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Multiple Derivatives of Composition
No full textWe define a sequence of polynomials in several variables that can help evaluate higher order derivatives of compositions of exponential and trigonometric functions. In addition, these polynomials encapsulate some important number theoretic and combinatorial sequences. These include partition function, Bell numbers, Stirling numbers of the first and second kind. We also prove formulas on higher derivatives of these polynomials
The Liturgical Calendar of the Carthusian Breviary
No full textWhen Special Collections acquired an original, fourteenth-century Carthusian Breviary, we knew very little about its historical and cultural context. Today, the Breviary remains to us. Why it was commissioned? How were its contents organized and formatted? Since 2018, students involved in the ISU Paleography Illuminated Project have transcribed dozens of pages with dense Latin texts full of abbreviations, but we have yet to understand the decisions behind their arrangement. Some pages include a liturgical calendar with a list of saints and their feast days, which has never been studied. My project examines this calendar to uncover the rationale behind the monastery’s unique religious rituals
Enterprise Social Media and Employee Engagement: A Study of Internal Public Relations
Get PDFWorkplace communication technology remains a tool for effective internal public relations practice in a postmodern business environment. Understanding how workplace communication tools function to enhance employees’ engagement, the role they play in forming employees’ perception of the company while fostering employees’ sense of belonging, when they are performing their organizational roles are critical to talent retention, sustained business operations, and maintaining organizational success in a competitive marketplace. However, research on the types of content posted on workplace communication platforms, and how the content shape intra-organizational members’ perception, while instilling a sense of belonging in their technical performance at the workplace is underexplored. The main objective of this qualitative study was to explore the convergence of the three constructs: Enterprise Social Media (ESM) (i.e., workplace communication technology), employee engagement, and internal communication practices in promoting organizational success. Guided by the Social Exchange Theory (SET), data were generated from an in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed through thematic lens. The analysis revealed that professional development, social and cultural, as well as interactive and gamified content promotes employee engagement. Employees perceived ESM contents as a reflection of organizational culture, resources for performance, and workplace community building. ESM tools have fostered employees’ sense of belonging in the organization by building social connection, professional support systems, and creating organizational culture and identity. The findings suggest that internal public relations (iPR) professionals must integrate gamified and interactive content into their internal communication efforts to support Work-Life balance initiatives at the workplace, which, in turn, reduces employees’ stress in their task performance. In addition to incorporating gamified and interactive content, organizations must use their workplace communication technologies more effectively to increase employee engagement, foster their connections with fellow colleagues, promote knowledge sharing, skills development, and inspire creativity and innovation, as this retain talents, promote and sustain organizational success
From Uncertainty to Alignment: The Role of Internal Public Relations in Supporting Employee Adjustment during Leadership Transitions
Get PDFFrequent leadership transitions in today’s organizations present complex challenges that disrupt employee engagement, productivity, and overall organizational stability. This study explores how internal public relations (iPR) functions as a strategic communication mechanism to support employee adjustment during these pivotal transitions. Drawing on Lewin’s change management model (CMM) and uncertainty reduction theory (URT), the research examines three interrelated areas: the impact of early internal communication on employee attitudes, the role of informal employee networks in fostering readiness, and the adaptation of communication strategies to align with incoming leadership styles.
Using qualitative methods, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with internal communication professionals across diverse industries. The findings highlight that early and transparent communication fosters trust and reduces uncertainty, while informal networks act as powerful, yet often underutilized, platforms for reinforcing transition messaging. Furthermore, tailoring iPR strategies to reflect a leader’s style was found to enhance employee alignment and morale, especially during periods of cultural or strategic shift.
The study provides both theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, it deepens our understanding of iPR’s mediating role during organizational change. Practically, it offers a framework for organizations to proactively manage communication during leadership transitions, ultimately transforming potential disruption into opportunities for cohesion, engagement, and growth
MODELING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON GROUNDWATER DEMAND IN EAST-CENTRAL ILLINOIS
No full textClimate change threatens surface water reservoirs which increases reliance on groundwater reservoirs to sustain water demand in public supply and irrigation water demand sectors. East-central Illinois depends upon the Mahomet Aquifer and related shallow aquifer systems in the Mahomet Valley for their public supply and irrigation water use. A variety of machine learning regression models were trained and validated in two demand sectors used to make predictions of groundwater demand at the HUC12 watershed level under three different globally recognized and standardized socioeconomic-climate pathways (SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585). For both demand sectors, the random forest model explained the largest amount of variance with the least amount of error in the test dataset (public supply: R2 = 0.93, RMSE = 2.45; irrigation: R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 9.46) with different input variables for each demand sector. Average public supply groundwater demand projections show the greatest change in urban population dominated watersheds, with growth equal to 14% and 48% under SSP245 and SSP585, respectively, in the late century compared to the historical averages, while demand decreased by 35% under SSP370 scenario. The change in the average irrigation demand was greater than public supply demand, increasing by over 100% across all SSP-RCP scenarios. Climatic factors in July were most impactful on model predictions, suggesting heightened irrigation demand during dry periods. This modeling framework is a powerful tool in demand forecasting that facilitate groundwater management and sustainability policy by stakeholders that ensure the safeguard of east-central Illinois groundwater resources at a regional scale
Assessing Brazil’s Economic Trajectory Post Democracy: A Synthetic Control Approach to the 1985 Transition
Get PDFBrazil’s democratic transition in 1985 marked a pivotal moment in its political and economic history. Following 21 years of military rule, the transition introduced sweeping political reforms amidst significant economic instability. This study examines the causal impact of democratization on Brazil’s economic trajectory using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM). By constructing a synthetic counterfactual, this research estimates the economic effects of democratization. The findings suggest a negative impact of democratization on the per capita GDP of Brazil, amounting to an average annual reduction of approximately $887 per year during 15 years following the democratization. However, this effect is not statistically significant. This study contributes to the nuanced debate about the relationship between governance and economic growth and provides a replicable framework for analyzing similar political transitions through causal inference
Mapping the Invisible: Evaluating AI and Human Descriptions for Blind and Low Vision Users
No full textBlind and low‑vision (BLV) people often rely on spoken scene descriptions to build mental maps. This thesis examines two tools: Microsoft Seeing AI, which uses computer vision for automatic captions, and Aira, which connects users with trained remote agents. Five BLV participants listened to descriptions from both tools for four everyday scenes (kitchen, university lab sign, city intersection, railroad crossing) and then completed semi‑structured interviews on clarity, trust, and usefulness. Thematic analysis showed three priorities for BLV users for descriptions. First, named hazards such as trash cans, crossing gates, or doorbells. Second, objects described in a steady left‑to‑right or near‑to‑far order. Finally, the use of confident wording for critical elements. Aesthetics or brand details matter only afterward. Participants usually favored Seeing AI because its captions more consistently followed orientation‑and‑mobility ordering. Descriptions from Aira helped only when agents applied the same structure. Both tools faltered when they skipped hazards, jumped around, or hedged about essentials
Exploring the Relationship Between Athletic Identity and Academic Resiliency Through a Life Skills Transfer Lens.
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine and explore the relationship between athletic identity and academic resiliency. This is an exploratory study with three research questions: 1) How do Athletic Identity and Academic Resilience correlate? 2) What are the latent classes that exist between Athletic Identity and Academic Resilience? 3) How do these latent classes differ in terms of their academic and athletic characteristics?
The study utilized secondary data which were collected in 2020 and included a total of 489 participants. The participants completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and the Academic Resiliency Scale (ARS-30). Findings revealed that total athletic identity had a significant negative correlation with academic resiliency. A latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups within the sample and resulted in the identification of two distinct groups within the larger sample: athletes and non-athletes. Significant differences between the two groups were found with respect to athletic identity and all of its subfactors. No significant differences were found in academic resiliency amongst the two groups. These findings help aid understanding of the intricate relationship between athletic identity and academic resiliency. This study can aid educators and coaches in creating programs that help student-athletes learn to develop a balanced identity to ensure positive academic outcomes
FUELING THE FIRE! HOW BLACK STUDENTS MAKE SENSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND THEIR ROLES IN POST-SECONDARY TRANSITION AND SUCCESS
Get PDFIn this dissertation, I used a phenomenological research design to explore how Black students make sense of their experiences with Youth Development Programs (YDPs)and how the program components contributed to their transition and success in postsecondary education. An analysis of the interview data gathered from ten black students through the lens of Social Identity Theory revealed three themes: (a) YDPs help students feel prepared and supported by equipping them with essential academic and life skills, mentorship, and leadership opportunities; (b) Representation within YDPs fosters self-efficacy and aspiration, as mentors and role models who share students’ cultural backgrounds inspire confidence and motivation; and (c) YDPs cultivate a strong sense of belonging and cultural pride, providing a supportive community that affirms identity and encourages engagement in academic and professional pursuits. The study’s findings provide strategies and insights into how Black students transition from YDPs to post-secondary institutions and the essential factors from the YDPs that help foster their success. The results suggest the need for the continued expansion and support of YDPs, as they not only enhance individual achievement but also promote and foster positive social change, equity, inclusion, and representation within the academic sector
Scrolling for Two: An Exploration of Pregnant Women\u27s Social Support and Information Seeking Behaviors Using Technology During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFPregnant women faced additional challenges in accessing reliable support and pregnancy- related information, leading to increased distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quarantine measures limited doctor’s appointments and isolated pregnant women from their families, which meant that meaningful connections and convenient information was important.
The purpose of this study is to explore the implications of COVID-19 social distancing on pregnant women, with a focus on three questions: 1) what digital technologies did pregnant women use for support and information seeking purposes during the pandemic? 2) how did pregnant women use technology to seek social support during the pandemic? 3) how did pregnant women use technology for information seeking during the pandemic? A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted using ten out of twenty-seven interviews from a larger study on women’s use of technology during pregnancy. Findings revealed that participants used various digital tools to share pregnancy updates and seek information. These insights highlight the importance of using technology in supporting pregnant women. Future research should examine diverse populations, including those with different pregnancy histories, high-risk pregnancies, and varying socioeconomic statuses