Digital Commons Network^™

Verdict Format On Trial: Experimental Tests Of The Criminal Law’S Orthodoxy, Avani Mehta Sood

Vanderbilt Law Review

For centuries, American criminal courts have overwhelmingly favored “general” verdicts over “special” verdicts, without giving the latter a fair trial. A general verdict requires criminal jurors to deliver only an ultimate judgment of “guilty” or “not guilty” on a charged offense. In contrast, a special verdict would require jurors to answer a sequence of questions about whether each legal element of the charged offense has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt before they deliver a final judgment. The criminal law’s conventional wisdom holds that special verdicts will disadvantage defendants by constraining jurors’ latitude to temper or nullify the law, thereby …

Analysis Of A Coaxial Transmission Line Filled With An Orthorhombic Dielectric-Magnetic Medium, Fathima Manikunnath Abdul Akbar

Theses

Coaxial transmission lines are fundamental means for Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) wave propagation in RF, microwave and high-speed electronic systems. The study of transmission lines is often familiar when they are filled with isotropic materials; however modern engineered direction dependent materials reshape field distributions. In this thesis, we consider a coaxial transmission line of an inner radius and outer radius b filled with an orthorhombic dielectric-magnetic material, which is described by two anisotropy parameters αx and αy. The potential and field distributions are studied in relation to the ratio b/a as well as the anisotropy parameters αx and αy. Due to …

Bates College Journal Of Political Studies: Volume Iii, Issue 1, Spring 2026, Bates Initiative For Government Studies

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

No abstract provided.

Generative Ai In Enterprises: Optimizing Applications With Large Language Models, Donghao Huang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation investigates how to deploy Large Language Models (LLMs) effectively in enterprise settings, where accuracy, reliability, cost, privacy, and operational constraints often matter more than benchmark performance alone. Drawing on seventeen peer-reviewed publications (eleven published and six accepted for publication), the work develops and validates optimization strategies across three connected themes: retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic AI for workflow automation, and deployment guidelines for real-world enterprise environments.

First, we study RAG optimization through systematic evaluation of open and proprietary models, highlighting conditions under which efficient open-weight models can match or exceed proprietary alternatives. To address a pervasive failure mode in …

The Impact Of R&D Team Diversity On Ambidextrous Innovation In Srdi Smes, Cheng Zhan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As a vital organizational form of R&D teams in specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative (SRDI) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), distributed teams have gradually emerged as a dynamic source of innovation for such enterprises. Against the backdrop of the (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) era, markets have imposed higher demands on enterprises' innovative and sustainable development capabilities, exerting substantial impacts on the growth of SRDI SMEs. Although the distributed R&D team model, developed through continuous exploration in=132=132enterprises' innovation practices, has drawn practical and scholarlyattention for its role in shaping ambidextrous innovation in SRDI SMEs, the internal mechanism underlying the relationship …

The Impact Of Genai Guidance Strategies On Employee Ai Acceptance: A Field Experiment Based On Private Domain Marketing, Mai Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As a novel technological instrument for content production and customer communication, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has garnered significant attention for its value in private domain marketing. However, enterprises frequentlyencounter a paradox of high initial introduction rates coupled with a lackof substantive application. Employee apprehensions regarding the qualityof AI-generated content (AIGC) and organizational guidance strategies are critical factors impeding the realization of technological value. Drawing upon the technologyacceptance model (TAM), the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology(UTAUT), and the task-technology fit (TTF), the study constructs a theoretical model positioning corporate AI guidance strategies as the independent variable andemployee AI …

Valuing Biodiversity Impact, Han Wei Koh

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Biodiversity loss has emerged as a systemic challenge with far-reaching implications for ecological stability, economic activity, and long-term financial resilience. Despite growing recognition of nature-related risks in finance, biodiversity remains far less developed than climate within investment analysis, particularly at the portfolio level. This dissertation addresses that gap by examining how biodiversity impacts can be measured, valued, and interpreted within an investment portfolio concentrated in resilient and essential sectors of the economy.

The study constructs a Global Essential Economic Systems Portfolio comprising 16 publicly traded companies operating across non-discretionary sectors, including agriculture, energy, materials, pharmaceuticals, utilities, infrastructure, telecommunications, and financial …

The Nameless Monster: Outperforming Gender In Mary Shelley’S Frankenstein, Camryn Morgan

Munn Scholars Awards

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein places the “Monster” at the center of the text and I argue that Shelley is purposeful in not giving a real, human name to the Monster nor a specified gender. I propose that the Monster is an experimentation of un-gendered embodiment that Shelley meticulously crafts and which can be read through the lens of Trans-studies as a literary example of what I term Gender Outperformance. I define this as what may be embodied once gender is either fully abandoned, never granted, or stretched beyond its normative limits. Once gender is outperformed it is transcended.

“The Very Existence Of The Empire”: U.S.-Japanese Economic Relations And The Road To Pearl Harbor, Noah Haak

Munn Scholars Awards

The following work argues that the most common historiography of the United States and Japanese Empire’s relationship prior to Pearl Harbor has been sidelining the economic struggle between the two nations as context rather than cause when discussing the conflict. This choice leaves out important economic analysis that explains both expanding American executive authority and realist Japanese decision-making that pushed both nations into the Pacific Theater. Roosevelt's decades-long undeclared embargo on Japan set a constitutional precedent that shaped every major exercise of executive war power.

Collecting Dust (Jackets): Regarding The Life And Ephemerality Of Dust-Jackets Through The Early To Mid-Twentieth Century, Kelsey Clodfelter

Munn Scholars Awards

Collecting Dust (Jackets): Regarding the Life and Ephemerality of Dust-Jackets through the Early to Mid-Twentieth Century examines the dust-jacket as a liminal form of printed ephemera, tracing its evolution between disposable packaging to a culturally significant archival object. Using theories of paratext, archival practice, and book history by Gerard Genette, Jacque Derrida, and G.T. Tanselle, and through three cases within the West Virginia & Regional History Center, the paper argues that the increasing incorporation of aesthetics, information, and advertising transformed dust-jackets into cultural artifacts with value beyond their protective function. Their preservation challenges conventional distinctions between ephemera and archival material.

Judicial Underreach: Tiktok Inc. V. Garland'S Implications For National Security And Free Speech, Olivia Sharp

Colorado Law Student Scholars

No abstract provided.

The Domestic Mirror: Tiktok V. Garland, Data Privacy, And Meaningful Free Expression, Olivia Sharp

Colorado Law Student Scholars

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Shield: The Business Judgment Rule As A Tool For Esg Initiatives, Samuel Hawkinson

Colorado Law Student Scholars

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Spatial Disparities On Transportation To Dialysis: A Quantitative And Gis Analysis, Haylee Kirschner

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Access to dialysis treatment is a major concern for the over 500,000 people who suffer from End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). There are many factors that may affect one's ability to access treatment, but one that affects almost every in-center dialysis patient is transportation. This study examines how various spatial disparities, such as population density, Medicare coverage, Medicaid usage, poverty, commute times, and vehicle ownership, affect missed and shortened treatments due to transportation. To examine the relationship between spatial disparities and transportation-impacted treatment adherence, a random sample of 400 clinics were emailed to participate in the study, with 113 agreeing …

Navigating Cultural Biases And Self-Worth For Black Women Leaders In Higher Education, Robbin Mitchell

Interdisciplinary Leadership Dissertations

African American women leading at public universities share their thoughts and perspectives on days filled with more than just tasks; they bear silent struggles and the hidden expectation of being recognized for their work without being marginalized. While building inner strength, some find their voices amid doubt and pressure. Progress is made not through grand gestures but through small acts of care. Viewed through the lens of Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000), their lives reflect complex realities. Du Bois’s (1903) concept of split identities is relevant—not by choice but by context. Being Black and female reshapes their identities in leadership …

Resurrecting Natures With Charlotte Smith And Ebony G. Patterson, Leila Walker

Publications and Research

Recent scholarship on the botanically influenced poetry of the early Romantic period, particularly that of Charlotte Smith, has emphasized the genre’s formal engagement with the herbarium, treating botanical poetry as a non-extractive alternative to the violence of specimen collection. Yet such readings isolate the act of specimen collection and poetic return from the larger systems of extraction, translocation, and violence in which they participate. In this article, I read Smith’s Beachy Head alongside Ebony G. Patterson’s recent installation at the New York Botanical Garden, which artistically resurrected extinct species from herbarium specimens and “planted” them among living flora, in order …

Nigella Sativa Oil-Loaded Treated Dentin Matrix Hydrogel As An Alternative Biomaterial For Direct Pulp Capping: A Systematic Review, Alfin R. Cahyadi, Ayu Annafi, Malika Q. Rahmalia, Adelisa D. Ryani, Tania Saskianti, Harly Prabowo, Nadia Kartikasari, Abil Kurdi, Agus Dahlan

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science

Objective: To assess evidence on Treated Dentin Matrix Hydrogel (TDMH) and Nigella sativa oil (NSO), individually or combined, as biomaterials for direct pulp capping (DPC) and their reparative dentin promotion ability. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and Wiley (January 1, 2018–December 31, 2023) was conducted using MeSH-based terms associated with ``treated dentin matrix hydrogel,'' ``Nigella sativa oil,'' and ``direct pulp capping.'' Eligible studies included in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research evaluating TDMH or NSO for DPC; studies with no outcome data were excluded. Risk-of-bias assessment was performed using ROB2 (clinical) and SYRCLE (animal). Because of …

Determinants Of Toothbrushing Behavior Among 12-Year-Old Children: An Application Of The Health Belief Model, Fitri D. Oktadewi, Riski A. Hidayah, Ryana B. Purnama, Ananda P. Yuliani

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science

Objective: Effective toothbrushing behaviors in school-aged children play an important role in preventing dental and oral health problems. At the age of 12, the behaviors constitute a critical phase in the formation of healthy lifestyle habits. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the factors that influence toothbrushing behaviors in 12-year-old children based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) theory.

Material and Methods: A total of 92 12-year-old children were selected by cluster sampling method at elementary schools in Banyumas, Central Java. The independent variables included perceived susceptibility, severity, barrier, and benefit in accordance with HBM. The dependent variable comprised toothbrushing …

Why Democratic Backsliding Is Legal: Judicial Legitimacy And Institutional Decay In The United States, Sherlyn Ochoa

Posters - 2026

“In the United States, democratic backsliding is not a violation of the law—it is increasingly a product of it.” Democratic change often occurs through judicial interpretation Courts shape rights, participation, and equality Focus: how judicial legitimacy allows major democratic shifts—both expansion and restriction of rights

A Kingdom-Centric Spiritual Formation Model: Developing Churchwide Strategies For Forming People Into Christlikeness, Justin Adams

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation explores how churches can better form people by examining the central research question: “What strategies can churches use to develop a Kingdom-centric spiritual formation model that prioritizes shaping individuals into Christlikeness as the church’s primary vision and mission?” Drawing on Paul’s desire to see Christ formed in the Galatian church (Gal 4:19), as well as exploring Jesus’s mandate in Matt 28:19 in connection with Acts 2:42-46, these texts show the connection between the spiritual formation of early believers and the Church. The researcher employed a quantitative methodology at The Worship Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Research revealed significant perceptions …

Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This qualitative descriptive study explores how Haitian Protestant church leaders in a large urban area of the northeastern United States describe the influence of their use of social media on promoting discipleship. The study addresses a gap in understanding how digital ministry practices are interpreted within Haitian Protestant diaspora contexts and how these practices inform both theory and ministry application. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Haitian Protestant church leaders selected through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in the identification of five primary themes: social media as …

Reshaping Church Culture To Reflect The Imago Dei: A Genesis-Rooted Case Study Of Female Identity And Leadership In The Pacific Northwest, Cassandra Wilson

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Many Evangelical churches in the Pacific Northwest minister within a cultural environment marked by high individualism, religious disaffiliation, and contested narratives of gender and identity. This project explores how one Free Methodist congregation, Sage Hills Church in Wenatchee, Washington, has sought to embody a Genesis-anchored theological anthropology of imago Dei and ezer kenegdo in its leadership culture and congregational life. Using a qualitative case study design, the research examines how a single congregation navigates the tension between conservative church habits that restrict women’s roles and secular narratives that dissolve stable categories of gender. The study draws on an anonymous online …

Serendipitous Reactivity Of Tripodal Tris(Nitroxide) Aluminum And Gallium Complexes With Halomethanes, Elizabeth N. S. Ting , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

The development of new strategies for bond activation remains an important goal in chemistry. Element-ligand cooperative (ELC) chemistry using abundant main-group elements has emerged as a promising strategy for enabling bond activation without relying on traditional transition-metal redox chemistry. In this work, the reactivity of Group 13 complexes supported by a tripodal tris(nitroxide) ligand, (TriNOx^3-)M (M = Al (1), Ga (2); TriNOx^3- = [{(2^tBuNO)C₆H₄CH₂}₃N] ^3-), was investigated toward halomethanes. This reactivity leads to the formation of the ligand-protonated metal halide species (HTriNOx^2-)M–X. To support …

“El Concilio De Buen Manejo” Spmdtu Council No. 2, Capulín, Colorado, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

From among the sixty-four local councils affiliated with the Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU), Council No. 2 at Capulín was among the earliest organized, quickly grew in membership, and was known for its attention to recordkeeping of minutes, financial ledgers, and attendance logs. The council was established around 1901, and by midcentury a history of the SPMDTU noted: “Este concilio siempre ha tenido buen manejo. Tiene buena propiedad con su propio salón y ha llegado a tener buen número de miembros.” (This council has always enjoyed good management. It has a nice property with its own …

1st Place Research Paper: "Gaps In The Academy: Evaluating Pre-Service Criminal Justice Training For Interactions With Vulnerable Populations", Rowan Eiselman

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This research investigates pre-service training for law enforcement officers (LEOs), specifically examining how current educational practices prepare them to interact with vulnerable populations, including victims, suspects, and individuals in crisis. The quality of this training is critical, as it directly shapes officer behavior, decision-making, and ethical conduct in the field (Mier, 2018). Amid heightened public scrutiny of police practices and calls for reform, the effectiveness of law enforcement education has become a central concern.

The significance of this topic is underscored by extensive research on training methodologies such as procedural justice and de-escalation, which aim to improve police-community relations and …

Divided We Stand: Exploring Public Perceptions Of Georgia’S Political System, Luka Lazishvili

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recent years have witnessed increasing concern about democratic backsliding across different regime types, raising important questions about how citizens perceive the legitimacy of political systems during periods of institutional decline. Since 2019, the Republic of Georgia has been experiencing a sustained period of political unrest, which has deepened political polarization and contributed to a decline in Georgia’s Democracy Index. This study examines how citizens perceived the legitimacy of their political system amid democratic backsliding between 2019-2024.

Drawing on legitimacy theory and social identity theory, this study analyzes three waves of cross-sectional data from the Caucasus Barometer survey (2019, 2021, and …

Rhetorical Violence: The Rhetorics Of Women's Counter Political Violence, Kylie Rowland

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Protest is omnipresent, and yet not much is known about the efficacy and impacts of its different rhetorical strategies—particularly so for marginalized populations, whose available means of protest are already limited by both material realities and assumptions that govern who and what can make waves. This bind is further exacerbated by gendered and racialized civility politics that determine which bodies can be disruptive and which already are considered “violent.” To address this gap, I turn toward the under-researched rhetorical potentials of marginalized people’s—specifically women and queer folks’—use of symbolic protest “violence,” which works to strategically make evident the larger ongoing …

An Austrian Approach To Accounting Regulation: How Policy Intervention Distorts The Market For Assurance Services, Kyan Howe

Student Scholarship

This thesis applies the causal-realist method of the Austrian School of Economics to the market for assurance services in the United States. The central argument is that post-crisis accounting regulation has systematically distorted the incentive structures of independent public accounting firms in ways regulators do not predict and cannot fully control. Financial crises, properly understood through Austrian Business Cycle Theory, originate in monetary distortions rather than market failure. Post-crisis regulatory responses nonetheless target the profession rather than the underlying distortion, introducing rules that alter the institutional constraints within which auditors exercise professional judgment.

The thesis develops a judgment-based equation of …

Faculty List

Missouri Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Varying Strength Of Parental Rights, Mark Strasser

Missouri Law Review

The United States Supreme Court has recognized that parental rights implicate fundamental interests and that statutes adversely affecting those rights require close examination. However, the Court has been inconsistent in both its analysis and results when deciding which statutes burdening parental rights nonetheless pass constitutional muster. The Court’s ambivalence and lack of clarity have made parental rights jurisprudence confused and confusing, as illustrated by the dissensus among the state supreme courts regarding which visitation statutes are constitutional. Yet, this jurisprudential quagmire cannot be blamed on one particular decision, as if a single clarification or modification could resolve the problem. Rather, …