K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: 2004 -
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2097/4
This is the collection for doctoral dissertations and masters theses and reports submitted electronically by K-State students. Electronic submission of doctoral dissertations was required beginning Fall semester 2006. Electronic submission for masters theses and reports was required beginning Fall 2007. The collection also contains some dissertations, theses, and reports from the years 2004 and 2005 that were submitted during a pilot test project. Some items before 2004 have been digitized and are available in K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: pre-2004. Check the Library catalog for dissertations, theses, and reports not found in these collections.
All items included in this collection have been approved by the K-State Graduate School. More information can be found on the ETDR Information Page. Items within this collection are protected by U.S. Copyright. Copyright on each item is held by the individual author.
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Item Open Access Warm-season annual forage production systems in the semi-arid central Great Plains(2025) Detter, NicholasThe semi-arid Great Plains region has the highest concentration of beef cattle in North America, as well as a growing number of dairy cattle. This region, which stretches from the prairie provinces of Canada to the plains of Texas, is also experiencing declining aquifers for irrigation. This reduction in irrigation capacity creates the need for water-efficient forage-based cropping systems. Two studies were conducted in western Kansas to help improve the production of warm-season annual forages in the region. The first study evaluated the potential of summer annual legume species as more water-efficient alternatives to alfalfa, while retaining high forage nutritive value. This study sought to accomplish this by analyzing the viability, yield potential, nutritive value, water use efficiency, and economic returns of four summer annual legume species (cowpea [Vigna unguiculata], forage soybean [Glycine max (L.)], lablab [Lablab purpureus], and sunn hemp [Crotalaria juncea]) as well as two summer annual grass species (BMR forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ] and pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum]). This study was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at three locations: Garden City, KS (irrigated), Colby, KS (dryland), and Hays, KS (dryland). Grasses were generally higher yielding and had greater water use-efficiency (WUE) than legume species. Lablab and cowpea were the only two legume species that had good establishment. Cowpea and forage soybean had significantly greater crude protein concentration (α =0.05) than either of the grass species, and cowpea, forage soybean, and lablab all had significantly greater relative feed quality (RFQ) values (α =0.05) than either of the grass species. Economic returns in irrigated environments were lablab = BMR forage sorghum = forage soybean = cowpea ≥ pearl millet ≥ sunn hemp (α =0.05), and in dryland environments were lablab = cowpea ≥ BMR forage sorghum ≥ pearl millet = forage soybean = sunn hemp (α =0.05). A second study analyzed the effect that seeding rate had on four summer annual forage grasses: forage sorghum, sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor var. Sudanese], sorghum-sudan [Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor var. Sudanese], and pearl millet. In 2022 and 2023, at Garden City, KS, and Hays, KS, four trials (two irrigated and two dryland) were conducted, where the above-listed species were planted at six different seeding rates, starting at 370,000 seeds ha-1 and increasing by increments of 370,000 seeds ha-1 to 2,220,000 seeds ha-1. In 2024, at Garden City, KS, and Hays, KS, three additional trials (one irrigated and two dryland) were conducted for forage sorghum, which included seven seeding rates: 0.37 M, 0.74 M, 1.48 M, 2.22 M, 2.96 M, 3.7 M, and 4.44 M seeds ha-1. Our results showed that seeding rate generally has a positive correlation with forage mass, with significant variation depending on the species and environment. We also established negative correlations between seeding rate and plant height, tillers per plant, stalk diameter, crude protein, and lignin concentration. Profitability varied greatly by species, seeding rate, and environment, with pearl millet consistently trailing the other three species due to generally lower yields. The findings of these studies will aid producers in the region as they integrate summer annual forages into their cropping systems by providing valuable information on the effects of crop choice and seeding rate on forage mass, forage quality, and profitability under both irrigated and dryland conditions.Item Open Access Kuwait in flow: A goal programming demand release schedule for the afternoon commuter(2025) Al-Mansour, SalemTraffic congestion remains one of the most persistent challenges in urban environments, particularly in regions experiencing rapid population growth and limited availability of transportation data. In Kuwait, high automobile dependency, coupled with the absence of advanced traffic data and management systems, has intensified congestion and reduced network efficiency. Traditional Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) models, while effective in capturing time-dependent traffic behavior, require detailed Origin–Destination data, making them impractical in contexts such as Kuwait. This research introduces a novel modeling framework that integrates the Cell Transmission Model (CTM) with Goal Programming (GP) to develop an optimization-based approach to traffic demand management. The GP–CTM model prescribes a demand release schedule that prevents road capacity from being exceeded, thereby mitigating congestion preemptively. The model was applied to a case study in the Sabah Al-Salem area of Kuwait, using school-related demand as the primary source of recurrent congestion. Results showed that the optimized demand release schedule achieved full demand clearance within the one-hour time horizon, while reducing average network occupancy by 64\% compared to a baseline 'all-at-once' release policy. The findings demonstrate that the GP–CTM framework can deliver Dynamic Traffic Assignment–like insights without O-D data, providing aggregate-level understanding of system-wide congestion dynamics. This work offers policymakers a practical, computationally tractable tool for formulating demand management strategies and highlights a shift toward prescriptive and preemptive, system-level approaches in traffic management research.Item Open Access Leveraging synergistic intervals to enhance timing under multiple interval schedules(2025) Southern, RobertAccurate and precise timing is a fundamental aspect of many behaviors, skills, and occupations. This study tested whether structuring multiple intervals with simple multiplicative relationships enables participants to use rewards from shorter intervals as cues to improve timing on longer intervals. Across two online experiments (N = 88), participants tracked five independent fixed-interval schedules simultaneously. In Experiment 1, synergistic intervals were integer multiples of 5 s (5, 10, 20, 30, 40). In Experiment 2, nonsynergistic intervals (5, 13, 17, 21, 38) preserved the overall reinforcement rate but lacked simple multiplicative relationships. Across both experiments, two dominant strategies emerged: Steady Responders, who responded at a near-constant rate across intervals while largely disregarding programmed durations, and Interval Trackers, who showed graded sensitivity to interval length consistent with timing each interval. Synergistic interval structures did not reliably improve accuracy or precision, and scalar-like timing patterns were observed across both conditions and strategies. These findings suggest that in complex multi-interval environments, people often favor low-effort response strategies over exploiting embedded temporal cues, indicating that any benefits of synergistic intervals, if present, are subtle and difficult to detect.Item Open Access Modernizing legacy desktop applications: Re-engineering WinDAM C from VB6 to WinUI 3(2025) Burugupalli, Samhitha; Neilsen, MitchellThis study presents the modernization of the Windows Dam Analysis Modules for Cohesive Embankments (WinDAM C), a key component of the WinDAM suite developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and Kansas State University for simulating breach and erosion processes in earthen embankment dams. The original WinDAM C, implemented in Visual Basic 6 (VB6), was constrained as a 32-bit executable, obsolete deployment methods, and tightly coupled code structures that limited maintainability, interoperability, and accessibility. The principal objective of this work is to re-engineer WinDAM C into a modern, sustainable, and reproducible platform using C# and the WinUI3 framework. The new system adopts a Model–View–ViewModel (MVVM) architecture for clear separation of logic and presentation, integrates the NRCS Engineering Field Handbook Chapter 2 (EFH-2) hydrologic methodology for direct rainfall–runoff generation through WinTR-20 coupling, and employs the WiX Toolset for deterministic deployment without external dependencies. Validation experiments focused on verifying numerical reproducibility and scientific consistency between the legacy 32-bit implementations and the new 64-bit implementations. Batch simulations of ten benchmark WinDAM Control (WDC) projects confirmed that breach hydrograph results remained consistent across both environments, with deviations below 0.05 percent—attributable solely to floating-point precision and rounding differences between 32-bit floats and 64-bit doubles. The modernization effort further establishes a foundation for accessibility and future extensibility. Leveraging WinUI’s native automation, the interface now supports system-wide text scaling, high-contrast adaptation—representing the first step toward Section 508 compliance within the WinDAM suite. Additional forward-looking features include JSON-based input/output for data interoperability with GIS and cloud platforms, and a modular architecture designed for future spatial visualization and expanded hydrologic coupling. Collectively, these advancements transform WinDAM C from an aging desktop utility into a reproducible, maintainable, and extensible research application that preserves the validated USDA-ARS breach-erosion algorithms while unifying hydrologic input generation, simulation, and analysis. Contributions of this work include both a practical tool for dam-safety engineers and a generalizable framework for modernizing legacy scientific software systems.Item Open Access Sustainable Phosphorus Management in Cover Cropping Systems to Improve Water Quality(2025) Sakib, Tamjid UsPhosphorus (P) loading in agricultural runoff is a major contributor to surface-water impairment and harmful algal blooms. To develop strategies that both sustain crop production and protect water quality, we conducted a long-term study (2019-2025) at the Kansas Agricultural Watershed field laboratory near Manhattan, KS, evaluating the combined effects of cover crops and P management on runoff, sediment loss, and different forms of P loss in a no-till corn-soybean rotation. The experiment used a 3 × 2 factorial design with three P fertilizer treatments Control, Build and Maintain, (2019-2025) and Drawdown, (2019-2022) or Sufficiency (2022-2025) and two cover crop treatments (with or without cereal rye) applied to 18 bermed and terraced 0.5-ha watersheds arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Each watershed was instrumented with 45-cm H Flumes and automated samplers to monitor runoff and collect flow-weighted composite samples for water-quality analyses. For interpretation, 2020-2022 and 2023-2025 represent the drawdown and sufficiency phases, respectively. During the drawdown phase, cover crops significantly reduced runoff during years with intense storms, consistently decreased soil erosion by 70-90%, and lowered particulate P losses by 36-73%, demonstrating strong erosion-control benefits. However, cover crops introduced a tradeoff by increasing dissolved reactive P losses by one- to two-fold, particularly under build and maintain P management where soil test P remained high. In contrast, drawdown management of legacy P reduced all forms of P loss across years, with significant total P reductions emerging after only one year, highlighting an immediate benefit. Integrating cover crops with drawdown minimized dissolved reactive P losses to levels comparable to build and maintain P management without cover crops, and cover crop-related P loss was consistently higher under build and maintain than under drawdown management. These results highlight the value of pairing cover crops with P drawdown management strategies to reduce P loss and improve water quality in no-till systems with legacy P, where crops can rely on drawing down existing P reserves without additional fertilizer. Over the sufficiency phase, cover crops combined with either build and maintain or sufficiency management reduced runoff compared with no cover treatments, with no significant differences between build and maintain management and sufficiency in runoff reduction. Cover crops cut sediment loss by 60-80% and reduced particulate P losses by up to 72%, again underscoring the erosion-control benefits of cover crops. Dissolved reactive P losses were consistently lower under sufficiency than build and maintain management and cover crops did not raise dissolved reactive P under sufficiency except during the wetter year (2024). Total P losses varied over the years, increasing in 2024 but declining in 2025. Cover crops and SF management reduced corn yields by 10% only in 2023, with no treatment effects observed in 2024 and 2025. Taken together, these results show that cover crops reliably reduce runoff, soil erosion, and particulate P loss under both short-term drawdown and sustainable sufficiency management but may increase dissolved reactive P loss when soil P is high. Therefore, integrating cover crops with drawdown or sufficiency strategies should be guided by site-specific soil test P using drawdown until crop response emerges, followed by sufficiency management. This approach provides a balanced strategy to sustain yields, minimize legacy P buildup, and protect downstream water quality in no-till corn-soybean systems. To understand the potential mechanisms of driving increased dissolved reactive P loss with cover crops, a greenhouse study was also conducted. Since Plant species can modify the P sorption in soils through the release of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) in their root exudates. These LMWOAs compete with P for adsorption sites on soil minerals and induce dissolution of Fe and Al oxyhydroxides via complexation or ligand promoted dissolution, which could affect P availability for crops and P loss. This study examined the effect of plant species and P input on the P sorption dynamics with respect to LMWOA. A greenhouse study was conducted with ten different plant species, two P fertilizer treatments (0 and 70 kg P ha-1), and two-time intervals (35 and 70 days). All treatments were structured in a 10 x 2 x 2 complete factorial with two controls arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates (210 experimental units). Species from Poaceae and Fabaceae exhibited a consistent trend of increased LMWOA release in low P compared to high P conditions whereas Brassicaceae species consistently released higher concentrations of LMWOAs regardless of P. On average, LMWOA release followed the order: Brassicaceae > Fabaceae > Poaceae. In certain circumstances, P availability may be more closely related to specific LMWOAs, particularly oxalic and citric acids, rather than total LMWOA concentration. Their influence on P sorption and water-extractable P is dependent on plant species, growth stage and P status. Our findings suggest that certain cover crop species rye, triticale and crimson clover may have potential to enhance P availability as well as minimize P loss.Item Open Access What we carry, keep, and create: An urban intertribal community’s survivance storywork navigating K-12 Indian education(2025) Bonilla, JenniferThis qualitative study employs survivance storywork methods to document the stories of American Indian/Alaska Native families and community members’ engagement with the Title VI and Johnson O’Malley (i.e., Indian Education) programs in the intertribal community of Lawrence, Kansas. This study collects and synthesizes the stories of these families to deepen our understanding of the ways this intertribal community mobilizes, navigates, and builds sustainable action within the context of Indian Education programs housed in a Eurocentric public education system. The findings and the recommendations of the study are presented through arts-based and Indigenous storywork using modalities of poetry and storytelling, along with inter-woven personal reflections and stories from the author as a member of this community. Built around the themes of what the participant storytellers carry, keep, and create, the storytellers from this intertribal community reveal the value of relationality, culturally sustaining practices, intergenerational collaboration, and sustained advocacy from intertribal communities in a manner that actively and intentionally build futures for Indigenous children. This study concludes with a creative exploration around sweetgrass, and how it might offer a useful metaphor for understanding and describing how community building unfolds through educational programing when operating in a unique urban intertribal environment.Item Open Access Feeding and management strategies to enhance sow and litter performance(2025) Spinler, MikaylaA series of three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of precision feeding lactating sows on sow and litter performance, as described in chapter 1 and 2. In each experiment, sows were offered a high Lys diet (control), or a blend of a low and high Lys diet to target a specific Lys intake based on sow BW, parity, and litter size. In Exp. 1, Lys requirements were based on the NRC and INRA models. Sows fed the NRC and INRA treatment curves had lower Lys intake and litter growth performance compared to sows fed a high Lys diet, with no differences in sow body weight (BW) change over lactation. However, litters from sows fed the NRC treatment curve had higher litter performance compared to the INRA treatment curve. In Exp. 2, the NRC estimated Lys requirements were increased by 20% and similar litter performance was achieved when sows received a blend of the low and high Lys diet compared to the control fed sows receiving the high Lys diet, with no differences in sow BW change. Based on the results of these two experiments, a third experiment was conducted under commercial conditions. Similar to Exp. 2, sow Lys intake targets were based on the NRC model + 20%. Blend fed sows consumed less Lys than targeted due to lower ADFI than predicted, resulting in reduced litter performance compared to control fed sows. However, blend fed sows that met their target Lys intake had similar litter performance compared to control fed sows. Chapter 3 determined the effects of two split suckling protocols on litter growth performance and mortality pre- and postweaning compared to no split suckling. Three treatments were evaluated: no split suckling (control), or one of two split suckle protocols: split suckling by birth order or body weight. Overall, the split suckling protocols evaluated in this study did not influence pig growth performance or mortality during the pre- or postweaning periods compared to no split suckling. Chapter 4 evaluated the effect of sow lactation average daily feed intake (ADFI) on litter average daily gain (ADG) and sow BW change over lactation. Lactation ADFI for primiparous and multiparous sows were broken down into five feed intake categories with, 20% of the sows represented in each category. A regression equation was developed to predict litter ADG and sow BW change over change. The analysis indicates that litter ADG is influenced by sow BW loss and lactation feed intake. Results of the regression equations suggest that in primiparous sows, increases in ADFI were associated with a greater improvement in litter ADG compared to multiparous sows, whereas in multiparous sows, ADFI had a stronger effect in reducing BW loss over lactation compared to primiparous sows. Chapter 5 outlines changes in the nutritional values of corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and the development of a tool to determine the most economical feeding levels for grow-finish pigs. Changes in ethanol manufacturing practices have reduced the oil and starch content of DDGS, resulting in lower NE values for DDGS than observed in the past. Recent studies evaluating low-oil DDGS in finishing pig diets have observed decreased growth performance compared with past studies with high-oil DDGS. To support the decision-making process, a tool was developed to help producers determine the most economical levels of DDGS in finishing pig diets, factoring in feed cost savings and income over feed cost on both live and carcass weight basis with varying DDGS oil content.Item Open Access Analyzing interdisciplinary research team development at the 2024 Kansas Water Institute CoSearch competition(2025) Cori, SophiaWater is inherently interdisciplinary, and it is one of the most urgent and complex challenges for the state of Kansas. Addressing such issues requires collaboration that crosses disciplinary boundaries. In response to this need, Kansas State University’s Kansas Water Institute (KWI) hosted CoSearch, a two-day interdisciplinary research competition focused on the theme of water. The event was designed to catalyze collaboration and accelerate ideation. This study examined how interdisciplinary teams formed during the 2024 KWI CoSearch event. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how interdisciplinary collaboration unfolds within a structured event and to identify patterns that influence progress. Guided by Tuckman’s (1965) Stages of Group Development, this study aimed to better understand the dynamics of interdisciplinary collaboration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants from the four teams that competed in KWI’s CoSearch, representing faculty from ten departments across Kansas State University. The interview data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding to uncover themes describing how teams evolved and the patterns that supported their progress. Findings revealed evidence of all five of Tuckman’s stages, though development was more fluid than linear. Teams developed and progressed through cycles of Forming, Storming, and Norming as they learned to navigate disciplinary differences and establish shared understanding. By the Performing stage, teams demonstrated cohesion and synergy, enabling high productivity. The Adjourning phase brought divergent outcomes. The winning team continued their research due to seed funding, while others dispersed, highlighting how external incentives influence sustainability. Four unique patterns emerged for the KWI CoSearch teams' interdisciplinary progress: recognition of the value of diverse expertise, ownership of the project, collaboration catalysts, and focused attention. These findings suggest that successful interdisciplinary collaboration depends not only on enthusiasm and shared purpose but also on tangible support and opportunities for sustained engagement. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on interdisciplinary team development and offers practical insights into how structured events like CoSearch can foster collaboration, accelerate innovation, and help institutions of higher education fulfill their interdisciplinary research endeavors.Item Open Access The cost of personal investment: Assessing the impact of student loan debt on financial outcomes before and during the federal payment and interest pause(2025) Collier, NathanThis study analyzed the impact of student loan borrowing on retirement savings, homeownership, and financial stress. Prior literature primarily focused on the dollar amount of student loan payments. This research considered the total amount of debt compared to income. The Human Capital Theory developed by Becker (1962) states that humans invest in their education to increase their earnings and overall economic outcomes. Human Capital framework tested the effectiveness of investment in education by focusing on the ratio of total student borrowing to the annual income received. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest and payments of federal student loans were paused. This research used data from the 2019 and 2022 waves of the Survey of Consumer Finances to compare the effects of student loan borrowing before and during the payment forbearance. This research adds to the body of knowledge regarding student loan debt by assessing the impact of the pandemic-induced forbearance, as well as providing further analysis of measuring student loan debt by total amount.Item Open Access Extruded aquatic feed - Impact of ingredients and processing on physical quality of feed, animal performance and environmental footprint(2025) Graff, TuckerThis dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation into the sustainability of extruded aquafeeds, focusing on the interplay between raw ingredient selection, physical feed characteristics, and extrusion processing parameters. The research specifically addresses the efficiency of production, physical quality, nutritional performance, and environmental footprint of feeds designed for key aquaculture species: Nile tilapia, Pacific white shrimp, and rainbow trout. A core objective was to evaluate grain sorghum and its derivatives as sustainable alternatives to conventional ingredients such as wheat and fishmeal. The studies explored the impact of various factors, including ingredient particle size, thermal and mechanical energy inputs during extrusion and drying, and the use of different cereal grain types and compositions. The primary aim was to identify optimal processing conditions that not only maximize pellet quality, feed digestibility, and animal growth performance but also minimize production costs and environmental impacts. Through an integrated approach combining processing trials, in vivo growth and digestibility assessments, detailed energy balance analyses, and cradle-to-gate life cycle assessments, this research provides a holistic understanding of how feed formulation and manufacturing choices influence the entire aquafeed production chain. Key findings demonstrate that grain sorghum is a viable alternative to wheat in aquafeeds, maintaining pellet quality and producing comparable animal performance while offering environmental benefits. Mechanical energy during processing of tilapia feeds for sorghum-based formulations ranged from 267.6 to 358.8 kJ/kg and 290.5 to 351 kJ/kg for wheat-based diets, with more intense particle size reduction increasing mechanical energy. For shrimp feeds, reducing the amount of preconditioning for both wheat and steam based diets resulted in higher mechanical energy inputs (228-260.4, and 237-288 kJ/kg, respectively). For sorghum-based diets specifically, it was found that gelatinization of feed was primarily affected by preconditioning inputs, with higher steam input leading to a greater degree of gelatinization (83-90.5%), while wheat-based feeds had similar gelatinization across all inputs (95-98%). For both wheat and sorghum-based diets for trout, processing under similar conditions resulted in similar bulk density numbers (372 and 382 g/L), floating percentage (~100%), pellet durability (86 and 87%), and water stability (~91%). Growth studies for sorghum-based feeds resulted in feed conversion ratios of 1.03-1.1, 1.44-1.51, and 0.96 for tilapia, shrimp, and trout. For wheat, these values were 1.11-1.13, 1.46-1.52, and 0.86 for tilapia, shrimp and trout. For all species except rainbow trout, sorghum-based diets exhibited improved feed conversion ratios. The research also highlighted that the choice of cereal grain significantly influences the environmental footprint, with sorghum-based feeds generally exhibiting lower environmental burdens. Net global warming potential values (kg CO2 eq/ton of animal growth) for sorghum and wheat-based diets were, respectively, 90.18 and 120.8 (trout feed), 160.4-224.4 and 240.79-303.52 (tilapia feeds), and 185.4-188.8 and 243.7-263.12 (shrimp feeds). It was found that while the main driver of global warming potential came from the choice of cereal grain used, total emissions were also drive by processing choices, with more intense processing such as increased particle size reduction (tilapia) and more intense preconditioning (shrimp) resulting in a larger environmental footprint. Furthermore, the inclusion of sorghum distillers dried grains (sDDGs) presents a sustainable protein source, though its environmental impacts necessitate careful formulation and processing to mitigate increased burdens from upstream agricultural activities. Ultimately, this dissertation provides evidence supporting the development of cost-effective, high-quality, and environmentally responsible aquafeeds that effectively utilize drought-tolerant, lower-input grains like sorghum. This contributes significantly to enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the global aquaculture industry, addressing challenges posed by rising ingredient costs and the increasing demand for sustainable ingredient sources.Item Open Access All good roads lead to Concho: Indigenous women, leadership, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho department of education(2025) Whitlow, CarrieExtending the work of Dr. Henrietta Mann (1997), using Indigenous storywork this study focuses on how the Cheyenne and Arapaho Department of Education has built capacity and asserted sovereignty over decades of time, with a focus on the leadership stories and experiences of six Cheyenne and Arapaho female educational leaders. Utilizing semi-structured interviews and artifact collection, this study was informed by two key frameworks: Indigenous feminisms (Barker, 2015; Ross, 2009; Shanley, 1984; St. Denis, 2007) and Liberating Sovereign Potential (RedCorn, 2020). Key findings in this study include how these leaders in Cheyenne and Arapaho education are building capacity through internal restructuring while growing resources, programs, and services to serve Cheyenne and Arapaho people. Findings also emphasize how mentors influenced their skill development as systems technicians and played a distinct role in tribal program growth and capacity building. Participants also offered varied definitions of sovereignty when discussing how they asserted sovereignty. Additionally, participants shared their gendered experiences as leaders in ways that considered their cultural values, teachings, and lessons, as we all explored how to better understand Cheyenne and Arapaho feminism in leadership. Lastly, the study highlights how every participant has a strong connection to Concho, Oklahoma either through the boarding school, tribal community, or tribal education department throughout the years because all good roads lead to Concho…Item Open Access Ice age: Investigating the impact of freezing and aging order on the palatability, physiochemical properties, and protein degradation of historically tough muscles(2025) Dieball, TaylorBeef is commonly aged and frozen to improve and preserve quality. While industry practices favor aging before freezing, some studies suggest freezing then aging may also be viable. This study evaluated how freezing and aging sequences affected consumer eating experience, physicochemical traits, and proteolysis in three muscles. Beef carcasses (N = 12; USDA Choice, A maturity) were collected from a Midwestern plant. Strip loins (Longissimus lumborum, LL), Semitendinosus (ST), and Biceps femoris (BF) were fabricated into 2.54-cm steaks and assigned to age-then-freeze (AF) or freeze-then-age (FA) for 21 or 28 days. Steaks were then assigned to one of the following designations: consumer sensory panels, Warner–Bratzler shear force, and lab assays. All steaks were aged before or after freezing between 1-4˚ C in the absence of light. Steaks were blast frozen before or after aging for 91 days at -20˚C. For all assays, samples were cooked to a peak internal temperature of 71˚C. The consumers (N = 192) evaluated samples for flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and overall liking, as well as acceptability for each sensory trait. On the following day, one steak from each muscle and treatment combination was evaluated for Warner–Bratzler shear force, cook loss, purge loss, and instrumental color. Freezing sequence and aging period did not affect (P > 0.05) consumer ratings of tenderness, flavor liking, or overall liking. However, unsurprisingly muscle type significantly influenced tenderness, flavor liking and overall liking, with the LL rated higher (P < 0.05) than the ST and BF. A freezing order × muscle × aging interaction was detected for juiciness (P < 0.05) in which the 28 d FA LL steaked resulted in the highest juiciness rating compared to all other muscles regardless of aging period or freezing treatment. Warner–Bratzler shear force confirmed LL as the most tender (2.76 kg; P < 0.05), with no difference (P > 0.05) between ST (4.06 kg) and BF (5.26 kg). There was an increase (P < 0.05) in purge loss in the FA compared to the AF samples (12.49% vs 8.57%). However, the FA samples had a lower (P < 0.05) percentage of cook loss compared to the AF samples (15.14% vs 16.31%). Desmin degradation revealed an interaction (P < 0.05) between freezing treatment and aging period across all muscles combined. Specifically, the 28-day, FA samples had a lower percentage (P < 0.05) of intact desmin compared to the 21 and 28-day, AF samples indicating more proteolytic activity occurred. This study found that reversing the freezing order did not impact the overall palatability of beef steaks from the loin or round. On the contrary, it led to a higher purge loss, increasing the potential for economic loss. Therefore, reversing the sequence of freezing and aging is not a viable strategy for the industry.Item Open Access Post-weaning development of beef bulls: impacts of omega-3 supplementation and accuracy of nutrient requirement-based predictions(2025) Fraser, Brandon JosephTwo studies were conducted to evaluate (1) the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on post-weaning development of beef bulls and (2) the accuracy of nutrient requirement model predictions for feed intake and growth in developing bulls. In the first study, spring-born Angus, Hereford, and Simmental bulls were weaned each September and developed at the Kansas State University Precision Feed Intake Facility using Insentec® bunks for individual DMI collection. The effects of supplementing an omega-3 fatty acid-based product on growth performance and reproductive development of post-weaning beef bulls were evaluated in two experiments. In Experiment 1, bulls (n = 42; 352 ±19 kg; 292 ± 6.3 d of age) were stratified by BW and age and randomly assigned to one of three omega-3 supplement levels added to a common corn silage and wet corn gluten feed-based growing diet: 0.0 (CON), 0.22 (MOD), or 0.43 (HI) kghd/d (DM basis). Treatments were applied for about 60 d. Dry matter intake did not differ among treatments (P = 0.64). Bulls receiving the HI treatment had greater ADG (P ≤ 0.05) compared with CON and MOD, although final BW and gain to feed ratio were similar (P ≥ 0.52). Scrotal circumference and serum fatty acids were unaffected (P ≥ 0.67). Supplementation increased IMF% (P = 0.03) in MOD and HI and tended to increase LMA in MOD (P = 0.06). Rib fat did not differ (P = 0.50). In Experiment 2, bulls (n = 39; 332 ±14 kg; 291 ± 6.3 d of age) received identical supplementation treatments for 80 d using an isonitrogenous formulated corn silage and dried distillers grains-based diet with corn germ meal as an added protein source. Final BW (P = 0.86), ADG (P = 0.49), and DMI (P = 0.39) did not differ. Gain to feed tended to differ (P = 0.08), but SC, IMF%, LMA, and rib fat were not affected (P ≥ 0.61). Initial serum fatty acids were similar among treatments, but by d 80 supplemented bulls had greater ω-3 concentrations and a lower ω-6:ω-3 ratio (P < 0.01); MOD also had greater total FA and SFA than CON (P = 0.03), with HI intermediate. Omega-3 supplementation at 0.22 and 0.43 kg per hd per day improved growth performance in Experiment 1, but no performance differences occurred in Experiment 2 when diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, indicating that responses were likely driven by dietary protein rather than omega-3 inclusion. For the second study, a four-year retrospective analysis of purebred bull performance (2021 to 2024; n = 154) compared observed performance with predictions from the BRaNDS Growing Bull module. Actual DMI averaged 1.69 to 9.29 kg/hd per d while predicted DMI averaged 9.10 kg/d (bias = -0.20 kg/d). Correlations between observed and predicted DMI were moderate across years (r = 0.55 to 0.56; P < 0.01) and stronger within individual years (r = 0.71 to 0.84). Actual ADG averaged 0.34 to 1.61 kg/d, whereas the BRaNDS model predicted 1.04 to 1.21 kg/d, generating underprediction biases of -0.50 to -0.57 kg/d. Year-specific ADG biases were -0.76, -0.51, -0.84, and +0.07 kg/d for years 1 through 4, respectively, and corresponding DMI biases were +1.23, +0.42, -1.15, and -1.18 kg/d. Adjusting BRaNDS inputs for temperature, mud, body condition score, or mature BW did not meaningfully improve accuracy. These results show that BRaNDS equations moderately predict DMI but consistently underestimate ADG of growing beef bulls under the constraints utilized in this retrospective analysis. Refinement of metabolizable energy and protein equations, as well as additional use of individual animal intake and performance data collected under various model input constraints are needed to improve accuracy of prediction models.Item Open Access How millennials describe their decision-making process to leave their careers in agronomy retail in the Midwest region of the United States(2025) Brenny, KatieMillennial career decisions in agronomy retail reflect a dynamic mix of developmental, motivational, and contextual factors. This study investigates why millennials in the Midwest are leaving careers in this sector, focusing on how personal values, life stages, and workplace practices shape professional satisfaction and transitions. As rural agribusinesses face challenges in retaining younger talent, understanding these decisions is vital for sustaining the agricultural workforce. Grounded in Super's Life-Span, Life-Space Career Theory and Self-Determination Theory, the research combines developmental and psychological lenses to frame millennial career behavior. The study uses a qualitative design, with purposive sampling of 12 former agronomy retail employees in the Midwest. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, concept maps, and analytic memos, then analyzed using an a priori coding strategy informed by existing literature. Findings reveal that work-life balance, limited growth, misaligned culture, and shifting personal priorities drove participants' exits from the sector. These insights challenge assumptions about generational loyalty in rural industries and underscore the need for agronomy retail to evolve alongside workforce expectations. This study contributes to theory and practice by clarifying how identity, motivation, and environment intersect in career decisions, laying the groundwork for more responsive and sustainable retention strategies in agriculture.Item Open Access Exploring Gender Differences in Retirement Preparedness Behaviours in Canada: A Health Belief Model Approach to Understanding Perceived Motivators, Barriers and Behavioural Moderators(2025) Staples, Tanya M.Women increasingly play a pivotal role in personal wealth in Canada, controlling more than $2 trillion in financial assets; a value projected to double within the next five years. Unfortunately, Canadian women are plagued by unique financial challenges such as lower earnings levels, disrupted career patterns, investment risk aversion, lower financial knowledge, increased longevity and increased incidents of financial insecurity. Using the health belief model this study explores the motivators driving retirement preparedness behaviours of women, focusing on perceived barriers, benefits and threats. Using the 2019 Canadian Financial Capabilities Study (CFCS) this dissertation employs a quantitative approach using a one-paper, four model framework. Statistical methods include path and regression analysis as well as moderation testing. By identifying gender-specific barriers and motivators that influence retirement preparedness behaviours, actionable recommendations can be developed for practitioners and policymakers to improve retirement outcomes for all Canadians, particularly women. Additionally, this dissertation contributes to the literature on financial knowledge, behavioural psychology, and gender-specific financial and retirement planning strategies.Item Open Access Navigating borders and transgressing boundaries: A feminist autoethnography(2025) Louis, HeidiIn this autoethnography, I explore the intersections of my lived experiences, systemic inequity, and educational practice through the lens of critical feminism. Grounded in my encounters with the carceral system and punitive school discipline, this study examines how those experiences shape my philosophy, leadership, and commitment to restorative justice in education. Guided by three questions—how my experiences with the carceral system and punitive discipline inform my educational practice, and how my understanding of discipline evolves across the intersectional spaces of my life—I use critical reflection and narrative inquiry to analyze the personal and political dimensions of schooling and justice. Through this process, I position myself as both researcher and subject, interrogating the carceral logics embedded in educational systems and illuminating the transformative potential of restorative approaches. My analysis reveals that growth and understanding emerge through self-examination, resistance to oppressive structures, and the reclamation of voice and agency. This study contributes to the broader discourse on educational equity by centering lived experience as a site of knowledge production and by advocating for practices rooted in empathy, relational accountability, and systemic transformation.Item Open Access Evaluating the robustness of 3-D space-carving seed reconstruction under image noise(2025) Chandana, PavanThree-dimensional (3-D) seed reconstruction is a critical component of automated plant phenotyping, enabling accurate measurement of seed volume and surface morphology from multi-view image data. Among various reconstruction approaches, space carving provides a simple yet powerful voxel-based method that integrates multiple binary silhouettes to estimate the true object geometry. However, the accuracy of such reconstructions depends strongly on the quality and consistency of the image masks used as input. In practical imaging pipelines, image errors arise unavoidably due to lighting variation, sensor artifacts, and imperfect thresholding or learning-based models. This study investigates the robustness of 3-D space-carving reconstruction under con trolled iamge perturbations. A single wheat seed was imaged from 36 viewpoints at 10◦ intervals, and reconstruction was performed using the first 10 silhouettes—sufficient for con vergence of the carved volume—via the multi-threaded carving algorithm of Nielsen1. Binary masks were systematically modified using three perturbation types: morphological erosion, morphological dilation, and random salt-and-pepper noise. A 3 × 3 kernel was applied, and the percentage of pixels altered (0.2–1.0%) was varied to ensure consistent noise scaling across all perturbation modes. The results show that space carving is highly stable under both erosion and dilation, with minor deviations even at the highest perturbation levels, confirming robustness to moderate under- and over-segmentation. In contrast, salt-and-pepper noise caused large deviations in surface area (up to 150%) and moderate reductions in volume (about 13%) due to the formation of small holes and fragmented silhouettes. These findings reveal that while the method is resilient to smooth boundary variation, it is highly sensitive to loss of silhouette connectivity.Item Open Access Evidence-based approaches to health risk mitigation and value creation in U.S. livestock production systems(2025) de Aguiar Veloso, VanessaThe U.S. livestock industry faces increasing pressure to balance productivity, economic efficiency, and sustainability while minimizing disease risks, antimicrobial use, environmental impacts, and animal welfare concerns. This dissertation applies epidemiological and economic principles to enhance evidence-based decision-making for managing agricultural risks across diverse livestock systems. Agricultural risks are commonly categorized as financial, institutional, human resources, market, and production risks. Yet, effective management goes beyond objective classifications; it also requires an understanding of how producers and other stakeholders perceive and interpret these risks. Perceptions shape how risks are prioritized, and which management strategies are adopted, influencing outcomes at both the farm and industry levels. Outcomes research provides a framework for integrating scientific evidence with practical decision-making in livestock systems. By applying clinical and population-based methods to evaluate the effectiveness and value of interventions, it bridges the gap between research and practice, reduces uncertainty, and strengthens the producers’ capacity to manage agricultural risks through informed, evidence-based strategies. These concepts are described and discussed in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is a rapid systematic review synthesizing knowledge on the role of swine in the transmission dynamics of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), diagnostic methods, and preventive and surveillance strategies. The review highlights key data gaps in the potential role of feral swine in JEV transmission, identifying priorities for U.S. surveillance and preparedness to mitigate the risk of JEV introduction and establishment. A survey design was employed in Chapter 3 to characterize veterinarian and feedlot manager perceptions and decision-making considerations regarding metaphylaxis use for cattle at moderate risk of bovine respiratory disease. The study identifies both alignment and divergence in how disease risk, information access, and management priorities influence antimicrobial use, underscoring opportunities to improve communication and support antimicrobial stewardship within feedlot systems. In Chapter 4, observational auction market data were used to evaluate the economic impact of value-added management programs on feeder calf sale prices. Through regression modeling, the study estimates price premiums associated with specific program combinations and illustrates how information asymmetries may influence market efficiency and producer decision-making capacity. Together, these studies emphasize the central role of information — derived from diverse data sources and research approaches — in improving disease risk management and supporting sustainable livestock production. With them, the need for continued investment in data integration, traceability systems, and communication frameworks that enhance transparency (or information access) and evidence-based practice is highlighted. Strengthening information networks will be essential for improving efficiency and profitability, adapting to evolving societal values, and ultimately promoting the resilience of U.S. livestock systems.Item Open Access Voices from the margins: The organizational support experience of adjunct faculty at a multi-campus community college(2025) McNeil, ZackThis interpretive phenomenological study explores the organizational support experiences of adjunct faculty at a multi-campus community college. As adjunct faculty increasingly comprise most instructional staff in U.S. community colleges, understanding their lived experiences is essential to improving institutional effectiveness and student outcomes. By examining institutional structures and the social dynamics between adjunct faculty and their colleges, the study investigates how adjunct faculty perceive support and identifies systemic challenges that influence their performance and well-being. Data was collected through three rounds of semi-structured interviews with 11 adjunct faculty members across four campuses. Thematic analysis revealed four central themes: (a) communication, (b) isolation, (c) overwhelmed, and (d) recognition. Participants described fragmented and impersonal communication, limited access to resources, emotional fatigue, and a lack of meaningful inclusion in institutional culture. Despite these challenges, adjunct faculty expressed a strong commitment to teaching and a desire for more equitable support. Findings suggest that adjunct faculty effectiveness is not inherently inferior to full-time faculty but is shaped by disparities in organizational support. Recommendations include: (a) improving communication practices, (b) fostering community, (c) managing workloads, and (d) embedding recognition into institutional policy. The research contributes to the literature on adjunct faculty by centering their voices and offering actionable strategies for enhancing their support experience. The implications extend beyond the study site, offering insights for other colleges seeking to improve adjunct faculty engagement, retention, and student success.Item Open Access Salmonella enterica in internal organs of cattle and comparative growth of Fusobacterium necrophorum subspecies and Fusobacterium varium in lactate- and/or lysine-based enrichment media(2025) Baghaei Naeini, FarinazThis report provides a review of prevalence and distribution of Salmonella enterica in internal organs of cattle and two experimental studies on Fusobacterium species associated with liver abscesses. The review highlights that S. enterica primarily colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of cattle and can also spread to internal organs such as the lymph nodes, liver, and lungs, where it can persist as hidden reservoirs, often causing asymptomatic infections that contribute to beef contamination during slaughter. Among the major serotypes of S. enterica, S. Dublin, S. Typhimurium, and S. Newport are frequently linked to systemic infections and foodborne outbreaks. The review includes the zoonotic significance of Salmonella, its persistence in internal organs, and the challenges of controlling contamination in beef production systems. Key preventive strategies include improving farm hygiene, strengthening biosecurity, vaccination, and adopting proper processing and handling practices to reduce bacterial transmission and protect public health. Chapter 2 focuses on Fusobacterium necrophorum and F. varium involved in bovine liver abscesses and includes two experimental studies. The study 1 was on the detection and quantification of F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum and F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme in bovine tissues (healthy livers, abscessed livers, ruminal epithelial and colonic epithelial) and comparison of three enrichment media, Peptone-Yeast extract with lactate, lysine or both; PY- La, Py-Ly, and PY-La-Py). The enrichment containing both lactate and lysine yielded the highest recovery of F. necrophorum subspecies, especially from ruminal and colonic tissues, while lysine broth was most effective for liver abscesses. The study 2 was on comparative growth of F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum, F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme, and F. varium in PY- La, PY-Ly, and PY-Ly-La broths, which examined bacterial growth under anaerobic conditions and found that both F. necrophorum subspecies grew best in PY-Ly-La broth, while F. varium exhibited the highest growth in PY-Ly broth, indicating distinct substrate utilization patterns. Together, these findings demonstrate that Salmonella and Fusobacterium are major pathogens impacting cattle health and in addition, Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen with implications in beef safety. Understanding the persistence of Salmonella in internal organs provides insight for developing more effective control and monitoring programs, while identifying the most effective enrichment medium capable of detecting and quantifying low concentrations of Fusobacterium provides a more accurate insight into its distribution in cattle tissue samples
