Digital Commons Network^™

The Art Of The Steal: Remedying The Looting Of Cultural Property Under International Law, Madeleine L. Sharp

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

The practice of looting has existed almost as long as art itself. Although international law has bolstered its protections for art and cultural property in the context of armed conflict, significant enforcement issues remain.

The current framework for prosecuting the crime of looting does not adequately deter the practice, especially in instances that are unrelated to periods of armed conflict. Although pillage is treated as a war crime, all cases of looting—not just those that occur during war— should be viewed as a serious crime that threatens all nations. This Article proposes that universal jurisdiction be extended to the act …

The Patriarchal Project Of Apartheid: Exploring The Gendered Dimensions Of Apartheid And International Justice Pathways Forward, Akila Radhakrishnan, Alyssa T. Yamamoto

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

Although the South African apartheid regime was first and foremost a race-based project, it was also a gendered project. The regime’s dystopian vision to entrench the systematic oppression of non-white people, particularly black people, was rooted in an ideological commitment not just to white supremacy, but to white male supremacy. This paper unpacks the gendered experiences of apartheid and outlines potential avenues to facilitate a more intersectional approach to justice and accountability efforts. Part I traces the patriarchal vision underpinning the South African apartheid regime—and the distinctly gendered dimensions of apartheid’s operationalization and legacy. Adopting a comparative approach, Part II …

Climate And Environmental Controls On Forest Soil Organic Matter Cycling, Genevieve Goebel

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Climate change factors act on the soil environment in complex ways, known to disturb soil organic carbon (C). Rising global temperatures and alterations to regional precipitation and nitrogen deposition regimes may contribute to the intensification of global change by accelerating the rate of biological decomposition and CO2 efflux to the atmosphere. The magnitude and endurance of the disturbance to soil organic C across landscapes and throughout time that climate change factors may pose to soil C cycling are not comprehensively understood. These knowledge gaps in our field make it challenging to anticipate how soil environments and the vast ecosystems that …

Genomic Determinants Of Appetite Regulation And Their Role In Obesity Risk, Timothy J. Renier

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Over 40% of US adults and 20% of children live with obesity. It is related to increased risks of diseases including type II diabetes and cancer, is a source of harmful stigma, and impairs child development. Appetitive traits describing patterns of food approach and avoidance behaviors may serve as windows into the underlying pathophysiology of obesity. As both obesity and appetitive traits are heritable, common genetic drivers of obesity may lead to phenotypic obesity through appetitive traits as a disease mechanism. Additionally, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have been shown to exert their profound clinical effects in part by modulating appetite. …

Cross-Temporal Statistical Approaches For Evaluating Predictor-Outcome Relationships, Jeff Joseph

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Central auditory function is linked with cognitive deficits, but few research projects use existing statistical approaches or develop new ones to forecast cognitive deficits using the results of central auditory tests. To address this limitation, we use a series of statistical learning frameworks for predicting a child’s cognitive abilities based on his/her central auditory performances and demographic factors. Two key challenges exist. First, children may start the study at a time when they are unable to perform the central auditory tests or cognitive tests. Second, cognitive performance is age-dependent, particularly in the early formative years of childhood and adolescence. To …

Governing Agroecological Transitions: Landscape Legacies, Participation, And Socioecological Change In The Northeastern United States, Kristen Jovanelly

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Agroecological transitions are often presented as purposeful shifts toward more resilient, equitable, and ecologically sustainable landscapes. In practice, these transitions unfold through histories, ecological feedback, institutional arrangements, and contested forms of participation. This dissertation examines how these forces shape what agroecological transitions become, for whom, and with what socioecological consequences across urban and working landscapes in the northeastern United States.

Drawing on historical and critical analysis, ecological modeling, greenhouse experimentation, ethnographic fieldwork, and institutional analysis, I trace transition through urban forests, community-garden seed banks and soils, temperate agroforestry systems, and a participatory tree nursery. Analyses of urban greening and agroforestry …

Beyond Bathrooms: The Far-Reaching Consequences Of Denying Gender Identity In Adams V. School Board Of St. Johns County, Jeffrey Sun, Regina Umpstead Pratel

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

INTRODUCTION: The transgender community continues to face discrimination in United States society, and legal protections are unlikely to change anytime soon. Understanding the broader context of these challenges helps explain why some instances of discrimination in public schools may be overlooked or even supported by public officials. An examination of recent judicial rulings concerning transgender students’ access to restrooms corresponding with their gender identity—situated within the broader convergence of national legal and social developments—provides critical insight into the structural barriers faced by transgender students within the educational system and transgender individuals in society at large. Significantly, the growing visibility of …

General Music Methods’ Effect On Sel Development: A Review Of Literature, Tessa M. Hansen

Graduate Research Papers

In an increasingly digital world, the demand for social-emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom has become a priority for holistic student development. While music education is often cited as a tool for emotional growth, there is a lack of synthesized research examining how specific, established music pedagogies facilitate these competencies. This literature review investigates the intersection of five foundational music methods–Orff-Schulwerk, Kodály, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and Gordon’s Music Learning Theory (MLT) – and their impact on the five core SEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Findings indicate that the Orff-Schulwerk and Kodály methods provide robust frameworks …

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 58, Number 1, Fall 2026 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Diversity Mixed Messages In Organizational Hiring Websites On Perceived Person-Organization Fit And Application Intention For Entry-Level Applicants, Clementina Edema, Edikan Nkanta, Alexis Noeela Quick, Linda Kabaaula, Alina Niftulaeva, Caleb T. Carr

Iowa Journal of Communication

Organizations frequently incorporate explicit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements and photographs of current employees into their online presence, in part to signal to potential job applicants their ability to ‘fit in’ to the organization, its culture, and its extant members. This two-factor (match between organizational DEI statement and racioethnic diversity of members depicted) experiment (N = 105) tested the effect of diversity mixed messages on applicant perceptions of person-organization fit, accounting for the moderating effects of individuals’ demographics (i.e., race/gender and political lean). Results revealed the consistency of DEI statements and the depictions of current organizational members did not …

Seeking Support After Miscarriage: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Of Semi-Anonymous Communication On Reddit, Mahtab Talafian

Iowa Journal of Communication

Miscarriage is a deeply stigmatized and emotionally complex experience, often leaving individuals feeling isolated and unsupported. Increasingly, people turn to online communities for connection and assistance after miscarriage, and this has been the focus of research for a while. However, little is known about how they seek support in the presence of anonymity. This study examines the strategies people use to seek social support in the r/Miscarriage subreddit, addressing a gap in both health and communication scholarship. While previous research has shown that individuals use online platforms following miscarriage to seek information, share experiences, and seek emotional validation, this study …

Faith-Based Leadership, Mckenna Hohenadel

Honors Program Theses

The thesis paper that follows centers on the concept of faith-based leadership and its impact on organizational outcomes. Leaders play a critical role in shaping not only the success of an organization but also the experiences and well-being of its employees. This research aims to explore the intersection of Christian faith and leadership, best displayed through three styles of leadership including servant leadership, transformational leadership, and spiritual leadership. The literature review covers these three styles and provides the background information for the empirical research. The empirical research concerns how faith-based leaders manage the relationship between their faith values, their leadership …

Comparative Assessments Of Methane Flux Measurement Techniques In Serpentinite-Influenced Groundwater Wells, Madison J. Stetson

Open Access Master's Theses

Methane (CH₄₎ emissions from continental serpentinizing systems represent a significant component of Earth’s carbon cycling. Despite increasing recognition of serpentinite-hosted water-rock interactions as a source of trace gases, standardized field methodologies for quantifying trace gas flux from groundwater wells and similar subsurface conduits remain limited. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the reliability and replicability of three chamber-based sampling methods for measuring gas flux in serpentinite-hosted groundwater systems accessed by groundwater monitoring wells. Field measurements were conducted at the Coast Range Ophiolite Microbial Observatory (CROMO) within the McLaughlin Natural Reserve in Lower Lake, California, a site …

Impact Of Instagram Flyers In Higher Education: Within Resident Assistant Program Attendance Marketing, Mary J. Mcdonald

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

This exploratory pilot study examines whether posting Instagram digital flyers affects Resident Assistant (RA) program attendance in the higher-education Housing and Residence Life (HRL) context. Instagram has emerged as a dominant channel of communication among Generation Z (1997-2012). As a result, higher education institutions have increasingly used social media to prompt student engagement and foster belonging, in hopes of strengthening retention. Using a quasi-experimental matched comparison design, attendance data from the 2024 academic year without Instagram flyers were compared to the 2025 academic year with Instagram flyers. The independent variable was the implementation of Instagram digital flyers, and the dependent …

Prayer Presence Patience: How The Church Multiples Around The World, Carolina G. Miller

Books

No abstract provided.

Hydrostatic Weighing Without Head Submersion Study, Tyler Sherrill

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Variations In Co2 Emission From Poultry Manure-Amended Soils In Two Contrasting Tropical Agroecosystems, Gladys M. Akande, Adebayo J. Adeyemo, Chidozie J. Oraegbunam, Iduh J.J. Otene, Ezekiel C. Are, Babatunde S. Ewulo, Chioma M. Ahukaemere, Samuel O. Kolawole, Sunday E. Obalum

Applied Environmental Research

The soil remains the largest carbon sink, the capacity of which varies spatiotemporally and with anthropogenic activities, with implications for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and associated global warming. Despite the increasing popularity of organic amendments in the ecologically and anthropoculturally diverse farming systems of tropical Africa, manure-induced CO2 emissions in this region with high soil-carbon-sequestration potential are poorly documented. This study assessed seasonal CO2 emissions from poultry manure-amended sandy-clay-loam and sandy-loam soils in the Rainforest-Savannah and Southern Guinea Savannah zones, respectively, of Nigeria. Following manure application at 3 rates (0, 10, and 15 t ha-1), soil samples were collected during …

Activated Carbon Prepared From Residual Eucalyptus Wood For The Removal Of Methyl Orange: Equilibrium, Kinetics, Thermodynamics, And Desorption, Mathin Jaikua, Phuthidhorn Thanaphu, Sunisa Ungwiwatkul, Jakkrawut Maitip, Kanyarak Prasertboonyai

Applied Environmental Research

This research utilizes activated carbon derived from residual Eucalyptus wood (EW) for the removal of methyl orange (MO). The residual Eucalyptus wood-based activated carbon (EWAC) was produced through carbonization at 400 °C (EWC) followed by activation with a mass ratio of H3PO4 to EWC of 1:3, which was conducted at 800 °C for 1 h. The characterization of the EWAC involved various analytical techniques, including FTIR, XRD, BET, and CHN analysis. The adsorption parameters, such as pH (range: 3–8), adsorbent dose (range: 0.01–0.5 g per 50 mL of MO solution), contact time (range: 5–720 min), initial MO concentration (range: 5–600 …

Bioremediation Potential Of Indigenous Stutzerimonas Stutzeri 08tbb Isolated From Mercury-Contaminated Gold Mining Sites In Indonesia, Uun Rohmawati, Juanita Hibatullah, Achmad Rodiansyah, Yunita Messe, Dwi Nur Aini Fajriah

Applied Environmental Research

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) widely uses mercury (Hg) in the amalgamation process, and the resulting waste is often discharged directly into the environment, posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health because of the high toxicity of Hg. This study aimed to isolate and screen indigenous Hg-tolerant bacteria from contaminated gold mining sites in Indonesia; characterize the most effective isolate using morphological, biochemical, and molecular approaches; evaluate Hg(II) degradation performance using ICP‒OES, FTIR, and SEM analyses; and identify key metabolites involved in Hg detoxification through untargeted LC–HRMS metabolomics. A total of 51 bacterial isolates were obtained from Hg-contaminated …

Assessment Of Chromosomal Abnormalities In Hybrid Catfish In Reservoir Contaminated With Heavy Metals From Municipal Landfill, Tanadol Savigun, Natchanon Thiratanaboon, Nuttawadee Maneesan, Manop Sriuttha, Lamyai Neeratanaphan

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the concentrations of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr and Pb) in water, sediment, and hybrid catfish (Clarias gariepinus x C. macrocephalus) as well as chromosomal abnormalities (CAs) from a reservoir affected by leachate from a municipal landfill were compared to those in an unaffected reservoir. Heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma‒optical emission spectrometry (ICP‒OES). Chromosomes were prepared from kidney cells by direct methods. The As, Cd and Pb concentrations in the water and sediment from both reservoirs were within the Thailand water and soil standards. The concentrations of As and Cd in the water …

Ammonium Adsorption From Aqueous Solutions Using Mnfe2o4-Functionalized Coffee Husk Biochar Nanocomposites : An Evaluation Of Hno3 And Naoh Activation, Thuy-Tien Do, Huu-Tap Van, Thi-Minh-Thu Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

This research investigated the development of MnFe2O4-based composite adsorbents (MFO@CFA and MFO@CFB) by activating coffee husk-derived biochar with HNO3 and NaOH, followed by synthesis through coprecipitation and hydrothermal techniques. The structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Batch adsorption experiments were used to assess ammonium removal efficiency across a range of conditions: solution pH (3–8), contact time (5–120 min), adsorbent dosage (0.2–3 g L-1), and initial ammonium concentration (10–60 mg L-1). The findings indicated that compared with MFO@CFB, which was synthesized from NaOH-activated biochar, MFO@ CFA, derived …

Assessing Forest Fragmentation And Edge Expansion In Nan Province, Thailand, Using Landsat Data (2014–2022), Kasidit Rison, Marut Fuangarworn, Chatchawan Chaisuekul

Applied Environmental Research

The increasing pressure from land-use change and agricultural expansion in Nan Province, northern Thailand, has accelerated forest fragmentation and reduced the ecosystem service value (ESV) of the landscape. This study aims to: assess land use and forest fragmentation change in Nan Province between 2014 and 2022, and evaluate the impact of land use change on ESV. Landsat 8 OLI satellite imagery from 2014 and 2022 was used to classify land cover into five types: forest, agriculture, settlements, exposed soil, and others. Forest fragmentation was evaluated using landscape metrics such as patch number, mean patch size, edge length, and core area. …

Application Of Diatom Indices To Monitor Environmental Shifts In The Downstream Tuntang River, Central Java, Mirza Hanif Al Falah, Tri Retnaningsih Soeprobowati, Hadiyanto -, Muhammad Isnaini Ibnu Sabil, Marta Wojewódka-Przybył, Łukasz Kruszewski, Paweł Rydelek

Applied Environmental Research

Diatoms are widely recognized as sensitive bioindicators for reconstructing past water quality and ecological changes in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, multiple diatom-based indices were applied to sediment cores collected from three downstream stations of the Tuntang River, Central Java, to infer long-term environmental change in a tropical river system. A total of 38 sediment subsamples were analyzed, with dominant taxa including Fragilaria crotonensis (2.4–18.6%), Nitzschia palea (3.1–22.4%), and Aulacoseira granulata (2.0–15.8%), indicating sustained nutrient enrichment. Diatom indices consistently classified conditions as mesotrophic to eutrophic throughout the sediment profiles. The occurrence of the marine diatom Cylindrotheca closterium (up to 6.3%) …

Environmental Sustainability Performance And Efficiency In Thailand’S Rajabhat Universities : A Cross-Regional Analysis Of The Impact Rankings, Konstantinos Balis

Applied Environmental Research

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected to increasingly communicate their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the rise of alternative sustainability rankings serving as prominent reporting instruments for institutional transparency. In Thailand, Rajabhat Universities, a network of government HEIs historically associated with their mission of teacher training and local development, have been actively participating in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, presenting a unique case study to explore cross-regional sustainability efforts in relation to global benchmarks. To evaluate trends, regional disparities, and engagement performance across the sustainability pillars, this study uses a descriptive quantitative design …

Initial Screening Of Halophilic Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Mangrove Water And Sediment In Pekalongan, Indonesia, Novia Safinatunnajah, Muhammad Zainuri, Aris Ismanto, Tony Hadibarata, Kunarso -, Sugeng Widada, Hermin Pancasakti Kusumaningrum, Candra Wahyuningsih

Applied Environmental Research

Microplastic pollution in tropical mangrove ecosystems represents an increasing environmental concern, particularly in coastal regions such as Pekalongan, Indonesia, where industrial and residential activities contribute substantially to plastic waste. This study aimed to isolate and preliminarily screen halophilic bacteria from mangrove sediments and seawater collected from a plastic-impacted coastal area. Using mineral salt medium (MSM) supplemented with polyethylene glycol (PEG), six bacterial strains were obtained and evaluated for their potential to interact with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) on the basis of gravimetric weight loss measurements. Among the isolates, Halomonas Cupida A1, Marinobacter nauticus A6.3, and Marinobacter nauticus SD5.2 exhibited …

Massteach: A Statewide Strategy To Increase And Broaden Stem Teacher Participation, Arne K. Christensen, Jennifer Hanselman, Allison S. Little

Staff & Administration

The global teacher shortage is a persistent challenge that has become more acute since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in STEM subject areas. Using ten years of statewide higher education enrollment data, the MassTeach program was developed as a regional strategy, coordinating efforts by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and faculty across the community college (2-year) and state university (4-year) systems, to increase participation in the STEM teacher workforce. Recognizing that enrollment at community colleges is a socioeconomic reflection of their surrounding communities, which are underrepresented in the STEM education pipeline, MassTeach coordinated supports to facilitate student transfer from 2- …

Shameful Susan: Bending The Binary In The Big Combo, Katie Stebbins

Staff & Administration

An essay written for Ignite Films 4K restoration and physical media release of the 1955 film noir The Big Combo, directed by Joseph K. Lewis. This is one of several essays written for the booklet accompanying the release, and focuses on Susan Lowell, played by Jean Wallace.

Challenges And Prospects Of Polymeric Biomaterials In Immune Engineering: A Review, Boyka Andonova Lilova, Desislav Dinev, Probal Basu

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Immune engineering is a vast and rapidly developing field with a strong focus on polymeric materials. The importance of these biomaterials in immune engineering revolves around their ability to provide bioactive molecules to the target site, which influences the immune system. Their functional performance depends on various structural and functional properties of the biomaterial, which are also influenced by the host immune microenvironment. This work focuses on the current state of the art, the attributes of polymer-based biomaterials, and their limitations in immune engineering applications. This review not only elaborates on the advantages of polymeric biomaterials in immune engineering but …

Collaboration On Waltz Labels Can Achieve Qualitative Stereo Vision, Ben Mathew, Majed Alotaibi, Debasis Mitra, Marius Silaghi

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Stereo vision requires calibration that can be hard to achieve or guarantee, so we propose a Qualitative Stereo Vision approach based on logical reasoning about edges detected from cameras/robots having different points of view. The proposed technique builds upon the qualitative reasoning of Waltz filtering on edges of a 2D image, which is extended to reasoning about edges from multiple images with different points of view. An assumption is that edges and vertexes that appear in different images can be identified based on their features. We find that a consistent spatial interpretation of a scene, classifying occluding, convex, and concave …

Physics-Based Design And Simulation Of Hollow-Core Anti-Resonant Fiber Plasmonic Sensors, Mohammad Al Mahfuz, Abdullah Al Mamun, Md Selim Habib

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Next-generation sensing technologies require high-performance sensors that offer ultra-low loss with enhanced sensitivity. To achieve this, we propose a hollow-core anti-resonant fiber (HC-ARF) refractive index (RI) sensor utilizing the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detection mechanism for superior optical sensing performance. The proposed sensor model features a single ring of uniformly arranged regular cladding tubes, each coated with a thin plasmonic metal layer to facilitate strong coupling between the core and surface plasmon modes. Through rigorous finite-element modeling (FEM) simulations, the fiber structure is carefully optimized and sensing performance is investigated to obtain ultra-low loss and high detection sensitivity via wavelength …