Digital Commons Network^™

Trademarks, Functionality, And Competition, Glynn Lunney

Faculty Scholarship

Courts and commentators have long thought that the purpose of trademark and unfair competition law is to distinguish fair competition from unfair competition and prohibit the latter. Yet, trademark law has a more fundamental, more foundational purpose. Before trademark law can distinguish fair competition from unfair competition, there must first be competition. That makes ensuring competition trademark law’s highest priority. Identifying and prohibiting unfair competition becomes, by necessity, a subordinate concern. Until 1982, courts recognized this hierarchy and enforced a broad and flexible functionality limitation on trademark or trade dress protection to ensure competitive markets. In 1982, however, this changed. …

Improving Juror Comprehension: The Impact Of Simplified Instructions And Defendant Conduct Severity On Damage Awards, Alivia Mae Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Jurors in civil trials make judgments regarding liability and damages, often relying on jury instructions that are legally challenging to understand. Prior research indicates jurors frequently misunderstand standard instructions, which can contribute to legally inappropriate decisions influenced by factors such as the reprehensibility of the defendant’s conduct. The present study examined whether simplifying jury instructions would improve mock jurors’ comprehension and reduce the influence of defendant conduct on damage award decisions. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, participants received either standard or simplified jury instructions within the context of a mock civil negligence case involving either lower or …

Uncertainty And Sensitivity Analysis Of Lithium-Ion Battery Performance With Recycled Materials: A Physics-Based Computational Framework Approach, Abdurahman Ajumobi

Theses and Dissertations

The global transition to a net-zero energy economy is increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and positioning battery recycling as an essential component of future supply chains. However, recycled battery materials exhibit variability due to mixed feedstocks, heterogeneous black-mass compositions, degradation histories, and recycling processes. The resulting uncertainty in material properties can affect battery performance, yet physics-based methods for quantifying these effects remain limited.This dissertation presents a novel computational framework for uncertainty quantification (UQ) and global sensitivity analysis (GSA) of lithium-ion battery performance using recycled cathode materials. The framework combines the Doyle-Fuller-Newman (DFN) electrochemical model, implemented in PyBaMM, with a …

The Role Of Social Capital And Emotional Well-Being Among Collegiate Members Of Greek Life, Sonia Doulamis

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature has focused on the emotional well-being of collegiate students, specifically around feelings of loneliness and isolation, while trying to determine how to increase sense of belonging. There is research that demonstrates the importance of being involved in student organizations, as it can help students be successful both in college and when they graduate. The benefits of being involved in an organization also translate to retention and graduation rates. Research has demonstrated that students who are actively engaged in activities outside of the classroom are able to connect with friends and faculty members, get a better handle on campus, …

Consent Teachings In Sex Education: A Qualitative Study, Andrea Rose Doyon

Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to qualitatively explore sex educator's beliefs about sexual consent and how it is included in their sex education curricula. Additionally, how sex educators perceived their sexual education curricula and, more specifically how their students responded to information regarding sexual consent, were explored. Overall, the goal of the current study was to better understand the experiences and attitudes held by sex educators in Upper Midwestern schools regarding sexual consent information in their sex education courses, and their perceptions of what role community attitudes have on the teaching of sexual consent. This study utilized a grounded theory methodology …

Cultivating Kalo In Diaspora: A Qualitative Exploration Of Growing And Harvesting Kalo And Its Connection To Health Among Native Hawaiian Adults In The United States, Nicole Lee Kamakahiolani Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

For Native Hawaiians, kalo, known in English as taro, is more than a traditional food; it is an ancestor. As Hāloa, kalo embodies genealogy, cultural identity, and foundational relationships with ʻāina. Today, the majority of Native Hawaiians live outside of Hawaiʻi, yet little research has explored the experiences of Native Hawaiians cultivating kalo while living in the continental United States. Understanding these experiences shows how Native Hawaiians in diaspora sustain cultural practices, identity, and relationships with Hāloa and ʻāina. This descriptive qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of growing and harvesting kalo among Native Hawaiian adults living in the …

The Effects Of Deepfake Education On Detection Ability And Media Trust, Richard Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

The proliferation of AI-generated media, particularly deepfakes, has generated growing concerns regarding misinformation, media authenticity, and public trust in digital communication. This study investigates how education about deepfakes influences the ability to detect deepfake and genuine videos as well as trust in media institutions. Drawing on Inoculation Theory, media literacy research, and sociological perspectives on misinformation and trust, this research examines whether educational materials about deepfakes enhance detection abilities while simultaneously reducing trust in media. A between-subjects experimental design was employed, with 220 undergraduate participants randomly assigned to either an educational treatment condition or a control condition. Pretest measures assessed …

Pezuta: Ceremony Assisted Treatment To Promote Recovery Among American Indians, Diana Blossom Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand and describe the role of traditional ceremonies and its impact on American Indian adults’ ongoing sobriety and recovery from substance misuse. The research focuses on the perspective of those American Indian adults seeking services from a partnering Tribal-serving organization in South Dakota. A qualitative study design was applied through semi-structured focus groups to better understand relatives’ experiences of participation in ceremony and how it contributed to their recovery. Findings indicate that ceremony fostered healing and strengthened cultural resilience. This lead to recovery-oriented changes that work across cultural, relational, and individual dimensions to support recovery. Furthermore, …

Improving Health Literacy In Diagnostic Imaging For Indigenous Populations: Evaluating Practices, Integrating Policy, And Bridging Gaps, Kimberly Harn

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous populations in the United States and internationally experience persistent disparities in healthcare access, patient communication, and health outcomes, including disproportionate cancer mortality rates and inequitable engagement with diagnostic imaging services. Communication barriers, limited health literacy, historical trauma, cultural incongruence, and structural inequities reduce meaningful participation in imaging-related care and contribute to delayed diagnosis and poorer outcomes. Despite the critical role of diagnostic imaging in disease detection and clinical management, the intersection of Indigenous health, health literacy, patient communication, and cultural safety within diagnostic imaging contexts remains substantially understudied.

This applied dissertation addresses that gap through three integrated scholarly products …

Understanding Health Literacy In Confinement: Intersectional Perspectives And Criminal Justice Implications, Laura Mishne Heller

Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy, defined as the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health information, is a critical determinant of health and health equity. Although national public health initiatives emphasize improving health literacy, incarcerated populations remain largely overlooked in health literacy research despite experiencing disproportionately high rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. Using data from the 2014 U.S. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Prison Study, this dissertation examined health literacy among incarcerated adults through three sequential analyses. First, literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving measures were evaluated as proxy indicators of health …

A Descriptive Mixed Methods Case Study: A Culturally Responsive Approach To Contact Tracing By The White Mountain Apache Tribe, Kamellia Kellywood

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian and Alaska Native communities experienced disproportionate impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to better understand effective public health response strategies in tribal settings. The purpose of this convergent mixed methods case study was to examine the White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT), COVID-19 response by exploring the perceived strengths and limitations of the WMAT contact tracing program and describing temporal patterns of COVID-19 transmission in relation to tribal mitigation mandates. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 key informants involved in contact tracing and COVID-19 response efforts. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Quantitative …

Impact Of Active Learning On Student Performance In An Introductory Atmospheric Science Laboratory Course, Kassidy Danae Kjos

Theses and Dissertations

Little investigation into pedagogy in atmospheric sciences has been conducted. While numerous studies across STEM disciplines have examined and demonstrate active learning (AL) is beneficial to student performance, fewer than fifty explored atmospheric sciences specifically. This study expands upon these few existing studies by evaluating a diverse set of AL strategies implemented into introductory meteorology laboratories. Five AL techniques (Think-Pair-Share, Game-Based, Role-Playing, Diagramming, and Gallery Walks) were implemented between two semesters across multiple laboratory sections. Student performance is analyzed using the laboratory and its accompanying lecture curriculum assessments, as well as through pre- and post-tests. Results indicate students exposed to …

Bridging Relational And Institutional Accountability: A Mixed Methods Study Of Implementing Sámi Ethical Research Guidelines In Finland’S Public Health Sector, Anna Charlotta Kihlstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The Ethical Guidelines for Research Involving Sámi People in Finland represent a critical step toward ethical Indigenous research; however, a gap remains between these principles and their implementation. This study responds to a research priority identified by the Sámi Social Affairs and Health Committee and examines how ethical research guidelines can be operationalized in the collaboration between the Sámi Parliament and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed, grounded in an Indigenous research paradigm and relational accountability. Extensive community engagement was carried out as a foundational part of the research methodology. …

He AliʻI Ka ʻĀina; He Kauwā Ke Kanaka (The Land Is Chief; Man Is Its Servant): A Qualitative Study Investigating The Importance Of Sacred Spaces And Native Land In The Health Of Native Hawaiians, Natalie Lai Jun Liz Makalapuaikekehau Lau

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative study aimed to understand Native Hawaiian perceptions on the relationship between land, sacred spaces, and overall health. The research sought to understand how impacts, changes, land access, desecration, and land loss impacts the health of Native Hawaiians across multiple areas. Background: Native Hawaiians have a deep connection with their land as they believe it to be a relative and an ancestor. Native Hawaiians experience several different health disparities, and these disparities could be caused by several different factors including but not limited to loss of land, sacred spaces, historical trauma, racism, and environmental injustices. Method: Three virtual …

Deep Learning For Lithium-Ion Battery Status Monitoring: Robust State-Of-Charge And Trustworthy State-Of-Health Estimation, Mingwei Lei

Theses and Dissertations

In electric vehicle and energy storage applications, the reliable operation of safety-critical battery management systems (BMS) relies on accurate, real-time estimation of the state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH). Although data-driven methods show great potential, their practical application is primarily constrained by two major challenges. First, battery operation under real-world conditions involves continuously varying factors—such as temperature, aging stages, and dynamic cell characteristics—making it impossible to exhaustively cover all scenarios during laboratory data collection. This discrepancy often leads to a significant decline in estimation performance due to the domain shift problem. Second, engineering practice requires a balance …

Intragroup Marginalization, Multiracial Identity Development, And Subjective Well-Being: A Qualitative Analysis, Anna Kim Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

To date, there is little research on the relationship between multiracial identity, marginalization, and well-being, particularly research investigating whether identity can have a positive impact on well-being. The current study used live, semi-structured interviews and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to aggregate the narratives of nine multiracial participants to explore their lived experiences of intragroup marginalization, multiracial identity development and integration, and well-being. Within the frames of the Intersectional Model of Multiracial Identity and Social Identity Model, five superordinate themes emerged across participants: (1) early racial meaning-making and internalized tension; (2) developing and negotiating a multiracial identity; (3) seeking and constructing …

Molecular And Cellular Mechanisms Of Neuromodulators In The Regulation Of Neural Activities And Memories In The Hippocampal Formation, Chidiebele Sharon Oraegbuna

Theses and Dissertations

The dentate gyrus (DG) and medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) are critical regions of the limbic system involved in spatial navigation, pattern separation, neurogenesis, learning and memory, and mood regulation. Alterations within the DG circuitry have been implicated in cognitive impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and temporal lobe epilepsy. Disruption in the MEC is associated with the onset of AD pathology, temporal lobe epilepsy and schizophrenia. The roles of the DG and MEC in health and disease are mediated by their precise cellular activity. The main neurons of the DG are the glutamatergic granule cells (GCs) and …

Testing The Efficacy Of A Non-Invasive, Epidermal, Marker-Based Method For Conducting X-Ray Reconstruction Of Moving Morphology (Xromm) On A Cadaver Chicken, Brian Skillman

Theses and Dissertations

X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM) is widely used to understand the kinematics of living organisms. The first of two standard methods for utlizing XROMM is to surgically implant X-ray dense markers within the bones of interest and euthanize the subject at the conclusion of testing, referred altogether as marker-based. The other standard, known Scientific Rotoscoping, or markerless, involves using thorough videography of the subject and manual bone orientation within the data collection program. These standards both pose unique issues, such as post-surgery complications for marker-based and time constraints for markerless. We investigate an intermediate method for utilizing XROMM involving …

Attachment Security And Sexual Compliance: Implications For Mental Health And Relationship Outcomes, Kimberly Tom

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual compliance is defined as consenting to sexual acts despite not wanting to have sex. Even though sexual compliance behavior has been associated with a multitude of adverse outcomes, it remains an understudied sexual behavior. Previous research has suggested people with insecure attachment (i.e., avoidant, anxious, and disorganized attachment styles) may be more likely to engage in sexual compliance than their securely attached counterparts. Results from the current study found attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance, significantly predicted sexual compliance behavior. Gender and generalized anxiety symptoms also emerged as significant predictors of sexual compliance behavior. This study also sought to …

Beyond Execution: Managerial Attributes For Successful Experiential Marketing, Joann Imosi Emale

All Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between what consumers value in experiential marketing events and the managerial competencies organizations seek when hiring experiential marketing roles. As brands increasingly compete on emotional and sensory engagement, the experiential marketing manager has become central to execution, yet the role remains loosely defined, and the skills it demands are rarely tied to what audiences respond to. This research addressed that gap by asking which event attributes consumers prized most, which respondent characteristics shaped those preferences, and what competencies employers asked for when they hired the managers who built these experiences.

Survey data were collected from …

Why They Stay: Career Development, Personal Growth, And The Retention Of Higher Education General Staff, Ursula Brady

All Dissertations

Higher education general staff (HEGS) are critical to the operational continuity and institutional success of U.S. colleges and universities, yet their retention remains a persistent challenge. While faculty development has received sustained attention, HEGS have historically lacked equivalent access to career advancement and personal growth opportunities. This study examined how perceived access to career development and personal growth opportunities was associated with job satisfaction and turnover intention among HEGS and tested whether job satisfaction mediated these relationships. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, this study hypothesized that career development and personal growth would predict turnover intention both directly …

Deep Conditioned: Unpacking Hair Bias In Perceived Professionalism And Its Implications For Hiring Of Black Women, Christine Hill

All Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between Black women’s hairstyles and their perceived professionalism and the willingness to accept them. Using a two-study design, Study 1 identified differences in perceptions of professionalism across four hairstyles: straight hair, Afrocentric style, afro, and locs. The results showed a statistically significant difference between straight hair and afro, with straight hair rated as more professional. Study 2 examined whether applicant capital, the position’s industry, and evaluator characteristics influenced these perceptions as well as the willingness to hire Black women. The findings indicated that differences in perceived professionalism are influenced by industry and exposure to Black …

Essays On Firm-Level Political Risk, Addback Statutes, And Corporate Decisions, Obed Nana Buadi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation comprises three chapters examining how political risk and tax enforcement shape corporate investment decisions and firm value. The first essay investigates how firm-level political risk affects investment efficiency among U.S. firms. Using 40,215 firm-year observations spanning 2002-2022 and exploiting the Hassan et al. (2019) political risk index as a firm-specific measure, we find that political risk reduces investment efficiency exclusively through underinvestment - a one-standard-deviation increase corresponds to approximately $5.7 million in foregone annual investment for a median firm. Mediation analysis confirms that precautionary cash hoarding accounts for 31.8% of the effect, establishing uncertainty - rather than capital …

Prevention Vs Detection: A Discrete-Event Simulation Assessment Of Inspection Staffing, Pick-To-Light, And Ai-Based Inspection In Aerospace Wire Harness Kitting, Jorge Mares

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Aerospace wire harness manufacturing operates under conditions that standard industrial engineering methods were not designed to address. Volumes are low, configurations change between orders, assembly is performed manually by certified labor that cannot be expanded quickly, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 acceptance requires that every unit be verified rather than sampled. Kit assembly concentrates the resulting risk, because each item retrieved from the rack is an independent selection decision, and the attributes distinguishing a correct item from an incorrect one are frequently not visible to the operator. Errors introduced there are discovered downstream, after substantial certified labor has been invested. A …

Unsupervised Learning For Minimum Error Adaptive Sampling Of Atmospheric Vertical Temperature Profiles, Alejandro Medina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) collect atmospheric data on fixed schedules, and endurance limits make blind searching costly. This thesis develops an unsupervised representation that summarizes a multi-decade radiosonde archive into a compact library of atmospheric states, giving a UAS an expectation of the column before it flies. The method standardizes both axes of a profile against the sounding's own surface conditions, which makes the representation independent of season and of station elevation. Applied to 27,270 soundings from Norman, Oklahoma, over the lowest 1.5 km of the atmosphere, 12 representative profiles reconstruct the record to within 1.0 °C of mean absolute …

From Screening To Risk: Assessment Of Potentially Toxic Elements In Children's Toys Along The El Paso, Tx, U.S.A.-Ciudad Juarez, Chih, Mex Border Region, Jesus Rodriguez-Loya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Children are uniquely vulnerable to potentially toxic elements (PTEs), absorbing them more readily than adults and encountering them through the hand-to-mouth behaviors of early childhood. Exposure carries element-specific consequences: lead (Pb) impairs cognitive development with no established safe threshold; cadmium (Cd) damages the kidneys and reduces bone mineralization; arsenic (As) is a recognized carcinogen and developmental neurotoxicant; hexavalent chromium (Cr) is carcinogenic and induces allergic dermatitis; nickel (Ni) is the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis in children; and excess zinc (Zn) disrupts copper absorption and causes gastrointestinal distress. Toys are a distinctive source of such exposure, yet none had …

"Fenomeno Frontera:" Family Language Policy As Lived Experience At The U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, Alejandra Sanmiguel-Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Family language policy (FLP) research expands the understanding of how families' language ideologies, language management, and language practices shape children's bilingual development. However, limited research has examined these processes among transfronterizo families living along the U.S.-México border. This qualitative narrative inquiry explores how transfronterizo families describe and negotiate their family language policies and how these policies relate to their experiences in the borderland, including their relationships with schools. Guided by family language policy and borderlands theory, this dissertation employs Seidman's (2006) three-interview series with five transfronterizo mothers raising children enrolled in dual language programs in the El Paso, Texas, region. …

A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis Of Texas History Curriculum Discourse, Maribel Santoyo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how race, citizenship, nation-building, and belonging are constructed across Texas history curriculum discourse. Grounded in Fairclough's three-dimensional model of discourse, Machin and Mayr's (2012) multimodal framework, Weedon's (1987) theory of subjectivity, Foucault's (1980) concept of power/knowledge, and Anderson's (1983) concept of imagined communities, the study investigates how official curriculum texts shape the histories students are invited to know and the civic identities they are invited to inhabit. Findings suggest that the Texas history TEKS, SB3, and Texas history textbooks for Grades 4 and 7 work together as an interconnected discourse system through which official knowledge is …

Funding Traditional Best Practices: Exploring The Impacts Of Multidimensional Funding Through The Centers Of Disease Control And Prevention's (Cdc) Healthy Tribes Project, Hannah Lorraine Youngdeer

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the experiences of Health Tribes recipients managing or participatingin more than one funding opportunity provided through the CDC Healthy Tribes program; offering an opportunity to share successes and challenges in multidimensional funding management, program implementation, and impacts, as well as recommendations for funders and other American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This qualitative study used document analysis and a focus group, with data analyzed using deductive thematic analysis to identify patterns and develop themes.

The findings highlight methods of funding management and factors, such as organizational structures, that drive the organization of funding management. The findings also …

A Causal Inference Protocol For Root-Cause Diagnosis In Non-Stationary Industrial Time Series, Cansu Yalim

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Industrial fault diagnosis increasingly relies on data-driven methods, yet most approaches assume process stationarity and treat association-based rankings as sufficient evidence for root-cause identification. Neither assumption holds when operating phases and fault progression create distinct behavioral regimes with shifting relationships among variables, and neither answers which feasible corrective action would alter a fault trajectory. The absence of a procedure addressing non-stationarity, causal identifiability, and decision-relevant effect estimation constitutes the gap this dissertation targets. In this context, a regime is a time period in which the process operates under a relatively consistent setting, so the relationships among variables are approximately stable …