st century. This decade is critical in shaping the future of Earth and the way humans live on it (IPCC, 2018). Changes in human behavior are necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change. This series of studies explored factors important in communicating and implementing environmental behavior. The first study tested the effects of an online, interactive carbon calculator with moral interventions on three self-reported measures and one objective measure of behavior over a period of weeks. The interventions resulted in small changes in self-reported behavior and …

Accessing Healthcare In The Intermountain West During The Age Of Precarious Labor, Jordan Hammon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research aims to improve our understanding about the association between precarious employment and healthcare access. Using the framework of neoliberalism and the history of welfare reform in the United States, this thesis investigates the relationship between precarious labor and two outcomes associated with health insurance access, namely Medicaid utilization, and being uninsured. I also examine one potential consequence of Medicaid utilization and lack of insurance, having a usual place of health care in the context of the Intermountain West region of the United States.

Using new survey data and quantitative methodologies, this research shows how economic changes, particularly related …

Cultural Memory And Media: Spanish Republicans And The Spanish Civil War, Stuart Cameron

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This project examines the interplay between memory, history, and politics relating to Spanish Republican memories of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the following authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939-1975). In my analysis of this relationship, I focus on the years around the passage of the Law of Historical Memory in 2007; I explore how Spaniards used several forms of media, namely books, graphic narratives, and interviews, to relay their messages regarding the recovery, preservation, and passage of the memories of the defeated Republicans. The authors in each medium, despite telling different stories, both real and fictional, portrayed the act …

Community And Cultural Reentry: Exploring Reverse Culture Shock Among Returning Missionaries Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Sydney Pond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Considerable research asserts that individuals who have immersive experiences in foreign cultures may experience mental and emotional challenges upon returning home, a phenomenon known as reverse culture shock. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints annually sends tens of thousands of proselytizing missionaries to various locations around the globe, and the nature of their missionary service places them at risk of experiencing problems during reentry. Despite this risk, reverse culture shock among returning Latter-day Saint missionaries remains relatively unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine how former Latter-day Saint missionaries made sense of their experiences returning to …

Blessed Are The Poor (In Spirit): Wealth And Poverty In The Writings Of The Greek Christian Fathers Of The Second Century, Jacob D. Hayden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper examines how Greek Christian authors engaged with the topics of poverty and wealth during the second and third centuries CE - a period of major transition for the Christian Church. Beginning with the latest documents in the Greek New Testament (c. 90 - 120), this study traces these themes through the works of the Apostolic Fathers, including Clement of Rome (c. 35 - 99), Ignatius of Antioch (c. 34 - 108), and Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69 - 155). It then addresses to the apologetic authors Justin Martyr (c. 100 - 165) and Irenaeus (c. 130 - 202). …

Alienation, Modernization, And Animal Welfare: Human-Animal Relationships At The Farm, State, And Country Levels, Michael D. Briscoe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Our relationships with animals are important for us as humans, for the environment, and for the animals themselves. In this dissertation I look at the relationships between humans and animals at three scales: farm, U.S. state, and country. Specifically, I address how factors like economic growth, technological innovation, and globalization affect human relationships with animals. Understanding how these factors influence human-animal relationships is important for improving these relationships and deciding which directions will most contribute to sustainable outcomes. I address the social factors that influence human-animal relationships in three studies.

In the first study I surveyed and interviewed dairy farmers …

Assessing The Contribution Of Different Causes Of Death To Life Expectancy Disparities In The United States, Max Tyler Roberts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Life expectancy is not the same for all people in the United States. While some enjoy life expectancies of more than 80 years, others are at risk of dying much sooner. The following studies investigate how different causes of death such as homicide, diabetes, heart disease, and drug poisoning contribute across the life span to: 1) life expectancy gaps across different sex, racial, ethnic, and education groups, and 2) life expectancy change over time for different sex, racial, ethnic, and education groups. Each study focuses on a different area of the U.S., with Chapter 2 focusing on the national-level, Chapter …

Deaths Of Despair In The United States, Amin Etemadifar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Life expectancy is one of the most important indicators of public health and is an indication of overall health status in a population. Thanks to public health and medical advancements over recent decades, the life expectancy of all nations has significantly increased, and that is more true for developed nations like the United States. However, the most recent data shows the longevity of Americans has become stagnant since 2010. So the first question that comes to mind is why that is happening, and the main goal of this dissertation is to answer that question.

In order to address that question, …

Examination Of Enrollment Patterns And Behaviors Of High School Graduating Seniors At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Gustavo Monzon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) are seeking new methods of improving efficiency and effectiveness in recruiting new undergraduate students. The investment of resources can be optimized through the use of predictive modeling. For example, the IHE may consider using predictive modeling as a means of determining where it may achieve optimal marginal returns on investment of marketing and operational resources. Through an understanding of factors influencing college choice, and the impact these factors have on the college choice process and subsequent participation in post-secondary education, it is hypothesized that the application of predictive modeling may support IHEâ??s in advancing opportunities …

Food Insecurity And Older Adults: An Analysis Of Food Insecurity Among Elderly Households In The Us During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Stephanie Alexandra Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Past research has shown that food insecurity rates among the elderly have significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there are yet to be peer-reviewed articles that specifically address food insecurity among the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study utilized a nationally representative sample (50 states and the District of Columbia, n = 29,779) using data derived from the Household Pulse Survey (HPS). One generalized estimating equation (GEE) was estimated along with bivariate analyses. The GEE revealed that Hispanics, Asians, and those who identified as other race were significantly more likely to be food insecure in comparison to …

Human Resource Management Systems And Firm Innovation: A Conceptual Exploration And Meta-Analysis, Yang Zhang

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation includes three essays. Essay 1 is a literature review of human resource management (HRM) systems and firm innovation. Essay 1 reviewed different dimensions of firm innovation and key supporting theories that explain why human resource management systems can influence firm innovation in the literature. Essay 1 classified firm innovation into three categories: innovation in people and organizations, innovation in processes, and innovation in products or services. Essay 1 presented a list of mediators that explain how HRM systems influence firm innovation, and a list of moderators that show when HRM systems influence firm innovation. Essay 1 also found …

Hawkish Or Dovish: The Effect Of Female Ceo Leadership On Strategic Conformity, Organizational Innovation And Strategic Change, Hazel Husne Dadanlar

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. female labor market participation rate has significantly improved in the last 50 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007). Along with the broader female labor participation rate, the level of female representation at the executive and director-level positions has shown some improvement in the last 24 years, albeit at a much slower pace than it has been in recent years (Pew Research Center Report, 2018). For example, while the number of female Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) leading Fortune 500 companies was zero in 1995, it rose by 7.4% by 2020. Despite some improvement, a mere 7.4% increase …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery At A Pennsylvania Hospital System, Vanessa Singh, Kay Young, Obianuju Egwuowu

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Beliefs Of Juvenile Justice Practitioners On Youth Behavior And Treatment, Chase S. Christenson

Masters Theses

The following study was conducted to determine the beliefs juvenile justice practitioners (police officers, juvenile probation officers, and youth specialists) have about youth behavior through the lens of Wolfe’s (1998) Entitlement Theory. The four beliefs explored between juvenile justice practitioners are: (1) beliefs about why youth act out, (2) what changes youth behavior, (3) an expectation of youth obedience to authority, and (4) attachment relationships influencing youth behavior. The researcher used a 43-item survey measured with a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended questions that were administered to West Michigan’s juvenile justice practitioners through Qualtrics. Responses were analyzed using an ANOVA …

Green Criminology And Environmental Justice: An Exploratory Analysis Of Oil Spills In North America., Edidiong Mendie

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The underlying principle of green criminology is understanding environmental harms from a criminological lens, a variation from mainstream criminology's focus on street crimes. Environmental harms and contamination, such as oil spills, remain a growing concern for nations especially disadvantaged communities (low-income and communities of color). This dissertation analyzed the environmental pollution of 3 oil spills in North America to ascertain their impact on disadvantaged communities. This was achieved through secondary research inquiry using a case study analysis. This dissertation also highlighted the impact of forensic science and environmental forensics in oil spill cases. Using an independent sample t-test, this dissertation …

How To Engender Learning In The Learning Process? Mathematics, Events And The Invention Of A Mathematical Education, Sônia Maria Clareto, Giovani Cammarota

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This article proposes an exercise of problematization and denaturalization of a math classroom that is born from research carried out with a cartographic approach, in which, when occupying the elementary school math classroom, questions are asked: what happens in a math classroom? Which mathematics happens in a classroom? The event is here in affinity with the philosophy of the event of Gilles Deleuze, in which event is that which cuts time off, drags it, breaks it. Events are possible worlds that erupt in the things that happen. To do so, the writing of this paper takes place in relation to …

Educator Burnout And Coping Styles: A Case Study, Jennifer Mendicino

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study is to discover the perceptions of high school and middle school teachers in south shore Massachusetts on the extent of workplace burnout they have experienced and to discover whether they are using effective coping styles to prevent burnout. Data was gathered through an anonymous survey composed of short answer and Likert scaled questions and analyzed utilizing Creswell’s 5 Steps (Creswell & Poth, 2018). The anticipated outcome would be two-fold: to improve retention of seasoned teachers and increase awareness for teachers, and to inform school leaders on how to reduce workplace burnout. Seven …

A Framework For Guiding Transformative Growth After High School Shootings, Lucienne Lunn, Karen Campion, Steven James, Gabriel M. Velez

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

For the last 20 years, gun violence has severely compromised safety, learning outcomes, social development, and psychological well-being in many high school communities. An emerging body of international research describes strategies developed to support students and staff members in the wake of school shootings. However, these protocols are typically designed to help administrators manage the immediate sequelae of these incidents, leaving survivors to handle the lasting consequences of their experiences on their own. This article presents a broad framework for facilitating long-term psychological growth that can be integrated into high school curricula. It is based on the complementary theories of …

The Impact Of Ceo/Cfo Outside Directorships On Auditor Selection And Audit Quality, Jaeyoon Yu, Byungjin Kwak, Myung Seok Park, Yoonseok Zang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

We examine whether outside directorships of chief executive officer/chief financial officer (CEO/CFO) and resulting network ties to auditors affect auditor selection decisions and subsequent audit quality. The network ties arise when the CEO/CFO of a firm (home firm) serves as an outside director of another firm that hires an auditor (connected auditor). Using a sample of firms that switch auditors in the post-Sarbanes-Oxley Act period, we find that home firms are more likely to appoint connected auditors. We also find that home firms hiring connected auditors experience a significant decline in subsequent audit quality, compared to those hiring …

Princesses, Divas, And Mother Runners: Gendered Institutional And Vernacular Rhetorics In Running Events, Stacy Cacciatore

All Dissertations

This project studies at the intersection of gender, rhetoric, and running, examining, in particular, the way rhetorics are gendered in institutional and vernacular spaces surrounding coed and women’s running events. It asks: In what ways are rhetorics of coed and women’s running events gendered? What are the similarities and differences between institutional and vernacular rhetorics in these events? How are rhetorics in virtual events gendered digitally? Conducting a rhetorical analysis of institutional and vernacular rhetorics offers new perspectives on women’s lived experiences and provides a deeper understanding of gendered rhetorics in women’s running events. Princesses, Divas, and Mother Runners: Gendered …

Modeling Households’ Evacuation-Related First Decisions, Actual Evacuation Decision, Accommodations, And Destinations During Hurricane Matthew, Emmanuel Adjei

All Dissertations

Hurricane Matthew was a category five hurricane that affected coastal communities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina and resulted in significant damage to properties and loss of lives. This dissertation investigates households’ evacuation-related decisions during Hurricane Matthew (2016). Specifically, this study examines (a) households’ evacuation-related first decisions, (b) the effects of risk perception and perceived certainty about evacuation logistics on households’ evacuate/stay decisions, and (c) the influence of perceived certainty variables on households’ selection of destination and accommodations type. Data used for this study comes from a post-Hurricane Matthew survey data gathered from households in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area of …

Older Adults And Outdoor Physical Activity Equipment: A Social Ecological Analysis, Kevin J. Gardam Mph, Helle Møller, Erin S. Pearson

The Qualitative Report

Outdoor adult playgrounds (OAPs) have in some cases been in socioeconomically underserved neighbourhoods to improve community members’ access to physical activity infrastructure. Older adults have been identified as one population group who could particularly benefit from OAP equipment. The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the social ecological factors that influenced older adults’ uptake of an OAP installed in a neighbourhood of low-socioeconomic status. We employed the social ecological model (SEM) using a case study design and argue that the OAP’s location may help to lower inequalities in access to physical activity infrastructure. We end this paper …

Lessons Learned In Abruptly Switching From In-Person To Remote Data Collection In Light Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Crystal M. Walker, Loretta Alexia Williams, Trimika Bowdre

The Qualitative Report

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a research study that utilized in-person focus groups to collect qualitative data was abruptly shifted to videoconference focus groups to minimize risk to subjects. Protocol amendments consisted of using an online scheduling tool to arrange focus groups by Zoom, providing electronic versions of consent forms and demographic surveys, and highlighting security features of the videoconference software. Lessons were learned from making an abrupt switch from in-person to remote focus groups. Making this type of shift is not simply a matter of switching for researcher convenience but includes determining the appropriateness of an abrupt switch …

Returning Veterans’ Experiences Of A Holistic Therapeutic Program, Elda C. Veloso Ph.D, Angela Yehl, James Pann, Jacob Connolly, Stephen Grabner, Lyndsey Zoller, Nicole Staley, Renata F. S. Goldhagen

The Qualitative Report

Since 2001, over 2.7 million U.S. military service members have been deployed (Wenger et al., 2018). Many of these soldiers have encountered serious challenges readjusting upon their return home and many may not access the services needed to achieve successful reintegration. Current literature calls for holistic approaches to service provision, involving collaboration of support services to address the underutilization of services. To better understand the gap in treatment utilization, a qualitative approach was used to examine returning veterans’ experiences of an intensive and holistic service delivery program implemented in coordination with local veterans’ organizations. Within the study, a generic qualitative …

Sdrc Talking Points, Connie Jan Maraan

SDRC Publications

SDRC Talking Points is the Center’s infomagazine. This format allows the Center’s researchers to share their experience in a popularized manner, and seeks to bring greater participation and engagement to the ongoing and expanding discourse on research issues.

The Professional Struggles Of Contemporary Korean Women: Origins And Consequences Of The Glass Ceiling, Liat Miller

Master's Projects and Capstones

The status of women globally, though improved in recent decades, remains an unresolved issue. The labor market, in which women must contend with the glass ceiling phenomenon, is an indicative microcosmos of a larger issue—the persistence of discriminatory attitudes toward women. The case is even more profound in East Asian contexts, such as South Korea. The existing literature is limited and focuses on either specific aspects of the glass ceiling or particular industries in Korea. This paper explores the origins and interconnected causes of the glass ceiling in Korea, which include Confucian philosophy and values. Moreover, by analyzing testimonials of …