Digital Commons Network^™

Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education, Steph Dean, Jim Lane, Paul Bocko, Albert Gilbert, Devan A. Jones

Publications

The demands of a test-dominant education system point towards the need for students to have opportunities for unhurried learning engagements, a movement known as slow education. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term influence of Sit Spot–a recurrent, structured time to reflect outdoors–on students’ holistic well-being. Using a narrative case study approach, we interviewed a secondary field ecology teacher and seven of his former students to understand the impact of high school Sit Spot experiences during a semester-long science class. Three primary outcomes emerged: (1) enduring impact on the whole person, (2) engagement with affect, and (3) …

Summer Camp Adds Up: The Impact Of Stem Camps On Math Self-Efficiency And Achievement In Underrepresented K-12 Campers, Joanna Vance

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2025, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Face Synthesis Methods And Their Influence On Human Perception, Maha Habib Almaimani

All Dissertations

Synthetic faces (e.g., computer-generated characters) have been increasingly utilized across various fields, including entertainment, healthcare, and education. Perceptual studies are often conducted to understand how synthetic faces are perceived by humans, aiming to enhance both quality and user experience in these domains. Over the years, numerous methods have been developed to create synthetic faces, ranging from traditional techniques such as image composites, Active Appearance Models, and 3D Morphable Models to more recent machine-learning-based frameworks like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Variational Autoencoders (VAEs).

Despite the growing adoption of synthetic face generation and the variety of algorithms available for their creation, …

Measurement-Based Dynamic Load Model Parameterization Via A Stacked Long Short-Term Memory - Deep Neural Network, Zach H. Smith

All Theses

Increases in distributed generation and changes to predominate load types in modern power systems are driving the need for updated or newly developed dynamic load models. Accurate load modeling is necessary for transmission planning and operation, post-mortem analysis, and inter-regional transfer studies. The most widely used dynamic load model is the WECC Composite Load (CMLD). The CMLD model is an aggregation of substation impedance, under voltage and frequency controls, dynamic motor loads, and static loads. Parameterizing dynamic load models, especially composite models with high parameter counts like the CMLD, is can be difficult. This work proposes a measurement-based, machine learning …

Data-Assimilation-Enabled Fast Convergence Of The Uzawa Scheme For Navier-Stokes Equations With Large Reynolds Numbers, Jessica C. Franklin

All Theses

This work studies efficient techniques utilized to solve the Navier-Stokes equations that model incompressible Newtonian flow in the setting where partial solution data is available. First, we analyze the Picard iteration and Picard with continuous data assimilation applied and test convergence. Then, we analyze the Arrow-Hurwicz (AH) and Uzawa iterative procedures and test convergence. Finally, we apply continuous data assimilation to Uzawa, and analytical and numerical results show that CDA improves Uzawa convergence for the NSE, similar to CDA-Picard but it is much more efficient.

Cross-Modal Prompting For Multi-Class Visual Anomaly Localization, Duncan F. Mccain

All Theses

Visual anomaly detection is a technology that uses computer vision to automatically identify defects or irregularities in images, such as cracks, scratches, or discolorations on manufactured products. Unsupervised visual anomaly detection does this without needing examples of those defects during the training process. This "unsupervised" approach is crucial in industries like manufacturing, automotive, electronics, and pharmaceuticals, where ensuring product quality is essential for safety, reliability, and cost efficiency. For instance, it helps spot flaws in circuit boards, fabrics, or medical pills during production lines, preventing faulty items from reaching consumers. By reducing manual inspections, it saves time and resources, benefiting …

Ai-Optimized Resource Management In Next-Gen Wireless Networks, Fatemeh Lotfi

All Dissertations

Next-generation wireless networks must deliver highly adaptive, scalable, and intelligent connectivity to satisfy the heterogeneous demands of emerging services, including enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications, and ultra reliable low latency applications. The Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) paradigm has emerged as a key enabler of this vision, introducing openness, virtualization, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven control into the RAN ecosystem. O-RAN’s disaggregated architecture facilitates multi-vendor interoperability and empowers intelligent management through the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). However, achieving real-time, autonomous, and generalized optimization in such a dynamic environment remains a significant challenge due to its distributed nature, non-stationary traffic, and …

Adaptive Deep Learning In Physical Layer Applications, Ali Owfi

All Dissertations

Traditionally, signal processing models in communication systems have been designed based on solid foundations in statistics and information theory, often assuming linearity and optimizing for simplified models. However, real-world communication systems exhibit numerous imperfections and non-linearities that traditional linear models struggle to capture accurately. Deep Learning (DL)-based approaches, unconstrained by rigid mathematical models, have shown promise in optimizing system performance by accommodating specific hardware configurations and dynamic channel conditions as an alternative to the traditional methods. Despite all the recent research efforts on DL-based methods for physical layer applications, DL models have still not been widely applied to physical layer …

Capillary Imbibition Of Shear-Thinning Xanthan Gum Solutions, Aimee Sayster

All Theses

Capillary rise in confined geometries plays a critical role in numerous natural and industrial processes. While classical models such as the Lucas–Washburn equation accurately describe the dynamics of Newtonian fluids, they fail to capture the complex behavior of shear-thinning, non- Newtonian fluids whose viscosity varies with shear rate. This research investigates the capillary rise dynamics of shear-thinning xanthan gum polymer solutions in capillary tubes. The rheological behavior of each fluid is characterized using the Ellis model, which accounts for shear-thinning effects through three key parameters: zero-shear viscosity μ0, characteristic shear stress τ1/2 and viscosity index α. Experimental data was collected …

Generalizing Threshold-Based Multiparty Computation To Ramp Schemes, Christian Tucker

All Theses

Secure multiparty computation (MPC) enables multiple participants to jointly compute functions over their private inputs without revealing them. Classical threshold based protocols, such as the BGW protocol, perform computations on scalar values using (k,n)-threshold secret sharing. While these protocols provide strong security guarantees, they become computationally expensive when applied to large matrices or multiple secret values. In this work, we investigate the use of ramp schemes, secret sharing schemes that encode sets of secrets with a trade-off between privacy and efficiency, to generalize BGW computations. We show that the linear operations performed on shares (k,n)-threshold schemes in BGW can be …

The Influence Of High School Art Courses On Graphic Communications Students, Mackenzie Crawford

All Theses

This study examines the influence of high school art courses on students’ pursuing a degree in graphic communications (GC) at Clemson University. The purpose is to explore how prior high school art courses impact students’ major choice, preparedness, and academic success within GC. While creativity is central to the field, limited research addresses how early exposure to art integration shapes students’ readiness for college-level technical and design programs.

Grounded in theories of experiential learning and career development, this study builds upon the research by Moss, Benus, and Tucker (2018), who found that school-based arts programs enhance executive function and academic …

Editable 4d Gaussian Splatting: Scalable And Consistent Video Editing Via Uv-Texture Decomposition, Shuai Lyu

All Theses

Dynamic 3D videos are now widely used in VR, AR, and telepresence, where users often want to change the style or appearance of objects such as clothing over a whole sequence. However, editing such dynamic 3D content is still hard, because appearance, geometry, and motion are tightly coupled, so even a simple color change must stay consistent in all views and at all time steps. Existing editing methods based on 4D Gaussian Splatting often work in a frame-by-frame way, which is slow and makes it difficult to keep temporal and multi-view consistency.

This thesis proposes Editable-4DGS, a representation-centric framework that …

Process Optimization And Cost Reduction For Cellulose Nanocrystals For Metal Removal From Rendered Fat, Sheikh Abdur Rehman

All Theses

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) coupled with polymers featuring a high density of amine functional groups, such as polyethylenimine (PEI), exhibit significant metal-capturing capabilities. Rendered animal fat has applications in a vast number of industries, with the potential to be used as a feedstock for the biodiesel/renewable diesel industries. Nevertheless, rendered fat samples occasionally contain concentrations of metals/inorganic contaminants above the suitable threshold for use in this application. Thus, a cost-effective solution to remove light metal/inorganic contaminants from rendered fat samples is desirable.

To address this problem, a cellulose nanocrystal coupled with polyethylenimine, i.e., CNC-f-PEI, was developed by previous …

Locomotion And Balance Control In A Biped Robot With Continuum Legs And A Kangaroo-Inspired Tail, Gavin A. Platt

All Theses

This thesis work presents the design, testing, and validation of a continuum-legged biped robot equipped with a kangaroo inspired tail for enhanced stability and adaptability. Unlike traditional rigid link robots, this one expands on soft-legged robots and utilizes tendon-driven continuum robots to mimic octopus and kangaroo behavior for locomotion. The robot uses a hierarchical hybrid control framework to implement walking, obstacle avoidance, vaulting, and push recovery behaviors. To test the performance of the robot four sets of experiments were conducted to validate these systems and evaluate how they performed. The results demonstrate stable walking with rhythmic tail load transfer, effective …

Optimal Control Of Human Exercise Using An Individualized Physiological Three-Tank Model And Dynamic Programming, Asal Lotfi

All Theses

This thesis develops a physiologically inspired three-tank model of human bioenergetics to describe and optimize fatigue and recovery during exercise. The aerobic, phosphagen, and glycogen systems are modeled as coupled reservoirs whose states constrain instantaneous power output. Building on this representation, dynamic programming is used to compute pacing strategies that respect physiological limits while maximizing task-specific goals such as peak power or total work over a fixed duration, enabling individualized, goal-driven exercise prescriptions. The three-tank dynamics are formulated in continuous time and then discretized under a zero-order-hold assumption for simulation and optimal control. Model parameters are linked to standard field …

Predicting Long-Term Creep Behavior Using Short-Term Stress Relaxation Data In Expanded Polyethylene Foam, Andrew M. Seelig

All Theses

Closed cell expanded polyethylene (EPE) foams are widely used for protective packaging due to their high energy absorption properties and recyclability. However, these foams can be subjected to sustained compressive stresses (13.78 - 36.20 kPa), depending on density and application, leading to time-dependent deformation (creep). Creep reduces cushioning performance, making its understanding critical for effective protective packaging. Two standards, ASTM D3575 and ASTM D2221, define methods for conducting compressive creep tests on foam materials, with test durations extending up to 1000 hours. Accelerated methods such as Time Temperature Superposition (TTS) and the Stepped Isostress Method (SSM) have been explored for …

Understanding Policy Transfer Under Decomposition And Coordination: Sequential Reinforcement Learning With Relaxation-Based Feasibility Control, Aannand Lal

All Theses

This thesis investigates how decomposition and coordination (D&C) choices influence exploration, learning, and transfer in reinforcement learning (RL) based design frameworks. A unified methodology is developed to evaluate generality under decomposition and to demonstrate sequential coordination on a representative physical task. The generality study holds the underlying physics constant while varying problem presentation - specifically scalarization weights, objective orientations, and feasibility handling. A train-evaluate matrix is constructed in which each trained policy is assessed across all alternative decompositions. Set-based diagnostics quantify generality through exact-match identity, Jaccard similarity of distinct feasible states, total feasible coverage, and Pareto-front quality. Results show that …

Numerical Calculations Of The Electromagnetic And Gravitational Wave Signatures Of Unequal Mass Black Hole Binary Inspirals, Madeline Clyburn

All Dissertations

In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) measured the first gravitational waves (GWs) from the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. This detection marked a historic milestone in astrophysics, confirming general relativity and establishing the existence of gravitationally bound black holes. Since then, researchers have extended the search to even more massive black hole mergers. Recently, the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA), including the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), detected a nanohertz GW background from supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs), black holes with masses M ≃10^7−10^9 M⊙ orbiting throughout the universe. However, a single SMBHB has …

Complementary Color Laser Illumination For Perceptual Contrast Enhancement In Structurally Colored Samples, Tomoshree Dash

All Theses

Structural color, a phenomenon arising from nanoscale interaction between light and materials, has the potential to unveil biological, chemical, physical, and mechanical characteristics of the sample. It enables direct visualization of the sample by human users with high spatiotemporal resolution. However, its impact is often constrained by challenges in the perceptual differentiation of subtle color variations. This thesis introduces complementary color laser illumination (C²LI) as an imaging technique that enhances color perception of the Human Visual System (HVS) by accessing the psychophysical non-linearities in chromatic color perception. C²LI offers a platform optimized for the HVS by …

Tradespace Exploration For Multiple Collaborative Vehicles, Mrunal Deshmukh

All Theses

Modern military operations demand systems that adapt to uncertain, rapidly changing missions across diverse terrains. Traditional single-platform vehicle design is insufficient for such complexity. This research introduces a hierarchical tradespace exploration framework for designing and evaluating families of heterogeneous ground vehicles under a System-of-Systems (SoS) architecture. The framework treats vehicle design as a co-optimization problem, where a “parent” vehicle (e.g., a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport) coordinates specialized “child” vehicles for reconnaissance, amphibious tasks, terrain traversal, and stealth missions. Unlike conventional approaches that optimize vehicles individually, this study emphasizes collaborative performance, resource sharing, and adaptability at the family level. Central to …

The Development Of Tools For The Production Of Fusarium Oxysporum Race 4 Resistant Cotton Varieties, Thomas Rylands

All Theses

Fusarium oxysporum race 4 (FOV4) is a fungal pathogen that infects cotton (Gossypium spp.) plants, resulting in fusarium wilt (FW) disease that causes significant wilting, yield loss, and eventually death. Since cotton is such an important crop globally, with tens of millions of bales of fiber produced and sold worldwide each year, it is critical to develop effective strategies to combat this pathogen. This research aims to achieve that goal through two projects: (i) develop an efficient co-culture system to test fungal treatments in vitro, and (ii) develop a computer vision pipeline to more accurately assess plant resistance …

High-School-Age Youth Serving As “Emotion Coaches” For Young Children In The Early Grades: A Feasibility Study Of A Cross-Age Approach To Social And Emotional Learning, Amanda Moreno, Maria Kontoudakis, Whitney Davis-Mcintosh, Anita Evans, Olivia Bobbitt

Journal of Youth Development

While the benefits of cross-age programming within youth have been understood for decades, such programs are rarely employed with curricula specific to social and emotional learning (SEL) or with a wide age range between the two groups of youth. This article describes the findings of a pilot implementation and feasibility study of the Emotion Coaches program, which sought to explore whether the conceptual and pragmatic challenges involved in bringing early childhood students (i.e., preschool to second grade) together with adolescent teachers delivering an SEL curriculum could be overcome. Findings from the pilot evaluation suggested that middle-school-age students are likely too …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Weather And Climate Science Curriculum Pilot In South Carolina K-12 Schools, 4-H, And Agricultural Education Programs, Emily B. Hood

All Dissertations

Weather and climate science topics in K-12 education are more important now than ever due to extreme weather and climate events happening worldwide. Most U.S. science teachers included climate science in their courses, but they may not have a sufficient background in the topic which can hinder their efforts, or there is no explicit curriculum for the teacher to utilize. Research indicates that there is a need for innovation in the curriculum to help prepare children to become the next generation of leaders and address complex problems, such as issues related to weather and climate science. There are a few …

Exploring Halogen Bonding Interactions In Cocrystals And Deep Eutectic Solvents, Madhushi Bandara

All Dissertations

Halogen bonding is a noncovalent intermolecular interaction analogous to hydrogen bonding that occurs between an electrophile and a nucleophile. This is often observed in compounds containing heavy halogens such as iodine and bromine. When these halogens are covalently bonded to another atom or molecule, preferably to an electron-withdrawing moiety, an electrophilic region called a sigma hole is created on the halogen atom on the extension of the covalent bond.

The first study of this dissertation presents a comprehensive characterization of eight newly synthesized triiodide salts using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (DSC and TGA), and Raman spectroscopy. …

The Influence Of Using Bibliotherapy And Cinematherapy Interventions On The Social-Emotional Competencies Of Middle School Students Identified As Gifted, Debra P. Wallace

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Adolescents encounter many stressors in their lives and need resources to help them navigate their challenges. Access to books and movies may help gifted middle school students find ways to cope with various stressors characteristic of gifted students. Bibliotherapy and cinematherapy interventions effectively offer gifted students emotional support for their mental, social, and academic struggles, since gifted students tend to avoid asking for help. In a rural southeastern town, a 2-month improvement science study included a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle with gifted eighth graders. From December 2024 to January 2025, gifted students participated in an intervention program using bibliotherapy and cinematherapy …

Math For The Real World: Implementing A Standards-Based Math Curriculum With A Focus On Formative Assessment, Rachael Smilowitz

All Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP) professional development and the fidelity of implementation of the Illustrative Math Middle School curriculum in Roseland County School District. The district adopted Illustrative Math in 2016; however, many teachers either implemented it inconsistently or used only select components. While prior research has demonstrated that OGAP training can improve student outcomes on standardized assessments in large urban districts such as Philadelphia, little is known about its impact on teachers’ use of high-quality curricula such as Illustrative Math.

The study addressed three guiding questions: (1) How does participation in OGAP professional …

Examining The Roles Of Embodiment And Theory Of Mind In Shaping User Perceptions Of Llm-Driven Conversational Agents, Elizabeth A. Schlesener

All Dissertations

Large Language Models (LLMs) have advanced conversational agents, enabling natural, human-like interactions in domains such as education, programming, and workplace collaboration. Yet, user distrust persists over privacy, accuracy, and bias. As developers work to mitigate these issues and human-AI collaboration expands, reinforcing trust in LLM-driven systems is essential. To address this problem, this dissertation explores the role of anthropomorphic form in LLM-driven conversational agents and its impact on user perception.

According to the familiarity thesis, humans attribute human-like characteristics to nonhuman entities — a process known as anthropomorphism — to better comprehend unfamiliar phenomena, based on the assumption that they …

The Life Significance Of Summer Outdoor Program Employment During Emerging Adulthood, Austin M. Souto

All Dissertations

Seasonal employment in outdoor programs—encompassing camps, guiding services, and similar organizations—plays a vital role in delivering structured outdoor experiences, yet little research has explored its enduring effects on staff over the course of their lives. This dissertation examined the long-term significance and influence of seasonal outdoor work during emerging adulthood. Guided by Significant Life Experience and Life Course Theory, an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the qualitative phase, interviews revealed that seasonal work influenced life trajectories by contributing to identity formation, career discovery, ways of relating to others, and the navigation of trade-offs. Seven mechanisms—opportunities for growth, connection …

Robust Data-Driven Predictive Control Of Nonlinear Systems Under Modeling Uncertainty, Pegah Ghafghanbari

All Dissertations

Data-driven predictive control enables designing controllers directly from data, making it attractive for complex systems with hard-to-model dynamics. However, practical deployment is challenged by modeling inaccuracies and changing operating conditions. This dissertation develops predictive control frameworks that incorporate robustness and adaptability to address these issues in uncertain nonlinear systems.

The first part employs the Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) framework, which represents nonlinear dynamics through simple linear form representation. To characterize the plant-model-mismatch often caused by limited data and numerical calculations, Bayesian Neural Networks (BNNs) are used, and their uncertainty estimates are integrated into two robust control approaches. The first is a …