Life Sciences Commons^™

An Evaluation Of The Nebraska Ffa Launch! Program, Miranda M. Hornung

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this program evaluation was to discover the experiences of entrepreneurial education received in the Nebraska FFA Launch! Program in relation to future decisions for high school students about entrepreneurship. The Launch! Program aims to provide an educational experience for youth to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and view entrepreneurship as a possible career pathway. This focus addresses the opportunity to potentially help solve the issue of brain drain in rural Nebraska communities. A program evaluation was conducted by story harvesting from past participants through Zoom interviews to understand personal experiences and takeaways from their time in the Launch! …

Toward A Local Governance Model For Green Building Regulation: Lessons From A Philippine City, Mikaela Amihan S. Arrosa, Aileen V. Lapitan

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

The study analyzed local governance in implementing green building regulations in a city in Metro Manila, Philippines, through a case study. Compliance rates were calculated by comparing projects with Green Building Compliance Certification to those with Green Building Pre-Compliance Certification issued by the city. The Delphi method explored environmental sustainability implications of compliance, while key informant interviews and policy landscape analysis identified the factors affecting Green Building Code management. Fewer than half of the pre-compliance and construction permit holders also received occupancy certificates. Three rounds of the Delphi method were conducted, resulting in consensus on recommendations to enhance governance mechanisms …

Socially Constructing ‘Climate Change’ In Fishing Communities Of Sarangani, Philippines, Samantha Geraldine G. De Los Santos, Ma. Larissa Lelu P. Gata

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

The intensifying impacts of climate change have become more evident in recent years. While policies and programs have been implemented in the Philippines for decades, questions remain about how climate change is understood and experienced by fishing communities, the country’s poorest sector. By applying the Ecological-Symbolic Approach, this paper inquired into the fisherfolk’s social definition of climate change. A Qualitatively Driven Sequential Explanatory (QualDSE) mixed-methods design guided the study in developing an informed, substantiated, and context-based definition of climate change. This definition was also analyzed vis-a-vis the widely held definitions in national climate policy.

The terminology “climate change” remains unknown …

Spectroscopic Characterization And Extraction Optimization Of Catechins In Green Tea, Zach J. Mckinley, Masakatsu Watanabe

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This research initiative immerses students in a multifaceted analytical chemistry investigation of catechins—polyphenolic antioxidants prevalent in green tea—through the application of both classical and modern techniques. The project emphasizes hands-on experience with real-world sample analysis, method development, and critical data interpretation.

Catechins were extracted from various commercial green tea products, including loose leaves, powders, and dietary supplements, by trituration with ethyl acetate followed by solvent partitioning using a methanol and water solution. The resulting extracts were analyzed using UV-Visible spectroscopy to quantify catechin content. Selected samples were further characterized by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), confirming both the identity and purity …

Sustainable Land Use Optimization In Radioactively Contaminated Landscapes Of Ukrainian Polissia, Iryna Mcdonald, Liudmyla Raichuk

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Sustainable Land Use Optimization in Radioactively Contaminated Landscapes of Ukrainian Polissia

Dr. Iryna McDonald¹, Dr. Liudmyla Raichuk²

¹Fort Hays State University, Department of Agriculture, Hays, KS, USA

²Institute of Agroecology and Environmental Management of the NAAS, Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract

The radioecological situation in territories contaminated due to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident remains challenging, particularly in the Zhytomyr, Kyiv, and Rivne regions, where certain products continue to exhibit elevated levels of radionuclide content. Contemporary challenges –  such as the full-scale war, which has led to the loss of productive lands in southern and eastern …

Maintaining And Axenizing Live Cyanobacterial Cultures For Bacterial Genome Sequencing, Yufei Wang, Louisa Acquah

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are an

increasing concern in western Kansas, yet the

bloom-forming species in this region remain

poorly characterized. In this study, we

established and maintained axenic

cyanobacterial cultures to support future

genomic and ecological investigations. By

ensuring low contamination levels and stable

growth conditions, this work provides a

foundation for downstream analyses of bloom-

forming cyanobacteria. It contributes to a better

understanding of freshwater ecosystem health

in western Kansas.

Mandibular Ecomorphology Of Tylosaurus (Reptilia: Mosasauridae), Andrew I. Price, Amanda Peng

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The large mosasaur Tylosaurus is known to have been a predator of large marine animals. Performing beam theory analysis, a computational technique that uses linear dimensions of a structure to calculate its resistance to bending, on the mandibles of six Tylosaurus specimens from the Smoky Hill Chalk of Kansas indicates dorsoventral and mediolateral bending strength both increase posteriorly along the mandible. Comparisons with Varanus komodoensis indicate relatively greater mediolateral bending strength mid-dentary in Tylosaurus, suggesting that resisting torsional forces of struggling prey was more important at this landmark in Tylosaurus and that more of its jaw length was used …

Atp Architect - Development Of A Metabolism Boardgame, Selene J. Welch, Micah Burk, Brooklyn Gilchrist, Emma Haase, Timothy T. Jones

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Traditional metabolism instruction often leaves students struggling with pathway interconnectedness and metabolite flux. To foster systems thinking, we are developing an educational board game where students manipulate tokens to navigate physiological constraints and achieve target energy goals. Grounded in Design-Based Research (DBR), the game undergoes iterative refinement based on player feedback. The design utilizes constructivism by allowing students to "fail safely" and revise strategies in real-time, while leveraging embodied cognition to externalize abstract flux into the physical trading of resource tokens.

Reday Program 2026, Bryant University

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

Program for the 2026 Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day). Program includes schedule at a glance, descriptions for panels, workshops, and presentations, along with sign-up links for specific sessions in the electronic version of the program. Printed program was in color with double-sided printing on 8 1/2" x 11" paper stapled together in the upper left corner.

Una To Put Names On 2 Buildings, Jennifer Edwards

Documents

the naming of the Academic Commons Building and the new Science and Technology Building at UNA

The Science And Technology Building University Of North Alabama, Barbie Hampel-University Advancement

Documents

Brochure and floor plans for the New Science and Technology Building at UNA

University Of North Alabama Science And Technology Building Grand Opening And Ribbon Cutting, University Of North Alabama

Documents

Invitation to the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the new Science and Technology Building at UNA

The Effect Of Low And High-Carbohydrate Diets On Memory Performance In College Students, Samia Baugh, Zoe Zajko, Jamie Analuisa, Ivanna Jacome

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the brain and play an important role in processes related to memory performance. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a low-carbohydrate diet compared to a high-carbohydrate diet on memory performance in college students aged 18–22 years. For the purposes of this study, a low-carbohydrate diet is defined as a diet providing fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrates per day, while a high-carbohydrate diet provides approximately 325 grams of carbohydrates. This population is particularly important to study because college students experience high academic demands that require strong memory …

Verifying Mutations In Arabidopsis Thaliana Gene Apetala3, Michelle Wang, Tara Phelps-Durr, Hazel Frans

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of this research is to verify the mutation in the Arabidopsis thaliana APETALA3 (AP3) gene. By sequencing DNA, we confirmed the presence of an extra guanine in the mutant AP3 gene. These findings support that further investigation is needed into how the AP3 gene affects flower development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Reading Literacy Research Trends In Science Learning (2015–2025), Siwi Handayani, Siswanto Siswanto, Rina Rahayu

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study aims to analyze research trends in reading literacy within science learning from 2015 to 2025 through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. The initial screening of 150 articles from the WoS Core Collection and SINTA databases yielded 29 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The analysis focused on publication dynamics, contributing countries, participant characteristics, research variables, and the science subjects investigated. The findings indicate that research on reading literacy in science learning remains limited and shows fluctuating development. Most publications originate from national journals indexed by SINTA, …

Breaking Barriers: Advancement Toward Practical Nursing Licensure For Certified Medication Assistants In Long-Term Care--A Descriptive Study, Aleshia L. Maxwell

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The persistent nursing shortage across the United States, particularly in Long-Term Care (LTC) settings, has complicated the healthcare system’s ability to meet the needs of an aging population. While existing research often examines progression from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Registered Nurse (RN), limited research explores factors influencing progression from entry-level LTC healthcare workers to Practical Nursing (PN) licensure. This quantitative descriptive study examined the barriers and supporting factors influencing advancement toward PN licensure for Medication Assistants-Certified (MA-Cs) in Arkansas LTC facilities. A convenience sample of N=100 participated in the study. Results indicated that financial and structural barriers often …

Florence State Prepares For Jet Age Needs With New, Expanded Facilities, Tommy Hill

Documents

News article from The Birmingham News about the expanded facilities at Florence State College

Construction Projects Picking Up At Una Again, Jennifer Edwards

Documents

Demolition of Floyd Hall and other talk of new construction for The University of North Alabama

Location Set For Una Science Building, Bernie Delinski

Documents

Talk on new Science building at The University of North Alabama

Scientist Floyd Retires At Florence State, Jack Bridges

Documents

Dr. Homer H. Floyd's retirement from Florence State College

Biosensors For Biomedicine, Drake O'Leary

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

This project investigated the use of engineered bacterial reporter systems to detect cellular stress responses associated with antibiotic activity. While constructs were successfully introduced and tested against known antibiotics, the reporter consistently produced a blue signal across conditions, limiting the ability to distinguish specific stress responses. This suggests issues such as leaky expression, insufficient regulatory control, or lack of specificity in the reporter design. Although results were inconclusive, this work highlights key challenges in developing reliable biosensors and provides a foundation for future optimization. Improving signal specificity and reducing background expression will be critical for enabling accurate characterization of antibiotic …

Asphalt Pavement Rejuvenation Investigated By Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry, Catherine Skaggs

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

Asphalt is a relatively inexpensive material commonly used for road pavements; however, asphalt ages from exposure to oxygen and UV radiation, leading to loss of elasticity, which leads to cracks and potholes. To slow or reverse asphalt aging, pavement preservation treatments are in use. It’s unclear whether these treatments truly rejuvenate the pavement structure or merely offer a short-term benefit. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxometry is an analytical technique that uses the recovery of excited nuclear magnetization as a parameter to gain insights into molecular environments. Recovery-time distributions gathered from asphalt materials show differences between regular and rejuvenated asphalt samples, …

An Overview Of Herpetofauna Surveys At Fort Leavenworth Military Reserve., Zane Smith, Sandra Guzman-Duran

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Herpetofauna surveys focused on Crayfish Frog, Spring Peeper, Eastern Tiger Salamander, Red-Bellied Snake, and Smooth Earth Snake were conducted concurrently with Bush Honeysuckle removal projects on the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation.  Survey techniques included coverboard arrays, adaptive hunt drift fences, traditional pit fall traps and visual encounter surveys and were conducted between May and August in 2024 and 2025. The survey effort resulted in the detection of one of the target species, the Smooth Earth Snake. Based on our survey results we are confident that the Crayfish frog and Spring Peeper do not occur on Fort Leavenworth Military Reserve, but …

Start With What They Know: Using Motivational Interviewing To Create A Cooking Class, A Culinary Intervention For Teens (Autistic And Non-Autistic), Gwendolyn S. Tedder

LEND Trainee Presentations

Autistic teens are at greater risk for having heart disease and diabetes as adults. Food particularity, sensory issues, fixed mindset, and anxiety over trying new things can slow down their interest in preparing food for themselves. Nurturing basic cooking skills and gently encouraging trying new foods would provide more nutritional options to teens as they move into adulthood. A cooking class preceded by Motivational Interviewing (MI) developed further interest in preparing food afterward in teens, both autistic and non-autistic, and in trying new foods for autistic teens with food concerns.

Abundance Of Microplastics In The Water And Stream Fish Of Big Walnut Creek, David J. Hartman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Microplastics are a major threat to both ecosystem and human health. In this study, I investigated the abundance of microplastics at five sites along Big Walnut Creek, Ohio including sites upstream, downstream, and within urban development. Samples were taken from the stream surface water and fish at each site. Microplastics were detected in the surface water and fish at all five sites with a total of 383 microplastic particles found in the 157 fish collected for this study. The mean concentration for all sites was 80.8 particles/m3 in the surface water and 2.4 particles per fish. Microplastics were almost entirely …

Exploratory Evaluation Of Handler Performance And Processing-Related Outcomes During Cattle Handling, Morgan Marquardt

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Animals have several critical roles in society, including the production of food and fiber, and companionship. Contact with animals has been shown to benefit human physical and mental health, yet little research has investigated the impact that humans have on animals. Handler skill may considerably affect the extent to which humans influence animal health and wellbeing, and this may be a critical consideration for animal agriculture. Objective assessment of cattle handler skill has received limited attention in the scientific literature, despite its importance to human safety and animal welfare. When compared to less skilled handlers, highly skilled cattle handlers may …

Final Project: Nutrition And Human Disease, Sam Newberry Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment is made up of a series of smaller assignments that were developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Sam Newberry during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and demonstrate understanding of audience needs
• Identify nutritional issues associated with human disease
• Clear communication of information via an Infographic
• Proper utilization of scholarly sources of information

Biol 210: Nutrition (Syllabus), Sam Newberry Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Sam Newberry during the spring 2026 semester.

Course Learning Objectives:

Students who are active participants and complete course requirements will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate familiarity with nutrients, their food sources, their functions, and signs and symptoms of deficiency or excess.
2. Demonstrate familiarity with biological, psychological, social and cultural factors that influence human diet and nutrition.
3. Describe and explain in class discussion and on exams the relationship between diet and health, particularly for selected public health issues.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with nutritional guidelines used in the United States, and the challenges of establishing such …

Career Readiness In Developmental Biology Module, Travis Bailey Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This set of activities were developed and modified by SUNY Geneseo Professor Travis Bailey in the spring 2026 semester.

Biol 454: Developmental Biology (Syllabus), Travis Bailey Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Travis Bailey in the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Outcomes-Students will:

• Understand the methods scientist use to explore the genetic, cellular, and tissue control of development.
• Compare and contrast developmental strategies of model organisms.
• Read primary literature critically and explain strengths and weaknesses.
• Test hypotheses with self-designed experimentation, measurement and data collection, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis.
• Relate discoveries from model animals to human conditions.
• Communicate findings orally and in writing.
• Integrate multiple bodies of knowledge with their personal experience by asking meaningful questions about real-world problems
• Apply skills, theories, …