Sagallo : Russia’s Forgotten African Colony and Its Modern Implications

Imperial Russia is infamous for its rapid and unrelenting colonization efforts in central Asia and Western Europe. However, an oft-overlooked aspect of the Russian Empire’s colonial aspirations was its interest in establishing overseas colonial holdings in North America and Africa. One such holding was that of the colony of Sagallo, or New Moscow, in modern-day Djibouti, established in 1889 during an ill-fated mission led by notorious Cossack Nikolai Ivanovich Ashinov and a group of accompanying Russian Orthodox pilgrims. The mission was religious in nature and held the primary goal of establishing both an ecclesiastical and economic connection with the Orthodox Christian empire of Ethiopia. Although the attempt at founding a colony in what was then French Somaliland was short-lived and unsuccessful in its original goals, the purpose behind the expedition still managed to originate a pattern of soft power-based control tactics, chiefly involving religion, that Russia continues to employ in Africa into the modern day. This work aims to explore past and present applications of Russian soft power in Africa through an analysis of the brief yet meaningful establishment of its colony in Sagallo

Towards Real Time Object Detection in UAV

Real-time object detection in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is a critical challenge due to the constraints of limited computational resources, high-speed motion, and dynamic environments. This study explores advanced lightweight deep learning models and optimization techniques to enable efficient and accurate object detection on UAV platforms. By leveraging edge computing and model compression, we aim to achieve real-time performance without compromising detection accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of deploying these models on embedded systems, such as Raspberry Pi, for real-time applications. This work contributes to enhancing the autonomy and operational capabilities of UAVs in various fields, including surveillance, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring

Determinants of Clinical Practice Guideline use by DPT and PTA Students

Purpose: Instruction of student physical therapists and student physical therapist assistants in the use of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG’s) can be challenging. Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistant curriculums are required to include evidence-based practice. Although many programs offer experiential learning opportunities to teach students how to evaluate and implement CPG\u27s, a scarcity of literature confirming student usage of CPG\u27s exists. This project aims at gaining insight into the facilitators and barriers that students experience with knowledge translation of CPG\u27s from classroom to clinic across physical therapy domains. Design: A cross-sectional survey Methods: A web-based survey of DPT and PTA students in the Midwest was distributed to accredited programs. Statistical analysis will be performed to examine factors associated with CPG use. Results: Data collection is still in process; data analysis will take place before research days

Mentorship in Higher Education: Building Connections for Student Success

Mentorship plays a vital role in higher education by fostering academic success, professional growth, and personal development. This presentation explores the significance of mentorship in academia, with a particular focus on faculty-advisor mentorship and its impact on student retention, engagement, and career readiness. Traditional mentorship models have evolved into structured, peer, and technology-enabled approaches, broadening access and support for students. Faculty mentors provide academic guidance, professional development, and emotional support, helping students navigate institutional challenges. However, mentorship programs often face institutional silos, limited resources, and lack of coordination. Implementing collaborative mentorship networks and culturally competent approaches can enhance inclusivity, particularly for underrepresented student populations. By ensuring equitable access to mentorship, institutions can foster a stronger sense of belonging, improve graduation rates, and contribute to long-term institutional success. Effective mentorship is a cornerstone of student achievement, shaping future leaders and strengthening higher education communities

The Perceived Benefits of Community Senior Cafes and the Potential Effects on Occupational Engagement

Community senior cafes serve as vital social gatherings that promote well-being and engagement among older adults. This study explored the perceived benefits of these cafes and their potential impact on occupational engagement. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, researchers surveyed and interviewed 126 adults aged 60 to 90 who actively participate in senior cafes within Cook, Will, Kendall, and Grundy Counties, Illinois. Findings indicate that senior cafes provide opportunities for social interaction, physical activity, and engagement in meaningful occupations, contributing to improved emotional well-being and overall life satisfaction. Participants highlighted the importance of these spaces in fostering a sense of belonging, promoting independence, and supporting mental and physical health through structured programs and social networks. The study identified the significance of senior cafes in enhancing occupational engagement and suggests the need for further research on accessibility barriers and long-term benefits. The results reveal that participants identify accessibility of the centers, social engagement and community participation, and satisfaction levels with services and resources as factors influencing their perceived benefits of attending. These findings contribute to the growing knowledge of community-based interventions that support aging in place and holistic well-being among older adults

When the Score Doesn\u27t Keep: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Blunted Interoception

The awareness of bodily sensation and urges has been increasingly referred to as interoception (Brewer et al., 2021a). Atypical interoceptive awareness has been linked to a variety of distinct diagnoses. There are reports of both blunted and heightened interoception in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Mul et al., 2018), while heightened interoception has been reported among anxiety disorders (Domshke, 2009; Puigserver, 2024) and blunted interoception in Major Depressive Disorder (Eggart et al., 2019; Dunne et al., 2023), Alcohol Use Disorder (Weng et al., 2021), and others. Some research exists on the comorbidity of interoceptive difficulties with alexithymia (Mul et al., 2018, Puigserver, 2024), and atypical interoception as a risk factor for psychopathology more broadly (Brewer et al., 2021b). There has also been research on treatments that hone interoception, like yoga and mindfulness, as an intervention to cardiovascular disorders, substance abuse disorder, and mood disorders (Weng et al., 2021). Limited research exists at this time exploring interoceptive blunting as a conditioned response to childhood abuse or neglect, indicated in many psychological and physical pathologies. There could be a link between interoceptive challenges and maternal stress, for example, considering a study where pregnant women with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) gave a blunted cortisol response when startled (Carbone et al., 2023). This text proposes a study design to perform a statistical analysis comparing ACEs and interoceptive blunting using peer reviewed and replicated measures: the ACEs 10-item questionnaire and the Brief MAIA-2 (Rogowska, 2023)

Changes in Salinity, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, and Temperature of Water in Ponds Around Governors State University

The influence of human activity on water quality and the monitoring of local water health is necessary to detect potential pollutants and safeguard aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the physicochemical characteristics of water samples from two ponds at Governors State University (GSU) were analyzed in order to assess spatial differences in water quality. Measurements including temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity were collected from samples taken on September 20th and 27th, 2024, from the GSU campus pond and the biology field station pond. The data was compared to identify variations between the two water sources and to determine potential causes for these differences. Results indicated that the campus pond exhibited higher levels of TDS, salinity, and conductivity, likely due to increased human activity in the area, while pH and temperature values were relatively similar between both ponds. The findings suggest that further research, including the analysis of more water sources and consideration of biotic and ecological factors, would be beneficial for a comprehensive understanding of water quality dynamics

“Griefworks”: Integrating Emotional Processing and Meaning-Making into Grief Therapy

In recent years, we experienced a global pandemic, which forced us to face grief in myriad ways. To stress the magnitude of our collective experience in the past years, the scientific community decided it is time to introduce another diagnosis for grief (prolonged grief disorder) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), specifically to address what is expected to be a common occurrence for years to come as a result of the loss, grief, and trauma we experienced during the COVID-19 years. With this ever-growing need in mind, we want to present a model of working with grief addressing two aspects of processing loss that we found paramount for successful outcomes in therapy: emotional processing and cognitive/meaning-making. To exemplify the two components of grief work, we created a composite case with aspects from different real cases we have worked with over the years.https://opus.govst.edu/fac/1118/thumbnail.jp

Work in Progress: History, Memory, and Representation of Black America

Work in Progress: History, Memory, and Representation of Black America Moderator/Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Justin A. Pariseau Aquiya Hasty, Alejandro Herrera, Kayla Lee & Calvin Wiley, Prairie State CollegeFaculty Sponsor: Dr. Justin A Parisea