Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy Of Ethical Data: An Analytical Study By, Lamar Gebara

Theses

As artificial intelligence and machine learning models become increasingly embedded in decision-making systems across industries, questions about the ethical sourcing of data have grown more pressing; model performance relies heavily on vast, diverse datasets, many of which are harvested without consent, transparency, or equitable representation. This study aims to compare analytics outcomes (accuracy, bias, fairness, and explainability) between ethically sourced and unethically sourced datasets. Using CRISP-DM methodology, the study will develop matched classification models on both dataset types, evaluate their performance and fairness using open-source tools such as Fairlearn and AIF360, and assess broader implications for trust, accountability, and regulatory …

Perceptual Evaluation Of Deep Learning Models For Hdr Reconstruction Under Severe Overexposure, Alireza Rabbanifar

Theses

Overexposure in imaging systems leads to irreversible loss of scene information due to sensor saturation, resulting in degraded perceptual quality and limited dynamic range. While recent deep learning approaches have shown promising results in correcting mild to moderate overexposure, their performance under severe overexposure and their perceptual quality in HDR image generation remain less understood. In this work, a comparative evaluation of four representative models—Multi-Scale Exposure Correction (MSEC), Illumination-Adaptive Transformer (IAT), LEDiff, and X2HDR—is conducted across multiple scenes and levels of overexposure, with particular emphasis on severe overexposure conditions. The evaluation focuses on the perceptual quality of the reconstructed HDR …

Black Labor Matters, Michael Z. Green

Faculty Scholarship

Black and organized workers increasingly find themselves threatened by two key outside forces: one seeking to stop anti-racism efforts via diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and the other curtailing employees’ union organizing. This Article argues that a response must be grounded in uniquely local strategies by two specific worker coalitions. One coalition–the New Black Workers Movement (NBWM)–arose from Black Lives Matter civil rights protests in 2020 that captivated the workplace and heightened awareness about anti-Blackness and concerns of systemic racism. The other coalition–the New Labor Workers Movement (NLWM)–developed in 2020 as a workplace response to a global pandemic that …

Climate Lies And Unjust Profits, Vanessa Casado-Pérez, Yotam Kaplan, Yael Lifshitz, Niv Meyerson

Faculty Scholarship

The climate crisis has reached a perilous tipping point. Our entrenched reliance on fossil fuels remains unchecked, as fossil fuel corporations wield their power to block meaningful reform and entrench their profits. The political horizon offers little relief—an incoming administration is poised to dismantle vital environmental protections, stripping away the few safeguards that stand between us and climate catastrophe.

In this grim landscape, communities across the nation are turning to the courts with renewed urgency, seeking justice and reform through climate litigation. Yet past efforts have fallen short, stymied by two formidable barriers. First, by centering on greenhouse gas emissions …

Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover: Using State Constitutions To Escape The Dead Hand Of Article V, Meg Penrose

Faculty Scholarship

Thomas Jefferson believed that “the earth always belongs to the living generation.” His constitutional approach would empower twenty-first century Americans to decide twenty-first century problems regularly determined by the United States Supreme Court. Article V, the formal method for constitutional change, seemingly relegates these decisions to the Supreme Court because amending the federal Constitution is nearly impossible.

Unfortunately, our fixation on federal constitutional law often eclipses the power of state constitutional law. State constitutions balance our relatively static federal Constitution with responsive state governments. There is no need to debate what the Framers thought about modern issues when Americans can …

Court-Stripping, Court-Packing, And Court Defying: Revisiting The Supreme Court’S Essential Functions, Curtis A. Bradley, Neil S. Siegel

Faculty Scholarship

The "essential functions thesis" is one of the most famous structural arguments in the field of federal courts. The thesis, which has been endorsed by a number of prominent scholars and the executive branch, posits that there are implicit, structural limits on Congress's authority to "strip" the Supreme Court of its appellate jurisdiction. Court-stripping, the thesis contends, is not allowed if it would undermine the essential functions of the Court-in particular, maintaining the supremacy and uniformity of federal law. In this Article, we revisit that thesis with three goals in mind. First, we aim to show that the structural arguments …

Reflections On The Use And Misuse Of Economic Analysis In Copyright, Glynn Lunney

Faculty Scholarship

Economic analysis has long been used to justify copyright regulation. Long before the Statute of Anne, the Stationer’s Guild told the story of the copying competitor, who in the absence of regulation, would copy every original book and offer it for less. In the story, the coping competitor would, in the absence of regulation, deprive the original author of an opportunity to recoup their authorship investment, and so lead to a world where no books at all would be published. To ensure sufficient incentives for authorship, some degree of copyright regulation was thought essential. At the same time, in the …

Lisa A. Goodman, Lisa A. Goodman

Faculty CVs

No abstract provided.

Redefining An Icon: Stadium Integration Into The Urban Center To Promote Community Engagement, Culture, And Identity In Dallas, Texas, Brandon Lee Peterson

Architecture Theses

This thesis is an exploration into how stadium design can foster community engagement, cultural identity, and urban vibrancy in the United States. While many American stadiums often remain isolated from the urban fabric, located on city outskirts or suburbs and used solely for events, European models demonstrate the value of walkable, accessible, and integrated stadiums within mixed-use neighborhoods. Through a multidisciplinary review of urban design theory, economic factors, and programming needs, this research highlights the limitations of current U.S. stadium developments, such as issues of accessibility and underutilized public investment. Using a proposed downtown Dallas soccer stadium, the thesis offers …

Creative Placemaking: Using Makerspace Infrastructure To Support Circular Communities, Grace Dejong

Architecture Theses

This thesis investigates how makerspaces can function as critical social and economic infrastructure within processes of urban regeneration, particularly in post-industrial contexts. Drawing from creative placemaking scholarship, and quantitative and qualitative data on entrepreneurship and making cultures, the research examines making as both a cultural practice and an economic catalyst. Centered on a vacant industrial infill site, the project explores how spaces for production, learning, and gathering can support creative labor, small-scale manufacturing, and community resilience. By bridging societal issues with architectural application, the thesis addresses gaps between discussions of creativity, sustainability, and their spatial implementation. Through an integrated program …

Building On Memory: Towards A Digital Future Informed By Historical Theory, Lucas Laskow

Architecture Theses

This project synthesizes 2,000 years of architectural theory to establish an ethical framework for integrating artificial intelligence into contemporary design. The research culminates in “The Chandler,” demonstrating how AI can enhance, rather than replace, human-driven spatial and cultural values.

The assertion that human design is inherently superior to artificial intelligence relies on the flawed premise that intuitive leaps outweigh data-driven synthesis. Rather than diminishing the architect’s role, the evolution of AI demands that designers become ethical interpreters who ask the right questions. This project investigates how past architectural theorists, from Vitruvius’s foundational triad to Bruce Allsopp’s humanist return, provide a …

Sanctuary: Caring For The Whole Person In A Fragmented World, Hazel Elizabeth Chvatal

Architecture Theses

Drawing especially upon the writings of Alberto Perez-Gomez, this thesis claims that today’s built environment neglects social and spiritual wellbeing. Efficiency and productivity take priority over meaning and wellbeing, and many spaces fail to provide any context about relationship to a larger reality. Taking inspiration from the traditions of Benedictine monks and nuns, this architecture thesis proposes ritual as a means to invite participation and emphasize connection. A design process of artefactual making grounds the embodied experience in layers of authentic cultural, historical, and scientific realities. Through a layered, narrative-driven design approach, this thesis seeks to address social and spiritual …

Architecture As A Camera: Utilizing Photographic Principles To Tell Stories Through Design, Ryan Gabriel Scherf

Architecture Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between memory, photography, and architecture as a framework for spatial design, framing memory as a fragmented phenomenon contingent upon light and time. Drawing on the theoretical work of Goffi, Barthes, and Bordeleau, it positions architecture as a temporal montage in which meaning emerges through layered absences, material “puncta,” and the interpretive gaps between fragments. Situated at the Botallack Mines in England, the project explores the intersection of photographic logic and industrial ruin by treating the site’s extractive history as a series of active fragments. Through compressed volumes and curated views, it translates photographic principles into …

Threads Of Recovery: Transforming Youth Residential Treatment Centers, Kathryn Fitzsimmons

Architecture Theses

This thesis explores how architecture can support adolescent mental health treatment through the design of a residential treatment center for youth ages ten to eighteen experiencing mental health crises. In response to increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among adolescents, the project examines the relationship between the built environment and emotional well being. The research critiques the legacy of the troubled teen industry, where institutional architecture often reinforced isolation and control rather than healing. Drawing from environmental psychology and analysis, the project proposes an alternative campus centered on safety, reflection, and community. The design, titled Threads of Recovery, …

Integrating Emotional Intelligence Into Interpreter Training: A Syllabi Analysis And Curriculum Review Framework, Caroline Lynn Becker

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs) incorporate emotionalintelligence (EI) into their curricula. To examine how these competencies are addressed, this study analyzed course syllabi from accredited four-year interpreter education programs using a structured review protocol. Syllabi from Collegiate Commission on Interpreter Education- accredited programs at both public and private institutions were included. Findings indicate that EI is rarely named, explicitly taught, or formally assessed within course descriptions or assignments. While many programs include components aligned with EI domains, such as ethics instruction, supervision, cultural engagement, and reflective practice, these elements are embedded implicitly rather than framed as …

Geochemical Modeling Of Co2 Sequestration In Saline Aquifer: Broom Creek Saline Aquifer, Lawrence Chima Asouzu

Theses and Dissertations

Geological carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers is widely regarded as a critical technology for mitigating anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. This dissertation presents a formation-specific, kinetically constrained reactive transport modelling study of CO₂ storage performance in the Broom Creek Formation, a quartz- and feldspar-dominated saline aquifer in the Williston Basin, North Dakota.

A high-resolution geological model was constructed in Petrel using well logs, well tops, and Sorensen’s permeability correlation, then exported via RESCUE file into CMG GEM for dynamic reactive transport simulation. The base-case scenario involved injection of CO₂ at 15 MMScf/day for one year, followed by 199 years of post-injection …

Numerical Verification Of A Gpu-Accelerated Particle-In-Cell Code For Low-Temperature Plasma Simulations, Wei Guo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the numerical verification of Comet, a GPU-accelerated Particle-in-Cell with Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) code designed for low-temperature plasma simulations. To ensure efficient deployment across heterogeneous computing architectures, the framework leverages the Kokkos performance-portability layer for high-performance execution. Verification was conducted through a series of hierarchical stages with increasing physical complexity, benchmarking each component of the fundamental PIC/MCC simulation cycle. This structured approach establishes the numerical fidelity of the code's algorithmic building blocks prior to its application in predictive plasma research.

The first stage verifies field interpolation and particle pusher modules against canonical single-particle cases, focusing on ion …

Comprehensive Analytical Approaches To Biophysical And Hard Matter Systems, Carlos Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

In this work we define the methods and experimental techniques that are used in the synthesis, characterization, and development of biophysical and hard matter systems. These efforts encompass six principal areas: Comprehensive characterization of pathogenic bacteria, development of novel chemical methods for probing binding affinities in cellular systems, understanding the electronic properties of silicon/silicon dioxide interfaces, characterization of catalytic perovskite oxide materials, and lastly, heteroepitaxial growth of vanadium nitride thin films on the silicon nitride surface.The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) causes an infection with diverse clinical outcomes, which can include arthritis as well as cardiac and neurological …

High-Penetrance Rare Variants Underlying Familial Lung Cancer Risk: Insights From Genetic Epidemiology Of Lung Cancer Consortium, Yanhong Liu, Yafang Li, Jinyoung Byun, Vikram R Shaw, Claudio Pikielny, Bo Peng, Chao Cheng, Spiridon Tsavachidis, Xiangjun Xiao, Dakai Zhu, Younghun Han, Ivan P Gorlov, Olga Y Gorlova, Michael Cole, Colette R Gaba, Erin L Crawford, Kristen Purrington, Ellen L Goode, Ping Yang, James Mckay, John K Field, Geoffrey Liu, Rayjean J Hung, Jun Xia, Jiyeon Choi, Matthew B Schabath, Jaclyn Lopiccolo, David C Christiani, Joan Bailey-Wilson, Ann G Schwartz, James C Willey, Diptasri Mandal, Susan M Pinney, Christopher I Amos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Rare, deleterious germline variants are key contributors to inherited lung cancer (LC) risk. The Genetic Epidemiology of LC Consortium (GELCC) has curated valuable high-risk LC families and is uniquely positioned to uncover rare, high-penetrance variants underlying familial LC (FLC).

Methods: We performed whole-genome and exome sequencing on germline DNA from 120 high-risk LC families (177 FLC cases, 309 unaffected relatives). We prioritized rare (allele frequency < 1% in the genome aggregation database), potentially deleterious variants present in two or more FLC cases. These variants were then validated in 10,085 sporadic LC (SLC) cases and 612,970 controls.

Results: We identified 118 candidate variants, 28 of which were validated in SLC with strong statistical support. We discovered a novel pathogenic axis of three truncating variants in GALNT6, MUC4, and ERBB3 genes, which …

"Am I A Man Or A Muppet": A Rhetorical Analysis Of Generative Ai’S Representation Of Gender, Jessica Boaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how generative artificial intelligence constructs and performs gender roles through a rhetorical analysis of the fully AI-generated podcast Fairytale Forensics. Drawing on theories of constitutive rhetoric, stereotyping, and McLuhan’s approach to the medium, this thesis investigates how AI-generated hosts interpret classic fairy tales while simultaneously reproducing and negotiating gender norms through the lens of prosopopoeia, metonymy and synecdoche. These performances rely on normative gender stereotypes that align with broader societal expectations, thereby potentially reinforcing existing cultural assumptions about masculinity and femininity. Ultimately, it demonstrates that AI-generated discourse does not merely reflect human biases but actively participates in …

Reading The Wisdom Of Psalm 37 Through The Lens Of Metaphor And Lament, Hannah N. Johanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes that reading Ps 37 through the lens of both metaphor and lament can reshape the way the reader understands the reality of evil, fostering hope and agency. While Ps 37 is often classified as a wisdom psalm, this thesis diverges from the interpretation that this psalm is a list of proverbs. Instead, this thesis attempts to show that Ps 37 forms a metaphorical landscape where evil withers, vanishes, and is cut off while goodness thrives and is secured forever. This thesis also places this psalm in dialogue with two poems that engage Ps 37 from a post-Shoah …

Cultivating Diversity: Investigating Hispanic College Students’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Amid The U.S. Teacher Shortage Crisis, Daniela Andrea Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of Hispanic teachers in U.S. public education remains a significant concern as Hispanic students comprise a growing proportion of the K–12 population. Despite this demographic shift, the educator’s workforce has not reflected the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students it serves. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore first- and second-year Hispanic college students’ perceptions of teaching as a profession and to examine how their educational and personal experiences influenced their career interests. The study was informed by social cognitive career theory and culturally relevant teaching theory to better understand how self-efficacy, outcome expectations, …

Navigating The Shift: Supporting Health Sciences Faculty Transitioning From Industry To Asynchronous Online Education, Joshua D. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory study examined how new online instructors in the health sciences division of a North Texas community college experienced institutional onboarding and professional development as they transitioned from industry roles into asynchronous online teaching. As community colleges expand online instruction to meet the needs of nontraditional learners, many health sciences faculty enter academic roles with strong clinical expertise but limited preparation in online pedagogy. Guided by the community of inquiry framework and self-efficacy theory, this study explored instructors’ perceptions of their preparedness for asynchronous teaching; the instructional challenges they encountered, particularly related to student engagement; and the types …

The Social Seam: Combating Social Isolation Through Architecture, Elissa Hammrich

Architecture Theses

A lack of walkable environments and well-supported public spaces has created a crisis of social disconnection across the United States. Historically, dating back to the public squares of ancient Greece, the public realm was a place of communal ritual from which citizens drew their primary identity. Today, however, modern cities are driven by commerce and technology, rapidly losing the genuine spaces that create face-to-face human interaction. By prioritizing the efficient movement of vehicles and goods over human connection, it has left behind fractured, isolated communities.

This thesis explores architectural strategies to combat this social isolation, focusing specifically on the Near …

The Phenomenology Of Home: Exploring The Interlinked Relationships Between Dwelling And Domestic Architecture, George Martin Grunklee

Architecture Theses

This thesis explores the concept of home from a phenomenological perspective to inform a communication method and design process for domestic architecture. While “home” holds multiple meanings, this study traces the phenomenological relation between human’s embedded existence and place—to understand home as a condition shaped by the lived experiences of its inhabitants. The aim of this thesis is to understand how the design of domestic architecture is intrinsically linked to dwelling and to the accumulation of lived experiences.

The thesis critically engages phenomenology in architectural practice by exploring case studies which exhibit and foster the concept of home. Frank Lloyd …

Beyond The Battlefield: Architecture As A Path To Veteran Recovery, Alexandria Hamman

Architecture Theses

For many United States veterans, the transition home is not a return to stability, but the beginning of a new and often unseen mental health challenges. This thesis explores the role of architecture in supporting the recovery and reintegration of United States veterans facing mental health challenges and homelessness. Existing mental health and transitional housing facilities are often sterile and institutional, overlooking the impact of the built environment on psychological well-being. This project proposes a combined transitional housing and mental health rehabilitation facility designed to reduce the stigma of veterans needing help, promote stability, and help reintegrate them into a …

Attitudes, Behaviors, And Co-Workers Influence Of Those Who Provide Mental Health Support Services To Refugees And Immigrants., Irene Boamah

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS, AND CO-WORKERS INFLUENCE OF THOSE WHO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES TO REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS

Irene A. Boamah

April 3, 2026

Refugees and immigrants face a variety of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Despite these mental health issues, there is limited research examining the attitudes, behaviors and coworkers’ influence on those who provide mental health support services to this population. This study examines the relationships between the demographic and professional characteristics of mental health support service providers in Kentucky and the stigmas they may have toward refugees and immigrants.

A cross-sectional …

Efficacy Of Implicit Bias Training Within The Hazel Park Police Department, Luke Londo

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Among the many desired outcomes for uniformed police officers who undergo implicit bias training is a reduction in the level of discriminatory conduct related to such biases. Current research on the subject offers mixed results, and nearly all existing studies do not provide an empirical measurement of efficacy or other outcomes beyond officer sentiment. This case study examines and measures the impact of implicit bias trainings, which is a requirement for officers within the Hazel Park Police Department in Michigan, prior and subsequent to certification by using raw and sustained complaints of discriminatory conduct allegedly perpetrated by Hazel Park police …

Improving And Maintaining Public Trust In Law Enforcement: A Qualitative Case Study Of The Northville Township Police Department, Christopher Bachand

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Public trust is a key component of effective law enforcement. While historically cyclical, trust in American law enforcement agencies has trended downward in recent years following several high-profile use of force incidents. In response, many agencies have begun incorporating new theories and models into their policies and procedures aimed at increasing public trust. This capstone paper draws upon the relevant literature surrounding these theories and conducts a qualitative case study of the Northville Township Police Department. This agency consistently achieved above-average levels of confidence from its community members by incorporating these theories using a hybrid-synthesis policy implementation approach. This paper …

Public Safety Policy In Michigan’S Rural Upper Peninsula: Collective Efficacy, Youth Engagement, And Prevention, Christopher J. Reynolds

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Rural communities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face unique public safety concerns due to resource limitations and geographic isolation. Small townships and cities lack sufficient funding and personnel to respond effectively to emergencies across large land areas. By building stronger families and communities, rural areas can prevent public safety concerns through preventative strategies, rather than reactive strategies that focus on incarceration. Through strengthening social networks and providing programs for youth to build leadership skills and good character, public safety will become a part of daily life in rural areas and not just a reaction to negative situations.