Digital Commons Network^™

Experimental Validation Of Bio-Inspired Control: 4 Story Shear Structure, Vamsee Vemana

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

With the rise of rapid urbanization, skyscrapers are increasingly common, making them vulnerable to environmental pressures such as high winds and earthquakes. These forces threaten the structural stability of tall buildings, necessitating the development of active control methods to mitigate their effects and maintain structural integrity. Traditional control systems utilize numerous sensing nodes that feed data into a centralized system, which then determines the appropriate actions for the actuators. However, this centralized approach can introduce substantial lag due to the overwhelming amount of data being processed. By transitioning to a decentralized wireless system, where sensors directly feed data to control …

The Student Movement Volume 109 Issue 20: Around The World In 80 Minutes At International Food Fair, Imani Cousins, Addison Randall, Melanie Webb, Amelia Stefanescu, Melissa Moore, Anna Rybachek, Lexie Dunham, Abby Shim

The Student Movement V. 109 (2024-2025)

HUMANS

Andrews Photography Professor to Retire, Imani Cousins

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Closing Off the Spring with 'Scenes of Summer', Addison Randall

The Great White Way on the Silver Screen: Proshots vs. Film Adaptations, Melanie Webb

AUTW Performs 'The Man Who Came to Dinner', Amelia Stefanescu

NEWS

Plated Cultures: International Food Fair 2025, Melissa Moore

IDEAS

The Ideals of BookTok Romantasy, Anna Rybachek

PULSE

Support Your Local Libraries!, Lexie Dunham

LAST WORD

Blooming Together, Abby Shim

Infographic: What Made You Decide To Become A Teacher?, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

A US study has explored the different reasons why pre-service teachers (PSTs) decided to pursue a teaching career. Researchers analysed roughly 2,800 essay responses and identified 10 ‘supertopics’. The most common supertopic, appearing in nearly 60% of essays, was ’altruism’, followed by ‘intrinsic motivation’. This infographic gives an overview of the results.

Brief Of Amici Curiae Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality, Service Employees International Union, American Federation Of Teachers, American Association Of University Professors, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Race And Law Centers, And Civil Rights And Advocacy Organizations In Support Of Plaintiff, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality, Charlotte Garden, Jeremiah Chin, Jessica Levin, Jim Davy, Robert Chang

Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Evidence-Based Practice Consideration For Perioperative Use Of Mepivacaine In Total Knee Arthroplasty, Courtney E. Haley

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is becoming increasingly prevalent, with projections of a significant rise in cases by 2050. Optimal perioperative management is essential for enhancing postoperative recovery, minimizing complications, and supporting early discharge. Spinal anesthesia, particularly with long-acting agents like bupivacaine, is commonly used; however, it may lead to prolonged motor blockade and postoperative urinary retention (POUR), impacting recovery. Recent research suggests that mepivacaine, an intermediate-acting spinal anesthetic, may offer improved recovery outcomes for TKA patients compared to bupivacaine. This evidence-based practice project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mepivacaine in reducing neurologic recovery time, POUR, and length of stay …

The Beacon, April 11, 2025, Beacon Staff

The Beacon, 2024-2025

Smooth start for NEXT students; Ann Minnick: a bittersweet goodbye; Mumford & Sons does nothing memorable; "Death of a Unicorn" is exactly what it seems; Senior Spotlight on Liam Nibbelink; How Iowa legislation may affect NW students; An organization for future teachers; NEXT orientation mentorship; "An Enemy of the People" takes the stage; Spiritual and social growth; "Shark Tale": an over-hated gem; Little Caesar's - the best pizza chain; Coach Korver transitioning leadership; A deeper look at the Athletic Training Clinic; A spotlight on NW tennis; Beacon's future: new Beacon-ings; Stranded astronauts return home;

A Narrative Review Of Military Reverse Triage., Daniel J Hurst

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Military reverse triage has been described at several points in the literature. However, an extensive review of the concept and any gaps that may exist has not been conducted. This narrative review seeks to understand how reverse triage is used in the military literature and how it might be implemented in practice, as well as the documented historical applications of reverse triage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four databases were searched manually for English-language articles: PubMed, SCOPUS, JSTOR, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. In addition, a manual search of references, U.S. DoD, and NATO doctrine, as well as other published works …

“Alexa, Play Baby Shark!” How Digital Voice Assistants Impact Children’S Development, Benjamin Suo

Saint John’s Preparatory School Student Work

As digital voice assistants (DVAs) like Siri and Alexa become more common in households, their influence on young children becomes more vast and often overlooked. Using secondary research from news reports, academic research studies, and expert opinions, this paper explores the question: how do DVAs influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development, and in what ways can early exposure to such technology shape the behavior of future generations? While there are benefits—such as nurturing children’s curiosity by providing immediate feedback to questions and helping with language skills when the child queries the chatbot—the unemotional and mechanical ways that DVAs are …

Bridging The Gap: Educating Occupational Therapy Students On Services For Medically Complex Children In Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Centers And Similar Settings, Karleigh Villneuve, Zeida Gutierrez

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project was to educate entry-level OT students on healthcare and OT services for CMC in PPEC centers and similar facilities through an educational seminar and resources. Educating students about healthcare and OT services for CMC in PPEC centers and similar facilities will hopefully increase interest in pursuing a role in this emerging practice area and increase advocacy efforts for this vulnerable population.

Bridging The Gap Between Early Childhood Educators And Occupational Therapists Through The Development Of An Occupational Therapy Toolkit, Jessica Quick, Cynthia Haynes, Madison Bieg

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

A Early Childhood Education and Occupational Therapy Toolkit created to help bridge the gap between the professions based on clinical observation and a needs assessment.

Enhancing Oil Recovery With Novel Nano-Particle-Infused Surfactant Biopolymer Composite: A Comprehensive Investigation, Attia Attia, Amira Shafaay Dr., Michael Sami Alfonse Eng., George Azmi Eng., Rania Ramadan

Petroleum Engineering and Gas

The oil industry worldwide is searching for a new way to increase oil recovery. Chemical flooding has been used worldwide to improve oil recovery. In this research, the study of Enhanced Oil Recovery was carried out by using an Egyptian oil of API 42◦; the experiments were done by using Xanthan biopolymer (XG) gum with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) as a composite for the EOR process and studying the impact of different composite concentrations on oil recovery. Design Expert software was used to determine the optimum concentrations of the composite. 500 ppm concentration of graphene cobalt samarium ferrite nanoparticles (NP) …

Obstacles To Black Wealth Acquisition North And South In The 20th Century, Mark Naison

Occasional Essays

No abstract provided.

The Bison, April, 11, 2025

The Bison Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Ucc Minutes Apr 11, 2025, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Undergraduate Currirculum Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Brief Of Amici Curiae Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality, Service Employees International Union, American Federation Of Teachers, American Association Of University Professors, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Race And Law Centers, And Civil Rights And Advocacy Organizations In Support Of Plaintiff, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr Llp V. Executive Office Of The President, U.S. District Court For The District Of Columbia (No. 1:25-Cv-000917-Rjl), Charlotte Garden, Jeremiah Chin, Jessica Levin, Melissa Lee, Jim Davy, Robert S. Chang, Susan Mcmahon

Court Briefs

Introduction

When Fred Korematsu stood in the San Francisco federal district court in 1942 to challenge the constitutionality of a criminal charge that he had violated an exclusion order issued pursuant to Executive Order 9066, he was represented by pro bono counsel funded by the San Francisco office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). But just four days after Fred’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss his criminal charges, ACLU director Roger Baldwin—wanting to avoid angering President Roosevelt—conveyed the “national board’s decision to prohibit test cases from challenging Roosevelt’s authority to issue Executive Order 9066.” Instead, local ACLU affiliates …

Brief Of Amici Curiae Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality, Service Employees International Union, American Federation Of Teachers, American Association Of University Professors, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Race And Law Centers, And Civil Rights And Advocacy Organizations In Support Of Plaintiff, Jenner & Block V. U.S. Dep't Of Justice, U.S. District Court For The District Of Columbia (No. 1:25-Cv-000916-Jdb), Charlotte Garden, Jeremiah Chin, Jessica Levin, Melissa Lee, Jim Davy, Robert S. Chang, Susan Mcmahon

Court Briefs

Introduction

When Fred Korematsu stood in the San Francisco federal district court in 1942 to challenge the constitutionality of a criminal charge that he had violated an exclusion order issued pursuant to Executive Order 9066, he was represented by pro bono counsel funded by the San Francisco office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). But just four days after Fred’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss his criminal charges, ACLU director Roger Baldwin—wanting to avoid angering President Roosevelt—conveyed the “national board’s decision to prohibit test cases from challenging Roosevelt’s authority to issue Executive Order 9066.” Instead, local ACLU affiliates …

Why Liberal Feminist Law Fail Women Volunteers In India And The United States: Between Activism And Complicity, Amanda L. Stephens

Presentations - 2025

In this section from my book, Women Volunteers in India and the United States: Between Activism and Complicity, I examine the potential and limitations of liberal-feminist laws in India and the United States to achieve gender equality. Liberal feminism, a strand of feminist thought, argues that gender equality can be achieved by reforming existing legal and political systems. For instance, a liberal-feminist approach to eradicating workplace sexual harassment might involve passing laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which allows employees to seek redress for harms caused by such practices.

Drawing on data from legal texts, …

Interactions Among Nutrients Govern The Global Grassland Biomass–Precipitation Relationship, Philip A. Fay, Laureano A. Gherardi, Laura Yahdjian, Peter B. Adler, Jonathan D. Bakker, Siddharth Bharath, Elizabeth T. Borer, W. Stanley Harpole, Erika Hersch-Green, Travis E. Huxman, Andrew S. Macdougall, Anita C. Risch, Eric W. Seabloom, Sumanta Bagchi, Isabel C. Barrio, Lori Biederman, Yvonne M. Buckley, Miguel N. Bugalho, Maria C. Caldeira, Jane A. Catford, Qingqing Chen, Elsa E. Cleland, Scott L. Collins, Pedro Daleo, Chris R. Dickman, Ian Donohue, Mary Ellyn Dupre, Nico Eisenhauer, Anu Eskelinen, Nicole Hagenah, Yann Hautier, Robert W. Heckman, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir, Johannes M. H. Knops, Ramesh Laungani, Jason P. Martina, Rebecca L. Mcculley, John W. Morgan, Harry Olde Venterink, Pablo L. Peri, Sally A. Power, Xavier Raynaud, Zhengwei Ren, Christiane Roscher, Melinda D. Smith, Marie Spohn, Carly J. Stevens, Michelle Tedder, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. Wardle, George R. Wheeler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Ecosystems are experiencing changing global patterns of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and enrichment with multiple nutrients that potentially colimit plant biomass production. In grasslands, mean aboveground plant biomass is closely related to MAP, but how this relationship changes after enrichment with multiple nutrients remains unclear. We hypothesized the global biomass–MAP relationship becomes steeper with an increasing number of added nutrients, with increases in steepness corresponding to the form of interaction among added nutrients and with increased mediation by changes in plant community diversity. We measured aboveground plant biomass production and species diversity in 71 grasslands on six continents representing the …

Gardner-Webb Officials Announce Terri Williams As The New Women’S Basketball Head Coach, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University Vice President and Director of Athletics Andrew T. Goodrich has announced Terri Williams as the new head coach of the Runnin’ Bulldogs women’s basketball program. Williams is a 30-year veteran with 17 years of experience as a Division I head coach.

The Connection Of 2d And 3d Objects And Play Behavior In Infants, Abby Vonk

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

One of the biggest tasks faced by infants is learning language, including the names of many different objects (e.g., bottle, book). This is accomplished through a combination of hearing objects named by caregivers while infants look at and interact with (e.g., touch) objects. Previous developmental research has primarily examined object-name learning by presenting 2D images of objects on a screen as those objects' labels are said. Such studies show that hearing an object label impacts where we look (Barnhart et al., 2018) and that young infants can map heard labels to 2D images of the objects named (Barr, 2010). However, …

Instrumented Tennis Racket To Train Proper Grip In Novice Tennis Players, Mia Bergethon, Isaac Sandoval

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

This instrumented tennis racket is designed to help novice players maintain proper grip strength and reduce the risk of developing tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is a condition caused by repeatedly gripping the racket with excessive force which strains the muscles causing tears and inflammation. The racket features embedded force sensors to measure grip strength and provides real-time haptic feedback, signaling players to adjust their grip during training. A phone app connects to the racket and records grip strength for each swing session, reinforcing proper technique.

Eight to ten miniature 12 mm motors were placed in the base of a Wilson …

Effect Of Energy-Dependent Proton Irradiation On Thin-Film Ybco-1237 Superconductor, Nolan Miles, Hope Weeda, Joseph Fogt, Trevor Harrison

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

We investigated the effect of proton irradiations (0.6 MeV and 1.7 MeV) on the superconducting and normal-state properties of thin-film YBCO-1237 superconductors (Tc = 90 K) and found that the relationship between the critical temperature and dimensionless scattering rate obtained during proton irradiation approximates the generalized d-wave Abrikosov–Gor'kov theory better than the previous reports obtained from electron irradiations. This was unexpected since electron irradiation is generally thought to be more effective than proton and other heavier ion irradiations at suppressing superconductivity. The details of the experimental setup and results will be presented.

The Impact Of Consuming An Electrolyte Drink Pre Vs Post-Workout On Recovery As Measured Through Urinary Indicators In Collegiate Cross-Country Runners, Laura Taylor, Aidan Becher, Madelynn Struck, Momodou Colley

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

BACKGROUND: Hydration is crucial in sports, as dehydration can decrease strength, endurance, and power. Drinking electrolytes before and after intense exercise can promote hydration. Few studies have compared the difference in consuming electrolytes pre/post-workout. The impact of consuming electrolyte drinks can be assessed by comparing pre/post-workout urinary biomarkers (UB). PURPOSE: To determine if drinking electrolytes before/after a workout improves post-workout recovery as measured by heart rate (HR) and UB in collegiate Cross Country (CC) runners. METHODS: 21 CC runners (43% men, 20±3 years) were divided into four groups. For four weeks (Sep-Oct 2024), participants consumed Liquid IV (LIV) or a …

An Analysis Of Competing Complexities Of Search And Rescue Operations On The Mediterranean Sea, Madeline From

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

The Mediterranean Sea has become a locus of international attention as a "migrant graveyard," with over 3,000 annually reported deaths and disappearances. It is a microcosm of the complexities of multilateral governance, civil society, grassroots humanitarian action, and the tension between security and human rights protections. A wealth of actors are involved in maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations, contributing to a dynamic array of collaborative, oppositional, and competitive relationships at sea and on land. This study will investigate the reality of sea migration by considering overlapping jurisdictions, competing interests, border externalization, and varying obligations per international conventions or treaties. …

Pardcuhre: A Scalable Parallel Solution For Multivariate Integration With Cuda, Tobias Shaw, Peter Worden

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Mathematical integration is a common process in a wide array of fields such as medical imaging, statistical analysis, orbital mechanics, and simulation modeling. Since analytical solutions to many integration problems are impossible to obtain, they are instead numerically approximated. There exists a variety of numerical integration software used to estimate such integrals; one such software is DCUHRE which employs the global adaptive algorithm over a hyperrectangular region to estimate a given function. However, as the integral dimension increases, the number of region evaluation points increases exponentially. While DCUHRE was written to accommodate parallel execution on multiple processors (subregion-level parallelization), this …

Foraging Efficiency Of Rural And Urban House Sparrows, Passer Domesticus, Among Natural And Unnatural Obstacles, Annie Waldron, Katie Kowalyk, Mara Gutierrez

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Urbanization may lead to food displacement for many animals. Urban birds are exposed to man-made objects that can result in variable food locations, unlike rural birds who inhabit areas where food locations are typically consistent. The introduction of unnatural obstacles may affect a sparrow's ability to find and reach food sources. Scientific studies have yet to find a significant increase in problem-solving skills related to foraging in urban versus rural birds. Our research seeks to determine the foraging efficiency of rural and urban house sparrows when exposed to obstructed food sources. Novel objects near a food source may scare birds …

Investigation Of Tc Change Due To Proton Irradiation In Tbcco Superconductors, Trevor Harrison, Joseph Fogt, Nolan Miles, Hope Weeda

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

We studied the effect of 600 keV proton irradiation on thin film cuprate superconductors. A 650 nm thick TBCCO-2212 sample was subjected to a series of proton irradiations totaling a fluence of 5.2 x 10^16 protons/cm^2. Superconducting critical temperature (Tc) was decreased from 100 K towards zero Kelvin, and the normal state resistivity increased accordingly. The rate of Tc reduction to resistivity increase will be used to discuss the fundamental properties of the superconductor.

Impact Of Memorable Messages About Religion And Adoption, Grace Arakelian, Chloe Warren, Rachel Grimes, Zachary Davis

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

This study examines the impact of memorable messages about adoption and religion on adult adoptees raised in Christian adoptive homes. The study explores how these messages shape adoptees' emotional well-being, identity development, relationships, and religiousness. The study places the findings within existing research on adoption communication, microaggressions, and entrance narratives. Forty-one adult adoptees were interviewed regarding the memorable messages they heard growing up, their interpretations of the messages, and the impact the messages had on their emotional well-being, relationships, identity development, and religious affiliation. Using Tracy's phronetic iterative approach, a qualitative analysis was conducted to identify themes within the data. …

Self-Scheduled Category Learning In College Students, Emily Mccloskey, Isabella Bozzi, Calista Burke, Abby Vonk, Ryann Mehney, Madeline Bolema

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Learning new information can be a complex, gradual process. It is important to understand how learning plays out over time. Research has found that spaced schedules — studying new information in multiple sessions spread out over time — are more effective for learning than massed schedules — studying everything in one long session (Carvalho & Goldstone, 2013; Cepeda et al., 2006, Kornell & Bjork, 2008). However, when people schedule their own learning, they prefer massing (Kornell & Bjork, 2008; Tauber et al., 2013). Recent research suggests another type of schedule, clustering, might be more effective than both massing and spacing. …

Applying Classical Arabic Music To The Bassoon Through Innovative Performance Practices, Elias Lachonce

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Traditional and classical Arabic music both utilize a tuning system different from the equal temperament system widely used in European and North American music. Many modes in Arabic music contain pitches that cannot be played on an equal tempered piano. Like the piano, the German Heckel system bassoon and other woodwind instruments common to North America are designed to play a 12-tone equal tempered octave. This project explores how the bassoon can be used to play Arabic music through the development of a set of specialized fingerings, thereby overcoming that limitation and advancing the capabilities of the bassoon in Arabic …