Tradition, Transition, & Identity: Models Of Masculinity In Marvel Superhero Films, Mikey Brown

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

• Media & Film
  • Shapes cultural values, social expectations and ideas about identity
• Marvel Cinematic Universe
  • One of the most influential forces in todays pop culture (Johnson 2012)
• Masculinity & Adolescence
  • Adolescence use media to understand identity & social expectations

The Effect Of Living And Non-Living Sensory Inputs (Lnsi) On Cortical Activation And Functional Outcomes In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Experimental Mixed Method Study, Hawraa Mohammad Habeeb

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a common manifestation observed in persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), wherein the brain inaccurately interprets sensory information. Teachers often face many sensory issues in the classroom. However, it is commonly known that addressing SPD falls within an occupational therapist's (OT) responsibility. Recent research has found that promoting sensory strategies in educational training is necessary. Hence, the current experimental mixed-methods research aimed to accurately evaluate the efficacy of the sensory intervention and sensory inputs utilized in the Living and Non-Living Sensory Input (LNSI) intervention program on sensory behavior, executive function, nonverbal cognitive abilities, and cortical …

Utilization Of Commercial Phosphonium And Ammonium Ionic Liquids In Enhanced Oil Recovery Of Carbonate Reservoirs, Nada Berrandjia

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Despite advancements in renewable energy, oil and gas still dominate global energy supply, while a substantial portion of original oil in place (OOIP) remains unrecovered through conventional recovery methods. One of the most effective approaches used to mobilize residual oil is chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) through mechanisms such as reduction of interfacial tension (IFT), alteration of wettability, emulsification, and improved displacement efficiency. Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have gained interest as alternative CEOR agents due to their tunable structure and superior stability under harsh reservoir conditions. This thesis experimentally investigates the potential of low-cost and commercially available ILs for enhanced …

Missing Children: The Underrepresentation Of Youth In Mental Health Data, Sammie Mcdonald

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

While research continues to grow, it is apparent that there are still gaps in knowledge. This research was inspired by my ongoing internship at Allen Child Protection Center, where I have seen children left behind for not recognizing an outdated radio during cognitive testing, as well as my experience as a fraternal twin with a 10 year diagnosis gap between me and my brother. This led me to investigate diagnostic disparities in children’s mental health data.

To better understand if children are experiencing mental health diagnosis disparities, I am analyzing 9 waves of data from the Substance Abuse and Mental …

Fy25 Annual Report, Tennessee. Department Of General Services.

GO-BID Reports

No abstract provided.

Tennessee State Plan On Aging, Oct. 1, 2025-Sept. 30, 2027

Department of Disability & Aging

This document includes plans to be conducted by the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging under the provisions of the Older Americans Act from the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027.

Dda Annual Report 2024, Tennessee. Commission On Aging & Disability.

Department of Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Dda Annual Report 2025, Tennessee. Commission On Aging & Disability.

Department of Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Youth In Detention Survey 2023, Tennessee. Commission On Children And Youth.

Data Snapshots

No abstract provided.

Child And Teen Death Data Snapshot 2023, Tennessee. Commission On Children And Youth.

Data Snapshots

No abstract provided.

Youth Crime Data Snapshot 2023, Tennessee. Commission On Children And Youth.

Data Snapshots

No abstract provided.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Youth Risk Behavior Survey: 2021 Results, Tennessee. Commission On Children And Youth.

Data Snapshots

No abstract provided.

From Punishment To Public Health: Rethinking Addiction In The U.S And Portugal, Kenna Hall-Hoyt, Sarah Denin, Shelby Jenkins

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Portugal's approach to combat substance use disorder has been a commonly discussed public health strategy over the last decade because it challenges the idea that punishing the drug user detours the drug issue. In 2001, the country decided to decriminalize substance use disorder and change addiction services to be under the Ministry of Health. The approach that Portugal is using in its research looks very different from places like the U.S., who over-medicate and then criminalizes drug users. Portugal, instead, steers individuals to local groups comprising of psychologists, social workers, and health professionals who work with them to find the …

Youth Social Media Access: Comparing The U.S. And Australia, Maddie Otto, Alyssa Dieckhoff, Brinley Cleveland, Katie Vandewoestyne, Jacey Rugg

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Up to 95% of young people aged 13-17 report using a social media platform; this population encompasses over 38 million youths in the U.S. and 2 million youths in Australia. Reports show that this practice has a detrimental impact on the mental health and well-being of those who have access at a young age. Globally, a primary concern is that youth who have access to social media platforms that are not developmentally appropriate for their age level have issues around declining mental health, socialization, and self-esteem or body image concerns. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to examine …

Feminization Poverty: Comparing The United States And Afghanistan, Molly Cue, Carly Henrickson, Lauren Classen, Swarupa Evans, Lauren Huston

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Feminization poverty is a prevalent worldwide issue containing many layers such as societal norms, single-mothered household, the gender wage gap, unpaid care work, and cost of childcare. When comparing the United States and Afghanistan, there are similarities in these issues. Both countries live in primarily patriarchal societies, which heavily contributes to feminization poverty. In the United States, over 14.8 million women are currently living in poverty compared to roughly 25 million women in Afghanistan. There are some strategic interventions utilized to fight feminization poverty in both countries. Therefore, the objective of this project is to compare the effectiveness of these …

Women's Access To Education: A Global Perspective, Olivia Clausen, Lillie-Kay Colby, Ellie-Lynn Colby

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Access to education for women has been restricted in various ways across the globe throughout history. Many of these restrictions have led to gender disparities in access to work, which pushes women into more vulnerable situations, such as poverty, abuse, or forced marriages. The goal of this research is to raise awareness and knowledge about women’s and girls’ education in South Sudan, given its 93% illiteracy rate among women. According to UNESCO, among the 84% of countries that legally protect the right to education, only 57% explicitly guarantee it without discrimination on the basis of sex and/or gender. Education for …

A Computational Assessment Of Halobacterium Salinarum Glutamate Dehydrogenase Enzymes, Maaz Abdalla

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is a hexameric enzyme. GDH is involved in several pathways and cellular processes such as oxidation-reduction homeostasis, ammonia metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, insulin and lactate production, and acid-base equilibrium. The main objective of this thesis is to understand the structural and biochemical properties of this enzyme and why some organisms, for e.g., Halobacterium salinarum, have more than one GDH with different coenzyme specificities. The catabolism of glutamate is linked to NAD+-specific GDHs, meanwhile, NADP+-specific GDHs play an anabolic role in ammonia assimilation. Molecular docking and binding free energy calculations were employed followed by long-scale (500 nanoseconds) comparative molecular …

The Importance Of Education: A Comparison Of Educational Systems In The United States And South Sudan, Allie Haughenbury, Faith Defenbaugh, Emma Randecker, Hadley Farrell, Haylea Tillman

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

The significance of education in creating opportunities for individuals has been established as important to both individual growth and national development. The purpose of this project is to assess the role of education by comparing the educational system in the United States with that of South Sudan in terms of structure, accessibility, and barriers. The U.S. has a well developed educational system with access to public education for (almost) all children, whereas children in South Sudan face significant challenges to receiving an education. These challenges include a lack of infrastructure, a lack of trained educators, a lack of resources, and …

Eighty Years Of Gubernatorial Commutations In Ohio Death Penalty Cases: A Retrospective, Dale A. Baich

Akron Law Review

No abstract provided.

Reimagining Compassionate Release: A Lexicon For Change, Tom Nicklin, Sarah L. Cooper

Akron Law Review

No abstract provided.

Finality Is Not The Last Word, Bidish Sarma

Akron Law Review

Finality has long been upheld as a powerful governmental interest in the context of criminal adjudications. However, its nearly mythic status in our law belies its ongoing utility. Rather than fulfilling its historical goals of preserving resources and focusing incarcerated individuals on the task of rehabilitation, finality today undermines focus, facilitating mass incarceration and perpetual punishment. We are not required to accept finality as the last word; instead, we can and should interrogate its value in light of the system we have built.

This Essay briefly traces the historical development of finality in American jurisprudence. It then outlines the subsequent …

Exploring Concerns About Discretion And Disparity In Second Look Sentencing, Douglas A. Berman

Akron Law Review

This essay explores the emergence of “second look” sentencing laws in the United States, which allow judicial review of previously imposed prison sentences under certain circumstances. Highlighting the expansion of these laws, the essay examines the broad discretion granted to judges and prosecutors in deciding when and how to reduce prison sentences against the backdrop of an earlier era of structured sentencing reforms aimed at regulating sentencing discretion and reducing disparities. Somewhat ironically, the rigidity and severity of some structured sentencing reforms have contributed to modern mass incarceration to engender the emerging “second look” sentencing movement.

The essay details various …

American Mercy: The Case For Clemency, Mark Osler

Akron Law Review

After months of controversial and norm-busting clemency grants by both the Biden and second Trump administrations, many are calling for the presidential pardon power to be curtailed or eliminated. The complaints are understandable, but the death of clemency- in one fell swoop, or by a thousand cuts—would be a tragedy. Such a suggestion embodies the mistake we make so often in criminal law: imposing permanent solutions to short-term problems. Clemency’s role in national reconciliation, the mitigation of harsh laws, and in holding out hope for redemption to those convicted is too dear to lose. The answer to current harms lies …

Comparative Performance Of Polymeric Membrane-Catalytic Combined Module Systems For Efficient Co2 Capture, Yamna Saif Alshamsi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Effective carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is crucial for mitigating climate change. Membrane-based gas absorption systems, particularly those utilizing monoethanolamine (MEA), offer a modular, scalable, and energy-efficient alternative to conventional methods. However, challenges such as membrane wetting, solvent degradation, and mass-transfer limitations hinder their performance.This research investigated the efficiency of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyethersulfone (PES) polymeric membrane contactors for CO2 absorption using MEA under simulated flue gas conditions. A novel approach involved incorporating nanocatalytic material into the absorbent solution to enhance CO2 absorption. Characterization included SEM, FTIR, XRD, permeability, tensile strength, and contact angle measurements, alongside CO2 absorption performance evaluation. …

Synthesis, Characterization And Field Application Of Date Palm Biochar, Raed Sameeh Raja Hussain

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Date palm cultivation generates large quantities of lignocellulosic residues as a part of orchard management and regular pruning activities. Total date palm biomass produced in the UAE has been estimated at around 1.2 million tons per year. These residues are usually burned or disposed of in open areas or used in compost pits which in turn create waste management and environmental issues. This study investigated the conversion of date palm fronds into biochar and evaluated the feasibility of using it as a soil amendment for arid and saline agricultural systems. Biochar was produced using a locally fabricated double canister pyrolysis …

College Student Perceptions Of Death, Shelby Brubaker, Melinda Heinz

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

The purpose of this study was to understand college student perceptions of death. Undergraduate students were invited to participate in a focus group about their perceptions of death. Three focus groups were held and a total of nine students participated, all of whom had majors in the social sciences. All participants were women and approximately 55% were non-religious and 55% reported they were spiritual. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic approach was used to code focus group transcriptions. Three themes were identified: 1) Family and Religious Influences: One participant said, “I think it is less of how religion has shaped …

State-Corporate Crime In Agricultural Markets: The Lynch Livestock Fraud Case, Leah Blaine

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

• Livestock dealers connect farmers to markets
• Dealers control weighing and classification
• Farmers rely on dealer-reported measurements

How Much Control Should We Have Over Our Social Media Feeds?: Reflections On A Lesson For High School Students, Daniel G. Krutka, Edward Henry

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

This paper describes a week-long high school lesson designed to help students understand and reclaim agency over their algorithmically curated social media feeds. Drawing on Nicholas Carr's framework of media's three functions — message creation, selection, and transmission — the lesson traces how algorithms displaced human editorial judgment beginning with Facebook's 2006 News Feed. Through guided inquiry, social media diaries, and platform comparison charts, students examined how much control they have, and should have, over what they see online. The lesson aims to foster critical algorithmic awareness and more intentional social media practices among young people navigating an increasingly automated …

Peeling Back, Katelynn M. Humbles

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

KUCC

Kutztown University Composition Conference

Kutztown University Composition Conference (KUCC)

Theme: “Writing Your Way Home”

Monday, April 14, 2025

Call For Presentations

For many, the most significant place in life is their home. It is where we withdraw and rest. It is where we feel safe and loved. But home is more than just a physical space—it's an idea, a feeling, a crucial part of one’s identity. Writers have spent their careers envisioning different ideas of home, just as we do. We also have the power to shape the kind of home we create for ourselves and others.

This year, …

Argumentative Links In Surat Al-Hujurat Pragmatic Study, Meshal Bin Fayhan Bin Ballash Al-Osaimi

UB Journal for Humanities

Argumentation is a linguistic act marked by links, tools, and mechanisms whose primary function is to direct the utterance in an argumentative direction. Among these mechanisms are argumentative links, which relate to the concerns of argumentative theory at the linguistic level, and whose origin is attributed to both Decroe and Anscomber. These links not only have a traditional grammatical function, but also have a guiding function for the argument. They also achieve coherence and compatibility in the text being addressed, enabling arguments to flow in succession, serving a specific outcome, whether explicit or implicit. Surat Al-Hujurat contains a group of …