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Linear Quantile Mixed Modeling: A Study Of The 'Lqmm' Package In R, Thomas Charles Demarco

All Theses

Linear quantile mixed modeling is a diverse statistical tool that can replace traditional least squares modeling for analyzing data whose sampling method has some form of clustering and whose response has trends that differ for each quantile level. In this article, we will evaluate the effectiveness of this modeling method through the use of the lqmm package in R[2]. Simulations and n applied data analysis will be performed to evaluate the performance of the lqmm() function on different types of datasets. We will also introduce background on quantile based mixed modeling and give descriptions of the output and main commands …

Enhancement Of Inertial Response Of Inverter Based Energy System And Its Application For Dynamic Performance Improvement Of A Microgrid, Puspal Hazra

All Theses

Application of power electronic converters in energy systems application have beenincreased due to the present national renewable energy portfolio. Photovoltaic, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Doubly Fed Induction Generator based Wind System, FACTS devices etc. are some of the applications in energy systems having power electronic converters. Power Electronic converters with its fast electronic switching and standard control configuration have low inertia compared to electro-mechanical device based energy systems. Motivation of this research work is to develop control system configuration with photovoltaic source as intermittent source and battery storage / ultra capacitor as energy storage unit as auxiliary source. Inverter …

Inquiry Complete: Experiences And Positive Career Outcomes Among Creative Inquiry Participants, John Morgan

All Dissertations

Participation in undergraduate research has been shown to improve students’ abilities and increase their interest in pursuing post-graduate education. However, previous research has focused on differentiating between participants and non-participants, not necessarily within-program differences that can affect these outcomes. In Creative Inquiry at Clemson University, student participants can assist with projects in a wide variety of fields and experience team-based learning with close mentor supervision. This dissertation sought to expand the undergraduate research literature by showing how positive development students experienced as part of their time in undergraduate research led to beneficial psychological and career-related outcomes following graduation. The results …

Shelf Life Extension Of Fresh Strawberries Packaged In Clamshells With Chlorine Dioxide Generating Sachets, Samuel J. Kessler

All Dissertations

Strawberry waste occurs at all lifecycle stages from production, distribution, retail, and household handling; this is an estimated 640 million pounds of strawberries lost valuing at $1.4 billion dollars. Active packaging strategies based on the generation of gaseous chlorine dioxide in the primary package have potential to provide to preserve strawberries in storage extending the shelf life. Benchtop studies have shown significant bactericidal activity of chlorine dioxide and quality preserving effects. As chlorine dioxide travels from the source through the package the concentration decreases as it acts at the surface of the food product. As a result, dose is uneven …

Stock Plant Management Techniques Affect Postharvest Flower Development Of Impatiens ×Hybrida, Mary Anna Vargo

All Theses

Stock plants provide a supply of unrooted cuttings for the asexual propagation of selected ornamentals. The primary goals of stock plant management are to maintain completely vegetative plants and to maximize shoot production. However, the result of producing vegetative cuttings can be slow production time, i.e., long production schedules for the greenhouse business that propagates and flowers the plants. Therefore, the first objective was to examine alternate methods of stock plant management in order to produce cuttings that flower in a shorter time period, e.g., 5-6 weeks from the start of propagation (“sticking”). Hybrid impatiens (Impatiens ×Hybrida) …

Mapping The Future: Geomatics As An Essential Element Of The Next Generation Of Civil Engineering Curriculum, Max Teddy

All Theses

As part of an initiative funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation to completely transform the Civil Engineering undergraduate program at Clemson University, a required course in geomatics is being revamped to better prepare students for a capstone-like course sequence that begins in the sophomore year. As part of this research, a survey of nearly every Civil Engineering undergraduate program in the country was done to determine the extent that a geomatics and/or surveying course are required or available to their students. The research found that while many schools have chosen to no longer require or even teach …

The Role Of Grain Boundaries In The Tensile Deformation Behavior Of Cocrfemnni High Entropy Alloys, Hyunsoo Lee

All Theses

High Entropy alloys (HEAs) are metal alloys consisting of multiple base metals in equimolar or near equimolar concentrations. HEAs exhibit unique combinations of properties that render them an attractive choice in many engineering applications. Among HEAs, a single phase face centered cubic (FCC) CoCrFeMnNi alloy, known as the Cantor alloy, shows simultaneous strength and ductility specifically at cryogenic temperatures. This has been attributed to the activation of deformation twinning as an additional mode of plastic deformation. Experimentally it has been observed that grain boundaries (GBs) facilitate the nucleation of deformation twins in HEAs. However, the role of GB geometry in …

An Efficient Distance Tracking Algorithm Using Near-Infrared Light For Biomedical Applications, Steven Thomas Manz

All Theses

In this article, a method for tracking distance between a medical scope and a subject is introduced. The method considers optical coherence of light scattering due to the topography of the subject and post-processing techniques to decrease high reflection interference. The application of distance tracking is extremely important in biomedical imaging because of the effect on variance and resolution due to a non-stationary scope. Near Infrared light is considered in this article because of the application to Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging in an emerging biomedical imaging field. Many scopes currently use time-of-flight sensors to track distance, but the increasing importance …

Utilization Of Kirigami Skins As A Method Of Creating Bespoke Soft Pneumatic Actuators, Steven Michael Iannucci

All Theses

Soft pneumatic actuators have many applications in robotics and adaptive structures. Traditionally, these actuators have been constructed by wrapping layers of reinforcing helical fibers around an elastomeric tube. This approach is versatile and robust, but it suffers from a critical dis-advantage: cumbersome fabrication procedures. Wrapping long helical filaments around a cylindrical tube requires expensive equipment or excessive manual labor.

To address this issue, we propose a new approach towards designing and constructing pneumatic actuators by exploiting the principle of kirigami, the ancient art of paper cutting. More specifically, we use “kirigami skins”—plastic sleeves with carefully arranged slit cuts—to replace the …

Machine Learning And Pedometers: An Integration-Based Convolutional Neural Network For Step Counting And Detection, Basil Lin

All Theses

This thesis explores a machine learning-based approach to step detection and counting for a pedometer. Our novelty is to analyze a window of time containing an arbitrary number of steps, and integrate the detected count using a sliding window technique. We compare the effectiveness of this approach against classic deterministic algorithms. While classic algorithms perform well during regular gait (e.g. walking or running), they can perform significantly worse during semi-regular and irregular gaits that still contribute to a person’s overall step count. These non-regular gaits can make up a significant portion of the daily step count for people, and an …

Accelerated Molecular Dynamics For The Exascale, Andrew Garmon

All Dissertations

A range of specialized Molecular Dynamics (MD) methods have been developed in order to overcome the challenge of reaching longer timescales in systems that evolve through sequences of rare events. In this talk, we consider Parallel Trajectory Splicing (ParSplice) which works by generating large number of MD trajectory segments in parallel in such a way that they can later be assembled into a single statistically correct state-to-state trajectory, enabling parallel speedups up to N, the number of parallel workers. The prospect of strong-scaling MD is extremely enticing given the continuously increasing scale of available computational resources: on current peta-scale platforms …

Reading With Daddy: Parent Gender, Joint Book Reading, And Emergent Literacy Growth, Julia Kate Bentley

All Dissertations

For decades, educational researchers have reported joint book reading with caregivers promotes children’s emergent literacy development (Bus et al., 1995; Demir-Lira et al., 2019; NELP, 2008; Pelligrini et al., 1990). However, the bulk of this research has been conducted with mothers (Bingham, 2007; Bojczyk, 2016; Roberts et al., 2005). Mothers have been the focus of such research because, historically, the primary responsibility for caring for young children was placed on them (Fagot et al., 2012). Recent societal changes have resulted in fathers taking on more childcare roles (Banchefsky & Park, 2016). Yet, their contributions are rarely noted in literacy research. …

A Bayesian Approach To Computer Model Calibration And Model-Assisted Design, Carl Ehrett

All Dissertations

Computer models of phenomena that are difficult or impossible to study directly are critical for enabling research and assisting design in many areas. In order to be effective, computer models must be calibrated so that they accurately represent the modeled phenomena. There exists a rich variety of methods for computer model calibration that have been developed in recent decades. Among the desiderata of such methods is a means of quantifying remaining uncertainty after calibration regarding both the values of the calibrated model inputs and the model outputs. Bayesian approaches to calibration have met this need in recent decades. However, limitations …

Value Creation Stories: Professional Learning Experiences Of Artist-Teachers, Madeline Harlan Jurek

All Dissertations

Through intentionally designed authentic professional learning experiences, artist-teachers can be provided with opportunities of value. The purpose of this qualitative study is to increase understanding of the indicators of professional learning experiences within a community of practice that create value for arts educators. This qualitative study used a semi-structured interview protocol adapted from Wenger’s Value Creation Framework. Interviews were conducted with five artist-teachers in South Carolina who were identified as active participants of arts-specific professional learning. Interview data was used to compose researcher-generated Value Creation stories from study participants. Data was analyzed using Value Coding to identity the values, attitudes …

Nonlinear Modeling And Control Of Driving Interfaces And Continuum Robots For System Performance Gains, Chengshi Wang

All Dissertations

With the rise of (semi)autonomous vehicles and continuum robotics technology and applications, there has been an increasing interest in controller and haptic interface designs. The presence of nonlinearities in the vehicle dynamics is the main challenge in the selection of control algorithms for real-time regulation and tracking of (semi)autonomous vehicles. Moreover, control of continuum structures with infinite dimensions proves to be difficult due to their complex dynamics plus the soft and flexible nature of the manipulator body. The trajectory tracking and control of automobile and robotic systems requires control algorithms that can effectively deal with the nonlinearities of the system …

The Appraisal Of Stressors As An Outcome: Novel Directions On The Conceptualization And Measurement Of Work Stress, Zachary Klinefelter

All Dissertations

Though work stress research has come a long way since the early unidimensional models of stressor-outcome relationships, there continues to be a lack of consensus on how stressors influence employees, and on how individual employee characteristics influence the stressor appraisal process. This study utilized a 3-wave longitudinal design to investigate the relationships between the appraisals of challenge and hindrance stressors at work, perceived resilience, stress mindset, and psychological strain. Split into two separate models, the present study sought to extend previous research on the mediating effects of perceived resilience on the relationship between stressors and strain, and to investigate potential …

Quantum Nonequilibrium In De Broglie-Bohm Theory And Its Effects In Black Holes And The Early Universe, Adithya Pudukkudi Kandhadai

All Dissertations

Quantum mechanics is a highly successful fundamental theory which has passed every experimental test to date. Yet standard quantum mechanics fails to provide an adequate description of measurement processes, which has long been rationalized with operationalist and positivist philosophical arguments but is nevertheless a serious shortfall in a fundamental theory. In this dissertation we introduce quantum mechanics with a discussion of the measurement problem. We then review the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave formulation, a nonlocal hidden-variables theory where the state of a quantum system is described by a configuration (independent of measurements) in addition to the wave function, and we apply …

Uncertainty Principles In Framed Hilbert Spaces, Haodong Li

All Dissertations

The uncertainty principle is one of the most fundamental concepts in harmonic analysis. It has many facets and appears in many different forms. In the first two chapters of the thesis, we state the classical uncertainty principle and the Balian-Low theorem, and introduce the concept of framed Hilbert spaces as a general setting for studying problems of uncertainty principle type. These spaces could be viewed as a special type of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces which include many function spaces that play an important role in harmonic analysis.

The thesis mainly consists of Chapters 3-5 whose common theme is the uncertainty …

Modeling And Analysis Of Scheduling Problems Containing Renewable Energy Decisions, Shasha Wang

All Dissertations

With globally increasing energy demands, world citizens are facing one of society's most critical issues: protecting the environment. To reduce the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), which are by-products of conventional energy resources, people are reducing the consumption of oil, gas, and coal collectively. In the meanwhile, interest in renewable energy resources has grown in recent years. Renewable generators can be installed both on the power grid side and end-use customer side of power systems. Energy management in power systems with multiple microgrids containing renewable energy resources has been a focus of industry and researchers as of late. Further, on-site …

Novel Low Dimensional Sensors For Rapid Disease Diagnosis And Efficient Biomolecular Detection, Bipin Sharma

All Dissertations

Nanomaterials have been used in diverse biosensing applications over the years for their unique properties compared to their ‘bulk’ counterparts. The quantum effects observed in nanomaterials of different dimensions have been exploited, in particular, for fluorescence sensing using surface plasmons. The present work is directed towards the understanding of these effects and the physics behind such plasmons and its application.

In the first chapter (Chapter 1), a succinct introduction to quantum confinement and fluorescence biosensors has been presented, followed by a brief overview of the applications of nanomaterials in biosensing. Chapter 2 focuses on the various analytical and characterization techniques …

Statistical Models For The Analysis Of Complex Data, Stefani Mokalled

All Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on developing statistical models to analyze complex data. The motivating applications in this work include infectious disease screening, engineering, and public health problems. Chapters 2 and 3 take a frequentist approach to modeling and parameter estimation while Chapters 4 and 5 proceed with Bayesian methods. Maximum likelihood estimation is implemented in a case of missing data through latent variables (Chapter 2) as well as by embedding a finite element model within the likelihood framework (Chapter 3). Two Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms are applied to estimate parameters and fit regression models using data obtained from a …

Do Not Disturb The Flow! Smoking And The Cardiovascular System, Shunderla Wilson, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack (Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2017). Students may experience or be affected by several incidences of heart attacks throughout their life. As such, students should be aware of the risk factors and learn the underlying reasons for a heart attack.

Most students believe they are too young for a heart attack and think symptoms will appear gradually (Roth and Gotter 2018). Heart disease in younger individuals is appearing more frequently due to obesity, tobacco and alcohol us-age, stress, and race (Napoli 2019). In this article, we describe how …

Do Not Disturb The Flow!, Shunderla Wilson, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack (Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2017). Students may experience or be affected by several incidences of heart attacks throughout their life. As such, students should be aware of the risk factors and learn the underlying reasons for a heart attack.

Most students believe they are too young for a heart attack and think symptoms will appear gradually (Roth and Gotter 2018). Heart disease in younger individuals is appearing more frequently due to obesity, tobacco and alcohol usage, stress, and race (Napoli 2019). In this …

Finding Community And Overcoming Barriers: Experiences Of Queer And Transgender Postsecondary Students In Mathematics And Other Stem Fields, Elizabeth Kersey, Matthew Voigt

Publications

Although there is little research on the experiences of queer and/or transgender postsecondary students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, we can infer from current literature that these subjects may be less welcoming than the humanities and social sciences. We conducted two studies to investigate this possibility: (1) a narrative inquiry study with postsecondary transgender students and (2) a grounded theory narrative study with undergraduate queer students. Transgender students who had transitioned indicated that they were subjected to lower expectations when presenting as female, but transgender women experienced this change as positive, since their treatment by others was …

Betting On The Workforce: An Interview With The S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Deborah Moroney, Jill Young

Journal of Youth Development

In this article, Deborah Moroney and Jill Young from the American Institutes for Research interview Rebecca Goldberg and Alex Hooker, senior program officers from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Rebecca and Alex describe their experience as members of the youth development workforce and how that experience inspired them to support the youth development workforce on the grantmaking side, focusing on adult practice and youth character development. As the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation sunsets in 2020, Rebecca and Alex also share their hopes for the youth development workforce going forward.

Shaping Positive Summertime Experiences For All Youth To Promote Healthy Development, Rebekah Hutton, Priyanka Nalamada

Journal of Youth Development

Shaping Summertime Experiences: Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth was released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in September 2019. This multidisciplinary committee authored report examines evidence on outcomes of summertime experiences for children and youth in 4 areas of well-being: (a) academic learning and enrichment, (b) social and emotional development, (c) physical and mental health, and (d) safety, risk-taking, and pro- and anti-social behaviors. Using a systems perspective, the committee looked at how social, physical, and economic environments interact to promote or limit access for children and youth to opportunities for …

Mindful Learning Experiences Through Structured Reflections During A Youth Travel-Abroad Program, Gary Ellis, Andrew Lacanienta, William Zanolini, Darlene Locke

Journal of Youth Development

Mindfulness is an actively engaged state of mind when an individual is attuned to their surrounding multi- sensory elements. Mindful learning experiences during youth programs may enhance learning and the overall quality of experiences. We developed, executed, and evaluated an end-of-day structured mindfulness experience during a 4-H travel camp. In this paper we summarize the program and its outcomes and share details we believe will assist other youth professionals who may want to build structured mindfulness experiences into their own programs. Through the 4-H Global Travelers program, 20 youth participated in a 7-day travel camp in Argentina. At the end …

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation To Measure 4-H Stem Program Quality, Joseph Donaldson, Karen Franck

Journal of Youth Development

The 4-H Science: Building a 4-H Career Pathway Initiative was a 3-year collaboration among National 4-H Council, Lockheed Martin, and state 4-H grantees to help more than 50,000 youth in 13 states develop STEM and workforce skills for STEM professions. A mixed-methods design used observations and interviews to assess program quality. Researchers observed 4-H STEM programming and conducted individual and focus group interviews with youth, parents, community volunteers, corporate volunteers, and professionals. Observations were conducted using a validated observational tool, the Out-of-School Time (OST) Observation Instrument with STEM Plug-In. This instrument measured youth relationship building, youth participation, staff relationship building, …

Advancing Academic Pathways For Building Capacity In The Youth Development Profession, William Quinn, Barry Garst, Edmond Bowers, Kayla Weston

Journal of Youth Development

The growing literature on the theory and practice of youth development provides a framework for youth- serving practitioners to design, implement, and grow youth programs in their communities. Yet such a framework is not widely known in many youth-serving organizations where professional development is variable. The youth development field would benefit from academically trained professionals who could apply the youth development literature to serve youth more effectively in organizations or communities. The purpose of this article is to describe a graduate level academic degree program in youth development in order to increase awareness of the importance of intentional leadership in …

Supporting Interests And Sharing Power: Insights From A Scottish Youth Program, Daniela Kruel Digiacomo

Journal of Youth Development

Light Up Learning (LUL) is a youth program in Scotland that supports young people in pursuing their curiosities and exploring their interests in a school-based informal learning setting. This article draws on interview and participant observation data to examine the social organization of teaching and learning activity within LUL. As a school-based program focused on supporting youth in pursuing their interests through the cultivation of a caring adult–youth relationship, LUL offers an empirical case that brings together insights from youth development and interest-driven learning research. Examination into the verbal and material interactions that shape adult–youth interactions yields insight into how …