SU Graduate Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/98

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Literacy Identity and Experiences of College Students Diagnosed with Reading Disabilities
(2020-12-16) MacDonald, Katherine; Franzak, Judith; Kim, Koomi; Porter, Heather; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy; Doctoral Studies in Literacy
As an increasing number of students diagnosed with reading disabilities enter higher education, it is the task of university faculty, staff, and administrators to determine how to best support this diverse group. Understanding the unique literacy identity and experiences of these students can empower and engage educators in creating a more accessible and inclusive academic setting. This qualitative multiple case study explores the literacy identity of five college students diagnosed with reading disabilities and how experiences with Miscue Analysis (Goodman, Watson, & Burke, 2005) contributes to their literacy identity. According to this study, college students with reading disabilities develop complex literacy and disability identities in childhood influenced by their positive and negative experiences in the home and school settings. These experiences affect their beliefs about themselves as readers, learners, and individuals with disabilities into adulthood. However, these students can revalue their literacy identity through engagement with Miscue Analysis. Retrospective Miscue Analysis (RMA) and Collaborative Retrospective Miscue Analysis (CRMA) provide the opportunity for these readers to learn about their meaning making processes and themselves as readers. CRMA provides an avenue for these students to connect with peers through their mutual experiences and develop confidence and agency. Other implications of this study include using a disability interpretive lens and social model of disability in the home and school settings to assist students with reading disabilities in developing a positive literacy identity and development of literacy centers in the college setting to support them in revaluing their literacy identity and learning more about their reading processes.
In-Service Secondary English Teachers' Exploration of Their Reading Identities and How These Identities Manifest Themselves in Their Teaching Practice
(2021-04-06) Sroka, Matthew; Franzak, Judith; Williamson, Thea; Siers, Ron; Doctoral Studies in Literacy; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy
This participatory action research study (Herr and Anderson, 2015) explored the reading lives, reading histories, reading identities and teaching practices of five in-service English teachers involved in a professional learning network (Trust, Krutka, and Carpenter, 2016) in order to deepen our understanding of the reading and teaching lives of these participants. I utilized purposive sampling (Salkin, 2012) in order to recruit English teachers who were interested in their reading lives and the reading lives of their students. Data included seven bi-weekly online group meetings, two individual semi-structured interviews with each participant (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015), reading journals (Filetti, 2016), a discussion board (Ajayi, 2010), participant generated artifacts, and other teaching artifacts such as lesson plans, class worksheets, and syllabi. Findings reveal that English teachers (a) value and desire to read but personal reading lives tend to become de-prioritized by professional and personal responsibilities, (b) hold beliefs about reading and text selection that are at times in tension with classroom practice, (c) have reading lives that are shaped by current events, and (d) crave communities in which to discuss their reading lives and teaching lives.
Critiquing Source Use as Retrofit: Access, Agency, and Discourse Practice in the First Year Composition Classroom
(2021-05-06) Anderson, Katelin; King, Carolyne; Kerschbaum, Stephanie; English; Master of Arts in English
“Critiquing Source Use as Retrofit: Access, Agency, and Discourse Practice in the First Year Composition Classroom” is a study of how first year writing students understand rhetorical source use and their struggles with learning to use academic discourse conventions as they write with sources in academic research papers. First Year Composition classes seek to help students enculturate into academic discourse communities, and source use is a prominent aspect of academic discourse (Porter; Bartholomae; Howard & Jamieson). Unfortunately, students rely on retrofit source use heuristics like the “source sandwich” rather than rhetorical strategies that are more nuanced and contextualized positionings of the source-text. While students must learn how to appropriately summarize, paraphrase, and quote with proper attribution, these simplified heuristics act as retrofits that merely seem to provide access to academic discourse structures. Disability studies, which critiques structures and assumptions about access, offers a way to refine our understanding of source use instruction, while multilingual and antiracist writing pedagogies offer practical suggestions for how to center students’ right to their own language in meaningful ways. By using these approaches to think through instructional practices, we can help students develop confidence in their writing and to position FYC as a pathway for deeper access, rather than a barred gate to further learning. “Critiquing Source Use as Retrofit” investigates how students think about and experience themselves as writers who use sources after completing a First Year Composition class. This thesis uses a small set of interview-based case studies to provide insight into the often difficult-to-perceive rhetorical and disciplinary growth in students’ writing and source use. In particular, by highlighting discrepancies between students’ intentions and evaluations of their own writing, this thesis offers instructors new insights into students’ source-based writing processes. Bringing together questions of source use instruction, discourse and student language, and access and universal design, “Critiquing Source Use as Retrofit” argues for a more inclusive and accessible introduction to FYC.
Postpartum Education Redesigned: A Quality Improvement Project
(2021-05-07) Jarman, Nicole; Nutt, Rita; Ruhl, Catherine; Hitches, Diane; Nursing; Doctor of Nursing Practice
The United States has the highest rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among all developed nations, and the majority of these cases have been deemed preventable. Many women who have just given birth are not aware of the complications that can occur during the postpartum period, making this a critical time for these patients to receive essential education. This project served to develop an evidence-based postpartum education program with the goals of increasing patient satisfaction and knowledge surrounding possible postpartum complications. A secondary goal of this project was to improve nurse satisfaction with patient education and discharge processes. The postpartum education process was restructured and included the use of a new education checklist designed by experts in postpartum nursing. Voluntary surveys were distributed to qualifying postpartum nurses and patients pre- and post-educational modification to ascertain for any changes in knowledge and/or satisfaction among the groups. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed on all survey data. Post-implementation findings demonstrated statistically significant differences in the frequency that nurses reviewed possible complications, in patient confidence and knowledge regarding possible post-birth complications and in patient satisfaction with their current knowledge surrounding postpartum complications. The results of this pilot study justify continued use of the modified education checklist in order to increase postpartum patient knowledge of potential complications and assist in decreasing rates of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality.
The Implementation of the Right of Asylum According to Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(2021-05-10) Kuisachor, Elijah; Foutz, Brittany; Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution; Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution
In recent times, many United Nations member states have adopted tougher measures and policies resulting in the refusal to admit immigrants seeking asylum in these countries. This study sought to analyze if the right of asylum is effective for the current times according to Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It underscores that the number of people suffering persecution for wars, conflicts, violence, and the violation of human rights has increased greatly. The UDHR was adopted by the United Nations (U.N.) at its third session on December 10, 1948, as Resolution 217 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France. Therefore, the set of international and state standards that developed it and the factual situation of refugees and asylum seekers were reviewed. I collected relevant data from the databases of the UNHCR, UN member states, and scholarly materials. I then established the reason why the current international protection system fails and finally suggested a small proposal that allows greater visibility of the problem and how a more equitable distribution of refugees could be made. The significance of this study is structured such that the UN and its stakeholders can assess the progress made by this institution in terms of the effectiveness and quality of its work, with specific reference to the right of asylum as enshrined in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Literacies of Secondary Career and Technical Education Classrooms: A Case Study of the Delaware Pathways Program
(2021-05-07) Davis, Andrea; Franzak, Judith; Porter, Heather; Stutelberg, Erin; Doctoral Studies in Literacy; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy
America’s public secondary educational system has long included vocational education in its curriculum (Castellano, Stringfield, & Stone, 2009; Kantor, 1986; Kantor & Lowe, 2004), but increasingly ties its markers of career and college readiness to the availability of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses, as research has shown relationships between success in high school CTE courses and income levels after graduation (Aliaga, Kotamraju, & Stone, 2014; Kantor & Lowe, 2004, Edgar, 1988; Carnevale, Rose, & Cheah, 2013). Understanding the academic and literacy requirements of these CTE classes is an important step toward student success. This qualitative case study (Stake, 2006) of the Delaware Pathways program identifies the literacies of the participating CTE classrooms, explores how these literacies are conceptualized by program administrators and program documents, and how they are enacted by CTE teachers in classroom settings. In this study, teachers, administrators, and stakeholders were interviewed about the literacies of the CTE classes included in the Delaware Pathways program. These interviews were coded and analyzed alongside federal, national, state, district, and building-level program documents guiding the program. Findings showed the primary types of literacy experiences occurring in these classrooms, the importance of literacy in the Delaware Pathways, the effects of the education and training of CTE teachers, the need for additional special education supports, and the continued challenges of equitable CTE education.
Exploring Diverse Elementary Students' Literacy Development in a Literacy Club
(2021-05) Leibu, Beth; Kim, Koomi; Wiencek, Joyce; Williamson, Thea; Doctoral Studies in Literacy; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy
This study explored diverse students’ literacy development in Grades 3–5 in a literacy club. It also served as a self-study to examine how I developed and facilitated this literacy club. This study focused on a group of diverse students engaged in a literacy club across two study phases. The first phase consisted of an after-school literacy club pre-COVID-19 and the second phase occurred in an online literacy club during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from this study suggest that diverse students benefited from co-creating the literacy events in the literacy club. Students developed their literacy through socioculturaly engaging literacy activities, which enabled them to have choice and ownership of their literacy events. Students learned from and through their peer collaboration and dialogic exchanges around culturally relevant topics to include social justice, racism, and inequity to promote their literacy development. Students benefited from opportunities to discuss their own cultural identities and use their rich socio-cultural and lived experiences to foster their literacy development. Additionally, findings suggest that these diverse students applied multimodal literacies as tools to further their literacy development. This study contributes to the current research related to literacy development, diverse students, culturally responsive pedagogy, and literacy practices in elementary schools.
Using Zebrafish to Investigate the Onset and Recovery from Common Complications of Hyperglycemia
(2022-05-03) Sargent, Sheridan; Clark, Jessica; Nyland, Jennifer; Taylor, Ryan; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as an excellent model system to investigate disorders associated with diabetes as they have similar glucose metabolic pathways as mammals and exhibit characteristics of diabetic comorbidities. The Clark lab has characterized a model of hyperglycemia-induced motor nerve degeneration that includes motor axon defasciculation, decreased myelination, and loss of perineurial ensheathment. While these characteristics of neurodegeneration are observed in human DPN, differences in the perineurial tight junctions were absent in this model but is widely observed in human and mice DPN. Here, we optimized the hyperglycemic-induction protocol to recapitulate mammalian models of DPN more closely, and then introduced a recovery period to determine the capacity for peripheral nerve regeneration and return of normal escape response following a return to a euglycemic state. In agreement with our previous work, glucose-immersion initiated motor nerve degeneration and behavioral deficits. However, the optimized protocol led to disruption of tight junctions between the perineurial glia within the blood-nerve barrier, a phenotype consistent with mammalian models of DPN. Following a ten-day recovery period, peripheral motor axon length and ensheathment regenerate, but axonal defasciculation and behavioral deficits persist. Given that hyperglycemia has the potential to impact multiple systems, we explored other areas whose alterations may impact behavior. We hypothesized impaired skeletal development may be impacting behavior due to the necessary coordinated actions of the skeleton for the undulating movement of swimming. Here we describe a model of peripheral motor nerve regeneration following hyperglycemic insult, which future work will exploit to elucidate molecular mechanisms involved in regeneration. The robust impairment to skeletal development was unanticipated but expands our understanding of the global impact hyperglycemia has across systems.
Elucidating the role of perineurial glia in peripheral debris clearance in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio)
(2020-12-01) Dunnam, Collin; Clark, Jessica; Erickson, Patti; Nyland, Jennifer; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the division of the nervous system that consists of all nerves lying outside of the brain and spine (central nervous system (CNS)). Primarily, the role of the PNS is to bridge the gap between the CNS and the environment. The PNS fulfills this role by carrying motor and sensory information to and from the CNS via the somatic nervous system and regulates involuntary physiological functions through the autonomic nervous system. When the PNS’ ability to carry information is disrupted via injury, the body’s capability to regulate these functions becomes diminished and pathological issues begin to surface. The component functioning as the blood-nerve barrier for peripheral nerves, the perineurium, has emerged as an important influencer in the degenerative process following nerve injury. Recent work in zebrafish (Danio rerio) has revealed that perineurial glia are the first to bridge injury gaps following nerve transection, and that perineurial glia extend processes into the injury site and phagocytize neuronal debris. While this work elucidated how perineurial glia respond to an acute injury induced by laser transection, how the perineurium behaves when subject to clinically relevant neurodegeneration remains a mystery. Here we use an established model of hyperglycemia-induced neurodegeneration in conjunction with in vivo imaging in transgenic zebrafish to visualize the dynamics of the perineurial glia during neurodegeneration. We demonstrate that hyperglycemia induces lysosomal activity in perineurial glia and that they phagocytize axonal, Schwann cell, and potentially oligodendrocyte debris by extending processes to the debris. We present that hyperglycemia also induces migration of olig2+ cells out of the spinal cord which then are seen associating with motor nerves potentially attempting to remyelinate them following demyelination caused by hyperglycemia. Finally, we uncover a phenomenon of cells and/or debris being ejected from the spinal cord nerve roots at regular intervals prior to death in these zebrafish. This may indicate a failure of a population of glia at motor exit points or further migration of oligodendrocytes. Collectively, these data provide insight into how the perineurial glia and other nerve components respond to peripheral neurodegeneration and reveal a previously unknown moribund process.
Investigating the Impact of Hyperglycemia on Zebrafish Development: Implications for Bone, Cartilage, and Mobility
(2024-12) Esker, Brianna; Clark, Jessica; Nyland, Jennifer; Bressman, Noah; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Diabetes is associated with widespread complications like diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis, which are challenging to study in mammalian models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a valuable model for studying diabetic complications due to their conserved glucoregulatory mechanisms, regenerative capabilities, and transparent nature. Previous work with our glucose immersion model demonstrated deficits in peripheral nerves, bones, and behavior. While nerve function and muscle structure recovered following a return to euglycemia, bone mineralization and behavioral deficits persisted, suggesting long-term impacts of hyperglycemia on the skeletal system. Building on this foundation, we explored the developmental timeline of these deficits. Significant bone deficits became evident as early as 7 days post-fertilization (dpf) and got progressively worse throughout the treatment period. These skeletal deficiencies coincided with alterations in locomotive behavior, suggesting a potential link between structural abnormalities and motor function impairments. Additionally, swimming behavior was impaired as early as 7 dpf during the hyperglycemic period which persisted at 12dpf. While cartilage defects were inconclusive at 12 dpf, significant impairments of multiple cartilaginous areas were apparent when analyzed following the 10-day recovery period, demonstrating the lasting impacts of hyperglycemia. These findings highlight the zebrafish model’s utility in elucidating the mechanisms underlying diabetic complications, particularly in understanding the interplay between nerve and skeletal systems. By identifying critical windows of vulnerability to hyperglycemia, this research paves the way for developing targeted interventions to mitigate the long-term effects of diabetes during development.
Oxytocin, Chlorpyrifos & Their Modulatory Roles in Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) Social Behavior
(2024-12) Mitzel, Kelly; Freeman, Angela; Emmert, Elizabeth; Nyland, Jennifer; Liebgold, Eric; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Social behaviors, such as cooperation, communication, and aggregation, enhance survival and reproductive success within groups. These behaviors are regulated by neuroendocrine functions like oxytocin signaling. Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) serve as an ideal model to study aggregation behaviors due to their co-nesting habits throughout the year and throughout their range. In behavioral trials, I dosed squirrels with oxytocin (OT), oxytocin antagonist (OTA), or saline, in both familiar and unfamiliar social contexts, and recorded their behaviors. I found no main effect of treatment on behavior, but OTA influenced aggregation, particularly when accounting for sex and familiarity. In my second project, I tested for endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in soil and squirrel tissue using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). While chlorpyrifos was not detected, several EDCs, including steroid hormone analogues, plasticizers, and the banned pesticide endrin, were found. Two compounds, 2,4-DTBP and fluoxymesterone, were detected in both squirrel tissue and their environments, which suggest environmental contamination as the source. High concentrations of EDCs were often found in ditch samples, indicating runoff as a contamination route. This thesis explores the connection between OT signaling, EDCs, and social behavior, offering insights into OT’s role in social bonding and stress responses. The detection of EDCs highlights the potential environmental impact on neuroendocrine systems, which could contribute to social and behavioral dysfunctions.
Development and Pilot of an Amniotic Fluid Embolism Simulation for High-Risk Maternal Newborn Elective in Undergraduate Nursing Program
(2024-11) Wiedel, Josee; Hammerer, Kristen; Glover, Kevin; Cabrera, Katelynn; Barnes, Annette; Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing
Undergraduate nursing students do not get the opportunity to be involved in obstetrical emergencies during clinical and may not have the chance to experience a client emergency until well into their nursing careers. High-fidelity simulation is a remarkable method that nurse educators use to facilitate the practice of high-risk, low-volume events that can occur in healthcare environments. An internship was completed to develop and pilot an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) simulation for an intrapartum client that will be utilized in an undergraduate, high-risk maternity nursing elective course. Through high-fidelity simulation, students will be exposed to this event and will be better prepared to respond to this emergency and others in the healthcare setting. The simulation was piloted by practicing healthcare professionals, including labor nurses, a respiratory therapist, and an OB/GYN physician, to identify areas for enhancement before the simulation is introduced to undergraduate nursing students. The participants mentioned that this was a well-developed simulation and is a great activity to include in the nursing curriculum so that students can obtain more practice with emergencies before entering the field. A major discovery identified through performing the pilot was that this simulation will be better if not run with a confederate approach. The result of this internship is that the AFE simulation will be implemented into the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Through the development and pilot of this simulation, the developer met the AACN Master’s Essential IV (Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice) and NLN Nurse Educator Core Competencies I and IV (Facilitate Learning and Participate in Curriculum Design and Evaluation of Program Outcomes).
The Role of a Health Care Leader in the Community Health Needs Assessment Process
(2024) McCann, Kerry; Freda, Kaynabess; Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing
In alignment with the Affordable Care Act of 2010, non-profit hospitals must complete a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years to collect data to prioritize health needs and implement strategies for improvement. The purpose of the internship was to identify and demonstrate health care leader (HCL) skills necessary to effectively implement the CHNA process including data collection, evaluation, and implementation of programming. Literature review supports that nurse involvement is essential to include in community health planning, and the HCL has a unique opportunity to use graduate competencies to advocate for community health promotion. The internship took place within an organization designed specifically as a partnership between the local health department and local hospital to conduct the CHNA. The internship provided opportunities to demonstrate HCL competencies such as knowledge of health policy, population health, knowledge of health care environment, and leadership with a focus on interagency collaboration. Internship activities included prioritization and implementation of CHNA data through creation of written and virtual resources, community outreach events, program development, and participation in interagency meetings. The internship examined the role of the health care leader (HCL) in the CHNA process, and how the expertise of advanced-degree nurses can improve the CHNA process. The experience provided the intern an opportunity to build upon the present role as a community health nurse, and to prepare for future opportunities in leadership roles and to lead effective interagency collaboration.
ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq for PPARγ in Human Urothelial-Derived Cell Lines
(2024) Thomas, Logan; Anderson, Philip; Erickson, Les; Williams, Eugene; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Bladder cancer has a high prevalence throughout the world, primarily affecting men over the age of 55. Despite having multiple treatment options, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate in patients. Consistent with other cancer types, understanding the molecular mechanism of bladder cancer has the potential to increase the number and type of treatment options available to patients. Upregulation of the transcription factor (TF), PPARγ, has been associated with the metastasis of bladder cancer, but this mechanism is not clearly understood. To gain additional information on this mechanism, we conducted both a ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq analysis on three bladder cancer cell lines (UMUC1, SW780, and 5637) after treatment with a PPARγ agonist, rosiglitazone (RZ). The goal of this analysis is to identify genome-wide binding sites and genes regulated by PPARγ within these cell lines. We determined that RZ reduced the number of PPARγ binding sites in the three bladder cancer cell lines. Additionally, there were no PPARγ motifs bound by PPARγ regardless of cell or treatment type. The RNA-Seq results suggest that RZ affects gene expression within UMUC1 and SW780 cell lines but not 5637. Furthermore, GSEA identified numerous differentially expressed biochemical pathways in the UMUC1 and SW780 cell lines. G2M checkpoint and E2F target gene sets were downregulated within RZ-treated UMUC1 and SW780 cells but not 5637. The downregulation of these mechanisms may play an essential role in PPARγ’s involvement in bladder cancer metastasis. How PPARγ is involved in bladder cancer metastasis is still unknown; however, these results provide additional insight into this mechanism.
The Ecology of Writing, Feedback, and Revision Practices in an Upper-level Undergraduate English Course
(2022-04) Endicott, Kelsie Gaskill; Finch, Maida; Williamson, Thea; Towle, Beth; Doctoral Studies in Literacy; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy
A dearth of knowledge exists in empirical literature regarding how effectively upper-level college students (juniors and above) and their professors communicate during feedback rounds of written assignments, in addition to the resources that these students utilize when revising. Therefore, this single case study explored how college students and their course professor perceived the role of feedback and revision on written assignments in an English course, how the professor constructed feedback, and how students interpreted the feedback and revised their written assignments. Data sources consisted of classroom observations, interviews, documents and artifacts, and field notes. The data was analyzed by engaging in multiple rounds of coding. First cycle codes included initial (Saldana, 2016) and a priori codes to examine the language of the participants in an effort to better understand the nuances of their communication and writing practices. Second cycle codes included pattern coding so as to collapse codes into thematic categories that highlighted findings. Five findings emerged from the data I collected: (1) students perceived feedback to be shaped by their experiences, the way students perceived feedback was situational and context-dependent, and feedback should function to improve the piece, (2) students had similar processes for applying feedback, (3) students used myriad resources to revise their written assignments, however, they were not always aware of all of the resources that they used, (4) the professor perceived feedback as being valuable when it is effective, and feedback is most effective when it is personalized to the writer, dialogic, and instructive, and (5) when providing feedback, this professor predominantly saw herself as a writing coach and likewise provided coaching-style feedback to students in varied modalities, but primarily through digital end comments.
Investigations into the Regulation of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Assimilation and Ethanolamine Metabolism in Bacteria
(2022-05) Miller, Stephanie Marie; Erickson, Les; Carter, Michael; Sokoloski, Joshua; Nyland, Jennifer; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Metabolism is the process of importing extracellular materials and degrading them for the purposes of biomass and energy. Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is a keystone intermediate that is frequently the entry point into multiple cellular pathways. Two acetyl-CoA pathways, such as ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway (EMCP) and the glyoxylate bypass (GB), rarely coexist inside of the same organism. The genomes of two bacteria, Paracoccus denitrificans and Rhodobacter capsulatus, have the genes for both acetyl-CoA assimilation pathways. During growth with acetate, P. denitrificans utilizes both the EMCP and the GB. Additionally, R. capsulatus has the genes for two propionyl-CoA assimilation pathways. Propionyl-CoA can be assimilated through a branch of the EMCP called the methylmalonyl-CoA pathway or through the methylcitrate cycle. By using molecular cloning techniques to generate deletion and fusion strains, I investigated when the EMCP, the GB, the methylmalonyl-CoA pathway, and the methylcitrate cycle were active during growth with acetate or propionate. Our investigations with R. capsulatus indicate that R. capsulatus is possibly utilizing the EMCP and the GB differently than P. denitrificans. Investigating the EMCP, GB, methylmalonyl-CoA pathway, and methylcitrate cycle furthers our understanding of the biological control of these pathways. Because the EMCP shares reactions with bioplastics precursor molecules, understanding the mechanism of biological control of the EMCP and the pathways that intersect with the EMCP are critical for the possibility of proposing a mechanism of manipulation. This work investigates the operation and control of the EMCP, the GB, the methylmalonyl-CoA pathway, and the methylcitrate cycle in R. capsulatus.
Feeding and Trophic Ecology of Invasive Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in the Nanticoke River, Chesapeake Bay
(2023-12) Zachary S. Crum; Noah Bressman; Corbin Hilling; Christina Bradley; Eric Liebgold; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus were introduced into Western Shore tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s to provide fishing opportunities and are now classified as an invasive species due to their negative economic and ecological impacts. By the 2000s, these invasive ictalurids expanded into tributaries along the Eastern Shore, which possess unique ecological characteristics, potentially driving local differences in the feeding and trophic ecology of invasive Blue Catfish. As opportunistic, generalist feeders, variability in prey availability may be evident in the diet of Blue Catfish. This study investigates the diet composition and trophic interactions of Blue Catfish in the Nanticoke River watershed, on the Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore, using stomach content and stable isotope analyses. Stable isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in bulk muscle tissue suggest that Blue Catfish consume marine-derived nutrients and feed at a high trophic level. However, effluent from wastewater treatment plants and agricultural sources may influence δ15N and δ34S values. Stomach contents from Blue Catfish (n = 557) reveal size-based variability in prey and moderate local differences in diet composition compared to other Atlantic slope tributaries. Blue Catfish >350mm total length frequently preyed on seasonally available economically and ecologically significant species, including river herring Alosa spp., blue crab Callinectes sapidus, White Perch Morone americana, and Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus. These ecological insights inform fisheries management of invasive Blue Catfish and prey species on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
Say Hello to My Little Friends! Investigating the Influence of Exaiptasia diaphana Symbiotic State on the Feeding Ecology of the Nudibranch, Berghia stephanieae
(2023-05) Musselman, Kyle; Liebgold, Eric; Bradley, Christina; Bressman, Noah; Taylor, Ryan; Biological Sciences; Master of Science in Applied Biology
Mutualistic cnidarians are crucial to the success of biodiverse and economically valuable marine ecosystems, with coral reef ecosystems in particular holding immense ecological and economic importance. However, natural stressors, such as predators and anthropogenic stressors like climate change, pose serious risks to these ecosystems. The interactions between these stressors must be understood to provide a holistic view of how cnidarian ecosystems are being impacted. This study uses a model mutualistic cnidarian, Exaiptasia diaphana (Aiptasia), and a model specialist invertebrate predator of cnidarians, Berghia stephanieae (Berghia), to investigate how bleaching events impact the quantity and functionality of nematocysts in cnidarians, the feeding behaviors of invertebrate predators of cnidarians, and the stable isotope composition of invertebrate predators of cnidarians. This study utilized unbleached and bleached E. diaphana to quantify unfired and fired nematocyst content in both E. diaphana variants, in feeding trials to examine B. stephanieae feeding behavior in the presence of both E. diaphana variants, and in stable isotope analysis to assess how different E. diaphana variants influence the tissue composition of B. stephanieae. Bleaching was found to decrease nematocyst quantity but did not impact nematocyst functionality. Offering bleached E. diaphana as a prey item did not influence invertebrate cnidarian feeding preferences nor did consuming bleached E. diaphana immediately alter B. stephanieae’s stable isotope composition. However, mixing models indicate that Symbiodinium is a diet item that is assimilated within B. stephanieae’s tissues, but the proportion of tissue that Symbiodinium accounts for is unknown. This indicates that Symbiodinium found within E. diaphana are not an attractant, but are an additional source of nutrients, for B. stephanieae, which could have further reaching effects unobserved in this study. While mutualistic cnidarians are adversely impacted by bleaching events, this study provides evidence that invertebrate predators of cnidarians may possess limited resilience to bleaching events. Continued investigation into the effects of bleaching at multiple trophic levels is necessary to determine the comprehensive impacts of such events and to coordinate future conservation actions effectively.
Nurse Educator Scholarship & Qualitative Research
(2023-04) Sabater, Katie; Barnes, Annette; Reid, Tina; Webster, Debra; Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing
Nurse educators have many roles and responsibilities in addition to teaching including service, clinical practice, and scholarship. One way a nurse educator can achieve scholarship is through qualitative research that can enrich the nursing curriculum and education, empower the nurse educator, and improve patients' lives. To perform qualitative research, the nurse educator must understand the ethical considerations to reduce harm to participants, the importance of informed consent, and the necessity of confidentiality and anonymity. This internship aimed to understand the importance of scholarship for the nurse educator and how qualitative research can address the role through first-hand experiences of scholarship. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) student learned the role of focus group facilitator and conducted focus groups for data collection and transcription. The setting of this internship took place on campus at a public university. The preceptor and advisor were both university faculty. Graded course activities included a project proposal reflection, literature review, final paper, and presentation. Other experiences used for evaluation were completing the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) courses and obtaining certification, conducting focus groups as a facilitator, collecting audio data, and transcribing data. Other activities that were experienced included attending a virtual nurse educator conference and the opportunity to explore the use of thematic analysis procedures for qualitative data. Nurse educators have an obligation to perform scholarship in their careers in the form of grant funding, dissemination, clinical practice, or research. Even though qualitative research can be a very time-consuming, intensive endeavor, it is still necessary to be performed to make advances and inform academia and the nursing community.
Reaching into the Present, Growing Out of the Past: The Neo-Slave Narrative’s Innovation on Historical Slave Narratives and Contemporary Black Consciousness
(2023-05) Russell, Andrew; Quintana Wulf, Isabel; Wenke, John; English; Master of Arts in English
My thesis, “Reaching into the Present, Growing into the Past: The Neo-Slave Narrative’s Innovation on Historical Slave Narratives and Contemporary Black Consciousness,” approaches the neo-slave narrative genre as an innovative genre that both reinterprets the historical record to create a long history of slavery and show how the socioeconomic issues that slavery perpetuate through time and affect individuals in the contemporary moment. To accomplish this task, I have deployed an aesthetic study of the neo-slave narrative and how those aesthetics are in conversation with the historical record. After establishing common aesthetic features in the neo-slave narrative, I then shift my study to show how a neo-slave narrative can use its literary features to dismantle and deconstruct power structures in the contemporary era by focusing on the comedic slave narrative. While the comedic slave narratives use humor across their texts, the use of comedy is more interrogative in nature and gives its protagonists observational powers that are a critical feature in comedies to criticize and question extant power structures. The comedic slave narrative is reliant on postcolonial and Marxist theories, and the thesis makes uses of Althusser’s theories on interpellation and Fanon’s establishment of internalized racism to understand the forces that continue to colonize the black political consciousness in post-slavery life. However, comedy as an interrogative tool dismantles these structures to show how individuals can resist and grow in a social structure that is hostile to black independence.

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