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Toward Sustainable Practice: Exploring Career Pathways, Supports, and Challenges, Sustainability and Digital Transformation in Water Engineering Practice
No full textIn the face of accelerating climate change and global water scarcity, the necessity for resilient, equitable, and sustainable water infrastructure has become increasingly pressing. Water engineering plays a pivotal role in addressing this challenge, yet its effective management requires more than merely technical solutions. It necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of the support, development, and retention strategies employed within the water engineering sector. This research investigates the multifaceted dimensions of sustainable practice within water engineering by conducting in-depth interviews with professionals across the sector. Using a qualitative methodology, this study employed semi-structured interviews with water sector professionals, analyzed through thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and narratives. The study identifies six interconnected themes that influence career development and organizational effectiveness: effective communication, supportive work environments, consultancy experiences with the water industry, digital transformation, internship experiences, and gender discrimination. The findings reveal that effective communication is a foundational skill that enhances collaboration, leadership, and stakeholder engagement, especially in an increasingly interdisciplinary and interconnected sector. Supportive work environments, defined by mentorship, open dialogue, and emotional safety, play a critical role in fostering resilience, professional growth, and long-term workforce retention. Early career experiences through internships and consultancy positions serve as vital touchpoints, helping individuals navigate complex technical projects, build confidence, and discover their professional identity. Digital transformation is reshaping the sector not only through new technologies such as automation and data-driven monitoring but also through shifts in organizational culture, remote work, and expectations for digital literacy. In this context, self-improvement and self-learning emerge as essential tools for career advancement, enabling professionals to remain agile and ready for the future. Simultaneously, the persistence of gender discrimination continues to erode psychological safety and inclusivity in the workplace, with women in particular facing systemic barriers to recognition and leadership. Ultimately, this study explores that sustainable practice in water engineering is not solely a matter of technical innovation, it requires an integrated approach that values interpersonal skills, continuous learning, inclusive leadership, and structural change. To meet the escalating demands of global water management and climate adaptation, the sector must invest in building work environments that are not only technically proficient but also socially conscious, digitally adaptive, and genuinely inclusive. This holistic perspective is essential to cultivating a workforce capable of driving sustainability, equity, and innovation in the 21st century
The 1944 GI Bill and Those It Left Behind
No full textMost students of U.S. history in the 20th century are likely familiar with the institution of Jim Crow that operated in both the Northern and Southern states. Some may not have considered how this institution dictated the treatment and rights of African Americans who served in the military in World War II. This dissertation examines not only how racism operated in the U.S. military during that period, but also how these second-class citizens, who were lobbying for treatment as equal citizens upon their return from the war, and how the promise of education and government-backed loans through the GI Bill proved to be out of reach for many of these African American veterans. The crisis these African American veterans faced during and after the war would later influence many to become leaders of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. The U.S. citizenry often frames the memory of World War II as something fought by the greatest generation and an event that brought people together across racial lines when they were in uniform. My work challenges such assertions and encourages a more critical lens of remembrance of this time. This dissertation gives a background of race and racism in the United States when the nation entered World War II and the challenges presented prominently in the South when these veterans attempted to utilize the GI Bill.2026-10-0
Evaluating the Effects of a Brief Social Emotional Learning Program on the Functioning of At-risk Adolescents
No full textColor poster with text, charts, and graphs.Research on social emotional learning (SEL) programs with at-risk adolescents is scant, resulting in limited available literature to inform educational professionals on how to best deliver SEL to this population. The intention of SEL programs is to foster social and emotional development within educational curricula at a universal level. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the implementation of an SEL program on knowledge retainment and behavior modification following brief (i.e., 45-minute) lessons on anger and stress management. The intervention was delivered to 7 at-risk adolescents participating in a credit recovery/GED program in the community. The lessons were delivered over eight weeks, and were derived from Merrell’s Strong Teens, an evidence based SEL program for adolescents, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. The lessons aimed to increase students’ emotional and behavioral awareness on the two topics using a pre- and post- survey design. Results were mixed, with findings suggesting that emotional and behavioral awareness increased for some participants but not others. In addition, t-tests revealed improvements across some, but not all, outcome variables. Discussion focuses on the implementation of SEL programs with this population and how program developers might enhance SEL models in future iterations.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
AN EXPLORATION OF FOOT KINEMATICS AND LOWER EXTREMITY NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTION IN MIDDLE-AGED PATIENTS WITH PLANTAR HEEL PAIN
No full textPlantar heel pain (PHP) afflicts 7.3% of adults over the age of 35, most commonly those aged 45–64, and has an annual treatment cost of $284 million in the United States. PHP is also associated with significant personal costs such as pain-related interference with work-related activities, low physical activity, and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL). PHP is an injury caused from mechanical overload which induces inflammation, and ultimately degeneration, at the origin of the plantar aponeurosis. It is signified by pain felt in the heel especially after the first few steps of the morning or by prolonged standing. Although mechanical overload of the plantar aponeurosis is considered the primary mechanism of PHP, the difference within the foot and lower extremity during gait in middle-aged adults with PHP is poorly understood. Therefore, the purposes of this exploratory study were to: identify the kinematic (Chapter 2) and neuromuscular (Chapter 3) gait differences within the foot and lower extremity in middle-aged PHP patients; and determine the association between the gait mechanics, PHP risk factors, and PHP in middle-aged adults (Chapter 4). We hypothesized that patients with PHP would demonstrate: (1) foot and lower extremity differences during loading response, mid/terminal-stance, and push-off phases of gait, (2) lower extremity neuromuscular difference during the early and late stance phases of gait, and (3) the inclusion of gait variables associated with mechanical overload of the plantar aponeurosis with the primary risk factors would improve the ability to predict PHP in middle-aged adults. A convenience sample of 60 adults (aged 45–64; PHP: n = 30; controls: n = 30) participated in the study. All participants completed a series of health and activity questionnaires (SF-36, IPAQ, FAAM, MFPDI), followed by lower limb strength and range of motion (ROM) assessment. Participants then completed barefoot walking trials at self-selected and standardized speeds that were captured using a 14-camera motion capture system and three floor embedded force plates. Joint kinematics were calculated for the hip, knee, and foot. During the walking trials, electromyography (EMG) was recorded from five lower limb muscles. Following walking trials, the kinematic and force plate data were used to calculate stance phase hip, knee, and ankle net joint powers. PHP participants exhibited greater body mass, lower physical activity and HRQOL scores (SF-36, IPAQ, FAAM), and higher pain and disability ratings (MFPDI). They also demonstrated reduced ankle dorsiflexion passive ROM, decreased muscle strength (hip extensors, knee flexor, ankle dorsiflexor, ankle evertor, and hallux flexors), and slower preferred walking speed. Kinematic analysis revealed significant foot ROM differences in the PHP group during the loading response (reduced rearfoot complex lateral rotation, decreased medial midfoot dorsiflexion, increased medial forefoot dorsiflexion) and midstance-terminal stance (reduced rearfoot complex dorsiflexion) subphases. Most of the differences were contrary to the hypothesis and may have been compensatory or pain-avoidant strategies to reduce the plantar aponeurosis strain and pain at impact and when pushing off. Patient reports of heel pain during gait supported this interpretation, with 90% reporting pain at initial contact and during push-off, and 80% reporting heel pain during the gait trials. With respect to neuromuscular function, there were no significant differences in mean lower extremity muscle activation amplitudes between the PHP and uninjured participants, but the PHP patients did exhibit significantly lower peak eccentric plantar flexor ankle power. The peak occurred during the late mid/terminal stance subphase and may function to decrease plantar aponeurosis strain and pain as the activity of the plantar flexors transition from eccentric to concentric activity. Logistic regression analysis examined associations between key kinematic, neuromuscular, and intrinsic/extrinsic risk factors and PHP across six domains: gait kinematics, neuromuscular activation, joint ROM, muscle strength, physical activity, and BMI. Significant predictors of PHP included reduced rearfoot sagittal plane ROM during mid/terminal stance, reduced eccentric ankle plantar flexor power, decreased ankle dorsiflexion passive ROM, and lower physical activity levels. Muscle strength and BMI were not significantly associated with PHP. Collectively, these findings advance the understanding of PHP related gait dysfunction and provide potential outcome measures for interventions aimed at modifying foot mechanics and neuromuscular patterns in patients with PHP. Future prospective studies will be needed to determine if the changes identified in the current study are the cause, or effect, of PHP
Oral History Interview, Kobina Intsiful (2539)
No full textIn his August 2025 interview with Dadit Gunarwanto Hidayat, WiscAMP alum Kobina Intsiful outlines his background and professional career, as well as his experiences with WiscAMP STEM Inspire at UW-Milwaukee. To learn more about this oral history, download & review the index first (or transcript if available). It will help determine which audio file(s) to download & listen to.In his August 2025 interview with Dadit Gunarwanto Hidayat, WiscAMP alum Kobina Intsiful outlines his background and professional career, as well as his experiences with WiscAMP STEM Inspire at UW-Milwaukee. Kobina Intsiful grew up in Ghana and moved to Wisconsin when he was eleven years old with his brother and father. He majored in mechanical engineering at UW-Milwaukee and is currently the Pre-Sales Manager of Consulting for JLL, a commercial real-estate company. He is in the process of earning his MBA at NYU Stern Business School. Intsiful shares how WiscAMP supported him as he encountered challenges in his academic life in the engineering program as well as through major personal events and life changes. It gave him a group of peers to look up to and connect with, and helped him explore opportunities and find his own path. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the WiscAMP Legacy Oral History Project and the UW-Madison Archives and Records Management oral history collection
A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ASIAN AMERICAN POLITICAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS
No full textThis dissertation examines how Asian Americans form political identities under the simultaneous pressures of socioeconomic integration and racial marginalization. Despite their growing visibility in competitive electoral contexts, Asian Americans remain understudied in political science, where prevailing models often treat racial identity and immigrant status as distinct or peripheral factors. This study proposes a theoretical framework that captures the dual pressures of partial incorporation and exclusion, offering a more context-sensitive interpretation of party identification and presidential vote choice. Drawing on data from the Cooperative Election Study (CES) across multiple election cycles, the analysis investigates how education interacts with racial resentment, ideological orientations, economic perceptions, and presidential approval in shaping party identification and presidential vote choice. Using a multivariate model with interaction terms, the study explores how these relationships shift across electoral contexts, particularly during periods of heightened racial salience, such as the 2020 election. The findings reveal that, in terms of party identification, three attitudinal factors—racial resentment, symbolic ideology, and operational policy preferences—consistently correlate with Republican party identification. Other variables show little meaningful connection in most electoral contexts. Regarding presidential vote choice, racial resentment, party identification, and operational preferences remain the most stable predictors, while self-reported ideology and other characteristics demonstrate limited or inconsistent effects. Across election cycles, there is little evidence that education systematically alters these relationships. However, in 2020, individuals with higher levels of education reported weaker associations between conservative orientations and Republican identification. Even in that context, no corresponding effect is observed in presidential vote choice. These results diverge from patterns observed in other racial groups and remain consistent across Asian American subgroups, regardless of national origin or nativity. Overall, this research advances both theoretical and empirical understandings of racialized political behavior among Asian Americans by foregrounding the dual processes of integration and exclusion. It contributes to the broader literature on immigrant political development, public opinion, and racial politics by presenting a framework adaptable to other communities experiencing conditional inclusion and contested belonging within American democracy
Whose Story is Told? Interpretation, Indigenous Representation, and Public Archaeology at Aztalan State Park, Wisconsin
No full textAztalan State Park in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, is an archaeological site known for its large earthwork mounds associated with the Middle Mississippian culture spanning from the tenth to thirteenth centuries CE. First recorded by Euro-Americans in 1835, it is one of the most significant Indigenous archaeological sites in the state of Wisconsin, established as a state park in 1952 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. This thesis examines historical and current materials associated with the interpretation and representation of the site to the public—including Aztalan State Park interpretive signage and walking tours, marker signs, and the National Register nomination—to identify changes in terminology used, features emphasized, and extent of Indigenous input over time. The results of a word frequency analysis quantifying linguistic trends and changes in terminology, as well as a comparative topic analysis assessing shifts in key themes across sources, are presented. To provide broader context for these analyses, the changing interpretation of Aztalan is also compared to new signage installed alongside the Chief Oshkosh statue in Menominee Park, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The historiographic meta-analysis presented in this thesis reveals how interpretations of the site of Aztalan reflect changing perceptions of Indigenous peoples in Wisconsin over time and can serve as a model for similar contexts in other states
THE TRANSITION FROM MONTESSORI K-8 TO A NON-MONTESSORI HIGHSCHOOL: A NARRATIVE ANALYSIS
No full textThe transition to high school is a critical developmental period, yet experiences of students moving from alternative educational models like Montessori into traditional secondary settings are under-researched. Given Montessori's distinctive pedagogy emphasizing autonomy and intrinsic motivation, potential philosophical and structural conflicts with conventional high schools may create unique transition challenges, particularly in urban contexts. This study addressed this gap, exploring the lived experiences of adolescents and families undertaking this specific educational pathway. Guided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory and Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model, this qualitative, phenomenological investigation utilized a multi-perspective approach, gathering data through interviews, focus groups, and surveys with both students and parents/guardians navigating the move from urban Montessori K-8 schools to non-Montessori high schools. Thematic analysis identified salient patterns regarding adaptation processes. Findings revealed significant academic and social adjustments driven by the discontinuity between educational environments. Participants grappled with shifts in instructional style, pacing, assessment methods, and motivational focus, alongside challenges integrating into larger, less personal school communities. The prior Montessori background presented a duality: valuable skills like independence and self-advocacy were assets, yet the learning preferences fostered by Montessori often clashed with traditional high school structures, causing friction. The family microsystem provided essential support but also faced considerable stress, adapting roles and struggling with mesosystem challenges related to less frequent or effective communication with the high school compared to their Montessori experience. Systemic factors, including the pressures of a standardized testing culture (macrosystem) and inconsistent access to school-based supports (exosystem), further shaped the transition. The central conclusion is that the profound philosophical and structural discontinuity between Montessori K-8 and traditional high school ecosystems is the primary driver of the unique challenges inherent in this specific transition. This mismatch necessitates more than generic transition support. Effectively facilitating this pathway demands targeted, collaborative strategies involving informed students, proactive families, preparatory efforts by sending Montessori schools, and receptive, adaptable receiving high schools. These strategies must consciously aim to bridge the experiential and pedagogical gap to foster positive adaptation and support the continued well-being of these students
INTRODUCING AND MONITORING MOISTURE CONTENT IN CaCl2-NaCl MOLTEN SALTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON CORROSION OF INCONEL 625
No full textNuclear energy remains a key contributor to clean, base-load electricity production. Among emerging concepts, Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are receiving significant attention as next- generation nuclear systems. Several promising MSR designs are expected to employ molten chloride salts not only as heat transfer media, but also as solvents for fuel, enabling continuous online refueling. However, chloride-based salts such as NaCl–MgCl₂ and NaCl–CaCl₂ are highly corrosive to structural alloys. In these environments, the protective oxide films typically relied upon for high-temperature corrosion resistance are thermodynamically unstable. Furthermore, structural metals are vulnerable to attack from thermodynamically unstable impurities, most notably moisture and oxygen, which are inherently present due to the salt’s hygroscopic nature. Therefore, a detailed understanding of how moisture content influences the mechanisms and kinetics of moisture-induced corrosion in Ni–Cr alloys within molten NaCl-MgCl₂ and NaCl- CaCl₂ is essential to ensure long-term material performance in MSRs.
To address this need, an experimental setup was designed to introduce controlled amounts of moisture into molten salts via humidified argon, enabling static corrosion tests on Inconel 625 samples. The corrosion cell includes multiple feedthroughs for in situ electrochemical monitoring of the salt’s oxo-acidity. A calibrated Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) ceramic membrane was employed to track oxygen anion ingress during humidified argon sparging in molten NaCl-CaCl₂ by recording its open-circuit potential (OCP) relative to an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Similarly, cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements, performed using the same reference, were calibrated to quantify the release of oxygen-containing species during water introduction. Both techniques demonstrated satisfactory sensitivity and reproducibility. Additionally, a gas-trapping system
coupled with a pH probe enabled detection of HCl generated during sparging, which was then correlated with oxygen buildup in the salt.
Static corrosion tests conducted at 600 °C for 10 days in molten NaCl-CaCl₂ showed that CaO addition to the eutectic had little effect on the overall corrosion extent of Inconel 625 compared with tests without CaO. However, pre-bubbling humidified argon before coupon immersion led to the formation of oxygen-rich regions within the outer corrosion layer: a feature not observed when oxygen was introduced as solid oxide powder. In all cases, chromium depletion toward the surface was evident, accompanied by both intergranular and intragranular corrosion.This work was supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Energy University Program (Grant No. DE-NE0009377), and I gratefully acknowledge the use of facilities and instrumentation at the UW-Madison Wisconsin Centers for Nanoscale Technology as well as the Department of Geoscience
COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL ANTENATAL CARE AND CENTERINGPREGNANCY®: MATERNAL AND INFANTS OUTCOMES
No full textBackground: Despite progress in antenatal care (ANC), maternal and infant health disparitiespersist, especially among socioeconomically marginalized populations. Traditional Antenatal Care (TAC), though effective for clinical monitoring, often lacks structured education and psychosocial support. CenteringPregnancy®, a group-based ANC, integrates clinical care with peer interaction and education, potentially improving outcomes. However, evidence comparing these ANC models in a racially diversed U.S. settings remains limited. Methods: The study include 1,952 pregnant mothers (976 TAC and 976 CenteringPregnancy®). This quasi-experimental secondary data analysis used PeriData.Net® records from a Midwestern healthcare facility to compare maternal outcomes (cesarean birth, postpartum hemorrhage [PPH], postpartum infection [P-UTI]) and infant outcomes (preterm birth and low birth weight [LBW]) between TAC and CenteringPregnancy®. Logistic regression models assessed direct effects and effect modification by maternal characteristics including age, parity, race, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and gestational hypertension (GHTN). Results: In the unadjusted analysis, CenteringPregnancy® was associated with overall improved outcomes including lower risks of cesarean birth, PPH, preterm birth, LBW, and P-UTI. However, several associations lost statistical significance after adjusting for the maternal characteristics, indicating that age, parity, GDM, and GHTN significantly modified these relationships. Older mothers and mothers with GHTN remained at highest risk for adverse outcomes across both ANC models. CenteringPregnancy® demonstrated the strongest benefits for multiparous mothers. likely through enhanced education, reduced anxiety, and improved self- efficacy. No significant racial differences were detected within the CenteringPregnancy® group. Conclusions: CenteringPregnancy® shows promise as a patientcentered model that may improve maternal and infant outcomes, particularly for mothers with specific health risk profiles. While benefits of CenteringPregnancy® varies based on maternal characteristics, the model’s peer support and structured education components highlight its potential to enhance equity and promote healthier maternal and infants’ pregnancy outcomes within diverse communities.2028-01-0