Digital Commons Network^™

Microbial Literacy, Equity, And Sustainability At Cal Poly: A Policy Framework With University Housing As A Pilot Case, Joseph B. Fewel

Biological Sciences

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in human health, environmental systems, and the functioning of built environments, yet they remain largely absent from sustainability and public policy discussions. This project proposes a framework for integrating microbial literacy, equity, and health into institutional decision-making, using California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) as a case study and university housing as a pilot site for implementation. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature in microbiology, public health, environmental justice, and sustainability, as well as policy analysis and stakeholder interviews, this project examines how campus systems, including housing, ventilation, sanitation, food systems, and waste management, shape microbial exposure …

Bridging The Divide: How Political Polarization Shapes Communication Among College Students, Kylie C. Gaynor

Communication Studies

The following study employed Social Identity and Affective Polarization theories to examine how political disagreement influences students’ willingness to engage in open dialogue within higher education during a time of polarization. This study employed a simple survey distributed to a sample of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students from all colleges. The Qualtrics survey included multiple-choice questions assessing students’ political affiliation and examining how these affiliations influenced their willingness to engage in communication with individuals holding differing views, as well as their openness to developing deeper interpersonal relationships. The survey results were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. The results concluded …

Greenway Connect, Julia Xaning Kung, Kaleah Cruz, Lila Citlali Roake

City and Regional Planning

This project is developed in response to the American Planning Association’s Student Planning and Design Competition 2026 and fulfills the senior project requirement for a Bachelor of Science in City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

The site consists of the core development area and the framework area, both of which reflect the historical significance and prospective future of the area. The framework area contains multiple industrial sites; Lyndon Street formerly housed multiple textile and manufacturing warehouses that supplied businesses along Livernois Avenue of Fashion. The site also includes the Intervale-Roselawn Park, which has recently …

Wind Power Turbine Pitching, Sierra Bindseil, Olivia Hoffsis, Izik Hingeley, Tucker Donahue

Mechanical Engineering

It is crucial that wind turbines are able to control the angle of their blades relative to the wind for optimal performance, efficiency, and safety [1]. This project will design a pitching mechanism for the Cal Poly Wind Power turbine that will compete in the Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC). Currently, for full scale wind turbines, the industry standard design includes the pitch of each blade being controlled by its own individual motor [2]. Because of the smaller scale of Cal Poly Wind Power’s turbine, along with power usage constraints, three separate motors are not a practical approach. Cal Poly Wind …

Accessible Rolling Garden Box With Automated Watering System, Lucas Meneghetti, Gabe Haarberg, Alex Seybold, Matthew Podgorski

Mechanical Engineering

Students in the Special Day Class at Oceano Elementary School face challenges participating in traditional gardening activities due to mobility and accessibility limitations. To address this need, a wheelchair-accessible Rolling Garden Box was designed and constructed to provide an engaging, hands-on learning experience that promotes independence and cause-and-effect learning. The system consists of a wooden box supported by a steel frame with locking caster wheels, a switch-activated irrigation system. Adaptive button controls allow students to activate visually engaging sprinklers while interacting with plants and soil. The final prototype successfully met all design requirements for accessibility, mobility, durability, and watering performance …

Multi-Ton Bin Transport Device, Cole Kramer, Ruth Stirrup, Fabian Ruiz, Daniel Ramirez

Mechanical Engineering

This project sought to solve a problem at the Water Resource Recovery Facility in San Luis Obispo with the transportation of multi-ton bins on-site. Their current solutions prove ineffective, as they damage their equipment and the concrete pad, as well as pose major safety risks to the operators moving these bins. The Facility requires the bin transport design to be low-cost, effective, and without risk of damage to the bins or surroundings, while maintaining the integrity of the bins. This project presents a conceptual design that is similar to a scissor lift, integrated into a trailer which will connect to …

Elastic Actuator For Robotic Leg, Bruce Berg, Allan Pham, Madeline Slater, Sofie Zalatimo

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Legged Robots Group (CPLRG) is developing a 12 degree of freedom robot with the goal of eventually performing highly dynamic movements such as jumps and flips. During such movements, large impact forces will be experienced by the leg, potentially resulting in damage to physical components such as the motors. The scope of this project is to integrate elastic elements into the quadruped legs to reduce shock loads on the motors and improve the efficiency of the legs through energy storage. The key stakeholders for this project are Professor Charlie Refvem and Dr. Simon Xing. Other stakeholders include …

Full Issue, Volume 21, Issue 2, Journal Of Youth Development

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Exploring Psychosocial Risk Factors For Disordered Eating Among Future Healthcare Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Ayron Walker, Manan Roy, Jenna Warnock, Karlee Prater, Alisha Farris, Danielle Nunnery

Appalachian Student Healthcare Research Review

Background. The prevalence of disordered eating (DE) patterns is significantly higher among college-aged students and health-related majors. This study explored associations between DE behaviors and psychosocial risk factors, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), food insecurity, weight stigma, fat phobia, and family ‘fat talk’, among health science students at a large, rural U.S university, using an anonymous online survey.

Method. An anonymous online survey was distributed to a randomly selected, cross-sectional sample of 3,000 health science students. Participant responses (n = 550; 18.3% response rate) were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression.

Results. The sample was …

Incipient: Contemporary Wildfire Management In The American West, Carlyn A. Mcaleer

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

The frequency, severity, and total area burned by wildfires has escalated dramatically alongside a similar increase in federal suppression spending. However, contemporary management remains rooted in a suppression‑centric framework that originated in the early‑20th‑century. Our current wildfire management practices are unsustainable in the face of this growing threat. Using an approach that blends historical analysis and spatial analysis, this thesis asks how current spatial patterns of burn probability (BP) overlap with existing fire-response infrastructure and population in eight states (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming) in the American West and which barriers inhibit the adoption of proactive …

Ahimsa: Finding Unity And Nonviolence In Instruction, Dylan Mcglothlin

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

This chapter describes the connectedness of emergent strategy and the practice of ahimsa, and how these philosophies can be applied to information literacy instruction. It provides a brief definition of yoga, the yamas, and ahimsa; describes the connections between ahimsa and the emergent strategy element of interdependence and decentralization; and shows information literacy instruction examples from the connections between ahimsa and the emergent strategy principles of "trust the people," "there is always enough time for the right work," "move at the speed of trust," and "there is a conversation in the room that only these people at this moment can …

Lessons Learned: Helping Researchers Help The Intelligence Community, Sydney Rose Rothstein, Kristen Patel, Arthur Paul Pedersen

Public Administration - All Scholarship

The present paper argues that decades of debate have not established whether Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH) works in intelligence analysis. Reviewing more than fifty English-language studies and commentaries from 2025 – 2026, it identifies only eight empirical, direct tests of ACH relevant to intelligence work, none of which demonstrates success or failure at improving analytic decision-making. It traces a conceptual error in these otherwise methodologically sound experiments to Richards J. Heuer Jr.’s 1999 Psychology of Intelligence Analysis: researchers conflated Heuer’s account of satisficing with confirmation bias and evaluated individual accuracy, belief change, or hypothesis ranking rather than whether …

Here, There, And Absent From The Film: Carving Out A Protection For Trailers In California’S Anti-Slapp Statute, Zach Cogan

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

California’s anti-SLAPP statute is designed to encourage free speech and to prevent litigation that chills participation in public discourse, including the creation and promotion of media. It is a standard industry practice for filmmakers to use trailers to promote their films before the final cut and to gauge the success of certain cinematic elements—such as characters, plot points, and overall tone—so the necessary adjustments can be made before the film is released to audiences. Subjecting studios and filmmakers to litigation for adjusting these relatively minor elements that were present in the trailers will chill this beneficial and standard industry practice. …

Calvip Cohort 4 Local Evaluation Report: Peace And Justice Law Center’S Legal Services To Support Gang Desistance, Nyla Baxter-Williamson Ma, Kirsten Chaplin Ma, Tori Luna Ma, Topher Mcdougal Phd

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

This Local Evaluation Report assesses the implementation and outcomes of the Peace and Justice Law Center’s Legal Services to Support Gang Desistance (LSSGD) project, funded by the California Board of State and Community Correction’s California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (CalVIP) Grant, Cohort 4. Through LSSGD, PJLC sought to provide direct legal services to current or formerly gang-involved individuals, as well as those treated by law enforcement as gang-involved, to reduce legal obstacles to desistance, expand access to lawful employment, promote family stability, and improve trust in legal institutions. The Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice (Kroc IPJ) …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 124, Issue 8 of Michigan Law Review

The History Of The Constitution Is Our Future., Maggie Blackhawk

Michigan Law Review

The Constitution of the United States establishes a government; it also stands as the fundamental law of a people. It shapes daily life, distributes power, and sets a direction for the future. And yet when we ask about the reach and meaning of the Constitution, we are increasingly told to look backward. The answers to our future are said to lie in the past.

The Bluebook: An Insider’S Perspective, M. Burke Craighead

Michigan Law Review

A review of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. Edited by Columbia Law Review Association, Harvard Law Review Association, University of Pennsylvania Law Review and The Yale Law Journal.

Muckrakers Beware, Jonathan D. Glater

Michigan Law Review

A review of Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful. By David Enrich.

Reflections And Revisionism: Rethinking The U.S. Response To Covid-19, Wendy E. Parmet

Michigan Law Review

A review of In Covid’s Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us. By Stephen Macedo and Frances Lee.

Legal Ethics Of Ai Snake Oil: Navigating The Hype, Harm, And Hope Of Legal Ai, Drew Simshaw

Michigan Law Review

A review of AI Snake Oil.By Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor.

Automated Optimization Of Membrane Bioreactor Performance Using Machine Learning, Janessa Cayabyab, Isabella Lopez, Oluwatomisin Opaleye, Jessica Stone

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are increasingly employed in biomanufacturing due to their ability to produce high-quality effluent and support complex biological processes. However, membrane fouling remains a critical operational challenge, driving increased energy consumption, frequent cleaning cycles, elevated transmembrane pressure (TMP), and accelerated membrane degradation. Conventional operator-driven cleaning strategies are reactive by nature and insufficient for managing the dynamic, nonlinear fouling behavior characteristic of full-scale MBR systems.

This study presents a data-driven machine learning pipeline for predicting TMP and fouling behavior in an industry-scale MBR system, with the goal of optimizing cleaning schedules and extending membrane lifespan. A Random Forest regression …

Postharvest Response Of Jute Mallow (Corchorus Olitorius L.) Tops To Different Storage Temperatures, Wella L. Absulio-Morales, James L. Tababa, Daphne Cassandra H. Gonzales, Genesis M. Banawa, Angelo C. Castro, Arlan James D. Rodeo

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius L.), locally known as saluyot, is a nutrient-rich leafy vegetable, but its potential remains underutilized due to its high perishability. This study determined the postharvest behavior of jute tops stored at 4 different temperatures (5, 13, 20, and 28 °C). Key quality parameters were measured at specific time intervals. The marketable shelf life of jute tops was 7 d at 5 and 13 °C, but only 2 and 3 d at 28 and 20 °C, respectively. This shorter shelf life was mainly due to wilting caused by high weight loss, especially at higher temperatures. …

Filtered Genome Of Commercial Philippine Varieties Of Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum L.) For The Characterization And Identification Of Ssrs Associated With Resistance To Philippine Downy Mildew (Peronosclerospora Philippinensis), Antonio G. Lalusin, Jhun Lawrence S. Rasco

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Sugarcane is a major global source of sugar, with total production reaching 1.89 billion t. Although the Philippines produces about 1.85 million t of sugarcane annually, yields are limited by downy mildew and smut. Developing varieties resistant to these pathogens is the most economical and practical approach to mitigating losses from these biotic stresses. In this study, SSRs related to disease resistance were developed through Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of the filtered genomes of sugarcane varieties with known phenotypic responses to downy mildew. Two assemblies based on minimum contig lengths (450 and 900 bp) were performed using SoapDeNovo2. The 900-bp assembly …

Marker-Assisted Identification Of Hybrids In Polyembryonic ‘Carabao’ Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Breeding In The Philippines, John Edward L. Felipe, Kyla Andrea G. Mendoza, Benjamin Christian J. Esguerra, Carolyn E. Alcasid, Gino R. Hernandez, Eureka Teresa M. Ocampo

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Varietal improvement of the Philippine ‘Carabao’ mango (Mangifera indica L.) through conventional breeding is constrained by polyembryony, which makes it difficult to distinguish zygotic hybrids from nucellar seedlings at early developmental stages. This study evaluated the utility of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for early and accurate identification of hybrids in polyembryonic ‘Carabao’ mango crosses. Genomic DNA was isolated from 24 parental accessions and 61 putative hybrid seedlings using a modified CTAB protocol that yielded DNA suitable for PCR-based marker analysis. Eighty-one SSR markers were screened across 29 parental combinations, of which 64 markers (79.0%) were polymorphic in at …

Growth And Yield Of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Under Different Irrigation Methods In Transplanted And Direct-Seeded Systems, Wang Guirui, Crisanta S. Bueno

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

In the face of climate change and socioeconomic transformation, there is an urgent need to save energy and enhance rice production. Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is a viable alternative to transplanted rice due to reduced water and labor requirements, potentially achieving comparable or higher yields with reduced inputs. This study was conducted in the 2025 dry and wet seasons in Los Baños, Philippines, using a 2-factorial randomized complete block design with 4 replications. The first factor was the 2 rice varieties NSIC Rc 506 (Tubigan 41, V1) and NSIC Rc 160 (Tubigan 14, V2), and the second factor was cultural management, …

Provider And Patient Perspectives On The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Alzheimer's Disease, Philippe Amouyel, Sandrine Andrieu, Angela Bradshaw, Ralph C. Carmona, Magali Dumont, Lea Tenenholz Grinberg, Takeshi Iwatsubo, Oskar Hansson, Clifford R. Jack, Gregory A. Jicha, Simin Mahinrad, Eric Mcdade, Catherine J. Mummery, Ronald C. Petersen, Shelagh Robinson, Julie A. Schneider, Lenny Shellcross, Amanda G. Smith, Heather M. Snyder, Beth Tapply, Charlotte Teunissen, Wiesje M. Van Der Flier, Bruno Vellas, David Wallon, Jeff D. Williamson, Donna Wilcock, Maria C. Carrillo

Neurology Faculty Publications

Since 2016, the Alzheimer's Association and the Fondation Alzheimer have hosted Global Alzheimer's Leadership Series (GoALS) global think tanks, with world-leading experts for innovative discussions to advance Alzheimer's disease (AD) research and care. The second GoALS think tank, held in June 2024 in Paris, focused on the relationship between biological changes and clinical manifestations of AD in the context of the evolving therapeutic landscape. Discussions spanned real-world experiences of providers, patients, and their families, theoretical considerations, and health system challenges. The lived experience perspective was central to these discussions. The importance of shared decision-making, clear and transparent communication, and the …

Integrating Science Of Reading Principles Into Mathematics Instruction In Early Education, Sarah Eason

Science of Reading

Educator preparation programs have an opportunity to help future teachers understand how literacy and mathematics domains support one another. Language and literacy are foundational to mathematical thinking, communication, and problem solving. Integrating science of reading (SOR) principles into mathematics instruction can strengthen children’s learning across domains while helping educators maximize instructional time. This brief reviews research connecting language and mathematics learning and highlights practical strategies for incorporating SOR-aligned practices into early childhood mathematics instruction and teacher preparation.

Letter From The Mcte President, Sara Hoeve

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editors, Raven L. Jones, Tanya Upthegrove Gregory, Alexandra M. Sánchez

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Learning About Land Through Indigenous Storywork, Critical Information Literacy, And Archival Research At The Northern Shores Storywork Project Site, Kel Sassi, Morgan Raether, April E. Lindala

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This article takes a critical approach to an Information Literacy and Leadership Institute (Institute) for Upper Peninsula K-12 educators with the goal of coming to terms with the dispossession of Indigenous peoples in the region. Participants learned about critical information literacy in relation to archival materials about settler colonization and resource extraction and created curriculum materials for their classrooms. Facilitators designed institute activities with Archibald’s Indigenous Storywork principles in mind and analyzed the outcomes through this framework. The focus on land was reflected in teacher materials, but could be integrated more deeply in future institutes.