Digital Commons Network^™

Student Success In Open Nebraska Courses: Nu Intercampus Oer Research Committee White Paper, Julie A. Pelton, Kimberly A. Carlton, Stephen Craig Finlay, Emily J. Glenn, Daniel Hawkins, Jaci Lindburg

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The University of Nebraska’s unified open educational resources (OER) program – Open Nebraska – has saved NU students over $15 million in textbook costs as of May 2023. As Open Nebraska was instituted across campuses, the NU Intercampus OER Research Committee was convened to study the effect of the Open Nebraska program on student success beyond monetary savings. This white paper represents the first systematic findings of that effort. In general, NU students are less likely to fail or withdraw and more likely to earn better grades when instructors implement open educational resources in their courses. Furthermore, in line with …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Commencement: May 2023, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Nciter Newsletter May 2023, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, And Education Center

Newsletters

NCITE (National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education) is the Department of Homeland Security's center of excellence for terrorism prevention and counterterrorism research. They are a federally funded academic consortium based in Omaha, Nebraska. Their newsletters covers the current news, activities, and updates of the center and the latest in counterterrorism research. NCITEr newsletter covers specifically center updates.

The Nciter Newsletter May 2023, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, And Education Center

Newsletters

NCITE (National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education) is the Department of Homeland Security's center of excellence for terrorism prevention and counterterrorism research. They are a federally funded academic consortium based in Omaha, Nebraska. Their newsletters covers the current news, activities, and updates of the center and the latest in counterterrorism research. NCITEr newsletter covers specifically center updates.

Understanding The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Newsroom Social Culture And Journalistic Performative Roles : A Qualitative Case Study Of Ai As An Emerging Digital Innovative Technology In Newsrooms, Chad S. Owsley

Communication Faculty Publications

Throughout the evolution of journalism, innovative technology has played a pivotal role in shaping the production and consumption of news. The transformative power of disruptive technology has revolutionized the journalism industry in the past by impacting the society it serves through the diffusion of innovation. Artificial Intelligence, when operationalized for use in journalism, has the propensity to be a disruptive technology, possibly transforming the industry in significant and meaningful ways. This research investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence as an emerging digital innovative technology on journalism and mass communication from a sociological and historical context. The aim of this study …

Development Of A Computational Model To Investigate Pathways And The Effects Of Treatment In Fanconi Anemia, Sabrina Kellett

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare type of anemia that is not easily studied and can have very detrimental effects. This disease compromises the bone marrow, resulting in decreased hemopoiesis. Symptoms of FA also include abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord, incorrect formation of the kidneys, abnormal formation of the heart and lungs, and a dramatically increased risk of developing cancer. FA can be caused by various mutations in any of the 22 genes that encode for proteins involved in what is called the FA DNA repair pathway. In healthy individuals, this pathway specifically repairs interstrand cross-links (ICLs) recognized …

Sequence Analysis Of Herbicide Target Genes In Herbicide-Tolerant Rice, Jonathan Kearney, Nilda R. Burgos, Gulab D. Rangani

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The tolerance of mutagenized rice (Oryza sativa) lines to selector herbicides was investigated and the sequence of ALS gene was analyzed in plants that survived treatment with 4x the label rate of imazethapyr herbicide. This was done to determine if insensitivity to imazethapyr is due to mutation(s) in the herbicide binding site. Seedlots previously treated with ethyl-methyl sulfonate were planted in the field and 3-leaf seedlings were treated with various herbicides to screen for herbicide-tolerant mutants. Seeds from survivors composed the rice lines tested in the current research. Seeds were planted in the greenhouse and 3-leaf seedlings were …

Co-Design Disaster Management Chatbot With Indigenous Communities, Chun-Hua Tsai, Paul Rayi, Sathvik Kadire, Yi-Fan Wang, Sarah Krafka, Edouardo Zendejas, Yu-Che Chen

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by rising disaster risk, climate change, and environmental degradation due to their close relationship with the environment and its resources. Unfortunately, gathering the necessary information or evidence to request or co-share sufficient funds can be challenging for indigenous people and their lands. This paper aims to co-design an AI-based chatbot with two tribes and investigate their perception and experience of using it in disaster reporting practices. The study was conducted in two stages. Firstly, we interviewed experienced first-line emergency managers and invited tribal members to an in-person design workshop. Secondly, based on qualitative analysis, we …

Generating Personalized Pregnancy Nutrition Recommendations With Gpt-Powered Ai Chatbot. In: 20th International Conference On Information Systems For Crisis Response And Management, Chun-Hua Tsai, Sathvik Kadire, Tejesvi Sreeramdas, Matthew Vanormer, Melissa Thoene, Corrine Hanson, Ann Anderson Berry, Deepak Khazanchi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Low socioeconomic status (SES) and inadequate nutrition during pregnancy are linked to health disparities and adverse outcomes, including an increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and intrauterine growth restriction. AI-powered computational agents have enormous potential to address this challenge by providing nutrition guidelines or advice to patients with different health literacy and demographics. This paper presents our preliminary exploration of creating a GPT-powered AI chatbot called NutritionBot and investigates the implications for pregnancy nutrition recommendations. We used a user-centered design approach to define the target user persona and collaborated with medical professionals to co-design the chatbot. We integrated …

School Structure Differences And Physical Activity Of Youth: A Case Study Of Four Rural Communities, Jillian L. Kilty

Health and Kinesiology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Purpose: To describe youth physical activity (PA) and participation in organized activities within school systems adopting different organizational structures. Design: Cross-sectional case-study of the Wellscapes Project with baseline data from Wave 1 (Fall 2018) and Wave 2 (Fall 2021). Setting: Four rural Midwestern communities. Sample: A total of 507 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders participated and were used in analyses (n = 156 fourth graders; n =189 fifth graders; n = 162 sixth graders). Two communities followed an elementary school model. The other two communities followed a middle school model. Measures: Students completed the Youth Activity Profile (YAP), an online …

How Has The Covid-19 Pandemic Transformed The Relevance Of The Traditional College Experience?, Zachary Schueller

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Over the past three years, the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered students’ college experience through its location format and delivery. Research and early interviews suggest that students are now less likely to pursue a four-year traditional college experience than they were before the start of the pandemic. Instead, students are increasingly choosing to pursue other options such as not going to college or learning remotely. Even before the start of the pandemic data shows that college enrollment was already declining. While this data shows the short-term effects of Covid-19 on students there are a number of questions about the long-term …

Can Renewable Portfolio Standards Explain The U.S. States’ Advancement Of Wind Energy?, Elise Monson

Political Science Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) & Implementation Of The Test Of Infant Motor Performance, Juliana C. Keane

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Current literature identifies the recognizable value of occupational therapy within the NICU; however, not all NICUs utilize therapy services. The purpose of this project was to highlight the role of occupational therapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and implement the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) within this setting through a variety of goals, objectives, and produced deliverables. Als’ Synactive Theory of Development and the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) Model guided this capstone project. In addition to in-depth clinical practice, education and program development were the methods utilized to achieve the project’s goals. The results of this project further support …

Promoting Sleep Hygiene For Individuals Diagnosed With Parkinson’S Disease: Occupational Therapy’S Distinct Role, Hunter O. Wookey

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Those diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease are more likely to experience sleep performance issues which significantly contribute to poorer health outcomes and earlier institutionalization (Bollu, 2017). Though the field of occupational therapy acknowledges the importance of sleep for overall health and wellbeing, the profession’s role in improving sleep outcomes is largely unexplored. The purpose of this 14-week capstone project was to promote better sleep hygiene practices for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, this project sought to advocate for the profession of occupational therapy’s distinct role in sleep management. A variety of goals and objectives were achieved through completion of this project, …

Addressing The Needs Of Parkinson’S Disease Care Partners, Jenna Wall

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that can affect all aspects of life, requiring individuals with this condition to require support from a care partner. The extensive support PD care partners provide impacts their health and well-being resulting in an increased prevalence of negative health outcomes. Furthermore, these care partners do not receive adequate support which only compiles the effect of caregiving. The main goals of this capstone project were the development and implementation of a 4-week PD care partner support protocol, the creation of an electronic resource, and improving community awareness about PD and PD care partner needs. …

Sun Safety Education: A Glance At Calloway County Schools, Tess S. Henderson

Honors College Theses

The American Academy of Dermatology states that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer within the United States (Skin Cancer, 2022), and more than two people die of the disease each hour (Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics, 2023). From a public health perspective one avenue to explore in lowering skin cancer rates is a focus on sun safety education lessons aimed at school children. The proposed project aims to assess the current status of sun safety education in Calloway County elementary and middle schools via a survey of teachers within these schools. After data was collected, it was …

The Relationships Among Proprioception, Balance, And Cognitive Perception Of Body Awareness In College Students, Courtney Helmick

Honors College Theses

Introduction: Proprioception is an important physiological function that is essential for activities of daily living as well as exercise and sport performance. Integration of proprioceptive signals plays a key role in both static and dynamic balance. Previously, researchers have assessed the relationship between balance and proprioception, however, the effect of cognitive perception of body awareness has not previously been included in this research. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the relationships among lower extremity proprioception, dynamic balance, and cognitive perception of body awareness in college students.

Methods: Nineteen apparently healthy college students (age 21.26 ± 1.10 years, …

A Live Performance Guide: Building A Concert, Genevieve White, Genevieve White

Honors College Theses

Many are unaware of the production process when it comes to live performances in the Music Industry. While the obvious barriers of obtaining a time, place, and performer can be easily concluded, many outside of the industry fail to consider other components that contribute to successful performances. The attainment of proper contracting, performance licenses, and music materials are just a few examples of the thought and preparations that go into planning and accomplishing a successful concert.

This project, from conception to execution, was intended to further my knowledge of live performance through the utilization of classroom education and industry experience. …

Educator Professional Development In Universal Design For Learning And Social-Emotional Learning: A Collective Case Study, Sara Morgan

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Carefully constructed professional development supports learning. Integration of Universal Design for Learning and Social-Emotional Learning into professional development supports comprehension and encourages generalization. This study sought to understand educators’ perceptions following a five-part webinar series on the connections between Universal Design for Learning and Social-Emotional Learning. Using the constructivist paradigm and a theoretical framework of collective case study, various aspects of professional development experiences were explored. Webinar design features, relevant content, significant take aways, and future training were all discussed. Review of post session survey comments and participant interviews were analyzed to reveal the findings. Slide decks from each session …

Boundaries And Currents Of The Dayside Magnetosphere: Mhd Simulations And Observations, Pauline Marie Dredger

Physics Dissertations - Archive

The solar wind streams through space at supersonic speeds, carrying plasma and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) from the sun. Earth’s magnetosphere presents a magnetosonic obstacle to the solar wind flow, which slows down suddenly, creating a bow shock. Between the bow shock and Earth’s magnetic field is the region of space called the magnetosheath, which contains the dense plasma and turbulent IMF of the shocked solar wind. The magnetopause is the boundary between the magnetosheath and the region of near-Earth space dominated by the terrestrial magnetic field; its location is determined by the competing pressures of the plasma in …

Investigation Of Optical And Electrical Properties Of Noble Metal And Superconducting Thin Films And Design And Fabrication Of Metamaterial Solar Absorbers, Vivek Khichar

Physics Dissertations - Archive

An extensive study of light-matter interactions leading to the generation of photon drag voltage under surface plasmon resonance conditions in noble metal thin films was undertaken by performing a series of experimental measurements and numerical simulations. The drag voltage originates from a force that arises because of the transfer of momentum from incident light to electrons. This transfer of photon momentum leads to an electric current, which in turn results in the generation of drag voltage. The effect is particularly enhanced under surface plasmon resonance conditions and thereby reinforces the interaction between light and collective oscillations of the surface charges. …

Investigating Behavioral Patterns In Birds With Wing Weaponry And Skeletal Weaponization In Two Zenaida Doves, Maia Dykstra

Biology Honors Theses

The white-winged dove and the mourning dove are two closely related North American Columbid species that display aggressive wing-slapping behavior. This behavior, observed in several avian families, is sometimes accompanied by weaponizing osteological modifications to the carpometacarpus bone. I hypothesized the existence of such weapons in white-winged and mourning doves due to their common use of wing-slapping. To explore this hypothesis, I made two predictions based on patterns of modification in birds with well documented weaponry. I predicted that, if weaponry exists in these birds, 1) white-winged doves will show greater weaponization than mourning doves, and 2) males of each …

Book Review: The Tacky South, Sarah Grace Glover

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Using Dna As Scaffolding For The Study Of Fret Enhancement By Surface Plasmons On Gold Nanogratings, Evan Thomas Engelhaupt

Physics & Astronomy Honors Theses

Our lab seeks to enhance the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency using surface plasmons excited on gold nanogratings. Surface plasmons are longitudinal oscillations of conduction electrons that travel along a metal surface. FRET is the transfer of energy between a donor and an acceptor fluorescent molecule, the efficiency of which is strongly dependent on the distance between the donor and acceptor molecules. Additionally, we suspect the surface plasmon enhancement effectiveness depends on the distance between the donor and acceptor and the grating surface. To precisely position the donor and acceptor molecules relative to each other and the gold nanograting, …

Being Real: Gen-Z, Self-Presentation, And Authenticity On Social Media, Maya Elizabeth Neufeld-Wall

Communication Honors Theses

What does it mean to truly be real? This question of authenticity is one that scholars have been asking for years, and it is now echoed by members of Generation-Z as they trailblaze a new frontier for media through social media platforms that encourage authenticity. Considering this shift in social media practices, Gen-Z users appear to be implementing a ‘realer’ approach to social media than previous generations’ edited and filtered content. However, does this ‘real’ content actually feel real to the users creating and consuming it? The abstract nature of the concept of authenticity creates a significant amount of ambiguity …

Jonathan’S Rust Adventures And The Quest For The Numerically Stable Soft-Sphere Integrator, Jonathan Pascal Rotter

Computer Science Honors Theses

In this thesis I will implement a numerically stable soft-sphere collision model using Hooke’s Law as the restoring force. This model allows choosing a desired coefficient of restitution and maximum penetration depth in order to generate appropriate values for the spring constant and damping. Then I will explore the applicability of various languages to the field of kD-tree based N-body simulations, concluding that Rust is competitive in both the time and memory usage to C/C++, which are the languages traditionally used for high-performance applications. Additionally, I found that the usage of higher-level languages like Java come at significant time or …

Spatial And Statistical Analysis Of Groundwater Contaminants In Shallow And Deep Aquifers Of The Central Valley Of California, Mark G F Nickels

Earth and Environmental Geosciences Student Honors Theses

The sediment aquifer of California’s Central Valley is threatened by various contaminants including arsenic (As), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and uranium (U). In this region more than six million people and an agricultural industry worth over 20 billion dollars (Faunt et al., 2016) rely predominantly on groundwater, and contamination poses both health risks and financial burdens due to costly remediation. I seek to identify the physical and geochemical processes that mobilize contaminants observed at levels that far exceed both federal and state regulatory standards. Contaminants such as As and U naturally occur in sediment and can be mobilized by either …

May 2023 Bulldog Alumni & Friends News, Kari Jones, Garrett King

Bulldog Alumni & Friends News

• The first-ever Randy’s Ranch event was held at the Beutler-Redd Ranch in Canute, Oklahoma on April 27.
• Each year the SWOSU Athletic Auction features unique items and experiences donated by our alumni and friends.

• Former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating was the special guest for the SWOSU President’s Leadership Class (PLC) Banquet on April 10.

• The sold-out Dobson Bulldog Golf Classic was held at Oak Tree National on April 17.

• The SWOSU Foundation, Inc. held its spring meeting last week on the Weatherford campus.

Bmo On Shapes, Benjamin Lewis Jeffers

Math Honors Theses

In this thesis we prove that the space BMO on shapes introduced by Dafni and Gibara is the dual space of the Hardy Space on Shapes which we introduce here for the first time. This document is relatively self contained, building up the necessary background in measure theory, functional, and harmonic analysis.

The Bard And The Myth Of Universality: Decentering Shakespeare In Asian American Appropriations, Sarah Pita

English Honors Theses

Asian American appropriations of Shakespeare challenge the myth-like status of the Bard, utilizing the plays to tell stories unique to Asian American experiences. Shakespeare and race studies has interrogated the relationship between Shakespeare, the reception of his works, and the problematic nature of his works’ role in western notions of whiteness and colonialism. This thesis continues this interrogation, extending the theory to understand the unique ways that Asian American playwrights appropriate Shakespeare. This thesis offers a case study of two plays: Do it for Umma by Seayoung Yim (an appropriation of Hamlet) and Peerless by Jiehae Park (an appropriation of …