Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Broadly Speaking - May, 2019, Nova Southeastern University

Broadly Speaking

No abstract provided.

Forensic Characterization And Discrimination Of Manila Envelopes, María Isabel Sánchez Melo

Master's Theses

Envelopes can be found at crime scenes when ransom, threat letters or potentially harmful substances are sent to victims. Therefore, they are important probative items of evidence analyzed by forensic document examiners. Manila envelopes are commonly used in the United States to transport or send documents as they are made of thick and durable paper. Although there are many studies on the forensic analysis of office paper and paper-based banknotes, and only a few on white envelopes, there does not exist previously published research on the physical or chemical characterization of manila envelopes. The goal of this research was to …

Worcester Chamber Of Commerce: Recruiting Minority Business Owners, Ryan Dimaria, Alexander Hull, Xikun Lu, Haopeng Wang, Jiacheng Hou, Danning Zhao

School of Professional Studies

Our capstone project was to help the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce identify how to re-frame their marketing so it would be appealing to immigrant and minority owned businesses. Based on interviews and external research, our group was able to create a tangible and resourceful data set that provided justified recommendations and ideas on how the Chamber could make adjustments to their marketing plan to attract more businesses of this particular demographic in the city of Worcester. By implementing these recommendations, we believe the Chamber has the opportunity to create a more diverse group of Chamber members, add value to …

Service Now: Cmdb Research, Monika Patel, Smita Patil, Katerina Tzanavara, Manish Chauhan, Yuhao Wang, Houmin Xie, Lei Shi

School of Professional Studies

The MAPFRE Capstone team has been tasked with reviewing and recommending roadmap on the existing CMDB configuration. Paper discusses the team’s overall research on ServiceNow CMDB, Client’s deliverables and introduction to the latest technological innovations. Based on given objectives and team’s analysis we have recommended key solutions for the client to better understand the IT environment areas of business service impact, asset management, compliance, and configuration management. In addition, our research has covered all the majority of the technical and functional areas to provide greater visibility and insight into existing CMDB and IT environment.

The Importance Of Multiple Narrative Spirituality In Child Development Of Morality In A Pluralistic Society, Jamie Mckeithen

Senior Theses

With the assumption that humans are innately spiritual, I investigate research regarding the development of spirituality that takes place from childhood to adulthood. Over the past 30 years, James Fowler has called upon Erikson’s and Piaget’s cognitive developmental stages of children, in order to understand their spiritual development phases. When reading the myths and origin stories of spiritual belief systems, the commonality found within all of these narratives is the persistent focus on underlying morality. When utilizing stories as a way to teach spiritual morality, children are easily able to recognize and go back to these basic narratives, using their …

Be An Ally For Accessibility: Tips For All Librarians, Shawn Mccann, Rebeca Peacock

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Accessibility is a concern for librarians in digital as well as physical spaces, and we have a responsibility to uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, regardless of legal requirements, librarians endeavour to make content available to everyone. People with disabilities are no exception. While some of the more complex accessibility issues should be left to instructional technologists and web developers, there are plenty of things that anyone posting content online can do to increase content accessibility. Here are five tips that we have found useful for creating guides, posting handouts in our Learning Management System (LMS), building online …

Betrayals In Academia And A Black Demon From Ephesus, Suleman Lazarus

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

The poem is about my PhD experience. The title and parts of the themes are derived from an incident in the Bible (Acts 19:13-20). In order to provide a deeper meaning to my story, I have deployed a biblical allusion which connects with the story of the sons of Sceva, who made unsuccessful attempts to exorcise a man from Ephesus. They failed primarily because they operated not in the spirit but in the flesh.

The Effects Of Radical Transformational Change On The Change Agent In Software And Systems Product Development Contexts, Bob Schatz

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

We are at the cusp of what Ray Kurzweil, Google’s director of engineering, called the “age of acceleration,” where globalization, technology, and financial markets instill a need for newer, better, faster products and services (Friedman, 2016: 187). As old ways of operating become outmoded and exponential growth is expected, businesses struggle to keep pace. Many face the same imperative: adapt or die. They must make sweeping, radical organizational change led by prepared, capable leaders who are empowered to drive this transformation. Research on leading radical change initiatives has focused on systems, models, and methodology—the practical processes of taking a business …

Icda-Us Mid-West Young Adult Newsletter, May 2019

ICDA-US Mid-West Young Adult Newsletter

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in USA

St. Dominic Deaf Center, May-June 2019

Saint Dominic Deaf Center

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Houston, TX

Saint Dominic Deaf Center Finding Aid

Newsletter Catholic Deaf Of Detroit, May 2019

Newsletter Catholic Deaf of Detroit

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Detroit, MI

Newsletter Catholic Deaf of Detroit Finding Aid

For One Child, Zion Bereket, Xin Huang, Yitong Lin, Ruobing Pei, Rachel White, Ziyuan Li

School of Professional Studies

The entirety of this project was completed on the foundation of the three focus areas, which were identified by our client as areas of high need. The client wanted to prioritize these three areas as they believed that these three areas were the most integral to the successful achievement of their mission, as well as to the overall health and longevity of the organization.

Hiv/Aids In The Latino Community Of San Francisco: Past And Present, Jessica Da Silva

School of Professional Studies

There are approximately 122,000 people of Latino origin in San Francisco, which account for 15% of the total population (Census, 2010). Historically, Latinos have and still face several barriers to access healthcare and improvements in health (Aguirre-Molina, Molina & Zambrana, 2001). When the world was exposed to the spread of a new and unknown virus, the broader population suffered from the epidemic. The Latino community in San Francisco was and still is one of the hardest hit by the virus.

Changing The Current Perception Of Affordable Housing In Worcester, Simone Mcguinness, William Roberts, Vaske Gjino, Tong Zhou, Mengxin Ma, Sarawadee Sonpuak

School of Professional Studies

One of Worcester Interfaith’s goals is to eradicate the stigma of affordable housing in Worcester. Currently, the perception of affordable housing is of an image of unkept and old residences filled with destitute citizens who cannot afford basic needs to live in a city, let alone housing. This image is perpetuated by media, stigma, and a lack of education of the true reality of affordable housing and who its recipients are. Affordable housing-qualified citizens represent a range of educations, professions, age, race, and income levels. Affordable housing units, too, represent a variety of homes, many of which are extremely well-kept …

Associations Between Mmpi-2-Rf Scale Scores And Institutional Violence Among Patients Detained Under Sexually Violent Predator Laws, Anthony M. Tarescavage, Allen Azizian, Charles Broderick, Peter English

2019 Faculty Bibliography

Sexually violent predator (SVP) laws allow the postprison civil commitment of sex offenders to a secure psychiatric hospital because of mental abnormality and posing a serious risk to public safety. Research on predictors of future institutional violence in this population is lacking because adequately sized samples are difficult to obtain. In the current study, we examined psychological predictors of future institutional violence in a sample of 171 psychiatrically hospitalized males detained or civilly committed under an SVP laws. Using the Minnesota Multiphasic-Personality Inventory-2–Restructured Form (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008/2011), we found that scales assessing thought dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, and externalizing behaviors …

Designing A Solar Pv System To Power A Single-Phase Distribution System, Ana Guerra Vega

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Over the last decade, the costs of PV system components have dropped more than 70%. Additionally, green energy incentives like the 30% tax credit have been pushed forward. PV solar systems have become accessible to the general public. Companies are pledging to reduce their carbon emissions.

As part of their green initiative, the City of Fayetteville has requested a feasibility study for a PV system to be installed on the rooftop of the Facilities Management building, 115 S. Church Ave, Fayetteville, AR, 72701. This thesis shows the design process of this PV system and the return on investment estimation. While …

Introduction By The Editor For This Issue, R. W. Hafer

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Foreign Direct Investment On Food Security: A Case Study From Rural Mozambique, Kali Fleming

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Poverty and food insecurity in the sub-Saharan African region have been exacerbated by the worst drought in 23 years, which impacted 25 countries in Southern and Eastern Africa from 2015-2016. In Mozambique alone it was estimated that the 2015-2016 drought resulted in over 1.5 million people becoming food insecure (FAO, 2016). To mitigate the increasing problem of household food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Food Program recommends job creation to target the most vulnerable populations. Job creation is often the result of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). However, critics of FDI often cite concerns of human rights abuses, inadequate working …

Identifying Arkansas Food Desert Blocks Suitable For A Peer-To-Peer Modeled Food Redistribution Program, Emily King

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

­­­­­­­­­ Nearly 10% of Americans reside in low-income urban food deserts which are low-income areas that lack access to affordable and nutritious foods. Food deserts in Arkansas contribute to a food insecurity rate above the national average, making it one of the most food insecure states in the country. Efforts to alleviate food deserts have included working with supermarkets to construct stores in underserved areas, encouraging the growth of farmers’ markets, and passing the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). The inability of these programs to provide food desert residents with a variety of accessible and affordable food items year-round …

Faculty Format Preferences In The Performing Arts: A Multi-Institutional Study, Joe C. Clark, Jonathan Sauceda, Sheridan Stormes

Scholarship and Professional Work

Resources for teaching in higher education have undergone a tremendous evolution during the past several decades. The Internet and commercial services, such as YouTube and Google, have revolutionized the manner by which students and faculty access information to both conduct research and meet course requirements. This mixed methods study implemented an online survey and interviews to determine how performing arts faculty at three institutions integrate library resources and services into their teaching. Conclusions indicate that, while personal collections and Internet resources provide a majority of teaching content, the academic library still offers important access to materials for instruction.

Forest Grove School District: Enrollment Forecast 2019-20 To 2028-29: Based On October 2018 Enrollments, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Joshua Ollinger

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

This report presents forecasts of district‐wide and individual school enrollments for the Forest Grove School District (FGSD) for the 10 year period between 2019‐20 and 2028‐29. Three districtwide forecast scenarios correspond to population forecasts incorporating different assumptions about growth within the District, with the primary differences being the contribution of net migration to the District’s population and age distribution. Individual school forecasts consistent with the middle series are also presented for the 10 year period.

Education As Important Predictor For Successful Employment In Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Worldwide., Maayke Sluman, Maayke Sluman, Silke Apers, Judith Sluiter, Karen Nieuwenhuijsen, Philip Moons, Philip Moons, Koen Luyckx, Koen Luyckx, Adrienne Kovacs, Adrienne Kovacs, Corina Thomet, Werner Budts, Junko Enomoto, Hsiao-Ling Yang, Jamie Jackson, Paul Khairy, Stephen Cook, Raghavan Subramanyan, Luis Alday, Katrine Eriksen, Mikael Dellborg, Mikael Dellborg, Malin Berghammer, Malin Berghammer, Eva Mattsson, Andrew Mackie, Samuel Menahem, Maryanne Caruana, Kathy Gosney, Alexandra Soufi, Susan Fernandes, Kamila White, Edward Callus, Shelby Kutty, Berto Bouma, Barbara Mulder

Psychology Faculty Works

Background: Conflicting results have been reported regarding employment status and work ability in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Since this is an impor‐ tant determinant for quality of life, we assessed this in a large international adult CHD cohort. Methods: Data from 4028 adults with CHD (53% women) from 15 different countries were collected by a uniform survey in the cross‐sectional APPROACH International Study. Predictors for employment and work limitations were studied using general linear mixed models. Results: Median age was 32 years (IQR 25‐42) and 94% of patients had at least a high school degree. Overall employment rate …

Daily Devotions For The Deaf, May-August 2019

Daily Devotions for the Deaf

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Council Bluffs, IA

Daily Devotions for the Deaf Finding Aid

“Being Able To Breathe Publicly:” Trans And Gender Nonconforming People Healing Through Embodied Activity, Kp Blake-Leibowitz

Sociology Honors Projects

Sociological research on transgender and gender nonconforming (gnc) people has emphasized the interplay between identity and institutional contexts as constraining through hegemonic norms and dominant ideologies on sex and gender. Research in feminist trauma studies focused on insidious and embodied trauma has demonstrated numerous prospects for healing. In bridging these two fields of study through a socio-phenomenological lens, this paper shows how consciousness emerges in ways that facilitate the development of a type of bodily agency. Empirically, the paper examines whether trans and gnc people can use movement-based activities for healing, and how that healing occurs in particular spaces. In …

Why We Hear About It, And Why We Don't: Power Dynamics And Sexual Harassment Reporting In Us State Legislative Bodies, Halley Norman

Political Science Honors Projects

The rise to prominence of the #MeToo Movement in October 2017 opened the floodgates to sexual harassment and assault allegations in all fields and levels of employment, across the United States and the world. This movement has crucially revealed is that women often wait months or even years before reporting, if they report at all. Looking at US state legislative bodies, I argue that gendered power dynamics between men and women suppress allegations and promote harassment. Using interviews and data analysis, this paper identifies different factors that may delay or hinder reporting, with a specific focus on gendered power dynamics …

The Importance Of Responsiveness: Improving Health-Related Outcomes Among Ostomates, Carrie Reif

Dissertations

More than 750,000 individuals in the United States live with an ostomy appliance, and additional 130,000 patients undergo ostomy surgery each year (United Ostomy Association of America, 2018). Although a life-saving procedure, patients confront significant physical (e.g., bowel routine and activity levels) and emotional (e.g., poor body image and depression) challenges that impede the adjustment process. When faced with health-related threats, the transactional action model of stress and coping argues that patients use strategies, such as seeking support, to effectively cope. However, because of perceptions of felt and enacted stigma and health-related uncertainty, some patients conceal ostomy-related issues and limit …

Watering The Desert: Azraq, Public Opinion, And Environmental Post-Materialism, Wesley A. Gerard

Venture: The University of Mississippi Undergraduate Research Journal

This article focuses on physical, socioeconomic, and political changes in the community of Azraq, Jordan. Azraq, a small town in northeastern Jordan, sits atop a large aquifer that has been heavily pumped by the government for several decades in response to an increasing nationwide demand for water. This has led to large-scale transformations in not only the physical landscape surrounding the aquifer, but also in the daily lives, economic statuses, and political opinions of the people living there. My research thus fits the case of Azraq into larger academic discourse on groundwater governance, resource access, and environmentalism. I use a …

Jesse Routte: Using Style To Signify Injustice, Emma Nordmeyer

Race, Ethnicity, & Religion

Jesse Routte, first African-American student to graduate Augustana, made national headlines in 1947 for wearing a turban on a visit to Alabama. In this paper, I explore how Routte's stylistic choices uprooted and questioned the racism of the Jim Crow era.

Feedback Forwards: How We Found New Ways To Ask Our Students What They Want From The Library, Rachael Juskuv, Maura Keating, Patricia Lombardi, Allison Papini

Library Staff Publications, Presentations & Journal Articles

A team of Bryant University Librarians are participating in the EXCITE Transformation for Libraries program through the Connecticut State Library. We conducted a series of structured group and one-on-one conversations with students, faculty, and staff in order to learn about how they think and feel about teamwork, the library, and collaboration at the library. We found that students in particular were far more responsive to community sessions than in taking surveys.

Methodological Improvements In The Mrna Profiling Assays For Incorporation Into Dna Casework Workflows, Paris Volk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, DNA profiling is the gold standard to identify an individual. However, determining body fluid origin is important in criminal investigations, offering additional information surrounding the circumstances of a crime. However, crime labs can only definitively identify blood and semen and presumptively saliva using techniques that consume time and sample and do not simultaneously identify all forensically relevant body fluids. This causes many crime labs to want to bypass body fluid identification altogether. Therefore, advances into more definitive molecular-based body fluid methods are necessary. One such technique is mRNA profiling because it provides a highly sensitive and specific approach to …