Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of The Black Ink Red Ink Testing Method On Anxiety Levels, Test Performance, And Note-Taking Behavior Among College Students, Peyton Murphy

Honors Theses

Anxiety among students has emerged as a pressing concern due to its significant impact on academic performance and mental well-being (Chen, 2004; Davis, DiStefano, & Schutz, 2008) and is particularly evident in student performance within STEM-related courses (Magula, 2019; Vakili & Pourrazavy, 2017). Previous research has explored various factors influencing test anxiety, including testing methods. The present study examined a testing method called "Black Ink Red Ink" (BIRI), proposed by Rodgers and Rodgers (2011). The effects of the BIRI method were examined on (1) test anxiety, (2) test scores, and (3) note taking motivation and behaviors. Thirty-eight students in a …

Addressing The Gap: A Comparative Case Analysis Of The First Week Of School In Two Second-Grade Classrooms, Madeline Roberts

Honors Theses

The first week of school in the United States public school system constantly evolves as stakeholders strive to create the most functional programs for the students served. Multiple factors come into play during the first week, including classroom management, initial academic instruction, and socioemotional learning. This research project aims to compare and contrast these various factors through a qualitative comparative case study. The specific investigation examines similarities and differences in two public schools, second-grade classrooms at Southside Elementary School located in Lake View County School District, Mississippi (LCSD) and Local Elementary School located in Westbrook County Schools, Tennessee (WCS). Both …

Transcendental Blooms: Margaret Fuller And The Radical Language Of Flowers, Jenna Mcclain

Honors Theses

Situated between the literary periods of American Romanticism and Transcendentalism, Margaret Fuller’s writings vary in their topic and medium, offering a unique fusion of literary style as well as a refined yet radical social perspective. Fuller’s work frequently employs flowers as tools for communication rather than as mere symbols, with flowers acting as transmitters of Fuller’s philosophical message in her many sketches and poems. In “The Magnolia of Lake Pontchartrain,” one of her most famous prose sketches, Fuller explores flowers in a nuanced way that exemplifies how floral representations function more like characters than objects in her work. While scholars …

Tailoring The Morphology Of Block Copolymers Via Solvent-Vapor Annealing, Bayleigh Madelin Loving

Honors Theses

Triblock polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene (PS-PIB-PS) copolymers have widespread applications from thermoplastic elastomers to protective coatings for ballistic applications. The incompatibility between the soft PIB and hard PS phases leads to phase separation and subsequent formation of morphological domains like lamellae and cylinders. The structures are stabilized by physical crosslinks, which can greatly improve the toughness of the triblock systems by preventing chain pullout during tensile deformation. We tailored the morphologies (achieving different morphologies with the same block copolymer) by changing the annealing conditions of the block copolymers. Solvent vapor annealing was used to selectively activate the mobility of a particular block, causing …

A Spectroscopic Survey Of Atmospheres Of Super-Earths, Luke Brust

Honors Theses

Recent research has made it possible to use spectroscopy to analyze the composition of the atmospheres of exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars. Most projects thus far have focused on the atmospheres of gas giants, as it is less challenging to observe them with available equipment. This project studies the atmospheres of four Super- Earths, planets that have a mass greater than the Earth but smaller than Neptune. This is accomplished by processing the raw spectroscopic data from the Hubble Space Telescope and modeling the atmosphere using the program 𝝉-Rex3. This survey found clear results from two of the selected …

The Interplay Between Attribution Bias And Psychotic-Like Experiences: The Role Of Social Media, Jordan Leggett

Honors Theses

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are perceptions, thoughts, or beliefs that resemble symptoms of psychosis but are less severe and not necessarily related to a mental disorder. A plethora of research has found associations between PLEs and hostile attribution bias, the tendency to over-interpret situations as hostile, aggressive, or intentional. Some work suggests viewing certain types of content online may be linked to hostile attribution bias. Yet, limited research has examined hostile attribution bias and PLEs through the lens of social media. This study aimed to explore these relationships by modifying a measure of hostile attribution bias using social media vignettes. This …

Globally Adaptive Exponential Integrators For Stiff Systems Of Odes, Anzhelika Vasilyeva

Honors Theses

This thesis introduces a novel method for solving systems of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) resulting from the spatial discretization of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). The proposed approach builds upon an existing technique that employs Krylov projection, which requires evaluating a matrix function at each timestep. The innovation of the new method lies in its reuse strategy, which shifts the perspective from direct matrix function evaluation to polynomial interpolation. Numerical experiments conducted on constant and variable coefficient heat equations, with both smooth and discontinuous initial data, demonstrate the computational time advantage of the new approach. The results indicate that this method …

Mocking Birds: Investigation And Performance Of Selected Works Featuring Birdsong By Messiaen And Westerlinck, Sarah Hinchey

Honors Theses

This thesis is a creative project that includes a study of the lives and compositional techniques of Olivier Messiaen and Wilfried Westerlinck. Investigation of the composers’ techniques explains aural similarities between the two pieces. The research informed a live performance of Messiaen’s Le merle noir and a recording project of Westerlinck’s Meeting a Mockingbird in Texas.

Synthetic Efforts Towards An Analog Of Ly426965, Macy Sproles

Honors Theses

The 5-hydroxytryptamine_1A (5-HT_1A) receptor is a key target in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions, and the development of selective antagonists offers promising therapeutic potential.²⁴ This study aimed to develop a synthetic analog of LY426965, a selective 5-HT_1A receptor antagonist. The synthetic route was initiated from dimethyl-2-phenylmalonate, employing pig liver esterase (PLE) as an enantioselective biocatalyst to achieve regioselective hydrolysis of one ester moiety in the malonic diester intermediate.¹⁷ Through a series of stereochemically controlled transformations, a new intermediate was successfully synthesized. Although the target molecule was not obtained, a new compound was synthesized …

Becoming Sephardic: Historical Consciousness And Emergent Ethnoreligious Identification In New Mexico, Sarah Leiter

Anthropology ETDs

In recent years, an increasing number of Hispanic Catholic New Mexicans have discovered that they descend from Iberian Jewish victims of the Spanish Inquisition. For some, this new information has prompted them to identify as Jewish in various ways. However, many have faced considerable difficulty in gaining recognition of their newfound ethnoreligious ancestry among family members, normative Jewish communities, and the Spanish and Portuguese governments that offered reparative citizenship to Sephardic (Iberian Jewish) descendants. In this ethnographic context, this dissertation explores how shifting understandings of religious identity and ancestral pasts affect identification practices in the present. Drawing on theoretical analyses …

Eviction Sealing: A Lifeline In The Fight For Housing Justice, Allison M. Freedman

UC Law Journal

In January 2023, the White House released a Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights. The Blueprint called for immediate sealing of eviction case filings to reduce the likelihood that tenants would be locked out of future housing opportunities without the chance to defend themselves. Shortly thereafter, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a request for public comment on how the use of eviction records and screening algorithms may affect tenant housing opportunities and drive discriminatory outcomes. The eviction crisis, its discriminatory effects, and the idea that sealing eviction records may provide a solution to …

The U.S. Forced Labor Import Ban: A Tool For Raising Labor Standards In Supply Chains?, Jennifer Gordon

UC Law Journal

Forced labor is rampant across global supply chains. Addressing it at individual sites of production results in a game of whack-a-mole. An effective response must target the structural drivers of the problem: the large firms at the top and middle of supply chains that pressure suppliers at the bottom to cut labor costs in order to remain competitive. In the absence of other U.S. laws that address the structural causes of forced labor, this Article argues that the forced labor import ban in section 307 of the United States Tariff Act may have the potential to be utilized by civil …

Nebline, May 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

NEBLINE, May 2025

Tips on Staying Cool During the Heat of a Temper Tantrum

What’s Your BBQ IQ?

May Recipe of the Month — Air Fryer Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

Insect and Disease Control for Organic Vegetable Gardeners

May Garden Guide

Cash Rent Survey

No Matter Where You Live, Submit a Request Before You Dig!

Battling Scales in the Landscape

Three Lancaster County 4-H’ers Modeled Their Sewn Garments at Omaha Fashion Week

Ignite by 4-H 2025 National Conference

May Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award — Dayle Williamson

2024 National Index Study of 4-H Youth

Clover College, June 10–13; Registration Opens in …

Quality Considerations In The Pedestrian Realm: Dead Space Intervention And Prevention, Alycia Ramage

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

What if every space deemed “unadmirable” was reimagined as a stage for community life? Efforts to find solutions to this question prompted a more complex question: how can new construction promote interaction between architecture and the pedestrian realm?

This thesis is conducted in three main parts: 1) understanding dead space, 2) reinventing dead spaces in existing conditions, and 3) creating a design handbook that works to minimize dead spaces in new design.

Using Lincoln, Nebraska as a case study, part one begins with observation- looking for spaces that could be deemed unadmirable by a pedestrian. Utilizing research and observation, the …

From Seasonality To Causality: Understanding Urban Water Usage Using Statistical And Machine Learning Models, Kelsey Hawkins

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

This study examines the relationship between climate conditions and residential water usage, focusing on how seasonal and environmental changes influence water consumption. Utilizing data from over 100,000 households across three micro-climate zones for over a five-year period, we apply statistical analysis and machine learning techniques to assess the impact of temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and location on water usage. By integrating climate and billing data, this research provides a data-driven approach on water usage behaviors in Irvine, CA, in collaboration with Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD).

Our analysis utilizes time series modeling, including a Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and …

Implementation Of Residual Tandem Neural Networks For Photonic Inverse Design, Ponthea A. Zahraii

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

Deep-learning approaches can greatly benefit the modeling and design of nanophotonic and optical structures. Traditional full-wave simulations are time and resource-intensive, which can act as a bottleneck in photonic design. On the other hand, deep-learning approaches for designing the response of nanophotonic geometries can be computationally inexpensive and produce accurate and efficient results. In this project, we specifically investigate the case of optical forces near meta-structures. We propose using an inverse design approach with residual blocks to account for the deep nature of this architecture and inherently address the non-uniqueness problem. A tandem approach, which consists of two interconnected models, …

Child Empowerment And Safeguarding In The Uae: The Role Of Picturebooks For Emirati Children, Sarah Laura Nesti Willard, Fawzia Gilani-Williams

CoHSS Faculty Work

This paper presents a reflective ethnography documenting the creation and use of picturebooks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aimed at supporting the safeguarding of children within English Language Teaching (ELT) contexts for primary and lower secondary students. It explores the collaboration between an author and an illustrator in developing books that align with the principles of Wadeema’s Law, the Child Protection Law of 2016. These picturebooks are designed to safeguard children’s psychological and emotional well-being, facilitate bibliotherapy, and promote learning across curricula. They serve as informational, inspirational, and discussion texts that contribute to raising awareness of child rights, particularly …

The Relationship Between Sense Of Agency And Perceived Stigma In Those With Cognitive Disabilities, Scarlet S. Pardue

Honors Theses

The focus population of this study is those with cognitive disabilities, which limit in some way a person’s ability to complete mental tasks, such as communication, planning, or remembering. The primary purpose is to focus on the participants' sense of agency and perceived stigma. The Sense of Agency Scale (SoA) measures a participant’s consciously perceived control over their mind, body, and the immediate environment. The Perceived Disability Social Stigma Scale (PDSS) measures to what degree participants believe that people with disabilities are stigmatized in their respective communities. Confirmatory research into these two variables offers an interesting insight into how the …

“How Close To The Edge We Are”: Ecologically Reading The Frontiers Of Joan Didion’S Early Nonfiction, Mia R. Speller

Honors Theses

Joan Didion’s work is heavily regional and rooted in place, whether that be the place about which she writes or, by contrast, the place she leaves in order to do her writing. This place-based context takes root in many American ideologies and mythos, like that of the frontier mentality and golden dream. For this reason, exploring Didion’s use of natural metaphor and description as she discusses various cultural phenomena is essential to understanding the layers of her social critiques of 1960’s and 1970’s American culture, especially as they reflect on the failures of the frontier ideology. Further, looking at her …

Survey On Application Of Large Language Models In Network Attack And Defense, Prisha Purohit

Honors Theses

The emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) has significantly transformed the technological and cybersecurity landscape, introducing both unprecedented opportunities and formidable challenges. With the public release of ChatGPT in 2022, LLMs have gained global prominence, redefining natural language processing capabilities and enabling advancements across various fields. In cybersecurity, these models represent a dual-use technology: while they offer powerful tools for threat detection, automated analysis, and security training, they also pose risks when leveraged by malicious actors for phishing, social engineering, and the creation of evasive malware. This thesis presents a comprehensive literature review exploring the dual roles of LLMs in …

Stop Asian Hate: Durable Political Efficacy From Crisis?, Kristina Thompson

Honors Theses

The Stop Asian Hate Movement emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic as a pivotal moment of Asian American social resistance and activism. This study examines the movement as a form of Asian American solidarity forged through racialized crisis, assessing whether that solidarity can be translated into a sustained sense of political efficacy. It begins with a brief account of the Asian American experience, contextualizing political development and barriers to participation. The analysis then turns to the Asian American Movement (AAM) of the late 1960s and 1970s, highlighting instances of Asian social and racial resistance in the face of traditional obstacles. From …

Nutrition, Sleep, And Training Habits Enhance Endurance Race Performance, Anna F. Breed

Honors Theses

In recent years, marathon and ultra-marathon participation has grown substantially. Past research has shown that a range of variables influence the performance of endurance athletes. This study included participants of the Forgotten Florida 50-mile and 100-mile race and the Chattanooga Erlanger Half-Marathon and Marathon. These athletes were questioned about their sleep, nutrition, and training habits implemented for the races they completed. The results show the significance of carbohydrate consumption throughout the race for energy maintenance and shortened race times. Also, it was found that hill repeats and tempo runs brought about more successful race times for the runners who implemented …

Bridging The Nature Gap: Understanding Barriers And Promoting Outdoor Engagement Among African Americans In Chattanooga, Kennie Almonor

Honors Theses

This paper outlines my process of writing a physical guidebook for outdoor engagement in Chattanooga. It explores the historical context of Black exclusion from outdoor spaces and examines the health disparities that disproportionately affect Black communities. The physical connection between outdoor activity and overall well-being will also be explained. Additionally, this paper details my methodology for conducting focus groups to better understand barriers to outdoor engagement and how participant insights could inform the guidebook’s development. This paper also outlines my research on best practices for structuring an effective guide, writing process, challenges faced, and considerations for extending this project in …

Synthesis Of Single Chain Polymer Nanoparticle Networks By Reinitiating Raft Polymerization, Dallas Donovan

Honors Theses

Hydrogel materials, which are polymer networks comprised mostly of water, hold significant promise for biomedical applications due to their compatibility with biological systems. Conventional hydrogel materials are often brittle and weak, but most applications in biomedical systems require materials to be strong and tough. The topology of a polymer network dictates its mechanical properties. An important strategy for designing tougher hydrogels is the release of stored length, such as from the unfolding of polyprotein cross-linkers. Inspired by the success of the strategy, we report progress towards a fully synthetic design using single chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) into a hydrogel. SCNPs, which …

A Profile Of The Philippines' Largest 1,000 Firms And The Manufacturing Sector, Jesus Felipe, Nanditha Mathew, Jacobe Joaquin M. Sevilla

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

No abstract provided.

Arthroscopy And The Future Of Surgery: Personal And Public Health Benefits, Preston T. Koski

Honors Thesis

Arthroscopy focuses on operating on the body using probes and working through keyhole incisions on the skin. This rapidly evolving field has seen many innovations in its technology, aided by advances in optical and surgical capabilities. Moreover, it presents many advantages over traditional surgery that directly impact the patient. Shorter recovery time and lessened scarring, reduced postoperative pain and opioid dependence, and less risk of infection are key benefits over open surgery. These benefits can also be applied to areas of public health. Minimizing the burden on hospital resources, reducing the environmental impact of surgery, and improving cost-effectiveness in healthcare …

Sonochemically Synthesized Zno Nanowires (Nws)-Based Sensor For Non-Invasive Glucose Detection In Sweat, G. M. Mehedi Hossain, Ahmed Hasnain Jalal, Hasina Huq, Nazmul Islam, Karen Lozano, Nezih Pala, Fahmida Alam

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Glucose is a crucial metabolic marker, providing critical insights into energy regulation and insulin sensitivity, making its monitoring essential for managing diabetes and overall metabolic health. In this context, flexible biosensors have gained considerable attention for their potential to enable real-time and non-invasive glucose monitoring. One promising advancement in this domain is using Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) nanostructures through sonochemical synthesis. ZnO has a wide bandgap of ∼3.37 eV and a large binding energy of 60 meV. This research focuses on ZnO-Nanowires' growth for the first time on a flexible polymer substrate. The average length and diameter of the nanowires are 2.5µm …

Improving Research Software Engineering In Mathematics, Abram Miller

Honors Theses

Research Software Engineering is critical to modern mathematical research, enabling the creation, maintenance, and dissemination of computational tools that bridge theory and practice. However, the field faces systemic challenges, including insufficient funding, lack of institutional recognition, and gaps in training and infrastructure. This thesis investigates these challenges through two approaches: (1) a comparative survey study focused on mathematicians and (2) hands-on contributions to an open-source research software project.

The Improving Research Software Engineering in Mathematics survey, conducted from September 2024 to January 2025, adapts the survey framework developed by Carver et al. in A survey of the state of the …

Reconfigurable Python Autopilot Software For Rc Aircraft, Kate Doiron

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Power And Consent: The Role Of Gender, Race, And Sexual Orientation In Assessments Of Victimhood In High School Student-Teacher Relationships, India Campbell

Honors Theses

Sexual abuse, in all of its many forms, has been a controversial topic for centuries. This project looks at a specific subset of sexual abuse: high school student-teacher assaults. Victims of sexual abuse often face barriers to justice. This project addresses several demographic barriers. Research has shown that people of color and members of the queer community are typically reluctant to report due to police and societal perceptions of these groups. Teenagers face additional challenges, such as not know how their peers, parents, school, or community will react. Additionally, their abuser is an authority figure, meaning that these victims could …