Digital Commons Network^™

Empowering Students To Engage With Climate Change Action: A Project-Based Module For Artificial Intelligence Literacy And Sustainability Thinking, Gabriel Granco, Yu Chen, Heather Macias, Yunfei Hou, Frank A. Gomez

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

There is a growing need to prepare students to address complex environmental challenges, particularly climate change and the expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI). This article examines the adaptation of the Artificial Intelligence for Social Good (AI4SG) Ideation module, a pitch- and project-based teaching framework designed to integrate AI literacy and sustainability education. Implemented in an upper division climate change course, the module combines project-based learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and geographic thinking to guide students in developing community-oriented AI proposals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students were encouraged to approach their communities not through deficit lenses, …

Advancing Chemotaxonomy Of Pollen, Laura Scoble

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Pollen analysis (palynology) is a valuable tool for palaeoecology, providing long-term records of vegetation change for reconstructions of past environments and revealing insights into historical climate variability, environmental change, and the vulnerability of ecosystems in response to anthropogenic impacts. However, its application in contributing to evidence-based conservation and restoration management depends on the accurate identification of fossil and sub-fossil pollen. This remains a persistent challenge for the Poaceae family (grasses), whose pollen grains are morphologically similar and often cannot be distinguished below the family level using traditional light microscopy. As a result, species-level changes in grassland communities are often obscured …

Optimization Of A Group-Based Intervention For People Living With Severe Obesity (Progroup): Understanding Fidelity To Delivery And The Patient Experience, Lily Hawkins, Mark Tarrant, Shokraneh Moghadam, Dawn Swancutt, Rod Sheaff, Laura Hollands, Jonathan Pinkney, Jenny Lloyd

School of Psychology

Objectives: Understanding the fidelity of delivery of complex health behaviour interventions is crucial in determining their effectiveness and identifying aspects needing refinement. PROGROUP is a group-based intervention for people with severe obesity. It aims to promote a shared social identity to support behaviour change. Data from a feasibility randomized controlled trial (fRCT) were used to assess fidelity of intervention delivery and the impact on patient experiences, to optimize the intervention for a main trial. Methods: Data from 18 patient and five facilitator interviews, audio and video data of group sessions, two fidelity checklists, support calls and a group processes questionnaire …

How Does Pre-Registration Child Specific Education Prepare Newly Qualified Nurses’ To Care For Children, Young People, And Their Families? An Empty Narrative Review, Matt Carey, Danielle Edge, Julie Blamires, Mandie Foster, Sarah Neill

School of Nursing and Midwifery

This narrative review investigates the influence of child-specific content within pre-registration nursing programs on newly qualified nurses’ perceptions of preparedness to care for children, young people, and their families. Despite international recognition of the specialised competencies required for pediatric nursing, the proportion and quality of child-focused education across Higher Education Institutions is not clear. The Population, Exposure, Outcome framework provided a comprehensive search strategy applied across eight databases to identify relevant studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of 663 records identified, 451 were screened and 25 full texts wereassessed for eligibility by two reviewers. No studies met the …

Chronic Disease Prevalence And Modifiable Risk Factors Among Undergraduate Students At Ha’Il University: A Population-Level Cross-Sectional Study, Collins Otieno Asweto, Sehar Un Nisa Hassan, Mohamed Ali Alzain, Bandar Alsaif, Mohammed Elshiekh Saeed, Ahmed Kassar, Kamal Elbssir Mohammed Ali, Mouna Ghorbel, Rafat Zrieq, Monzer Hamed, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Rising rates of chronic conditions among Saudi youth underscore the need for early prevention. Using a public‑health lens focused on demographic, academic, and lifestyle influences, this study investigates the risk and protective factors for chronic disease among students at the University of Ha’il to guide youth‑centered health policies and long‑term wellbeing initiatives. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 10,775 undergraduate students studying in bachelor’s degree programs at Ha’il University, Saudi Arabia. Descriptive analyses were used to assess demographic characteristics, academic status, health status, and health-related lifestyles. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to determine which demographic, academic, and …

The First Systematic Review Of Treatment Characteristics And Recidivism Outcomes For Indigenous People Who Have Sexually Offended, James L. Finney, Natalie Gately, Suzanne Rock, Braden Hill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

It is of great importance that research investigates the impact of sexual offender treatment programmes given the damage caused by sexual offences to victims and society more broadly. However, psycho-criminological literature has focused on reporting post-treatment recidivism outcomes for people who have sexually offended homogeneously and has not investigated the unique experiences of Indigenous people. Therefore, we systematically collated and critically appraised studies reporting recidivism outcomes for Indigenous people who have received treatment for sexual offences. Fourteen studies were identified utilising a sample of 5,635 individuals (30.7% Indigenous or First Nations). Recidivism was lower for Indigenous and First Nations people …

Attitudes And Expectations Towards Acupuncture For Primary Dysmenorrhoea: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Survey In Australia, Weiting Liu, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Khui Hung Lee, Timothy Leen Kang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To describe attitudes towards acupuncture and expectations regarding potential treatment outcomes among women with self-reported primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) residing in Australia. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive online survey was conducted to assess attitudes and treatment expectancy using an adapted version of previously published complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) attitude scale and a validated acupuncture expectancy scale (AES). Data were analysed descriptively, with exploratory analysis conducted to support the interpretation of response patterns. Ethical approval was obtained from the Edith Cowan University Human Research Ethics Committee (2023-04471-LIU) and participants provided electronic informed consent. Results: A total of 247 responses were received. …

Emerging Blood-Based Biomarkers For The Detection Of Parenchymal Brain Metastasis: Current Progress And Future Perspectives, Désirée Sexauer, Elin S. Gray, Helen Rizos, Pauline Zaenker, Aaron B. Beasley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Parenchymal brain metastases of solid malignancies remain a significant clinical challenge, as they are often detected at later symptomatic stages, which are typically associated with worse prognosis. Delayed detection limits treatment options and contributes to poor outcomes, while early detection is critical for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. In this comprehensive review, we investigated the potential use and challenges of blood-based biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA, noncoding RNAs, extracellular vesicles, proteins, and other immune-related biomarkers, for the early detection of parenchymal brain metastasis. The use of blood-based liquid biopsies offers a promising avenue for early detection …

Is A Fear Of Death Keeping You Awake At Night? Death Anxiety Predicts Insomnia Through Nightmare Severity, Rachel E. Menzies, Jessie Brown, Mitchell Turner, David Cunnington, Malisa Burge, Ian C. Dunican, Hailey Meaklim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The fear of death (death anxiety) is a risk factor for various mental health conditions. Death anxiety has been theorized to elicit physiological arousal and worry and is empirically associated with attachment insecurity, each of which has been linked to disrupted sleep. However, limited research has explored the relationship between death anxiety, nightmares and insomnia. We examined the relationship between death anxiety and insomnia, as well as attachment style as a potential moderator, and nightmare severity as a possible mediator. Five hundred and fifteen adults completed an online survey; 70% were female, and 89% resided in Australia. Regression analyses revealed …

Effects Of Recreational Football On Body Composition, Cardiometabolic Health, And Functional Performance In Children And Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Yanzhao Lei, Yanmei Ding, Bo Wang, Hengzhi Deng, Mingyue Yin, Kai Xu, Hengxian Liu, Meiling Tao, Yanfeng Li, Yilin Zhang, Yuhang Liu, Fanhao Meng, Hansen Li, Xing Zhang, Bitai Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: The systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of recreational football on body composition, cardiometabolic health, and functional performance in children and adolescents. Additionally, it explored potential moderators through subgroup analyses. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in six databases in May 2025. A random-effects model was employed for the meta-analysis, and effect sizes were reported as standardized mean differences (SMD, Hedges’ g). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine sources of heterogeneity. Results: A total of 20 studies (N = 2,906; age range: 8–17 years) were included. Of the participants, 1,524 (52.44%) were male, 1,174 …

Success Factors For Effective Workplace Bullying Interventions: A Scoping Review, Kate Blackwood, Azadeh Shafaei, Tim Bentley, Maryam Omari, Dayna Fawkes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – The study aimed to comprehensively review the existing evaluated interventions on preventing workplace bullying and provide recommendations on the success factors for designing effective workplace bullying interventions. Design/methodology/approach – We used a scoping review framework (PRISMA-ScR) to explore, identify and shortlist a range of articles evaluating workplace bullying interventions. Specifically, this review examined the content and relative effectiveness of workplace bullying interventions related to their design and implementation. Findings – The study has found that no one specific intervention type consistently produced the desired outcome. However, interventions that are multifaceted, multi-level, focused on the organisational level, owned by …

Fostering Sustainable Business Performance: The Synergistic Role Of Entrepreneurial Leadership And Green Organizational Support In The Hotel Industry, Kwame Owusu Boakye, Michael Kyei-Frimpong, Aaron Makafui Ametorwo, Linda Quagraine, Richard Sam-Mensah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigated the moderating role of green organizational support in the nexus between entrepreneurial leadership and sustainable business performance. The study adopted the explanatory research design, where data were collected from 208 employees working in star-rated hotels in Ghana and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that entrepreneurial leadership significantly relates to sustainable social and environmental performance but not to sustainable economic performance. More so, green organizational support moderated the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and sustainable economic and social performance but did not moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and sustainable environmental performance. Theoretical and practical …

ℵ-Ipomdp: Mitigating Deception In A Cognitive Hierarchy With Off-Policy Counterfactual Anomaly Detection, Nitay Alon, Joseph M. Barnby, Stefan Sarkadi, Lion Schulz, Jeffrey S. Rosenschein, Peter Dayan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Social agents with finitely nested opponent models are vulnerable to manipulation by agents with deeper recursive capabilities. This imbalance, rooted in logic and the theory of recursive modelling frameworks, cannot be solved directly. We propose a computational framework called ℵ-IPOMDP, which augments the Bayesian inference of model-based RL agents with an anomaly detection algorithm and an out-of-belief policy. Our mechanism allows agents to realize that they are being deceived, even if they cannot understand how, and to deter opponents via a credible threat. We test this framework in both a mixed-motive and a zero-sum game. Our results demonstrate the ℵ-mechanism’s …

Just Be Yourself....But Only If You Are Like Us? A Social Identity Theory Cross-Cultural Meta-Analysis Of Authentic Leadership, Andrei A. Lux, Kevin B. Lowe, Patricio Duran, Darren K. Bharanitharan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We apply social identity theory (SIT) within a culturally endorsed implicit leadership theory (CLT) frame to model how cultural values shape relationships between authentic leadership and follower outcomes. We use meta-analytic methods to test hypotheses with data from 292 studies drawn from over 40 countries, comprised of 100,641 individuals, and including 35 attitudinal, behavioural, and performance outcomes. Meta-analytic regression of cultural values coded at the country level reveals a significant pattern of moderation effects across 42.9% of the correlates we tested, suggesting that authentic leadership theory is culturally embedded. The effects of authentic leadership vary to the extent that it …

Sexuality Education In An Age Of Resistance: Reflections At The Nexus Of Education, Health And Rights, Sarah Vrankovich, Katrina Marson, Giselle Woodley, Jordina Quain, Hanna Saltis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is internationally recognised as essential to public health and young people’s rights. Yet its implementation in Australia and globally is increasingly undermined by conservative backlash, moral panic and political interference. This paper offers a critical reflection on the current landscape of CSE, drawing on insights from a panel discussion at the 2025 World Association for Sexual Health congress, and collaborative analysis. As early-career researchers, sexologists and practitioners working across education, communications, public health and sexual violence prevention, we utilise our collective experience to examine how various influences shape and constrain the delivery of CSE. We map …

Dispositional Awe And Its Effect On Destination Residents’ Pro-Environmental Behavior Intention, Kunmei Liu, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Zhicheng Yu, Zhiyong Li, Shanzhen Hu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Residents have a profound and enduring impact on destination environmental sustainability, yet the emotional and trait-level factors of their pro-environmental behavior remain underexplored. Grounded in Broaden-and-Build theory, this study examines whether and how dispositional awe translates into Tibetan residents’ pro-environmental behavior intention. Through four complementary studies combining in-depth interviews (N = 15) and surveys (total N = 800), we demonstrate a consistently strong association between dispositional awe and pro-environmental behavior intention. Two survey-based studies incorporating both self-reported pro-environmental behavior intention and peer-reported pro-environmental behavior reveal that this relationship is partially mediated by connectedness to nature and place identity. By shifting …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 1: Mealtime Environment And Practices (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Connie N. Ihlein, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Rebecca Byrne, Fiona Champion, Laine Chilman, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Kirsty Elliott, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Shae Haylen, Judith Howard, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Eloise Litterbach, Jodie Mcgough, Stacey Mckenzie, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Gabrielle Orr, Asha Rojahn, Hilary Smith, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Jill Whelan, Sally Whitaker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mealtimes in early learning settings are more than a routine to help children eat. They are important opportunities for connection, learning and development, and for supporting children’s confidence and comfort around food and eating. At the same time, services must balance safety, regulatory requirements, diverse developmental and cultural needs, family expectations and practical constraints such as time and staffing.

The Mealtime Environment and Practices (MEP) module has been developed to support Early Childhood Education and Care settings (ECEC), for children from birth to 5 years, to create mealtimes that are safe, calm, inclusive and responsive to each child, while reflecting …

It's The Most Diverse Job I’Ve Ever Had: What Do Registered Nurses Working In Australian Schools Do?, Anita Moyes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although nurses have been working in Australian schools for many decades, research has focused primarily on narrow aspects of clinical practice or service delivery in specific regions. The aim of this study was to identify the domains of practice registered nurses report in a typical working day in Australian schools, using interview data from a national sample. Forty-five nurses working in government and nongovernment schools in every state and territory of Australia participated. Interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis ( Elo & Kyngas, 2008). Six distinct domains of practice characterized nursing work in Australian schools: (i) responding to diverse …

Explainable Ai For Hate Speech Moderation: A Stakeholder-Centered And Sociotechnical Review, Muhammad Deedahwar Mazhar Qureshi, M. Atif Qureshi, Wael Rashwan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The growing use of automated hate speech detection systems has sparked significant concern across technical, ethical, and sociopolitical dimensions. While recent advances in natural language processing and machine learning have improved classification performance, they often do so at the expense of transparency, fairness, and user trust. Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) offers promising tools to bridge this gap, but current methods remain fragmented in scope and limited in stakeholder alignment. This review synthesizes the state of the art in explainability for hate speech detection by integrating machine learning, human-computer interaction, and critical social science perspectives. We survey major XAI approaches, including …

Driven To Serve: Exploring Meaningful Work For Doctors Through The Lens Of Public Service Motivation, Abid Hussain, Uma Jogulu, Esme Franken, Rahatulaain Ahmad, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper reports on a study of meaningful work amongst doctors in a non-Western context. This study advances the current understanding of meaningful work by establishing a connection with public service motivation theory. By examining unique contextual features where societal, public systems, institutional, and individual factors are diverse and unique, we contribute to public service motivation theory in three ways. First, public service motivation theory argues that individuals are not only driven by self-interest but also by a drive to contribute to society and to help others, and that this motivation is particularly high amongst public servants in the West. …

Public Service Motivation And The Circumplex Model Of Affect: Profiling Australasian Public Servants, Esme Franken, Ben Farr-Wharton, Fleur Sharafizad, Kara Ng, Geoff Plimmer, Evan Berman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper explores public servants’ public service motivation through the prism of the circumplex model of affect (CMA). The application of CMA to work, and specifically public sector contexts, is relatively novel, and the framework helps explain how multiple states of affect (i.e., comprised of underlying feelings, emotions, and moods) cluster together and are shaped by one’s work environment. The mixed method paper begins with a qualitative study of Australasian public servants, presenting evidence of the CMA and its connection to PSM. The subsequent quantitative analysis of 222 survey respondents offers four distinct latent profiles of public servants’ PSM and …

Sales Prediction In Omnichannel Distribution Systems Based On Consumer Behavior Using Process Mining And Arimax, Ferra Arik Tridalestari, Mustafid Mustafid, Ferry Jie, Hanung Nindito Prasetyo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Omnichannel distribution integrates multiple sales channels into a single management platform to enhance customer experience. However, the complexity of consumer behavior data across channels often prevents business owners from effectively analyzing and predicting sales. This study proposes a sales prediction model in omnichannel distribution systems based on consumer behavior using a collaborative approach that integrates process mining and autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous variables (ARIMAX). Event log data from an omnichannel service provider were used to extract consumer activity patterns, which were then analyzed through process discovery algorithms to identify dominant behavioral processes. The resulting behavioral indicators served as …

Nothing Else Matters: Why Relationships May Be Key To Establishing Healthy Eating Behaviours In Young Children, Therese A. O’Sullivan, Kathryn G. Di Candilo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food is more than its nutritional components. It brings people together, and connects us to family, culture, and heritage. The development of eating habits and relationships with food begins in infancy and continues across the lifespan. Echoing the theme of Metallica’s 72 Seasons, which was being toured in Australia when this work was presented, experiences during the early years may shape later patterns of behaviour and identity. This can include mindsets around food and eating. This review aims to explore how early life parent/caregiver feeding practices may impact this development of children’s eating behaviours. A respectful and responsive approach to …

Converging Demands, Diverging Experiences: Gendered Leadership In The Australian Mining, Oil And Gas Sector During A Prolonged Crisis, Michael Mayom Ajith, Andrei Alexander Lux, Michelle Striepe, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Effective leadership during a prolonged crisis requires significant emotional and moral labour. Prior literature has examined gendered differences in leadership behaviour and performance during a crisis, yet less is known about how leaders experience gendered expectations during a prolonged crisis. This study therefore examines gender differences in middle-level leaders’ experiences during a protracted crisis in the Australian extractive industry.

Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a sequential qualitative design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 middle-level leaders in the Australian mining, oil and gas industry. The full data set was first analysed thematically to establish a broad account of leadership experiences. …

The Perceptions And Applications Of Cluster Sets In Strength And Conditioning, Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Shayne Vial, Kristina L. Kendall, Paul Comfort, Jiahao Yang, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

It is well documented that cluster sets, a modified set structure with additional rest between individual repetitions or groups of repetitions, can be used to modulate exercise-induced fatigue during resistance training. While practical guidelines exist, it remains unclear to what extent strength and conditioning (S&C) professionals utilise this programming tactic. The aim of this study was to examine S&C professionals’ perceptions of cluster sets and their application in practice. A secondary aim was to assess the alignment between cluster set programming tactics used in the field and evidence-based recommendations from the scientific and coaching literature. Forty-six S&C professionals (age: 40.0 …

Parent Perspectives: Child Attendance In Community Grief Support, Janeene Sanderson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Childhood bereavement can affect children emotionally, socially, and developmentally, creating a need for support that is both age-appropriate and grief-informed. This qualitative study explored how parents perceived the impact of community grief support programs for their bereaved children. The study focused on children ages 8–12 who attended a peer support group, grief camp, or similar community-based grief support program after the death of a loved one. Data were collected through parent interviews and reviewed through thematic analysis. Findings showed that parents perceived these programs as meaningful because they created safe spaces where children could feel normal and validated in their …

Child Of My Heart: One Girl's Story Of Adoption, Danielle Bussolini

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This Integrative Masters Project explores the author's personal experience with adoption, written from a child's perspective. Unlike most published books on adoption, which are typically framed through the lens of an educator or parent, this work centers the emotional and psychological experience of the child at the heart of the story.

Increasing Access To Justice Through The Use Of Indigenous Restorative Justice And Trauma Informed Practices, Carrie E. Garrow, Danielle J. Mayberry, Micaelee Horn

South Dakota Law Review

Tribal judiciaries are paramount to tribal sovereignty and accessed by court users for many purposes. Access to justice ensures that everyone should be able to understand and assert their rights in a fair tribal justice system. This can be a challenge for rural areas, but even more so in Indian Country due to the complex web of factors such as legal and jurisdictional complexities, the colonization of Indian Nations by federal and state governments, and resource restraints. Due to these barriers and as an effort to serve their communities, tribal justice systems develop mechanisms that are solution based and at …

125th Anniversary Planning Committee Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

In 2006, South Dakota State University (SDSU) celebrated its 125th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its history. To coordinate the commemoration, the university formed the 125th Anniversary Planning Committee, which oversaw all aspects of the celebration, including events, publications, and historical retrospectives. The committee, chaired by Carol J. Peterson, included university administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, working together to highlight SDSU’s legacy and achievements. Their efforts culminated in a series of activities designed to honor the university’s past and engage the campus and broader community in its rich history.

The collection consists of materials documenting the anniversary …

College Of Arts And Sciences Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The College of Arts and Sciences at South Dakota State University traces its origins to the General Sciences Course, first offered in 1884. The program later developed into the General Science Division, established in 1924, and became the Division of Science and Applied Arts in 1953. Following the institution’s transition to university status, the division became the College of Arts and Sciences. The College provides instruction in the university’s general education core and offers disciplinary education in the arts and sciences.

The records consist of administrative files, publications, correspondence, reports, committee records, meeting minutes, statistical materials, curriculum records, accreditation files, …