Digital Commons Network^™

Kinesiology Department Chairs’ Perceptions Of Their Training And Preparation, Kason O’Neil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Department chairs are responsible for leading academic departments in higher education.  These individuals regularly make important decisions regarding such things as managing faculty and academic programming, overseeing budgets, and supporting student needs. Despite these responsibilities, many people become department chairs without receiving formal leadership training. This study explored how kinesiology department chairs across the United States viewed their preparation for the role and the importance of leadership training. A total of 111 department chairs completed an online survey about their background, previous training, and the importance of training for different administrative responsibilities. The results showed that most chairs had little …

Weathering The Divide: Social Determinants, Neighborhood Context, And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Among African American Women, Vanessa Cl Morman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects African American women and contributes to racial health disparities in the United States. Although genetic susceptibility influences disease risk, growing evidence suggests that social determinants of health (SDOH), including neighborhood conditions, structural racism, and socioeconomic disadvantage, contribute to disease development and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms may provide a biological pathway linking adverse social conditions to chronic disease disparities. This dissertation examined the influence of SDOH on SLE disparities through evidence synthesis and empirical investigation to inform public health practice and policy.

Methods: This integrated learning experience consisted of three complementary manuscripts. Aim 1 was …

Phytochemical And In-Vitro Cytotoxic Analyses Of Flavonoid Species Isolated From Chromolaena Leivensis, Luke A. Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a leading cause of death worldwide, cancer and its treatments remain a primary source of interest among researchers. Modern studies are looking into bioselective cytotoxicity to create new chemotherapies that do not have the same harsh side effects as those we use today. Natural product research has a promising future for the development of such treatments. Specifically, polar flavonoids may be the key to a bioselective treatment. Such flavonoid species are native to plants, often within flower petals or within the body. A natural antioxidant, they are designed not to harm healthy cells. This study focuses on the plant …

Leveraging Mammal Mycophagy To Determine Environmental Drivers Of Truffle Diversity, Brittany Hartsock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many mycorrhizal fungi are hypogeous (truffle-forming), producing underground fruiting bodies. Studying truffles is inherently challenging due to their hidden nature. However, mycophagous mammals provide a unique opportunity to study hypogeous fungi because they rely on truffles as a food source. Although several truffle species have recently been described in the southern Appalachian region, their fruiting patterns remain poorly understood. To address this, we quantified truffle richness and spore loads from 670 Peromyscus scat samples collected across 42 sites spanning an environmental gradient during 2024 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee. We found that truffle richness and spore abundance …

Evaluating The Impact Of Research Equipment Availability On Scientific Rigor, Reproducibility, And Innovation Across Stem Disciplines, Lyndi G. Hraban

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Research infrastructure plays a central role in shaping the quality and innovative capacity of scientific research. This study evaluates how the availability of research equipment influences scientific rigor, reproducibility, and innovation across STEM disciplines. Drawing on literature from science-to-science research, policy studies, and discipline-specific analyses, this project synthesizes existing scholarship to explore the relationship between access to infrastructure and key research outcomes. Findings across the literature indicate that access to advanced and well-maintained equipment can strengthen scientific rigor by enabling more precise measurements, improved experimental control, and the implementation of standardized research protocols. Shared and centralized facilities are also associated …

Genotype-Phenotype Correlations Of Monoallelic Pfic Variants In Pediatric Liver Disease: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study., Brett J. Hoskins, Tiziano Pramparo, Chaowapong Jarasvaraparn, Michael J. Wilsey, Voytek Slowik, Lakshmi Kunam, Janis M. Stoll, Ruben E. Quiros-Tejeira, Simon Lam, Wikrom Karnsakul

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) is classically caused by biallelic pathogenic variants, yet monoallelic variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in PFIC-associated genes are increasingly identified in children with cholestasis, creating diagnostic uncertainty. We conducted a multicenter cohort study of children with liver disease and/or cholestasis harboring monoallelic VUS in ATP8B1, ABCB11, ABCB4, TJP2, or NR1H4. Clinical and longitudinal data were analyzed, and variant frequencies were compared with population data from gnomAD. Twenty-six children with 37 monoallelic PFIC-gene VUS met inclusion criteria, and multigenic variant burden was common (73.1%). PFIC-like biochemical patterns were observed in 42.3% but were frequently transient, and …

A Global High-Resolution Comprehensive Heat Indices Dataset From 1950 To 2024, Abdul Malik, Sateesh Masabathini, Mohsin Ahmed Shaikh, Qinqin Kong, Muhammad Usman, Dasari Hari Prasad, Ibrahim Hoteit

All Works

Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent as global temperatures rise, affecting vulnerable populations, particularly in low-income communities. Addressing the impacts of heatwaves requires high-resolution data to assess their influence on labour productivity, public health, and climate risk. We introduce the Comprehensive Heat Indices (CHI) dataset, a high-resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) hourly dataset from 1950 to 2024, derived from the ERA5 and ERA5-Land reanalyses. The CHI dataset encompasses thirteen heat stress indices, including wet-bulb temperature, universal thermal climate index, mean radiant temperature, wind chill, and lethal heat stress index (Ls). Thresholds for Ls are empirically linked to mortality, enabling the …

Reduced Mediators Released By Cyanobacteria During Exoelectrogenesis Detected Using Differential Pulse Voltammetry, Laura T. Wey, Monica Brachi, Yagut Allahverdiyeva, Shelley D. Minteer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cyanobacteria generate electrical current through exoelectrogenesis (extracellular electron transfer) downstream of photosynthesis, yet the identity of the endogenous redox mediator(s) responsible remains unresolved. Here, we apply differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to detect and characterise redox-active species released by Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under illumination. To enable sensitive detection, we developed an electrolyte intermediate between BG11 (Blue-Green-11) growth medium and MOPS (3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid) buffer that minimises background electrochemical interference while maintaining short-term cellular functionality. DPV revealed multiple light-enhanced oxidation peaks (0.1–0.65 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) that were not resolvable using cyclic voltammetry, providing evidence that cyanobacteria release reduced compounds …

Radio Frequency Tagging–Enabled Patient Monitoring: Integrating Mobility Tracking With Early Warning Systems For Enhanced Safety, Ahed Abugabah, Prashant Kumar Shukla, Piyush Kumar Shukla, Abhishek Dwivedi

All Works

Ensuring patient safety in healthcare environments requires continuous monitoring systems capable of identifying early warning signs of clinical risk. Traditional surveillance methods often fail to capture meaningful patterns in patient movement, limiting their ability to prevent incidents such as falls, prolonged immobility, or unnoticed health deterioration. Radio Frequency Tagging technology has been increasingly adopted for real-time patient tracking; however, existing systems are generally limited to location detection and lack predictive insights into patient behaviour. To overcome these limitations, this study presents a Radio Frequency Tagging-based patient monitoring framework that integrates mobility tracking with an early warning mechanism to enable proactive …

Serotonin 1b/1a Receptor Modulation On Probabilistic Reversal Learning In The Btbr Mouse Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Magdalena R. Gonzales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known for developmental disability that typically emerges around infancy and early childhood due to a possible combination of genetics, environment or a combination of both. A diagnosis of ASD is determined by behavioral measures due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Such symptoms include social impairment, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Restricted and repetitive behaviors often present as rigid behavior or behavioral inflexibility. Behavioral flexibility is often described as the ability to adapt to changing environments. Previous research has shown that serotonin (5-HT) 1B and 1A receptor upregulation may attenuate restricted, repetitive behaviors found in …

Long-Term Analysis Of Pm2.5 Elemental Composition And Source Contributions In Coastal Urban Environments Of Corpus Christi And Houston In Texas, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Jeremy A. Sarnat, Amit U. Raysoni

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Long-term assessments of fine particulate matter play a key role in identifying persistent and emerging emission contributors. Coastal urban areas are highly susceptible to transboundary dust and wildfire events in addition to local pollution sources. Multi-decadal assessments in these regions using chemical speciation data could offer insights into major pollutant sources and their trends. This study utilizes nearly two decades of PM2.5 elemental composition data at two major coastal cities in Texas: Houston and Corpus Christi. Fourteen trace elements were analyzed to characterize the seasonal variability and long-term source evolution using a combination of Spearman’s correlation analysis, principal component analysis, …

Effect Of Creatine Supplementation On Anaerobic Power By Running Anaerobic Sprint Performance Test (Rast) In Young Football Players, Heitor P.N. Amorim, Suellen B. Sant’Ana, Steven B. Machek, Juan Mielgo Ayuso, Abby E. Lewis-Fulbright, Dailson Paulucio, Thomas D. Cardaci, Rafael Pereira, Marco Machado

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Creatine supplementation commonly facilitates lean mass-associated weight gain and concomitantly enhances short-term, high-intensity activity such as repeated sprint ability, but lacks sufficient evidence in athletic youth. This investigation thereby aimed to examine how 28 days of creatine monohydrate supplementation may influence body weight and running anaerobic sprint performance (RAST) time in youth soccer players. Sixteen male youth soccer players were randomized in double-blinded fashion to either 28 days of creatine monohydrate (CRE; 15.9 ± 0.35 y) or dextrose placebo (PLA; 15.5 ± 0.54 y) supplementation. Subject body weight (BW) and RASTs measurements were performed both before (PRE) and following (POST) …

Soil-Science Expertise In An Ai-Exposed World: Competencies, Curricula, And Careers For Soil Security, Gian Franco Capra, Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira, Arun Dilipkumar Jani

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world of knowledge-based work, with highly qualified professions appearing more exposed to substitution than routine manual ones. Soil science occupies a hybrid position, being a field that requires extensive knowledge and at the same time a strong dependency on field and laboratory activities, time-consuming and intrinsically “embodied.” This review examines what AI entails for soil science, asking which competencies are more or less exposed, how curricula should respond, and what actions institutions should undertake in the current AI-dominant academic environment. The analysis rests on two axes, namely the AI exposure of a task …

Characterizing Children With Chronic Kidney Disease And Severe Proteinuria In The United States: A Retrospective Analysis Using Electronic Health Records., Bradley A. Warady, Simone Heeg, Alfredo E. Farjat, Rachel Knapp, Siir Su Saydam, Alexander Vowinkel, Alain Gay, James Potts, Andrea Scalise, Gordana Atanackovic, Sascha Van Boemmel-Wegmann

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: In recent years, real-world data have been increasingly used to enrich data from interventional studies on treatment effectiveness. To explore the viability of hybrid study designs in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD), we assessed the feasibility of identifying a real-world cohort of children with CKD and severely increased proteinuria who satisfied adapted eligibility criteria from the FIONA trial.

METHODS: We used data from the Optum® de-identified Electronic Health Record dataset (Optum® EHR) to identify and characterize children with CKD and severely increased proteinuria in records from January 2013 to December 2022. Patients were identified based on two sets of …

Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index Among Children And Adolescents With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Report From The Chronic Kidney Disease In Children Study., Susan M. Halbach, Jennifer Roem, Michael F. Schneider, Joshua Samuels, Susan L. Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Joseph T. Flynn, Ckid Study Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: To quantify the association between ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) and hypertensive status, and to identify additional predictors of AASI, including body mass index (BMI), proteinuria, and mineral metabolism, in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS: We analyzed data collected from 654 participants during 1283 study visits in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) prospective cohort study. AASI was calculated from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) data as 1 minus the slope coefficient from a least squares linear regression of diastolic blood pressure (BP) on systolic BP. Hypertensive status was determined by clinic BP and …

Methylated Cfdna May Distinguish Between High- And Intermediate-Risk Uveal Melanoma: A Pilot Study, Mike Wu, Daniël P. De Bruyn, Ruben G. Boers, Aaron B. Beasley, Daan M. Hazelaar, Stavros Makrodimitris, Joachim B. Boers, Jolanda Vaarwater, Ronald O.B. De Keizer, Robert M. Verdijk, Nicole C. Naus, Dion Paridaens, Saskia M. Wilting, Elin S. Gray, Wilfred F.J. Van Ijcken, Joost Gribnau, Annelies De Klein, Erwin Brosens, Emine Kiliç

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a metastatic risk that depends on the molecular subclass. This subclass can be determined through molecular characterization of tumor-derived tissue. With eye-sparing treatments, tumor tissue is rarely available for molecular testing. We hypothesized that minimal invasive biomarkers such as methylated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used for prognosis and monitoring of patients. Methods: Plasma cfDNA was isolated from healthy blood donors (HBDs, N = 19) and UM patients (N = 22). Plasma was collected at baseline (localized disease, N = 13) and during follow-up (metastatic …

Stocks And Fluxes Of Carbon And Nitrogen In Northeastern Brazil Coastal Seascapes, Antoniwal A. Jatobá-Junior, Pere Masque, Carlos Eduardo De Rezende, Vanessa Hatje

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Quantifying carbon and nitrogen dynamics is essential for understanding the role of coastal ecosystems in climate change mitigation and habitat connectivity. We assessed organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks, accumulation rates, and isotopic composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in sediment across diverse seascapes in northeastern Brazil, including high- and low-salinity mangroves, a tidal flat, a freshwater marsh, and an inundated forest. OC stocks in the upper meter of sediment were highest in the freshwater marsh (283 ± 64 Mg OC ha⁻¹) and tidal flat (266 ± 27 Mg OC ha⁻¹), and …

A Global Image-Based Data Repository Of Killer Whale Interactions With Elasmobranchs, Emma Luck, Isabella L. Reeves, Maeva Terrapon, Rebecca Wellard, Stephanie K. Venables, Alison V. Towner, Alison A. Kock, Charlotte Hussain, Molly Altschwager, Rosie Ballard, Evans Baudin, Nancy Black, Evan Brodsky, Jade Cantrall, Julio Cardoso, Matt I.D. Carter, Oliver Clarke, Santiago Diaz-Pazmino, David Donnelly, Georgina Cabayol Ferraz, Arlaine Francisco, Laura González García, Mark Jackman, Aimee Jan, Eric Martin, Dane Mcdermott, James Moskito, Blair Ranford, Jesús Erick Higuera Rivas, Jasmin O’Brien, Anton Oleynik, Hernán Orellana-Vásquez, Daniela Alarcón Ruales, Gemma Sharp, Jade Sharp, Alisa Schulman-Janiger, Colleen M. Talty, Paul Tixier, John A. Totterdell, Steve Truluck, Jennah Tucker, Tara Weberg, M. Fernanda Urrutia-Osorio, Machi Yoshida, Jochen R. Zaeschmar, Lauren Meyer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are cosmopolitan apex predators that interact with numerous species, including sharks, skates, and rays (subclass Elasmobranchii). Interactions between killer whales and elasmobranchs have garnered attention from the scientific community, but the dynamics of these events are poorly understood, as interactions are often challenging to observe. In this study, we collated imagery of interactions between killer whales and elasmobranchs to create the first image-based repository of interspecific interactions between marine predators. A total of 320 photos and videos from 82 unique interactions were collected from 12 countries. A minimum of 18 elasmobranch species across 16 genera were …

Over A Century Of Global Decline In The Growth Performance Of Marine Fishes, Helen F. Yan, Hannah V. Watkins, Alexandre C. Siqueira, David R. Bellwood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Human-driven pressures are causing large-scale changes in the ecologies and life histories of fishes. Growth performance is a composite life-history trait that captures the trade-off between two fundamental traits: growth and body size. Here, we assess the impacts of fishing and temperature on the growth performance of marine teleost fishes globally over the last century. Using 7683 growth curves encompassing 1479 species, we find a global pattern of decline in growth performance from 1908 onwards, with the greatest declines in commercially valuable fishes. Indeed, managed fisheries experienced a 9% decline in growth performance over the last century, which can equate …

Microplastics In Terrestrial Environments: Consequences To Organic Carbon Sequestration?, Khyla Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Soils store more carbon than the atmosphere and all plant life combined, so even small changes in how soils cycle carbon can affect the climate. A new pollutant is accumulating in soils around the world: microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic that arrive through farming practices, litter, wastewater, tire wear, and the air. Adding microplastics to soil often increases the carbon dioxide that soil microbes release, so plastic pollution could reduce the carbon that soils store. While this trend is concerning, its cause remains unclear. Microbes may be consuming the plastic itself, or the plastic may prompt them to break down …

Genetic Drivers Of Progression In Alzheimer’S Disease Are Distinct From Disease Risk, Celeste E. Cohen, Shane Fernandez, Umran Yaman, Ahmad R. Ehyaei, Eleftheria Kodosaki, Aydan Askarova, Tenielle Porter, Eleanor O’Brien, Paul Maruff, Alexi Nott, John A. Hardy, Simon M. Laws, Dervis A. Salih, Maryam Shoai

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Recent trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate encouraging outcomes. These trials target risk mechanisms identified through genetic analysis whilst directly aiming to reduce progression rates. Evidence from other neurodegenerative diseases suggests the genetics of progression is distinct from risk of disease. To expand these initial successes and improve clinical outcomes further we need to understand genetics of progression of disease. These can be deduced through rigorous analysis of meticulously phenotyped longitudinal cohorts. In this study we first looked at known genetic drivers of risk, namely polygenic risk scores for AD and APOE‑ε4, to assess their role in progression. This …

Contributions To Research On Preservice And Inservice Science Education And The Current Status Of Initial Science Teacher Education, David F. Treagust, Michelle De Kok

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper, firstly we review Australian university science educators’ contributions to the Australian Journal of Teacher Education. These publications demonstrate a wide range of interesting and targeted initiatives to enhance the teaching and learning science by preservice and inservice teachers.  Secondly, we examine the current situation of initial teacher education programs and development for future possibilities of science teacher education in Australia. This analysis shows that attention has concentrated disproportionately on entry standards and the theory-versus-practice tensions, while the conditions shaping retention, workload, and equitable subject-matter staffing remain substantially unaddressed.

Teacher Education In Western Australia, 1967 To 1987, Tom O’Donoghue

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The concern in this paper is with developments in education in Australia, including in teacher education, and especially in Western Australia, for the period 1967-1987. First, the general education background nationally is outlined. Secondly, developments in teacher education nationally are presented. An exposition on developments in teacher education in Western Australia is then provided. This includes the provision of separate accounts of the changes that took place in the field at the precursors to Edith Cowan University, at The University of Western Australia, at what eventually became Curtin University, at Murdoch University, and in the State’s vocational education sector.

Affective Governmentality And Feeling The Cycle Of Crisis: Why Teacher Education Reform In 21st-Century Australia Has No End, Brad Gobby, Barry Down

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article uses affect theory to critically examine the discourses underlying initial teacher education (ITE) reform in 21^st century Australia. We argue that contemporary ITE reform has persisted in the face of a quarter-century of scholarly critique not because that critique is wrong, but because reform operates through an affective governmentality, a regime in which the conduct of conduct is accomplished through the organisation of affect as well as the application of knowledge and technique. In this domain of reform, the public shaming of teachers and teacher educators, and the promise of evidence-based “rigour” compose a recurring cycle of …

Exploring Burnout Among Ncaa Collegiate Athletes: The Impact Of Gender, Sport, Seasonal Demands, And Other Contributing Factors, Anneliese Wong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine burnout among NCAA Division I student-athletes at one mid-sized University in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States and determine whether differences existed based on gender, sport type, competitive season stage, and burnout dimension. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used and data was collected from 76 student-athletes across 11 varsity sports. Burnout was assessed using items adapted from the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ; Raedeke & Smith, 2001), along with additional items assessing fatigue and seasonal experiences.

Descriptive results showed the student-athletes reported the highest mean level of physical burnout, followed …

Study Of Fast Switching Metastable-State Photoacids And Controlled Drug Release From Polycaprolactone (Pcl) Vascular Scaffold, Rana Salman Abbood Abbood

Theses and Dissertations

Metastable-state photoacid (mPAH) has become a common tool for controlling and driving chemical processes with light. mPAHs with fast reverse reactions are desirable for precise temporal control or generating quick pulses of proton concentration. In this work, different approaches towards fast reversing mPAHs are studied. Experimental and computational results showed that stabilizing the charge–transfer intermediate is an effective way to increase the rate. A novel mPAH with a reverse reaction ≈500 times faster than the most widely used mPAH in methanol has been developed. Another water-soluble mPAH exhibited a reverse reaction with a rate constant of 7.8 s−1, the fastest …

A Trait-Based Thermal Risk-Index Framework Integrating Stage-Structured Insect Demography, Host Resources And The Next-Generation Matrix, Komi Mensah Agboka, Luca Rossini, Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame, Quinto Juma Meltus, Juliet Onditi, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The biology and population dynamics of terrestrial arthropods are strongly influenced by environmental conditions, particularly temperature, but thermal responses alone do not determine whether a population can establish when development depends on host resources. Here, we extend an existing physiologically based risk-index framework by explicitly coupling stage-structured insect demography with host-resource dynamics and deriving the resulting population-level invasion threshold through the Next-Generation Matrix (NGM) approach. The formulation integrates temperature-dependent development, fecundity and mortality across egg, larval, pupal and adult stages with host-resource production and depletion, yielding the basic reproduction number (R0[jls-end-space/]) as a mechanistically interpretable risk index, where (Formula presented) …

Wildfire And Fuel Treatments In Utah: A Practical Guide And Outcomes From An Oak-Maple Ecosystem, Annie E. Prescott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wildfire is a natural part of Utah’s landscapes, but as wildfires become more extreme and communities continue to expand into wildland areas, it is increasingly important to understand how wildfires behave and how their negative effects can be mitigated. One way to reduce wildfire risks and protect life, property, and ecosystem services is through fuel treatments — actions that reduce the amount and arrangement of flammable vegetation through mechanical removal, wildland fire, or other methods.

Information on wildfire behavior and fuel treatments is abundant but often scattered, ecosystem-specific and difficult to access. In addition, most research in the Western U.S. …

The Story Of Indigenous Teacher Education In Western Australia, Mindy Oxenburgh, Rhonda Oliver, Helen Cd Mccarthy

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Since colonisation, the history of Indigenous education and related teacher education in Western Australia (WA) has been fraught. It has involved a mixture of inherent prejudice, blatant racism, ignorance, valiant attempts to redress the balance, optimism, and fluctuating success. There remains a need for more Indigenous and especially local teachers who understand their students’ cultural and linguistic needs and who can best serve as the link between addressing these needs, their community’s desires and the reality of the students' schooling. The employment of non-Indigenous and non-local teachers is problematic at several levels and, as a result, over the past 50 …

Evaluating The Transformation Of Land Cover, Land Surface Temperature, And Urban Heat Island In Sylhet Division Through Geospatial Analysis, Md Fazle Rabbi Joy, Md Abdur Rahim, Md Mahfuzar Rahman, Sumiaya Amin Preota, Mohammed Mahathee Hossain

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Rapid and unplanned urbanization has significantly transformed land use/land cover (LULC), contributing to increased land surface temperature (LST) and the emergence of urban heat islands (UHIs), especially in ecologically fragile regions. This study focuses on the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh, assessing LULC changes, LST dynamics, and UHI expansion from 1994 to 2024 using Landsat satellite imagery, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference water index (NDWI) indices, and field-based LST validation. Unsupervised classification reveals a 191.75% increase in settlement areas and a 25.65% loss in forest cover. Correspondingly, the highest LST zones (> 30 °C) were absent in 1994 but …