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A Meaningful Theory: 25 Years of Relational Dialectics Theory in the Journal of Family Communication
No full textIn commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Journal of Family Communication (JFC), the present essay celebrates two and a half decades of relational dialectics theory (RDT) in JFC, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between theory and journal. The authors, both of whom have a breadth of experience in conducting RDT research, first provide a history of RDT and an overview of key terms and assumptions. The essay then traces the history of RDT through the first 25 volumes of JFC. A review of the RDT-based original research articles in JFC turns an eye toward the family communication contexts that have – and have not – been studied. The authors conclude by turning to possible future RDT endeavors and providing suggestions for those who are, or are interested in, conducting research based on RDT
Navigating STEM Integration: Instructional Strategies Employed by Teachers in High School Classrooms
No full textThis study examined the instructional strategies used by high school STEM teachers to incorporate real-world problem solving in their classroom teaching. A qualitative approach was utilized, and data was collected through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data, and the following themes emerged: (a) there is no single instructional strategy, but teachers adapt their strategies to the context, (b) the importance of preparation using various sources and building on student’s prior knowledge, (c) a focus on asking why questions as a priority, (d) the necessity of making group work tangible, (e) the use of modeling as a common strategy, including data collection and analysis, sketching and documentation, (f) the promotion of student independence by being aware and performing tasks independently, and (g) the integration of real-world issues to relate learning to student lives, and (h) the challenges posed by time and diversity of student abilities. These findings suggest that STEM teachers should be flexible in their approach and emphasize preparation, questioning, modeling, group work, and real-world connections to improve student learning in an integrated STEM approach. These findings can inform professional development programs for STEM teachers and can help school administrators design collaborative and problem-solving learning environments. Lastly, policymakers can use the findings to develop policies that promote the integration of real-world problem-solving into STEM education, thereby contributing to the development of a workforce that is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st centur
LGBTQ+ Communities, Fashion, Style, and Dress: A Scoping Review
No full textIn our review, we assess the intersection of LGBTQ+ identities with fashion, style, and dress, providing a comprehensive overview of current peer-reviewed research on the topic. Drawing from a scoping review approach, we analyzed studies published between 2000 and 2024 that address the relationship between LGBTQ+ identities and fashion-related practices. The research identifies key themes and trends, highlighting the evolving academic landscape of LGBTQ+ fashion studies. By examining studies from a range of academic databases, we categorize the literature by theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and geographic contexts. Overall, most articles focused on negotiating identity via clothing of a variety of identities within the LGBTQ+ communities, used qualitative methods, drew upon diverse theories, and focused on the United States context. Continued engagement with the wide array of identities already studied—and those yet to emerge—will enrich our understanding of how fashion operates as a dynamic site of identity construction, community formation, and cultural critique within LGBTQ+ lives
Philanthropic Foundations and Water Insecurity in the United States: Problem Framing, Interventions, and Geographies
No full textMuch of the research on strategies to address water insecurity in the United States has focused on government policy and community activism. Our research project investigates an overlooked set of actors: philanthropic foundations. Philanthropic foundations have helped to meet social welfare needs throughout much of U.S. history, intervening in areas like housing, community development, education, health. Philanthropic foundations not only meet people’s basic needs through grant-making, but they also frame how the public conceives of social problems and inform policy responses. In this paper, we document how philanthropic foundations are intervening in the issue of American water insecurity through their grant-making. Drawing on a dataset of 296 grants, we identify the number and monetary value of grants made by American foundations related to water insecurity in the U.S. and analyze which communities receive these grant funds, revealing geographies where the philanthropic sector is especially involved in facilitating water access. Beyond these quantitative and locational questions, our research examines how these philanthropic foundations frame the problem of household water insecurity (i.e., how do they explain its causes, how does it relate to other social challenges) and documents what kinds of change-making strategies they support (e.g., funding policy research, advocacy, direct resource provision, etc.)
always the symptoms, never the cause
No full textFor my image of my research, I wanted to focus on the lack of holistic provider care for women experiencing chronic health concerns. My research in patient-provider communication has exposed an alarming gap; women are not being treated for their overarching concerns but rather their symptoms alone, if they’re treated at all. This type of care is described as disenfranchising and has severe implications on how people go about getting proper medical treatment. My focus of research is primarily on gastrointestinal health experiences, so this image shows my own “treating the symptoms” I have experienced. Not a single medication pictured here is for a holistic health experience, but rather the assumption that women’s chronic health concerns are “all in their head.”https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2026/1019/thumbnail.jp
Room Reimagined: Making Spaces Empty Again
No full textRedesigning an already furnished room can be challenging, because the existing furniture and clutter makes it difficult to visualize new layouts or styles. ‘Room Reimagined: Making Spaces Empty Again’ is an app that addresses this issue by using AI-powered image processing to remove furniture from pictures of interior spaces. The app generates realistic visuals of empty rooms, allowing users to experiment with different arrangements and design choices without making any physical changes. The technology behind this app employs semantic object detection and background inpainting to create natural-looking empty-room images. The user will then be able to add virtual furniture sourced from local retailers. This will enable them to test styles and configurations in their actual space. For furniture stores and interior designers, the app serves as a platform to display their products in real-world contexts, enabling direct connections between businesses and potential customers.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2026/1010/thumbnail.jp
Swallow Your Pride
No full textMy research examines the sparse resources and various barriers (including shame and the need to “swallow your pride” to access stigmatized resources) that make up the eating experience for persons experiencing homelessness. The meal in this image was prepared using only the cooking tools available in Schroeder Hall Commons, donations from the “Blessing Box” at Normal First United Methodist Church, SNAP-eligible food from the CVS on Fell St. with a budget of $6.53 (average SNAP benefit per person in Illinois divided by 30 days), and a can opener. These conditions represent the food resources and barriers that an unhoused student without a car might experience. Consistent with my research, the lack of choices at the food pantry, small budget at an expensive convenience store, limited cooking tools in the commons, and the shame of obtaining ingredients for and preparing this meal in front of other students made eating difficult.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2026/1002/thumbnail.jp
The Reality of Relinquishment
No full textThe image is Elizabeth Fishman, co-researcher and senior nursing student, portraying the heartbreaking reality when parents choose to relinquish their baby. Our research aims to educate and promote awareness about Illinois’ Safe Haven laws that prevent infanticide. These laws allow a parent to legally relinquish their child to a hospital, police station (including campus police), or a fire station within the first 30 days of life. This can be an extremely fearful and emotional experience for parents. We endeavor to make the process as smooth as possible through education of staff including simulation at Safe Haven sites. Simulations help prepare the people who will receive the baby during a relinquishment event when the environment cannot be controlled. This research will establish practices to ensure that the relinquishment process is both efficient and compassionate. We will study effectiveness to help save babies\u27 lives and reduce any trauma for all involved.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2026/1000/thumbnail.jp
Activity-Dependent Remodeling of Muscle Architecture During Distinct Locomotor Behaviors in Caenorhabditis Elegans
No full textMuscle structure is dynamically shaped by mechanical use, yet how distinct locomotor behaviors influence sarcomere organization remains poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, crawling and swimming constitute discrete gaits that differ in curvature, frequency, and mechanical load, providing a tractable model for studying activity-dependent remodeling. Using confocal imaging of phalloidin-stained body-wall myocytes, we quantified myocyte geometry, sarcomere length, and sarcomere number across anterior, mid-body, and posterior regions in animals reared exclusively under crawling or swimming conditions. Quantification and hypothesis testing used linear mixed models that accounted for repeated myocyte measurements within animals, with interaction terms testing region-specific effects of locomotor condition after interquartile range (IQR)-based outlier removal. Swimming produced characteristic remodeling of body-wall muscles. Myocytes elongated globally, while selectively thinning in the mid-body, reducing cell area by ∼13% relative to crawlers. Shape metrics confirmed this shift: circularity declined at mid- and tail-regions and anisotropy increased by ∼2–3 units. Sarcomere architecture exhibited parallel remodeling. Average sarcomere length shortened across the body (−0.19 µm in head, −0.35 µm in mid-body, −0.20 µm in tail), while sarcomere number increased in anterior and mid-body regions (+0.77 and +0.65 sarcomeres per myocyte). The mid-body region also showed a significant rise in sarcomere density, indicating tighter serial packing. These adaptations mirror functional compartmentalization predicted from gait kinematics and parallel fast-fiber remodeling observed in vertebrate muscles. The results indicate that C. elegans muscles adapt their contractile lattice to sustained mechanical demand, linking neural gait selection and mechanosensitive signaling to long-term structural plasticity. This work establishes C. elegans as a model for dissecting the conserved pathways that couple muscle use to cellular architecture and provides a foundation for future comparisons of healthy and diseased muscle remodeling