Digital Commons Network^™

The Digital Pivot: Exploring Credit Card And E-Payment Utilization In Direct-To-Consumer U.S. Agriculture, Amanda Thomsen

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines the adoption of electronic payment systems within direct-to-consumer (DTC) transactions in U.S. farmers' markets to draw broader implications for small business strategy. Through primary and secondary data sources, this paper assesses the impact of electronic payment integration on consumer behavior and market dynamics. The analysis reveals significant disparities in payment system adoption across different geographic and demographic landscapes. Regions with higher adoption of credit card systems at farmers' markets are predominantly urban and higher-income areas, suggesting a correlation between market access to technology and economic status. Consumer data further indicates that the availability of electronic payment options …

America At A Glance: Travel Patterns By Disability And Rurality, Luke Santore, Andrew Myers, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

RTC:Rural researchers use 2022 National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS) data to assess differences in travel behavior across disability status and rurality.

Exploring Decentralized Computing Using Solid And Ipfs For Social Media Applications, Pranav Balasubramanian Natarajan

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

As traditional centralized social media platforms face growing concerns over data privacy, censorship, and lack of user control, there has been an increasing interest in decentralized alternatives. This thesis explores the design and implementation of a decentralized social media application by integrating two key technologies: Solid and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). Solid, led by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, enables users to store and manage their personal data in decentralized "Pods," giving them ownership over their digital identities. IPFS, a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol, facilitates decentralized file storage and sharing, ensuring content availability and resilience against censorship. By leveraging these technologies, the …

Investigating Autonomous Ground Vehicles For Weed Elimination, Abraham Mitchell

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The management of weeds in crop fields is a continuous agricultural problem. The use of herbicides is the most common solution, but herbicidal resistance decreases effectiveness, and the use of herbicides has been found to have severe adverse effects on human health and the environment. The use of autonomous drone systems for weed elimination is an emerging solution, but challenges in GPS-based localization and navigation can impact the effectiveness of these systems. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate techniques for minimizing localization errors of drones as they attempt to eliminate weeds. A simulation environment was created to model …

An In-Network Approach For Pmu Missing Data Recovery With Data Plane Programmability, Jack Norris

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phasor measurement unit (PMU) systems often experience unavoidable missing and erroneous measurements, which undermine power system observability and operational effectiveness. Traditional solutions for recovering missing PMU data employ a centralized approach at the control center, resulting in lengthy recovery times due to data transmission and aggregation. In this work, we leverage P4-based programmable networks to expedite missing data recovery. Our approach utilizes the data plane programmability offered by P4 to present an in-network solution for PMU data recovery. We establish a data-plane pipeline on P4 switches, featuring a customized PMU protocol parser, a missing data detection module, and an auto-regressive …

The Quantitative Analysis And Visualization Of Nfl Passing Routes, Sandeep Chitturi

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The strategic planning of offensive passing plays in the NFL incorporates numerous variables, including defensive coverages, player positioning, historical data, etc. This project develops an application using an analytical framework and an interactive model to simulate and visualize an NFL offense's passing strategy under varying conditions. Using R-programming and data management, the model dynamically represents potential passing routes in response to different defensive schemes. The system architecture integrates data from historical NFL league years to generate quantified route scores through designed mathematical equations. This allows for the prediction of potential passing routes for offensive skill players in response to the …

The Anti-Innovation Supreme Court: Major Questions, Delegation, Chevron And More, Jack M. Beermann

Faculty Scholarship

The Supreme Court of the United States has generally been a very aggressive enforcer of legal limitations on governmental power. In various periods in its history, the Court has gone far beyond enforcing clearly expressed and easily ascertainable constitutional and statutory provisions and has suppressed innovation by the other branches that do not necessarily transgress widely held social norms. Novel assertions of legislative power, novel interpretations of federal statutes, statutes that are in tension with well-established common law rules and state laws adopted by only a few states are suspect simply because they are novel or rub up against tradition. …

Evaluating The Ministry To The Aged Of The United Methodist Church In Liberia And Its Impact On The Lives Of The Senior Citizens In The Church, E. Julu Swen

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Every Time I Feel The Spirit : The Work Of The Holy Spirit In Intentional Interim Ministry, Gary F. Turner

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Leading The Way : Faithful And Effective Pastoral Development Of Local Church Staff In Three Key Domains Of Sound Theology, Spiritual Health, And Practical Church Leadership, Christopher J. Kelsey

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Orientation And Ongoing Training Of Superintendents In The Free Methodist Church Usa, Bruce D. Rhodes

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

From Pace To Place: Can Marathon Finishing Times Predict Regional Origins?, Isabella Mcclure

Honors Scholar Theses

In this research endeavor, the capabilities of neural networks are utilized to discern regional patterns within a diverse populace via marathon finishing times. Leveraging two decades of race data from the New York and Boston Marathons, the study aims to develop a predictive model capable of identifying individuals' geographic origins based on their marathon performances. This exploration holds promise in shedding light on the intersection of environmental variables and ultimate race achievements in the realm of marathon running. Preliminary results suggest that finishing times alone introduce an excess of randomness that is difficult for the algorithm to untangle, resulting in …

The Applied Music Theory Ensemble: An Approach To Undergraduate Music Theory Education, Karissa Juhas

Senior Honors Theses

Music theory is currently taught in a classroom setting through lectures, worksheets, tests, and limited amounts of praxis, or applied learning through playing one’s instrument. However, musicians in these classes often struggle to comprehend concepts, maintain good grades, and view music theory in a positive light. This thesis proposes the teaching of music theory in an applied setting—specifically, an ensemble setting. In such a setting, praxis through immediate hands-on application of concepts to the student’s instrument would be just as prevalent a part of the curriculum as lectures, worksheets, and the like. Songs specifically crafted to impart both the theoretical …

Innovation Builds Culture: A Case Study Exploring The Impact Of Social Entrepreneurship In St. Petersburg’S Arts Community, Zoe Peters

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

St. Petersburg, Florida is well known for its plentiful murals, museums, and local music. As the city grows and develops in a Post-COVID world, the arts and culture community continues to make an impact. In 2022, arts and culture nonprofits in St. Petersburg generated over $132 million in economic activity. Despite the city’s growth, local arts and culture nonprofits struggle to secure consistent funding. Currently, many arts nonprofits pursue fundraising from major donors and corporate sponsors. With this current system, ordinary community members do not typically have the capacity or incentive to donate, especially in times of economic downturn. Crowdfunding …

Locating, Characterizing, And Comparing Submerged Precontact Site Hubbard Spring To Other Submerged Spring Sites Throughout Florida, Madison Day

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

The rise of sea level over the past 20,000 years has led to the submersion of nearly half of Florida’s original land mass, causing freshwater springs hypothesized to have been a gathering spot for prehistoric people to become submerged. As the water rose, humans lost touch with their ancestors’ ways of life and migratory patterns. In recent years, however, interests in the potential significant cultural, archeological, and paleontological resources at submerged spring sites on the West Florida Shelf have spiked among geo-archeologists, historical experts, biologists, and geologists.

The goal of the WF2305 research cruise aboard the R/V Western Flyer was …

Teaching Concept Design Through Structured Practices And Portfolio Projects, Gavin Hadro

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

Concept designers serve various roles, but our primary objective is to give workable, inspiring ideas to a development or production team. The greatest difficulty is ensuring designs are visually compelling, intuitively functional, and intellectually stimulating, all at once. This thesis will evaluate what focused practices and strategies best prepare beginning designers to meet all three challenges. Performing industry-relevant tasks that train these skills will, in theory, enable those studying concept design to effectively learn singular skills before attempting to develop a portfolio that showcases an ability to combine them. Potential practices include compositional and storytelling exercises, 3D design studies, reflective …

Dissatisfaction And Eroding Institutional Confidence: Examining German Perspectives Of The Alternative FüR Deutschland And Its Impact On The German Party System, Isabel Erin Hodgson

Honors College

Support for Germany’s contemporary far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become more salient in recent years due to multiple crises in the European Union and changes in the German political landscape. The rise of the AfD is met with significant pushback from the majority of the German public due to its similarity to the Nazi party in rhetoric, policy, and action. However, opposition to the party is not unanimous; the AfD polled at 22 percent in January 2024. Through a qualitative analysis of 16 interviews with German citizens on their perspectives of the party, I find there exists …

Effects Of The Implementation Of Mastery Grading In An Introductory Biology Course, Darby Ice

Honors College

The purpose of this mixed methods, exploratory study is to investigate what happens when mastery grading is implemented for summative assessments in a majors introductory biology course. Summative assessments included an initial Learning Objective (LO) exam and the opportunity for students to earn a retake exam. First and second iterations of the LO exams covered the same material but did not have the same questions.

Components of this study included a qualitative analysis of students’ perceptions of the mastery grading structure as well as quantitative analyses to determine whether correlations exist between factors such as SAT/ACT scores and degree of …

Ecological Dynamics Of Cenozoic North American Mammals, Alexandria Brandis Shupinski

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Understanding how community structure is affected by various ecological, climatic, and environmental changes is a long-standing goal in ecology. However, disentangling human impacts from these other variables is difficult when using short modern timescales and anthropogenically altered communities. The fossil record provides a means to investigate community structure dynamics across critical intervals, excluding humans as a variable. Here, in three studies, I assess changes in North American mammal paleocommunity structure across the last 66 million years (Ma) at multiple temporal and spatial scales. In Chapter 1, I identify changes in mammal functional diversity (FD) locally and continentally, using three independent …

An Analysis Of Child Valence Bias Trajectories As A Result Of Parental Factors: A Longitudinal Perspective, Kaylee Brooke Donner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Valence bias is an important part of how individuals perceive the world around them, and this is especially influential in terms of children’s development. This study used data from longitudinal data collection surveys consisting of 197 participants, ages 6-17, to investigate correlations between valence bias, puberty, parental conflict, emotion regulation, temperament, interpersonal regulation, trait anxiety, and personality. This research provides much sought-after knowledge in terms of how parental factors impact children’s development, specifically children's valence bias development. Previous research has shown that emotion regulation in parents, along with different parenting styles with equal levels of discipline and loving support largely …

Design And Fabrication Of A Carbon Fiber Wheel For The Husker Motorsports Club, Benjamin Bashtovoi, Jordan Chapin, Michael Pineda, Caden Lind, Thomas Crum

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Every year, the Husker Motorsports team participates in a Formula SAE competition that challenges students to design and manufacture a Formula-style vehicle to compete against colleges from around the world. The Husker Motorsports club has sponsored this senior capstone project to improve the vehicle’s performance by reducing unsprung mass. Unsprung mass reduction has numerous benefits on vehicle dynamics, including improved acceleration, handling, and braking. To achieve these performance improvements, the team developed carbon-fiber composite wheels that weigh less than the current wheel solution and provide better rigidity. The team designed and modeled the wheel according to the 2023-2024 competition car …

Drag Reduction In Channel Flow Configurations For Laminar And Turbulent Flow Past Superhydrophobic Surfaces, Henry Louis Ems

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

In this work, we present friction drag reduction in minichannel laminar flow past superhydrophobic metallic surfaces. Femtosecond laser surface processing (FLSP), a one-step scalable method, was used to create permanent microscale and nanoscale structures on 316 stainless steel plates. The resulting superhydrophilic plates were covered by tall (215 μm) or short (27 μm) structures. The FLSP plates were then transitioned to superhydrophobic by evaporative deposition of a fluorinated silane, a low surface energy coating. Using purified water, the friction factor was obtained by measuring pressure drop along a minichannel with a rectangular cross section for flow rates corresponding …

Exploring Subtype C Hiv-1 Tissue Reservoirs And The Impact Of Cannabis Use In Virally Suppressed African Individuals, Zhou Liu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically prolonged the lives of people living with HIV (PLWH), but it is not curative as it cannot eliminate integrated HIV-1 proviruses in different tissue reservoirs. Even though subtype C HIV-1 accounts for almost half of global HIV-1 infections, few studies had evaluated HIV-1 reservoirs for this subtype. Many co-factors, including the lifestyle factor cannabis use, have been investigated for their potential effects in HIV-1 infection. However, only limited information exists regarding cannabis’s effects on HIV-1 infections in vivo, and the impact of cannabis use on HIV-1 parenchymal tissue reservoirs is unexplored. This dissertation aims to …

Increasing Nursing Aide Knowledge On Benefits Of Light For Sundowning Syndrome, Grace Hilfiker, Julie Masters

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this study, the knowledge of nursing aides on the benefits of light for sundowning syndrome was investigated. While dementia and sundowning syndrome is discussed during nursing aide training in the state of Nebraska, there is no discourse focused on how light plays beneficial role in lessening the symptoms of sundowning syndrome for those who are afflicted with dementia. This study asked what the current knowledge base surrounding dementia and sundowning syndrome is of nursing aides in the state of Nebraska. The aim was to justify adding a focus on concrete methods to use when caring for patients with dementia …

Toxicological Effects And Treatment Of Accidental Ingestion Of Simparica Trio® In Felis Catus: An Investigative Review, Aussia M. Stander

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Simparica TRIO^®, a canine endectocide manufactured by Zoetis, contains sarolaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel pamoate salt in an orally administered chewable tablet. These compounds are all toxic to both cats and dogs in sufficient amounts. As Simparica TRIO^® rises in popularity among pet owners, Felis catus (felines, cats) in multi-pet households (households with both cats and dogs) are at increased risk of overdosage and toxicosis from accidental ingestion of Simparica TRIO^® due to their smaller weight.

Simparica TRIO^® is not for feline use and little literature exists on the symptoms of and treatment for accidental ingestion …

"Everyone Got To Eat My Tears": Racialized Emotions, Mentoring Practices, And The Political And Ethical Commitments Of Women Of Color Graduate Students In Stem, Machienvee V. Lammey

Sociology ETDs

In this project, I examine the emotional and lived experiences of women of color (WOC) graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and how they embody and negotiate racism, classism, and sexism in academia, particularly in White, men-dominated STEM spaces. I utilize critical race theory and intersectionality to shed light on how WOC draw upon their intersecting identities, marginalization, and sense of community to navigate and resist oppressive environments. Specifically, I highlight the ways they experience racialized emotions and leverage vulnerability to resist dominant academic norms and controlling images to preserve their holistic selves, engage in critical reflexivity …

Effects Of Dissolved Oxygen And Ph On Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Growth, Karina D. Ledezma

Honors Theses

Coastal ecosystems, known for their abundant natural resources and role in environmental processes, are facing challenges posed by climate change, pollution and anthropogenic activities. Among these challenges is the expansion of hypoxic zones, characterized by low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, which poses a significant threat to benthic organisms and oyster fisheries. This research investigates the interaction between hypoxia and pH dynamics, intensified by freshwater input, and the biomineralization of Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). To explore these dynamics, experimental trials were conducted in 24 tanks, simulating normoxic, hypoxic, and fresh hypoxic conditions, to assess the impact of hypoxia on …

Tense Indifference: An Examination Of Integration In Two Cities In Marengo County, Alabama, Benjamin Ogden

Honors Theses

For decades, the city of Demopolis, Alabama, in Marengo County has been viewed by West Alabama administrators as a “beacon of hope” in terms of race relations because it successfully integrated its public schools and managed to keep private segregation academies at bay. In the neighboring city of Linden, however, integration was far less successful, with a a segregated private school siphoning off the white students and eroding white support for public education. dominating and destroying the educational structure of the city. In this paper, I delve into how the dichotomy between these two nearby cities was created by the …

Advances In Nanofiber Technology For Biomedical Application: A Review, Dipasree Bhowmick, Islam Uddin Shipu

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The application of nanofiber technology in the biomedical field has garnered significant interest due to its potential to revolutionize areas such as tissue engineering, wound healing, and antimicrobial treatments. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent advancements in nanofiber technology, particularly focusing on electrospinning and 3D printing methods that enable the fabrication of scaffolds mimicking the native extracellular matrix. These technologies have facilitated the development of nanofibers with high surface-to-volume ratios, adjustable porosity, and enhanced mechanical properties, tailored to meet specific biomedical needs. Despite their promising features, challenges such as the optimization of pore size for effective cell …

Reaping What We Sow: The Implications And Outcomes Of Mississippi House Bill 1125, The “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (Reap)” Act, Kerigan Brewer

Honors Theses

Mississippi House Bill 1125 (MS HB1125), also known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act,” was signed into law by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves in early 2023 (REAP Act, 2023). It is one of multiple policies passed into law that limit the rights of transgender people. This thesis aims to clarify the history of the trans community, dispel myths around gender-affirming health care and the trans identity, and discuss the current state of anti-trans laws and transgender rights. Using a policy analysis framework by DiNitto (2011), MS HB1125 is analyzed on points like its social and economic costs, the …