2024 ACCESS Student Training and Engagement Program (STEP-2) Final Student Report

This paper summarizes Leslie Hernandez's ACCESS STEP internship with the ACCESS networking team.NSF OAC #213830

Canary in the Crow’s Nest: William Kidd’s Trial as an Extension of Henry Avery’s

This presentation conducts a close reading of the primary source evidence related to the notorious pirate Captain Kidd to interrogate scholarly arguments linking piracy, the suppression of piracy, and the growth of the British Empire in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Prior to the end of the seventeenth century, English support for piracy was integral to the growth of the wider empire. Colonial American support for piracy was present both on the docks and in the gubernatorial mansions throughout the colonies, leading the victims of piracy, particularly the Mughal Empire in the Indian Subcontinent, to claim that England was a nation of pirates, threatening their burgeoning empire. This support culminated in the 1695 capture of the Ganj-i-Sawai, in which Henry Avery captured a Mughal treasure ship and disappeared, only facing an English trial in absentia. Captain William Kidd’s 1701 trial for piracy is thus often seen in scholarship as a watershed moment in English support of piracy, representing the moment in time the Empire officially turned against such support. However, a close reading of Kidd’s trial record reveals that Kidd’s trial is as much about Henry Avery as it is about William Kidd, linking the two figures in reputation despite their differences in esteem, practice, and success. Thus, though Kidd proves to be an important figure in the history of cultural mythmaking as well as legal theory surrounding piracy, one must contextualize discussions of Kidd with reference to Henry Avery to avoid overemphasizing Kidd’s impact in the historical tradition

Understanding Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions in Illinois

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs), particularly those involving deer, pose significant risks to public safety, economic stability, and biodiversity. This review and analysis highlight key contributing factors, including habitat fragmentation, road design, vehicle speed, and environmental conditions, which collectively increase the likelihood of WVCs. This review identifies specific locations in Illinois where WVCs are most common and the landscape features that are attributed to them. The review also identifies a range of mitigation strategies that have been implemented with varying degrees of success. Engineering solutions, such as wildlife fencing, overpasses, and underpasses, have proven effective in reducing collisions by guiding animal movement. Additionally, driver-focused interventions, including improved signage, road lighting, and public awareness campaigns, can play a crucial role in reducing WVC risks. Emerging technologies, such as real-time vehicle-based detection systems and road-integrated warning mechanisms, offer promising advancements in collision prevention. To further reduce WVCs, this review recommends integrating wildlife conservation efforts into transportation planning, ensuring that mitigation strategies are proactively incorporated into infrastructure development. Public education and driver awareness programs could be expanded, particularly in high-risk areas, to encourage safer driving behaviors. Finally, this review recommends developing a standardized approach for collecting data on WVCs for non-deer species. Roadways may pose a significant threat to the population health of many species of conservation concern, yet little information exists on the locations and factors influencing their occurrence. By adopting a proactive, interdisciplinary approach, stakeholders can enhance both human safety and wildlife conservation while addressing the increasing challenges posed by WVCsIDOT-R27-SP7

A Comparative Study of Selected Jazz Piano Solos from Three Pre-Bebop, Bebop, Post-Bop Pianists: Teddy Wilson, Phineas Newborn Jr., And Herbie Hancock

Improvisation is a major component of jazz music, and understanding its history and styles gives a more solid foundation and many options for creative direction to the jazz improvisor. This knowledge informs the depth and versatility of one’s improvisational language. This scholarly essay with accompanying lecture recitals hopes to equip jazz pianists and other interested readers with a new perspective on jazz piano improvisation through analysis of selected solos by a representative major jazz pianist from each of three eras (pre-bebop, bebop, and post-bebop). Pianists Teddy Wilson, Phineas Newborn Jr., and Herbie Hancock will be discussed in this essay. These three pianists were chosen for their distinctive artistic voices that highlight the improvisational conventions of their respective eras and the stylistic influences of other prominent figures within those periods. While there are many highly influential and esteemed jazz pianists, this selection proves fruitful for the purposes of this essay

Kane County Shallow Groundwater Quality 2023: A Twenty-Year Retrospective

To understand current groundwater quality in the shallow aquifer system of Kane County, 75 samples were collected from sand and gravel and shallow bedrock wells evenly distributed across each third of the county (east to west). While many results of this study are similar to previous county wide water quality assessments completed in 2003 and 2015, this latest iteration has allowed for new insights into the shallow aquifer system. Arsenic is the most consequential contaminant sampled and detected in this study. The USEPA primary standard is exceeded in 14% of shallow wells sampled. USEPA secondary standards for iron, total dissolved solids, and manganese are more commonly exceeded at 80%, 39%, and 23% of study wells, respectively. Those secondary standards, unlike the primary standard for arsenic, are aesthetic in nature. Nitrate did not exceed the USEPA standard at any wells in this study. Sulfate has been found to be significantly higher in eastern Kane County compared to western Kane County. Previous studies posited this could be sourced from vehicular exhaust (Kelly, 2003), but recent studies indicate that sulfate is most likely naturally sourced from geologic materials (Kelly et al., 2022). This study was particularly interested in current chloride concentrations in the shallow aquifer, largely originating from winter deicers. Chloride is elevated in eastern Kane County compared to the more rural west, but the average rate of increase between 2015 and 2023 is less than that observed between 2003 and 2015. This reduced chloride accumulation rate could represent the impacts of sensible salting practices throughout the county, milder winters since 2015 leading to less use of deicers, sampling location bias, or a combination of those factors. Below are recommendations for Kane County following this updated water quality report: • Conduct outreach efforts to private well owners whose arsenic levels exceed the primary USEPA standard. Finished water should also be tested to ensure their in-home treatment systems are addressing the elevated arsenic concentrations. • Continue support of sensible salting practices that may be contributing to lower accumulation rates of groundwater chloride. • Develop a methodology to track salt purchasing and application on an annual basis at municipal and county levels

Global Engagement Centers: Program Design and Institutional Fit at Community Colleges

This paper discusses Joliet Junior College's changing demographics in recent years which led to the need for their International Student Services program to build a support network to help with the academic success and retention of students, which is notably a hallmark of JJC’s TRIO programs . The realignment of International Student Services at Joliet Junior College within the Center for Multicultural Access and Success have prompted administrators in these areas to explore the need for creating a Global Engagement Center that would house four pillars – international student services, study abroad, international partnerships, and community outreach/experiential learning

Robotic Romance; Psychology Behind Artificial Love

Emma was straight out of a movie-- gorgeous blond hair, beautiful blue eyes, always smiling. Her intellect was astounding everyone around her, knowing numerous languages and always knowing the answer to every question. So, it doesn't seem surprising when Geof Gallagher completely fell in love with her. Each night he and Emma would read the newspaper, watch a show, or have a deep conversation about everything and anything. When Geoff was finally ready for bed, all he had to do was remember to plug Emma in so she could recharge for the next day. He couldn't be happier with his robot "wife" (Bell, 2020)

Essential research paths for integrating AI into educational practices

This paper proposes future research directions for Artificial Intelligence (AI) within pedagogical contexts, based on a primary analysis of current discussions among educators and teaching professionals in a digital knowledge community. The data collection comprised 11,928 posts and comments from a public Facebook group dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIEd). Through thematic analysis, key themes and trends were identified. The findings underscore several promising research avenues, including AI-based personalization of educational content, automation of student assessment processes, redefinition of educators' roles in the age of technological advancement, and the developing of AI orientation within pedagogical frameworks. By identifying critical research needs, this exploratory study aims to provide a roadmap for future investigations, facilitating the development of innovative AI-driven educational tools and strategies in digital learning environments

Students’ artificial intelligence literacy

In the last year, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications such as ChatGPT have become available to the general public, including students. This emphasizes the importance of assessing students' AI literacy and the variables associated with it, as it is essential for navigating a constantly changing technological landscape and thriving in the evolving job market. This study aims to examine the associations between the technology adoption subscales (social influence, hedonistic motivation, willingness to use technology, and positive feelings towards it) and the AI literacy subscales (knowledge and understanding, implementation, evaluation, and ethics). The findings reveal strong associations between the four sub-scales of technology adoption and AI literacy, but ethics has a medium correlation strength. In addition, the higher the technology adoption indices, the higher the AI literacy indices. This research highlights the crucial role of educators, policymakers, and professionals in shaping AI literacy among students. It can help ensure the effective use of AI technologies and address ethical and social challenges