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Nutrient Levels and Prey Density: Drivers of Carnivory in Aquatic Utricularia
No full textAquatic ecosystems in the state of Vermont are being inundated with nutrient runoff, leading to an excess and imbalance of nitrogen and phosphorus. Carnivorous aquatic macrophytes are commonly found in nutrient poor waters throughout Vermont. The response of carnivorous aquatic macrophytes to nutrient additions remains unknown and understudied. In this research we investigated the influence of environmental nutrient concentrations and prey dynamics on Utricularia vulgaris (Common Bladderwort), in lakes/ponds across the state of Vermont over varying N and P concentrations. Our study examined the effect of lake nutrient concentration and prey density on U. vulgaris plant tissue nutrient content and morphological attributes associated with carnivory, such as bladder trap size and count. Our findings revealed a significant negative relationship between historical nitrogen levels and bladder count per leaf. We also found a significant negative relationship between historical phosphorus levels and bladder size. No relationship between water nutrient concentration and plant tissue nutrient concentration was found. But Seasonality had a significant negative relationship both in bladder count and size. Zooplankton prey density did not significantly expressions of carnivory. This work provides preliminary evidence that Vermont’s enriched waters may be altering the morphology of a common carnivorous macrophyte.First place in the 2025 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Student Research in the Advanced Undergraduate Researchers: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) category
‘Great Upheavals, Terrible Struggles’: Winston Churchill’s Walk with Destiny Toward Total War, 1874-1918
No full textWinston Churchill’s life, background, and careers were a foretaste of his indispensable role in the age of total war that dominated the early twentieth century. Such exhaustive training resulted in his iconic dual roles as Britain’s Prime Minister and “Minister of Defence” in the Second World War between May 10, 1940, and July 26, 1945. His unwavering belief in his place at the height of British politics and world power frequently manifested itself in his copious writings and speeches. The culmination of Churchill’s thoroughly cultivated aura of self-importance notably appeared in the first volume of his Second World War memoirs. “At last I had the authority to give direction over the whole scene,” he wrote in The Gathering Storm (1948); “I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial. … I thought I knew a good deal about it all, and I was sure I should not fail.”Master of Arts Program in Military Histor
Beyond the Rituals and Rumors: Analyzing the Continued Impact of the Skull and Swords Society at Norwich University
No full textWhat happens when the most powerful forces on a university campus are the ones we know the least about? At Norwich University, the enduring mystery of the Skull and Swords Society forces this question into sharp focus. Long after its official disbandment in 1997, the society's name continues to echo through cadet folklore, alumni forums, and institutional whispers, raising profound questions about secrecy, leadership, and the true forces shaping the student experience. Secret societies in the United States have been influencing academic institutions, fostering intellectual growth, camaraderie, and controversy. Norwich University, known as the birthplace of the Reserve Officer Training Corps and a distinguished private military academy, has a history of student secret organizations. The most cited, discussed, and widely known society is the Skull and Swords Society, which officially no longer exists as an organization on campus. Though it was officially disbanded on April 18, 1997, due to a range of reasons, its legacy remains persistent nearly 30 years later with alumni contributions, traditions, and ongoing discussions regarding the organization's position on secrecy and leadership in military education. The Skull and Swords Society, founded at Norwich University, not only predated but directly influenced the creation of Skull and Bones at Yale University by alumnus William Huntington Russell, establishing a model for elite, secret collegiate societies in America. This paper explores the Skull and Swords society’s origins, rise to prominence, and whether its presence, either active or symbolic, continues to influence Norwich University today. Through an analysis of public perception, which ranges from fascination to concerns over elitism and lack of transparency, this study assesses the impact of Skull and Swords on Norwich’s culture, leadership development, and institutional values. Ultimately, this paper aims to reveal why the Skull and Swords society’s legacy matters, not only to the university at large, but especially to the Corps of Cadets, where the values of honor, service, and merit are central to the institution’s identity.Capstone Pape
Representation of Women, People of Color, and LGBTQIA+ Members in the Chameleon Literary Journal from 1961 — Present
No full textThe Chameleon Literary Journal has served as Norwich University’s arts and creative writing magazine since 1961. This essay evaluates every creative writing publication from the Chameleon’s founding through the 2023 issue through the lens of how those pieces represented women, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The purpose of this review is to analyze and understand the extent to which Norwich University students negatively or positively represented women, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+ community. This review allows readers to see how the views concerning these communities shifted from generation to generation. This review also allows current and future Chameleon editors an understanding of our strengths and weakness related to how we have and might, in the future, represent women, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+ community
Digital Communication Strategies of U.S. Foreign Policy Agencies: Analyzing Social Media Usage, Engagement, and Purpose
No full textThis study examines how U.S. government foreign policy-related agencies utilize social media, specifically the platform X (formerly Twitter), to convey information related to their mission statements. This research analyzes the communication styles of intelligence, military, and foreign agencies using tone, content type, and engagement metrics. For agencies with more than 50 monthly tweets, all tweets from June 2024 were collected and analyzed. For agencies with fewer than 50 monthly tweets, tweets from June, July, and August 2024 were collected and analyzed. Hypotheses addressed include using neutral versus persuasive language, the frequency of engagement tactics, reliance on reposting, and the formal tone of their posts. The findings reveal that intelligence agencies prioritize neutral, controlled messaging, reinforcing their need for confidentiality and authority. Contrary to expectations, military agencies frequently employ reposting to amplify messages from affiliated organizations, suggesting a more collaborative approach than initially hypothesized. While a formal tone prevails across all agencies, some, like the CIA and Navy, incorporate informal language to reach younger audiences. This study illuminates the strategic diversity in digital communication among U.S. foreign policy-related agencies, underscoring social media's nuanced role in shaping public perception and trust in government. The implications of these findings highlight the importance of balanced, transparent communication as these platforms continue to influence both domestic and international views on U.S. foreign policy.First place in the 2025 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Student Research in the Advanced Undergraduate Researchers: Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) Categor
Smart HVAC and Privacy
No full textThis report investigates the intersection of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI), exploring the challenges and opportunities presented by the integration of Smart HVAC technologies in modern day homes. HVAC systems, crucial for maintaining habitable environments, face inefficiencies contributing to significant energy consumption. As demand for energy-efficient solutions grow, Smart HVAC systems incorporating AI algorithms, emerge as promising solutions. The study reviews Smart HVACs incorporation of AI algorithms, highlighting their potential benefits, and delves into concerns surrounding privacy, trust, and transparency.
Findings indicate a convergence of concerns between Smart HVAC and developing AI technologies, including privacy apprehensions, trust issues, and the delicate balance between user control and system automation. Despite these concerns, the integration of AI brings substantial benefits, such as efficiency, real-time adjustments, and proactive issue identification. Addressing concerns involves a multi-faceted approach, including transparency, user education, ethical considerations, and legal frameworks
Observational Study: What Makes Humans Tic
No full textUnderstanding how humans react to stress is key to examining how everyday stressors
physically and psychologically impact social behaviors. There are countless subconscious
behaviors that humans do when stressed, such as biting nails and touching our faces, that are
fairly consistent throughout the world (Scahill et al., 2014). These movements are defined as
nervous habits and are more often seen when someone is placed in a stressful situation (Hansen,
David J.,1990)
Religion and Trans Rights: Effects of Religiosity on Trans Rights Support
No full textThe following research seeks to understand how one’s religious affiliation and devotion affect their support for transgender rights, specifically regarding the usage of bathrooms. Using data collected by the 2022 American National Election Studies, the research used crosstabs to discover the extent and strength of the relationship between the variables. The results found that strongly religious people were more likely to oppose transgender bathroom rights than Atheists/Agnostics and less religious people, aligning with the literature in the field that pointed to religious devotees having a strict set of beliefs, making them less likely to support LGBTQ rights overall, especially transgender people. The results also indicated a connection between religious affiliation and opposition to transgender rights, coinciding with literature that shows Christians, more specifically Evangelicals, are more opposed to LGBTQ rights. Although results reflected a moderately strong relationship, other factors impacting support for trans rights must be considered
Exploring Cadet Well-Being: An Examination of Socioeconomic Status and Rank/Position Dynamics in a University Corps of Cadets
No full textThis study investigates the relationship between relational authority and rank and their impact on physical and mental health within the Corps of Cadets at a senior military college in the United States. While much of the existing literature focuses on how rank influences health outcomes in professional military and civilian organizations, few studies explore how these dynamics affect individuals in military-style academic environments. The survey data was collected in the spring 2024 semester from 167 cadets and examines how different ranks and levels of relational authority correlate with self-reported health outcomes. The survey included modules assessing mental and physical health to capture how cadets at various hierarchical levels within the corps experience and manage their well-being. Previous studies, such as MacLean and Edwards (2010), have demonstrated that higher ranks in military contexts are often associated with better health due to greater access to resources and social support, while Marmot et al. (1991) found similar trends in civilian sectors, where higher status often correlates with better overall health. However, these studies primarily examine professional military members or broad civilian populations, leaving a gap in understanding how cadet populations, who are still developing their leadership roles, are affected by hierarchical structures. This study fills that gap by focusing on cadets in a military-style educational institution, where leadership development and rank advancement are integral to daily life. The findings suggest that cadets with higher rank and relational authority may experience benefits and stressors associated with their positions, influencing their mental and physical well-being in complex ways. The research identifies these patterns and provides actionable insights for improving healthcare policies and initiatives within military-style educational institutions. Understanding the effects of rank on cadet health is critical for developing targeted healthcare interventions that address the specific needs of individuals in such environments, ensuring that hierarchical structures do not exacerbate health disparities.Second place in the 2025 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Student Research in the Advanced Undergraduate Researchers: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) category
Israel-Hamas Conflict
No full textThe current ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023, has seen tremendous levels of casualties and infrastructure damage within the region that will continue for the coming months. As a result, the Gaza Strip has become devastated, with estimates of 66% of the infrastructure being devastated, and is the focal point of addressing casualties, as well as food, water, and medical resource deficiencies. While the Hamas-run Health Ministry estimates over 41,000 deaths, estimates by the United Nations are much lower at over 8,100, showcasing a vast discrepancy between sources and clouding certainty about what the true numbers are. Furthermore, Hamas leadership has taken tremendous hits, with Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, being assassinated in July 2024, as well as his successor, Yahya Sinwar, being assassinated in October 2024. As a result, Hamas is now headed by a five-person council that will serve until anticipated elections in early 2025. Despite these challenges, Hamas is still resisting Israeli attacks through military force, as well as utilizing various information warfare campaigns to spread messages about Israeli atrocities and encourage Palestinian resistance through violence. Hamas will not end their efforts until their objectives are met: Establishing a Palestinian State and eliminating Palestinian oppression while simultaneously eliminating the Jewish state of Israel. However, due to the recent United States Presidential Election, President-Elect Donald Trump has made it clear that he desires to see the hostages that Hamas has taken be released, and has issued threats if they are not released. Hamas is now presented with a crossroads: either release the hostages and work towards a ceasefire and solution, or continue with the conflict as increased involvement from the U.S. is likely once President-Elect Trump assumes office.Second place in the 2025 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Student Research in the Advanced Undergraduate Researchers: Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) Categor