Digital Commons Network^™

Building Leadership Capacity In Rural Schools: A Regional University Partnership, Chelsea Feusner, Aprille Phillips, Po Hu, Michael Teahon

The Rural Educator

The roles of school building and district administrators in rural areas have expanded in the last decade. Expanded responsibilities are amplified in rural school districts where there are fewer administrators to assume a multiplicity of roles. Additionally, educator shortages make it increasingly challenging to recruit and retain school leaders. While larger school districts in metropolitan areas have developed ongoing professional development and support programs to help school leaders meet the ever shifting and complex expectations placed upon them, school administrators in relatively rural regions receive less support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore leadership constructs believed to …

Careers In A Box: A Promising Career Exploration Curriculum For Rural Youth, Kristine M. Ramsay-Seaner, Amber Letcher, Elizabeth Koob, Meagan Scott Hoffman, Laura Hasselquist

The Rural Educator

This article highlights a career exploration curriculum that was developed to support the vocational guidance needs of school counselors working in six rural, high-need communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. Based on social cognitive career theory, Careers in a Box was created to bridge existing gaps in career exploration curricula for rural middle school youth. This grab-and-go curriculum introduces participants to specific careers across the spectrum of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and provides them with hands-on activities associated with these careers. While program evaluation is ongoing, preliminary results indicate an associated increase in personal resilience in …

Evaluating A Research Experience For Teachers: Benefits And Challenges For Summer Stem Professional Development, Mark T. Felts, Darcy Tessman, Emily Simpson, Mark Nanny

The Rural Educator

This focus group study examined the participant motivation for and potential impact of the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program on rural STEM educators. Due to geographic isolation and low wages in rural areas, STEM teachers often engage in summer work, which provides practical, real-world applications of STEM principles and enhances instructional methods during the school year. By fostering university partnerships and providing summer research opportunities, RET aligns with the National Rural Research Agenda’s (NREA) priorities of enhancing community relationships and bolstering teacher preparation, recruitment, and retention. Findings indicate that participation in RET boosts teachers’ curricular skills, professional networks, and …

Grow Your Own Special Education Teachers: Lessons Learned, Jerrie L. Brooks

The Rural Educator

The special education teacher shortage is felt across the US. To address this challenge, 50 states and Washington, DC, currently have some type of grow-your-own (GYO) program. These programs often are an alternate route to licensure, preparing candidates who do not have an undergraduate degree in education to become teachers. The goal of GYO programs is to prepare teachers from the community for the community, with a focus on addressing the teacher shortage and increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce. The rural institution of higher education described in this article has implemented a GYO program for seven years. Through …

Identity And Autonomy: Schools And Lgbtq+ Students Amid “Don’T Say Gay” Legislation, Kathryn Watson

The Rural Educator

Iowa’s 2023 Senate File 496 prohibits schools from administering mental health surveys without parent permission, requires schools to secure parent permission for student nicknames, bans from schools discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation before grade 7, and bans from schools books that describe sexual activity. This exploratory interview study investigated how 30 educators and school board members across the state perceived Senate File 496’s influence on school micro systems, as outlined by Marraccini et al.’s framework for school-related influences on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors for LGBTQ+ students. The study also explored participants’ impressions of how the legislation influenced LGBTQ+ …

Neighborhood Physical Disinvestment And Incident Diabetes Between Visits 1 And 2 Of The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol)., Cara M. Smith, Elizabeth W. Spalt, Linda C. Gallo, Jordan A. Carlson, Matthew Allison, Bharat Thyagarajan, Earle C. Chambers, Amber Pirzada, Martha Daviglus, Christina Cordero, Qibin Qi, Elena Austin, Amanda M. Fretts, India Ornelas, Robert Kaplan, Joel D. Kaufman, Stephen J. Mooney

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Neighborhood-scale environmental factors, including disinvestment in infrastructure, may impact cardiometabolic disease risk. To our knowledge, no prior studies have investigated the association between neighborhood disinvestment and incident diabetes. We used a virtual street audit of Google Street View Imagery to generate a neighborhood disinvestment score for participants' residential addresses in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). An item response theory model was fit to indicators (litter, graffiti, under-maintained buildings, bars on windows, and abandoned buildings) to form a scale measuring a latent level of disinvestment. Ordinary kriging was used to estimate levels for each residential address within the …

Repurposing Glp-1ra Drugs For Modulating Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy And Neurodegeneration, Janhavi Tonge

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Sepsis, a life-threatening disorder caused by an exacerbated immune host response towards a pathogen, accounts for about 1 in 5 deaths worldwide with more than 11 million deaths. In septic pathophysiology, pathogen components interact with the receptors of immune and endothelial cells, causing the release of inflammatory signals. This results in a hyperinflammatory phase that leads to "leaky" blood vessels through vasodilation, which causes improper tissue perfusion and hypotension. If untreated, this can lead to multiorgan damage and can be especially damaging to vulnerable, non-regenerative organs such as the brain. Post-sepsis recovery has long term consequences in the central nervous …

From Resume To Risk Factor: The Connections Between Occupation, Chronic Disease, And Mental Health In The United States, Nemo Thomas, Joshua Dumond, Nicole Real

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mental health affects various aspects of overall health, including physical, emotional, and social well-being, which influences behavior and management of disease. Furthermore, occupational types (blue-collar, white-collar, and grey-collar) can influence how individuals manage stress. This can be due to the various responsibilities an individual has or the work environment that one is consistently exposed to, which can lead to detrimental mental health outcomes. This study examined the relationship between occupational type and the occurrence of individuals' self-reported levels of distress, anxiety, hopelessness, restlessness, sadness, and worthlessness. The data from this study was obtained from the IPUMS NHIS 2024 surveys, a …

Psychological Separation As A Developmental Moderator Of Cognitive Maladjustment, Tanvi Rudrangi, Kaleigh Cummings, Misha Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Developing a personal identity is a central task of late adolescence (Erikson, 1968). Emerging adulthood, a developmental period spanning the late teens to mid-twenties, is characterized by increased independence and self-focus, providing opportunities for life skill development and self-understanding. Despite this emphasis on self-focus, emerging adults' psychosocial adjustment remains closely tied to parent relationships, particularly the process of separation-individuation from parents. The present study examined whether paternal psychological separation moderates the relationship between self-focused life perspectives and maladaptive cognitions of ego inflation/superiority. Participants included 95 emerging adults (ages 18-25, M=20.7, 60 women). Paternal separation was assessed using the 69-item Psychological …

Effects Of Renin-Angiotensin System Targeting Drugs On Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy And Related Neuropathology, Anna Maria Weber, Ariana Hernandez, Chana Vogel, Victoria Pulido-Correa, Maria Agustina Paiz, Shaina Binu, Sonakshi Kose, Aayush Doshi, Dylan Kuni, Sylvia Yousef

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common cerebrovascular disease characterized by beta-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation in the cerebral vasculature, resulting in vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) along with other neuropathologies such as inflammation. Given that medications approved to treat CAA currently do not exist, this highlights that there is a pressing need for more innovative approaches to drug discovery. In this study, classical renin-angiotensin system (RAS)-inhibiting antihypertensive drugs were repurposed to investigate their efficacy for mitigating CAA-associated neuropathology and cognitive decline, while additionally evaluating for sex-specific outcomes. Male and female Tg-SwDI mice were treated for 4 months with non-hypotensive doses …

The Functional Movement Screening In Collegiate Soccer Players, Sophia White, Karina Manrique

Undergraduate Student Symposium

About 70% of soccer injuries are non-contact, resulting from underlying mobility, stability, or movement pattern issues. Soccer players are particularly susceptible to ankle, knee, and hip injuries due to the high demands on lower body mobility, stability and repetitive dynamic motions. Functional Movement Screening is a popular evaluation method that is used to find asymmetries and dysfunctional movement patterns that could put athletes at risk for injury. Scores from the FMS test have been linked to injury risks. The purpose of this study is to conduct and evaluate the FMS performances among collegiate soccer players (n=26) to decrease injury risk, …

Evaluting Practical Limitations Of Signal Detection Theory In Clinical Behavioral Research, Xinlei Zhang, Prarthana Harikrishnan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Deficits in inhibitory control - the ability to suppress automatic, impulsive responses - has been widely considered as a potential biomarker for mental health disorders. Signal Detection Theory (SDT) has provided a systematic measurement method for inhibitory control in clinical behavioral assessment. To evaluate the feasibility of inhibitory control as a biomarker, researchers have used meta-analysis to examine its effect size (Hedge's g) in differentiating between individuals with mental health disorders and healthy controls. Values of g>0.8 indicate that inhibitory control may serve as a clinically useful biomarker for distinguishing patients from healthy individuals, whereas g<0.8 suggests limited clinical utility. However, our study found that a limitation of SDT - its lack of reliability when participants show perfect performance - would lead to distorted and misleading results when evaluating the efficacy of inhibitory control as a biomarker. In our computational simulation, we found that when applying SDT to a clinically useful biomarker (for example, true effect size g = …

Resilience Factors For Physical Activity After Completion Of Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment: A Qualitative Analysis., William R. Black, Lora L. Black, Jennifer Christofferson, Liesbet Goubert, Cara M. Hoffart, Dustin Wallace

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: This study explored potential resilience factors that facilitate engagement in physical activity (PA) among adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain after completing intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment.

METHODS: Ten adolescents aged 13 to 17 years with a history of chronic musculoskeletal pain from a mid-western pediatric hospital in the United States participated in this qualitative study. Participants provided demographic information and completed semistructured virtual interviews. The interviews focused on their pain experiences, resilience, and engagement in PA. Transcripts were analyzed using primarily directed content analysis based on a pain resilience framework.

RESULTS: Participants highlighted several key resilience factors that influenced their …

Effects Of Invasive Water Hyacinth On Boldness And Habitat Preference In Mosquitofish, Nicolas Borca, Chancellor Rockwell Marks

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are small freshwater fish that play an important role in aquatic food webs. Their behavior, especially boldness and risk-taking, can change depending on the type of habitat they occupy. In this study, we investigated how mosquitofish respond behaviorally to the presence of the floating invasive plant water hyacinth by comparing their boldness, preference for cover, and predation rates between water hyacinth and its native competitor, pennywort. Fish boldness was measured using a two-factor latency experiment. Fish were collected from freshwater locations in South Florida that either had the invasive plant or were free of …

Porites Coral Colony Recovery At Caño Island , Sophia Bost

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Coral reefs are essential marine ecosystems and Porites lobata is an important Eastern Pacific reef-building coral that plays a major role in reef structure and ecosystem stability. This project documents Porites lobata responses to impacts associated witl1 the 2023-24 El NiÑo-Southern Oscillation, comparing coral tissue condition from 2024 and 2025. Overlapping digital images (~500 each year) utilizing two GoPro Hero 11 cameras were obtained from one, large (~13 m²) Porites lobata colony at Caño Island, Costa Rica. The program Agisoft Metashape was used to generate a 3D photogrammetry model constructed from these digital images. Living, bleached and dead …

Analysis Of Accuracy In Ecgs Data Captured By Patients Using At-Home Ai-Assisted Device Compared To Qualified Clinician Recordings, Snehana Chinnola, Colin Pulickathadam

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) introduce promising opportunities in the field of cardiology to support healthcare services outside traditional clinical settings. At-home care generally promotes patient independence and improved health outcomes, while staying cost-effective due to decreased hospital visits. This study will analyze deidentified patient pilot data to assess the feasibility and performance of AI-assisted at-home electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring compared with standard clinician-obtained ECGs during routine clinical visits, focusing on signal quality and accuracy. Additionally, the data consistency will be examined to …

Distinct And Cooperative Effects Of Epigenetic Inhibitors On Cell Viability And Cell Cycle Regulation In Neuroblastoma Cells, Tamanna Dipen Shah, Anushka Ayanampudi, Shyam Jaganathan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Epigenetic dysregulation plays a central role in uncontrolled cell proliferation and therapeutic resistance in cancer. Consequently, targeting epigenetic regulators with small-molecule inhibitors has emerged as a promising strategy to disrupt cell cycle progression and induce tumor cell death. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic and molecular effects of two epigenetic-targeting agents, CM-272 and JNJ-64619178, administered as individual, simultaneous, and sequential treatments in neuroblastoma cell models. Cell viability was assessed using XTT assays, and changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins were analyze by Western blotting. Our results demonstrate that simultaneous combination treatment produced the greatest reduction in cell viability compared …

Proximal Power Gains In Football: Position-Specific Adaptations Revealed Through Compositional Data Analysis, Isabella Estrada Hernandez, Alyana Andal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Training-induced adaptations in joint power distribution during speed running may enhance performance, but how these changes manifest across different American football position groups remains poorly understood. We investigated the influence of training and player position on joint power composition among players training for the National Football League draft. Forty-eight draft-eligible players performed pre- and post-training camp running trials at 23.4 km/h. We used motion capture software and MATLAB to calculate bilateral peak hip, knee, and ankle joint power. Compositional data analysis (CoDA) was used, in which positive/generated and negative/absorbed power compositions were expressed as isometric log-rations: hip versus knee + …

Perceived Family Influences On Sexual Decision-Making Among Emerging Adults, Hassan Gowani, Mariana Santiago-Lopez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Research on familial influences on sexual decision-making has focused primarily on adolescents, resulting in limited understanding of how family relationships may influence emerging adults' sexual decision-making. To fill this gap in the literature, we asked participants (ages 18-29) to indicate yes/no to "Do you think that your family has played a role in your current decision to be or not to be sexually active?" and then provide qualitative responses to "Please elaborate on why you think your family has or hasn't played a role in your current decision to be or not to be sexually active." Based on preliminary analysis, …

Time-Lapse Microscopy To Characterize Astrocyte Precursor Cells Migration Using A Double Reporter Mouse Line, Megan Hilliard, Sravika Chirla, Maria Ramirez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Astrocytes, the most abundant non-neuronal cell type in the brain, are a diverse population of cells that play a central role in regulating synaptic activity, supporting neuronal energy demands, and modulating interactions among neurons, glia, and blood vessels. Astrocytes originate from astrocyte precursor cells (APCs) in the subventricular zone, from where they migrate to the cortex postnatally. Once in the cortex, APCs continue to proliferate and then undergo morphological and functional maturation. Using a double reporter mouse line engineered to express enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of the entire glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) gene and tdTomato (tdT) …

Acute Effects Of D- And L-Beta-Hydroxybutyrate On Vigilance (Sustained Attention And Reaction Speed) In Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Catherine Holen

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Exogenous beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) supplements are increasingly promoted for cognitive and performance benefits but controlled human data--particularly comparing BHB isomers--remains sparse. This study evaluated whether a low dose, acute ingestion of D-BHB or L-BHB influences vigilance (sustained attention, reaction speed) and fine motor control in fasted, non-keto-adapted healthy adults. A total of 136 participants (20.5 ± 1.4 years; 70.2 ± 15.6 kg) were randomized into three groups: D-BHB (n = 47), L-BHB (n=46), or placebo (n = 43). Measures included the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT reaction time) and the central nervous system tap test. Assessments were conducted at baseline and 60 …

The Effect Of Verbal Encouragement With Swearing On High Intensity Exercise Performance, Ella Kern

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Verbal encouragement has not been shown to reliably enhance performance on the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT); however, research has found that when individuals swear during the WAnT, average power increases. This study examined whether incorporating swearing into verbal encouragement during a WAnT enhances performance, self-confidence, and psychological flow compared to standard verbal encouragement without swearing. Forty-one physically active participants (25 females, 16 males; age 20.8 ± 0.78 years) completed two counterbalanced laboratory visits involving verbal encouragement with swearing (VES) and without swearing (VE) while performing the WAnT on a Wattbike Air ergometer. Average power, fatigue index, self-confidence, and psychological flow …

Does A Competitive Season Alter Elastic Bounce Mechanics In University Distance Runners?, Marcus Marek Tortorella

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The spring-mass model (SMM) describes the body's center of mass oscillation during running as a bouncing system, where energy is absorbed and released, producing two asymmetries that represent muscle-tendon elastic function: (1) landing-takeoff (LTO; % relative difference propulsion to braking time), and (2) rebound (REB; % relative difference effective aerial to contact time). Additional SMM-derived variables, such as vertical stiffness(kvert) and step frequency (SF) may provide insight into the influence of a competitive season on running elastic bounce mechanics in university distance runners. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a competitive cross-country season …

Genetic Diversity Of Invasive Grey-Headed Swamphens In Florida Compared To Native Gallinules, Monica Maurer

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Invasive species outcompete native ones and threaten ecosystem stability. The grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus), established in southeast Florida since 1996, continues to expand into the northern Everglades and Lake Okeechobee despite prior eradication attempts. This study is comparing the genetic diversity of invasive grey-headed swamphens to the genetic diversity of native purple (P. martinica) and common (Gallinula galeata) gallinules to better understand invasion history, competitive potential, and ecosystem impacts. Muscle tissue samples of P. porphyrio collected by the Florida Museum of Natural History from 1999-2023 and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) …

Developing A Novel Protocol To Isolate Mitochondria From The Cnidarian Aiptasia Pallida For Bioenergetic Studies , Chelsea Nguyen, Kiran Sajnani

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The symbiotic relationship between cnidarian hosts and photosynthetic dinoflagellates relies on a dynamic exchange of metabolites between key organelles including chloroplasts and mitochondria. Understanding how temperature affects this exchange is pivotal to determine its role in metabolic dysbiosis, but methodological challenges in isolating mitochondria from cnidarian tissue must be addressed. The aim of this project is to develop a reproducible homogenization and isolation protocol of mitochondria from the upside-down sea jelly Cassiopea xamachana, to be used as a model for subsequent bioenergetic studies. Mesogleal tissue from laboratory acclimated C. xamachana was finely minced, and several mechanical homogenization methods were …

Passion Versus Predisposition: How Engagement, Personality, And Trait-Anxiety Predict Homesickness, Bala Sivani Padala, Porsha Adoghe, Alyssa Harris

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Homesickness is a prevalent condition affecting many college students. Several factors contribute to homesickness, including, but not limited to, adjustment difficulty, missing family and friends, rumination, and loneliness. To better understand homesickness, we explored how engagement, anxiety, and personality moderate each factor. Engagement and personality were hypothesized to negatively correlate with homesickness. Trait anxiety was hypothesized to positively correlate with homesickness. We examined these variables by having participants complete a Google form that included questions from four surveys: the Utrecht Homesickness Scale (UHS), the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory …

Biomechanical Stress And Asymmetrical Loading: Comparing Unilateral Landings Across Volleyball Hitter Positions, Nihar Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Jump-based movements in volleyball, particularly unilateral landings, generate substantial injury risk to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). These landings create asymmetrical ground reaction forces and patellar joint instability, with outside and right-side hitters most affected since they often land on a single leg after spiking. Prior studies show that unilateral landings produce higher peak forces and reduced knee flexion compared to bilateral landings, increasing biomechanical stress. Lead-limb dominance and player position further influence landing mechanics and loading patterns. Using VERT, a wearable sensor that records jump height, frequency, and landing impact, along with synchronized video analysis, this study compares landing …

Mapping Neurobehavioral Outcomes Of Glyphosate Application In The United States Through A Data Science Framework, Parushi Porwal, Sharvani Nune, Japji Madan, Arrin Carter, Mitali Athwale, Aliyah Khan, Roham Hadidchi, Umayyah Ahsan, Junaid Muktadir, Rishi Porwal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Glyphosate is the most widely used active ingredient in herbicides globally, yet its impact on mental health and neurodegenerative disorders is under-researched. This project developed a data science approach to build a structured database that consolidates evidence of glyphosate exposure and neurological health outcomes, with a primary focus on the United States. A systematic search of scientific databases identified over seventy peer-reviewed studies, primarily U.S.-based with some global representation. Data for six primary health outcomes (depression, anxiety, reported suicide, ADHD, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease) were extracted. Each study was reviewed for design type, study location, exposure assessment methods, health …

Repurposing Nilotinib In A Metabolically Compromised Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Maria Ramirez Aleman, Victoria Pullido-Correa, Ariana Hernandez, Chana Vogel, Ana Carvalho, Daniel Lopez, Esperanza Barrios, Katilin Martin, Dylan Kuni, Maria A. Paiz

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Diet-related metabolic disorders, including obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes, significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite substantial research, effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited. Nilotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for leukemia, has shown neuroprotective effects in preclinical AD models, including reduced amyloid-β pathology and improved cognition. In vitro studies also suggest nilotinib enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics. However, its efficacy under conditions of metabolic dysfunction remains unclear. This study therefore evaluated the effects of nilotinib in an AD mouse model with diet-induced metabolic impairment. Male and female B6129SF1/J control and 3xTg-AD mice were fed a low-fat (LFD) or high-fat …

Temperature-Driven Changes In Lysis Kinetics Of Bacteriophages Infecting Gordonia Rubripertincta, Bianca Gonzalez, Jyothi Vivekananda

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Antibiotic resistance represents a significant global health crisis creating a necessity for alternative treatments to combat drug-resistant pathogens. One alternative treatment is bacteriophages, such as those targeting Gordonia rubripertincta, a gram-positive, aerobic actinomycete bacterium which has shown intrinsic resistance to some antibiotics. Furthermore, G. rubripertincta can cause endocarditis and CNS infections in immunocompromised individuals. Phages that successfully target G. rubripertincta (Alyssamiracle, Fribs8, Genamy16, and NovaSharks) have been discovered by NSU students. The phages work in a lytic manner, bursting the bacteria and releasing its viral progeny. The goal of this research was to evaluate the lysis kinetics of these …