Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Graphene Cathode And Aluminum Ion Ev Battery Performance: A State-Of-The-Art Analysis For Future, Abu Shadate Faisal Mahamude, Kaniz Farhana

The Nexus of Sustainability and Energy Technology Journal

Lithium-ion batteries may eventually be replaced with rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) due to their high energy density, increased safety, and plentiful supply of raw materials. The development of appropriate cathode materials for AIBs is a major priority these days. As a result of their better quality, graphene-based cathodes have a great chance of success. Graphene is a relatively new and promising material with a unique set of chemical and physical characteristics. Graphene's high electron conductivity and large specific surface area make it seem like one of the best electron-conducting additions, but there are several other ways to increase the cathode …

Atomistic Insights Into The Interfacial Properties And Thermal Transport Of Mxene–Copper Nanocomposites: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Navid Aslfattahi, Maryam Sadat Kiai, K. Kadirgama, L. Samylingam, Chee Kuang Kok, Mohd A.F. Rosli, Thong Leng Lim

The Nexus of Sustainability and Energy Technology Journal

Understanding the interfacial heat transport mechanisms in Ti₃C₂T_x–copper nanocomposites is essential for developing advanced Thermal Interface Materials (TIM) for electronic and energy systems. This study provides atomistic insights into how MXene surface terminations (–O, –OH, –F), copper crystallographic orientations ((111), (100), (110)), and MXene layer thickness influence thermal conductivity and interfacial thermal resistance. O-terminated MXene exhibited the strongest interfacial adhesion (∼0.45 J/m²) and the highest thermal conductivity (∼68 W/m· K), while F-terminated MXene showed the weakest interfacial bonding and poorest heat transfer (∼45 W/m· K). Increasing the MXene thickness introduced additional phonon …

Initial Pilot Test Of A Single-Session Social Support Program For Increasing Social Approach Behavior And Social Support In Emerging Adults, Emily L. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood, the developmental stage between adolescence and young adulthood (Arnett, 2000), is marked by increases in autonomy, changes in social dynamics, and identity exploration (Arnett, 2015). During this stage, social stressors may trigger or exacerbate preexisting mental health problems (Slavich & Auerbach, 2018), though few emerging adults seek or receive mental health support (Zhao et al., 2025). Single-session interventions, or “specific, structured programs that intentionally involve just one visit or encounter” (Schleider et al., 2019), may present an opportunity to provide some support to those who face barriers to participation in traditional forms of treatment (Janota et al., 2022). …

Development And Early Engagement Of The Unmc Leap Program: A Medical Student-Led Advising Initiative For Premedical Students, Hannah Im, Nicole Bender, Tuoma Edegbele, Rolando Martinez-Rico, Shirley F. Delair, Liliana Bronner

Medical Student Research Showcase

Background: The goal of UNMC’s Long-term Enhanced Advising and Preparation (LEAP) for Medical School program is to provide sustained advising and mentorship for students who participate in the UNMC Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP). This six-week academic enrichment program for first- and second-year, first-generation and/or underserved undergraduate students provides foundational exposure to health careers. Many participants, however, lack the sustained mentorship and guidance needed to navigate the medical school application process after completing SHPEP.

Methods: Since 2021, LEAP has evolved into a team of medical student coordinators, two faculty mentors, and undergraduate liaisons from past SHPEP cohorts. …

Norman H. Cromwell, Unl Chemistry; Nu System Dean; Eppley Cancer Center Director, Norman H. Cromwell, Pete Boughn, Mark A. Griep

UNL ORCA Interview Series

This 1980 interview of Normal Cromwell was done by Pete Boughn at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He asked about Cromwell’s history but mostly about his time as director of the Eppley Cancer Center. The interview is reproduced with permission from the UNMC McGoogan Library.

Cromwell was born in 1913 in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1935, he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in his hometown. In 1939, three things happened: he earned a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Minnesota, he got married, and he was hired …

Molecular Interactions Of The Gas–Solid Interface: Svocs On Swelling Clays And San Joaquin Soil Surfaces, Liesl T. Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil-derived mineral dust plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry by acting as a reactive interface for gas–particle interactions that influence the fate and transport of organic contaminants. Among soil components, clay minerals dominate surface reactivity due to their high surface area, structural complexity, and the presence of chemically active sites arising from cation exchange capacity and surface acidity. Environmental conditions, particularly relative humidity, further regulate these interactions by altering surface accessibility and competitive adsorption processes.

Despite the recognized importance of mineral dust, gas-phase interactions between organic compounds and clay minerals remain insufficiently understood, particularly under atmospherically relevant conditions. This …

Adolescent Depressive Symptoms And Adult Functioning Within Major U.S. Racial Groups, Summer N. A. Millwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the leading cause of disability among adults in the U.S and is associated with negative short- and long-term social, emotional, economic, and physical health outcomes. Notably, rates of depression among children and adolescents are rapidly increasing across the globe. Depression in youth disrupts crucial developmental processes that can adversely affect concurrent and longitudinal socioeconomic and health outcomes. Although extant research delineates the consequences of adolescent depression for adult functioning (e.g., lower educational attainment, fewer economic resources, worse physical health), studies that examine these associations within racially minoritized populations are scarce. This gap in the literature is especially striking …

Designing Inclusive Stem Curricula: A Design-Based Study Of Teacher Learning And A Queer Inclusive Framework, Kyle Nolting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has historically marginalized queer identities, shaping inaccurate curricula and fostering unwelcoming classroom environments. To address this, my research uses design-based research to investigate the design of queer-inclusive STEM curricular resources. I partnered with in-service secondary STEM teachers amidst a series of professional development courses to co-create curricular resources. My research is grounded in queer theory, using a Gender Inclusive Framework to collaboratively develop inclusive design principles. My findings revealed a strong desire by teachers for more authentic and fluid representations of gender and sexuality in STEM curricula, particularly beyond the biological science discipline. …

Lead Together: Amplifying The Nursing Voice In Public Media And Discourse, Richard Ricciardi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nurses stand as the largest and most trusted healthcare workforce, yet their perspectives remain vastly underrepresented in global mass and social media. Despite accounting for fewer than 4% of quoted sources in health news, nurses have unparalleled insight into patient care, public health, and systemic challenges. By cultivating targeted knowledge, media engagement skills, and strategic media literacy, nurses can transform from behind-the-scenes providers into powerful public advocates. Equipping nurses to speak confidently and clearly with journalists, leverage digital storytelling platforms, and publish thought leadership pieces not only uplifts nursing as a profession, but also enhances health literacy, informs policy, and …

A Culturally Tailored Soap Opera (Telenovela) Intervention To Reduce Hiv Risk Among Latinas, Natalia Andrea Villegas Rodriguez, Baiming Zou, Yuanyuan Yan, Clare Barrington, Saif Khairat, Evelyn Iriarte, Christine Toledo, Nilda Peragallo, Laika Maganga, Susana Barroso, Daniel Santisteban, Rosina Cianelli

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: HIV continues to disproportionately affect Latinas in the U.S.(1) However, referrals to HIV testing and Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remain low (2). Telenovelas provides a culturally relevant platform for delivering health promotion to Latinas (3,4).

Aim. To assess the preliminary efficacy of Infectious Love (IL) to improve HIV prevention behaviors among Latinas.

Methods. 95 Latinas in North Carolina participated in a randomized controlled pilot study (n = 50 intervention, n = 45 control). IL consisted of four weekly episodes (~10 minutes each) available online (2). Latinas completed surveys assessing targeted HIV-related outcomes at baseline, 1-month, and 7-months post-baseline. Latinas in …

Illuminating Instances Of Punitive Approaches To Care In Perinatal Settings In Canada, Amy L. Wright, Jen Rinaldi, Idil Abdillahi, Yann Zoldan, Julia Smith, Emilie Hudon, Lauren Munro

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Carceral perinatal care is the provision of coercive or punishing care by clinicians during the perinatal period (1). Whether intentional or driven by licensure/policy demands, clinicians have been implicated in the provision of punitive care for pregnant and parenting patients (1-4).

Purpose: The Do No Harm project aims to thoroughly understand carceral instances of clinical practices across the perinatal continuum of care to develop abolitionist solutions that are equitable, person-centred, and trauma-responsive. Abolitionist solutions reimagine prevention, intervention and healing ways of accountability that do not cause further harm (5).

Methods: Informed by the Reproductive Justice Framework (6) and Abolitionist Feminism …

From Seed Funding To Global Impact: Building A Successful Nurse-Led Research Program, Nicola Cornally, Mohamad M. Saab

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Large scale nurse-led research is infrequently observed when compared to other health disciplines. Advancing nurse-led research and improving uptake of evidence requires a shift in how the profession secures funding.[1] Nurse-led research faces barriers like limited opportunities, competing demands, low perceived value, and a paucity of role models/mentors. [2] With the increase in doctorly trained nurses, there is an urgent need to address such barriers.

Aim: To explore the mechanisms that build a successful nurse-led research program.

Methods: Case studies (CS) of how two nurse Chief Investigators navigated the path to leading major grants.

CS1: From a small post-doctoral …

Supportive Co-Teaching To Enhance Learning Outcomes In Undergraduate Nursing Education, Reathea Felder, Kimberly Castillo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Supportive co-teaching is an instructional model in which two educators with complementary expertise collaboratively prepare and deliver course content to enhance student learning. This project examined the implementation of a supportive co-teaching approach within an undergraduate maternal-child nursing course and its impact on both learners and faculty. The purpose of this work was to evaluate how shared instructional roles influence student performance, classroom engagement, and faculty teaching experience.

Using a structured co-teaching model, two instructors partnered to design and facilitate all classroom sessions. Each instructor served as lead during content aligned with their clinical specialty obstetric or pediatric nursing while …

Community Perspectives On The Health And Well-Being Of Adults With Serious Mental Illness, Joy Maddigan, Ahmad Deeb, Jill Bruneau, Chantille Isler

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Worldwide, individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) face challenges in caring for their physical and mental health (Firth et al., 2019). Illness symptoms, medication effects, poverty, and lack of attention by health professionals jeopardize their wellbeing and result in the early development of long-term diseases leading to early death (Hallyburton & Alison-Jones, 2022). The situation continues to worsen in spite of decades of awareness and recognition (Chan et al., 2023).

Objectives: To explore the perspectives of members of the mental health community about the context, barriers, and best practices for engaging individuals in wellness activities and healthy behaviors.

Methods: …

Postoperative Corticosteroid Use After Same-Day Versus Staged Septoplasty With Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Does Surgical Timing Matter?, Khalid Mohamed, Jonathan Vuillier, Nabil Agag, Ronak Bhatia, Fatima Ahmed, Ahmad Mohammed, Elizabeth Beyene, Mekdem Bisrat, Austin Yap, Miriam Micheal

Student Publications

Background

Septoplasty is frequently performed with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), either during the same operative session or as a staged procedure. Whether same-day versus staged septoplasty with FESS is associated with differences in postoperative corticosteroid use or postoperative nasal polyp diagnosis remains unclear.

Objective

The study aimed to compare postoperative corticosteroid use and postoperative nasal polyp diagnosis after same-day versus staged septoplasty with FESS.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX U.S. Collaborative Network. Adults undergoing both septoplasty and FESS were categorized into same-day and staged cohorts, with staged procedures separated by at least 30 days. …

The Development And Validation Of Gains-Id, A Guidebook For Adapting Intervention Sessions For Students With Intellectual Disability, Kayla Mccreadie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Targeted interventions can equip students with intellectual disabilities (ID) with essential academic skills that support positive post-secondary outcomes. However, the lack of interventions specifically designed for this population creates barriers to equitable education. Until more interventions are developed, educators may benefit from resources that help adapt evidence-based practices to meet the needs of students with IDD.

The first manuscript introduces GAINS-ID (Guide for Adapting INtervention Sessions for Intellectual Disabilities). Based on best practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the guide offers examples of adaptations to various intervention components—such as time, materials, environment, …

Asian American Men's Experiences Of Gendered Racism In Online Competitive Gaming, Calvin Weiting Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the U.S., Asian Americans men make up a large portion of active players in online competitive video games. In these settings, harassment, racism, and hate speech are prevalent and often normalized. The purpose of this study was to explore Asian American men’s experiences of gendered racism in online competitive gaming spaces. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2022) and applying the Intersectionality Framework (Crenshaw, 1989; Collins, 2000), six Asian American men were interviewed about their experiences of gendered racism while playing online competitive games. Two Group Experiential Themes emerged from their accounts: 1) Gendered racism …

Biases Toward Threat In Categorization And Attention Allocation When Evaluating Static And Dynamic Emotional Crowds, Delaney Mcdonagh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Visual representations are often biased, and these biases can manifest across many different stages of perception. For example, when categorizing nuanced, ambiguous, or fleeting emotional expressions, most perceivers are biased to interpret expressions as negative. Biases also manifest at the level of attention-allocation as observers dynamically examine and attend to expressions as they visually navigate a crowd. To comprehensively understand biased emotion perception, it remains critical to understand how bias manifests across the process of making emotional judgements, both as observers gather information about faces over time and as they make a final categorization of what they see. Biased patterns …

Msw Portfolio, Natalie Lynn Pitkin

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects my development as a social work professional throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. My experiences in child welfare, family support, and inpatient behavioral health have shaped my understanding of social work as a profession that requires both meaningful relationships with individuals and a commitment to addressing the systems that influence their lives. Through academic learning, University of Montana's core competencies, field education, and professional experiences, I have strengthened my ability to apply an intersectional, trauma-informed, and empowerment-focused lens to practice.

Msw Final Portfolio, Teresa M. Asbury

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio: Development Of A Social Work Practitioner, Loren Fitzpatrick

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio details my experiences and professional journey throughout the University of Montana's Master of Social Work program. It provides significant reflection of core social work elements and competencies while highlighting an understanding of trauma informed care, development of theoretical orientation, and the importance of culturally responsive practice. Examples of competency are displayed through provided coursework assignments, group projects, and research papers.

Ensuring Safety In Battery Management Systems: A Control Barrier Function Approach, Magdalena Kossek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Safe and efficient operation of batteries is paramount to extending their lifespan and ensuring reliability in battery management systems. This work presents a new approach for maximizing safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries in a variety of applications with a view towards efficiency in computation. The aim is to maximize a battery’s output (its power, speed of charging, and overall efficiency) while preserving its longevity and ensuring operational safety. This challenge is tackled by developing a novel control algorithm for advanced lithium-ion battery management leveraging control barrier functions (CBFs) to ensure safe and efficient operation during fast charging and discharging. …

Behind Prison Walls: Unmasking The Victimization Experience Of A Transgender Inmate: A Narrative Study, Kevin E. Hemminger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals experience disproportionately high rates of victimization within the U.S. criminal justice system, at rates some studies estimate as four times greater than those of cisgender individuals (Marchi et al., 2025). Victimization may occur at the hands of correctional officers, institutional staff, or fellow inmates. This narrative study focuses on the life story of a formerly incarcerated transgender woman, tracing her experiences before incarceration, throughout her time at two different correctional facilities in two different states, and her life following release. While Community Based Research (CBR) was not adopted as a formal methodological framework, its principles — centering lived …

Compact 1 Ghz Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometers For Preclinical Imaging Studies, Tanden A. Hovey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic resonance is one of the most generally useful scientific techniques. New horizons of understanding are revealed as technological advances make possible explorations of nuclear spins and electron spins at higher and lower magnetic fields and electromagnetic frequencies. While the greatest current effort is on ever higher magnetic fields and microwave frequencies, both in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), the Eaton lab focusses on developing high signal-to-noise performance EPR at low microwave frequencies. EPR provides information about O2, pH, viscosity, glutathione concentrations, and reactive oxygen species in living organisms that MRI cannot. To yield clinically or …

Cosmetic Nationalism: Fashion And Feminine Performance In Trump-Aligned America, Nicola Rountree-Williams

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This paper examines how fashion, beauty, and feminine presentation operate as political tools within Trump-aligned American culture. Drawing on historical examples from fascist Italy, Francoist Spain, and European aristocratic fashion, it argues that aesthetics have long been used to reinforce nationalism, gender hierarchy, and political authority. The paper analyzes contemporary trends such as “Republican makeup” and “Mar-a-Lago face,” arguing that these hyper-feminine and highly racialized beauty standards function as performances of loyalty, wealth, and traditional femininity within Trump-aligned politics. Through figures such as Kristi Noem, the paper demonstrates how women’s appearances can visually legitimize masculine authority while limiting women’s autonomy …

Exploring The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence Tools On Special Education Teachers’ Workload And Burnout In Colorado: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Rawa Suhail Abu Alsamah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, special education (SPED) teachers face complex workloads, high caseloads, and extensive documentation responsibilities, contributing significantly to burnout and retention issues. The recent integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings presents promising opportunities to alleviate teachers' instructional and administrative demands. To better understand the impact of AI on SPED teachers, this phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of licensed K–12 SPED teachers in Colorado who use AI tools in their professional practice. This study also examined how AI tools supported workload management, as well as their perceived impacts on burnout and intentions to remain in …

Cultural Humility, A Salve For Romantic Relationship Conflict, Lena Blum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conflict communication and having a relationship consisting of differing sociocultural backgrounds (DISC Couples) have been viewed as obstacles or at best hindrances of relationship satisfaction in earlier couples’ psychology literature. More recent literature makes an argument that it is not merely conflict communication or the differences of culture within a couple, but rather how couples navigate both conflict and differences that impact relationship satisfaction. The present work aims to investigate the role of cultural humility in the association between cultural conflict communication and relationship satisfaction, as well as its relationship with the frequency of cultural conflict communication among DISC couples. …

Kimora Iyana Henry

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

William Oglesby

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Three-Dimensional Cell And Nuclear Geometries Inform Tissue Level Fluid Mechanics During Epithelial Remodeling, Liam Joseph Russell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During epithelial remodeling, mechanical and molecular programs must coordinate to drive the cell shape changes that enable new tissue topologies. Dynamic morphogenesis requires epithelia to preferentially exhibit solid- or fluidlike properties depending on developmental and biophysical constraints. Convergent extension in the Drosophila germband epithelium is one such remodeling event, during which the lateral ectoderm lengthens by two-fold along the primary body axis while concomitantly shortening orthogonally. This process is an incredibly dynamic and attractable system for studying tissue morphogenesis mechanics in vivo.

Germband extension is driven by oriented cell intercalation through T1 transitions, where cells directionally interdigitate with one another …