Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Psychological Safety And Workforce Experiences Among Employees In Recovery Community Organizations In The Southern United States: A Qualitative Study, Claire-Lorentz Ugo-Ike

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how employees in Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) in the Southern United States experience psychological safety and how these experiences shape employee well-being and their intentions to stay or leave their organizations. Guided by Edmondson’s Psychological Safety Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the study examined how leadership practices, workplace culture, and the emotional demands of recovery support work shape employees’ perception of safety, support, and sustainability in the workforce. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 RCO employees working in various peer support roles. Thematic analysis identified five major themes: (1) leadership behaviors shape psychological safety …

Emotion Regulation: The Effectiveness Of Reappraisal And Potential Benefit Of Music, Ezra J. Greidinger

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Literature has supported potential benefits to cognitive reappraisal as a method of emotion regulation, as well as intentional music usage as an enhancer of these effects. It has been suggested that instruction be provided to individuals to use these methods, especially in highly stressed populations (Sakka et al., 2018). However, there has not been an experimental study to follow up on these claims. When instruction is provided, is cognitive reappraisal more effective than naturally developed habits in regulating anxiety, and would music enhance these effects? College students (N = 170) were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: control, cognitive reappraisal, …

Trends Among Suspected Opioid Overdose Emergency Medical Service (Ems) Incidents In Georgia From 2019-2023, Ashton Harris

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Opioid overdoses remain a problem in the United States, underscoring the need for additional surveillance tools to monitor trends in opioid overdoses. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data is a timely surveillance method that captures more potential overdoses than hospitals by representing the pre-hospital setting. Research questions in the study assess EMS responses to suspect opioid overdose incidents from 2019-2023 in Georgia to encompass the following characteristics: timeframe (pre, during, post-pandemic), urban versus rural counties, race/ethnicity, categorical type of first responder, mean dosage of naloxone in milligrams administered, and death. 84,359 records meeting the inclusion criteria were initially retrieved from the …

Another Day's Journey: Birthing Brilliance Through Culturally Relevant/Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogies, Letitice Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the implementation of culturally relevant/responsive/sustaining mathematics using hip-hop pedagogy with special education students. The theoretical frameworks for this include with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), Culturally Responsive Teaching (Gay, 2018), and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2014). Utilizing an autobiographical case study methodology, I examined the use of culturally relevant math tasks and hip-hop pedagogy with 3^rd grade students with disabilities. From this study, the following findings emerged: (1). Learning environments characterized by hope, empathy, and critical agency can be cultivated through the use of community resources and structured classroom norms that promote support, collaboration, …

Roadway Runoff Impacts To Trout Streams Studies For Ms4 Permit, Jobayed Hossain Badhan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Roadway runoff from Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) highway infrastructure poses measurable, but temporally constrained threats to cold-water trout ecosystems in northern Georgia. This study investigates temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics in three secondary trout streams receiving GDOT roadway discharges, with the primary objective of evaluating compliance with Georgia Rule 391-3-6-.03(6)(ii),(v) under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit framework. Field monitoring was conducted from April 2024 through October 2025 across two consecutive summer seasons using a tiered, multi-instrument approach: YSI ProDSS handheld grab sampling provided regulatory-grade reference measurements; HOBO MX-801 optical DO dataloggers recorded continuous 5-minute-interval temperature …

Effects Of Composition, Nodularity, Pouring Temperature, Inoculation, And Mold Strength On Wall-Movement In Sgi Castings During Solidification And Cooling, Noah Brack

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The iron-carbon casting alloy known as spheroidal graphite iron (SGI), nodular graphite iron, or ductile iron (DI) experiences complex volume changes during its solidification and cooling as graphite nodules and austenite form. These volume changes result in forces on the mold cavity walls and can deform the mold walls in cases when mold walls lack the strength to resist the deformation. This wall movement can cause the formation of casting defects such as swell, warped part geometry, and shrinkage porosity. Though this phenomenon has been studied in the past, it remains difficult to predict casting wall movement with existing data. …

Fur-Ever In Memory: College Student Grief And Coping After Pet Loss, Rohit Paruchuri

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Pet loss is a significant yet often overlooked form of bereavement, particularly among college students who are navigating emerging adulthood. Pets play an important role serving as a source of emotional support and are often viewed as family members; however, grief following pet loss is a type of disenfranchised grief, meaning it is not accepted by the society as something significant and often overlooked when compared to grief following human loss (Spain et al., 2019). Research suggests that grief following pet loss can mirror responses to human loss including sadness, guilt, loneliness, and disruption of daily routines (Eckerd et al., …

Effects Of A Context-Based Intervention On Sidelining Teacher Bias Toward Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Marisa Kortright

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often display behaviors such as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that may be perceived as disruptive in classroom settings. These behaviors can influence teachers’ responses and disciplinary decisions, which may be shaped by stereotypes or biases associated with ADHD diagnoses. This study examined whether a context-based intervention could reduce bias in teachers’ disciplinary decisions. Participants were 112 current or former elementary school teachers living in the United States who were recruited through the online recruitment platform Cloud Research. Using an experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to a neutral or empathetic intervention condition and evaluated student …

Investigation Of Dirac‑Like Cones Induced Topologically Protected Wave Propagation (Tpwp) In Solid-Fluid Acoustic Metamaterials: A Combined Numerical And Experimental Study, Humza Khan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Topologically protected wave propagation (TPWP) is a unique phenomenon in acoustic metamaterial, where tailored geometries and material properties enable controlled energy absorption and localizations. This study investigates TPWP through the systematic variation of unit cell geometry to capture multiple Dirac-like cone interactions within the Brillouin zone. While prior research had emphasized solid-solid interactions, the present work extends the framework by incorporating a solid-fluid configuration.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the influence of unit cell volume and material selection on  the formation of Dirac-like cones in the Brillouin zone, as well as on the corresponding bandgap characteristics. …

From Vision To Impact: Strategic Planning For The South Health District, Jason D. Butler Jr

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study presents a community health assessment and strategic planning process for the South Health District (SHD), a rural, multi-county public health district.  Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative surveys and qualitative data from County Nurse Managers, County Boards of Health, and internal staff were integrated with secondary sources to identify community health priorities and organizational gaps.  Broad stakeholder engagement through surveys, SWOT workshops, and town-hall meetings ensured credibility and contextual relevance.

Findings revealed challenges in behavioral health, substance abuse, chronic disease, access to preventive services, transportation, workforce capacity, communication, and infrastructure.  Four strategic issues—Communication, Workforce Development and Retention, Purpose-Driven District, …

Mirroring Memory: Material, Reflection, And Becoming, Nila Mojaveri

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores how memory shapes identity through material, reflection, and tactile processes. Drawing from my personal experience of migration from Iran and the emotional distance from home, the work examines memory as a shifting, layered, and embodied phenomenon rather than a fixed narrative. Through the use of mirror, clay, fabric, and paint, I investigate how materials can hold, reflect, and transform lived experience. Each material carries specific meaning: mirrors introduce fragmentation and reflection, clay records touch and grounding, fabric evokes softness and domestic memory, and paint creates atmosphere through layering and tone. Together, these materials form a visual …

Food Access Disparities In Fulton County, Georgia: Examining Structural Barriers And Community-Level Determinants, Paige J. Perry

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Food insecurity remains a significant public health issue affecting communities at global, national, and local levels, including Atlanta, GA. Despite being an affluent and rapidly growing urban area, disparities in food access persist across Fulton County. This study examines the structural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors associated with food access at the census tract level. Using quantitative analysis, the study evaluates how geographic location, population characteristics, transportation access, and economic conditions influence the likelihood of low food access. Findings highlight significant disparities linked to transportation availability, demographic composition, and geographic variation within the county. These results underscore the importance of addressing …

Body Image Perception In African American Women, Ages 20-55 Years, Trina Suttles

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the factors that influence body image perception among African American women in the metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia area and examined how these perceptions shape physical activity and dietary behaviors. Body image perception is a critical psychocultural factor influencing obesity-related behaviors, particularly among African American women who navigate culturally specific beauty standards and health beliefs. Guided by the Socioecological Model, this study addressed three research questions: (1) how African American women perceive their body image, (2) how these perceptions influence health behaviors, and (3) what multilevel factors shape body image perceptions. This study employed consensual qualitative research (CQR) …

Sexual Dimorphism In The Immune Defense Mechanisms Against A Systemic Bacterial Infection In The Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis), Ashley Lynch

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Fleas defend against infection through the activation of both humoral and cellular innate immune responses. Previous research in female cat fleas demonstrated increased immune activity following a systemic bacterial infection. However, comparable data for males and sex-based comparisons are limited. In this study, we investigated differences in innate cellular immune responses between male and female cat fleas following systemic infection with Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Bacterial load was quantified using colony-forming units 24 h post-infection. Immune function was assessed via phagocytic index and capacity. Survival and total circulating hemocyte counts were evaluated across infected, sterile-injected, and untreated groups. Male fleas …

"Spectrum", Mackinzey H. Critzer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

These body of works explores themes centered around ASD/Autism Spectrum Disorder, including symptoms involved, my personal views/experiences of it, social issues, and other related topics. My work consists of various mediums, digital pieces/prints and physical installations that involve bright color tones, human/humanoid figures, and various symbols.

Effect Of Wall Movement On Porosity Formation In Ductile Iron Castings Under Varying Processing Parameters, Shamsul Alam

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Shrinkage porosity is a major defect that significantly impairs the mechanical properties and overall performance of ductile iron castings. Although graphite formation during solidification induces volumetric expansion, this expansion alone is insufficient to fully compensate for the shrinkage occurring throughout solidification. During the solidification and cooling of ductile iron, multiple phase transformations occur, resulting in dynamic volume changes that exert pressure on mold walls and internal cavities. These pressures can deform mold walls and casting surfaces, leading to defects such as swell and porosity, while also influencing shrinkage formation. This study aims to analyze the mechanisms of porosity formation and …

Statistical Quality Control: A Bayesian Framework, Jakia Jaber Tunal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In many industries, it is important to assess whether a machine or system is operating within acceptable limits or has gone out of control. This project applies Bayesian statistics to monitor a process over time and detect changes in its behavior. First, initial data are collected to understand the system’s typical performance and to form a starting prior distribution. As new observations arrive over time, the prior is updated through Bayesian inference, combining past information with incoming data. This iterative updating creates a continuous monitoring framework that adapts as more evidence becomes available. When the updated results suggest that the …

Sociodemographic Differences In Sepsis-Related Medicare Hospitalizations: A State-Level Analysis Of Diagnosis-Related Groups For Severe Sepsis In 2019 And 2022, Alba Kuqi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: This state-level ecological repeated cross-sectional study examined sociodemographic differences in sepsis-related Medicare hospitalizations assigned to Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Groups (MS-DRGs) 871 and 872 in 2019 and 2022.

Objective: The study focused on three outcomes: changes in sepsis-related Medicare discharge volume, changes in average Medicare payment per sepsis discharge, and changes in the proportion of MS-DRG 871 discharges relative to MS-DRG 872 discharges.

Methods: Publicly available Medicare inpatient hospital data and state-level demographic data were used to evaluate whether age, race, gender composition, and median household income were associated with these changes across the 50 U.S. states and …

Cytonuclear Incompatibilities In Hybrid Systems: Oxidative Phosphorylation Capacity And Nuclear Marker Transmission Ratio Distortion In Hybrids Of An Introgressed Strain Of Parasitoid Wasp, Julie Kessler

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Speciation is an evolutionary process resulting in the divergence of populations into reproductively isolated species, a key concept that supplies our planet with an abundance of biodiversity. Mechanisms for speciation center on obstacles to fertilization and include post-zygotic barriers, such as intrinsic deleterious interactions, that arise in hybrid systems where genetic variants are combined. Genes from separate parent lineages are often incompatible due to the co-evolution of paired genes within a singular species not matching their complement genes in another species, and the result is a reduction in fitness of the hybrid when these genes come together. The mitochondrial OXPHOS …

Validity Of The Polar Verity Sense Optical Armband And Iphone Accelerometer For Heart Rate Variability Assessment, Chinelo C. Chukwuma

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the Polar Verity Sense optical armband and iPhone accelerometer (Kubois seismocardiography, SCG) against the Polar H10 across different body positions (for both devices) and measurement durations (for Verity Sense only) while accounting for skin pigmentation. Healthy young adults (n = 46) participated in simultaneous recordings in the supine, seated, and standing positions using the Kubios mobile application on separate devices. Verity Sense measurements were collected for both 1‑ and 5‑min durations, whereas accelerometer measures were 1 min. Skin pigmentation was quantified with the melanin index (M-index). For resting heart …

Implementasi Land Freezing Di Kabupaten Kutai Kartanegara Dan Penajam Paser Utara: Antara Pengendalian Pertanahan Dan Pelindungan Hak Keperdataan, Anggita Mustika Dewi, Destriananda Safa Aina, Ananda Mulia Putri Maharani

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

To prevent land speculation by land mafias in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), the government introduced a land-freezing policy aimed at restricting the transfer of land rights within the IKN area. However, in practice, this policy has been alleged to hinder land registration processes and undermine civil rights of communities within the IKN delineation zone. This study seeks to examine the regulatory framework, implementation, and impacts of the land-freezing policy on land registration and the civil rights of affected communities. Employing an empirical normative legal research method with a statute approach, this research finds that the land-freezing policy has not …

Dualisme Tujuan Pembebanan Uang Pengganti: Analisis Putusan Angelina Sondakh Di Berbagai Tingkat Peradilan, Valencia Puspa Novandra Ali, Tamsil .

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Studi ini meneliti perbedaan interpretasi dan penerapan hukuman tambahan berupa restitusi (uang pengganti) dalam kasus korupsi melalui analisis komparatif keputusan Angelina Sondakh di pengadilan tingkat pertama, pengadilan banding, pengadilan kasasi, dan pengadilan peninjauan yudisial. Muncul interpretasi ganda antara memandang restitusi sebagai kompensasi atas kerugian keuangan negara dan sebagai mekanisme untuk menyita keuntungan ilegal. Judex facti menolak penerapan restitusi dengan alasan bahwa tidak terjadi kerugian negara dalam kasus suap dan gratifikasi, sementara judex juris di tingkat kasasi menafsirkan restitusi sebagai instrumen pemulihan aset yang ditujukan untuk keuntungan yang diperoleh secara ilegal. Orientasi konseptual yang bertentangan ini menghasilkan perbedaan signifikan dalam penjatuhan …

Faculty Handbook, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Handbooks

Faculty Handbook for Georgia Southern University for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Faculty Handbook is published online by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and archived in Digital Commons@Georgia Southern.

2025-2026 Georgia Southern University Men's Golf Statistics, Georgia Southern University

Men's Golf Records

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Georgia Southern University Men's Golf Roster, Georgia Southern University

Men's Golf Records

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Georgia Southern University Women's Golf Statistics, Georgia Southern University

Women's Golf Records

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Georgia Southern University Women's Golf Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Golf Records

No abstract provided.

2026 Georgia Southern University Men's Soccer Roster, Georgia Southern University

Men's Soccer Records

No abstract provided.

2026 Georgia Southern University Women's Soccer Roster, Georgia Southern University

Women's Soccer Records

No abstract provided.

2025 Georgia Southern University Softball Media Guide, Georgia Southern University

Women's Softball Records

No abstract provided.