Digital Commons Network^™

Who Really Creates Reality Tv? How Audiences Complete Stuart Hall's Reception Theory Model, Cathryn Thomas

Liberty University Research Week

Broadcast television ratings are declining due to the popularity of streaming platforms (Attest Media, 2024; Bauder, 2025). Shows must adapt to survive in this increasingly digital environment. In 2025, Bachelor in Paradise (Teti, 2025) hired a new showrunner, Scott Teti, who adjusted the show’s format, structure, location, cinematography, and editing with the hope of boosting viewer engagement (Franklin, 2025). This study applied Stuart Hall’s (1973, 1980, 2021) encoding/decoding model to analyze audience Instagram comments in response to Teti’s premiere episode of Bachelor in Paradise. This study explored how audiences decoded and responded to these changes, and whether social media commentary …

Does A Youth-Led Faith Revival Suggest Promise For Reversing Decades-Long Trends Of Religious Decline, James Black

Liberty University Research Week

Literature focusing on religious trends among demographic groups in both America and nationally have been generally understood to be showing a decline in the share of the population consistently practicing and holding religious beliefs, including Christianity. However, in more recent years, particularly from 2020 onwards, new research has been introduced, hinting at the possibility that these trends indicating religious decline among selected populations may be reversing due to increased church attendance and religious participation among younger demographics such as Milennials and Gen Z. While these trends are in their infancy, new literature suggests they are accompanied by broader cultural shifts …

Bridging The Gap In Adolescent And Young Adult Sexual Health Education, Michael Ago Tetteh, Anjali Jacob, Cassidy Harris, Claire Rau

Liberty University Research Week

Background: Risky sexual behavior among adolescents is a significant public health concern in the United States and locally in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2024, Virginia reported elevated rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including 851 new HIV cases (21.4% occurring in ages 15–24), as well as high rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which heavily burden youth. In Lynchburg specifically, 43.5% of high school seniors report having had sexual intercourse, and the teen birth rate is 12 per 1,000 for females aged 15–19. Beyond physical health, these behaviors reflect poor spiritual health and a departure from a biblical sexual ethic, as …

Statistical Ghosts: The People Our Health System Can’T See, Claire Rau, Alexandra Mixan, Shaira Neupane

Liberty University Research Week

Health equity depends on accurate representation, yet vulnerable populations are often undercounted in community health assessments. In Lynchburg, Virginia, reliance on voluntary survey data in the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) obscures the true scale of transportation barriers to care. This study examines how transportation access intersects with socioeconomic disadvantage to shape health outcomes.

Using census-based data from the American Community Survey and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PLACES dataset, we analyzed the overlap of low income, lack of insurance, and limited vehicle access. Data were processed in SAS and standardized using Z-scores to create a Vulnerability Index identifying …

Hybrid Rans-Les Modeling Of Airflow In A Bronchial Flow Simulation Of A Human Lung, Sunday Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Hybrid Turbulence Methods For Predicting Flow Oscillations In Supersonic Ramp–Cavity, Nansar Clement Jangfa

Liberty University Research Week

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of Supersonic cavity flow is presented. Supersonic cavity flows are characterized by complex interactions between shear-layer instabilities, shock waves, and acoustic feedback mechanisms that produce strong pressure oscillations. Accurate prediction of these phenomena remains a major challenge for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) due to the limitations of conventional turbulence models. In this study, hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes and Large-Eddy Simulation (RANS–LES) approaches are applied to investigate the unsteady flow behavior in a Mach 2 ramp–cavity configuration. The performance of the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) model is evaluated against traditional RANS models in predicting shear-layer …

Family Is Forever: A Qualitative Study Of The Impacts Of Adoption On Adoptees, Rebekah Hedlund

Liberty University Research Week

This study explores the lived experiences of adoptees and the ways in which adoption has impacted them. Grounded in communication theory of identity (CTI), this research examines how adoptees express their identities throughout their lives via communication. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with adoptees over the age of 18 from diverse backgrounds. The findings revealed three key themes from adoptees: identity, education, and opportunity. Participants described identity to be an ongoing and evolving process throughout life, often influenced by biological origins and family dynamics. The theme of education emerged through participants’ desire for educating potential adoptive …

Decades After Exposure: The Continuing Burden Of Asbestos-Related Diseases In The United States, Hannah Mnayarji, Luke Montgomery, Tunde Adebola

Liberty University Research Week

Many consider diseases caused by asbestos exposure to be antiquated conditions that are rarely observed today. However, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have long latency periods, meaning that the time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease typically ranges between 20-40 years. Since the last import of asbestos to the United States was in 2023, occupational exposure has continued into recent history. This study hypothesizes that there has not yet been a decline in asbestosis and mesothelioma incidence and mortality–two conditions primarily caused by asbestos exposure–indicating that the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease occurrence persists into the modern …

Sublethal Pesticide Exposure Leads To Pesticide Resistance Across Chemical Classes, Andrew Duncan

Liberty University Research Week

Mosquitoes are well recognized as a vector for human pathogens, contributing to global morbidity and mortality.8 Broad spectrum rise in mosquito resistance is a well-documented phenomenon, especially in locations of persistent pesticide usage for mosquito population control. Reduced pesticide effectiveness in vector control can lead to heavier usage and higher levels of off-target effects. Recognizing this, selective mechanisms for mosquito resistance have been heavily studied. While natural selection is a well-established paradigm for understanding the development of resistance, recent research has pointed to non-selective mechanisms as a contribution factor. Mosquitoes are frequently exposed to sublethal doses of pesticides, potentially leading …

Notification Efficiency, Lashundra Rucker

Liberty University Research Week

Service organizations rely on operational metrics to evaluate performance. Yet, traditional measures prioritize speed over value, often concealing variables that hide inefficiencies. This project introduces Notification Efficiency (NE) as a construct that utilizes a composite percentage value reflecting the resources used to achieve full operational status. In the proposed framework, a notification is defined as an artifact documenting evidence of a service recovery event. NE is designed to relate directly to resources involved in service recovery—as travel, labor, shipping, and escalation—with an extended goal of triggering early intervention opportunities. As a natural extension to field service, NE can also reside …

Artificial Meaning?, Thomas R. Lee, Jesse Egbert

Florida Law Review

The textualist turn is increasingly an empirical one—an inquiry into ordinary meaning in the sense of what is commonly or typically ascribed to a given word or phrase. Such an inquiry is inherently empirical. And empirical questions call for replicable evidence produced by transparent methods—not bare human intuition or an arbitrary preference for one dictionary definition over another. Both scholars and judges have begun to make this turn. They have started to adopt the tools used in the field of corpus linguistics—a field that studies language usage by examining large databases (corpora) of naturally occurring language.

This turn is now …

Sexual Differentiation In A Unique Vertebrate Lineage: Mapping The Development Of Genitalia In The Lizard Anolis Sagrei, Alina Mathew

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

• Genitalia are some of the most rapidly evolving structures on the vertebrate body, yielding an immense amount of genital diversity. Lizards and snakes have paired genitalia, while all other amniotes have a single, midline phallus. The lizard, Anolis sagrei is an important organism to study the development of genitalia to understand differences between paired and single genitalia. Genital development in A. sagrei begins with two genital swellings in both males and females. Then as the anole progresses, the swellings either elongate into hemipenes or reduce to hemiclitores. The objective of my research was to determine the normal course of male …

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Migration, Culture, And Healthcare In Chicago’S Pakistani Community, Sultan Cheema

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

How does Chicago’s Pakistani community understand and access the US healthcare system? This ethnographic study will draw on 10 semi-structured interviews and five in-depth interviews to investigate how first and second-generation Pakistanis interact with healthcare in the United States. By exploring factors such as religion, length of stay, socioeconomic status, non-Western medical practices, household configuration, and education, this study will examine the relationship between cultural adaptation and healthcare decision-making among Pakistani immigrant communities.

All Walks Of Life: Exploring Different Paths To Independence, Naina Kapur

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

As a Social Justice Intern at Loyola, I have learned a great deal about how to advocate for others, use my leadership skills effectively, and build valuable relationships. I was placed at Misericordia Heart of Chicago, where I worked closely with different residents of varying ability levels, creating plans to help residents work towards more independence in their daily lives. This experience has been incredibly valuable for me to learn about effective leadership, behavior management, and proactive behavior support. My internship helped shape my path to advocacy for others in the disabled community like me.

Pathways To Compassion: Mapping Gender-Affirming Healthcare Experiences, Ashley Gotlib

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals face significant obstacles accessing gender-affirming care, particularly within religious healthcare organizations. This mixed-methods study (n=59) found that 94% of participants reported barriers and 86% experienced misgendering. Key impediments include financial and insurance constraints, limited regional availability, and restrictive policies. The primary barrier remains provider knowledge gaps, with 98% of respondents citing a critical need for specialized education and training. Socioeconomic and geographic factors also influence access, alongside a noted avoidance of faith-based systems. These systemic issues highlight the urgent need for provider training, better care navigation, and policy reform.

Language Style Matching (Lsm) And Group Cohesion: Exploring Mechanisms Behind Psychological Wellbeing In Interpersonal Psychotherapy For College Students (Ipt-Cs), Bradley Orzada, Kirby Knapp, Ellie Malone, Colleen Conley

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been found to be effective for improving the anxiety and depression symptoms of college students, but little is known about the therapeutic mechanisms behind IPT nor for whom IPT does not work. Language style matching (LSM), given its associations with interpersonal relationships and psychological wellbeing, may further inform IPT mechanisms and serve as a tool to predict intervention outcomes. Using data from an IPT group for college students, the present study explored how participant LSM relates to anxiety, depression, and group cohesion. Group psychotherapy transcripts of participants (N = 9) were analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and …

Microbial Responses To Pharmaceutical Pollution In Streams, Darian Bolden

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Pharmaceuticals, which include prescription and non-prescription drugs, have been detected in human-impacted streams throughout the world, raising concerns about the potential ecological effects of these drugs. The goal of my project was to assess the potential effects of pharmaceutical pollution on leaf litter decomposition by microorganisms as an indicator of stream health. We added a mixture of eight antibiotics to four artificial stream channels, with four control channels receiving no antibiotics, and used cotton strips as a surrogate for leaves. Addition of antibiotics stimulated leaf litter decomposition, increased bacterial community diversity and altered bacterial community composition after 14 days, but …

Investigating The Quantity & Composition Of “Nurdles” At Micro & Macro Levels, Andrew Conover, Maya Worek, Olivia Schaul

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Plastic pollution is a pressing global concern. Plastic pre-production pellets, or “nurdles” are widespread in the environment, but not yet well documented in rivers. In particular, nurdles are well documented along coastlines; additional efforts are needed to report the presence and concentration of these pollutants in freshwater habitats to fully understand the scope of the problem. This project had 2 objectives: 1) use community science (i.e., volunteer-generated) data to quantify nurdle abundance in rivers at a continental scale, and 2) measure the magnitude of the distribution of nurdles in a single tributary of the Chicago River.

The Relation Of Museum Visitors' Idea Framing Approaches And Engineering Engagement During A Community Design Puppet-Making Activity​, Adeline Sauer

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Engaging in early informal learning opportunities for children provides a unique setting for fostering their engineering learning. Specifically, collaboration (e.g., sharing ideas and helping one another) can support children's learning during tinkering activities. We explore how 39 4- to 10-year-old children (Mean age = 6.63; 19 girls) and their caregivers define and engage in the engineering design process (EDP) during a hands-on puppet making activity at a children’s museum. It is hypothesized that children and caregivers who frame, or communicate, their ideas as group-centered will have the highest engagement in the EDP process over framing ideas as individual-centered and other-centered.

Why Would I Tell?: The Role Of Gender, Identity Centrality, And Responsiveness In African American Romantic Relationships, Angela Okechukwu

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

For African American couples, shared racial identity can help facilitate sharing of experiences of racial microaggressions (Nightingale et al., 2019). High partner responsiveness can help manage stressors (Reis, 2012), and should correlate with increased willingness to share. African American couples answered questions about experiences of microaggressions, ethnic identity centrality, and partner responsiveness. Women shared more regardless of their identity centrality. However, men lower in identity centrality were more willing to share if they perceived their partner as more responsive, while men high in identity centrality shared regardless of how responsive they thought their partner was.

Marsh Bird Passive Acoustic Monitoring Detections Affected By Plant Communities, Mikaila Cadavona

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Marsh-dwelling birds breed and forage in Laurentian Great Lakes coastal wetlands (GLCWs). Typha × glauca (hereafter Typha) has altered the plant composition of GLCWs and impacted marsh bird populations. Emerging technologies, autonomous recording units (ARUs) and BirdNET, can be used to passively monitor birds. This study aimed to determine how plant communities (sedge meadow, Typha, bulrush, open water) and distance affect marsh bird detection rates. Detections declined beyond 75 meters in all plant communities. Detections were lower in Typha stands compared to bulrush stands. This study informs monitoring strategies for marsh bird surveys by identifying accurate sampling methods in GLCWs.

Identification Of An Unknown Bacterial Species From A Sink Handle, Angelo Ricarte, Ahman Dye

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This project aims to identify an unknown bacterial species isolated from a sink handle. Using a series of tests, the bacterium’s physical appearance, growth conditions, and metabolic characteristics will be examined. Its shape, colony appearance, and responses to different biochemical tests will help narrow down its identity. By comparing these results with the profiles of known bacteria, this project aims to determine which species is present and better understand the types of microbes commonly found on everyday objects.

Do Women Legislators Legislate Differently Than Men On Gun-Related Policy? A Suggestive Yes, Brady Mudge

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Polls show that men are less likely to support gun restrictions than women, but do voter preferences translate into elite behavior? To answer this question, we use a novel dataset of hand-coded state firearm legislation across six politically diverse states (California, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Texas) to construct an 11-year panel dataset. Our results demonstrate that descriptively, women generally cosponsor more restrictive and fewer permissive gun policy bills than men, even after accounting for partisanship. Using multiple staggered difference-in-differences specifications, we find women are no more likely than men to advance restrictive gun bills, yet they do cosponsor fewer efforts …

Area Approximation Of Jordan Curves Via The Isoperimetric Inequality And Cauchy-Crofton Formula, Nikita Veselkin, Rashad Kaiyal

Mathematics Colloquium Series

We combine the Isoperimetric Inequality (Dido's Problem) and the Cauchy-Crofton formula to approximate the area enclosed by Jordan curves in the 2D plane. The Cauchy-Crofton formula provides a consistent estimate of a curve's length, which the Isoperimetric Inequality then uses to approximate the enclosed area. We additionally present software that automates the Cauchy-Crofton length computation, making the method practical for real-world use. Empirical testing validates the accuracy of this combined approach, with potential applications in tumor segmentation from MRI scans.

Leveraging Agentic And Generative Ai For Intelligent Global Market Analysis, Anichur Rahman, Airin Afroj Aishi, Md Shohel Rana

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Global financial markets produce enormous amounts of structured and unstructured data on a per-second basis. The data is comprised of economic data, news feeds, social media data, and geopolitical data. Traditional approaches to financial market analysis have difficulties integrating these data sources and adapting to the changing global environment. This project aims to create a novel framework for autonomous financial market intelligence using Agentic AI and Generative AI technologies. Agentic AI is an emerging technology that allows for the creation of autonomous decision-making agents. The agents can be programmed to continuously monitor and analyze data sources, detect emerging trends, and …

Evaluating Mental Health Providers’ Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Stigma Among Teenagers Aged 13 To 19 Years With Mental Illness, Fredrica Murray Johnson

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Limited knowledge and poor attitudes among mental health providers contribute to stigma towards individuals with mental illness, adversely affecting treatment experience and outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving mental health providers’ knowledge and attitudes toward stigma-based practices. The clinical question stated: Among mental health providers, does an educational intervention, compared to standard practice, improve knowledge and attitudes of stigma and promote evidence-based care delivery to adolescents aged 13 to 19 with mental illness within six weeks? The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) was the framework used to implement the quasi-experimental study. The two …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Diet And Contributing Factors: A Narrative Literature Review, Rachel Joseph, Ashley Tharpe, Sherri Ann Walker

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Objectives: The purpose of this narrative literature review is to explore the relationship between Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and dietary habits, and identify factors that contribute to the development, progression, and potential management of NAFLD.

Methods: Search terms such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diet, and nutrition, including plant-based and vegetarian diets, were used to identify 45 peer-reviewed publications published within the last five years.

Results: Dietary factors, biological, environmental, obesity, mental health, and genetic factors can contribute to the development of NAFLD. This multisystem problem can have economic, social, and psychological consequences that affect a person’s quality …

Resilience In Nursing Education: A Literature Review Examining The Experiences Of Ukrainian Nursing Students In The United States, Katherine Ferrell, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the experiences of international students who originate from war-torn areas, who live in the United States (US). Drawing from peer-reviewed sources, the review examines the academic, psychological, and social challenges these students face, including trauma, cultural adjustment, and gaps in institutional support. It highlights the resilience and coping strategies employed by students, as well as the role of universities in fostering inclusive environments. The review also identifies critical gaps in current research, particularly regarding long-term mental health outcomes and culturally responsive support services. This paper aims to synthesize existing literature on …

Navigating Life And Death: A Moral Critique Of Euthanasia Practices Worldwide, Brooke Fuzie, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Euthanasia and physician-assisted death remain deeply debated ethical issues shaped by history, law, and cultural values. This narrative review explores how diverse ethical frameworks, shifting global legislation, and cultural perspectives inform current discourse, with special attention to the role of nurses guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, legal documents, and recent case analyses published between 2013 and 2025, the review identifies three key insights. Ethical frameworks influence whether society accepts or opposes euthanasia; robust legal safeguards are needed to protect autonomy and prevent misuse; and palliative care and advance care planning, including …

Perceived Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, And Barriers Of Jordanian Nursing Faculty To Integrate Genomic Concepts In The Curriculum: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Background: Rapid advances in genomics knowledge and the expansion of precision medicine have amplified expectations for nurses to integrate genomic concepts into education and clinical practice. Evidence regarding genomic knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers among nursing faculty in the Middle East is limited. To equip practicing and emerging nurses, faculty must be equipped. Faculty preparedness is critical to successful curriculum integration and to preparing future nurses for genomic-informed care.

Purpose: This study examined the perceived knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers related to integrating genomic concepts in the nursing curriculum among nursing faculty in Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was …