Digital Commons Network^™

How To Sell A Gendered Fantasy, Matthew Salzano, Jess X. Alexander, Belinda B. Castiblanco, Brianna Chavez, Maura Conley, Chris Connor, Antoine Jones, Ryan Kani, Christopher Munde, Kyleigh Retzlaff, Steffi Santos, Gabriella Simpson, Amberlin Smith, Jenna Zaza

School of Communication and Journalism Faculty Publications

The media analysis essays in this collection are the result of an online graduate course at Stony Brook University’s Program in Writing and Rhetoric entitled “Intersectionality and Media.” Drawing upon methods and scholarship based primarily in rhetorical studies, the course aimed to prepare graduate students in a variety of disciplines to write, research, and communicate about issues related to media, identity, and the intersectionality of oppression—especially race, class, gender, and sexuality. How to Sell a Gendered Fantasy analyzes various media artifacts (spanning digital, film and tv, music, and games) and the fantasies about gender that they contain. Gendered fantasies work …

Joe Rogan And The Manosphere In The Age Of Modern Misogyny, Alexandra Klocker

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

Much scholarly research analyzes extreme misogynistic language in “manosphere” forums, due to their connections to radicalization and violence. However, less attention has been given to the prevalence of such content in mainstream media, such as podcasts. The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast, a prominent and influential platform, has been praised for its wide-ranging discussions but critiqued for fostering and amplifying harmful ideologies, including misogyny. Despite its controversy, limited research has explored how pre-existing misogynistic rhetoric in online communities might shape or influence the content of JRE episodes. This study examines how misogynistic language and themes proliferate in JRE episodes through …

Childhood Housing Conditions As A Social Determinant Of Health In College Students, Kelsey E. O'Neill

School of Social Work Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates the relationship between childhood housing and current physical and behavioral health in Northwest Arkansas college students. Non-medical factors often determine a person’s health. Social determinants of health, as defined by the World Health Organization, are the conditions in which people are “...born, grow, work, live, and age...”, and they include wider systems such as economic and social policies, social norms, and political structures (World, 2023). A key social determinant of health is housing.

The average age of an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas during the 2020-2021 school year was twenty-one (Gunderman, 2021). This is a …

Correlation Between Maximal Strength And Standing Power Position In Shot Put Throwers, Ryan E. Joule

Honors Theses

This study determined the correlation between maximal strength to performance in a standing power shot put throw. Collegiate athletes (N = 7, 1 female, 6 males) conducted a one-repetition maximum for the bench press, back squat, and hang power clean, and executed three shot put throws at two different time points (three months apart). For the first time point, there were positive, moderate correlations of shot put distance to bench press (r = 0.41) and back squat (r = 0.45). A positive, strong correlation between distance thrown to hang power clean (r = 0.66) was present. For the second time …

The Impact Of Sensory Materials On The Behavior Of Children In Early Childhood Education, Hannah Holt

Honors Theses

In the field of early childhood education, several studies report the benefits of sensory play on children’s physical and cognitive development. This study focuses on the impact sensory play has on the behavior of young children as reported by primary teachers at the SUNY Cortland Child Care Center through surveys. The surveys found that engaging in sensory play had a positive effect on the behavior of young children, which suggests the need for further research into why sensory play positively affects a child’s emotional state.

"Beyond The Display:" How Exhibits In Museums Can Be Used To Educate Public Visitors, Ryder Wynn

Honors Theses

Museums are institutions that can be found outside of a classroom setting, where visitors can educate themselves about a certain topic presented in the exhibits that the museums display. They can do this by creating engaging environments where visitors can become invested into the story and information of the exhibits, making them want to learn more about the information provided. A good exhibit can do this in at least one of three ways: developing critical thinking skills, which can involve visual models or "learning through play," creating memorable experiences or using collective memory to teach about historical events or using …

Industrial Parks And Domestic Power: Work, Industrialization, And Intimate Partner Violence In Nigeria, Faye X. Dingle

Economics Honors Projects

This paper examines the effect of industrial zone openings on women's employment, relative earnings, and intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria. I exploit variation in the timing of industrial zone openings to use a staggered difference-in-differences model. I compare women near industrial zones to women near not-yet-built industrial zones and capture the effect of the average treatment effect on the treated. I perform this analysis for women within 10, 15, 20, and 25 kilometers of an industrial zone. I find that being within all distances of an industrial zone increases a woman's relative earnings compared to women in non-industrialized zones. …

Refracting State Development: Alliances In The Virtual World Eve Online, Atticus Friendly

Sociology Honors Projects

Why would states, resource intensive and difficult organizations, develop when they are not necessary? Unlike the voluntaristic model of social organization assumed by liberals starting from a state of nature, the real-world history of state building is a narrative of necessity and competition. By probing the process of state development in a virtual world (EVE Online), this paper explores state building in the absence of social or physical infrastructure that ties people together, what Michael Mann calls “the social cage.” In doing so, it demonstrates support for the idea that violent competition drives state development as states build …

Anxiety Among Sexual Minoritized Subgroups: An Investigation Into The Disproportionately High Rates Of Social Anxiety Among Emerging Identity Populations, Veronica Kruschel

Psychology Honors Projects

Sexual minoritized individuals report higher rates of social anxiety than the general population, and research suggests that those belonging to emerging sexual identities are particularly vulnerable. The few existing interventions targeting anxiety in sexual minoritized populations tend to ignore subgroup differences, so the present study proposes an adaptation of an existing CBT-based intervention tailored to pansexual individuals. In addition, existing research offers contradictory findings about emerging identity individuals’ experiences of social anxiety, notably regarding specific subgroup differences. Therefore, in the present study, a survey was conducted to measure social anxiety among sexual minoritized populations. Findings suggest that emerging identity sexual …

Backlash And The Ada: Conflicting Constructions Of Disability In U.S. Policy, Bess Connolly

Political Science Honors Projects

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has faced significant judicial and regulatory backlash, even after the passage of the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA). Examining the legislative histories and trends in ADA litigation, I argue that this backlash arises from conflicts between the medical and social models of disability embedded in both laws. Compromises made during both legislative processes resulted in a law that accommodates multiple conceptions of disability, allowing courts to reshape the law according to their own views. Ultimately, the ADA remains a site of contestation as its internal contradictions have gone unresolved.

The Law Of The Biggest Pump: Legal Consciousness And The Texas Groundwater Dilemma, Riley Hodin

Political Science Honors Projects

Texas’s localized system of groundwater regulation is complicated by its strong tradition of property rights. This paper examines the legal consciousness of the everyday people subjected to that system. It relies on interviews with local water authorities, as well as an analysis of public comments made by stakeholders. When conflicts emerge, stakeholders tend to attribute negative outcomes to a failure to properly follow legal procedure, or to the improper intrusion of some non-legal entity. Authorities, however, blame the law itself. Both groups feel the law’s presence but struggle to locate its specific source or meaning.

From Data To Discovery: Empowering Research With Comprehensive Library Services At Smu Libraries, Redzuan Abdullah

Research Collection Library

Academic libraries face increasing challenges in supporting complex research data needs across multiple financial and business databases. These challenges are amplified by the diverse nature of data sources, the intricacy of data extraction processes, and the varying levels of research support required by different user groups. While data quality issues persist, commercial databases in finance, accounting, and economics remain of significant interest for academic research (Liu et al., 2024; Reiter, 2020).

This presentation presents SMU Libraries’ comprehensive research & data services, particularly our specialized Data Discovery support, which emphasizes three distinctive offerings: expert guidance on data navigation and retrieval across …

Toxicity And Biodegradability Of Novel Boronium Vs Conventional Ammonium Based Anti Microbial Compounds In Wastewater Treatment Systems, Noor Shalan

Poster Presentations

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are highly effective as disinfectants, herbicides, and pesticides; thus, overuse causes elevated levels of residual toxicity in domestic and industrial wastewater. QACs can be toxic to essential bacteria breaking down pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and can remain untreated in effluent, harming the environment, and contributing to antibiotic resistance, posing risks to human health. Novel boronium-based antimicrobial compounds have demonstrated efficacy in eliminating bacteria, fungi, and viruses. If the boronium compounds exhibit lower residual toxicity, they could offer a promising alternative to QACs. Because these compounds are still in development, their potential toxicity to the …

Binary Solid/Liquid Equilibrium Of Mixtures Of Thermally Robust Salts And Molecular Compounds For Use As Heat Transfer Fluids, Jared Ridge Mathews

Poster Presentations

Fossil fuels, contributors to climate change that may bear catastrophic consequences, power the entire world. The human species is almost entirely dependent on fossil fuels for energy, but other sources of renewable and environmentally friendly energy must be developed. Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a promising source of renewable energy with hampered potential—better heat transfer fluids (HTFs) are needed for it to be economically feasible. Currently, the HTFs in industrial use are predominantly either synthetic oils or nitrate-based molten salts. Synthetic oils are only stable up to 400 °C, and molten salts often have high melting temperatures, making them prone …

Linear Dicyclopentadiene Copolymers: Synthesis And Thermal Analysis, Connor Lewis

Poster Presentations

To retain the existing advantages of L-pDCPD and to enhance its material properties, an incorporation of functionalized comonomers is being investigated. It is hypothesized that such functionalization will allow for higher theoretical molecular weights, increased oxidative resistance, and more durable thermal properties following air exposure. The use of heteroatoms in exemplary oxa-norbornene-based compounds is thought to strengthen intermolecular interactions and thus improve the structural stability of L-pDCPD. To better understand the polymerization initiated by GC3 and to identify potential ROCM processes, IR-active nitrile and hydroxyl groups were specifically incorporated. For this study, the comonomers were synthesized from exo-3,6-epoxy- 1,2,3,6 tetrahydrophthalic …

Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Quadrata) As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish

Poster Presentations

Coastal erosion is heavily impacting coastal ecosystems across the Gulf. For instance, the state of Louisiana loses a football field worth of land every 100 minutes (Couvillion, 2017). The drastic loss of coastline highlights the dire need for restoration in the Northern Gulf Coast. An unexpected solution to this sediment loss may solve two major environmental issues at once by diverting millions of tons of glass waste from entering America’s landfills each year. By crushing glass to create sand and gravel for coastal restoration, we may generate a consistent and sustainable source of substrate. Our goal is to determine the …

May 2025, Maloney Library, Fordham University School Of Law

Maloney Matters

No abstract provided.

Designing An Interactive Exit Ticket System To Enhance Learning In Engineering Education, Tapanga Witt

McNair Scholars Manuscripts

Within Grand Valley State University's (GVSU) Padnos College of Engineering, many first-year Engineering courses consistently see pass rates below 70%, signaling a need for stronger academic support. This is an issue across many universities; students are underprepared and face a lot of challenges with workload, pace, and independence due to the transition from high school to college (Flanigan, 2024). For this project, I designed and developed a website-based exit ticket system to support student reflection and instructor feedback. Using UX design principles, the platform offers a weekly self-reflection form that recommends resources like tutoring, office hours, or study groups. Gamification …

There Would Be Food Forever: Leveraging The Culvert Case To Fight Toxic Fish Contamination In The Columbia River, Sarah Van Voorhis

UC Law Environmental Journal

The Native American Tribes of the Pacific Northwest signed treaties in the 1800s with a representative of the federal government that purported to protect their right to fish in their usual and accustomed places. Despite this explicit pro-vision of their treaties, the Tribes have struggled to exercise this right to fish. Through a series of court cases spanning decades, culminating in The Culvert Case in 2017, the Stevens Treaty Tribes have secured their right to access their tradi-tional fishing grounds, their right to an equal share of the harvestable fish, and finally, their right to the continued existence of the …

Texas-Sized Tremors: A Call For A Seismic Shake Up To Recourse For Induced Seismicity, Michael Mcroy

UC Law Environmental Journal

In the last twenty years, seismicity in Texas has reached unprecedented levels, surpassing even those in California. Experts have theorized that oil and gas operations, specifically wastewater removal, are the leading cause of this seismic uptick. While scientists and the state continue to refine their understanding regarding the links to oil and gas operations and increased seismicity across the state, the unfortunate reality is that many homeowners are facing the damage from increased seismicity alone.

Currently homeowners find themselves in a legal and financial quagmire: private earthquake insurance is unjustifiably expensive, riddled with exclusions, and accompanied by an unsophisticated claims …

The Effects Of Incubation Humidity On Broiler Chicks, Claire Caples

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Leg health issues are a welfare problem in commercial broiler chickens and an economic issue for the broiler industry. Broilers exhibiting leg abnormalities show altered gait, reduced ability to access resources, and increased lameness incidence. These leg health issues can result from many animal and environmental factors during incubation and post-hatch. Incubation strategies may contribute to the development of leg health issues, and recent research has increased focus on incubation factors affecting embryonic development and health and welfare post-hatch. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of high (80%), low (55%), and ideal (65%) humidity on …

Developing Protective Measures To Reduce The Incidence Of Bacterial-Induced Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broiler Chickens, Alexa L. Thomas

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is a significant animal welfare and food safety issue affecting the commercial broiler industry in the United States and worldwide. Bacteria can translocate from the respiratory system and/or the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, eventually settling in bone microfractures leading to necrosis and BCO lameness.

This study evaluated the effects of Probiotic 1 and Probiotic 2 on the incidence of BCO lameness in broiler chickens. Probiotic 1 was applied as a spray on Day 1-old chicks, while Probiotic 2 was administered prophylactically (orally in feed) from Day 1 to Day 56. Birds were assigned …

Guide To The Linfield University Outdoor Plaques Collection, Linfield Archives

Linfield Archives Finding Aids

This finding aid represents a collection of outdoor plaques found throughout the Linfield University campus in McMinnville. It includes information about stone/bench engravings, plaques, and other memorials, with new material added since the initial inventory created in 2020. There had been no previous inventory of these plaques.

Modern Concepts Of Health And Disease: An Introduction For Public Health Students, Rose Grace Grose

Open Course Materials

This course outline for Modern Concepts of Health and Disease provides a comprehensive framework for teaching foundational public health concepts to undergraduate students in an in-person setting, with flexibility for adaptation to online or hybrid formats. This outline is specifically designed to reduce financial barriers for students using Open Educational Resources (OER) and other free-to-students materials, ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning materials without the cost of traditional textbooks. The course is designed for a 15-week semester, divided into seven Modules. The course syllabus is available on request.

The assigned readings and videos were carefully curated to reflect diverse, evidence-based …

Collecting Human Subject Data For Modeling Maximum Potential Power At Specific Cadence And Fatigue Levels, Alexander John Minnich

Honors College Theses

The overarching goal of this research project was to investigate the relationship between a participant's maximum power (Watts) at a given cadence (RPM) on a specific fatigue level. Before conducting any experiments, we hypothesized that maximum power and cadence would decay linearly with fatigue. To do this, six days of testing for each of 4 human subjects were split across two phases. The first 4 days were devoted to Phase one, which focuses on determining the physical abilities of each unique participant and finding metabolic constants such as Critical Power and Anaerobic Work Capacity. Phase two then tests maximal power …

Collaborative Leadership Approaches’ Impact On Student Athlete Participation, Jacob Ledger

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify reasons for the decline in student athletes participating in high school football within the Big Nine Conference. The research is intended to identify several key reasons for the decline in youth sports, which contributes to high school sports, and ultimately football programs in the conference. The study also identifies two specific coaching and leadership styles and how they impact sports participation. Collaborative leadership and coaching styles compared to authoritative leadership and coaching styles. Using a qualitative research method using surveys and document review themes of sport specialization, Technology, burnout, Culture, and Feedback …

The Utilization And Deterioration Of Travertine In Classical, Baroque, And Fascist Architecture: A Case Study From Rome, Italy, Kaitlyn V. Fitzgerald

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Travertine limestone has formed the resilient backbone of Roman architecture for over two millennia and across several cultural periods. This study identified the leading causes of travertine decay in Rome across Ancient, Baroque, and Fascist periods in order to efficiently prioritize conservation and restoration efforts across the city. The methodology developed here can then be utilized in other urban settings. Rome’s iconic landmarks such as the Flavian Amphitheater, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Spanish Steps all owe their existence to this local limestone. High rates of urbanization now dictate how architectural travertine interacts with its surrounding environments and landscapes. Grand …

Assessing The Recall Of Traffic Safety Campaigns In Arkansas, Pratik Babu Pokharel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study estimates the degree to which drivers recall traffic safety campaigns based on sociodemographic characteristics including driving frequency, vehicle type, education, income, age, household composition, race, and gender. Traffic safety campaigns are efforts to educate, persuade, and inspire individuals to adjust their attitudes and behaviors for improved road safety, utilizing planned communications over a set time period. They aim to encourage safe driving using slogans shown on television, radio, social media, billboards, and variable message signs. Two years of a mail-based survey conducted in Arkansas were used to estimate binary logistic regression models for each of four safety campaigns. …

Quantifying The Role Of Climate On Tropical River Flow (Guarare River) Along The Panama Pacific Coast, 1981 – 2020., Jessie Abrego - Bonilla

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Guarare River watershed on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama, part of the Panamanian Dry Arc, experiences significant hydrological variability driven by seasonal changes, elevation, and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This study investigates precipitation and river discharge patterns over 40 years (1981 – 2020), showing that elevation influences rainfall distribution, with higher-altitude areas receiving more precipitation during the Neutral and El Niño phases. In contrast, La Niña phases bring increased rainfall to lower-elevation areas, such as Pocrí. Seasonal ENSO effects reveal that El Niño phases reduce dry-season precipitation, lowering river discharge. La Niña events sustain high wet-season rainfall, peaking …

Novel Atomic Layer Deposition Processes Of Silver For Battery Applications, Darlington Ehijie Imhanzuaria

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel approach to enhance the performance and stability of anode-free lithium-ion batteries (AFLBs) by employing atomic layer deposition (ALD) to coat copper (Cu) current collectors with a silver-aluminum oxide (AgAlO_x) layer. Leveraging the unique capabilities of ALD for precise and conformal deposition, the AgAlO_x coating was achieved using triethyl phosphine-(6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-2,2-dimethyl-3,5-octanedionato)-silver(I) (Ag(fod)(PEt₃)), trimethylaluminum (TMA), and de-ionized water (H₂O) as precursors. This innovative coating method significantly enhanced the cycling stability and Coulombic efficiency (CE) of both Li||Cu and Cu||NMC811 cells, as evidenced by improved electrochemical performance metrics. The AgAlO_x layer …