Digital Commons Network^™

Producing Digital Reflections Of Reality Through Intercultural Filmmaking And Multisensory Engagement, Trai Thomas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the author’s production of three intercultural, multisensory films situated in New Orleans, encompassing elements both narrative and documentary genres. Intercultural cinema exists in a setting where people of different cultural backgrounds live together in power-inflicted spaces of diaspora, colonialism, and cultural apartheid and the development of the story is centered around exoticism, fetishization, and fascination with the other (Marks 2007, 1). Multisensory media primarily engages through visual perception and auditory input, which create cultural knowledge stored as long-term memory files in the brain (Marks 2007).

The Impact Of American Kitchen Time-Use On Urban Design And Planning: A Case Study Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Farshid Torabian

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over the past century, the global environment has undergone significant changes, characterized by rising temperatures and a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Parallel to these environmental shifts, the U.S. has witnessed a tripling in energy demands, underscoring the pivotal role of household consumption in the nation's carbon footprint. Within this context, the kitchen, an integral component of the American home, becomes a focal point. Given that Americans predominantly spend their time indoors, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of kitchen usage and its broader implications on energy consumption and environmental impact. To delve into this complex interplay, this …

Yiannis Constantinidis "Petite Suite" For Violin And Piano Transcribed For Cello Quarte: Synthesizing Foreign Inspirations And Greek Folk Melodies To Shape A Distinct National And Individual Genre., Eirini Triantafyllia Barouta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper accompanies my transcription for Cello Quartet of Yiannis Constantinidis' "Petite Dodekanese Suite" originally composed for violin and piano. Constantinidis, skillfully weaves Greek folk-inspired elements with classical forms and techniques in his "Petite Suite for Violin and Piano." The chamber piece serves as a testament to Constantinidis' mastery, as it intricately melds folk melodies, rhythms, and modes from the rich musical traditions of Greece with classical structures. This fusion imparts a distinctly Greek character to the composition, evoking a profound sense of nostalgia and connecting the listener to the cultural heritage and spirit of the Greek people. The paper …

In Search Of The Armorial Aesthetic: The Counter-Reform Of Ariano Suassuna And The Compositional Techniques In Clovis Pereira’S Suite Macambira, Wagner De Oliveira Duarte

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, in the wake of the Week of Modern Art in São Paulo in 1922, Brazil grappled with defining its national identity, distinct from European influences. While eminent figures such as Villa-Lobos, Camargo Guarnieri, and Francisco Mignone provided foundational narratives in this quest, the Armorial movement emerged as a unique and emblematic response to these nationalistic aspirations.

Originating from the creative vision of Ariano Suassuna, the Armorial movement, though often perceived as a regional initiative, epitomized a broader endeavor to represent Brazil's diverse cultural tapestry. Central to understanding this movement is the work …

Incubating Education: The Lived Experiences Of Louisiana Elementary And Middle School Teachers When Piloting A 4-H Stem School Enrichment Curriculum, Crystal Rose Ahrens

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study addressed a deficiency in the agricultural literacy of the U.S. population by focusing on the challenges that core subject teachers face when integrating agriculture into their curriculum. Using a phenomenological research approach, this investigation explored the lived experiences of Louisiana teachers who piloted a 4-H STEM curriculum, focusing on the growth in agricultural literacy of the teachers while instructing third and eighth-grade students on the agricultural-based and STEM-focused topic of embryology. Employing a transcendental phenomenological approach, I acknowledged my biases through reflexivity and adhered to ethical considerations, including informed consent and confidentiality. Key findings emerged through four themes …

Death, Dreaming, And Diaspora: Achieving Orientation Through Afro-Spirituality, Liz Johnston, Jaime Elizabeth Johnston

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Enslavement, colonization, and the systems that uphold racial injustice were and still are a series of new, unfathomable, and challenging experiences that prompt individuals within the diaspora to seek orientation. How does a human cope with centuries of attempts at the systematic destruction of their humanity, culture, and identity? How can they reclaim that identity, especially when so much of it seems lost? I address these questions by utilizing texts from the expansive body of work regarding ethnographic-historical-religious studies on Afro-spiritual practices to better analyze instances in literature in the ongoing practice of diasporic orientation. In this project, I argue …

If You Build It, Will They Come? Assessing Habitat Quality For Marsh Birds At Created Marshes In Southeastern Louisiana, Katherine Aylett Lipford

LSU Master's Theses

Wetland loss occurs at an alarming pace globally, with extremely high rates along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana loses a football field of wetland every 100 minutes: that is 77,000 m² of wetland bird habitat lost daily. In Louisiana, marsh creation projects combat wetland loss, and while wildlife habitat is often used as a justification for restoration, wildlife receives little to no consideration during and after construction. Habitat characteristics such as site-specific hydrology, vegetation composition, and habitat structure affect the abundance of wetland birds and understanding these features is crucial to creating habitat that will benefit birds. My …

The Ecological Responses To Hydroperiod Of Wetland Plant Species Determined By Manipulated Soil Surface Elevation (Marsh Organs), Brandon Wolff

LSU Master's Theses

As sea level rise, subsidence, and abandonment of natural deltaic processes due to a highly engineered Mississippi River continue to threaten Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, the need for a system-wide understanding of natural wetland land-building and preservation processes has never been greater. A key component of any wetland is the ever-changing water environment that periodically floods and dries the marsh platforms. The flooding depth, duration, and frequency, known as the hydroperiod, along with salinity and soil fertility are key determining factors of vegetation and marsh types at a particular location. Different types of vegetation will have different growth characteristics such as …

Time, Place, & Purpose: The Performance Of Creole Identity In Louisiana, Rachel N. Aker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Though much of the early development of Louisiana Creole culture can be found in New Orleans, the culture spread and continued to grow throughout the rest of South Louisiana in both similar and different ways. Expanding beyond Joseph Roach’s treatment of Creole cultural performances in New Orleans in Cities of the Dead (1996) and journeying across land and water, this project identifies more Creole cultural performance as they emerge across place and time. I present Louisiana and the Gulf South as a kind of inland archipelago, with the currents of culture-creation moving in and around distinct community enclaves. The flow …

Machine Learning-Based Soybean Yield Prediction And Optimizing Lidar-Mounted Uav Efficiency, Leticia Santos

LSU Master's Theses

The first chapter of this thesis explores the predictive capabilities of random forests algorithm on datasets obtained from field plot experiments on crop management systems in soybean. Furthermore, the chapter presents a complementary analysis of model performance according to dataset sizes and two techniques on how to impute and deal with missing data. Random forests are being compared with standard statistical techniques such as linear regression on a well-structured, information-rich agronomic experiment. The key findings of this chapter includes the best hyperparameters adjustment and the identification of the dataset threshold for optimal algorithms performance. The second chapter has a research …

Mixed Method Study On Community College Instruction In Blended Social Science Courses, Andrea L. B. Eggenberger

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Community colleges have teaching faculty whose primary focus is educating their students and providing service to their institution. Community college teaching research has focused on innovation, students’ expectations, and the use of active learning techniques to foster student success. Research on blended courses has focused on instructional practices, learner engagement, and the benefits of blended learning for the community college student population. This study explores the relationship between student’s perceptions of the work in a blended developmental psychology course at two community colleges in Louisiana and their professors’ instructional decisions for their blended courses. The multiple-case study uses a convergent …

Performative Mixing For Immersive Audio, Brian A. Elizondo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Immersive multichannel audio can be produced with specialized setups of loudspeakers, often surrounding the audience. These setups can feature as few as four loudspeakers or more than 300. Performative mixing in these environments requires a bespoke solution offering intuitive gestural control. Beyond the usual faders for gain control, advancements in multichannel sound demand interfaces capable of quickly positioning sounds between channels. The Quad Cartesian Positioner is such a solution in the form of a Eurorack module for surround mixing for use in live or studio performances.

Diffusion/mixing methods for live multichannel immersive music often rely on the repurposing of hardware …

An Intersection Of Science & Art: Vitrification Approaches And Open-Fabricated Tools For The Biomedical Model Sea Hare, Aplysia Californica, Allyssa M. Oune

LSU Master's Theses

The California sea hare (Aplysia californica) is an important biomedical model for molecular neurobiology, electrophysiology, learning, and memory due to their well-mapped and large neurons and well-characterized learning capabilities. The National Resource for Aplysia (NRA, University of Miami) maintains large stocks of live animals and relies on regular shipments of wild-caught individuals to maintain genetic diversity. This is labor and cost-intensive, and environmental changes could alter the availability of wild animals increasing the need to preserve this genetic resource. One solution is vitrification, ultra-fast cooling which produces an amorphous glass that minimizes damage to cells. Aplysia californica presents …

Surrogate-Assisted Simulation-Optimization Framework For Groundwater Management In A Multi-Aquifer System, Melika Mani

LSU Master's Theses

Uncontrolled groundwater exploitation can lead to aquifer depletion, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion. Effective groundwater management is challenging due to the intricate nature of subsurface hydrogeology and spatiotemporally variable pumping, especially in a multi-aquifer system. To ensure sustainable withdrawal, multi-objective optimization is an effective tool for balancing management goals and drawdown effects. However, running simulation-optimization using detailed groundwater models is computationally expensive, pushing decision-makers to decide based on limited scenarios. In this study, a hydrogeological framework was constructed for the Capital Area, Louisiana, allowing for individual assessment of each unit to better understand each aquifer's condition. Moreover, a surrogate-assisted simulation-optimization …

Understanding And Modeling Drivers’ En-Route Diversion Behavior During Congestion, Mohammad Shapouri

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the field of transportation, traffic assignment models primarily have been used to forecast driver route preferences, translating their choices into traffic flow patterns across networks. These models are grounded in distinct behavioral theories and strive to explain how drivers navigate routes based on network features and personal tendencies. Using an aggregation approach, conventional traffic assignment models distribute demand among paths, considering utility and attractiveness. Despite their prevalent use in transportation planning and operations, the fundamental behavioral assumptions of these models have rarely been thoroughly explored. This gap is further compounded by their limited consideration of real-time adjustments and choices …

A Dance Of Resistance: The Puerto Rican Bomba As A Means To Challenge Intersections Of Discrimination On The Island, Daniel Loving

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines the Puerto Rican Bomba as a multifaceted cultural and political phenomenon, focusing on its pivotal role in challenging and subverting the enduring issues of racial and gender discrimination on the Island. Drawing from an interdisciplinary framework that encompasses cultural studies, anthropology, history, performance and film studies, this research elucidates the complex interplay between Bomba's rhythmic and choreographic elements, its historical evolution, and its contemporary significance in the context of Puerto Rico's sociopolitical landscape. By analyzing Bomba's historical roots in African and indigenous traditions, its adaptation during colonial and post-colonial eras, and its ongoing relevance in the struggle …

Investing In Farmland And Farmland Derivatives, Damilola Stephen Adebayo

LSU Master's Theses

Investing in farmland has evolved from the traditional ownership of farmland for farming to alternatives such as direct farmland purchases for rental income, farmland real estate investment trusts (Farmland REITs), investing in farmland stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and crowdfunding platforms. This study analyzes the dynamic relationship between physical farmland values, farmland derivative prices, and the S&P 500 using annual data from 1970 to 2021. Cointegration methods are used to analyze dynamics and the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and Sharpe ratios to measure risk-return properties of farmland assets. It is found that real farmland values, derivatives prices, and the S&P …

Carbonate Precipitation Behavior In Co2 Mea Electrolyzers With Cu Electrocatalyst, John C. Hendershot

LSU Master's Theses

Annually, over 35 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are emitted into Earth’s atmosphere. The accumulated CO₂ emissions in the atmosphere over the last century drive climate change. CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂ER) is an emerging technology that aims to recycle carbon emissions from the industrial sector by using CO₂, H₂O, and electricity as a feedstock to produce ethylene (C₂H₄) at current densities as high as 1 A cm^-2 and Faradaic efficiencies (FE) of 60%. However, CO₂ electrolyzers currently demonstrate poor durability at industrially relevant …

Translation Speed Influence On Tropical Cyclone Storm Tide And Surge Generation Along The Gulf Of Mexico Coast, Samantha L. Camarda

LSU Master's Theses

This research examines tropical cyclone translation speed as a factor in storm tide and surge height upon landfall on the United States Gulf Coast. Understanding the effect of translation speed on peak storm tide/surge height is needed to better prepare for and predict future damage from tropical cyclone events. Tropical cyclone data are taken from hourly interpolated best-track HURDAT2 data from 1970–2021. This study uses the HURDAT2 hourly interpolated observation data points (24-hours) pre-landfall to landfall. Translation speed is calculated based on the distance traversed between hourly points. Peak storm tide and storm surge data are taken from SURGEDAT from …

Uavs And Deep Neural Networks: An Alternative Approach To Monitoring Waterfowl At The Site Level, Zachary J. Loken

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding how waterfowl respond to habitat restoration and management activities is crucial for evaluating and refining conservation delivery programs. However, site-specific waterfowl monitoring is challenging, especially in heavily forested systems such as the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV)—a primary wintering region for ducks in North America. I hypothesized that using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) coupled with deep learning-based methods for object detection would provide an efficient and effective means for surveying non-breeding waterfowl on difficult-to-access restored wetland sites. Accordingly, during the winters of 2021 and 2022, I surveyed wetland restoration easements in the MAV using a UAV equipped with a dual …

On Virtue Ethics Theory And Elementary Music Education, Joshua Burgos

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation uses virtue ethics theory, teacher research method, and self-study to examine how I perceive myself as contributing to cultivating virtuous persons. Virtue ethics theory, teacher research method, and self-study are empirical, using concrete methods of data generation and analysis, and conceptual, relating to studying philosophical research, ideas, and interpretations (Annas, 2007; Check & Schutt, 2012; Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988). The study aimed to discover how virtue is cultivated through music education and improve teaching practice using virtue ethics theory and empirical research to offer insight into how virtue is cultivated. The study was conducted in an elementary school …

Containerized Satsuma Mandarin Production Under Protective Screens As A Management Strategy, Anna Timmerman

LSU Master's Theses

Many of the world’s citrus growing regions are experiencing challenges related to citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) caused by the presumed bacterial agent Candidatus Liberibacter spp. HLB is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) and through propagation of infected citrus material. HLB impacts tree health as well as fruit development, ripening, and quality of the resulting citrus fruit, often leading to an unmarketable product. Producers are growing citrus in high density orchards underneath protective screening material that excludes the Asian citrus psyllid, preventing new HLB infections. Four ultra-high containerized tree spacings of 2 feet …

Evaluating Attack Surface Management In An Industrial Control System (Ics) Environment: Leveraging A Recon Ftw For Threat Classification And Incident Response, Nathalia De Sa Soares

LSU Master's Theses

Protecting Industrial Control Systems (ICS) from cyber threats is paramount to
ensure the reliability and security of critical infrastructure. Organizations must proactively identify vulnerabilities and strengthen their incident response capabilities as attack vectors evolve. This research explores implementing an Attack Surface Management (ASM) approach, utilizing Recon FTW, to assess an operating ICS environment’s security posture comprehensively.
The primary objective of this research is to develop a tool for performing recon-
naissance in an ICS environment with a non-intrusive approach, enabling the realistic simulation of potential threat scenarios and the identification of critical areas requiring immediate attention and remediation. We aim …

A Descriptive Study Of Louisiana 4-H 8th Through 12th Graders' Perceptions Of Career And College Readiness, Carrie M. Lane

LSU Master's Theses

As youth leave primary education and enter college or a career path, preparing those youth to ensure success has fallen, in large part, upon formal and non-formal youth educators. Encouraging students to apply and complete college has been a focus of education professionals for many years. Historically, gauging college and career readiness (CCR), academic institutions have relied on academic performance in areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics (Mattern, et. al, 2014). The use of academic focused measures instead of student-based evaluation had its drawbacks. While core education is important, measuring soft skills needed for the workforce and college environment …

Understanding And Modeling Drivers’ En-Route Diversion Behavior During Congestion, Mohammad Shapouri

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the field of transportation, traffic assignment models primarily have been used to forecast driver route preferences, translating their choices into traffic flow patterns across networks. These models are grounded in distinct behavioral theories and strive to explain how drivers navigate routes based on network features and personal tendencies. Using an aggregation approach, conventional traffic assignment models distribute demand among paths, considering utility and attractiveness. Despite their prevalent use in transportation planning and operations, the fundamental behavioral assumptions of these models have rarely been thoroughly explored. This gap is further compounded by their limited consideration of real-time adjustments and choices …

An Investigation Into The Challenges Of Contemporary Additive Manufacturing: Insights Into The Metallurgical Response Of Materials And Relevant Solution, Huan Ding

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has gained attention in recent years due to its unique capabilities in the fabrication of complex parts. As with any new research, there is still a lack of sufficient understanding in the field of additive manufacturing, and further investigation is needed to solve existing problems. Ultimately, the aim is to enable the widespread use of AM components across various industries.

Chapter One provides a brief introduction to the background and current bottlenecks of additive manufacturing technology. Chapter two focuses on the development of high-strength 7075 aluminum alloy (Al7075) for Fused Deposition Modeling and Sintering (FDMS) technology. Al7075 …

Electrophertic Deposition And Characterization Of Molybdenum Disulfide On Silicon Substrates, Alex J. Young

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The electrical characteristics of 2D materials such as high electron mobility and current density are of great interest to various fields from optoelectronics to renewable energy. Researchers have focused their efforts on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) due to their direct energy band gap. One such TMDC that has garnered much attention is molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). MoS2 has electrical properties comparable to graphene and is a TMDC with characteristics amenable to applications such as solar cells and sensors. Commonly deposited through time-consuming and complex deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the viability of MoS2 as an electronic material will …

Integrating The Concept Of Complete Streets Into Pavement Preservation, Sirisha Gangireddy

LSU Master's Theses

This study is motivated by the evident gap in integrating Complete Streets principles into pavement preservation. Complete Streets opportunities, which aim to accommodate all road users, are typically encouraged in all kinds of projects including new construction, reconstruction, preservation, and rehabilitation. While the concept of Complete Streets is understood in terms of new construction (e.g., building sidewalks), its application through pavement preservation programs is not well-developed. To bridge the gap between the Complete Streets and pavement preservation, this study conducted a comprehensive review on how state Department of Transportation (DOTs) are currently incorporating Complete Streets into pavement preservation and identified …

Effects Of Fertigation Versus Palletized Fertilizer On Height And Caliper Growth In Oaks, Zachary M. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns led to an increase in revenue and production for green industry products in early 2020. In Study 1. an evaluation of fertigation (liquid feed, quick release) and controlled release fertilizers (CRFs, slow release) were applied to container-grown (7 gallon) live oak (Quercus virginiana) and Nutall oak (Quercus nuttallii) trees (100% Liquid feed, 0% CRF, 67% Liquid feed, 33% CRF, 33% Liquid feed, 67% CRF, 100% Liquid feed, 0% CRF). Live oak trees fertilized with CRFs had increased stem calipers (>30%). Nuttall stem caliper and height were significantly increased by …

Homeless Friendly Campus: An Exploratory Case Study Of University Liaisons, Brandy Gros

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aimed to explore how University Liaisons respond to homelessness on their campus. With new federal and state laws being enacted, little research focuses on the policies, programs, and services at universities. Community Colleges tend to be a more attractive option for homeless youth due to the low cost; however, universities are also seeing an increase in the homeless student population, and more research is needed at the university level. The overarching research question is: How are universities' liaisons with state legislation responding to homelessness? This study used a comparative multiple-case study approach to explore how ULs respond to …