This dissertation is situated as the third work in a series on academic women. In 1964, Jessie Bernard published Academic Women, which provided a comprehensive assessment of the status of women in academia. Two decades later, in 1987, Angela Simeone offered insight into attempts to achieve equity for women in higher education in her book Academic Women: Workings Towards Equality. Now, at the next twenty-five year interval, this dissertation continues the scholarly engagement with questions about academic women. Drawing primarily on in-depth interviews with academic women (n = 35), this dissertation is more than a status update. The research presented here furthers the discussion by recognizing the limitations to the use of "academic women" as an all-encompassing category, and it offers a more nuanced approach to understanding their experiences in academia. Drawing on both the individual strategies of women and the organizational structure of the university this dissertation offers a new framework for assessing the various ways in which academic women navigate academic organizations. Additionally, lessons and practices are featured as recommendations and resources for both academic women and academic organizations. / Graduation date: 2013

Graduation date: 2006 / The purpose of this study was to explore, from current Native American and Alaskan Native undergraduate students, what their experiences were as first year college students on the Oregon State University campus. In addition, it was important to learn how these experiences contributed to their success, satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and overall quality of life during that first year. To answer these questions a mixed method research approach was used that included an online survey sent only to current, undergraduate, Native students and personal interviews with current, undergraduate, Native students. The online survey and personal interviews gave students an opportunity to disclose the types of experiences and challenges, campus involvement, and overall satisfaction they have had at OSU. Native students identified time management, financial costs, class/educational work, and missing family as major challenges during their first year on campus. Additionally, students identified positive relationships with faculty and/or advisors, having financial resources from tribal governments, the ability to be involved with student groups, and having a Longhouse as reasons for their success during their first year. As a result of these findings institutions can develop and provide intentional and appropriate programming and services to assist Native American and Alaskan Native students during their first year of college.

Since 2005, the United States has experienced a significant influx of international students from Saudi Arabia, particularly women (Bollang, 2006). The American educational structure is something Saudi women have never experienced due to the vast differences between both cultures in all facets. There is very little to no research conducted on Saudi Arabian women pursuing higher education in an academic culture drastically different from what they are accustomed to. A review of current literature illustrates the critical need for a more in- depth analysis of this phenomenon. Although there is much research available regarding the subjugation of Saudi women in the past and present, the surge in Saudi women pursuing education in the United States has not been researched. This thesis study explores how Saudi women are adapting to the differences in educational structural between what they have experienced back home and what they are experiencing here at Oregon State University. This study also looks at how Saudi women are adapting to the differences in teaching methods at OSU in comparison to what they are used to back home. The traditional teacher-centered approach versus that at OSU that heavily incorporates a student-centered approach. This study utilizes qualitative research methods to find common themes that arose from interviews with the sample group. Findings suggest that the Saudi women studying at Oregon State University developed intercultural competence due to their strong personal desire to succeed in their studies abroad. These Saudi women also proved to have strong levels of motivation and desire to succeed academically in hopes that they will return to their country and assist in improving the status of women. / Graduation date: 2012

A combination of theoretical perspectives is used to create a rich description of student reasoning when facing a highly-geometric electricity and magnetism problem in an upper-division active-engagement physics classroom at Oregon State University. Geometric reasoning as students encounter problem situations ranging from familiar to novel is described using van Zee and Manogue's (2010) ethnography of communication. Bing's (2008) epistemic framing model is used to illuminate how students are framing what they are doing and whether or not they see the problem as geometric. Kuo, Hull, Gupta, and Elby's (2010) blending model and Krutetskii's (1976) model of harmonic reasoning are used to illuminate ways students show problem-solving expertise. Sayer and Wittmann's (2008) model is used to show how resource plasticity impacts students' geometric reasoning and the degree to which students accept incorrect results. / Graduation date: 2013