Digital Commons Network^™

Speaking Merit: English Fluency, Class, And Perceived Ability In India, Arianna Steadman, Aakanksh Vaidya

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

This paper explores how English fluency in India is often linked to perceptions of intelligence, competence and social status. Through four interviews with Dartmouth students from India and analysis of the films Hindi Medium and English Vinglish we found English can shape schooling access, confidence, respect, and opportunity, whilst also reflecting inequalities in class, privilege, and prior educational exposure. Our findings suggest that the high value placed on English can reinforce unfair social hierarchies by making unequal access appear like individual merit.

Comparing Non-Native Learner Perceptions Of Simplified And Traditional Chinese Characters With Psycholinguistic Academic Literature, Amol Bhingarde, Lee Nowicki

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

Non-native learners of Chinese commonly assume that simplified characters (简体字) are substantially easier to learn and use than traditional characters (繁體字). This paper investigates the gap between that perception and the reality suggested by existing psycholinguistic academic research. Through a survey of 20 non-native learners with varying levels of Chinese language experience, we find that respondents generally perceive simplified characters as easier to learn, faster to recognize, and more convenient to write. Comparing this perception against academic research, however, reveals a more complicated picture. While the writing advantage of simplified characters appears genuine and lasting, the perceived advantage in readability …

What's In A Name? Examining The Adoption Of English Names By East Asian Immigrants, Claire Chang, Emmanuel Olasoju

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

This paper investigates English name adoption by East Asian immigrants. Through the exploration of linguistic and cultural motivations behind English name choice (or lack thereof), we analyze how this practice relates to language, identity, and society, and how this phenomenon reflects broader issues of assimilation, globalization, and cross-cultural communication. The results gathered refute the common claim that English name adoption represents denial or loss of cultural identity; rather it primarily functions as a pragmatic tool for navigating multilingual and multicultural environments.

Learning Gendered Speech: How Media Exposure Shapes American Learners’ Perceptions Of Japanese Pronouns, Emma Bell, David Raymond

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

Language choices play an integral part in an individual’s identity, especially in how they are perceived by others. Further, the context under which an individual learns a language has a major influence on their language choices. This influence is particularly significant in Japanese: a language that is often described as having clearly defined “masculine” and “feminine” speech styles. The following research is a study on how beginner Japanese language learners’ pedagogical and environmental backgrounds affect their perception of gendered pronouns. An online survey was conducted to compare perceptions of the appropriateness of various pronouns across gendered contexts between beginner learners …

Native Chinese Speakers’ Perspective On Foreign Speakers Of Their Language, Veronika Šímová, Jack Inglis

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

As previous research suggests, native speakers of Chinese may hold unfair perceptions of non-native learners of their language. This might lead to a belief among Chinese native speakers that non-Asians cannot speak Chinese fluently or at a native level. This is a potentially harmful assumption that has implications affecting new learners, experienced learners, and future learners. Existing research on the topic has shown that ethnically Chinese L2 speakers of Mandarin are often perceived more positively than non-Asian L2 speakers. Other scholars have shown the perceived relationships between looking Chinese and speaking Chinese, as well as assumptions that Asians should speak …

Same Film, Different Story: Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of Movie Titles In Thai And Cantonese Markets, Krittin Hirunchupong, Yi Gao

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

Movie title translations play a significant role in cross-cultural marketing and interpersonal communication among audiences. Due to cultural differences and naming conventions, English titles are often adapted creatively in Asian contexts for informative, aesthetic and commercial purposes. Diverse translation strategies share organic relations with Glocalization trends, indicating the degree of cultural openness in international discourse. This study combines media analysis that investigates translation strategy trends in top rated films in Thailand and Hong Kong with survey data on bilingual audiences’ interaction with title backtranslations. Both quantitative and qualitative data reflect that Thai and Cantonese film titles shape audience expectations and …

Understanding Naming Conventions And Typography For Chinese Restaurants In America, David Jiang, Andrew Burr

Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation

In terms of culture and identity, there are few things more significant than food. For those who aren't natives of a culture, restaurants and the dining industry are key avenues that open up a part of the world to many different individuals. However, the decisions surrounding the visual and naming aesthetics are what clients of these restaurants see, often made to appease Western/American perceptions of a certain culture. In this paper, we examine the naming conventions and typography of Chinese restaurants in America, with a focus on the Upper Valley region. This paper will examine whether these designs and naming …

Gpu Embedded Machine Learning Solar Pv Forecasting (Paper), Hamza Tasneem

Honors Capstone Projects

Author ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1665-3966

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.62812/DHND6486

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) generation is intermittent and variable in nature, which can threaten the stability and economic efficiency of the power grid. Accurate and precise forecasts could help to mitigate intermittency issues by helping the grid in the allocation of generation resources at times when solar irradiance is low. This paper presents a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach to accurately predict solar irradiance forecast for Brookings, SD area using Clear-Sky Irradiance (CSI) data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), utilizing a sliding-window algorithm and other data processing algorithms. The CNN was trained on …

Gpu Embedded Machine Learning Solar Pv Forecasting (Poster), Hamza Tasneem

Honors Capstone Projects

Author ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1665-3966
Poster DOI : https://doi.org/10.62812/MOFI3028

This was poster was developed in support of the paper of the same name.

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.62812/DHND6486

A Ghost Of Slavery: Osha’S De Facto Exclusion Of Incarcerated Workers, Jacqueline Glenn

The Business, Entrepreneurship & Tax Law Review

From chattel slavery to convict leasing to sharecropping to present-day prison work, exploitative labor has always had a place in the American economy. Incarcerated workers are compelled to perform long hours of dangerous work for mere pennies, often without adequate breaks and under the threat of solitary confinement, physical abuse, or other punitive measures if they refuse. Federal labor protections that shield free people from such conditions are largely unapplied to incarcerated workers, leaving them with little legal recourse. Tracing the development of involuntary labor through American history, this article contends that the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 …

Guns For Hire, States In Ruin: An International Regulatory Framework To Combat The Exploitation Of Weak States By Private Military Companies, Joshua Hiero

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Can A Un Protectorate Provide Resolution To Haitian Instability?, Andrew Wickes

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Sacbe 1 And Classic Maya Urban Culture, Traci Ardren, Scott R. Hutson, Travis W. Stanton, Patrick Rohrer, Justin P. Lowry

Anthropology Faculty Publications

One of the most significant engineering accomplishments of Maya civilization is Sacbe 1, a raised road connecting the ancient urban centers of Yaxuna and Coba. Using new lidar data in concert with excavation, epigraphic inscriptions, and landscape reconnaissance, we show that settlement and an urban experience emanated westward from Coba along the sacbe. The leaders of Coba - in particular, an ambitious seventh-century queen - used the sacbe to expand the political and cultural influence of their dynasty into the center of the peninsula while securing territory and resources. Gaps in the sacbe, precise delineation of its many curves, and …

Interactions Between Air Pollution And Weather/Climate From Urban To Global Scales, Meng Gao, Xin Huang, Yucong Miao, Mengmeng Li, Claudio Mazzoleni

Michigan Tech Publications

Air pollution and meteorology are intricately linked. Weather modulates the formation, transport, and removal of pollutants, while aerosols and trace gases modify radiation balance, cloud microphysics, boundary-layer structure, and other factors. These two-way interactions span scales from urban to global and have important consequences. The papers collected in this special issue of Meteorological Applications examine how interactions between weather and pollution at various scales affect visibility, pollutant transport, crop yields, and other outcomes, collectively highlighting the crucial role of the interplay between air pollution and meteorology.

Not Just Discipline: An Action Research Approach To In School Suspension Reform, Samantha Marie Di Stefano

Theses & Dissertations

School discipline remains a controversial issue, particularly regarding the fairness and effectiveness of In School Suspension (ISS). While ISS is intended to serve as a constructive alternative to out-of-school suspension, research shows that it is often implemented as an isolating and punitive practice that disproportionately impacts marginalized student populations and fails to address the root causes of misconduct. This qualitative action research study sought to reimagine ISS as a supportive, student-centered space informed by Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and restorative justice principles. The purpose of the study was to explore how students experienced voice, belonging, and care within an ISS …

Rooted And Rising: A Case Study Of Chinese American Undergraduates' Career Pathways At A Pwi Post-Covid, Rebecca Yin-Chow Martinez

Theses & Dissertations

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese American undergraduate students have navigated complex intersections of intergenerational expectations, racialized experiences, and evolving career aspirations within higher education. This qualitative case study explores how Chinese American undergraduate students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) choose their educational and career goals in a post-COVID climate. Guided by the Asian American Intergenerational Model of the Psychology of Working (AAIM), this study examines the influence of familial expectations, personal interests, institutional supports and barriers, and experiences of racism on students’ career decision-making processes. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, observations, Career …

Elevating The Performance Of Software Development Teams By Leveraging Emotional Intelligence Through Improved Knowledge Sharing, Rajiv Sabherwal, Mary M. Dunaway

Information Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in managing emotions within software development (SD) teams, which often face challenges such as stress and anxiety. EI can enhance knowledge sharing (KS) and team performance, contributing to the success of SD projects. This paper examines EI in terms of four aspects - awareness and management of own and others' emotions - and investigates how they affect KS and team performance. The study is based on survey data from 357 individuals in 86 teams at seven large companies in the United States. Multilevel modeling, specifically using Generalized Structural Equation Modeling in Stata 19, …

When Detention Becomes A Death Sentence: The Urgent Need For Greater Due Process Protections For Ice Detainees, Kyle J. Smith

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Note argues that U.S. immigration detention, though legally classified as civil, operates as a punitive carceral system that routinely subjects immigrants to abuse, neglect, and preventable death. Drawing on the tragic case of Ernesto Javier Rocha Cuadra and other documented instances of physical violence, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and sexual abuse, it demonstrates how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ('ICE') relies on detention as a default mechanism rather than as a last resort. The result is a system that mirrors the criminal legal system in scale and severity but denies detainees its constitutional safeguards.
The analysis situates the rise …

Stroke Increases Motor Output Variability During Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contractions Of Knee Extensor Muscles In Adults, Zhilun Zhou, Stephanie Christine Wolfe, Brian Schmit, Matthew J. Durand, Sandra Hunter, Allison Hyngstrom

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Greater motor output variability (MOV, inconsistency and unsteadiness) during submaximal tasks post stroke is associated with poorer motor performance. However, little is known about MOV during maximal tasks and relationships with clinical measures of motor performance among stroke survivors. This study determined inconsistency (across discrete attempts) and unsteadiness (within a single attempt) during knee extension maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) in stroke survivors and neurotypical controls. Forty-three stroke survivors (28 female) and 31 age-matched neurotypical controls (15 female) performed a minimum of five knee extension MVICs with paretic and non-paretic legs (stroke) or dominant leg (controls). Inconsistency was calculated as …

Beyond Redemption?: Examining The Sixth Circuit’S Dangerousness Approach For As-Applied Challenges To The Felon-In-Possession Ban, Jack Baker

Vanderbilt Law Review

The federal felon-in-possession statute permanently bans felons from possessing firearms, regardless of the severity of the predicate felony conviction. Both a murder conviction and a mail-fraud conviction equally satisfy the statute's elements. Critics thus argue that the statute is too expansive. Despite the criticism, the felon-in-possession ban has generally survived Second Amendment challenges. But the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen opened a new angle for constitutional challenges to the felon-in-possession ban. In Bruen, the Supreme Court established a history-and-tradition test for Second Amendment cases. Courts must now find historically analogous gun …

Kras4a And Kras4b Show Distinct Lipid-Dependent Regulation Of Ras-Raf Membrane Dynamics, Konstantia Georgouli, Jeremy O.B. Tempkin, Liam G. Stanton, Tomas Oppelstrup, Rebika Shrestha, Timothy S. Carpenter, Fikret Aydin, Xiaohua Zhang, Harsh Bhatia, Yue Yang, Que N. Van, Pedro Andrade Bonilla, Gulcin Gulten, Debanjan Goswami, Francesco Di Natale, Joseph R. Chavez, Joseph Y. Moon, Gautham Dharuman, Nicolas W. Hengartner, For Full Author List, See Comments Below

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

KRAS4a and KRAS4b are important regulators of signaling, and their interactions with the plasma membrane are dynamic and influenced by lipid composition. KRAS 4a and 4b have nearly identical globular domains but differ in their membrane-associated hyper variable region (HVR). The functional distinctions between these isoforms remain unclear, particularly with regards to their dependence on specific lipids and the membrane environment. Previous work showed that the membrane orientation of KRAS4b affects its ability to bind to RAF kinase RBDCRD and that the KRAS–RBDCRD complex adopts different poses on the membrane as well as influences the size and composition of the …

We Are Still In It: A Conceptual Model For Moral Injury And Burnout In Alternative Response Programs To Guide Intervention, Miranda Worthen, Soma De Bourbon, Omar Breedlove, Courtney Ewing, Joseph Graterol, Amelia Harmon, Nakia Hines, Erik Lundgren, Michael Mason, Michael Marchiselli, Vania Mendoza, Khoa Nguyen, Britt Rubin, April Sloan, Shira Maguen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Introduction: About 20% of police calls involve a person experiencing a behavioral health crisis. To better address these community member’s needs and reduce risk of harm, jurisdictions are developing programs that shift calls for crises related to homelessness, addiction, and mental health to non-law enforcement alternatives. In responding to these calls, first responders working in these alternative response programs are exposed to a different set of moral dilemmas and pressures, increasing their risk of developing moral injury. Methods: The Alternative Response Program Moral Injury and Burnout Model highlights causes of exposure to potentially morally injurious events and the interplay between …

When Superstition Outperforms Truth: Belief Transmission, Sacrifice, And Cooperation Under Environmental Uncertainty, Aidin Hajikhameneh

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We report results from an intergenerational experiment investigating how prosocial beliefs, whether accurate or false, emerge, spread, and support cooperation under environmental uncertainty (N=448, university students). In a repeated public goods game with randomly determined but ambiguously framed payoff shocks, participants often formed superstitious beliefs linking generosity to rewards. Compared to accurate beliefs, these superstitious beliefs, when transmitted to the next generation and internalized, led to greater cooperation and facilitated group formation via voluntary sacrifice. Individuals who held such beliefs were more likely to sacrifice and self-organize into high-functioning groups, achieving the highest levels of public good provision. These findings …

Thermodynamically Consistent Incorporation Of The Langmuir Adsorption Model Into Compressible Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, Hyun Tae Jung, Hyungjun Kim, Alejandro L. Garcia, Andrew J. Nonaka, John B. Bell, Ishan Srivastava, Changho Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

For a gas–solid interfacial system where chemical species undergo reversible adsorption, we develop a mesoscopic stochastic modeling method that simulates both gas-phase hydrodynamics and surface coverage dynamics by coupling the Langmuir adsorption model with compressible fluctuating hydrodynamics. To this end, we derive a thermodynamically consistent mass–energy update scheme that accounts for how the mass and energy variables in the gas and surface subsystems should be updated according to the changes in the number of molecules of each species in each subsystem due to adsorption and desorption events. By performing a stochastic analysis for the ideal Langmuir model and the full …

The Campaign For Motivation: Comparing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Running With Classroom Instruction, Arpit Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

Motivation is a cornerstone of effective teaching and learning, influencing student engagement, satisfaction, and academic performance. This descriptive case study examines Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) as an underutilized pedagogical approach in higher education and compares the motivational processes involved in TRPG game running with those in classroom instruction. Leveraging the mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968), the study proposes that faculty unfamiliar with TRPGs can lower perceived barriers to adoption by identifying familiar motivational elements shared with classroom teaching. The study draws on self-determination theory, motivational frameworks, and case study methodology to analyze structural parallels between TRPG game mastering and instructional …

The Impact Of Academic Service Learning On Community Self-Service Efficacy: An Exploratory Study Of Four Ethical Types, Niall Hegarty, John Angelidis

Journal of Research Initiatives

Academic Service-Learning (ASL) literature reveals that most studies assume students are a homogeneous whole and thus draw overly-generalized conclusions regarding students perceived self-service efficacy as well as their disposition towards future service. To rectify this problem, this study utilizes Forsyth’s (1980) conceptual model of two dimensions, idealism and relativism, to categorize students into four categories: situationists (n=53), subjectivists (n=34), absolutists (43), and exceptionists (n=52). These students (n=182) were measured on the Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) before and after participating in an ASL project. The CSSES, developed by Reeb et al. (1998), measures an individual’s confidence that their service efforts …

Language Analysis Of "Gaslight" And "Narcissist" As Seen On Tiktok, Aaren Fernandez

Journal of Research Initiatives

TikTok is a popular social media platform from which users frequently obtain information. Specifically, psychological concepts such as anxiety, depression, and related conditions are becoming popular vernacular on TikTok through trends such as "story times." However, the accuracy of these terms' usage requires examination. In this qualitative analysis of TikTok posts and comments under the hashtags #gaslight and #narcissist, it was found that videos under these hashtags often originated from users attempting to warn viewers about psychological traits that align with common diagnostic language. However, comments under these videos tended to use these terms in a more casual sense than …

Breaking Barriers, Transforming Digital Literacy, And Creating Immersive Learning Environments In The 21st Century, Romero D'Souza

Journal of Research Initiatives

This paper explores the future of educational technologies with a focus on breaking systemic barriers, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering immersive learning environments. Using Maharashtra, India as a case study, it examines disparities in infrastructure, internet access, and teacher readiness across government and private institutions. Local challenges are analyzed alongside initiatives like the Digital India Mission, while national policies and international best practices are reviewed for broader context. Cross-cutting themes of equity, access, and professional development highlight the need for inclusive technological integration. The pedagogical implications of emerging technologies—particularly AI and AR/VR—are assessed alongside ethical concerns around data privacy and …

Theorizing The Potential Of Lo-Fi Music And Ai-Driven Innovations To Foster Academic Focus And Well-Being, Oksana Karapetian, Simone Elias, Linda Wilson-Jones

Journal of Research Initiatives

This conceptual paper examines the potential of lo-fi music as a tool for enhancing academic focus and well-being among students. Drawing from cognitive and psychological perspectives, as well as historical and educational frameworks, this study explores the implications of integrating lo-fi music into learning environments. Research suggests that background music can influence cognitive performance, memory retention, and emotional regulation (de Witte et al., 2019; Fancourt et al., 2016), making it a compelling subject for investigation. Additionally, advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), and automation have introduced new possibilities for personalizing and optimizing background music in educational settings. …

Terrorist Exploitation Of Geospatial Technologies And Related Threats To Homeland Security: A Joint Ncite-Start Project Report, Austin C. Doctor, Steve Sin, Megan Rutter, Markus Binder, Louis Wasser, Michael Becker, Abie Harder, Ryan Vilter, Elle Ward, Victoria Maldonado, Eleanor Greenbaum

Reports, Projects, and Research

This project characterizes threats and risk pertaining to violent non-state actor exploitation of commercially available geospatial technologies to surveil, target, and attack U.S. critical infrastructure and American communities over the near and intermediate future.