Digital Commons Network^™

Fiber Orientation Effects In 3d Printed Composites, Chloe Melendez

IdeaFest 2026

This project investigated how fiber orientation affects stiffness in 3D-printed fiber-reinforced composites made with consumer-grade printers. Tensile specimens were printed with fibers aligned at 0°, 45°, and 90° and tested to measure Young’s modulus. Experimental results were compared with micromechanical models, including the Rule of Mixtures and Halpin–Tsai equations. An interactive Mathematica simulation was also developed to predict mechanical behavior, providing an accessible tool and open-source data for education and composite design.

Modern Consumption: Digital Media And Food Intake In Young Adults, Norah Mieloch

IdeaFest 2026

This poster explores how digital media influences food engagement in terms of what we eat and why, how hormonal hunger and satiety cues may be impacted by screens during mealtime, how media content targets certain food behaviors (intentional and not), and meal appreciation. In learning about the impacts of digital media consumption alongside food consumption, the audience will understand the effects on their health and how screens change their brain chemistry - hopefully allowing them to make an educated decision of whether or not to engage in media while eating.

Fad Diets Or Bad Diets?, Walker Dorris

IdeaFest 2026

A literature review on fad diets and their effectiveness and sustainability with regard to weight loss and overall health.

The Mechanical-Human Mismatch: Fatigue And Injury Prevention In Motocross, Mark Rivas

IdeaFest 2026

A research project into the risks and causes of injury in the sport of motocross. The research is focused on how the athlete can be better prepared through sport specific training for better technique and other factors. The sport specific training can be developed through the perspective of a physical therapist to develop more durable athletes. With more research the perspective can be utilized in the set-up of the equipment on the motorcycle and the protective equipment riders use can be made safer. The practices and methods used by PT's could be very valuable to the growth of the sport …

Emergent Disorder Induced Transport In Active Matter Systems, Josh Steimel

IdeaFest 2026

Creating randomized obstacles for magnetic particles to traverse in varying magnetic fields in hopes of finding immerging patterns. Responsible for creating CAD files in large quantities and making functional resin prints with obstacles on the micro-scale.

Effect Of Hydration Pack Load Carrying Configuration On Trail Running Energetics And Performance, Ryan Giglio

IdeaFest 2026

Lit Review for KINS 492W Senior Seminar, looking at the effects of hydration pack configuration on metabolic cost/energetics in trail running.

Methods For Degradation Of Pla-Quinoa Composites, Rafael Bernard

IdeaFest 2026

Polylactic acid (PLA) composites were created by integrating quinoa chaff that had been refluxed in a toluene and ethanol solution, with differing ratios of the chaff. These composites underwent testing such as bomb calorimetry, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, water uptake, water contact angle & degredation, antioxidant assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A cellulase enzyme was also purified from E-Coli bacteria for use in degradation studies. Current tests indicate that the refluxing of raw chaff increases homogeniztion of composites, which in turn allows for the increase of certain physical properties as well as increased degredation. This gives promising results concerning the …

From Textbook To Treatment: Designing And Building A Bench-Scale Drinking Water Treatment System, Neeshelle Jaimes

IdeaFest 2026

In Humboldt County, California, the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD) draws source water from the Mad River aquifer via Ranney Collectors, where natural filtration produces high-quality water that is disinfected prior to distribution to the cities of Arcata, McKinleyville, Eureka, Blue Lake and Manila. As a result, there is no conventional surface water treatment plant in the area for environmental engineering and water science students at Cal Poly Humboldt to visit and learn from. To address this lack of visibility, we developed a bench-scale demonstration water treatment plant for Dr. Yacob Tesfayohanes’ drinking water treatment course.This project scales down …

From Clumsy To Capable: Improving Awareness And Care For Developmental Coordination Disorder In Children, Mallory Akers

IdeaFest 2026

This project analyzing the effectiveness of current interventions and brings awareness to current lack of care for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. It compares current diagnosis measures like MABC,TGMD-2, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test with interventions to give background of where we are currently to streamline care for the future. Findings show that Neuromotor task training (NTT) and CO-OP interventions are most effective in improving quality of care. Results suggest for improving this problem we can educate health professionals more in the subject and improve diagnosis streamline, implement more school based additional therapies to increase access to care, and improve parents involvement in …

N Y State Dent J January 2026

The New York State Dental Journal

In the January 2026 issue, the reader will find the following feature articles:

• No Need to Travel the Road to Licensure Renewal Alone
• IPS Subperiosteal Implant for the Maxilla and Mandible
• Amyloidoma of the Palate
• Titanium Hypersensitivity as Possible Cause of Dental Implant Failures

This issue includes regular columns with regional news impacting the New York membership including editorial and perspectives columns, legal, association activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

A Complete Diploid Human Genome Benchmark For Personalized Genomics, Nancy F. Hansen, Nathan Dwarshuis, Hyun Joo Ji, Arang Rhie, Hailey Loucks, Glennis A. Logsdon, Mitchell R. Vallger, Jessica M. Storer, Juhyun Kim, Eleni Adam, Nicolas Alternose, Dmitry Antipov, Mobin Asri, Sofia Barreira, Stephanie C. Bohaczuk, Andrey V. Bzikadze, Sara A. Carioscia, Andrew Carroll, Kuan-Hao Chao, Yanan Chu, Arun Das, Peter Ebert, Adam English, Mark Fleharty, Laura E. Fleming, Giulio Formenti, Andrea Guarracino, Gabrielle A. Hartley, Katharine Jenike, Jenna Kalleberg, Yu Kang, Robert King, Josipa Lipovac, Mira Mastoras, Matthew W. Mitchell, Shloka Negi, Nathan D. Olson, Keisuke K. Oshima, Luis F. Paulin, Brandon D. Pickett, David Porubsky, Jane Ranchalis, Desh Ranjan, Mikko Rautiainen, Harold Riethman, Robert D. Schnabel, Fritz J. Sedlazeck, Kishwar Shafin, Mile Sikic, Steven J. Solar, Alexander P. Sweeten, Winston Timp, Justin Wagner, Dongahn Yoo, Ying Zhou, Erik Garrison, Evan E. Eichler, Michaeel C. Schatz, Andrew B. Stergachis, Rachel J. O'Neill, Karen H. Miga, Steven L. Salzberg, Sergey Koren, Justin M. Zook, Adam M. Phillippy

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Human genome sequencing typically relies on mapping reads to a reference genome to call variants, but this approach introduces technical biases, excluding duplicated and structurally polymorphic regions of the genome. To overcome this, we present a telomere-to-telomere genome benchmark with near-perfect accuracy across 99.4% of the diploid HG002 genome. This benchmark adds 701.4 Mb of autosomal sequence and both sex chromosomes (216.8 Mb), which were absent from prior benchmarks. We annotated genes and repeats on both haplotypes, including 19,956 protein-coding genes on the maternal haplotype and 19,190 on the paternal haplotype, and developed new methods to measure the accuracy of …

Strategic Peer Region Selection For Economic Development, Xiaobing Shuai, Riley Ford

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

Benchmarking against peer and aspirational regions is essential for economic development because it provides meaningful context for evaluating performance and shaping strategy. These comparisons help highlight regional advantages that attract new investments, as well as uncover gaps that may represent opportunities for future growth. ...

This article provides a practical, data-driven framework that economic development organizations can use to identify peer and aspirational regions, strengthen benchmarking efforts, and support strategy development. A case study illustrates how this can be applied to better interpret economic indicators and inform decision-making. For EDOs, this approach offers a more consistent way to evaluate competitiveness, …

The Connectedness Between Awareness And Practice Of Waste Control And Recycling In Urban Villages: A Cross-Sectional Community-Based Study., Nelifer Shreya Ammanna, Jeenal Valine Mendonca, Chethan Kunder, Sushwetha Poojary, Swagath Nayak, Ansuya Ansuya, Mitchelle Shilpa Lewis

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: Waste management is an increasing problem that occurs globally due to expanding population around the globe. Researchers worldwide are working towards ending this problem that impacts the environment and people's health. The knowledge of the wastes produced and how we manage them is vital for the population to understand; knowing about it and practicing the same will create a ripple effect on the waste generated by the people.

Objective: To determine the condition of the urban villages in terms of awareness and practice of waste management, and to know whether these are interrelated.

Methods: A quantitative approach with …

In Trust We Trust: Role Of Trust In Business Negotiations In The Context Of Switzerland As A High-Trust Country, Aksana Babich

Plymouth Business School Theses

The present research examines the role of trust in business negotiations in the context of Switzerland, a high-trust country. Using a qualitative, practitioner-oriented design grounded in template analysis, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with thirty professionals from diverse sectors of the economy of the canton of Geneva. Switzerland’s high-trust environment provides an empirical context in which trust mechanisms are particularly visible and operational.The research advances conceptual, empirical and methodological knowledge of trust in negotiations. Conceptually, it clarifies the meaning of trust, demonstrating that trust is not a one-dimensional construct centred on risk and vulnerability, but a multifaceted moral value …

Early Stem Impressions, Student Engagement, And Readiness For Digitalization, Myron Sheu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study examines how early impressions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) shape business students’ learning behaviors and, ultimately, their readiness for organizational digitalization. Focusing on gender differences, subgroup identities, and perceived obstacles, the analysis uses survey data processed through correlation matrices, regression models, and subgroup heatmaps to trace the relationship between initial attitudes toward STEM and subsequent engagement patterns. The findings reveal consistent links between positive early impressions and active participation in structured STEM activities, along with gender-based distinctions in action preferences. Subgroup analyses further uncover nuanced patterns where stereotypes or perceived barriers correspond with reduced engagement. Collectively, …

Does Digital Innovation Matter For Hospital Efficiency? Evidence From U.S. Hospitals, C. Christopher Lee, Shihui Fan, Jung Young Lee, David W. Hwang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Purpose – This study examines the impact of digital innovation on hospital performance, providing evidence to guide healthcare administrators and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding digital investment.

Design/Methodology/Approach – Using data from the 2020 American Hospital Association (AHA) U.S. Hospital Survey and the 2019 AHA Information Technology Survey, we empirically analyze the relationship between five dimensions of digital innovation—automation, cybersecurity, telehealth, health information exchange (HIE), and IT spending—and three efficiency indicators: occupancy rate, capacity productivity, and manpower productivity.

Findings – The results show that digital innovation has varying effects on hospital efficiency. Automation is positively associated with capacity and …

The Crowdfunding Paradox In Crisis: Rising Funder Demand Vs. Declining Entrepreneur Supply, Dan Liu, Guangzhi Shang, Cynthia Fan Yang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study investigates how the crowdfunding marketplace responds to major crises, focusing on behavioral shifts among funders and entrepreneurs. Results show a dual impact on platform dynamics. On the demand side, funders become more engaged, with notable increases in the number of backers, average contributions, and total pledge amounts. This heightened activity suggests stronger altruistic motivations, as individuals view crowdfunding as a way to support others during difficult times. On the supply side, however, entrepreneurs act more cautiously, leading to a decline in new project launches. This drop likely reflects increased risk aversion and uncertainty as creators navigate volatile conditions. …

Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Of Magnetic Heat Exchange Structures For Caloric Applications, Turab S. Rizvi

UROP Posters

Developing sustainable, high-efficiency cooling technologies is vital to addressing 21st century energy challenges. This research focuses on magnetic refrigeration, an environmentally friendly cooling method utilizing the magnetocaloric effect to regulate temperature using magnetic fields. This approach offers greater energy efficiency than conventional vapor-compression systems by eliminating harmful refrigerants. The critical component is the regenerator, made of magnetocaloric material and transfers heat between the magnetic material and a fluid through parallel channels. Traditional designs such as packed beds of particles are prone to particle segregation, creating an undesirable pressure drop. The main goal of our research was to fix those flaws …

Land, Development, And Tribal Identity In India: The Heavy Engineering Corporation (Hec) And Tribal Land Acquisition, Nishka Malhotra, Anila Surin M.U.P., Niraj Verma Ph.D.

UROP Posters

Tribal land in Jharkhand, India, has been cultivated for generations by Adivasis, one of the largest aboriginal tribes of India. After India’s independence in 1947, the government-owned Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) was established as a tomb to the industrial development of a new India. Land for the massive project came from acquiring large tracts of Adivasi land. Even in cases where compensation was paid, the social and cultural costs borne by Adivasis far exceeded the land's market value. Our research (a) traces this history of how the discourse of modernization and development was used to justify dispossession of land; (b) …

Establishment Of A Conditionally Replicating Guinea Pig Cytomegalovirus Model For Molecular Characterization Of Latency, Akshay R. Molakalapalli, Saketh Majeti, Michael A. Mcvoy, Jian Ben Wang

UROP Posters

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of the Herpesviridae that establishes life-long latent infections that pose risks of life-threatening disease upon reactivation in immunocompromised individuals. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern the latent state is critical for developing effective treatments. However, molecular characterization has been impeded by the scarcity of latently infected cells in vivo and the inability of current in vitro models to support the expansion of clonal latent cell lines. To address these limitations, we developed a novel cell culture model utilizing a conditionally replicating guinea pig cytomegalovirus, a relative of HCMV that mimics HCMV pathology and provides …

The Limits Of Daca: Affordability- And Access-Related Barriers To Health Professions Education, Nicole Perez, Laura Hirshfield

Journal of College Access

The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of health professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. One potential pathway to decrease this shortage is through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a policy that provides temporary relief from deportation for individuals who migrated to the U.S. before age 16. This study, using 15 life-history narrative interviews, investigates the experiences of Latinx young adults who were pursuing health professions education or working as health professionals. Nine of the participants were DACA recipients, while the remaining six were second-generation (i.e., children of immigrants). An iterative, inductive approach to data analysis was used to …

Making Their Community Proud: First-Generation Latinx Students' Participation In Clep, Michelle Van Beek, Abby Holland

Journal of College Access

This study explores the impact of earning Spanish CLEP credit on first-generation Latinx students' levels of self-efficacy, college-going mindset toward earning a post-secondary degree, and their perceptions of bilingualism. Study participants (n=47) were all enrolled or previously enrolled in a college access program in high school. All participants received the opportunity to take the Spanish CLEP exam. Participants (n=33) completed a pre/post survey, and a paired sample t-test showed self-efficacy, college-going mindset, and language perceptions remained neutral for participants. Five semi-structured group interviews (n=26) were conducted after the post-survey. Participants showed that earning Spanish CLEP credit impacted their way of …

Saliency Guided Reinforcement Leaming For Multi Step Mathematical Reasoning In Large Language Models, Ji Dung Lo

Computer Science and Engineering Master's Theses

Large language models perform strongly on many tasks but remain unreliable on complex multi step mathematical reasoning. Existing reinforcement learning methods treat reasoning trajectories as uniformly informative, ignoring that some intermediate steps matter more than others. This thesis argues that reasoning is structurally uneven and that optimization should reflect this internal credit distribution.

We adopt Group Relative Policy Optimization (GRPO) to construct a fully automated reinforcement learning framework. To provide intermediate supervision without human annotation, we automatically generate short quiz questions that test key reasoning checkpoints. Quiz rewards complement final answer rewards, enabling structured feedback while keeping the pipeline scalable. …

The Past, Present, And Future Of Customer Knowledge Management: A Review And Research Agenda, Victoria Y. Ourzik

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

We develop and present a framework for research in customer knowledge management (CKM) that synthesizes insights from a comprehensive literature review spanning 2000 to 2024. This framework highlights the determinants, impacts, and moderators shaping CKM and its role in contemporary organizations. Using this approach, we organize and categorize existing research across various disciplines, identifying multiple definitions of customer knowledge based on their theoretical underpinnings and research fields. Building on this synthesis, we propose an interdisciplinary definition of the CKM construct that integrates diverse perspectives. Finally, we outline evolving issues within CKM, highlight key research gaps, and set a forward-looking agenda …

Being &Becoming, Valeentina Rodrigues Da Rocha

Grado en Diseño de Moda

Actualmente, vivimos la moda desde ciclos productivos acelerados e industrializados, siendo cada vez más difícil volver a lo imperecedero. Las casas de moda, que antes actuaban con ritmos calmados, se encuentran operando bajo un calendario acelerado, presentando de 4 a 6 colecciones anuales. Contribuyendo a la pérdida de valor del tiempo, el saber hacer y la creatividad. En sus colecciones comerciales cada vez vemos menos atención en la construcción de las prendas, y a más aún en sus materiales y acabados. Este proyecto tiene como objetivo analizar y reinterpretar las técnicas constructivas de la Alta Costura. Se pretende aprender y …

Yí Collective, Alba Gordillo Juan

Grado en Diseño de Moda

El presente proyecto se basa en el desarrollo de una marca comercial de prêt-à porter de lujo, que concibe la moda como lenguaje artístico, humano y culturalmente significativo. La propuesta se fundamenta en la recuperación y la reinterpretación de valores y técnicas tradicionales de la artesanía china, en particular la caligrafía, la pintura y la vestimenta, para integrarlos en un marco contemporáneo de diseño europeo, a través de la producción de prendas unisex. El objetivo principal es posicionar la marca como una casa de moda conceptual de referencia internacional, capaz de actuar como puente intercultural entre Oriente y Occidente y …

Leveraging Ai-Powered Personalization To Enhance Customer Experience In E-Commerce, Yousef Shelaik

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

This study delves into the complexities of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into e- commerce, exploring its profound impact on marketing strategies, customer personalization, and decision-making processes. As AI technology rapidly becomes a staple in digital commerce, businesses encounter formidable challenges. These include the hurdles of seamlessly implementing sophisticated AI personalization tools, safeguarding consumer privacy amidst growing ethical concerns, and the daunting task of adhering to evolving regulatory standards. This study aimed to explore how AI-driven personalization influences customer engagement in e-commerce environments. It examined technologies such as recommendation systems and personalized marketing, analyzing their relationship on user interaction. This study …

The Information And Communication Behaviors Of Marcus Garvey And The Universal Negro Improvement Association (Unia), Janet Douglas-Pryce

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Marcus Garvey, social activist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the early twentieth century, has been widely studied for his Pan-African approach to the social upliftment of Black communities during a period marked by segregation and systemic injustice. His messages of empowerment attracted global attention and supported the growth of a movement that reached more than one million members worldwide. While Garvey and the UNIA have been examined from historical, political, and cultural perspectives, they have not been systematically studied through the lens of information and communication behavior. This study examines the information and communication behaviors …

Cultivating Workplace Happiness In Technology Workers, Cherie A. Herrin

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Technology workers are central to the innovation and performance of modern organizations and retaining them is a persistent challenge for modern organizations. One important aspect of retention in many contexts is Workplace Happiness, which has been argued to improve worker performance and reduce turnover; however, there is little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of these interventions for technology workers. This dissertation develops a model in which two affective states, Workplace Happiness and Workplace Distress, mediate the relationships between six socio-technical work conditions and two behavioral outcomes: Turnover Intent and Work Execution (i.e., self-rated work performance and quality). A systematic literature …

An Examination Of University Students’ Experiences Of Period Poverty And Reusable Period Products, Kate Dolan Crowley Ms, Margaret Linehan Prof, Alison Merrotsy Dr

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

Period poverty is a persistent international public health struggle affecting millions of people who menstruate. Most academic studies on how mensuration effects university students have been completed in low-to-middle income countries and, specifically, there is a lack of studies conducted in high-income countries (Ross, 2021). The current study was conducted with students in a multi-campus university in the south and southwest of Ireland during 2024. The study had two main aims, first, to explore the students’ attitudes and experiences of period poverty, and second, to investigate their attitudes towards reusable period products.

A mixed methods study was used to collect …