UARK (University of Arkansas )
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From Adolescence into Adulthood: How Exclusionary Discipline and Sex Impact Early Adulthood Social and Economic Opportunities
Full text linkThe school-to-prison pipeline has established the relationship between school exclusionary discipline and an increased likelihood of experiencing criminal justice contact. Furthermore, exclusionary discipline serves as a precursor to several negative life outcomes, including educational and economic disadvantages. Using a life course perspective and longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) collected from 1998 to 2024, this study aims to understand the role that sex plays in exclusionary discipline and explores sex differences in early adulthood life opportunities post-exclusionary discipline. This study utilizes logistic regression analyses to answer the following questions: (1) Are there different early adulthood social and economic opportunities for those who experienced exclusionary discipline compared to those who did not? (2) Do girls who experienced exclusionary discipline have better early adulthood social and economic opportunities than boys who experienced exclusionary discipline? Findings suggest that those who experience exclusionary discipline are significantly more likely to have lower educational attainment and lower economic potential. Females who experience exclusionary discipline are significantly less likely to have higher economic potential than boys who experience exclusionary discipline. Keywords: Exclusionary discipline, social and economic opportunities, education, economic status, sex, life cours
Novel Atomic Layer Deposition Processes of Silver for Battery Applications
Full text linkThis thesis presents a novel approach to enhance the performance and stability of anode-free lithium-ion batteries (AFLBs) by employing atomic layer deposition (ALD) to coat copper (Cu) current collectors with a silver-aluminum oxide (AgAlOx) layer. Leveraging the unique capabilities of ALD for precise and conformal deposition, the AgAlOx coating was achieved using triethyl phosphine-(6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-2,2-dimethyl-3,5-octanedionato)-silver(I) (Ag(fod)(PEt3)), trimethylaluminum (TMA), and de-ionized water (H2O) as precursors. This innovative coating method significantly enhanced the cycling stability and Coulombic efficiency (CE) of both Li||Cu and Cu||NMC811 cells, as evidenced by improved electrochemical performance metrics. The AgAlOx layer effectively reduced nucleation overpotential and facilitated uniform lithium deposition, mitigating common issues such as non-uniform Li nucleation and excessive solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Electrochemical tests demonstrated a stable CE ~90% across various conditions for Cu@150_AgAlOx electrodes, with superior charge-discharge profiles and capacity retention compared to bare Cu electrodes. This study underscores the potential of ALD-AgAlOx coatings to address critical challenges in AFLBs, paving the way for high-energy density, safer, and more cost-effective energy storage solutions
The Reality of Reputation: Exploring Proxy Measures and Predictive Modeling in \u3ci\u3eU.S. News & World Report\u3c/i\u3e College Rankings
Full text linkSince 1983, U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) has published annual college rankings that shape institutional decision-making, student choices, and public perceptions of higher education. While widely utilized, these rankings have been criticized for their reliance on subjective reputation metrics, methodological opacity, and emphasis on factors correlated with institutional wealth rather than student outcomes. This study examines whether publicly available data from sources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard can serve as proxies for the factors used in the USNWR National Universities 2025 Best Colleges rankings. Using statistical correlation analyses and regression modeling, the study assesses the extent to which these proxy measures predict the peer assessment factor, one of the most heavily weighted and controversial components of the rankings. Findings indicate that variables such as selectivity, faculty salaries, and financial resources per student exhibit strong predictive relationships with peer assessment scores, reinforcing concerns that rankings favor institutional affluence and historical prestige. These results provide insight into how rankings may shape institutional decision-making, particularly regarding resource allocation, and suggest that without increased financial investment, climbing the rankings remains challenging. Additionally, this study highlights recent changes to the USNWR methodology, including an increased emphasis on social mobility, and considers their implications for future rankings. By offering a data-driven analysis of ranking methodologies, this research informs ongoing debates about their validity and impact, equipping higher education stakeholders with a clearer understanding of their role in institutional strategy and public perception
Identifying Predictors of Student Success During Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork
Full text linkThe training paradigm for new occupational therapy (OT) practitioners includes both didactic classroom learning and clinical fieldwork experiences in order for them to establish clinical competency. However, many students struggle with the theory-to-practice gap of translating classroom knowledge to clinical experiences. When students struggle in this manner, it causes stress for all stakeholders involved, including the fieldwork educator, clinic managers, OT program faculty, as well as the student.
This study aims to avoid this stress by identifying predictors of student success by analyzing data from recent graduates of the University of Arkansas/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences OT program through the use of multiple linear regression. “Success” will be measured by higher Fieldwork Performance Evaluation scores and potential predictors will include undergraduate and graduate student GPA and student scores on the Health Science Reasoning Test. Answering this question will provide OT programs with objective data when deciding which students are ready to embark on their Level II fieldwork rotations, and which students may need additional support
Principal and Teacher Perceptions of Corrective and Developmental Feedback for Teachers
Full text linkThis study explores why the current structures of systematic, comprehensive, instrument-driven, and inter-rater reliable teacher evaluation may oversimplify the multi-dimensionality of teaching and minimize practitioner voices in the field. A framework for teaching complexity is presented with descriptions of effective school culture and connectivity, educator well-being, connected relationships, reflection for continual improvement, and positive learning environments. Through a mixed method, bounded multiple case study, and descriptive survey research, I sought to understand principal and teacher perceptions along inquiry lines of feedback going well and not going well in both corrective and developmental settings. I probed reflexively with purposive sampling, five principals in semi-structured interviews. I organized codes into deductive themes and developed six inductive themes through the interview process: trust, educator well-being, clarity, culture, simplicity, and expertise and support networks. A purposive sample of expert teachers for a modified Delphi method focus group was assembled to verify and further develop and validate these themes. Finally, I investigated how different components of evaluation (teacher perspectives and self-evaluation, professional conferencing and goal setting, informal and formal observation, team meetings, pre- and post-conferencing, student and parent feedback, learning data, and peer review) are valued among administrators and teachers through our descriptive survey research and further developed and verified through the interviews and focus group. I found principals valued them all, which reinforces the theory of evaluation triangulation. I discuss recommendations to improve teacher evaluation through co-created professional growth plans, relationship building, intellectual humility & reserving judgment, evaluation triangulation, and developing a positive frame for the teacher’s personal well-being
Controls on Nutrient and Sediment Export in a Non-perennial Agricultural Stream
No full textClimate change is expected to increase flow variability and intermittency in streams, changing the magnitude and timing nutrient and sediment delivery. This may exacerbate water quality issues in agricultural landscapes, where nutrient and sediment inputs are often elevated. Elevated nutrients can drive eutrophication in downstream waterways, and excess sediment loss can decrease primary productivity. Non-perennial headwater streams are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and agriculture as they serve as key sites for nutrient cycling at the terrestrial-aquatic interface. Despite their importance, the interactive effects of agriculture and stream intermittency, as well as unpaved roads in rural watersheds are understudied.
Here, we sampled the Brush Creek watershed (5,165 ha), a non-perennial tributary of Beaver Lake Reservoir, Northwest Arkansas’s primary drinking water source. In Brush Creek, ~45% of land cover is dedicated to poultry production and pastureland, and there are 190 km of unpaved roads. I conducted monthly baseflow sampling for nitrate (NO3--N) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) export from October 2023-September 2024. While both NO3--N and SRP increased moving downstream as surface connectivity increased, I found that only NO3--N loads increased simultaneously with percent of upstream sites flowing. I also found NO3--N loads were higher in subwatersheds with greater %pasture/hay, suggesting that fertilizers may be a potential NO3--N source in the watershed. My results indicate surface connectivity in Brush Creek controls the timing and spatial patterns of nutrient loss, where %pastureland controls the magnitude of NO3--N loss. Overall, my findings suggest management should focus on periods of hydrologic reconnection and in subwatersheds with more pasturelands to effectively protect downstream water quality.
Beginning in February 2024, I also sampled at baseflow monthly for total suspended sediments (TSS) and collected samples opportunistically during four storm events to understand local (i.e., type of road crossing) and watershed-scale (i.e., land cover/use) controls on sediment loss from unpaved roads. Surprisingly, mean TSS yields downstream vs. upstream of road crossings were comparable, especially at bridge and culvert sites, indicating these types of road crossings may not be critical sources of TSS to streams. At the watershed scale, we found that TSS load increased as the total length of unpaved roads and area of pastureland in a subwatershed increased (Simple Linear Regression; R2=0.24, p\u3c0.001 for both). Finally, we documented higher TSS yields during stormflow than at baseflow (26.87 ± 6.82 vs. 0.38 ± 0.04 kg km-2 day-1; unpaired t-test, p\u3c0.01). Our findings indicate that unpaved road networks are key contributors to sediment export in rural watersheds. As such, BMP implementation should focus on unpaved roads to effectively protect downstream water quality in regions with extensive unpaved road networks.
My thesis highlights the importance of targeted BMPs in agricultural areas with intermittent streams. These practices should focus on periods of hydrologic reconnection, pasture-dominated subwatersheds, and managing sediment loss from unpaved roads to mitigate both nutrient and sediment loss. My research supports the importance of proper land management for protecting downstream water quality as climate change magnifies flow variability and intermittency
Sitting Down or Speaking Up: Influences on the Behavior of Autistic Women During Workplace Meetings
No full textAutistic women often mask their disability to fit in better with peers at work. However, this has long-term harmful effects on their well-being and ability to sustain employment. In order to promote more adaptive behaviors at work, it is necessary to understand environmental and social mechanisms that pressure autistic women to mask. In this dissertation, I draw on anxiety/uncertainty management theory and expectancy violation theory to suggest that in workplace meetings where expectations are not clear, autistic women experience uncertainty about whether their behavior will be appropriate and anxiety over the potential consequences of acting inappropriately. I argue that under these conditions, autistic women act in alignment with the norms associated with their social categories—either their gender or their autistic self. As gender is often more visible than autism, I suggest that when circumstances are ambiguous, and thus there is a higher perceived risk of behaving incongruent to expected behavior, autistic women will choose to mask and behave more feminine to reduce the risk of negative sanctions. Conversely, when autistic women understand the bounds of appropriate behavior in meetings, they feel confident in knowing when and how to speak up about their opinions and suggestions. Importantly, I propose two boundary conditions—self-efficacy and conventional attractiveness—that influence alignment to social categories and subsequent normed behavior. I test this model in an event-contingent three-week experience sampling study, which allows for an understanding of how this phenomenon unfolds in real time. This research suggests several practical interventions that organizations can leverage to increase workplace meeting inclusivity and thus reap the benefits of this population’s unique insights, providing benefits to autistic workers, organizations, and broader society. Finally, I set the stage for future research and theory on autistic women and workplace social interactions
The Utilization and Deterioration of Travertine in Classical, Baroque, and Fascist Architecture: A Case Study from Rome, Italy
Full text linkTravertine limestone has formed the resilient backbone of Roman architecture for over two millennia and across several cultural periods. This study identified the leading causes of travertine decay in Rome across Ancient, Baroque, and Fascist periods in order to efficiently prioritize conservation and restoration efforts across the city. The methodology developed here can then be utilized in other urban settings. Rome’s iconic landmarks such as the Flavian Amphitheater, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Spanish Steps all owe their existence to this local limestone. High rates of urbanization now dictate how architectural travertine interacts with its surrounding environments and landscapes. Grand avenues oriented in the same cardinal directions as the prevailing, seasonal winds have been found to exacerbate mechanical and chemical weathering and erosion of this calcareous building and cladding material. Conversely, narrow medieval and baroque streets hinder sunlight access and increase shadowfall – facilitating the growth of biodeteriorators such as cyanobacteria and lichens. Increased vehicle ownership and public transportation produces abundant exhaust fumes that bind to travertine producing an unsightly black crust called scialbatura.
This research analyzed how environmental factors and driving agents interacted and affected travertine deterioration by employing nondestructive field methods, thematic cartography, and geographical information systems (GIS) to identify sites most likely to have the highest rates of weathering, recession, and erosion. No single parameter was solely responsible, but rather the relationships between an increased surface porosity (a leading factor), prevailing winds, urbanization, and cultural norms were evident within this vital project
An Empirical Assessment of Cannabidiol, Stress, Anxiety, and Sex Differences: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
No full textCannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating molecule derived from the Cannabis sativa L. plant, displays broad therapeutic potential in the context of anxiety-related vulnerability. Very little work has directly examined the effects of CBD on stress among human subjects; however, existing data suggest CBD has the potential to reduce stress. Two studies have examined the acute versus repeated effects of CBD and reported null effects. The goal of the current study is to replicate and extend existing evidence suggesting CBD reduces stress by examining the effects of acute administration of 300mg CBD compared to repeated CBD administration at the same dosing level (verses placebo) on physical symptoms of stress, perceived stress, physical symptoms of anxiety and state anxiety. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggest the potential for sex differences with respect to CBD administration. The current study also sought to explore potential sex differences in this context. Participants were 79 individuals (Mage = 22.70; SDage = 7.56) self-reporting elevated stress randomly assigned to administer 300mg CBD or placebo daily for two weeks. Results suggest no significant acute or repeated effects of CBD (verses placebo) on physical symptoms of stress, perceived stress, physical symptoms of anxiety, and state anxiety. There were no significant differences between sexes for any exploratory outcomes. These results suggest there are no acute nor repeated effects of 300mg CBD on stress- and anxiety-related outcomes and no sex differences in this context. Methodological factors may account for the unexpected pattern of results; these are detailed with an eye on informing future, rigorous tests of CBD’s anxiolytic effects
Assessing the Recall of Traffic Safety Campaigns in Arkansas
Full text linkThis study estimates the degree to which drivers recall traffic safety campaigns based on sociodemographic characteristics including driving frequency, vehicle type, education, income, age, household composition, race, and gender. Traffic safety campaigns are efforts to educate, persuade, and inspire individuals to adjust their attitudes and behaviors for improved road safety, utilizing planned communications over a set time period. They aim to encourage safe driving using slogans shown on television, radio, social media, billboards, and variable message signs. Two years of a mail-based survey conducted in Arkansas were used to estimate binary logistic regression models for each of four safety campaigns. The findings indicate that overall recall is 92%, yet variability exists across campaigns. For example, the “Click it or Ticket” campaign aimed at encouraging seat belt use achieved an 83% recall rate, whereas the “Speeding Slows You Down” campaign aimed at promoting safe driving speeds was recalled by only 7% of respondents. Key predictors of recall include gender, with males exhibiting higher recall (ORs ≈ 1.38 – 1.68) compared to females, and driving frequency, where non-daily drivers have about 40–45% lower odds of recall (ORs ≈ 0.55–0.63) than everyday drivers. Additionally, respondents surveyed in 2024 had between 1.68 and 1.74 times the odds of recalling campaign messages compared to those surveyed in 2023. Other significant factors influencing recall were income, driving frequency, race and age. These model results underscore that not only does overall recall vary, but specific demographic and temporal factors consistently influence the likelihood of campaign recall