Digital Commons Network^™

A Decolonial Approach To International Education: Insights From A Cal Poly Global Program In Palermo, Sicily., Elvira Pulitano, Iyad Jamaly

csuglobaljournal

This article presents a critical intervention in the current debates about decolonizing international education. It is based on a Global Program in Palermo, Sicily, offered by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in summer 2023. As both program creator/director and student participant in the program, the authors rely on their personal experience and insights along with expertise in coloniality and decolonial theories. The article focuses on a series of pedagogical activities led by a young group of migrants and refugees who, in the city of Palermo, have come together to form two associations designed and structured to offer new contemporary models …

Is The Women's Treaty A Paper Tiger? Indian Courts' Application Of The United Nations Treaty, Amanda Stephens

University of Memphis Law Review

This Article examines whether the United Nations (“U.N.”) Treaty, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (“CEDAW”), is a “paper tiger”—a law that seems powerful but is in fact weak and ineffectual. While some scholars question the Treaty’s effectiveness based on statistical studies, others point to legal reforms in state parties as evidence of its success. Neither provides a nuanced middle ground by examining the CEDAW at a micro rather than a macro level. This Article fills this gap by conducting a qualitative analysis of 10 Indian judicial opinions. Specifically, the Article explores how the …

Addressing Junk Science In Abortion Legislation, Kirby Tyrrell

University of Memphis Law Review

Junk science has been a longstanding feature of antiabortion legislative and litigation strategy. But after the Supreme Court’s opinion in Whole Woman’s Health required courts to independently evaluate scientific evidence, rather than defer to a legislature’s factual findings, antiabortion experts took on greater importance in litigation. This Article examines three theories of antiabortion junk science, which, despite overwhelming scientific evidence establishing their falsity, have been repeatedly litigated in federal and state courts. The current tool for addressing dubious evidence in litigation is the standard created by the Supreme Court in Daubert and adopted by Federal Rule of Evidence 702. However, …

Prison Rape: An Endless Epidemic?, Kathleen M. Darcy, Hannah Brenner Johnson

University of Memphis Law Review

Congress passed the landmark Prison Rape Elimination Act (“PREA”) in 2003 with unanimous support from both the Senate and House of Representatives. After the rampant sexual violence occurring behind the closed doors of prisons and jails (much of which was perpetrated by the staff of these institutions) was brought to light by human rights organizations, news media, lawyers, and activists in the late 1990s, lawmakers crafted this unprecedented federal law to establish a zero-tolerance policy for what it described as an “invisible epidemic.” At the law’s twenty-year mark, justice-involved individuals are still being sexually victimized in carceral settings, day after …

W(H)Ither Regulation? Hither To The Tax System, Tracey M. Roberts

Pace Environmental Law Review

In a series of cases decided in the last three years, four delivered in 2024 alone, the U.S. Supreme Court has directed a withering gaze toward the federal administrative state. In West Virginia v. EPA, the Court both curtailed Executive Branch regulatory authority and mandated that Congress draft with greater statutory clarity and specificity under their recently developed major questions doctrine. Under Ohio v. EPA, the Court placed on administrative agencies the burden of extraordinary vigilance in addressing comments as part of the regulatory promulgation process. In Loper Bright v. Raimondo, the Court overturned Natural Resource Defense Council v. Chevron, …

Slavery As The Ultimate Hell: Jesmyn Ward's Incorporation Of Dante's Inferno In Let Us Descend, Rachel Housworth

Furman Humanities Review

No abstract provided.

Qualla Pottery: Expressing Identity And Kinship Through Ceramic Objects, Gabi Daniels

Furman Humanities Review

No abstract provided.

Rebecca And Rhododendrons: Female Identity In Interwar Britain, Ella Harrison

Furman Humanities Review

No abstract provided.

Seeking "Signs Of A Better Day": Racial Uplift Strategies In The Works Of Reverend Irving E. Lowery, Hannah Cory

Furman Humanities Review

No abstract provided.

"Lofty, Where All Is Shrunk And Changed": The Duality Of Susan Pringle Frost's Measures To Retain Power In Progressive Era Charleston, Emily Anne Harris

Furman Humanities Review

2025 Meta E. Gilpatrick Prize Essay

Furman Humanities Review. Volume 36, August 2025, Gretchen Braun Editor

Furman Humanities Review

No abstract provided.

Bridging Generations Through Art: Community, Creativity, And Wellbeing, Eva V. Coker Phd, Johnson K. Wor

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

Bridging Generations Through Art: Community, Creativity, and Wellbeing

Abstract

This article documents an intergenerational Art Day event that brought together participants of all ages to engage in a shared community art experience. Hosted in a community setting and facilitated by graduate students, the event emphasized intergenerational artmaking as a way to foster connection, creativity, mutual leaning, and wellbeing across generations. Through activities such as mindful pattern-making, montage, linoleum block printing, and weaving, participants collaborated, exchanged skills, and created artworks. Each art station was designed to support personal reflection, exploration, and participants across ages and abilities, and was informed by research …

Community-Based Participatory Sound Play For Critical Holistic Learning, Shannon Perry, Emmie Pierce, Jon Vogt

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

This visual essay explores what unfolded during a month-long participatory sonic space in a community art gallery in the southeastern United States. We walk through the multiple sound stations we designed to provoke playful interactions and challenge dominant hierarchical binaries that often persist in gallery and art education space (e.g., artist/audience, instrument/non-instrument object, music/noise, culture/nature). While considering these various spaces we created for nudging visiting audience members to engage with diverse sonorous objects in becoming active musicmakers, thus becoming audience-participants, we also consider the concepts underpinning our design decisions. We conclude by considering how the living sound exhibit and participatory …

Freedom To Create, Freedom To Teach: Lessons From A Liberatory Artmaking Practice, Andrea Allen

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

This essay explores the question, “How can a liberatory art practice inform a liberatory art teaching practice?” by examining the artistic process of Iranian artist Mahbube Parnian. Through four key themes (freedom to experiment, learning in community, identity exploration, and art as language) this essay draws parallels between Mahbube’s liberatory artmaking and pedagogical strategies that foster inclusive, student-centered classrooms. Framed within a socio-political climate that increasingly restricts liberatory teaching, this work argues that preserving justice-oriented, creative practices is not only essential to student well-being, but also an act of resistance.

Full Issue

International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education

No abstract provided.

Blind Mate Paddle Fabric Shuffle Cassette, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure describes a blind-mate cassette interconnect system that enables high-speed, high-density connectivity between modular switching and fabric elements while maintaining full compatibility with standard OSFP (Octal Small Form-factor Pluggable) cages and connectors. The cassette integrates pre-terminated twinax or optical links within a floating housing that allows precise, tool-less alignment and automatic mating during module insertion, replacing up to sixteen discrete OSFP cables. This architecture combines the serviceability of blind-mate connectors with the flexibility of standard OSFP ecosystems (DAC, ACC, AOC, coherent, WDM, etc.), reducing installation time, eliminating cabling errors, and simplifying expansion from single-rack to multi-rack systems. By …

Cloud-Managed System For Distributing Audio Content To Point-Of-Sale Devices, Ramprasad S, Gulmohar Khan, Ankul Batra, Gajen Agrawal, Malay Singh, Saurabh Mimani, Ajay Prasad, Venu Annamraju, Sailendra Bathi

Defensive Publications Series

The utility for merchants of point-of-sale (POS) audio devices can be expanded beyond announcing transaction details. A cloud-managed system can facilitate the creation and distribution of custom audio content to these devices. For example, a user can input text through a client application, which can be sent to a cloud backend. The backend can use services, such as generative artificial intelligence for content refinement and a text-to-speech engine, to generate an audio file. The backend can then orchestrate the distribution of the audio file and an associated playback schedule to one or more endpoint audio devices. This system can expand …

November 2025, Office Of Research

Research Update

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Walking Vs Running And Mental Health, Kim Ning

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The present study examined how mental health, specifically depression, anxiety, and stress, relates to the amount of hours one spends in a week walking or running. While previous research has focused on the general effects of physical exercise on mental health, few studies have compared the influence of high intensity physical activity to low intensity physical activity specifically in college students` mental health outcomes. Fifty-five (N=55) Belmont University students were asked to fill out a questionnaire about the amount of hours they spent running or walking in a week and different mental health surveys. A series of six correlation tests …

Anxiety’S Relationship With Caffeine Usage And Frequency, William H. Simmons, Kyra Cannon, Harry Lackey

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Previous research has suggested mixed findings regarding caffeine’s relationship with anxiety, despite caffeine being the most widely consumed psychoactive substance. This study investigated this relationship further, exploring whether caffeine consumption is associated with perceived anxiety symptoms. Sixty-five participants completed an online survey through Qualtrics that assessed daily caffeine intake and anxiety levels using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. A linear regression tested the relationship between levels of caffeine use and perceived levels of anxiety. An independent samples t-test compared anxiety levels between participants who consume less than 400 mg of caffeine and those who consume 400 mg or more. …

Visual Attention, Emotional Arousal, And Moral Judgment In Legal Evidence Processing, Audrey G. Laskey, Kyra Cannon, Josette Sanders, Lingfei Luan

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Moral judgment in legal decision-making is influenced not only by the evidence presented but also by emotional and attentional processes. Prior research has shown that physiological arousal during exposure to emotionally charged or socially relevant information can shift the way evidence is evaluated and weighted in decision-making (Armstrong & Olatunji, 2012; Godwin et al., 2016). However, few studies have examined how autonomic arousal relates to guilt decisions using real, high profile case materials. We were interested in examining how possible exposure to violent content on social media might desensitize individuals, like jurors, leading to lighter judgments for serious crimes. This …

Innovation Curse: The Wastefulness Of Technologies Believed To Mitigate Climate Change, Minh Hoang Nguyen, Valoree Gagnon, Thanh Tu Tran, Thi Mai Anh Tran

Michigan Tech Publications

Technological innovations are increasingly promoted as solutions to climate change. However, many innovations, including Carbon Capture and Storage, bioplastics, and glacier geo-engineering, suffer significant limitations from high costs, speculative efficacy, and adverse ecological consequences. Using Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), a transdisciplinary framework grounded in information theory, quantum mechanics, and mindsponge theory, in this study, we explain how such technological innovations become systemically favored despite their flaws. We introduce the concept of the “innovation curse,” which arises when institutional and cognitive filtering systems, operating under high informational entropy, default to familiar but ineffective techno-solutions while marginalizing Indigenous and Local Knowledges …

Selective Attention With Lyrical Music Vs. No Music, Scovs Majors, Rachel Falleur, Kim Niang, Olivia Pokrifcsak

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Selective attention refers to the brain’s ability to focus on relevant information while filtering out distractions. Research suggests that language cues and semantic context can shape how attention is directed, indicating that cognitive control is context-dependent (Reisman, 1964). Environmental factors such as background noise can also disrupt attention, leading to reduced accuracy on cognitive tasks (Pearson & Lane, 1984). In the present study, we examined music as both a linguistic and environmental variable influencing selective attention. Previous findings indicate that lyrical music can serve as a significant distractor, impairing attentional performance in both music and non-music majors (Darrow et al., …

Body Image In Athletes Compared To Non-Athletes, Madeleine R. Scott, Yara Ali, Hana Sokolovic, Jenny Glenn

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

This current study examines the relationship between student athletes and body image. Current research demonstrates that body image has become a growing concern regarding young adults, yet few studies have investigated whether there is a relationship between body image and being a student athlete, specifically regarding their body dissatisfaction, negative eating behaviors, social comparison, and self-objectification. In this study, ninety (N= 90) students at Belmont University participated in a survey that assessed their body dissatisfaction, negative eating behaviors, social comparison, and self-objectification. Of our total participants, twenty eight (N= 28) reported to be part of a student athlete organization, while …

Relationship Satisfaction Among College Students, Gracie L. Sager, Makenna A. Stratton, Kyrah Brodie, Autumn R. Thomas

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Understanding relationship satisfaction is essential to individual well-being, particularly in college populations, as it relates to happiness, mental and physical health, and everyday functioning. Existing measures lack sensitivity to developmental dynamics shaped by evolving expectations and modern relationship stressors. This study aimed to develop a measure that examines the relationship between overall relationship satisfaction and key factors in romantic relationships, including partner support, relationship conflict, relationship length, and communication quality among college students. We hypothesize that the newly developed measure of relationship satisfaction will demonstrate good internal reliability (Cronbach’s α ≥ .700.) We also expect that perceived partner support would …

The Effect Of Noise Pollution On The Diversity And Abundance Of Bird Species At Different Locations At Warner Parks, Nashville, Tn, Jeremy T. Little, Wyatt L. Fooks, Darlene Panvini, Jackson Whiteside

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Noise pollution is a significant abiotic factor that can alter bird biodiversity and abundance of birds in urbanized areas. A new road is proposed through a relatively untouched area of Warner Parks in Nashville, TN, which may affect the bird community. Acoustic Song Meters were used to monitor bird sounds and soundscapes in the proposed road site and two areas of the park with different levels of noise pollution (roadside=high noise; isolated=low noise) for three weeks. Recordings were analyzed to determine bird species and abundance at each site to predict how increasing noise pollution may affect bird diversity in the …

Kairiomone Moderated Anti-Predator Responses In Pleurocera Laqueta, Daisy V. Mcleod, John Webb, Amanda Waggoner, John Niedzwiecki

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Predator-prey coevolution in freshwater ecosystems often involves chemical communication, where the prey detect predator released compounds known as kairomones. These chemical cues allow prey to alter behavior to reduce risk of predation. In Middle Tennessee streams, the native snail Pleurocera laqueata commonly coexists with predator crayfish, and previous studies have shown that exposure to crayfish kairomones can induce an anti-predator “crawl out” response. This response is commonly demonstrated through snails climbing above the waterline to avoid crayfish predators below. We hypothesized that Pleurocera laqueata would display a similar anti-predator response when exposed to both native and non-native crayfish cues. After …

Physiological Response To Concealed Information In A Mock-Crime Paradigm​, Ezra Koenigsberg, Tamya Mchenry, Jasmine Manzana, Taylor Powell, Samantha Jackson

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The Concealed Information Test (CIT), based on Lykken’s guilty knowledge framework, measures physiological responses when individuals recognize crime-related details compared to neutral alternatives. Previous studies show that variations in stimulus presentation enhance the CIT’s accuracy, especially through changes in electrodermal activity and heart rate. However, few studies have tested whether a Qualtrics-based mock-crime version of the CIT can replicate these physiological patterns. This study addresses that gap by adapting the CIT for a digital research environment. The goal is to determine whether participants show greater physiological arousal—measured through skin conductance, heart rate, and respiration—when exposed to crime-related “critical” stimuli compared …

Deconstructing The Black Box: An Explainability Analysis Of Deep Learning Architectures In Cytopathology, Chase A. Garrett

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Deep learning shows strong potential in medical-image analysis, yet adoption in cyptopathology remains limited. Cytopathology could benefit from deep learning applications by improving diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. However deep learning comes with a notorious “black box” that keeps the models from being transparent and trustworthy for widespread clinical adoption. We conducted a comprehensive and comparative analysis of several deep learning architectures for multi-class classification of acute leukemia types, ALL, AML, and normal healthy cells from peripheral blood smear images. The models in this research include a Vision Transformer (ViT) and a diverse selection of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models. The …

Characterization Of Antiretroviral Therapy (Art) Adherence Phenotypes And Psychosocial Symptom Clusters Among Black/African American (Aa) And Hispanic/Latine Adolescents And Young Adults (Ayas) With Hiv In The Adherence Connection For Counseling, Education, And Support (Access-Ii) Trial, Ann-Margaret Navarra, Taehoon Ha, Eva Liang, Maurade Gormley, David R. Garcia, Jason Fletcher, Lloyd A. Goldsamt, Michael G. Rosenberg, Karin Hasegawa, Jie Yang

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence behavior is heterogeneous among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with HIV and influenced by individual and interpersonal psychosocial factors. The primary objective of this study is to characterize ART adherence phenotypes and psychosocial symptom clusters, as related to ART adherence and HIV viral load suppression. This analysis included 60 AYAs with HIV enrolled in an ART adherence support clinical trial. Self-reported ART adherence at baseline, 12-weeks, and 24-weeks was used to define four ART adherence phenotypes: consistently high adherence (YY), early-only adherence (YN), late-only adherence (NY), and consistently low adherence (NN). Symptom clusters were empirically derived …