Digital Commons Network^™

The Byu Advocate, J. Reuben Clark Law School

The BYU Advocate (& Annual Reports)

"Experiential learning opportunities in law school have expanded dramatically, but pressure remains for students to graduate ready to practice. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education and legal practice, generating questions about how and what to teach and raising uncertainties about future employment. At the same time, big firms are interviewing students in their first semester and extending offers before or shortly after first-semester grades are out."

– David H. Moore

The Impact Of Scar Wires On Dose Distribution Of Electron Fields, Ahmad Nour

Masters Projects

Purpose: This phantom study looked at whether changing the Hounsfield unit (HU) value for radiopaque scar wires in Eclipse changed the calculated electron dose distribution. Methods and Materials: Radiopaque wires were placed in the same abdominal area on an anthropomorphic phantom. The wires were set up in a circle. The CT images were brought into Eclipse, the wires were contoured, and the planning target volume was made 1 cm inside the circle of wire. For every wire size and electron energy, two matching plans were made: one plan with no density override and one plan with a density override applied …

Cone Vs. Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (Vmat) Stereotactic Radiosurgery (Srs) Planning For Multiple (7) Brain Targets: Dosimetric Tradeoffs And Clinical Decision Guidance, Juan Garcia

Masters Projects

Purpose: This study compared cone-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and single-isocenter volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for multiple (7) intracranial targets to evaluate differences in target coverage, conformality, dose falloff, and normal brain exposure.

Methods: A phantom-based study was performed using progressively increasing configurations of 10-mm spherical targets, from one to seven targets. Cone-based SRS and VMAT plans were evaluated using D99, CI100, CI50, gradient index (GI), maximum dose, V12Gy, and V5Gy.

Results: Both planning techniques achieved similar target coverage. Cone based SRS produced a steeper dose gradient, with a mean GI of 2.99 compared with 4.66 for VMAT ( …

Documents From The August 12, 2026 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Staff Senate, University Of Montana--Missoula. Staff Senate

University of Montana Staff Senate Meeting Minutes

Agenda and minutes from the University of Montana Staff Senate August 12, 2026 Meeting. Highlights include a guest presentation from Internal Communications and Employee Engagement as well as senator reconfirmations.

System Leadership For Sdg-Aligned Research Security In Ireland, Seán Lacey

Publications

What is new?

Research security has rapidly emerged as a priority in research governance across Europe and internationally. However, discussions frequently frame research security primarily in terms of national security or geopolitical risk, with limited attention to how security measures intersect with sustainable development objectives. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the relationship between research security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using the emerging Irish research security framework as an illustrative context. It argues that research security and sustainable development are not inherently in conflict; however, aligning them requires coordinated system leadership to ensure that security measures protect …

Syllabus: Political Philosophy (Philo 24600 / Polsc 20401), Georgie Malone

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus was created for Political Philosophy (PHILO 24600) (POLSC 20401) at Hunter College. It is an intermediate/advanced introduction to key texts in the history of political philosophy. Course description: In this course, we will journey through the major contributions of those thinkers that have shaped the field we call political philosophy. We will begin with Plato and Aristotle, followed by the social contract theorists of the early modern period—Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau—before turning to the critical perspectives of Fanon and Marx. We will then turn to the vastly influential work of 20th century liberal philosopher John Rawls and …

Analysis Of R2 Data Services Within The Lids Dataset, Chad Kahl, Joshua Newport

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Introduction: This is a discussion of data services at R2 libraries in the United States. Environmental scan data was collected from summer 2021 through 2023.

Objectives: Our paper focuses on comparisons within four Carnegie Classification categories due to the limited literature about data services at R2 institutions. This analysis was done on a subset of the more comprehensive Library Data Services (LiDS) dataset (Kahl, Skaggs, and Newport 2025). Our research question was broad and general—what does the data service landscape of R2 institutions look like?

Methods: Data gathering was done by utilizing website analysis, after which we …

Shadow Learning And Knowledge Redistribution: How Workers Appropriate Generative Ai Outside Formal Organisational Systems, Eduardo Carlos Dittmar, Martin Sposato

All Works

Organisations are ceding visibility over how their employees develop knowledge. As generative AI tools become widely accessible, workers are steadily building capabilities and co-producing knowledge through informal AI engagements that operate entirely outside sanctioned training systems. This paper theorises shadow learning, the informal and autonomous appropriation of AI by workers for knowledge expansion beyond managerial design, as a process that fundamentally reconfigures how knowledge authority is distributed in organisations. Integrating critical management learning with sociomaterial and post-human perspectives, and drawing on current debates in AI ethics and human–AI interaction, the paper conceptualises shadow learning through a recursive model of constraint, …

Midweek Memo, Georgia Southern University

Midweek Memo

• Applaud 
• Remember 
• Share 
• Experience 
• Around the Nest

Brandon Timmons V. Bohinski

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Resistance And Adaptation In Banyumas Traditional Gending: Musical Negotiation Between Cultural Preservation And Commercial Performance In Lengger And Ebeg, Darno Darno, Binarung Mahatmajangga

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This study investigates the musical dynamics of Banyumas-style traditional gending within the contestation of Lengger and Ebeg performances amid the demands of modern entertainment. Using a qualitative method combining ethnomusicological and cultural-sociology perspectives, the study examines changes in musical structure and the socio-cultural forces driving them, and asks specifically: what defines Banyumas gending musicality at the level of instrumental garap (working practice); what concrete forms of adaptation and resistance are observable in contemporary performance; and how these dynamics can be read through Merriam's concept of stability and change and Bourdieu's theory of capital and field. Data were collected through in-depth …

Flexibility In Javanese Folk Performing Arts: Adaptation, Creation, And Innovation, Kiswanto Kiswanto, Paimin Paimin, Wahyu Prihatin

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This study aims to uncover and explain the concept and model of flexibility as a mechanism for the sustainability of folk performing arts amidst conditions of social and cultural change. The study was conducted using an ethnographic approach, based on participatory and collaborative activities within the Turonggo Seto Boyolali group, and supported by data collection techniques including observation, interviews, documentation, and literature review. The results of this study indicate that flexibility is a principle and approach applied through the process of adaptation, creation, and innovation. This process is carried out to preserve and develop traditional performing arts, ensuring they continue …

Improving Rural Students’ Access To Advanced Mathematics: A Policy-Based Curriculum Study, Alison Shae Blackledge

Theses and Dissertations

Students with advanced mathematical readiness in rural high schools face difficulties reaching their fullest potential due to significant opportunity gaps. The limited availability of advanced coursework and a scarcity of STEM opportunities often lead to disengagement and behavioral challenges. This project examines the challenges faced by rural students with advanced mathematical readiness and designs a curriculum framework to expand access, support growth, and sustain engagement. Renzulli’s (1977) Enrichment Triad Model serves as the foundation for a curriculum plan intended to transition students from passive learners to independent mathematical investigators. Three research questions are addressed in this study: (1) Which barriers …

Breaking The Chain Or Passing The Torch? Caregiver Type, Perceived Caregiving, And Extent Of Aggression In Emerging Adult Relationships, Amara Mason

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how caregiver type (alternate caregiving versus biological parent caregiving), childhood adversity, and parenting styles relate to intimate partner violence (IPV) and attachment outcomes. Guided by Intergenerational Transmission of Violence Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Attachment Theory, the study explored whether alternate caregiving buffered or intensified the effects of early adversity on later relational functioning. College students aged 18–25 from a southern U.S. university completed anonymous self-report measures assessing caregiving experiences, childhood trauma, attachment, and IPV. Measures included the Conflict Tactics Scale–Revised (CTS2), Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale (ACEs), and Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that …

Estimating Leaf Physiological Traits In Eastern Cottonwood And Its Hybrids By Integrating Uav Hyperspectral Images With Statistical And Machine Learning Approaches, Bipin Paudel

Theses and Dissertations

Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and its hybrids are high-yield, fast-growing short-rotation woody crops with strong potential in bioenergy and industrial applications. Given their genetic diversity, these species require non-invasive assessment of photosynthetic, leaf biochemical, and water-use efficiency traits. These traits reflect plant physiological status, carbon cycling, productivity, as well as nutrient cycling, and hyperspectral remote sensing provides high-resolution spectral information essential for high-throughput phenotyping. Therefore, this study develops a robust framework to predict physiological traits using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-acquired canopy-level hyperspectral reflectance (~400 nm - 1000 nm, with 2.2 nm band spacing) by integrating linear and non-linear machine learning …

Exploring The Viability Of Variable-Design Policy Approach To Addressing Teacher Retention In Kentucky, Donald R. Smallwood

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition among early- and mid-career educators threatens the stability of Kentucky's public school workforce, yet the Commonwealth has largely relied on isolated, single-lever retention strategies. This desk-based capstone evaluated the viability of a coordinated, multiple variable policy framework for improving teacher retention in Kentucky. The study identified, appraised, and synthesized evidence, including peer-reviewed studies, state and national policy reports, legislative documents, and Kentucky-specific working-conditions data. Three research questions guided the study, addressing the evidence for coordinated multiple-variable retention approaches, the evidence for each individual policy lever, and the challenges and opportunities within Kentucky's current retention landscape. Content and thematic …

Decentralized And Privacy-Preserving Intelligent Systems Via Federated Learning For Healthcare Monitoring And Financial Security, George Anim

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid expansion of data-driven methodologies in healthcare and finance is increasingly constrained by ethical, regulatory, and security requirements that limit centralized data sharing. Sensitive information—including electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and inter-institutional financial transaction logs—remains siloed, reducing opportunities for collaborative model development and limiting generalizability across heterogeneous environments. In healthcare, epileptic seizure prediction is challenged by inter-patient variability, scarce and non-IID EEG data distributions, and the need for real-time inference on resource-constrained wearable devices. In finance, anti-money laundering (AML) detection is complicated by decentralized and dynamically evolving transaction networks, temporal-structural dependencies, limited labeled data, and information-sharing restrictions. This dissertation proposes a …

Soybean (Glycine Max) Response To Residual Herbicides And Herbicide Mixtures., Jacob Bernard Dodd

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted in 2024 and 2025 to evaluate soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] response to residual herbicides and herbicide mixtures applied postemergence (POST) at one times (1X) and two times (2X) the label rate (Herbicide Mixture Studies) or applied at different soybean growth stages (Application Timing Studies & Sequential Application Studies). In the Herbicide Mixture Studies, group 15 herbicides were mixed with foliar applied POST (POSTfoliar) herbicides glufosinate/glyphosate plus dicamba or fomesafen plus S-metolachlor. All treatments were applied at the V2 stage of soybean growth. In the Application Timing Studies, POST-residual herbicides were mixed with glufosinate or glyphosate plus …

Texas Community College Mid-Level Academic Leaders’ Perceptions About Professional Development, Jeanette Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined mid-level community college administrators’ perceptions of professional development. Despite the extensive educational literature focused on higher education, limited research has explored mid-level administrators employed at community colleges. The purpose of this study was to understand how Texas community college mid-level academic administrators perceive the professional development opportunities available for their positions. A quantitative, non-experimental approach was used, involving mid-level academic administrators employed at public two-year colleges in Texas. Data were collected using a virtual survey and analyzed using a one-factor ANOVA, and two separate two-factor ANOVAs. The results indicated that the size of the community college employer …

Engineering Identity And Persistence In Community College Students, Joseph Anthony Minutolo

Theses and Dissertations

As our society becomes more technologically advanced, the need for engineers grows. Academia is tasked with preparing future engineers to meet this increasing need. However, as graduation rates continue to hover around 50%, researchers have begun to investigate what aspects of the student experience have a positive effect on the retention of engineering students. One researched topic is the relationship between engineering identity and persistence. Engineering Identity is rooted in the theoretical framework of Identity Theory, whereas Persistence is grounded in Expectancy-Value Theory. Previous research has shown a positive correlation between engineering identity and persistence among traditional university engineering students; …

Designing A Measure Of County-Level Food Access, Logan Mattingly

Theses and Dissertations

Equitable access to food is a central component of food security and a key determinant of health. Yet current approaches to food access measurement remain fragmented and limited. This study introduces the first of its kind data driven, multidimensional, county-level measure of food access in the United States. Drawing on publicly available data, I employ a factor analysis pipeline to construct a suite of latent variable estimates that represent pillars of food access. This model-based approach allows synthesis of these diverse measures into the resulting Food Access Index (FAI), while explicitly accounting for measurement error and addressing missing data. Resulting …

A Vital Step Toward Improving Student Success: A Comparative Examination Of Attendance Policies Across Urban, Rural, And Suburban School Districts In Mississippi, Marino Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic absenteeism is a growing challenge for schools nationwide, with Mississippi districts experiencing significantly higher rates after the pandemic. This capstone examined how selected rural, suburban, and urban school districts in Mississippi develop and implement attendance policies and how well these policies align with the Mississippi Compulsory Attendance Law, Mississippi Code Annotated § 37-13-91, and state board regulations. The study aimed to assess the extent to which district attendance policies reflect Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory, considering the multiple layers that influence student attendance. Directed by this theoretical framework, the study addressed three research questions: (1) How do selected districts design …

Examining The Effects Of Oral Melatonin Supplementation On Bull Reproductive Physiology, Megan M. Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

Bull subfertility is a prevalent issue with significant consequences for cattle production. Unfortunately, few management interventions exist to alleviate bull subfertility and improve bull reproductive efficiency. Melatonin, a key regulator of circadian rhythms and seasonal reproduction, improves reproduction in non-seasonally breeding mammals, yet the benefits of oral supplementation in the bull remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the extent to which melatonin supplementation could serve as a management intervention to improve bull reproductive efficiency. Yearling Angus bulls (n = 21) were utilized to examine the effects of 90 days of oral melatonin supplementation on sperm quality, blood plasma …

Two Essays On Institutional Religion And Entrepreneurship, Myles Melancon

Theses and Dissertations

A large majority of the world is religious. Indeed, religion has long been considered as one of the most influential institutions. However, religion’s influence on economic outcomes—and specifically entrepreneurship—has received only scant attention. In my dissertation, I first draw from New Institutional Economics to develop a mechanism-based framework explaining the specific pathways through which national rates of religious affiliation influence entrepreneurial activity. I then test the direct and indirect relationships between national rates of various religions and entrepreneurial activity. I find a positive relationship between rates of Christian affiliation and entrepreneurial activity and a negative relationship between Islamic affiliation and …

Initial Evaluation Of Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange-Mass Spectrometry For Filtering Isobaric Candidate Structures Of Metabolites, Olufemi Farotimi

Theses and Dissertations

Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics is a common analytical tool used to identify metabolites. Identifying specific metabolite structures associated with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) features remain analytically challenging. Complete hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) is hypothesized to be complementary to retention time and fragmentation patterns for narrowing down the number of potential candidate structures for a given precursor m/z. In this work, the hypothetical number of exchangeable protons was assigned to an array of subsets of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB), based on known exchange behavior obtained from literature. Six model compounds (for which experimental data were also collected, four additional model …

The Role Of The Triassic-Early Jurassic Eagle Mills Formation In The Development Of Smackover Lithium-Rich Brines, Timothy J. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

Lithium‑rich brines of the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation represent a major domestic critical‑mineral resource, with USGS estimates of 5.1–19.0 million tonnes of Li in Arkansas. Although Li enrichment occurs only in high‑TDS brines, elevated salinity alone cannot generate the observed Li concentrations; Li must be supplied through water–rock interaction with phyllosilicates. This dissertation evaluates the Triassic–Early Jurassic Eagle Mills Formation as the primary basin‑scale Li source using whole‑rock geochemistry, XRPD mineralogy, petrography, laser‑ablation ICP‑MS, and Li‑isotope analyses of produced brines. The Eagle Mills Formation is thick, made of proximal, mid, and distal fan deposits that include fluvial channel sands, floodplain …

Scale Dependent Microbial Assembly In A Dendritic River Network, Tyler M. Redman

Theses and Dissertations

River networks organize ecological communities across spatial scales, but whether bacterial communities follow these patterns remains poorly understood. This thesis examined microbial community assembly across three nested spatial scales in a dendritic watershed in east-central Mississippi (USA), asking whether dispersal or environmental selection governs community composition at each scale. At the watershed scale, bacterial diversity increased from headwaters to the river mainstem, consistent with longitudinal diversity accumulation predicted by the River Continuum Concept. At the confluence scale, the composition of post-confluence communities can be predicted as simple mixtures of their tributary inputs, supporting that conservative mixing dominates when unique communities …

Microcystin-Lr And Anatoxin-A Effect On Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Immune Cell Function And Susceptibility To Microbial Pathogens (Aeromonas Hydrophila And Edwardsiella Piscicida), Treva Billyard

Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency worldwide, resulting in greater exposure of aquatic organisms to cyanobacterial toxins that threaten fish health and freshwater ecosystems. Although microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and anatoxin-a are well known for their hepatotoxic and neurotoxic effects, respectively, their broader impacts on immune function, cellular metabolism, and host-pathogen interactions remain poorly understood. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the immunotoxic, metabolic, and molecular effects of MC-LR and anatoxin-a in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) while evaluating the influence of MC-LR on the growth of important bacterial fish pathogens. Channel catfish were exposed to MC-LR or anatoxin-a, and …

A Comprehensive Approach To Cognitive Offloading, Oscar Daniel Ramirez Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Learners use a variety of strategies to engage with real-world learning material. One such strategy is cognitive offloading: the reliance on external stores to alleviate internal cognitive demand. Past research has found that learners remember less when they study with the expectation of access to an external store during a subsequent test relative to when they study without that expectation. One proposed theory is the study effort hypothesis: when learners expect access to an external store, they reduce their encoding effort based on the belief that their internal memory of the information will be less important when they have access …

Staffing Reductions, Visitor Sentiment, And Recreation Demand In U.S. National Parks, Rebekkah Adicoff

Theses and Dissertations

Staffing changes in U.S. national parks have the potential to influence both visitor experience and recreation demand. This study examines how an abrupt system-wide staffing reduction affected visitor sentiment and visitation across the National Park System, while accounting for differences in park-level risk exposure. Using the February 2025 staffing reduction as a quasi-natural experiment, the analysis combines monthly park-level visitation data with TripAdvisor visitor reviews from January 2024 to August 2025. Sentiment scores derived from reviews measure perceived experience quality, while recreation demand is modeled using fixed-effects count models (Poisson and negative binomial) that control for seasonality and park characteristics. …