Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And The Academic Success Of First-Generation, First Time In College Students, Nina Leonard

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Students navigate a variety of challenges that impact their success. As of 2024, Florida uses a myriad of metrics to predict retention rates. Studies have highlighted a relationship between students’ Year 2 retention and 4-year graduation rates. Recently, a large, urban university made significant investments in academic advising. The increased funding was influenced by a shift to gain a preeminent designation in the state. This study sought to determine what relationship, if any, academic advising had on student academic success. Quantitative analysis concluded that academic advising was connected to increased institutional grade point averages, retention to the second year, and …

Achievement In Performing Arts At Title I Schools In Florida: A Case Study On The Impact Of Administrative Leadership And Financial Decisions On Student Performance, Mario L. Ford

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Researchers have established that the leadership strategies of a principal can directly impact student achievement, though it has not been clearly stated how that occurs (Cox & Mullen, 2023). This single-case instrumental study investigates the financial and administrative priorities of a principal at a Title I high school in Florida and the impact they have on the Music Performance Assessment (MPA) ratings of band, chorus, and orchestra programs at the district level. Additionally, the purpose of this case study is to provide insight into how the principal at a Title I high school whose performing arts programs have a trend …

Reflections Of Chinese International Postgraduates’ Conceptualisation Of Critical Thinking In A Uk University, Luman Zhou

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Some literature often highlights Chinese international students’ challenges in conceptualising critical thinking, contributing to a partial and stereotypical representation of them as deficient (Lomer & Mittelmeier, 2021; Moosavi, 2022). There is limited research on how Chinese international students conceptualise and develop their CT over time. The study aims to explore Chinese international students’ conceptualisation, development, and application of critical thinking at the master’s level at a UK university over time. Nineteen participants in the MA International Education program at a UK university are taken as an example. The participants are interviewed in three rounds, using their drawings and draft assignments …

Exploration Of Language And Identities Among Study Abroad Participants In Non-Anglophone Context: Experience Of Asian International Students Studying Abroad In Belgium, Long Yat Ding

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

This Research Summary examines the study abroad experiences of Asian international students who study in non-anglophone Belgium. This research investigates how the experiences of mobility programme participants impact individual identity, with a focus on national, regional, and global citizenship identity. Eighteen qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews were implemented. Mixed lived experiences and reactions towards national, regional and global identity after participation in mobility programmes were identified. Findings showcase non-anglophone European Higher Education and the study abroad experience of non-anglophone speakers from Asia in the post-COVID-19 era. The Research Summary provides a critical snapshot of Asian International students’ lived experience, especially under …

Evaluating Nfl Quarterback Decision Making Through Tracking Data, Jesse N. Melville

Theses and Dissertations

Quarterback decision-making is one of the most critical determinants of success in the National Football League (NFL), yet traditional statistics fail to account for the spatial, temporal, and contextual factors influencing each play. This thesis proposes a data-driven methodology for evaluating quarterback decisions using NFL player tracking data from the 2022 season. We replicate and extend the DeepQB framework by training deep learning models to estimate expected completion probabilities and expected yards gained for each receiver at the moment of the throw. Our extension applies the approach to a newer dataset with additional contextual features, enabling a more detailed evaluation …

Multimodal Characterization Of Systems-Level Robustness In The Cellular Organelle Network, Aline Arra

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Eukaryotic cells house mesoscopic and macroscopic complex systems that work in tandem for proper cellular function. A defining feature of eukaryotic cells is their mesoscopic network of membrane bound compartments called organelles. While each type of organelle has their own individual functions, there are vital cellular processes that come from the interactions between them, such as organelle biogenesis and metabolic regulation. A central question in cellular biophysics is to what degree is cellular function robust or fragile to breaks in the organelle network. These interactions can be explored by genetically deleting inter-organelle protein tethers called organelle contact sites. Here we …

Diverse Cell Types Establish A Pathogenic Immune Environment In Peripheral Neuropathy, Julie Choi

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Neuroinflammation plays a complex and context-dependent role in many neurodegenerative diseases. We identified a key pathogenic function of macrophages in a mouse model of a rare human congenital neuropathy in which SARM1, the central executioner of axon degeneration, is activated by hypomorphic mutations in the axon survival factor NMNAT2. Macrophage depletion blocked and reversed neuropathic phenotypes in this sarmopathy model, revealing SARM1-dependent neuroimmune mechanisms as key drivers of disease pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the impact of chronic subacute SARM1 activation on the peripheral nerve milieu using single cell/nucleus RNA-sequencing (sc/snRNA-seq). Our analyses reveal an expansion of immune cells …

From Sim To 6dof: Deep Learning For Real-Time Satellite Pose Estimation From Resolved Ground-Based Imagery, Thomas W.N. Dickinson

Theses

This dissertation presents the first practical system for automated six degrees of freedom (6DOF) satellite pose estimation from resolved ground-based adaptive optics (AO) imagery. Addressing a key challenge in Space Domain Awareness (SDA), the proposed approach eliminates the need for human labeling by directly regressing satellite orientation and position from blurry, noisy, and deeply-shadowed imagery. The architecture consists of a multi-stage deep neural network pipeline that localizes the satellite, predicts pose, and optionally smooths predictions over time. Networks are trained exclusively on fully synthetic imagery generated from a 3D CAD model. Despite this, the model generalizes effectively, bridging the Sim2Real …

Segmentation And Memory In Interactive, Inferential Events, Ata Baris Karagoz

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Though everyday life is continuous, people tend to understand and remember experiences as discrete events separated by boundaries. Event segmentation theory (EST) (Zacks et al., 2007) describes these event boundaries as being driven by prediction error. People have an internal model of how an event unfolds, uses this to form predictions, and then places a boundary when a new model is necessary. Prior studies suggest that episodic memory is enhanced for information occurring near event boundaries, though less is known about these effects in interactive environments. To assess this, I designed an experimental paradigm where participants uncover changes in the …

Unveiling Mysteries Of The Universe: Axions, Sterile Neutrinos, And Curvatons, Takuya Okawa

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The Standard Model of particle physics and cosmology is amazingly successful in describing our universe, from at present to even tracing back to just one second after its birth. Yet, it is known to be incomplete. For instance, (i) more than four-fifths of matter in the universe is unknown, (ii) quantum chromodynamics is unnaturally of CP-preserving nature, (iii) the universe produced baryonic particles by nearly equal but slightly larger amount compared to anti-baryonic particles, and (iv) the physics at very early times is not understood yet. This thesis first briefly summarizes the Standard Model of particle physics and cosmology, and …

Emotions And Narrative In Sophocles' Fragmentary Tragedies "Tyro" (A’ And B’) And "Tereus", Maria Eugenia Bonaparte Gimenez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this master’s thesis is to explore the possibility of gaining a better understanding of Sophocles’ fragmentary tragedies by taking emotions into consideration. I focus on three of those plays, Tereus, and Tyro A’ and B’, and put them in relation to the mythological narratives from which they derived, as well as other examples of reception. By considering the basic narrative patterns of the myth and their rendering in different media alongside emotional scripts, we can support or challenge existing hypotheses about these fragmentary plays. At the conclusion of this study, I demonstrate that emotions have …

La Emboscada Postpoética De Agustín Fernández Mallo: Física, Cognición, Contemporaneidad, Entropía, Candelas Gala

Purdue Studies in Romance Literatures

La emboscada postpoética de Agustín Fernández Mallo: física, cognición, contemporaneidad, entropía analyzes the poet’s proposal to rescue, with his Postpoetry, official poetry from its sclerotic stagnation due to its fidelity to worn-out premises, to recover a language connected with matter, and to renew its cognitive value. By means of byways (or drifting) through different disciplines, Postpoetry shares space with television, pop music, videos, the Internet, cinema, the arts, publicity, and the sciences, physics in particular. Postpoetry illuminates the intersection between the tranquility that tradition provides and the disquiet that comes with novelty. There is an ambush because, like Odysseus with …

Flowing Progress: Transforming The Danube Through Infrastructure, Stefan Dorondel, Luminita Gatejel

Central European Studies

Flowing Progress: Transforming the Danube Through Infrastructure focuses on how different political regimes and forms of governance have imagined and technologically transformed the most international river in the world. Multidisciplinary and drawing on methodologies of history, anthropology of infrastructure, and science, technology, and society, this collection explores the tensions between the river and its natural pulses, the humans that populate its floodplains, state agencies, and infrastructure. The book engages the concept of disturbance to point out the circular and spiraling dynamics between hydrological processes and technopolitical and economic practices. Disturbance denotes a specific type of long-term dynamic between human attempts …

Crime In Tennessee 2024, Tennessee. Bureau Of Investigation.

Crime in Tennessee

No abstract provided.

Little Cigar And Cigarillo Graphic Health Warnings And Quitting Behaviors A Randomized Clinical Trial, Adam O. Goldstein, Kristen L. Jarman, Leah M. Ranney, Jennifer Cornacchione Ross, Sarah D. Kowitt, Chineme Enyioha, Sonia A. Clark, Paschal Sheeran, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Desmond Jenson, Nadja A. Vielot

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Although little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) are common combustible tobacco products, the effects of LCC warning labels on behavioral outcomes remain untested.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of LCC graphic health warnings (GHWs) on promoting LCC quitting intentions and behaviors.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This randomized clinical trial included 1029 adult LCC users from a Qualtrics online panel who were randomized to (1) LCC GHWs (n = 339), (2) existing US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) text-only warnings (n = 346), or (3) no stimulus control (n = 344). Participants accessed messages via email from May 1 to August …

Understanding Healthcare Experiences Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities (Idd): A Mixed-Methods Research Proposal, Cristine Jan Catina

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often face persistent barriers to healthcare, which include complex health conditions, persistent health disparities driven by social determinants, insufficient provider training, widespread stigma, and significant communication barriers. While previous studies highlight systemic issues, they often overlook the lived experiences of both patients and providers. Purpose: This paper outlines a mixed-methods study, guided by the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine how attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and past healthcare experiences relate to behavioral intentions—specifically, the intention to attend future healthcare visits among adults with IDD and the intention to provide …

Msw Portfolio, Jennifer Lynn Barnhill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The Master of Social Work (MSW) Portfolio is a sample of the essays, presentations, projects, and experiences completed as part of my online MSW curriculum at the University of Montana (UM) School of Social Work (SSW) from 2022-2025. Throughout this narrative, I’ll describe the skills, values, theories, and frameworks I’ve learned during my three years working toward my master's degree in social work. Each of the appendices will demonstrate an understanding of the nine Council on Social Work Education, or CSWE, competencies (Texas College, n.d.) that all social workers are expected to meet, along with a tenth competency added by …

Msw Portfolio 2025, Lacie R. Ranieri

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

MSW Portfolio - 2025

Professional Portfolio, Grace E. Lowder

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Normal And Reverse Flow Injection- Spectrophotometric Determination Of Doxycycline Hyclate In Bulk And Pharmaceutical Samples, Tabarak Mohammed, Hind Hadi

Baghdad Science Journal

The present paper reports the development and validation of an analytical method for doxycycline hyclate (DOX) quantification in pure and dosage forms by normal and reverse flow injection analysis (FIA) techniques. Two types of FIA approaches were employed to automate a diazotization coupling reaction of DOX with diazotized benzidine dihydrochloride. Red azo dye was formed rapidly and measured at maximum wavelength of 488 nm. Calibration curves were prepared over different DOX concentrations with linearity ranges of 10-250 and 1-180 µg/mL for normal and reverse FIA systems respectively with the limits of detection of 2.95 and 0.46 µg/mL and limits of …

Hydrothermal Synthesis Of High Surface Area Mesoporous Silica As An Efficient Adsorbent For Removal Of Crystal Violet Dye From Aqueous Solution, Inaam H. Ali, Ameera Hassan Hamed, Ennas Abdul Hussein, Saadiyah A. Dhahir

Baghdad Science Journal

In this work, a sample of mesoporous silica (MPS) with a high surface area was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis procedure. To investigate the properties of the prepared sample, it was characterized using different techniques like N₂ Adsorption-desorption, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force microscopy (AFM). In order to evaluate the efficiency of the prepared MPS, adsorption study was carried to examine the ability of MPS to remove crystal violet dye (CV) from aqueous solution. The study was done in different conditions of initial concentration (25-60 mg/L) of dye, dosage of MPS (0.01-0.05 g) and temperature …

Synthesis, Characterization, Biological Activity And Antioxidant Studies Of New Metal Ion Complexes Based On (E)-4-((Benzo[D]Thiazol-2-Ylimino)Methyl)-1,5-Dimethyl-2-Phenylpyrazolidin-3-One, Rafah Saad Talib, Naser Shaalan

Baghdad Science Journal

The study involved synthesis of four new complexes involving bidentate ligand [(E)-4-((benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylimino) methyl)-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenylpyrazolidin-3-one] with the general formula [M(L)₂Cl₂].xH₂O or [MLCl₂]. xH₂O, where M represents Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺. The ligand was synthesized by treating the 4-Antipyrinecarboxaldehyde and 2-aminobenzothiazoles in an alcoholic solution. The structural characteristics of ligand and complexes were characterized quantitatively and qualitatively by using various techniques including elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility measurement, molar conductivity, infrared, ultraviolet absorption, Gc-Mass, and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy studies. The physical measurements indicated that the prepared …

Genetic Analysis Of Spp1 Polymorphism In Samples Of Iraqi Colon Cancer Patients, Ghufran Kadhim Talal, Ahmed Younus Abed

Baghdad Science Journal

Cancer is a multistage defect and very complex disease. It is distinguished by particular genetic mutations that lead to a loss of management of cellular functions during uncontrolled growth of normal cells leading to malignant cells. CA18 occurs by the abnormal growth of cells in colon. SPP1 is multifunctional protein. The aim of this study is to study genetic polymorphism of SPP1gene in CA18 patients along with healthy individuals to find the relationship with CA18 and compare both globally. DNA was extracted and the genetic polymorphism of the SPP1gene was determined. Genetic analysis of SPP1 (in rs11730582 T/C region) polymorphism …

Ability Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis And Escherichia Coli To Eliminate Cadmium, Lead And Copper From Tigris River In Mosul City, May A. Abdul Kader, Ghada A. Mohammad

Baghdad Science Journal

The heavy metals are non-biodegradable and could be toxic and carcinogenic, thus, their improper concentration in water could result in critical health issues for living organisms. Therefore, this study aimed to remove three heavy metals (Cadmium, lead and copper) by biological treatment especially using environmental nonpathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Eight samples were collected from Tigris River from different regions of Mosul city. Two containers were used for each sample to measure the concentration of minerals before and after treatment by bacteria. The results showed that E. coli was more efficient in removing two heavy …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalence Of Red Clover When Inter-Seeded Into Corn, Hannah R. Francis, Ting Fung Ma, Rodrigo Werle, Chelsea H. Zegler, Daniel H. Smith, Douglas J. Soldat, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Matthew D. Ruark

Faculty Publications

Inter-seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) provides an alternative method toincorporate cover crops into continuous corn (Zea mays L.) in the Upper US Midwest. Red clover is a leguminous cover crop that can grow in low-radiation environments and is winter hardy. Systems with red clover have demonstrated improved corn yield and a fertilizer N equivalence but understanding these effects with inter-seeding war-rants further investigation. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of inter-seeding red clover on (i) plant-available N during and after red clover decomposition, (ii) optimum N rates for corn, and (iii) corn yields. The …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalence Of Red Clover When Inter-Seeded Into Corn, Hannah R. Francis, Ting Fung Ma, Rodrigo Werle, Chelsea H. Zegler, Daniel H. Smith, Douglas J. Soldat, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Matthew D. Ruark

Faculty Publications

Inter-seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) provides an alternative method to incorporate cover crops into continuous corn (Zea mays L.) in the Upper US Midwest. Red clover is a leguminous cover crop that can grow in low-radiation environments and is winter hardy. Systems with red clover have demonstrated improved corn yield and a fertilizer N equivalence but understanding these effects with inter-seeding warrants further investigation. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of inter-seeding red clover on (i) plant-available N during and after red clover decomposition, (ii) optimum N rates for corn, and (iii) corn …

Msw Portfolio, Karri Cossabone

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio provides a reflective account of the knowledge and skills I developed throughout my graduate social work education. Drawing from academic coursework, practicum placements, and professional experiences, I explore my growth in core areas such as ethical practice, cultural humility, clinical assessment and engagement, advocacy, and evidence-based interventions. I also cover my skills utilizing theory in practice, trauma-informed care, social justice frameworks, and the importance of self-awareness in effective client relationships. This paper also discusses challenges and learning opportunities and how they shaped my professional identity and prepared me to grow into a competent, compassionate, and culturally responsive practitioner.

Msw Portfolio, Andrea C. Lawrence

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Master Of Social Work, Tanner J. Bailey

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents my academic and professional development throughout the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the University of Montana. Using my practicum experiences in juvenile probation and anonymous crisis intervention work, this paper integrates critical reflection, theory-informed application, and evidence-based practice to demonstrate my readiness as an advanced integrated social work practitioner.

Guided by the five elements of advanced integrated practice, the portfolio is structured around the ten core competencies outlined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Key theoretical frameworks such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and trauma-informed care are discussed in relation …

Courtroom To Clinic: Where I Found The Work I Love, Christina Fay Bucarey

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects my journey through the Master of Social Work program, highlighting my growth in clinical practice, policy advocacy, and cultural responsiveness. Drawing from experiences in treatment court, addiction counseling, tribal and non-tribal community contracts, and my generalist- and specialist-year practicum, it demonstrates my application of trauma-informed, evidence-based interventions, including adapted DBT groups within Indigenous communities. Through the lens of the Five Elements of Advanced Integrated Practice, I connect coursework, practicum learning, and professional development, such as my involvement with the NASW board, to show how I’ve developed the competencies required for ethical, effective, and community-centered social work practice.