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Rooted in Resilience: Mental Health Determinants and Coping Strategies Among South Sudanese Older Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities in Urban Nairobi
No full textNairobi, Kenya hosts a significant number of South Sudanese refugees, many who have fled years of continued conflict and instability. As of January 2025, 110,859 South Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers live in Kenya and are one of the largest refugee populations in the country. This paper explores the mental health perceptions, challenges, and coping strategies of older South Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese refugees living with disabilities in Nairobi. Using a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative (EDQ) approaches, the paper analyze how economic hardship, social marginalization, political instability, and cultural displacement contributes to their mental health challenges. This paper helps to address a major research and literature gap, as older refugees and refugees with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in mental health research, especially within low-and middle-income country (LMIC) urban areas like Nairobi. A thematic analysis of five focus group discussions (FGDs) uncovers that barriers such as unemployment, discrimination, and legal uncertainty intersect with cultural stigma to worsen mental health. Yet, participants also demonstrate resilience, relying on community support, faith, and cultural traditions to cope. These findings highlight the crucial need for inclusive, culturally sensitive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions that engage refugee communities in their design. The paper concludes with recommendations for future interventions across individual, community, and policy levels to better support these underrepresented populations
Advancing Understanding of Mesoscale Airmasses with High Theta-E through Airmass Boundary Classification
No full textThe cool side of an airmass boundary is typically stable and less favorable for deep convection. However, under certain conditions, a narrow region immediately on the cool side of a boundary can obtain higher equivalent potential temperature (θe) than the warm side of the boundary, resulting in a mesoscale airmass with high theta-e (MAHTE). MAHTEs are characteristic of higher convective available potential energy, lower lifting condensation level, and often higher 0–6 km bulk wind differential, making them potentially more favorable for severe convection and tornadoes. Previous work has identified plausible mechanisms of MAHTE formation and developed a climatology of MAHTEs across the contiguous United States which quantified their characteristics, seasonality, and distribution. However, the type of boundary along which a MAHTE typically forms has not been formally analyzed. Both synoptic boundaries and outflow boundaries have been identified in association with MAHTEs in case studies. Additionally, the climatology revealed an abundance of MAHTEs in coastal regions with onshore wind, suggesting a sea/lake breeze. Thus, this work seeks to identify which type of parent airmass boundary is most commonly associated with MAHTEs. The aim of this research is to examine a subset of the climatology to classify the parent boundaries as synoptic, outflow, or sea/lake breeze through the analysis of archived radar reflectivity, frontal analysis, and ASOS wind data. Results reveal that new outflow boundaries are the most common boundary type associated with the MAHTEs examined and that there is seasonal and diurnal variation in boundary type frequency. Additionally, some MAHTE characteristics are mostly consistent regardless of boundary type, such as the increases in theta-e or CAPE, while others vary depending on boundary type. These results help to further the understanding of MAHTE formation in different conditions or situations
NEBLINE, June/July 2025
No full text4-H embryology will crack 50 years of chicks hatching in local classrooms, Vicki Jedlicka
Simple ways to eat more fruits and veggies every day, Alyssa Havlovic
Recipe of the month: Crunchy veggie wraps
Annual flowers for sunny locations, Mary Jane Frogge
Garden guide: Things to do this month, Mary Jane Frogge
2025 Gro Big Red
It’s time for private well maintenance, Becky Schuerman
Monitoring pastures for improving management and productivity, John Nelson
Why play is your child\u27s most important work, Hayley Jackson Perez
Keep an eye out for some common caterpillars, Kait Chapman
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4-H events open to all youth
2 ways to support Lancaster County 4-H!
Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Sierra Covell and Deb Faith
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Magnetic properties of amorphous iron germanium films
No full textThe emergence of topological phases in condensed matter has traditionally been associated with symmetry (breaking) in long-range-ordered systems. Recent works on amorphous topological insulators, amorphous topological metals, amorphous superconductors, and amorphous topological magnetism demonstrated that this requirement of symmetry breaking also holds for disordered materials where larger exchange interactions and higher critical temperatures may arise. The underlying mechanisms of this emergent materials class are not yet understood. My thesis aims to elucidate the relationship between short-range order and magnetic properties of amorphous iron germanium films with different composition and thickness
Empowering Diversity: A Comprehensvie Approach to Minority Risk Management Education
Get PDFFederal programs are pivotal to the foundation of the United States agricultural sector. Program payments impact the economic well-being of agricultural producers, yet accessibility, outreach and education disparities remain prevalent among socially disadvantaged producer and agriculturists. From 2020-2024, an average of $21.7 billion dollars in federal agricultural payments have been paid to producers. Although federal funding historically supports commodity crops, livestock producers also depend on a distinct set of federal risk management programs, which are often less visible but pertinent for operational sustainability. There is a growing focus on the need for addressing disparities faced by socially disadvantaged producers and agriculturists. This paper examines three important components: (1) the resource offering of federal payments to livestock producers, (2) knowledge level and gain in risk management practices of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) students at colleges and universities utilizing a simulation, and (3) the value determination of participation with the National MANRRS organization.
We find that interactive simulations enhance risk management education, with participants favoring federally subsidized insurance options and improving their understanding of risk mitigation. The leadership evaluation affirms that MANRRS develops critical human and social capital while fostering inclusivity and institutional change.
The implications of interactive simulations emphasize that hands-on simulations can effectively bridge knowledge gaps for livestock specific USDA risk tools. The leadership evaluation shows that while MANRRS fosters leadership growth and professional development, organizational pitfalls limit students’ ability to fully leverage their experiences. Collectively, this study’s findings support the expansion of experiential learning and developmental training to increase engagement, inclusivity, and preparedness among underrepresented populations in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences.
Advisor: Elliott Denni
“Honey, Life is Just a Classroom:” Using Taylor Swift as a Pedagogical Tool for College Composition
Get PDFAs educators, we confront the challenge of cultivating a deeper understanding of writing in an age obsessed with utilitarianism, instant gratification, and pragmatism. Students come into our classrooms inundated with these messages of utility and often find subjects within the humanities, especially first year writing, boring and unhelpful. Especially with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) use in our classrooms and society at large, we as pedagogues have our work cut out for us. I propose a pedagogical approach that bridges students\u27 interests with essential writing skills by integrating Taylor Swift\u27s music into the composition classroom. Swift\u27s evolution as an artist provides a rich tapestry for exploring metacognition, responsibility, openness, and persistence—the foundational habits of mind outlined in the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing.
Through Swift\u27s music, students engage in reflective writing exercises that illuminate their own identity construction and evolving beliefs over time. By examining Swift\u27s lyrical revisions and strategic decision-making in her career, students learn the importance of taking ownership of their words and actions while remaining open to new ideas and perspectives. This approach not only enhances student engagement and creativity but also fosters a deeper understanding of writing as a lifelong practice that enriches personal and collective experiences.
Ultimately, this article contends that writing\u27s purpose extends beyond pragmatic ends; it is a vehicle for personal discovery, intellectual growth, and social change. By embracing writing as a transformative process, educators can empower students to navigate complexities, challenge assumptions, and cultivate the habits of mind necessary for success in academia and beyond
Stop Design: Rethinking the Approach to Public Transit\u27s Architecture
Get PDFPublic spaces are the foundation of our social health and wellbeing, but are often designed without considering the needs of the public, creating spaces that people do not feel encouraged to use. Just as public space design as a whole often falls short of serving the public, the same can be said for a subset of public space design, public transit stops. While they are public spaces created for the purpose of waiting, their design rarely reflects this.
Well-designed public transit stops are capable of both maintaining existing ridership and drawing in new riders. Most commonly, this design occurs at the scale of the amenity, but design strategies are also applied at the city planning scale. While both scales can be effective if leveraged correctly, this is rarely the case. Instead of considering the needs of the community surrounding each stop, stops are repeated throughout cities with little nuance, resulting the stops that are inadequate to the communities they are intended to serve, failing to accommodate existing riders or serve a purpose to non-riders.
Rather than continuing a failing approach, the thesis proposes an exploration of public transit stop design at the scale of architecture, which has been neglected in the realm of public transit. The thesis suggests that, at this scale, stops should be individually designed based on surrounding context and user needs in order to increase the functionality and importance of the bus stop for a community of riders and non-riders.
First, a literature review examining current design approaches and standards was completed to identify failings of the current approach and the neglect of the architectural scale. Then, a cataloging process of bus stops in Lincoln, Nebraska was conducted to understand the implications of the literature in a built context. Finally, using the city of Lincoln as a case study, a series of architectural bus stops were designed, exploring ideas of site-specific, individually designed bus stops and their impacts on their communities.
Advisor: Sharon Kusk
Using Permutation Groups to Identify Families of Capacity Achieving Codes
Get PDFWhen communicating over a noisy channel, the probability of message interference sets a maximum possible transmission rate known as the channel capacity. Any family of codes which have rates converging to the channel capacity and arbitrarily low probability of decoding failure is called capacity achieving. Such codes have been known to exist since the birth of information theory, but are difficult to find explicitly. It has recently been shown that the permutation groups of a family of codes can be used to show that the family is capacity achieving on the q-ary erasure channel.
This thesis seeks to apply the permutation results to specific families of codes to find and classify new families of capacity achieving codes. In particular, we focus on methods of combining existing component codes to obtain new capacity achieving codes. Chapters 1 and 2 deal with the necessary background information for the research. Chapters 3 and 4 deal with product codes and half-product codes, first in two dimensions and then in higher dimensions. Chapter 5 focuses on an attempt to re-purpose the original low density parity code construction to be a deterministic capacity achieving family. Chapter 6 deals with cyclic codes and develops a simplified method of obtaining capacity achieving codes in the cyclic case.
Advisor: Christine A. Kelle
Assessing Spatial and Temporal Variation in Photoprotective Responses of Deciduous and Evergreen Tree Canopies with Leaf Spectroscopy
Get PDFEnvironmental conditions frequently prevent carbon fixation by plants, leading to the absorption of excess light that can damage photosynthetic machinery if not dissipated. To do so, plants utilize several photoprotective mechanisms, some detectable remotely using Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI). Two components of PRI correspond to the facultative engagement of the xanthophyll cycle (ΔPRI) and constitutive changes in xanthophyll pigment pool sizes (PRI0), representing distinct mechanisms regulating shorter and longer-term photoprotection, respectively. Our understanding of interspecific and intraspecific variation in these mechanisms is limited, primarily because PRI components are often not clearly distinguished. This study aimed to assess the variation in facultative and constitutive photoprotection within and between canopies of deciduous and evergreen species across the growing season, and how this variation is structured by functional trade-offs related to leaf lifespan and insolation. We addressed the following questions: How do dynamic photoprotective pigment responses vary (1) among species of different functional groups varying in leaf lifespan, (2) seasonally among species and groups, (3) according to canopy light environment? We quantified pigment responses by exposing dark-adapted leaves to high irradiance (“dark-to-light” method) while sampling reflectance to measure constitutive (PRI0) and facultative (ΔPRI) responses. Leaf reflectance measurements were also collected in situ under low and high irradiance conditions within canopies. Deciduous and evergreen species had contrasting PRI0 and ΔPRI values at mid-season, reflecting differences in constitutive pigment investments and facultative xanthophyll cycle engagement. Towards the end of the growing season, PRI0 and ΔPRI shifted more dramatically for deciduous species undergoing leaf senescence than evergreens. In situ PRI values resembled PRI responses detected using the dark-to- light method, demonstrating the utility of canopy light gradients for evaluating PRI-light responses. Our results indicate that deciduous and evergreen species have distinct, seasonally dynamic photoprotective strategies, likely related to functional constraints tied to leaf lifespan. Identifying coordinated strategies in photoprotection and photosynthesis may improve the ability to distinguish photoprotective mechanisms operating dynamically under different environmental conditions.
Advisors: John A. Gamon and Sabrina E. Russ
Corsets of Empowerment
Get PDFThis project explores the intersection of fashion and activism, using contemporary design to reflect on significant women’s rights movements from around the world. This exhibition presents four uniquely crafted corsets, each representing a pivotal movement, from the Suffragette era to the ongoing fight for gender equality in Iran. Through modern aesthetics, innovative construction, and symbolic details, this project transforms clothing into a medium for dialogue and advocacy. Fashion becomes more than just design—it becomes a powerful tool for storytelling, sparking awareness, and encouraging new perspectives on gender equality and activism.
This project was exhibited at the Robert Hillestad Gallery, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, in April 2025 as part of the M.A. Option II final presentation. It explores the intersection of fashion and activism through a series of concept-driven corsets inspired by global women’s rights movements.
Advisor: Sandra Starke