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STEM Voyager
Get PDFWhat do you want to be when you grow up? This is a question that people are far too familiar with. Many STEM professionals would also say that they are not currently in the career that they initially thought. Somehow there was a moment of inspiration in their life that catalyzed their decision to pursue a STEM degree. This project aims to convert a school bus into a mobile STEM lab that brings hands-on, engaging STEM experiences to middle school students and supports teachers with interactive lessons. The bus will address space and cost challenges by serving as a flexible, traveling educational hub. Key technologies included are 3D Printers, Flight Simulator, Robotic Arm, VR headsets, Drones, and Robot Racing. The team focused on design, material procurement, collaboration with our SAISD sponsor and third-party experts for complex tasks. Ultimately, the project seeks to spark student interest in STEM careers and support their academic growth.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1020/thumbnail.jp
A research proposal: the scapegoating of transgender Americans by US presidential candidates from 2016 to 2024
No full textThis study will employ a qualitative content analysis to analyze the scapegoating of transgender Americans by U.S. presidential candidates from 2016 to the 2024 elections. This approach will allow for an in-depth exploration of political rhetoric, policy proposals, and public discourse regarding the trans community. In doing so, this study will highlight the lived experiences of transgender Americans in which they have faced both support, indifference, and marginalization from candidates. The content analyzed will include political rhetoric expressed by the candidates through their campaign and administrations. This analysis is with the intent to find recurring themes relating to the scapegoating of transgender Americans.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1067/thumbnail.jp
Association of AI Derived Biomechanics and Hand Grip Strength
Get PDFBiomechanical analysis offers a way of better understanding the mechanism of a person\u27s movement pattern or functional decline. Usually, motion analysis is costly and requires the purchase of a lot of equipment and software. This makes the technology out of reach of students, educators and researchers in austere settings.
Fortunately, artificial intelligence has brought affordability to motion analysis and created a whole new method of analyzing functional performance. OpenCap is an application which was produced by Stanford University and is hailed as being a future replacement to higher costing systems. Gait analysis provides an indication of a person\u27s walking symmetry and walking rate. All of which are related to lifelong health (Falisse et al, 2025).
Likewise, hand grip strength is closely related to functional capacity or decline. A higher grip strength is associated with lifelong health. Typically, a hand dynamometer is used to measure a person\u27s hand grip strength, these are usually several hundred dollars. Fortunately, a newer lower costing tool was validated to be as accurate as the more expensive type (Vaishya et al 2024)
Thus, the purpose of this study was to use low-cost technology to identify potential associations in older and younger adults.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1052/thumbnail.jp
A protocol to investigate the acute effects of contrast therapy vs. heat therapy on cardiovascular health outcomes
No full textThere is a growing number of people being affected by hypertension, often referred to as high blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure (\u3e130/80 mmHg) affects 45% of U.S. adults (Huguet et at., 2021). Chronic hypertension can have catastrophic outcomes, as it significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and heart failure. On top of this, this cardiovascular disease is often referred to as a silent killer, because it tends to not present symptoms until serious damage already occurred. In addition to the negative effects on the individual, hypertension constitutes a large public heath burden, costing over $50 billion annually in the U.S. alone.
Pharmacological treatments are effective at treating hypertension, but they often come with undesirable side effects. These include dizziness, fatigue, electrolyte imbalances, or reduced quality of life. The best way to control blood pressure is through lifestyle changes, especially regular exercise. However, many individuals are unable to engage in physical activity due to physical disabilities, age-related mobility issues, obesity, chronic pain, or recovery from surgery or injury. Given these limitations, research has been exploring alternative, nonpharmaceutical interventions. Among these are the therapies that will be analyzed in this research study: passive heat therapy (HEAT) and contrast heat therapy (CONTRAST). HEAT involves exposure to heat, in this study through a Finnish sauna, and causes vasodilation enhancing blood flow, reducing vascular resistance, and increasing shear stress on vessel walls. Studies have shown that HEAT improves endothelial function (Brunt et al., 2016), reduces arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure (Lee et al., 2022), and enhances coronary blood flow and overall cardiovascular resilience (Cheng & MacDonald, 2019). Then, CONTRAST involves alternating between heat and cold, using saunas and ice baths in this research project. This therapy causes cyclic vasodilation and vasoconstriction, and this alternating pressure shifts may have added benefits for cardiovascular health. It is hypothesized that CONTRAST results in greater cardiovascular responses than HEAT alone, potentially offering a more effective approach for the long-term management of blood pressure.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1034/thumbnail.jp
The impact of tariffs on auto parts trade with China, Canada and Mexico: AI-Driven strategies for supply chain optimization
Get PDFU.S. tariffs (7.5-25%) on auto parts from China, Canada, and Mexico are severely disrupting the automotive industry, a key global economic driver. These tariffs dramatically increase production costs and vehicle prices, potentially by up to $12,200 per vehicle (CBS News, 2025; MarketWatch, 2025). These tariffs necessitate major supply chain adjustments, leading to inefficiencies (MIT Sloan, 2024). Supplier diversification, while intended to mitigate tariff impact, extends lead times and shrinks profit margins (XenonStack, 2025). The industry\u27s complex supplier network is now highly vulnerable, compelling companies to seek more adaptable strategies. AI-driven technologies like predictive analytics and route optimization offer potential solutions to these disruptions (RTS Labs, 2023). Real-time logistics and demand forecasting via AI can reduce costs by up to 15% and improve inventory accuracy by 20% (XenonStack, 2025). However, high implementation costs remain a significant obstacle (Deloitte, 2024)https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1077/thumbnail.jp
History of the bilateral relation between the United States and Ecuador to tackle drug trafficking
No full textThis research analyzes the evolution of the relationship between Ecuador and the United States on security issues, particularly in the fight against drug trafficking. First, the political-historical context in which the war on drugs emerges in the United States is described. Second, the US national security strategy is examined regarding Plan Colombia and the Andean Regional Initiative. Third, it is analyzed how the issue of combating drug trafficking varies according to the ideological tendencies of the Ecuadorian leaders, paying particular attention to the role of the controversial Manta Base. The proposal to reform the constitution is discussed, particularly Article 5 under the administration of Daniel Noboa with the aim of reinstalling foreign bases in Ecuadorian territory. Finally, alternatives to the militaristic approach to the war on drugs are proposed in future bilateral security agreements between Ecuador and the United States, through a comprehensive reform of the security sector.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1060/thumbnail.jp
Lost in translation
No full textReader Response Theory (Brizee et al.2014) asserts that “readers\u27 reactions to literature [are] vital to interpreting the meaning of the text” (10). Reader Response (Fish 1981) approaches literary studies as way to explore how readers react to a piece of prose or a poem from a perspective developed within their interpretive communities. Interpretive communities hold a set of assumptions or strategies in common that shape the meaning of a text for a reader synchronically, at the moment of reading. Because the assumptions or strategies of these communities change over time, the meaning of a text for a reader can also change diachronically. Operating from this Reader Response perspective, I compare and contrast two translations of the Old English poem, “The Wanderer”, one from the medieval time period and the other from the twentieth century. The role of the reader and the production of meaning in an interpretive community remains critical for a healthy cultural and civic life as demonstrated by the negative impacts of misinformation on our contemporary interpretive communities.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1046/thumbnail.jp
A Call for Long-Term Care and Responsibility
No full textElder care within the United States shape people’s experiences disproportionately. With a lack of funding from the government, nursing homes, private care, and long-term care have become commodities only those with wealth can attain. The current policy structure issues represent a bigger systematic problem within the United States that favor those with wealth. This is an issue that influences many aspects of quality living. Those with Medicare or Medicaid have access to nursing homes and private care that has shown to be of lower quality. The socioeconomically disadvantaged communities are forced to rely on their families for this care, which consequently puts great stress on the families. With strict requirements for current care programs in the U.S., many families find themselves paying out of pocket for their elderly care and forced at times to leave their jobs to provide this care. The U.S. government has done little to take accountability or responsibility for ensuring equal and quality elderly care. They have been incapable of changing the current structure to create equal access. Building on the work by scholars such as Rosemarie Tong1, I argue that there are better models than what exist in the United States for elderly care available through increased funding and cooperation between families and government. To find these models, I plan to look to Norway as an example since that country’s government provides long-term quality elder care effectively. I will also address the debate of whom among individual, familial, or government entities hold responsibility for providing quality elderly care
Aspen Leading Edge Podcast, Episode 108: Unanswered Questions in the Rules of Evidence with David Sklansky and Andrea Roth
No full textDavid Sklansky, Stanford Law School, and Andrea Roth, UC Berkeley, discuss the sixth edition of Evidence: Cases, Commentary, and Problems. They share details about the robust teacher’s manual and why they like teaching the course. There is also discussion about the rules of evidence and some of the unanswered questions.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/edge/1077/thumbnail.jp
