Digital Commons Network^™

Instagram, Tiktok, And Athlete Identity: Exploring Social Comparison In Subjectively Judged Youth Sports, Jenna Moffat, Brooklyn Woodard, Danner Allen, Greta Snukis, Kalie Orefice

Liberty University Research Week

This study aims to examine the effects of social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, on the mental health of adolescent athletes who are in subjective sports. Many athletes look at other athletes' performances on social media or scroll on Instagram or TikTok without realizing the harm that it can cause to their mental health and individual performance. When referring to mental health, athletes are specifically being asked about anxiety and depression, and if they notice an increase in these mental health symptoms or struggle with comparison after looking at these platforms. The research question is: How does comparison negatively impact …

Financial Return On Investment Of Super Bowl Advertising: A Six-Month Post-Air Sales Analysis, Emma Jennings, Hannah Wood, Jenna Nicely, Kaleb Macklin

Liberty University Research Week

This proposed study aims to examine the return on investment (ROI) of Super Bowl advertisements for individual companies utilizing a comparison of six-month periods before and after the commercials are originally aired at the game. The Super Bowl is a highly favored social event where millions of people gather both in person on location and around television screens. Whether it is the teams, the half-time show, or the commercials, there is clearly something about this event that brings people together, and the publicity does not go unnoticed. Companies pay millions of dollars for a 30-second advertisement. This begs the question …

Restoring The Glymphatic Pump: 40 Hz Gamma Entrainment As A Rescue For Nocturnal Neuro-Metabolic Damage, John Meade, Ethan Jerome, Owen Newman

Liberty University Research Week

The human brain is a high-energy organ that produces significant metabolic waste throughout the day. However, unlike the rest of the body, the brain lacks a traditional lymphatic system to drain this waste. Instead, it relies on a glymphatic system: a specialized microscopic plumbing network that uses cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to wash the spaces between the brain cells during sleep (see figure 1).1 At the heart of this system are aquaporins (specifically AQP4), which are specialized protein channels that allow the passage of water (see figure 2). With respect to the glymphatic system, they are located on the feet of …

Disaster Relief Integration And Public Funding Allocation In Professional Sports Venues: A Comparative Analysis, Jayden Jackson, Andrew Holzapfel, Emma Cromer, Madison Yeager, Tyler Ondrea

Liberty University Research Week

There is a documented, ever-rising cost associated with the construction and maintenance of professional sport stadiums across the United States, especially in the southern states. While the public subsidies that support these stadiums remain highly debated among policymakers, taxpayers, economists, and community stakeholders, many facilities serve as mission-ready, high-utility community hubs during public disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and other large-scale emergencies. This study investigates whether a connection exists between a venue’s disaster relief utility and the total public subsidy it receives post-disaster over a defined period of time. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, the study aims to determine if …

Post-Games Adaptive Reuse And Long-Term Sustainability Of Summer Olympic Villages: A Comparative Multi-Case Study, Meron Wells, Carolyn Crotts, Ella Fancher, Emma Frantz, Jordyn Meunier

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Home Game Attendance In Ncaa Division I Softball: A Case Study Of Liberty University., Luke Barnett, Grace Bennett, Micah Dannelly, Moses Batchelor, Zachary Wood

Liberty University Research Week

This study investigates the attendance of the Liberty Softball Program. The reason for this study is due to the success of the softball team. In 2025, the team defeated the number one seed in the country, Texas A&M, and advanced to super regionals in the college softball playoff. This is an achievement for any school, but especially for a school that is the size of Liberty. However, Liberty averages low attendance numbers, even in these recent years of on the field success. In this, what is the relationship between team performance, game factors, and home game attendance for the Liberty …

Acl Injury Incidence On Artificial Turf Versus Natural Grass In Elite Male Football Players: A Critically Appraised Topic, Ethan Austell

Liberty University Research Week

Context: Artificial turf has been shown to be controversial despite being a cost-effective alternative to natural grass because of the potential risks it has on athletes’ lower extremity (LE) injury, specifically the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Elite male football players were chosen as the population of choice to determine the risk of ACL injury incidence on artificial turf compared to natural grass. The purpose of this critically appraised topic is to appraise the best available literature to identify the impact of artificial turf on knee injury rate in male elite football players.

Methods: A computerized search strategy was done from …

The Power Of Cult Rhetoric, Daniel Murphy

Liberty University Research Week

What moves individuals to leave families, sell businesses, and reconstruct their identities in devotion to a charismatic leader? This study explores the communicative movement at the heart of cult recruitment, persuasion, and retention. Grounded in social identity theory, this qualitative phenomenological research investigates how cult leaders strategically mobilize identity, language, and belonging to attract and sustain followers.

Existing literature that applies social identity theory to persuasive language will be examined, alongside documentary and textual analysis, to understand how individuals interpret and internalize these communicative strategies. Drawing from existing literature and rhetorical analysis of leaders such as Marshall Applewhite, Warren Jeffs, …

Genotype-Dependent Cardiac Responses To Caffeine: Acute Electrocardiographic Effects Across Cyp1a2 Gene Variants, Ethan Pedersen

Liberty University Research Week

It is estimated that approximately 70% of individuals worldwide consume caffeine daily. A plethora of genes contribute to caffeine metabolism, out of which CYP1A2 is responsible for 90%. Two prominent CYP1A2 alleles are *1A and *1F which metabolize caffeine at fast and slow rates respectively. Retrospective research has demonstrated *1F possessing individuals are at an increased risk for nonfatal myocardial infarction. However, the acute electrocardiographic and physiological cardiac responses to caffeine across a range of doses remain poorly characterized. The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the physiological changes of the heart, using an ECG, in individuals who …

Vitamin D Relation To Bone Mineral Density In Female Athletes: Critically Appraised Topic, Baylee Klindworth

Liberty University Research Week

Background: Vitamin D is important for overall bone health, muscle function, and injury prevention, especially in female athletes who may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency that are limited to sunlight exposure, high training demands, and dietary intake. In young female athletes and adults, the relationship between vitamin D and bone mineral density (BMD) is not clear. The purpose of this critically appraised topic is to review current evidence on the relationship between vitamin D levels and bone health in female athletes and adults. Methods: Four cross-sectional studies were included: Fields et al., Brännström et al., Lim et al., …

Injury Risk On Nfl Playing Surfaces: A Comparison Of Natural Grass And Artificial Turf, Caden Woosley, Jonathan Taylor, Joseph Layne, Luke Whelan, Ryan Delaney

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Minimum Age Policies On Concussion Incidences In Youth Tackle Football, Andrew Garrett, Colby Douglas Green, Colin Ropella, Josiah Schrock

Liberty University Research Week

This study examines whether raising the minimum age for participation in youth tackle football reduces the incidence of concussions and other brain injuries among young athletes. Concussions and long-term neurological conditions like CTE have become a growing concern in youth football, particularly given the sport’s widespread popularity across the United States. While various leagues have experimented with different minimum age requirements, it remains unclear whether delaying full-contact play meaningfully reduces brain injury risk or produces no significant difference in outcomes. Grounded in developmental exposure framework, which suggests that limiting contact during early developmental stages reduces cumulative head impacts over time, …

Who Pays For Carbon Recovery?, Carter F. Smith

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Utilization Of Parametric Insurance Bonds As Part Of Nepa Permitting Reform, Paul E. Traynor

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Lights Out: Energy Resilience In The Air Force, Carolyn Mattingly

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction & Front Pages, Bryce Cormack

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

A Numerical Analysis For Emerging Behaviors In Ferromagnetic Colloids, Cyrus Harris

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this project is to synthesize a CFD model which can explore the nature of vortices induced by alternating magnetic currents within colloid rollers. This type of research has been a point of interest in previous years especially for the application of targeted drug delivery. This research hopes to further establish and quantify the dynamics of these fluids in order to provide more numerical data for BioMed applications. In order to accomplish this, a simplified model of a Ginzburg Landau model (A coupled PDE solver) was created within the program Python in order to test the parameters of …

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers For Sensitive And Selective Binding Of Pfoa, Nadia Costescu

Liberty University Research Week

This study aims to progress the synthesis of novel fluorinated polymers to detect poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. PFAS are released into the atmosphere as a result of industrial processes and consumer production, and are persistent in the environment. Bioaccumulation in animals and humans occurs through exposure via air, water, and soil, and leads to toxic health effects. Due to their resistance to environmental degradation, alternate methods are needed to detect and remove PFAS from the environment. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymers that are designed with regions that bind to specific molecules. They have shown …

Molecular Basis Of 24-Methyl Cholesterol As An Anti-Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma Agent In The Context Of Altered Cellular Glucose Metabolism, Josiah Chung, Merritt Smith, Zachary Wang

Liberty University Research Week

Cancer remains a major global cause of mortality, with kidney cancer representing a significant portion of newly diagnosed cases each year worldwide and in the United States. In Virginia alone, more than one thousand new kidney cancer cases are reported annually. The majority of these cancers are classified as renal cell carcinoma (RCC), with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) accounting for roughly 70% of diagnoses. ccRCC tumors exhibit substantial metabolic reprogramming that supports rapid proliferation and survival under fluctuating nutrient conditions. Because of this metabolic dependence, targeting pathways involved in glucose uptake and cellular energy production has emerged as …

Comparison Of Fea Model Connection Methods For A Structural Digital Twin, Luther Davis

Liberty University Research Week

A digital twin is a digital representation that is used to study a physical object or process. In civil engineering, digital twins are created to analyze the behavior of real structures using finite element analysis (FEA). A more accurate digital twin provides more accurate data; however, creating an accurate model introduces complex surfaces and connections that are difficult for FEA software to analyze. This research examines the optimal way to create a digital twin in the Abaqus software, to minimize computation time while preserving sufficient accuracy to generate realistic data. A section of a real truss bridge is modeled once …

Exploring Nurse Preceptors' Perception Of Effectiveness In Student-Preceptee Experiences: Implications For Faculty And Hospital Administration, Kelly Arraf

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Public Policy & Economic Diversification In The Uae: Beyond Oil Dependence, Khawatir Esam Alfalasi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Diversification in the UAE reflects a state-led transformation aimed at moving the economy beyond oil through targeted public policies. Research shows that there is a limited knowledge of how public sector policies and national strategies contribute to promoting economic diversification requiring a more detailed analysis of the UAE’s diversification strategies. This thesis addresses three research questions which are: Tto what extent do the federal public policies promote economic diversification in the UAE? To what extent do federal policy documents acknowledge Resource Curse mitigation as a priority? To what extent do economic growth and governance indicators capture the UAE’s diversification efforts? …

Geographic Variation In Cardiometabolic And Nutrition-Related Health Indicators Across Rural Communities In Guatemala And Honduras, Grace Sibert

Liberty University Research Week

Chronic diseases and nutritional deficiencies are increasing public health concerns in rural and underserved communities in Central America, where limited access to preventive care and routine health screening contributes to undiagnosed risk. This study examined the prevalence and geographic distribution of cardiometabolic and nutrition-related health indicators across rural communities in Guatemala and Honduras. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of community health screening data collected from 2021 and 2023–2025. Measurements included body mass index (BMI), blood glucose, hemoglobin, and blood pressure. Overweight was defined as BMI 25.0–29.9, obesity as BMI =30, elevated blood glucose as =140 mg/dL, hypertension as systolic =140 …

Hedging Without Derivatives: A Regime-Aware Framework For Managing Downside Risk In Long-Only Portfolios, Whittman Brown, Birhanu Kramer, Carter Hall, Ryan Natelborg, Walker Lucas

Liberty University Research Week

This study evaluates regime-based allocation strategies for downside risk management in long-only portfolios. Traditional portfolio risk management relies heavily on derivative instruments like protective puts and futures to mitigate downside. However, student-managed portfolios operate under strict regulatory and educational constraints, and lack continuous oversight required for active derivative management. Academic literature on regime-switching models and tactical asset allocation demonstrates that economic regimes influence portfolio returns, yet practical implementation studies for long-only investors remain underdeveloped. Limited empirical work examines whether systematic allocation adjustments based on regime identification provide downside protection comparable to derivative-based hedging strategies. We seek to address the research …

Effects Of Morphosyntactic And Phonological Environments On Persian Ra-Marking, Alyssa Gilliland

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Hope: A Vital Sign In Behavioral Health, Isaac Uehling, Alexis Lykins, Jade Gordon, Kelsey Messer

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Neuroplasticity On The Water: Transforming Mental Habits Into Elite Performance, John Paul Fryrear, Dayne Harter, Jada Ward

Liberty University Research Week

This proof-of-concept study examined whether a brief cognitive intervention could enhance key psychological skills in collegiate athletes. Twenty-four student-athletes from a university rowing team completed three workshops targeting neuroplasticity, attentional control, and emotional intelligence. Pre-, post-, and competition-based assessments, supplemented by qualitative feedback, indicated small but meaningful improvements in growth mindset, attentional control, and reductions in adverse competitive cognitions. Although most quantitative changes were not statistically significant, qualitative findings supported positive shifts in mindset, trust, and emotional regulation under pressure. Results suggest that targeted mental skills training may benefit athletes’ psychological adaptability despite methodological limitations.

Business Card

Warren C. Cowen Papers

Business card for Warren C. Cowen.

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Warren C. Cowen Papers

Card with information on the sixth amendment.

Business Card

Warren C. Cowen Papers

Business card for the Fort Worth Allied Printing Trades Council.