Digital Commons Network^™

The Rise Of A New Dawn: Solar Energy And Us-China Relations, Regina Miller

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the challenge of aligning a renewable energy transition with the pursuit of US-China relations in a period defined by climate change and growing energy demand. Using quantitative and qualitative data in Chapter 1, the global problem is introduced by describing key differences in the impact of renewable and nonrenewable energies on ecosystem services, outlining the justifications for an energy transition focused on sustainability. Chapter 2 draws on historic and political perceptions of solar power to examine the shift toward renewables. This chapter highlights differences between the US and China to show how solar energy systems emerge under …

The Prospect Of F.E.W. Resources: How Food, Energy, And Waste Management Workforce Programs Address Global Equity And Sustainability, Quincy P. Biddle

Student Theses 2015-Present

As a global society, the issues affecting a specific city or country are no longer isolated; instead, they impact other places in myriad ways. Over the past few decades, environmental degradation and economic inequality, both within and between countries, have caused shortages of necessities like food and water, inadequate access to safe energy sources, and increased pollution, impacting people’s prosperity and the well-being of the planet. It is of global interest to remediate these issues for the betterment and progress of society, and thus, an approach to addressing these complications collectively and comprehensively is of utmost importance. This paper investigates …

Secondhand Or Second-Class? Environmental Injustice In Global Textile Waste Trade, Wendy S. Escalante

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the issue of textile waste dumping, specifically how secondhand clothing exports from the Global North create environmental, social, and public health burdens in the Global South. The study focuses on case studies in Chile’s Atacama Desert, where shipments of used clothing overwhelm local waste infrastructures and worsen patterns of environmental injustice. Chapter 1 describes the global flows of textile waste, including trade volumes, landfill accumulation, and the impacts of discarded clothing on ecosystem services such as clean water, fertile soils, and breathable air, alongside health risks from microplastic pollution, toxic runoff, and respiratory hazards from textile fires. …

Lithium Extraction In Chile, Estrella Pallares Medina

Student Theses 2015-Present

This article examines the environmental, political, and economic dimensions of lithium mining in Chile's Atacama Desert, a critical site within South America's "Lithium Triangle." Chapter 1 utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to introduce the environmental problems of water shortage, ecosystem stress, and biodiversity loss associated with lithium mining, presented within the framework of the ecosystem services approach. This approach categorizes the impacts into four categories: supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural, which affect both human and ecological well-being. Chapter 2 applies the academic field of political ecology to analyze how corporate accountability, government policy, and governance shape environmental performance and …

Isolated By Design: An Analysis Of The Texas Energy Grid, Samantha Prado

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines how climate change impacts Texas’s energy grid and identifies strategies for building grid resilience by focusing on renewable energy solutions and the inclusion of marginalized groups in decision-making processes. Understanding the conditions that led to the 2021 energy crisis and how they continue to impact Texas residents is critical in advocating for policy reform and climate adaptation. Therefore, the paper begins with the grid’s failure during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 to demonstrate how the crisis resulted from extreme weather, market design, policy choices, and inadequate infrastructure. Chapter One analyzes the environmental impact of generating electricity …

Solid Waste Management In Greater Khartoum City, Sudan, Roba Mahmoud

Student Theses 2015-Present

This study investigates the rising solid waste management (SWM) dilemma in Greater Khartoum City (GKC), a critical environmental and public health issue caused by fast urbanization and inadequate infrastructure, with historical linkages to Sudan's colonial and postcolonial growth. Chapter 1 describes the current problem using quantitative and qualitative data, demonstrating that GKC produces approximately 3,340 tons of waste each day, with 56% organic matter, 8% plastics, and 16% paper. Collection efficiency remains severely poor, at 31.5%. Informal recyclers known as Nakasha or Barkata collect approximately 7% of total waste, supporting roughly 3,900 people, whereas filthy open dumps and unsorted medical …

Associations Between Levels Of Physical Activity And Cognitive Health, Gemma Goldenbaum

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between physical activity levels and executive function, specifically focusing on inhibitory control and working memory capacity. Though the benefits of exercise on brain health are well-documented, the extent of cognitive differences between sedentary individuals and elite student-athletes remains misunderstood. Eighty participants (ages 18–35) were categorized via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) into sedentary, low, and advanced activity tiers. Participants completed computational assessments, including the Operation Span (OSPAN) task for working memory and Go/No-Go tasks to measure response inhibition and implicit associations. Preliminary results indicated significant differences in sedentary behavior, …

Exploring “I Can Only Draw A Stick Figure”: The Influence Of Technology On The Creative Mind In Art Education, Tristan Stephenson

Art 895 Research Papers

Upon hearing someone is an artist, the public seems to commonly share the phrase, “I can only draw a stick figure.” To an art educator who aims to teach anyone about art, this statement may be perplexing. Even if individuals enjoy art as elementary-aged children, it appears people can lose an enthusiasm or mindset for art, regardless of ability. This phenomenological and arts-based study aims to break down why people think they cannot draw and better understand such thinking through the potential impact of today’s technology and digital culture. Information will be gathered through qualitative observations, documents, and visual materials, …

Differentiation In The Arts: Choice-Based Learning To Increase Engagement, Katie Caskey

Art 895 Research Papers

There are many ways in which an art educator teaches. However, some struggle to get students to be engaged with the subject matter or materials. Choice-based project learning can facilitate engagement by allowing students to choose the subject matter or medium in order to become more involved with the learning process. This Arts-Based Research study, using narrative inquiry and visual arts, explores the effects choice-based learning has on the outcome of a project and overall engagement within the learning experience. Students will be given choices throughout the project, essentially making it their own while also meeting the requirements of the …

Creative Aging: Living Well Through The Arts, Joshua Brown

Art 895 Research Papers

This research project discusses and analyzes arts programming designed to enrich the lives of older adults (defined here as people older than 55) using a qualitative approach with quantitative support, and how governments can fund community-based creative aging programming to promote wellness. Over the course of one semester, these research techniques were used to explore the practice of creative aging programming through analysis of state-level data, testimonials from participating artists, reviewing literature on the topic of creative aging, and examination of the artwork produced by older adults through these programs. These programs can directly impact the social health of older …

Exploring Visual Literacy Strategies To Improve Interpretation, Critique, And Artmaking In A High School Art Classroom, Abby Stallbaumer

Art 895 Research Papers

Visual literacy is an essential competency for secondary students as they navigate a world saturated with images and visual media. Intentional instruction of visual literacy enables students to analyze, interpret, and evaluate artworks while developing critical thinking and communication skills that transfer across disciplines. This Mixed Methods research study explored how the implementation of varied visual literacy strategies affects students’ ability to interpret, discuss, and create artworks in a high school level art classroom. Over a period of four weeks qualitative and arts-based techniques will be used to evaluate the outcome of the research through field notes from the researcher, …

Art Foundations In Student Digital Game Projects Within Online Learning, Isabelle John

Art 895 Research Papers

This qualitative study examined how traditional art foundations are reflected in student-created digital game projects developed within an online learning environment. As digital game-making becomes increasingly prevalent in art education, students engage in complex, visual decision-making that extends beyond technical execution. Through the analysis of student digital game artifacts, this study explored the presence of foundational art concepts, such as composition, color, spatial organization, visual hierarchy, and visual culture. Using a constructivist qualitative approach and visual artifact analysis, the study identified patterns in how art foundations were applied within online learning contexts.

Findings indicate that while art foundations were consistently …

Integrating Music And Visual Art: The Impact Of Using A Cross-Disciplinary Approach On Creativity And Engagement, Zoe E. August

Art 895 Research Papers

This study explores the integration of music into the visual art classroom and its impact on student creativity and engagement by encouraging emotional expression and multisensory exploration. The purpose of this research is to examine how access to music during instructional time can have a positive impact on student engagement and creativity. This study may also provide evidence to support the revision of school policies that prohibit student headphone use in the classroom during the academic day. Using a Mixed-Methods Case Study with an Arts-Based Qualitative Inquiry, this research examines how students respond emotionally and creatively when music is intentionally …

The Data Driven Body, Kimberlyn P. Konen

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines how wearable fitness technologies function as persuasive digital tools that shape cultural understandings of health. Through a qualitative rhetorical analysis of popular devices such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, and WHOOP, the study explores how interface design, data visualizations, notifications, and marketing materials communicate implicit messages about wellness. Rather than acting as neutral measurement tools, fitness trackers promote specific values, including quantification, discipline, optimization, and self-surveillance. Findings reveal that these devices define health through numerical metrics, encourage consistent productivity, frame wellness as competitive performance, and use emotional feedback to reinforce success or failure. Additionally, marketing imagery promotes …

Heat Pump Water Heater Cta-2045 Implementation Guidance For Maximizing Demand Response Impact, Dana Kahiwahiwa Paresa

Dissertations and Theses

Residential flexible loads, such as heat pump water heaters, have great potential for grid reliability services; however, their effectiveness depends on reliable performance in response to coordinated grid service requests. While the ANSI/CTA-2045-B protocol standardizes communication, it does not mandate specific functional behaviors, creating a mismatch in which the device may comply with the communication protocol but fail to meet performance expectations. This manuscript demonstrates the need for a ANSI/CTA-2045-B implementation guide by quantifying these discrepancies through gray-box conformance testing of market-available units followed by large-scale simulations.

Field testing results revealed a significant conformance gap. Tested units exhibited an average …

Spad Camera Image Analysis, Pratheen Reddy Pininti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

I present a thorough noise characterization of the Canon MS-500, a Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) camera system, tested under both lit and dark conditions. The camera outputs 10-bit digital number (DN) values produced by an internal processing pipeline whose design is not publicly documented. All analyses in this thesis therefore describe the camera’s DN output — the signal that any downstream detection, tracking, or classification system will actually receive — rather than the photon-counting statistics of the underlying SPAD array. All computations were performed on the native 10-bit data. Where a measured quantity has a known photon-counting analog, the relationship …

Volume Cxlv, Number 22, May 8, 2026, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Exploring Grounded Theory In Educational Research: Literature Review, Reflexivity, And Conceptual Development In Doctoral Research, Huidan Niu

The Qualitative Report

My article explores the application of grounded theory in educational research, focusing on the literature review process, reflexivity, and conceptual development. I address common misconceptions about grounded theory, especially for novice researchers, and advocate for its use as a comprehensive methodology rather than solely as a data analysis tool. Drawing on my doctoral research experience, I argue that grounded theory offers a valuable framework for fostering theoretical sensitivity and independence, making it particularly suitable for educational research. Through detailed examination, I offer novice researchers practical strategies for navigating the methodological complexities of grounded theory and for contributing conceptually robust and …

Gendered Politics Of Pictures: How Images In A Pakistani English Textbook Homogenize Female Identities, Liaquat Ali Channa

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative multimodal analytical study draws upon Kress and van Leeuwen’s ideas about pictures and problematizes textbooks of English that supposedly teach only English in Pakistan. It aims to understand the identities of an adult female as shown in the images of an English textbook. It uses Foucault’s theories of discourse and discursive formation, and a Vygotskian sociocultural view of the development of consciousness. By following Braun and Clarke (2006, 2019), all the pictures of the My English Book 4 are first analyzed thematically. Later, O’Toole’s (1994) method of analyzing pictures is employed for a detailed examination of a representative …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Evaluating Factors Influencing Patient Experience With Virtual Reality During Awake​ Interventional Radiology Procedures, Quynh Dao-Payne

Doctoral Projects

Procedural anxiety and pain are common among pediatric patients undergoing awake interventional radiology (IR) procedures and may negatively affect patient comfort, cooperation, and overall patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising nonpharmacologic intervention to reduce anxiety and improve patient-centered outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate patient-reported experiences and perceived outcomes associated with VR use during awake pediatric IR procedures at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.​ A qualitative descriptive quality improvement design was utilized. Twenty pediatric​ patients ages 10–21 years undergoing awake IR procedures with VR as part of standard clinical​ care completed structured …

Building Ai Literacy Through Assessment Practices In Physical Education Teacher Education, Rebekah A. Johnson

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

The classroom resource presented provides an instructional approach designed to enhance both course outcomes and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in undergraduate physical education preservice teachers. Implemented in a full-semester, in-person Assessment in Physical Education course, the project engaged students in learning to develop effective AI prompts, critically analyze AI-generated outputs, and apply these tools to design a standards-based assessment plan. Designed for undergraduate students with foundational knowledge of assessment and pedagogy, the project incorporated scaffolded tasks, guided discussions, and structured reflections to support AI integration through experiential learning. In approximately 30 minutes per week throughout the semester, students explored how …

Stridevision: Automated Detection Of Running Form Deviations From 2d Pose Estimation And Machine Learning, Paulina Eguibar Ortega

Honors Theses

Running gait analysis plays a critical role in injury prevention and performance optimization, however, existing approaches often rely on specialized laboratory equipment or wearable sensors with limited interpretability. Recent advances in computer vision, particularly 2D human pose estimation, enable markerless motion analysis from standard video. However, progress remains constrained by the lack of publicly available datasets designed for running form analysis.

In this work, we introduce a preliminary dataset and benchmark for stride-level running gait analysis. The dataset consists of 73 treadmill running videos from 15 participants with varying experience levels, annotated with over 4,600 stride-level labels across multiple biomechanical …

Windows Of Developmental Susceptibility To Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Thcv) Reveal Stage-Dependent Morphological And Biological Effects, Mirielle Clayton

Honors Theses

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a minor cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, is gaining attention for its potential therapeutic applications, yet its effects on early development remain poorly understood. This study investigated how the timing of THCV exposure influences morphological, behavioral, and bioaccumulation outcomes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Embryos were exposed to 2 μM THCV during discrete developmental windows (6–30, 30–54, 54–78, 78–102) and continuous 6–102 hours post-fertilization (hpf), designed to model early stages of human gestation. Behavioral analysis using a larval photomotor response assay revealed significant reductions in locomotor activity during dark phases, with the strongest hypoactivity observed …

Analyzing Best Practices In Large-Scale Digital Archaeological Databases, Chloe M. Vizier

Honors Theses

Archaeological databases, the foundation of archaeological analyses, have changed drastically alongside the rise of new digital tools in the twenty-first century. Digital databases, alongside other digital tools, must therefore be evaluated for their efficiency and effectiveness within the field. This thesis seeks to determine a set of best practices within large-scale digital archaeological databases through analyzing an existing example: The Paleoindian Database of the Americas (PIDBA). PIDBA is composed of multiple state-level datasets, a trait that both invited collaboration and creates discrepancies in data entry. Though examining both PIDBA's user-facing website and one of its most robust state-level datasets, the …

Expanding Expanded Access: A Case Of Onc201 And The Ethical Limitations Of Compassionate Use, Ava C. Hutchings

Honors Theses

This study examines the ethical and structural limitations of the Expanded Access program in the United States, with particular focus on its application to terminal pediatric illness. Although the program is intended to provide patients with life-threatening conditions access to investigational therapies outside of clinical trials, its effectiveness in serving critically ill children remains uncertain. This program is analyzed through careful consideration of regulatory review and ethical theory. Key policies governing Expanded Access are examined alongside scholarly discussions of pediatric autonomy and parental authority.

A case study of ONC201, a now-approved investigational drug, is used to illustrate how Expanded Access …

Evolution Of Nematode Prey Chemotaxis Behavior Across Different Environments, Hailey R. Smith

Honors Theses

Climatic conditions in the near future are projected to be warmer, with more frequent and intense weather events. This will substantially alter the environments in which organisms must integrate specific information to find essential resources. Many organisms rely upon chemical signals to orient towards attractive resources through a mechanism called chemotaxis. How different environmental conditions, like temperature, impact this process will be important to understand as environments change. I conducted a laboratory evolution experiment with the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to see how success in chemotaxis assays changes over time when selected under different temperature regimes (normal laboratory temperature, increased …

Mental Health Screening For The Military Spouse: Prevention In Practice, Lura Allison Mcgrath

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

In recent years, a focus on mental health has moved to the forefront of healthcare. This is especially true when caring for United States military service members. The military spouses of these service members also struggle and suffer from mental health disorders. However, the mental health needs of military spouses often receive insufficient attention. Research shows military spouses are at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders and/or suffering from mental illness. A large contributor is the impact of the military lifestyle and its challenges for these spouses. However, research also reveals there has been minimal effort put …

Caladrius: Creating A Playable Game Via A Multimedia Experience, Isabelle Morgan Brookshire

Whittier Scholars Program

Caladrius: Creating a Playable Game via a Multimedia Experience hones in on making an experience through different forms of media to represent a game. If this project was fully funded and done, it would be a video game on Steam with an art exhibition, small poetry book, and novel accompanied with it. It would even have a show, a soundtrack, and merch. But at this level, it was to make an experience for my audience that they could experience whether or not they enjoyed video games as a concept. I wanted them to enjoy 'playing' within a physical exhibition and …

Using Human Capital To Enhance Trasport Sector Performance: A Managerial Perspectives From Transport Firms In Dar Es Salaam, Boaz Lucas Majula, Gerald Bernard Magova

Business Management Review

This study investigated the predictive relationship between human capital dimensions in enhancing transport sector performance, a managerial perspective from transport firms in Dar es Salaam. Specifically, the study examined employee education, working experience, creativity, and how each variable predicted transport sector performance. The study employed a quantitative approach, with five-point Likert scale using structured questionnaires to collect data about human capital dimensions and transport sector performance. The reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and Partial Least Squares Structure Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was performed to estimate the predictive relationship between human capital drivers and transport firm’s performance. The study established the …

A Function-Based Performance Management Intervention To Increase Clinical Documentation Timeliness Among Aba Providers, Alexander Arevalo

Doctoral Dissertations - College of Arts and Sciences

Despite its direct consequences for billing integrity, regulatory compliance, and continuity of client care, clinical documentation timeliness has received limited empirical attention in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) performance management literature. This study evaluated a Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Human Services (PDC-HS)1.1–guided function-based performance management intervention to increase on-time clinical documentation submission among Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBAs) in a home-based ABA agency. The PDC-HS 1.1 identified consequence-based supports as a possible indicated intervention. The intervention was delivered entirely within existing supervisory routines, without monetary incentives, and produced substantial and sustained improvements across an extended observation period. Social validity ratings were positive. …