2026 CGRS Handbook

2026 Capitol Graduate Research Summit

March 24th, 2026

Welcome

The Capital Graduate Research Summit (CGRS) provides an opportunity to showcase the impactful research conducted by graduate students at universities across Kansas. Graduate students from across Kansas join their peers from the Kansas Board of Regents Institutions at the Capitol Building to present their research to legislators and other members of state government.

The CGRS offers professional development through the enhancement of research presentation and communication skills for non-specialist audiences, and it provides valuable networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with graduate students from other Kansas universities and engage with Kansas policymakers and representatives.

Thank you for joining us in showcasing the innovative research being conducted by Kansas graduate students.

Presenters

Emporia State University

Savannah James: THE IMPACT OF A SINGLE-SESSION NEUROGRAPHIC ART THERAPY INTERVENTION ON THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL STATES OF AUTISTIC ADULTS

Kaitlynn Ray and Lily Thompson: CREATIVE TRADING CARDS & GROUP ART THERAPY FOR OLDER ADULTS

Allyson Scribner: THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRITTEN LANGUAGE AND SELF-EXPRESSION IN COLLAGE-MAKING

Amber Solida: STOP LOW READING PERFORMANCE AND THE ABSENCE OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WITH EVIDENCE FOR CHANGE

Amy Stanton: RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS STRATEGIC COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN KANSAS

Fort Hays State University

Jose Raul Ayala: SEPARATISM IN INDEPENDENT MEXICO, 1821-1846

Jonathan Owusu: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF NITRATE AND ARSENIC CONTAMINATION ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY ANDD THE POTENTIAL RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH IN WESTERN KANSAS: A GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION

Ivan Castaneda: DEEP LEARNING-BASED CROP AND WEED DETECTION SYSTEM FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE: BINARY AND MULTICLASS CLASSIFICATION APPROACHES

Chelsea Wildman: ESTABLISHING A SCHOOL-BASED, PEER-LED, UNIVERSAL MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION IN RURAL KANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hanna Fontes: TRAIL TO CLASSROOM: DIGITIZING ROCKY MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES WITH 360 VIDEO

Kansas State University

Amy Winstead: SOIL AND GRASS QUALITY ARE IMPACTED BY FIRE AND GRAZING

Asmita Mahara: THE ULTIMATE FUTURE OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT: HARNESSING NATURE’S REMEDY TO TACKLE THE UNTREATABLE

Kelechi Igwe: CLOSING THE WATER BUDGET GAP: LEVERAGING SATELLITE-BASED INSIGHTS FOR ACCURATE IRRIGATION WATER USE ESTIMATION ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S.

Md Suzauddula: BIOENGINEERED PURPLE TOMATO-DERIVED ANTHOCYANINS REDUCE COLORECTAL CANCER PROGRESSION

Mia Reyes: GROWING PAINS: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY OF KANSAS AGRITOURISM OPERATORS

Mohsen Davoudkhani: ODOR IDENTIFICATION AND BLOOD-BASED MARKERS REVEAL EARLY SIGNS OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

Nayara Mota Miranda Soares: EFFECTS OF GRADED LEVELS OF RED SORGHUM BRAN ON PROCESSING PARAMETERS AND PALATABILITY IN DRY DOG FOOD

Vidya Nadar: SMALL MOLECULES, BIG IMPACT: BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CANCER AND ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Vydehi Gadiparthi: SOIL HEALTH DYNAMICS UNDER GRAZED PASTURES AND NO-TILL MANAGEMENT

Bailey Walke: CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES AND THEIR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS

Pittsburg State University

Jaydipkumar Chaudhari: NON-ISOCYANATE POLYURETHANE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES: AN ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN ROUTE TO SAFER ADHESIVES  

Shreyashee Dutta: INHERITED TRAITS AND NEURODIVERSITY: EXPLORING AUTISM WITHIN FAMILIES

Vishalbhai Rajubhai Gamot: SUSTAINABLE AND EARTH-ABUNDANT MIXED METAL NICKEL-IRON-OXIDE AS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ANODE FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

Yashkumar N. Patel: SUSTAINABLE HYBRID POLYURETHANES FROM VANILLIN-DERIVED SPIRO-DIOL AND SILANE DIOL: TOWARD MECHANICALLY ROBUST AND FLAME-RETARDANT COATING SYSTEM

Alima Tazhikerim: POLARIZED COVERAGE: HOW CNN AND FOX NEWS SHAPE THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE IN THE U.S.

University of Kansas

Christopher W. Carter: WHY DO NEW TEACHERS QUIT? TEACHER AGENCY – A SIGNIFICANT PREDICTOR OF RETENTION FOR NOVICE SECONDARY MATHEMATICS EDUCATORS

Julia Doderer: HOW EXPERIENCES SHAPE AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE DISRUPTS BRAIN PLASTICITY

Saba Faghirnejad: IMPROVING TORNADO SHELTER ACCESS IN KANSAS: INTEGRATING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

Clement Feyijimi: A ONE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER MODEL FOR SIMULATING THE GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS AND SOLID FUELS

Thomas J. Gonzales: KANSAS ENGINEERING IMPROVING THE MANUFACTURING OF MODERN MEDICINES: SOLVING HIDDEN SCALE-UP CHALLENGES IN PHARMACEUTICAL AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY

Aaron Lindberg: INCREASING MUNICIPAL COMPOSTING PARTICIPATION THROUGH STRATEGIC SERVICE DESIGN

Mohd Mamoon: STRENGTHENING KANSAS CYBERSECURITY THROUGH AI AND EMBEDDED STUDENT TRAINING

Travis M. Miller: WHO COUNTS AS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? A COMPARATIVE SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL STUDENT AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS DATA IN KANSAS

University of Kansas Medical Center

Dakota Okwuone: DEFINING THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS OF MK2-DRIVEN CELL MOTILITY, INVASION, AND TUMOR METASTASIS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Kennedy Morey: BEYOND THE PULSE: ASSESSING A VASCULAR SURGERY SIMULATION’S IMPACT ON MEDICAL STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS

Lana L. Heslop: KETOGENIC DIET ALTERS NEURONS TO ALLEVIATE PAIN

Megan Turner: A SCOPING REVIEW OF MULTIPLE-PATIENT SIMULATIONS IN PRE-LICENSURE NURSING PROGRAMS 

Mustapha Mangdow: FEASIBILITY OF WALKAFRESH ROBOTIC GAIT TRAINING DEVICE IN NON-AMBULATORY CHRONIC STROKE SURVIVORS

Wichita State University

Adetayo Afolayan: MACROMOLECULAR SEPARATIONS BASED ON THE ION FOCUSING IN DIVERGENT ASYMMETRIC ELECTRIC FIELDS OF SWITCHABLE POLARITY

Saleh Ateiwi: DESIGN FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING: AN UPDATED REVIEW OF METHODS, SOFTWARE, AND AI-DRIVEN APPROACHES

Kaytie Brozek: “WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY?”: HOW INQUIRY-BASED ADVISING PRACTICES EMERGE AND SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS

John Hammond: “I JUST FEEL LIKE AN AVERAGE COLLEGE STUDENT THAT JUST DOESN'T WANT TO DO THEIR WORK”: A CASE STUDY

Md. Najib Hasan: PITFALLS OF EVALUATING LANGUAGE MODELS WITH OPEN BENCHMARKS

Touseef Hasan: GENERATIVE RECOMMENDATION OF CUSTOMIZED INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR VIRTUAL LABORATORIES

Md Zawad Hossain: FREE-STANDING CARBONACEOUS ELECTRODE FOR POTASSIUM-ION SUPERCAPACITOR

Ana Lucia Jara Valenzuela: LEGAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION IN KANSAS: AI AND THE PERSPECTIVES OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS

Muhammad Faraz Shoaib: LLM4LEAKS: ANDROID MEMORY LEAK DETECTION USING LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS

Elmira Sadat Tabatabaei: ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBER THERAPEUTICS FOR LOCALIZED POST-SURGICAL BREAST CANCER TREATMENT

Poster Abstracts

Emporia State University

THE IMPACT OF A SINGLE-SESSION NEUROGRAPHIC ART THERAPY INTERVENTION ON THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL STATES OF AUTISTIC ADULTS

Savannah James

Department of Counselor Education, Emporia State University

This pilot employed a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental, single-group pretest-posttest design to investigate the effectiveness of a neurographic drawing intervention in reducing self-reported anxiety, stress, and depression in adults on the autism spectrum. The DASS-21 assessment was used to measure emotional states before and after a single-session intervention. Three university students (18-24 years) with formal or self-identified autism diagnoses participated. Results indicated a statistically significant reduction in stress (p = 0.047), with a trend toward decreased anxiety and depression. Although not generalizable to the general population due to the small sample size and limited scope of the single-session intervention, these results demonstrate the need for further research. Additionally, qualitative feedback from the follow-up survey described the activity as "relaxing" and "calming." The study provided preliminary evidence supporting the potential of neurographic drawing as a stress-reduction technique for autistic adults, highlighting the need for further research with larger samples and consideration of individual differences, sensory needs, and the unique challenges faced by this population.

CREATIVE TRADING CARDS & GROUP ART THERAPY FOR OLDER ADULTS

Kaitlynn Ray and Lily Thompson

Department of Counselor Education, Emporia State University

The study examined whether a ten-week art therapy protocol would reduce depressive symptoms and improve quality of life for elderly residents. The researchers administered pre- and post-tests of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Older Person’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL-Brief), and the Global Quality of Life (GQOL) test. The eight-week intervention phase highlighted art making and social interaction. The literature on emotional well-being in elderly people and positive psychology informed the weekly themes. Each week, participants (N=8) created two 5” x 7” art pieces; one was to keep and one was to share. Analysis of the GQOL revealed little change from pretest (M = 3.63, SD = 1.30) to posttest (M = 3.75, SD = 1.17), t(7) = -0.36, p = .732, two-sided, d = -0.13, suggesting no significant difference and small effect. A paired sample t-test indicated no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest of the participants’ PHQ-9 scores, t(7) = 1.78, p = .118, two-sided. However, participants’ scores decreased from pretest (M = 7.38, SD = 7.99) to posttest (M = 5.13, SD = 5.69), and the effect size was medium, d = 0.63, suggesting a moderate reduction in depressive symptoms. For the OPQOL, a paired sample t-test showed a statistically significant increase from pretest (M = 44.38, SD = 5.26) to posttest (M = 49.00, SD = 7.98), t(7) = -2.50, p = .041, two-sided. The effect size (d = -0.88) was large, indicating a substantial improvement in the measure of quality of life.

THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRITTEN LANGUAGE AND SELF-EXPRESSION IN COLLAGE-MAKING

Allyson Scribner

Department of Counselor Education, Emporia State University

Art therapy has the capacity to enhance clients’ perceptions of self-efficacy and self-expression. Many art therapists regard collage as a non-threatening media choice and research has demonstrated collage can benefit a myriad of populations. While the use of precut imagery in collage-work can minimize resistance to artistic expression, many art therapists focus only on providing images rather than words and letters. A review of the literature indicated writing and other narrative-based processes are effective when aiming to promote self-expression and long-term health benefits through therapy. This pilot study drew from this line of research to evaluate how access to written language influenced participants’ perceptions of self-efficacy and self-expression during a collage-based art therapy intervention. The study featured a within-subjects, mixed-methods design. The researcher gathered quantitative data using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and collected qualitative data via observation, written feedback, and discussion of participant art products. Quantitative results demonstrated participants experienced statistically significant increases in self-efficacy in response to creating a collage about themselves irrespective of their access to materials featuring written language. Qualitative findings also indicated participants experienced high levels of self-expression across conditions, although some participants noted access to written language enhanced their sense of self-expression. Results from this study extended previous findings supporting the efficacy of collage-based interventions in art therapy while suggesting that manipulating access to written language during collage-work may not significantly impact treatment outcomes.

STOP LOW READING PERFORMANCE AND THE ABSENCE OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WITH EVIDENCE FOR CHANGE

Amber Solida

School of Library and Information Management, Emporia State University

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (2024) results indicate a long‑term crisis in education, with student performance in reading stagnating or declining; only 30–31% of fourth‑ and eighth-grade students demonstrate reading proficiency. Research indicates that the presence of licensed school library media specialists in school buildings is associated with higher student achievement in reading and other areas (Burress et al., 2023; Dow et al., 2012; Lance & Kachel, 2018). Despite this evidence, the number of licensed school librarians has declined sharply—from 52,545 in 2009–10 to an all-time low of 42,279 in 2018–19, a 19.5% decrease—during a period when public school enrollment increased from 49.2 million to 54.2 million students (Lance & Kachel, 2021). In Kansas, only 606 full-time school librarians were employed in 2023–24, placing Kansas 26th among 51 states and jurisdictions. These troubling trends raise important questions about the future of PreK–12 education and the continued presence of school librarians as valued members of the educational community. A new empirical study using surveys and interviews is designed to examine the current decline in library media specialist employment by investigating classroom teachers’ perceptions of the licensed school library media specialist’s role in literacy teaching and learning. Findings will be used to strengthen structured interventions, prioritize student learning outcomes, ensure measurable academic improvement, and advocate for employment of licensed school library media specialists.

RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS STRATEGIC COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN KANSAS

Amy Stanton

School of Library and Information Management, Emporia State University

Rural communities in Kansas encounter persistent structural challenges, including population decline, workforce shortages, an aging population, limited broadband access, and restricted local revenue capacity. These factors perpetuate disinvestment and impede sustainable growth. Although public libraries are often classified as cultural or educational entities, this research positions rural library systems as essential community infrastructure with significant effects on local economies, workforce development, and public health. Libraries serve as accessible centers for lifelong learning, digital connectivity, and social engagement, particularly in regions underserved by other public services. Their strategic presence in rural towns enables even modest improvements in library services to generate substantial, cross-sector benefits, thereby enhancing community stability and resilience. Drawing on fiscal data, demographic analysis, and strategic planning frameworks, this study examines how static funding and aging infrastructure affect rural library service capacity. It identifies scalable interventions to address evolving community needs without raising local tax burdens. These include digital workforce training, telehealth access, small business support, and partnerships with schools, governments, and health providers. Together, these strategies optimize resources and enhance services for rural residents. The findings demonstrate that modest, targeted state investments in rural public libraries produce measurable improvements in digital inclusion, workforce participation, educational access, and community stability. Integrating public libraries into comprehensive rural development strategies enables Kansas policymakers to leverage established, trusted infrastructure to promote economic diversification and support population retention. This research provides evidence-based recommendations for aligning graduate research, state investment, and rural revitalization initiatives to enhance long-term economic resilience throughout Kansas.

Fort Hays State University

SEPARATISM IN INDEPENDENT MEXICO, 1821-1846

Jose Raul Ayala

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Fort Hays State University

This project considers factors that contributed to Mexico’s territorial losses prior to the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. While Manifest Destiny indeed resulted in the largest loss of territory for Mexico, my research considers secessionism in considering alternative trajectories to Mexico’s territorial integrity in this time period. It becomes clear that multiple factors come into play other than American Manifest Destiny that spelled the inevitable separation of such states from the young Mexican Republic, including Yucatan, the Republic of the Rio Grande, Texas, California, and New Mexico. Some of the territory even included some of modern Kansas. Previous works of scholarship, notably David Weber’s The Mexican Frontier, have been consulted in this research, alongside primary sources like Mexico’s early constitutions and official correspondences between federal and state officials confirming disaffection and common desire of the states to separate during the years prior to the US-Mexico War. This research helps to complicate our understanding of the loss of Mexico’s Far North (the American Southwest) to the United States in helping situate the land loss within a broader national framework and bring light to an often overlooked time period in the history of the American Southwest. Thanks to the generous and supportive guidance of Kansas faculty, as well as the opportunity granted to me by FHSU to affordably and conveniently pursue my academic goals after a long sabbatical, this project puts Kansas’ academic history community at the forefront of this provocative though innovative research.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF NITRATE AND ARSENIC CONTAMINATION ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY ANDD THE POTENTIAL RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH IN WESTERN KANSAS: A GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION

Jonathan Owusu

Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, Fort Hays State University

Groundwater is a critical source of drinking water in rural Kansas, yet it is increasingly vulnerable to contamination from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. This study evaluated groundwater quality across selected counties in western Kansas with a focus on nitrate and arsenic occurrence, spatial variability, and associated human health risks. Groundwater samples (n = 51) were analyzed for major ions, nitrate, arsenic, and microbial indicators. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment using chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) models. Nitrate concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L in approximately 11.5% of sampled wells, with a maximum concentration of 25.2 mg/L, while arsenic exceeded the EPA MCL of 10 µg/L in a single well. One-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests revealed no statistically significant differences in nitrate or arsenic concentrations among counties (P > 0.05), indicating that contaminant distributions are not structured at the county scale. Correlation analysis showed weak associations between arsenic and major ions, consistent with geogenic control under localized redox conditions, while nitrate exhibited weak to moderate correlations with sodium, chloride, and total dissolved solids, reflecting localized anthropogenic influences. Health-risk assessment indicated that adult exposure to nitrate and arsenic remained below current non-carcinogenic risk thresholds; however, multiple wells produced hazard quotient values ≥ 1 for children, primarily due to elevated nitrate concentrations, and emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that adverse health outcomes may occur at nitrate levels below the current EPA standard of 10 mg/L. These findings demonstrate that groundwater contamination in the study area is spatially heterogeneous and driven by site-specific factors rather than regional trends.

DEEP LEARNING-BASED CROP AND WEED DETECTION SYSTEM FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE: BINARY AND MULTICLASS CLASSIFICATION APPROACHES

Ivan Castaneda

Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, Fort Hays State University

Global food production must increase significantly by 2050 while reducing environmental impact and input costs. Weeds are a major threat to crop yields, and traditional control methods often rely on blanket herbicide application, which can be expensive and environmentally harmful. This project aimed to develop an artificial intelligence–based system capable of accurately distinguishing crops from weeds and identifying 12 different weed species to support more precise, data-driven, and sustainable weed management. Two publicly available datasets from Kaggle were used: one for binary crop-versus-weed classification and another for 12-class weed species classification. Four preprocessing techniques (Baseline, Region of Interest (ROI), CLAHE, and ROI + CLAHE) were applied to enhance plant features and reduce background noise. Datasets were oversampled to balance class distributions and improve model stability. Multiple deep learning models were trained and evaluated, including ResNet, VGG16, DenseNet201, MobileNet, and YOLO. Performance was measured using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Results showed that model choice and preprocessing significantly affected performance. In the binary task, top models such as VGG16, DenseNet201, and YOLO achieved 96–98% accuracy, with ROI + CLAHE providing the greatest improvement. The 12-class task was more challenging, but balanced datasets and enhanced preprocessing led to strong and consistent multiclass performance across architectures. These findings demonstrate that combining effective preprocessing with robust deep learning architectures can improve weed detection accuracy. For Kansas, where agriculture is central to the economy, this approach could support precision farming, reduce herbicide use, lower production costs, and promote more sustainable crop management practices across the state.

ESTABLISHING A SCHOOL-BASED, PEER-LED, UNIVERSAL MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION IN RURAL KANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Chelsea Wildman

¹College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fort Hays State University

Adolescent anxiety and depression are on the rise, creating an urgent need for mental health support within schools. Youth in rural communities lack access to mental healthcare and resources, which may lead to delayed mental health treatment. A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program development and evaluation project in a rural Kansas school district, specifically in grades 6-12, implemented a Youth Leaders in Kansas (YLiNK) chapter. This is a school-based, student-led program funded by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) that aims to combat mental illness by prioritizing students' mental health needs. The students design and lead interventions to improve the overall mental well-being of their peers and decrease the negative stigma surrounding mental illness. To evaluate the effectiveness of this DNP project, a Logic Model was developed to define its short-term goals. The short-term goals of this project were met through well-attended meetings by student YLiNK committee members, participation at the YLiNK state fall leadership conference, and student-led initiatives targeting key factors that negatively influence adolescent mental health. Studies show that peer-led mental health interventions are a cornerstone to improving teen mental health. Given the rural nature of most communities in the state of Kansas, the need for school-based mental health interventions has increased drastically. YLiNK provides students with opportunities to raise awareness of mental illness, reduce stigma, and develop projects that aim to improve peers' overall mental well-being within their school.

TRAIL TO CLASSROOM: DIGITIZING ROCKY MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES WITH 360 VIDEO

Hanna Fontes

¹College of Education, Fort Hays State University

Immersive media technologies are increasingly used in science education, yet they are often framed as tools for observation rather than relationship-building. This research explores the use of 360-degree video as a relational tool for place-based science education. Using immersive recordings of landscapes in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, this research examines how 360-degree video can foster student connection, empathy, and a sense of belonging to place. The purpose of this work is to investigate how immersive media can honor lived experience, student agency, and the human presence within natural systems, shifting science learning away from detached observation toward relational engagement. This qualitative study integrated 360-degree video recordings into science learning activities designed to prompt observation, reflection, and meaning-making. Students interacted with immersive landscape videos and engaged in guided reflections and discussions focused on their sensory, emotional, and scientific responses. Data sources included student written reflections and learning artifacts, which were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to connection to place, curiosity, emotional engagement, and perceptions of science learning. Findings suggest that relational uses of 360-degree video support place-based science learning by integrating cognitive, emotional, and sensory dimensions of engagement. Students reported heightened curiosity, a sense of presence, and emotional connection to the landscape, which informed their scientific observations and questions. This research highlights the potential of 360-degree video to support relational, human-centered science education. For Kansas educators, these findings suggest that immersive media can be used to foster meaningful connections to local environments such as prairies, rivers, and agricultural landscapes, particularly when direct access is limited. The study offers implications for designing place-based science learning experiences that emphasize relationship, belonging, and student experience across Kansas educational contexts.

Kansas State University

SOIL AND GRASS QUALITY ARE IMPACTED BY FIRE AND GRAZING

Amy Winstead, Michaela K. Halsey, and Lydia H. Zeglin
 Division of Biology, Kansas State University

Fire and grazing influence the nitrogen (N) cycle in tallgrass prairies. Grazers, like bison, maintain significant levels of soil available N through ingestion and egestion, while fires volatilize plant litter N, preventing its return to the soil. The relative effect of grazing on the fate and concentration of soil N is not well constrained. To provide insights into the balance of N between grassland soils, soil microbes, and aboveground forage, we investigated the interactive effects of grazing and fire at Konza Prairie Biological Station, KS, USA. Soil samples were collected from watersheds undergoing a gradient of fire frequency and grazing regimes, and were analyzed for total carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P), microbial biomass C and N, and grass tissue C and N. We predicted frequent fire and lack of grazing would retain higher soil N concentrations. Initial results show that %N was unaffected by grazing but higher in infrequently burned areas than in areas burned every 1, 2, or 4 years. Comparisons of soil molar C:N reveal ratios that are lower in grazed soils and infrequently burned areas, with no interaction between fire and grazing. In annually burned watersheds, grass C:N was lower in grazed treatment while microbial biomass C:N was not affected by bison grazing; analysis continues to understand the relative influence of fire frequency. Preliminary data suggest greater plant-available N pools in grazed prairie. The retained N could increase forage protein for market-bound, meat-producing livestock.

THE ULTIMATE FUTURE OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT: HARNESSING NATURE’S REMEDY TO TACKLE THE UNTREATABLE
 Asmita Mahara and Mark R. Wilkins
 Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University

Hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (HTLWW), a toxic by-product from biofuel industries that is rich in recalcitrant organics and nitrogenous compounds, poses a major bottleneck for the industrial-scale implementation of hydrothermal liquefaction, as its poor biodegradability demands specialized treatment strategies. In this study, three HTLWWs derived from coconut shell, walnut shell, and pasta were biologically treated at dilution factors of 10X, 8X, and 6X, respectively. Individual microbial organisms (fungi and protists) were first evaluated under marine conditions, where fungi exhibited robust growth and achieved over 50% chemical oxygen demand (COD), while protists alone failed to establish growth. To enhance treatment efficiency, combinations of fungi and marine protists were tested. The consortium of Aspergillus terreus, Schizochytrium sp. ATCC 2088, and Thraustochytrium striatum demonstrated the highest COD reduction, achieving up to 79% in coconut shell, 71% in walnut shell, and 57% in pasta HTLWW. Fermentation optimization revealed that nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron were critical nutrients, while glucose supplementation supported initial microbial growth without influencing overall COD removal. Notably, inhibitory compounds such as phenol, furfural, and catechol were reduced to near zero, with unidentified peaks in HPLC chromatograms declining by over 90%. Biomass accumulation reached 3.7 g/L, and the harvested biomass remained viable in sterile water for future fermentation. Additionally, air stripping effectively removed total ammonia, further reducing COD levels by approximately 20% compared to non-stripped samples. These findings highlight the potential of fungal-protist consortia as an effective biological treatment strategy for detoxifying HTLWW while simultaneously generating biomass as a supplemental carbon source for recirculation in HTL.

CLOSING THE WATER BUDGET GAP: LEVERAGING SATELLITE-BASED INSIGHTS FOR ACCURATE IRRIGATION WATER USE ESTIMATION ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S.
 Kelechi Igwe and Vaishali Sharda 
 Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University

Accurately tracking how much water is used to grow crops is useful for managing and sustaining water resources, especially in water-limited regions like western Kansas where agriculture primarily depends on irrigation from groundwater reserves which is declining at a rate faster than its recharge. A current satellite-based system for monitoring crop water use is the OPENET platform. Although useful, there is significant lag between OPENET’s estimates of water use and annual irrigation withdrawals reported by the Water Information Management and Analysis System (WIMAS). This lag is likely due to the omission of critical components in OPENTET’s water budget calculations, such as the amount of moisture retained in the soil. This study aims to close this gap by integrating soil moisture observations from multiple satellite platforms into a machine learning-based soil water balance model. Soil moisture data from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, Western Land Data Assimilation System (WLDAS) and Optical Trapezoidal Model (OPTRAM) are each combined with precipitation data from GridMET and evapotranspiration data from OPENET’s Simplified Surface Energy Balance model for Operational Production of Evapotranspiration (SSEBOP) model. The results are annual estimates of irrigation water use from the ML model which are compared against WIMAS withdrawal reports to evaluate the model’s accuracy in predicting irrigation water use. By improving how we monitor irrigation water use, this research can guide and support informed decision-making for sustainable agricultural water resource management.

BIOENGINEERED PURPLE TOMATO-DERIVED ANTHOCYANINS REDUCE COLORECTAL CANCER PROGRESSION
 Md Suzauddula¹, J. Aaron Avalos-Calleros², Sunghun Park², Donghai Wang ³, and Weiqun Wang^1
 1School of Health Sciences, ²Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, ³Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with mortality rates of 14.2 and 13.75 per 100,000. In the U.S. and Kansas, respectively. Current CRC treatments, such as chemotherapy and medication, are costly and often associated with adverse effects. This study hypothesized that anthocyanin-enriched purple tomato could provide a dietary means to prevent or attenuate CRC progression. Using a novel genetic construct containing three genes (CHI, Del, and Ros1) within a single vector, we developed stable bioengineered tomato lines enriched in anthocyanins. Extracted anthocyanins were quantified and identified using HPLC and mass spectrometer. Human colorectal cancer SW480 cells were treated with 5 mM and 10 mM anthocyanins, followed by downstream cellular and molecular assays. The bioengineered tomato line produced approximately 7 g/kg (DW) of total anthocyanins. Treating with purple tomato extract significantly inhibited SW480 cell proliferation. Three potential anthocyanin peaks were detected intracellularly in SW480 cells, confirming uptake. Treatment with 10 µM anthocyanin for 72 hours decreased the proportion of cells in S phase by 25% and increased G2/M arrest by 15%. Treatment with 10 µM anthocyanin induced apoptosis in both early (42%) and late (33%) stages in cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that 10 µM anthocyanin decreased PI3K, K-Ras, and H-Ras protein concentration by 23%, 21%, and 22%, respectively. These findings provide mechanistic evidence supporting the potential of anthocyanin enriched tomatoes as a functional food for CRC prevention, warranting further in vivo and clinical investigations.

GROWING PAINS: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY OF KANSAS AGRITOURISM OPERATORS
 Mia Reyes and Nellie Hill-Sullins
 Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, Kansas State University

In response to market instability, U.S. agricultural producers are turning to agritourism to diversify income and build more resilient businesses. This combination of agriculture and tourism offers economic opportunities; however, it requires producers to adopt new aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset, exposing them to unique challenges that generic agritourism resources fail to address. This study aimed to examine the entrepreneurial journey of agritourism operators in Kansas as they add agritourism to their traditional production agriculture operations. Grounded in the entrepreneurial learning framework, this qualitative study examines how operators transform experience into usable knowledge. We collected data through six semi-structured focus groups and three interviews with prospective and established Kansas operators and employed thematic analysis to identify key patterns. External factors, such as rising taxes, insurance costs, and inaccessible resources, significantly hinder development. This necessitates tailored support, including industry advocates, financial incentives, and targeted workshops. Despite barriers, operators are enthusiastic, leveraging community interactions and local networks. Motivations are diverse, and operators transform past failures into knowledge by refining activities and exploring social media marketing strategies. To better support agritourism in Kansas, policymakers must advocate for policies that address key operational barriers. Likewise, agricultural practitioners and communicators should focus on developing practical, accessible educational resources and opportunities that foster peer-to-peer learning and sustainable business growth.

ODOR IDENTIFICATION AND BLOOD-BASED MARKERS REVEAL EARLY SIGNS OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
 Mohsen Davoudkhani, Trase McQueen, Kristen McGatlin, and Heather Bailey
 Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is often considered a transitional stage between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Individuals with MCI exhibit cognitive declines, particularly in memory, that are greater than expected for their age but insufficient for a dementia diagnosis. However, there remains considerable debate regarding the most effective tools for identifying and assessing MCI. The goal of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of various cognitive and biomarker-based assessments in distinguishing between healthy older adults and those with MCI. Older adults with and without MCI are being recruited from the Manhattan, Kansas community (50 cognitively healthy and 50 MCI participants). Participants complete standardized cognitive assessments (e.g., Montreal Cognitive Assessment), questionnaires on depression, anxiety, and subjective cognitive complaints, and an odor identification task. In addition, blood is drawn for Alzheimer’s biomarker analysis (plasma tau-217). Blood samples are processed at Stormont Vail Health Center and analyzed at the University of Kansas Medical Center. We expect that individuals with MCI will show lower cognitive performance and poorer odor identification compared to cognitively healthy adults. We also anticipate that plasma tau-217 levels will differentiate between groups, supporting its value as an early biomarker for AD. This study will clarify how cognitive, sensory, and biological measures jointly predict early cognitive decline. Findings inform screening practices and promote accessible, early detection tools for dementia risk.

EFFECTS OF GRADED LEVELS OF RED SORGHUM BRAN ON PROCESSING PARAMETERS AND PALATABILITY IN DRY DOG FOOD
Nayara Mota Miranda Soares, Guanchen Liu, Eric Maichel, Sajid Alavi, and Julia Guazzelli Pezzali
 Department of Grain and Food Science, Kansas State University

Red sorghum bran (RSB) is a sustainable ingredient with potential health benefits. Given the lack of studies investigating the use of RSB in dog food, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of graded levels of RSB on extrusion parameters, kibble characteristics and palatability in adult dogs. A control (0% RSB) and three diets with RSB at 7, 14, and 28% were formulated and produced using a pilot-scale single screw extruder. The goal was to achieve similar bulk density out of the extruder among diets. Processing data were measured every 30 minutes of production, and kibble samples were collected to evaluate density and expansion. For the palatability assay, the control diet was presented against each RSB diet to measure preference. Data were analyzed using statistical software. No major challenges were faced during extrusion of experimental diets. However, RSB28 had greater bulk density out of the extruder (364 vs. 344 g/L) and specific mechanical energy input (301 vs. 207 kJ/kg) compared to the control diet (P<0.05). In accordance, when analyzed individually, RSB28 and RSB14 kibbles were more dense and less expanded than control kibbles (P<0.05). Finally, palatability tests indicated that dogs fed experimental diets had no preference for the control diet over any of the RSB diets. The inclusion of RSB at high levels increased bulk density; however, values were within acceptable ranges for the pet food industry. Furthermore, RSB inclusion up to 28% in extruded dog food had no negative impact on palatability.

SMALL MOLECULES, BIG IMPACT: BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CANCER AND ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS
Vidya Nadar, Wasundara Hulangamuwa, and Ryan Rafferty
 Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University

Cancer and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represent two of the most significant global health threats, and their intersection presents a critical challenge in modern medicine. Cancer patients are highly susceptible to infections due to weakened immune systems from chemotherapy, radiation, or the malignancy itself. These infections are often caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, complicating treatment and increasing mortality rates. As a result, there’s an urgent need for innovative therapeutics that can address both the threats. One promising solution lies in natural products: small molecules with evolved biological potency. Nearly 68% of all FDA-approved drugs are derived from or inspired by natural products, making nature a proven, though often inaccessible source of life-saving medicines. Total synthesis offers a solution by enabling the production of these complex molecules in the lab, along with the ability to design and modify analogs to improve efficacy and drug-like properties. My research focuses on the total synthesis of the brocazine family a marine-derived natural products reported to exhibit both anticancer and antibacterial activity. Our lab has also developed a novel way of accessing new targeted small molecule screening libraries. We are currently 3 steps away from completing these syntheses, bringing these complex scaffolds within reach for biological testing and optimization. Once accessible, these molecules can serve as dual-function drug candidates, addressing two major threats with a single scaffold. By bridging total synthesis and nature-inspired design, this work aims to unlock new therapeutic avenues that hold potential to fight both cancer and resistant infections and pave a way for dual-function drugs.

SOIL HEALTH DYNAMICS UNDER GRAZED PASTURES AND NO-TILL MANAGEMENT
Vydehi Gadiparthi, Charles W. Rice, P. Vara Prasad, and Gaurav Jha
 Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University

Soil health is vital for sustaining productivity and ecosystem resilience. Regenerative practices such as managed grazing and no-till farming aim to restore soil biological and chemical function, but their relative benefits remain unclear. This study compared grazed pastures and long-term no-till croplands in north-central Kansas to evaluate their effects on soil health and microbial activity. Soil samples were collected from 0–5 cm and 5–15 cm depths. Chemical (C%, N%, pH), biological (microbial biomass, AMF, fungi, Gram+ / Gram⁻, bacteria, enzyme activities), and physical (aggregate stability) indicators were analyzed. Indicators were normalized and combined into a Soil Health Index (SHI) representing overall soil function. A Microbial Efficiency Ratio (MER = microbial biomass ÷ soil C%) was used as a proxy for microbial efficiency. Pasture soils had 200–400% higher microbial and enzyme activity than no-till soils. Mean SHI was about twice as high in pastures and not correlated with clay content (R² < 0.1), showing that differences were due to management rather than texture. MER values were 70–100% greater in pastures, reflecting more efficient carbon use by microbes. Grazed pastures supported healthier, more active soils than no-till croplands. Integrating grazing with reduced tillage can enhance biological recovery and strengthen long-term soil resilience. These findings highlight the value of combining regenerative practices to improve soil function and sustainability in agriculture.

CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES AND THEIR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS
Bailey Walke and Gurpreet Singh
 Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) are lightweight materials designed to perform in extreme environments. Their ability to withstand high temperatures and resist oxidation makes them essential for next-generation aerospace propulsion systems, including rocket nozzles and jet turbines. However, large-scale adoption of CMCs is currently limited by complex manufacturing processes and low material yield. This research explores an improved fabrication approach for polymer-derived CMCs that may significantly enhance both material performance and production efficiency. Carbon fiber bundles and disks are infiltrated with specially synthesized boron and hafnium polysilazane liquid precursors in an oxygen-free environment. Through controlled crosslinking and high-temperature pyrolysis under argon, the polymers are transformed into silicon-based ceramics. Multiple infiltration and pyrolysis cycles are being tested to increase ceramic yield and improve coating uniformity. Preliminary Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses confirm stronger ceramic bonding, more uniform coatings, and higher ceramic yield in multi-cycle samples compared to single-cycle controls. Optimizing 3D polymer infiltration and pyrolysis could make high-performance CMCs more scalable, enabling breakthroughs in aerospace propulsion, energy production, and manufacturing sustainability. This research contributes to developing more efficient, heat-resistant materials with applications across multiple industries.

Pittsburg State University

NON-ISOCYANATE POLYURETHANE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES: AN ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN ROUTE TO SAFER ADHESIVES

Jaydipkumar Chaudhari, Dr. Chandan Bodhak, Dr. Ram K. Gupta

Department of Chemistry and Physics

National Institute for Materials Advancement

Dwindling fossil fuel reserves, increasing trend of petrochemical prices, greenhouse gas emissions, and aggravating global warming are the key aspects in the quest for renewable feedstocks for polymers. Polyurethanes (PUs) are ubiquitous amongst versatile polymeric materials due to their broad-spectrum applications, and their production mostly follows the well-known isocyanate pathway. Owing to the global market value of PUs, the present scientific community has significantly driven towards sustainable development following an eco-friendly pathway. In this context, non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional PUs by eliminating the use of toxic isocyanates and is also a promising candidate for potential applications. The present research explicitly demonstrates the fabrication of NIPU from bio-based feedstocks, including eugenol (clove oil), limonene (terpene), and their underlying adhesive properties. Here, for the first time, we have synthesized sulfur-functionalized cyclic carbonate, which literally differs from the traditional high-pressure CO₂ insertion protocol (carbonation). The fabricated NIPU adhesives exhibit excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates (wood, metals, ceramics, etc.) and show good thermal stability (>250 ºC). Moreover, the combined effect of sulfur linkage and hydroxyl groups contributes to strong intermolecular interactions, leading to favourable lap-shear strength (~6-8 MPa), and also the oak wood adhesive specimens can withstand vertical loads up to 25 kg. Briefly, these findings highlight the potential of bio-based sulfur-containing NIPU adhesives, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based polyurethanes.

INHERITED TRAITS AND NEURODIVERSITY: EXPLORING AUTISM WITHIN FAMILIES

Shreyashee Dutta, Dr. David P Hurford

Department of Psychology and Counseling

This study will investigate the various behavioral characteristics of biological parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, the research examines how autistic traits in children relate to those in their parents, and how parental behavioral and cognitive inflexibility, emotional expression, theory of mind, sense of humor, and social responsiveness relate to both their own and their children’s autistic traits. A comparative analysis between parents of children (aged between 16 months and 22 years): parents of children with ASD (PCA) and parents of children with no ASD (PCNA) may provide insights into differences in these characteristics. The study sample will be approximately 100 participants in each group (PCA, N=100; PCNA, N=100), and will be matched for age, education, and socioeconomic status. Data collection will be conducted through an online survey, incorporating validated psychological assessments such as the Autism Spectrum Quotient, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, Flexibility in Daily Life Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Social Responsiveness Scale-2, and Sense of Humor Questionnaire-6. Results will be statistically analyzed using correlation, regression, and discriminant analyses to identify relationships between the autistic traits in children and their parents and compare the parental profiles across both groups.

SUSTAINABLE AND EARTH-ABUNDANT MIXED METAL NICKEL-IRON-OXIDE AS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ANODE FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

Vishalbhai Rajubhai Gamot, Dr. Senthil Chenrayan, Dr. Ram K. Gupta

Department of Chemistry and Physics

National Institute for Materials Advancement

Lithium (Li)-ion batteries have dominated the energy storage market ever since their inception. Existing Li-ion batteries use graphite as an anode, where its theoretical capacity is limited to 372 mAh/g, while practical limits are 330 to 350 mAh/g. Hence, the energy density of Li-ion batteries employing graphite anode is within 300 to 350 Wh/kg. Here, we propose an alternative anode material for Li-ion batteries based on nickel and iron, spinel NiFe₂O₄, which could deliver a theoretical capacity of 915 mAh/g. However, the huge volume changes remain a hurdle to exploiting the high capacity. To understand and overcome the volume-related issues through the structure-property relationship, spinel NiFe₂O₄ was prepared via two different methods, solid-state and sol-gel, and further studied as a Li-ion battery anode. Electrochemical studies through cyclic voltammetry revealed higher redox behavior for the sol-gel derived materials synthesized at 800 ℃ among the various samples, 500, 600, and 700 ℃. Further, galvanostatic charge/discharge studies tested at C/5 rates showed a high initial capacity of 1127 mAh/g with a retention of over 830 mAh/g after 100 cycles. A comparative analysis among the NiFe2O4 electrodes revealed that the crystalline and microstructural properties of sol-gel NiFe₂O₄ fabricated at 800 ℃ afforded better electrochemical performances.

SUSTAINABLE HYBRID POLYURETHANES FROM VANILLIN-DERIVED SPIRO-DIOL AND SILANE DIOL: TOWARD MECHANICALLY ROBUST AND FLAME-RETARDANT COATING SYSTEM

Yashkumar N. Patel, Dr. Rutu Patel, Dr. Mayank Chaudhary, Dr. Ram Gupta

Department of Chemistry and Physics

National Institute for Materials Advancement

The development of sustainable, high-performance coatings from renewable resources is important for reducing reliance on petroleum-based materials. In this study, a biobased hybrid polyurethane coating was synthesized using a vanillin-derived spiro diol and a silane-based diol in combination with a castor oil polyol. The rigid aromatic structure of the vanillin diol and the flexible Si–O–Si segments of the silane diol enabled a balanced hard–soft segment architecture. Structural confirmation was achieved by FT-IR, GPC, and ¹H NMR analyses. The optimized coating exhibited increased hardness, gel content, and degree of swelling, indicating a highly crosslinked network. Thermal analysis showed a two-step degradation behavior with improved thermal stability. Flame-retardant performance on wood substrates was demonstrated by delayed ignition, prolonged burning time, and reduced weight loss compared to uncoated wood. The coating displayed hydrophobic behavior with a water contact angle of ~93° and showed excellent resistance to acidic, alkaline, and saline environments on stainless steel. Notably, the hybrid coating exhibited excellent antismudge performance, allowing complete removal of oil-based ink after 1000 writing–erasing cycles. Prolonged UV exposure caused no significant deterioration in chemical, mechanical, or thermal properties, highlighting its potential for durable surface-protection applications.

POLARIZED COVERAGE: HOW CNN AND FOX NEWS SHAPE THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE IN THE U.S.

Alima Tazhikerim, Dr. Alicia Mason

Department of Communication

With over 150 campus shootings in the past decade, gun violence directly threatens college student safety. This study examines how partisan media consumption shapes gun control attitudes among college students at Pittsburg State University. A survey of 288 Pitt State students measured political affiliation, Fox News and CNN consumption patterns, and support for specific gun control policies including universal background checks, assault weapon bans, and red flag laws. Results revealed that college students identifying as Democrats demonstrated more selective media exposure than their Republican counterparts, who engaged with both pro- and anti-gun control headlines. Frequent Fox News consumption correlated with significantly lower support for gun control (M=3.01 vs. M=3.51 for seldom viewers), while frequent CNN consumption showed higher support (M=4.14 vs. M=3.25 for seldom viewers). Republican-identifying students expressed the lowest support for protective policies (M=2.90), compared to Democrats (M=4.03). These findings reveal how media-driven polarization impedes consensus on campus safety measures despite students’ direct vulnerability to gun violence. For policymakers addressing college security, the research demonstrates that partisan media frames create distinct realities preventing bipartisan solutions, necessitating media literacy initiatives and reframed messaging that transcends ideological divisions to protect students’ lives.

University of Kansas

WHY DO NEW TEACHERS QUIT?  TEACHER AGENCY – A SIGNIFICANT PREDICTOR OF RETENTION FOR NOVICE SECONDARY MATHEMATICS EDUCATORS

Christopher W. Carter

Department of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Kansas

This study investigates factors associated with the retention of novice secondary mathematics teachers, a group that continues to experience disproportionately high attrition rates. Although prior research frequently emphasizes structural explanations such as compensation and educator preparation pathways, this investigation focuses on how teachers’ professional perceptions and beliefs relate to their projected career plans. Survey data were collected from a national sample of novice secondary mathematics educators and analyzed across fifteen unique demographic, professional, and perceptual variables. Sense of agency, a teachers’ perceived ability to make meaningful instructional and professional decisions, emerged as the strongest predictor of retention-related outcomes. Notably, novice teachers reported significantly lower agency than more experienced educators. In addition to agency, teacher efficacy and trust in parents also demonstrated statistically significant positive associations with novice teachers’ future career intentions. The importance of teacher efficacy, reflecting educators’ confidence in their ability to influence student learning and manage classroom challenges, aligns with longstanding evidence that teachers’ self-beliefs shape persistence, instructional behaviors, and resilience. Trust in parents similarly emerged as a significant predictor, suggesting that teachers who perceive supportive, collaborative relationships with families may experience greater professional satisfaction and stability. Together, these findings suggest that retention is not linked solely to structural conditions, but more so to how novice teachers experience their professional roles and relationships. By highlighting the combined importance of agency, efficacy, and trust, this study contributes a more nuanced understanding of early-career teacher persistence in secondary mathematics education.

HOW EXPERIENCES SHAPE AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE DISRUPTS BRAIN PLASTICITY

Julia Doderer, Jausalin Bertrand, and Jai Subramanian Ph.D.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas

Our brains are constantly shaped by our everyday experiences. Each experience can slightly change the connections between and activity patterns of brain cells, called neurons. Some of these connections, or synapses, act like “go” signals that make a neuron more likely to become active, while others act like “stop” signals that keep its activity in check. Together, these changes in synapses and activity patterns are called plasticity. Because of brain plasticity, a healthy brain responds differently to an experience the first time than it does once that experience becomes familiar. In Alzheimer’s disease, the brain gradually loses this ability to adapt to repeated familiar experiences. Synapses are especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s pathology, and the loss of synapses is strongly linked to problems with thinking, learning and memory. Alzheimer’s disease damage has been successfully modeled in mice carrying human disease-associated mutations. To investigate how plasticity breaks down in Alzheimer’s disease, we use advanced imaging techniques to monitor thousands of synapses in the brains of living mice over time. By comparing how these synapses change in healthy animals versus animals with Alzheimer’s disease-like damage, we aim to pinpoint how the disease disrupts normal brain function. We identified specific changes to synapses in healthy mice which underlie repeated experiences, however these changes do not occur in Alzheimer’s model mice. These insights may help guide new strategies to protect synapses and preserve cognitive function in people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

IMPROVING TORNADO SHELTER ACCESS IN KANSAS: INTEGRATING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

Saba Faghirnejad¹, and Elaina Sutley²

¹Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas

Tornadoes threaten lives in communities across Kansas, yet many residents still lack timely and safe access to shelters when warnings are issued. My research focuses on understanding how Kansas households make sheltering decisions and how infrastructure can be planned to reduce injuries and deaths during tornadoes. Using more than 10,000 responses from a survey administered to households across the State of Kansas, I am analyzing factors such as trust in tornado warnings, presence of basements or community shelters, household characteristics, housing type, and examining difference across rural and urban households. My collaborators and I are combining this survey analysis with simulated tornado scenarios to identify where shelter access is limited, and which groups face the greatest barriers. For example, people who must drive long distances to reach public shelters, residents of multi-family buildings without basements, or residents with specific health or accessibility needs. By linking human behavior with infrastructure planning, my research reveals patterns in how Kansans respond during tornado emergencies and identifies opportunities to improve access to safe shelter. The results of this work can guide local governments, emergency managers, and urban planners in identifying shelter locations that maximize safety for the greatest number of people. Ultimately, this research aims to reduce tornado-related casualties by improving how Kansans prepare for and respond to severe weather.

A ONE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER MODEL FOR SIMULATING THE GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS AND SOLID FUELS

Clement Feyijimi and Christopher Depcik

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas

Each year, billions of tons of agricultural waste, such as corn stalks and wheat straw, are burned or left to decay, releasing pollutants into the atmosphere. Biomass gasification offers a solution by heating this waste in controlled, low-oxygen environments to produce syngas, which is a clean-burning fuel. However, predicting how different crop residues behave within a reactor is technically challenging and often requires immense computing power to simulate accurately. This research developed a streamlined, one-dimensional mathematical model designed to simulate the flow, velocity, and chemical reactions of gasification much faster than traditional three-dimensional methods. To ensure the results were reliable and grounded in reality, the model was calibrated using experimental data from real-world coal gasification tests. The simulation successfully predicted the concentrations of several key gases, including hydrogen (H₂), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄). This work provides a practical tool for the State of Kansas community by offering a way to rapidly test the conversion of local agricultural residues into renewable energy without the need for a supercomputer. By reducing the time required for complex calculations, this research helps bridge the gap between laboratory experiments and the design of full-scale industrial facilities. The model serves as a vital foundation for making clean hydrogen from farm waste cheaper and more reliable to deploy. Ultimately, this tool supports the mission of advancing sustainable energy solutions that utilize the state’s abundant natural resources, helping to reduce greenhouse gases and create rural jobs in a move toward a sustainable energy future.

KANSAS ENGINEERING IMPROVING THE MANUFACTURING OF MODERN MEDICINES SOLVING HIDDEN SCALE-UP CHALLENGES IN PHARMACEUTICAL
AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY

Thomas J. Gonzales and Alan Allgeier (PI)
Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Modern pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical manufacturing frequently relies on carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions such as Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling. While these reactions often appear straightforward at laboratory scale, industrial processes commonly involve solid inorganic bases that introduce complex transport phenomena. These heterogeneous systems can create bottlenecks in mixing, mass transfer, and particle accessibility, which can ultimately limit scalability, reduce yield, and disrupt reactor reliability. This work investigates how transport processes influence solid-base reaction performance in organic solvent systems relevant to pharmaceutical synthesis. To isolate the engineering bottleneck, a simplified acid–base analog reaction between p-methoxybenzoic acid (PMBA) and solid potassium carbonate was studied in anhydrous 2-methyltetrahydrofuran. Time-resolved titration of residual acid was used to quantify base accessibility as a function of water content, particle size, and mixing intensity. The experiments demonstrate that water availability strongly influences carbonate accessibility, suggesting that interfacial hydration plays an important role in enabling proton transfer at the solid surface. In addition, mixing intensity and particle size significantly affect reaction progress, indicating that the system can transition from chemically controlled behavior toward regimes influenced by mass transport. These observations highlight an important principle for scalable reaction design: at manufacturing scale, transport of materials—not intrinsic chemical kinetics—can control reaction performance. Understanding and engineering these transport processes can enable more reliable and scalable chemical manufacturing.

INCREASING MUNICIPAL COMPOSTING PARTICIPATION THROUGH STRATEGIC SERVICE DESIGN

Aaron Lindberg

School of Architecture & Design, University of Kansas

Kansas municipalities face a critical infrastructure utilization gap: composting programs exist, but resident participation remains low. While cities invested millions in collection systems to reduce landfill costs and environmental impact, national food waste composting rates stagnate at 4.1% compared to 63% for yard waste, despite using identical infrastructure. This research investigates why behavioral adoption lags behind infrastructure availability and designs evidence-based interventions to close that gap. Using service design methodology and Theory of Planned Behavior as analytical framework, this study conducts semi-structured interviews with Olathe, Kansas residents to identify specific barriers preventing composting participation. Research maps resident touchpoints from initial awareness through sustained engagement, revealing where municipal programs fail to support behavioral adoption. Preliminary findings indicate participation failures stem from unclear program information, inconvenient processes, and lack of feedback mechanisms—not resistance to composting itself. Design interventions focus on strategic communication redesign at critical decision points, simplified participation pathways, and sustained engagement support. These minimal-cost solutions address system failures without requiring infrastructure expansion. With 20+ Kansas municipalities operating underperforming composting programs, this research provides replicable frameworks applicable across city contexts. Economic impact is measurable: Olathe generates approximately 27,000 tons of food waste annually; increasing participation from 4% to 38% represents $550,000-650,000 in annual landfill cost savings based on regional disposal fees. This work demonstrates how human-centered design methodology can address civic participation challenges, delivering cost-effective solutions that maximize existing municipal investments.

STRENGTHENING KANSAS CYBERSECURITY THROUGH AI AND EMBEDDED STUDENT TRAINING

Mohd Mamoon and Alex Bardas

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Kansas

*This is a collaboration between University of Kansas, University of South Florida, and an industry partner.

Kansas’s Security Operations Center (SOC) monitors more than 14 billion security logs each month to protect the state’s schools, hospitals, and businesses from escalating cyber threats. As ransomware and service disruptions increasingly affect public institutions, SOC analysts face overwhelming alert volumes, time pressure, and documentation demands that strain limited staffing resources. This research addresses these operational and workforce challenges through two complementary contributions. First, we developed an AI-augmented SOC Companion that assists analysts by drafting incident reports, suggesting potential root causes, and structuring response plans. The system reduces repetitive workload while keeping analysts in control of investigative decisions, enabling rather than replacing human expertise. Second, we introduce an embedded collaboration framework derived from a six-month ethnographic study within an enterprise SOC. The framework formalizes how universities and operational teams can co-identify problems, iteratively build solutions, and transfer tacit operational knowledge into academic programs. Beyond improving analyst efficiency, the project delivers educational and statewide impact. Students gain hands-on experience in live incident investigation and AI-assisted analysis, strengthening job readiness. Universities benefit from a replicable partnership model that integrates operational fieldwork into cybersecurity curricula and aligns training with industry needs. For Kansas, faster investigations, reduced burnout, and a strengthened talent pipeline enhance digital resilience, minimize service disruptions, and support economic stability. Together, the AI system and collaboration framework demonstrate how applied research can simultaneously strengthen SOC performance, modernize cybersecurity education, and build a secure, workforce-ready cyber ecosystem for Kansas.

WHO COUNTS AS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? A COMPARATIVE SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL STUDENT AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS DATA IN KANSAS

Travis M. Miller

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Kansas

Policy responses and intergovernmental collaboration on youth homelessness must contend with contrasting agency definitions of what it means for a child to experience homelessness. While the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) criteria prioritize "sheltered" or "unsheltered" status, the McKinney-Vento Act (MV) definition encompasses "doubled-up" and "hotel/motel" living situations, which represent the critical early stages of the homelessness continuum. This study investigates how these incongruent federal definitions of youth and student homelessness from HUD and MV influence nighttime residency data in Kansas. Using binary dasymetric areal interpolation to synchronize disparate geographic units of analysis, this research integrates HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) data with MV district-level nighttime residency data from 2023, applying USGS National Land Cover Database rasters to enhance population density estimation accuracy. Descriptive analysis reveals a distinct ratio imbalance between MV-identified and HUD-identified homelessness, with identification disparities persisting when controlling for definitional differences. This misalignment is particularly acute in the Balance of State CoC, where over 70% of school districts are considered rural. These findings suggest that divergent federal definitions may exacerbate the misidentification and undercounting of vulnerable populations, particularly in states like Kansas that are characterized by vast rural geographies. Results from this study underscore the importance of establishing uniform definitions of youth homelessness to strengthen interagency coordination, maintain educational access, and clarify qualification criteria for essential support services.

University of Kansas Medical Center

DEFINING THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS OF MK2-DRIVEN CELL MOTILITY, INVASION, AND TUMOR METASTASIS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Dakota Okwuone¹, Deri Morgan ¹, Alyssa Schmidt ¹, Valeria Diaz¹, Arveen Tahmasebi¹, Grace Millington¹, Kiersten Berggren², David Johnson³, Sufi Thomas¹, and Gregory Gan¹

¹University of Kansas Medical Center, ²The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, ³The University of Kansas,

Metastasis remains a leading cause of mortality in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), highlighting the need to better understand its underlying mechanisms. Previously, we established that inhibition of MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) suppresses metastasis in vivo and reduces cell migration-invasion in vitro; however, the mechanism driving this phenotype remains unclear. Thus, we sought to uncover the signaling cascade through which MK2 regulates HNSCC progression. To this end, we generated MK2 knockout (KO) derivatives of two metastatic murine HNSCC cell lines using CRISPR-Cas9. Proteomic and phospho-proteomic analyses of wild-type (WT) and MK2 KO cells identified MK2-mediated changes in protein expression/phosphorylation. Differentially regulated proteins were mapped for pathway enrichment and protein-protein interactions using publicly available bioinformatics tools (KEA3, STRING), and potential direct interactions with MK2 were evaluated using AlphaFold structural modeling. Compared with MK2 KO, proteomic and phospho-proteomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of proteins and pathways associated with cancer progression in WT cells. AlphaFold predicted a novel direct interaction between MK2 and metastasis-associated receptor c-Met at Ser990, with phosphorylation of the homologous site reduced in MK2 KO cells. Finally, scratch migration assays demonstrated that c-Met-regulated cell motility was dependent on MK2 expression. Overall, our findings identify a novel mechanism through which MK2 drives cancer progression, advancing our understanding of HNSCC metastasis and validating MK2 as a therapeutic target for patients with advanced disease.

BEYOND THE PULSE: ASSESSING A VASCULAR SURGERY SIMULATION’S IMPACT ON MEDICAL STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS

Kennedy Morey¹, William Poulson², Sarah Strong¹, Michael Braman¹, Cole Bird¹, Axel Thors², German Berbel², Kara Hessel², and Lyndsey Kilgore²

¹School of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center; ²Department of Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center

Pre-clinical exposure to vascular surgery has historically been limited. Early exposure is imperative for medical students interested in pursuing vascular surgery, particularly given the competitiveness of integrated residency programs. We examined the effects of an interactive case, panel discussion, and vascular simulations on students' understanding of, interest in, and desire for future experiences in vascular surgery. A single, after-hours event was conducted for pre-clinical medical students (M1 and M2) in 2025. Near-peer mentors and vascular surgery faculty conducted an interactive case presentation, question-and-answer panel, and simulation stations. During simulation stations, students practiced suturing, knot tying, anastomoses, and used endovascular simulators. Pre- and post-surveys were administered, and both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. Twenty students participated. Half identified as female, 85% of participants were first-generation medical students, and half had no prior exposure to vascular surgery. Following the event, students reported increased knowledge of training pathways (2.65 to 4.35), common pathologies and procedures (2.20 to 3.95), and knowledge of the role of endovascular procedures (1.80 to 4.45) (p<0.01). There was no difference in interest in surgery (1.75 to 1.80) or vascular surgery (3.45 to 3.65) (p>0.05). Early exposure to vascular surgery is imperative to fostering exploration and competitive application development. This event increased knowledge and access through a multimodal, interactive approach. In Kansas, where many regions lack vascular surgeons, early exposure may help address workforce shortages and improve future access to care. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess effects on future engagement, match outcomes, and final practice location.

KETOGENIC DIET ALTERS NEURONS TO ALLEVIATE PAIN

Lana L. Heslop¹, Indrani Sarker², Devin C. Koestler, and Douglas E. Wright¹

¹Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center; ²Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Kansas Medical Center

Chronic pain is a significant public health issue that affects approximately 20% of adults in America. Chronic pain can lead to depression, financial burden, disability, and lower quality of life. Americans who live in rural areas are more likely to experience chronic pain. Almost 30% of Kansans live in rural areas and are exposed to a higher risk of chronic pain. Currently, our work seeks to find ways to reduce pain through using a dietary intervention in a mouse model of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. We conducted a 10-day study, administering intraperitoneal injections of either vehicle or Bortezomib (BTZ) for 5 consecutive days, followed by a 5-day washout period, in C57B/L6 mice that received either a chow diet or a ketogenic diet (KD). The results showed that a ketogenic diet could prevent the development of BTZ-induced pain behaviors, showing promise towards pain alleviation. Next, we harvested dorsal root ganglia for proteomic assessment. Our analysis identified over 250 significant protein changes, either up- or down-regulations, in proteins from either drug, diet, or a combination of administration. Current analyses are underway to further evaluate these proteins and their subsequent pathway changes. Our work has shown that a KD can prevent pathological and behavioral changes induced by BTZ or by diabetes. This study aims to identify key proteomic changes to pinpoint cellular targets that respond to a KD. Identifying cellular targets can lead to the development of drugs to relieve pain, which would ultimately help many Kansans, whether living in rural or urban areas.

A SCOPING REVIEW OF MULTIPLE-PATIENT SIMULATIONS IN PRE-LICENSURE NURSING PROGRAMS 

Megan Turner, MSN, RN, CHSE

School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center

Multiple-patient simulations provide students with an opportunity to practice caring for multiple patients at the same time in environments that mimic the realities of practice. While current literature details individual multiple-patient simulation (MPS) experiences, little is known about how MPS is utilized across pre-licensure nursing programs. The purpose of this scoping review is to examine how MPS is currently being utilized to prepare pre-licensure nursing students for transition to practice. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews will be followed to conduct a scoping review of the literature within the last 10 years. Inclusion criteria are as follows: peer-reviewed, English, in-person MPS in pre-licensure nursing programs in the United States. Articles that are not peer-reviewed, English, and/or describe in-person MPS in a pre-licensure nursing program in the United States will be excluded. The literature search and studies included in this scoping review will be described in detail. The National League for Nursing/Jeffries Simulation Framework will be used as a guiding framework to examine the role of facilitators and participants, simulation design characteristics, educational practices, and outcomes tied to MPS within pre-licensure nursing programs. This scoping review will shed light on how MPS is currently being utilized within pre-licensure nursing education in the United States, which may guide future research and innovation, ultimately ensuring that novice nurses are ready to provide high-quality care in Kansas and across the United States.

FEASIBILITY OF WALKAFRESH ROBOTIC GAIT TRAINING DEVICE IN NON-AMBULATORY CHRONIC STROKE SURVIVORS

Mustapha Mangdow, PT, M.S¹, Derong Yang, M.S¹, Carrie Bailey, M.A¹, Gregory Tinkler², DPT, Sarah M. Eickmeyer, MD ³, Gregory Herman, MD ³ and Wen Liu, PhD^{1, 3,}

¹Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, and Athletic Training, University of Kansas Medical Center, ²The University of Kansas Health System, ³Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center

A significant proportion of people with chronic stroke remain non-ambulatory, leading to increased sedentary behavior, cardiovascular complications, and a greater healthcare burden. Although assisted walking exercise is more effective than seated exercise for improving mobility and cardiovascular fitness, access to long-term walking interventions during the chronic phase remains limited. This study assessed the feasibility, safety, usability, and preliminary functional outcomes of WalkAfresh, a novel robotic-assisted gait training device designed to improve walking in non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors. Seventeen non-ambulatory people with chronic stroke completed an eight-week treadmill-based gait training program using WalkAfresh (30 minutes per session, three times per week). Feasibility outcomes included adherence and adverse events, and usability was evaluated using the System Usability Scale and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology 2.0. Functional outcomes assessed were Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), six-meter walk test (6MWT), endurance, treadmill performance, and percentage of body-weight support. Findings showed 99.1% adherence rate and no adverse events reported. Device usability ratings were high in all measures. Significant improvements were observed in FAC (p = 0.0082, effect size = 0.583) and 6MWT (p = 0.0039, effect size = −0.80). Participants also demonstrated increased walking duration (p = 0.0050, effect size = 0.833), along with significant reductions in body-weight support requirements (p = 0.0005, effect size = −2.291). WalkAfresh demonstrated feasibility, safety, high usability, and meaningful functional improvements, supporting its potential to expand access to scalable robotic gait rehabilitation for non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors in Kansas.

Wichita State University

MACROMOLECULAR SEPARATIONS BASED ON THE ION FOCUSING IN DIVERGENT ASYMMETRIC ELECTRIC FIELDS OF SWITCHABLE POLARITY

Adetayo S. Afolayan, Hayden A. Thurman, Atena Tajaddodi, and Alexandre A. Shvartsburg
Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical technique used to study biological molecules such as proteins. Traditionally, molecules are separated before analysis using methods like chromatography or electrophoresis. Ion mobility separation, a technique that distinguishes molecules based on how they move through an electric field (E), has recently been integrated. Macroions with strong permanent dipoles align even at moderate field E without significant heating. This alignment affects how the ions drift, providing a characteristic that can be used for separation. We developed a new theoretical framework that describes how ions drift and focus within asymmetric electric fields. With the superposed dispersion voltage and compensation voltage, the ensuing actual fields scale proportionally throughout the gap. Hence, the ion focusing anywhere is governed by the super/sublinearity of equilibrium compensation field (EC) versus local dispersion field (ED). The accepted link between focusing waveform polarity and EC sign stays with superlinear EC(ED) scaling, while the sublinear scaling focuses in the opposite polarity. We validated these projections using larger proteins (kDa): carbonic anhydrase (29), alcohol dehydrogenase (37), and albumin (66), which yield abundant monomer and oligomer ions. The EC(ED) functions for pendular conformers are largely linear, superlinear in the low-field region and sublinear at higher ED. This allows fractionating protein ensembles based on the curvature of K(E) and EC(ED). This selection is tunable by flipping the focusing in the hemispherical region via electrode translation. This research improves protein separation and analysis, critical for understanding disease mechanisms, identifying biomarkers, and discovering drug targets, thereby supporting drug development.

DESIGN FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING: AN UPDATED REVIEW OF METHODS, SOFTWARE, AND AI-DRIVEN APPROACHES

Saleh Ateiwi and Gamal Weheba

Department of Industrial, Systems, and Manufacturing Engineering, Wichita State University

Additive manufacturing (AM) is elevating the industrial landscape by overcoming traditional barriers, making Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) essential. This paper reviews DfAM terminology, trends, and classifications to compile a comprehensive, updated design methodology. The proposed framework integrates specific design guidelines, software tools, and emerging AI-assisted design approaches to achieve structural optimization and improved decision-making. This holistic approach fills a critical gap by offering a structured guide to better leverage AM and AI-enabled design capabilities. The proposed AI-integrated DfAM framework supports more efficient and reliable additive manufacturing adoption and has direct relevance for Kansas aerospace, industrial, and advanced manufacturing sectors through improved design efficiency, reduced material waste, and accelerated product development.

“WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY?”: HOW INQUIRY-BASED ADVISING PRACTICES EMERGE AND SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS

Kaytie Brozek and Beatrice Latavietz

Department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education, Wichita State University

This instrumental qualitative case study examines how one academic advisor’s background experiences, including professional development, years of practice, education, and prior work in mental health, shape her advising philosophy and use of questioning without formal coaching or Appreciative Advising training. Guided by a social constructivist lens, the study draws on a semi-structured interview, an adapted Academic Advising Inventory (AAI), and researcher reflexive memos to explore how the participant constructs meaning around her advising practice. Using narrative analysis and thematic coding, findings reveal that the participant’s nonlinear educational path, mental health background, and professional socialization contribute to a student-centered, relational, inquiry-driven advising philosophy. Questioning emerges as a central mechanism for fostering student reflection, autonomy, and clarification of academic and career goals. These processes are linked to student persistence, timely degree completion, and workforce readiness within Kansas public higher education. The analysis illustrates how effective developmental practices often emerge organically through lived experience and institutional context. Implications for Kansas policymakers suggest that strategically investing in scalable, strengths-based advisor development may enhance advising quality statewide while advancing goals related to student success, degree attainment, and workforce preparation.

“I JUST FEEL LIKE AN AVERAGE COLLEGE STUDENT THAT JUST DOESN'T WANT TO DO THEIR WORK”: A CASE STUDY

John Hammond and Beatrice Latavietz

Department of Intervention Services and Leadership Education, Wichita State University

This case study explored the experiences of an “average” college student enrolled in college algebra at Wichita State University. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study combined quantitative data from the Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Questionnaire (MSEAQ) with qualitative data from a semi-structured interview. Quantitative results indicated relatively high mathematical self-efficacy and low-to-moderate math anxiety, contrasting with the participant’s self-perception of being “not good at math.” Thematic analysis revealed three major themes of the participant’s experience: time, homework and assessment, and her theory of learning each of which is contained within a larger theme of strong emotion towards mathematics. Findings suggest that course design should address time management and clarify the purpose of homework to help transition between expectations of high school and college. These insights have implications for improving support for typical students in gateway mathematics courses including the implementation of Math Pathways and better understanding the transition from high school to college mathematics.

PITFALLS OF EVALUATING LANGUAGE MODELS WITH OPEN BENCHMARKS

Md. Najib Hasan¹, Md Mahadi Hassan Sibat², Mohammad Fakhruddin Babar³, Souvika Sarkar¹, Monowar Hasan³, and Santu Karmaker²

¹ A2I Lab, School of Computing, Wichita State University; ²Bridge-AI Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida; ³School of EECS, Washington State University

Open Large Language Model (LLM) benchmarks, such as HELM and BIG-Bench, provide standardized and transparent evaluation protocols that support comparative analysis, reproducibility, and systematic progress tracking in Language Model (LM) research. Yet this openness also creates substantial risks of data leakage during LM testing to deliberate or inadvertent, thereby undermining the fairness and reliability of leaderboard rankings and leaving them vulnerable to manipulation by unscrupulous actors. We illustrate the severity of this issue by intentionally constructing cheating models: smaller variants of BART, T5, and GPT-2, fine- tuned directly on publicly available test-sets. As expected, these models excel on the target benchmarks but fail terribly to generalize to comparable unseen testing sets. We then examine task specific simple paraphrase-based safeguarding strategies to mitigate the impact of data leakage and evaluate their effectiveness and limitations. Our findings underscore three key points: (i) high leaderboard performance on limited open, static benchmarks may not reflect real-world utility; (ii) private or dynamically generated benchmarks should complement open benchmarks to maintain evaluation integrity; and (iii) a reexamination of current benchmarking practices is essential for reliable and trustworthy LM assessment.

GENERATIVE RECOMMENDATION OF CUSTOMIZED INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR VIRTUAL LABORATORIES

Touseef Hasan¹, Faria Binte Kader², Indrani Dey³, Souvika Sarkar¹, Hari Narayanan⁴, Sadhana Puntambekar³, and Santu Karmaker²

¹School of Computing, Wichita State University; ²Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida; ³Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; ⁴Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Auburn University

Generating instructional activities that align with the constraints and objectives of virtual laboratories is labor-intensive and difficult to scale. To address this challenge, we propose the Generative Recommendation Framework (GRF) for the constrained generation of instructional activities. GRF guides Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate instructionally aligned activities under varying levels of instructional control using a four-level prompt design based on the TELeR taxonomy of prompting. We evaluate our framework across 27 LLMs on five virtual labs, producing 5,400 activities. Using a five-criterion rubric with both LLM-as-a-judge and human evaluation, we observe a notable alignment between human and LLM-based judgments. Our experiments show that instruction-tuning enables open-source LLMs to generate high-quality structured activities compared to their base variants. Moreover, criterion-wise analysis reveals that current LLMs consistently struggle to produce activities with clear structure and step-wise conceptual progression. These findings help characterize how LLMs currently perform on constrained activity generation for virtual labs and pinpoint where further improvements are needed to provide real-time guidance to students. 

FREE-STANDING CARBONACEOUS ELECTRODE FOR POTASSIUM-ION SUPERCAPACITOR

Md Zawad Hossain and Davi Soares

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wichita State University

Electrification in the transportation system and data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) is a crucial part of sustainable economic development. A rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion battery (LIB), is a key component of this process. However, limited Li resources, low power density, poor cycle life, and slow charging are the key challenges in LIB technology. A potassium-ion supercapacitor is an alternative to LIB technology to mitigate these key challenges in high-power supply to applications, for instance, data centers. The abundance of potassium availability in the region, fast-charging capability, long cycle life, and low-cost electrode material are the key advantages of the potassium-ion supercapacitor over LIB technology. However, the research on potassium-ion supercapacitor are very focused on aqueous-based electrolytes, which have a limited voltage (+1.23 V vs standard hydrogen electrode at pH =0) window due to water oxidation. Besides, the electrodes for the potassium-ion supercapacitor are prepared by coating on copper (Cu) or Aluminum (Al), which are critical minerals and expensive. To address all these challenges, we are investigating a free-standing carbon-carbon nanotube composite electrode in an organic electrolyte (KPF₆ in ethylene carbonate: dimethyl carbonate) to lower cost, eliminate the use of critical minerals, and increase the voltage window to achieve high power density. Here, we are exploring the electrochemical performance and electro-kinetics mechanism of carbon-carbon nanotube composite electrode at three different upper potential windows (2.5V, 3.0V, 3.5V).

LEGAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION IN KANSAS: AI AND THE PERSPECTIVES OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS

Ana Lucia Jara Valenzuela and Julie Henderson

Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Wichita State University

This study explores professional perspectives on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal translation and interpretation in the State of Kansas, with a focus on Wichita, one of the State’s largest urban centers with a sizeable non-English-speaking population. As AI tools are increasingly used across a wide range of tasks, from basic administrative work to more complex legal processes, concerns have emerged regarding their ethical, cultural, and professional implications, particularly in high-stakes legal settings. While existing studies have examined the use of AI in legal contexts, few focus on the perspectives of legal and language professionals working within specific Kansas communities. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, this study draws on data collected through structured questionnaires distributed to attorneys, experienced legal translators, interpreters, and other related professionals practicing in Wichita. The research examines perceived challenges and benefits related to AI use, professional adaptation to technological change, ethical and cultural considerations, and expectations for the future of legal translation and interpretation. By centering on professional experiences from Wichita, this study offers insights relevant to legal and language services across Kansas, as local organizations and institutions consider integrating AI into legal and administrative processes. The findings also highlight the importance of human expertise, ethical responsibility, and cultural competence in legal translation and interpretation, with implications for professional practice and decision-making at the state level.

LLM4LEAKS: ANDROID MEMORY LEAK DETECTION USING LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS

Muhammad Faraz Shoaib, Atish Shah Rouniyar, Ali Tashfeen Muhammad Tehmasib and Zhiyong Shan

Department of Computer Science, Wichita State University

Memory leaks remain a persistent challenge in Android applications, leading to degraded performance, increased energy consumption, and poor user experience. As mobile technologies increasingly support businesses, healthcare systems, public services, and educational institutions across Kansas and the United States, improving software reliability is critical for strengthening digital infrastructure. Although Android’s official documentation outlines scenarios that can cause memory leaks, large-scale empirical validation of these constraints remains limited. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of memory leak patterns across thousands of real-world Android applications using a hybrid approach that combines static analysis and machine learning. We identified and formalized 12 memory leak constraints derived from official Android guidelines, capturing both temporary and permanent leak scenarios. Based on these constraints, we developed LeakScope, a hybrid detector that combines constraint-aware static analysis with fine-tuned LLMs to detect violations. To evaluate the approach at scale, we analyzed over 10,000 open-source Android projects from GitHub, of which 627 successfully compiled. Across these projects, we identified more than 1,000 potential memory leak violations, which were manually validated to construct a high-quality labeled dataset of 520 leaks. Using this dataset, we fine-tuned large language models (LLMs) to classify and predict memory leak scenarios. Preliminary results from initial fine-tuning show that fine-tuned LLMs achieve approximately 90% classification accuracy, demonstrating strong potential as a complementary approach to traditional static analysis. Retraining on the fully validated dataset is ongoing and expected to further improve performance. By advancing automated detection of mobile software reliability issues, this research supports innovation in artificial intelligence and software engineering, strengthening the growing technology ecosystem within Kansas and beyond.

ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBER THERAPEUTICS FOR LOCALIZED POST-SURGICAL BREAST CANCER TREATMENT
Elmira Sadat Tabatabaei ¹, David Long ¹, Eylem Asmatulu ², and Shang-You Yang ^3
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wichita State University, ² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wichita State University, ³ Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University

Breast cancer recurrence at the tumor bed after surgery remains a significant clinical challenge. Standard chemotherapy given throughout the body can reduce recurrence but exposes healthy tissues to harmful side effects and may not maintain high drug levels at the site where the tumor was removed. Because cancer recurrence at the original site increases the risk of metastasis and death, improved local drug delivery after surgery is needed. To address this gap, we are developing an implantable, core-shell electrospun nanofiber platform for localized post-surgical therapy. Coaxial electrospinning is used to fabricate nanofiber mats with a payload-rich core surrounded by a protective polymer shell. This coaxial core-shell structure separates sensitive biomolecules from the outer polymer layer and creates a controllable barrier for sustained release of therapeutic payloads, such as bioactive peptides and albumin-based therapeutics. We optimize biodegradable polymer compositions and processing conditions to produce uniform fibers while preserving peptide and protein activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to assess fiber morphology and diameter, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms the core-shell structure. Encapsulation efficiency, in vitro drug release, and payload stability are measured to guide design improvements that prevent drug release that is too fast or too slow and ensure effective local exposure. Biological performance is evaluated using cell toxicity assays in breast cancer cells to measure cancer cell killing, along with testing in healthy cells to assess compatibility and distinguish therapeutic effects from nonspecific toxicity. In Kansas, where breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women (≈2,100 diagnoses and ≈360 deaths annually), this cost-conscious, locally deliverable strategy supports translational innovation aimed at improving post-surgical cancer control while minimizing systemic burden.

KBOR Graduate Programs

Emporia State University

Mary Sewell, Emporia State University, Plumb Hall 313, 1 Kellogg Circle, Emporia, KS 66801, (620)341-5403, http://www.emporia.edu/grad/

Fort Hays State University

Dr. Angela E. Pool-Funai, Fort Hays State University, 302 Sheridan Hall, Hays, KS 67601, (785) 628-4236, http://www.fhsu.edu/gradschl/ 

Kansas State University

Dr. Phillip D. Payne, Kansas State University, 109 Eisenhower Hall, Manhattan, KS, (785) 532-6191. www.ksu.edu/grad 

Pittsburg State University

Lisa Allen 1701 South Broadway, 104 C Horace Mann, Pittsburg, KS 66762

https://www.pittstate.edu/red/research/index.html  

University of Kansas

Dr. Ric G. Steele, The University of Kansas, 213 Strong Hall, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 785-864-0550 www.graduate.ku.edu 

University of Kansas Medical Center

Dr. Chad Hunter, The University of Kansas Medical Center, MSN 1040, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, (913) 588-2739. http://www.kumc.edu/academic-affairs/graduate-studies.html 

Wichita State University

Dr. Coleen Pugh, Wichita State University, 107 Jardine Hall, 1845 Fairmount., Wichita, KS 67260-0004, (316) 978-3095. www.wichita.edu/gradschool  Or visit: http://www.wichita.edu/cgrs