Implications of Virtual Credit Recovery on High School End-of-Course State Exams

In the State of Georgia, high schools must administer End-of-Course (EOC) exams to students enrolled in the specific courses for accountability purposes. Students who fail these exams must retake the course until credit has been successfully earned. Through an analysis of paired pre-test/post-test data from a Georgia high school between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years, this study examined the influence of virtual credit recovery courses on high school student achievement on four focal EOC exams for students who initially failed a course. Findings indicated that virtual credit recovery had a statistically significant effect on student EOC exam scores, though none resulted in a mean score of proficient or above, indicating that these students may not have been prepared for subsequent coursework nor prepared for postsecondary coursework and future career paths. Conclusions and implications for course design are presented, including how artificial intelligence may be leveraged in virtual credit recovery courses in the future

Evaluating the Distribution of Fish Community Production in Northern Wisconsin Lakes with Different Walleye Recruitment Histories

Evaluating the Distribution of Fish Community Production in Northern Wisconsin Lakes with Different Walleye Recruitment Historie

The Depiction of Myths in The Last of Us and its Meaning for Survivors

COLS Undergraduate Research Symposium oral presentationThe Depiction of Myths in The Last of Us and its Meaning for Survivors explores how the series of The Last of Us uses myths to construct meaning for survivors navigating a world shaped by an infection of death. Drawing from Betty Flowers’ concept myths as narratives we accept uncritically, and Lawrence Hatab’s critique of myth’s philosophical limitations, the analysis examines how the characters like Joel, Ellie, and Abby rely on personal and cultural myths to justify their morally complex decisions. All of the myths that these characters tell themselves helps reveal how myth offers a framework for survival while also concealing uncomfortable truths. Through its interactive storytelling, The Last of Us invites players to embody and challenge these myths, blurring lines between heroism and antiheroism. This paper argues that while myths provide survivors with a sense of purpose, they are fragile constructs that can distort reality and delay emotional reckoning. Ultimately, The Last of Us, not only critiques the characters’ reliance on myth, but also challenges the audience to confront their own narratives about morality, loss, and meaning in the face of death

Responding to Nature Through Writing

Responding to Nature Through Writin

The Impact of CAR T-cell Target Antigens on IFNγ Dependence in AML vs B-ALL

Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Neurobiology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonChimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) but has not been successful in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), likely in part due to differences in the cytokine response. IFN is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by T-cells that is measured as a benchmark of CAR T cell activity, but it is also the most prominent cytokine differentially elevated in the serum of patients who develop both cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and/or Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS). Recent literature has found that disrupting the IFN axis in B-ALL CAR T-cell therapy can reduce toxicity without reducing anti-tumor efficacy. However, preliminary data show that AML is dependent on IFN for optimal activity. We hypothesize that this differential IFN dependence in AML and B-ALL will be consistent across multiple CARs and target antigens. We engineered B-ALL cell lines to express AML antigens CD123, CD93, and CD33 and an AML cell line to express B-ALL antigen CD19, and compared target-specific CAR activity in each cell type. Overall, IFN dependence was observed in AML CAR T-cell therapies across target antigens tested. Additionally, these results indicate that while antigen density may influence IFN dependence in AML CAR T-cell therapies, there is an additional mechanism not captured by antigen expression alone. Future experiments will continue to define IFN dependence in AML CAR T-cell therapy. This will better inform development of novel AML CAR T-cell therapies that can modulate the CAR T/AML milieu in order to improve clinical efficacy and reduce toxicities to improve patient outcomes

Building Stronger Lake Communities with Lakekit.net

Building Stronger Lake Communities with Lakekit.ne

INVESTIGATION OF EROSION/CORROSION AND THERMAL-HYDRAULIC BEHAVIOR OF PROTYPIC SODIUM FAST REACTOR COMPONTENTS

The global search pivot away from fossil fuels has driven a resurgence of interest in the sodium fast reactor, a technology that was used in the original implementation of nuclear energy for power production but has since been overtaken by other reactor designs. Now, sodium fast reactors are one of the six technologies identified as the next generation of nuclear energy. While much research was conducted in the past century, further refinement of our knowledge and experience using liquid sodium as a primary coolant and working fluid within a nuclear reactor will serve to push the industry forward and further the promise of clean, abundant energy. This thesis describes three areas of research relevant to liquid sodium thermal-hydraulics and material interactions. The erosion/corrosion of stainless steel due to liquid sodium, particularly under high velocity flow conditions, is an area of the existing literature without remaining questions to be answered. Previously conducted experiments indicated that velocity-induced erosion/corrosion has an upper limit, past which increased flow velocity may not have increased effects. To investigate this, a 5000-hour test of erosion/corrosion of six orifices (as would be used for core flow distribution) in prototypical reactor flow conditions was conducted. The results of this test informed the continuation of testing, increasing the oxygen concentration of the liquid sodium flow. In parallel with corrosion testing of orifices, the hydraulic behavior of the same orifice design was directly compared in sodium and water flows. Often cited as a stand-in for sodium hydraulic behavior, water offers a much more accessible means of testing flow characteristics in design work, since its density and viscosity are similar to liquid sodium and because of the ease of water testing compared to liquid sodium. The loop utilized for corrosion testing was used to perform pressure drop testing of orifices similar to the corrosion test specimens, which were then placed into a hydraulically identical water test section. This allowed the loss coefficient to be assessed between the two fluids, to confirm that water can effectively be used as a surrogate fluid for predicting sodium flow characteristics where the dimensionless flow characteristic numbers (i.e. Reynolds number) are matched . Finally, this thesis details thermal-hydraulic performance characterization of a printed circuit heat exchange. These devices are a form of compact heat exchanger offering high surface area per volume and are widely considered for nuclear power applications. There is limited existing research on liquid sodium flow within these devices, and the most comparable study noted uncertainty regarding the heat transfer effects of fluid header regions within the PCHE. To investigate this, a custom designed printed circuit heat exchanger was instrumented with a distributed temperature sensor at multiple points within the device, measuring wall temperature. Operated within a liquid sodium loop and using compressed nitrogen as the other working fluid, this test shed insight into the performance of liquid sodium to nitrogen heat transfer through use of a compact printed circuit heat exchanger. The air-Brayton cycle is considered by several designs for next generation nuclear power, including microreactors. As such, there could be direction application of a sodium-to-nitrogen heat transfer, particularly through a compact heat exchanger.Financial support for several areas of this work was provided by TerraPower LLC, under part of a Department of Energy Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program issued under work order TP-PO-001860, in addition to the University of Wisconsin Thermal Hydraulics Laboratory

The Moral Dimensions of the Wisconsin Public Trust Doctrine

Senior Honors Thesis, Department of Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin-MadisonThe Moral Dimensions of the Wisconsin Public Trust Doctrine explores the often-overlooked moral foundations of Wisconsin’s public trust doctrine—a constitutional commitment requiring the state to preserve its navigable waters for public benefit. While typically understood as a technical legal rule or historical remnant, this thesis argues that the doctrine embodies a deeper moral vision rooted in Wisconsin’s cultural identity and democratic values. Drawing on legal philosophers such as H.L.A. Hart, Tony Honoré, and David Schmidtz, the first chapter defines key terms—morality, law, and custom—and examines their interplay. It then proposes that the public trust doctrine should be interpreted not only as a legal norm but as a democratic axiom contributing to the endurance of democracy itself. The second chapter provides a close textual reading of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Wisconsin Enabling Act, tracing the doctrine’s legal genealogy. It then analyzes core elements of the doctrine—navigability, state control, riparian rights, and scenic beauty—as expressions of a moral commitment to environmental stewardship and democratic governance. The final section identifies a distinctly “Wisconsinian” morality embedded in the doctrine, one that prizes conservation and participatory government. Ultimately, this thesis contends that the Wisconsin public trust doctrine is not merely a legal duty but a moral dogma—shaping how Wisconsinites conceive of their relationship to nature, the state, and one another. It offers a compelling case study of how law can function as a vessel for moral values and a shared vision of the common good

The influence of native and non-native English language teachers: University student perceptions

A seminar paper presented to the graduate faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of science in education - English educationThe English language teachers worldwide include both native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). The differences between NESTs and NNESTs have been widely investigated by researchers. This paper focuses on the studies that concern language teachers’ pedagogical influence on learners including speaking, reading, writing, listening, grammar and culture. The potential strengths and weaknesses of both groups as well as their influences on learners from the perspectives of university students in EFL context are discussed through the literature-based methodology. Overall, the findings indicate that learners are positive about both NESTs and NNESTs. They perceive that authentic pronunciation, idiomatic language, and outstanding communicative skill are native speakers’ advantageous points. Even though learners can be influenced by those good models by imitating and then they can speak and write like a native speaker, they still have problems in speaking and lack of confidence in language abilities. As role models of the language learners, students believe the target language learning experience is a strength for NNESTs that has facilitated non-native educators in their teaching, which encourages learners to reach the same level of language proficiency as nonnative teachers. Furthermore, learners are easy to follow non-native instructors particularly in the explanation of grammar rules with the help of their mother tongue. Learners have different attitudes towards culture output. Therefore, it is better that NESTs and NNESTs take advantage of all the strong points and work together to make learners more successful in the English language learning

Irregular Shelterwood, Prescribed Fire, and Vegetation Effects on Wisconsin Forest Avian Communities; and Online Tool for Avian Habitat Management

Since 1970, North American bird populations have declined by almost 3 billion, including 1 billion forest birds. Forest birds utilize diverse habitats, and seasonal food abundance draws neotropical migratory songbirds to North America. Lepidoptera caterpillars are a primary food source for many songbirds and their young, and oaks (Quercus spp.) support the highest diversity of U.S. caterpillar species. However, due to decreased oak regeneration/recruitment, and an increase in species like maple (Acer spp.), oak habitats are declining. Fire suppression contributed to this decline, as oak is fire-adapted. Management practices like prescribed fire and irregular shelterwood can help promote oak. Irregular shelterwood also increases horizontal and vertical structural diversity, increasing bird species richness; and moderate partial harvests can balance promoting early successional and mature forest habitat. Although research exists on bird response to forest harvests and fire, research on Midwest oak forest bird response to prescribed fire and irregular shelterwood remains limited. For Chapter 1 our objectives were: 1. Describe the bird community on an irregular shelterwood + prescribe burned site vs. a site managed with irregular shelterwood only, and compare bird abundance, species richness, Shannon Diversity Index, and functional richness across the 2 sites, 2. Compare representative bird species of interest on the burned vs. unburned site, and 3. Determine which variables (of vegetation structural metrics and fire) predict bird abundance and species richness in the burned vs. unburned irregular shelterwood site. For Chapter 2 our objective was: 1. Determine which vegetation structural metrics predict bird abundance and species richness across 16 forested sites in Northern and Central WI. For Chapter 3 our objective was: 1. Create a tool Wisconsin land managers can use to assess habitat management needs based on landbird species present or desired on a site. We collected vegetation survey and NEON bird point count data from 10 points on an irregular shelterwood + prescribed burn site and 10 points on an irregular shelterwood-only site in Wisconsin May-June 2024. We describe the bird community on these sites and developed generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to assess the effects of vegetation and prescribed fire on bird abundance and species richness. Bird abundance, species richness, Shannon Diversity Index, and functional richness were higher on the burned site. Burned site representative species included Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) and Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). For bird abundance, the most important predictor, relative to other predictors, was live BA (summed AICc weight of 0.331). Relative to live BA, fire was 0.89 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.296) and canopy overstory was 0.87 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.288). For bird richness, the most important predictor, relative to other predictors, was fire (summed AICc weight of 0.331). Relative to fire, canopy overstory was 0.88 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.291) and live BA was 0.85 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.281). The fire models had an MAE of 3 birds/species, live basal area models had an MAE of 4 birds/3 species, and overstory models had an error of 4 birds/3 species. Bird abundance and richness increased with fire, and decreased with higher levels of overstory cover and live basal area. To assess forested site vegetation effects on bird abundance and species richness, we collected vegetation and NEON bird data from 217 points across 16 Wisconsin sites May-June 2024, and developed GLMMs. Using data from the 13 sites with a full dataset: for bird abundance, the most important predictor, relative to other predictors, was densiometer (summed AICc weight of 0.513). Relative to densiometer, canopy midstory was 0.94 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.481) and vegetation coverage at 2ft was 0.67 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.346). BA snag was an uninformative parameter. For bird richness, the most important predictor, relative to other predictors, was canopy midstory (summed AICc weight of 0.476). Relative to canopy midstory, densiometer was 0.76 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.364) and vegetation coverage at 2ft was 0.72 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.345). Snag BA was 0.68 times as important (summed AICc weight of 0.326), but the effect plot had a near-zero positive slope. The densiometer models, midstory models, vegetation coverage at 2ft models, and snag BA models all had MAEs of 5 birds/4 species. Bird abundance and richness increased with increasing vegetation cover at 2ft, and decreased with higher levels of midstory cover and densiometer-measured combined canopy cover. Midstory is likely driving the densiometer finding. Our findings indicate that irregular shelterwood plus prescribed burn management can yield shorter-term benefits to avian communities, and builds on existing research of longer-term benefits. Our findings also indicate that less midstory canopy cover and more vegetation coverage at 2 feet benefits bird abundance and species richness. The identified model predictors can be used to guide future assessments and management of these systems. Lastly, to create a tool to guide habitat management needs based on landbird species present/desired, we synthesized literature and coded an online R Shiny tool, which has already been used by UWSP students to create a site’s management plan. The tool will continually be added to and updated, and can expedite bird habitat management and provide accessible information for landowners and managers