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Synthesis And Characterization Of A Biobased Polymer From Tung Oil And Pine Rosin & Characterization Of Polyhydroxybutyrate., Arijanet P. Osumah

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents two independents but thematically aligned research projects focused on the development and evaluation of sustainable polymers. The first involves the synthesis and characterization of a biobased polymer derived from tung oil and pine rosin. Tung oil, which is a triglyceride was chemically modified to produce tung oil diglyceride (TDG), which subsequently reacted with abietic acid-rich pine rosin to yield tung oil abietate (TOA), a biobased monomer. The TOA monomer was polymerized with butyl methacrylate (BMA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) using di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) as a thermal initiator. The resulting polymer was thoroughly characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy …

Enhancing Adhd Diagnosis In College Students Using Multimodal Integration Of Nicats And Iva-2 Tools, Rushmila Shabneen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study explores enhanced methods for accurately identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) indicators in college students. ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, impacts attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation, often leading to academic and social difficulties. Many students remain undiagnosed due to symptom overlap with stress and other factors. Traditional tools like the IVA-2 assess behavioral responses but may not fully capture ADHD complexity. This research integrates IVA-2 data with multimodal metrics from the Non-Intrusive Classroom Attention Tracking System (NiCATS), which monitors facial expressions, eye movements, and computer interactions. Preliminary results show that combining these tools improves ADHD detection, reduces false …

Application Of Semantic Segmentation To An Automatic Target Recognition Problem, Bruce W. Rush Jr.

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active remote sensing system commonly used in aerial reconnaissance. SAR penetrates cloud cover and vegetation by recording reflected energy pulses. The resulting information content is difficult to interpret due to vast clutter data and sparse target data. The time-consuming process of analyzing SAR imagery can be greatly reduced by implementing an Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are capable of extracting identification features from SAR data content. Further research in this field indicates that high performing models are insufficiently robust due to high clutter correlation among classes in the Moving and …

Motivating Students Through Problem-Based And Project-Based Learning, Dennis J. Moore

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

As educators, motivating students can be a difficult task.Sixteen eighth-grade students discuss their perceptions of what makes educational programs motivating. In teacher-centered classrooms, teachers lecture while their students take notes, quizzes, and tests and practice memorization skills in preparation for high-stakes testing. Is this a fair assessment of a student's knowledge, and does this type of instruction fulfill students’ needs for a successful future? Research for this case study focused on students' perceptions of an agricultural program that utilizes problem-based and project-based learning with a sustainability focus.

In problem-based learning (PBL) classes, students are given real-world problems and asked …

Survey And Identification Of Entomopathogenic Fungi In Millipede Species In Coastal Georgia, Kristin L. Campbell Bailey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Entomopathogenic fungi are well-known, species-specific pathogens of a wide diversity of insects that infect, manipulate, and kill their insect hosts to complete their life cycle. Recently in Savannah, Georgia, millipedes belonging to the genus Eurymerodesmus were observed exhibiting pre-death climbing behaviors associated with pathogenic fungal infection. Dying millipedes summited vegetation and subsequently died in elevated positions along edge habitat transitioning a recreational field and forest. Upon inspection, fungal structures found emerging from dead millipedes anatomically resembled Arthrophaga myriapodina, which is the first documented entomophthoralean fungus to infect millipedes. The goal of this research was to obtain species-level identification of the …

Towards A Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff Theorem In Positive Characteristic, Nikolas A. Koutroulakis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

We investigate whether there is an analog of the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff (BCH) theorem for Lie algebras over fields of positive characteristic. We begin by introducing the proof of the BCH formula in characteristic zero. We then introduce the Artin-Hasse exponential and show that it is $p$-integral. Our main result provides sufficient conditions under which a BCH-type formula exists for the Artin-Hasse exponential in positive characteristic. Additionally, we derive a formula for computing an inverse of the Artin-Hasse exponential.

Quantifying Inositol Phosphate Dephosphorylation To Understand The Role Of Recalcitrant Organic Phosphorus Forms On Harmful Algal Blooms In Freshwater Systems, Iffat Tasnim

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Organophosphorus such as phytic acid, a surrogate species of inositol phosphate (IP), may serve as a source for orthophosphate (OP) in freshwater. In absence of OP, competent aquatic microorganisms upregulate the production of specialized enzymes to obtain growth-sustaining OP from organic phosphorus (org-P) forms. The contribution of recalcitrant org-P to the OP pool has been overlooked due to the lack of capable tools to measure OP production from org-P accurately. The objective of this study was to quantify OP production from phytic acid (a surrogate form of recalcitrant org-P) to assess the contribution of recalcitrant org-P forms to the total …

On The Combinatorial Invariance For Kazhdan-Lusztig Polynomials, Grover C. Harrell Iii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis will be a discussion on the Combinatorial Invariance Conjecture for Kazhdan Lusztig polynomials. The conjecture is widely suspected to be true; and there is an abun dance of computational evidence which supports it. Despite this, no complete proof has been discovered for more than forty years. We will explore some known results about the CIC, particularly those by Dyer, Incitti, Brenti, Caselli, and Marietti.

Assessment And Health Benefit Of Vitamin C Using A549 Cell, Yetunde Adepoju

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a vital micronutrient recognized for its antioxidant capacity and essential bodily functions, such as collagen formation, neurotransmitter activity, and regulation of the immune system. This study explores how vitamin C can protect and potentially heal cells under oxidative stress and inflammation, using A549 cells, a human lung epithelial cell line, as the model system. The cells were exposed to varying concentrations of vitamin C dissolved in water, DMSO, and 5% DMSO. To assess the outcome, cell viability was measured with an MTT assay. In addition, the expression of key genes related to oxidative stress and …

Synthesis And Processing Of Co-Axial/Tri-Axial Multi-Layered Nano-Particles, Jannatul Ferdaus

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Electro-spraying has been used as an effective processing method of nanoparticle fabrication for the application of targeted drug delivery. The study demonstrates the feasibility of a non-conventional triaxial electro-spraying setup for multi-layered nano-drug fabrication and proposes optimized parameters. Two different drugs, XAV939 and Dextran 40000, were used to study the process parameters (voltage and solution concentration) of coaxial electro spraying. The particle size of Dextran-PCL was an average of 166.3 nm for PCL-Dextran at 32.5 kV and 18-hour sonication. The SEM analysis and UV-spectrum showed the encapsulation of Dextran with PCL, though the in vitro study in mice after 24 …

Accuracy In Real World To Pixel Coordinate Conversion, Noredia O. Imudia

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The field of computer vision has numerous applications of the real-world to pixel coordinate conversion. Related fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality share similar benefits. My contribution involves assessing the accuracy of multiple coordinate conversion methods through experimentation. The Focal Length Calibration method allows for manual calibration using the scale factor. I have concluded that manual camera calibration causes the greatest improvements to accuracy when the method focuses on every point in the image. Methods that localize accuracy still increase accuracy, but not to the same degree.

Community And Decomposition Dynamics Along A Saltwater Intrusion Gradient On Sapelo Island, Georgia, Zach Gordon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Saltwater intrusion, the movement of ocean water into freshwater, is a significant global threat to coastal freshwater ecosystems linked to both climate change and anthropogenic influences. Alterations to coastal landscapes can increase intrusion. Sapelo Island has an extensive history of agricultural landscape alteration, but freshwater flow decline increased the movement of saltwater inland by tides. Intrusion is expected to increase in frequency and magnitude due to rising sea levels and storms. Salinization puts inland habitats and the humans relying on them at risk. As saltwater is denser than freshwater, more pressure is placed on benthic organisms (i.e., macroinvertebrates) that will …

Seafloor Magnetic Alteration Through Time Across The Northern Mid Atlantic Ridge, Jelil Olamide Olaoye Mr

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The magnetic properties of oceanic crust evolve with age due to chemical alteration, changes in magnetic mineralogy, and physical processes associated with seafloor spreading. This study investigates how magnetic properties change over time in basaltic rocks from the northern Mid Atlantic Ridge, with a focus on two V-shaped ridge sites (VSRs; U1562 and U1563), two V-shaped troughs (VSTs; U1554 and U1555) and a normal crust site formed during episodic mantle upwelling. Magnetic analyses including anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), natural remanent magnetization (NRM), alternating field demagnetization (AF) and hysteresis loops, was performed with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) …

The School Of Becoming: Speculative Essays On Existential Possibility And Humanity In Education, Timothy A. Holman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation reimagines public education through an existential lens, advocating for a humanitarian approach that resists the prevailing dominance of standardized, data-driven systems. Drawing primarily from the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre (1936, 1940, 1943, 1947, 1965, 1992), it contends that education should honor freedom, nurture authenticity, embrace encounters with others, and cultivate imagination as essential to human development. Influenced by the works of William Ayers (1998, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2024), Maxine Greene (1967, 1973, 1978, 1988, 2000, 2001), Paulo Freire (1970, 2001, 2004), Christopher Emdin (2010, 2016, 2021), and Byung-Chul Han (2018, 2024), speculative essays—each focused on an existential theme—are …

Art, Economy, And Society: The Influence Of The Savannah College Of Art And Design On Savannah, Ga, Rebecca Neely

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examines the relationship between the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and neighborhood change in Savannah’s historic districts. It combines GIS analysis of census data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, regression models, and a community survey (n = 60). The qualitative analysis findings suggest that areas near SCAD properties saw disproportionate increases in college-aged residents, White and Asian populations, higher educational attainment, income levels, and housing costs. Survey responses revealed concerns among long-term residents about rising affordability pressures, cultural displacement, and whether revitalization efforts benefit the broader community. Many respondents questioned the balance between the city …

Fresh Eyes: Viewing Education Through A Critical Lens, Glennda Shealey-Griffiths

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation confronts neoliberal ideology in public education, where standardized testing and market-driven accountability systematically undermine teacher autonomy and creative learning. Moving beyond critique to action, this study develops a practical pedagogical framework empowering educators to resist these dehumanizing forces and cultivate democratic learning spaces through arts-integrated professional learning as critical aesthetic pedagogy. Drawing on Henry Giroux, Maxine Greene, Paolo Freire, and Jacques Rancière, this qualitative case study examines a professional learning initiative with public school teachers through interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of participants' photographic projects. These visual works function not merely as documentation but as catalysts for Giroux's …

The Role Of Heterotrophy In The Response Of Oculina Arbuscula To Ocean Acidification, Alejandra E. Daniel

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

On both tropical and temperate reefs, the calcium carbonate skeletons produced by scleractinian corals provide habitat that supports a high biodiversity of fishes and invertebrates. Ocean acidification (OA), driven by excess anthropogenic CO₂ uptake, causes declines in seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration and can compromise coral calcification by causing increased energetic demands. Deciphering how corals meet this increased energetic demand is critical to predicting their future persistence. Oculina arbuscula is a facultatively symbiotic temperate coral common on subtropical reefs of the South Atlantic Bight. This coral has demonstrated calcification resilience to reduced pH conditions in both symbiotic and …

Effects Of Increased Temperatures And Migratory Status On Passerine Chick Rearing Phenology And Caterpillar Prey Synchrony, Marissa Calvert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Many species across the globe have been observed to shift the seasonal timing of life history events in response to climate change-induced shifts in their local environments. However, individual species vary greatly in the direction and magnitude of these phenological shifts. Variation in phenological responsiveness to climate change among interacting species can lead to phenological asynchrony, with potential consequences for survival and population health. In years with increased spring temperatures, the timing of passerine chick rearing and of caterpillar activity may shift earlier or later in the year. Differences in the magnitude and/or direction of phenological shifts among passerines and …

Catalytic Innovation For Sustainable Styrene Production: Green Chemistry Strategies Utilizing Octahedral Ruthenium (Ii) Complexes Supported By A Single Bipyridine Ligand, Kennedy G. Musso, Brandon Quillian, Clifford Padgett, Jose Jimenez

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates: 1) the synthesis and reactivity of the mono- substituted systems, [κ²-(t-bipy)Ru(NCMe)2(Ph)(PR3)][BArF'] supported by different ancillary ligands PR3 = (P(OCH3)3 and P(CH3)3) and a single bidentate ligand, 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine (t-bipy), and 2) UV/heat formation of di-PR3 and tri-PR3 systems supported by a single bidentate ligand to better understand the mechanism of styrene production. Utilizing [(η6-p-cymene)RuI(µ-I)]2 (1), the complexes (η6-p-cymene)RuI2(P(OCH3)3) (2) and (η6-p-cymene)RuI2(P(CH3)3) (3) were synthesized and phenylated to produce (η6-p-cymene)RuI(Ph)(PR3) (6; PR3 = P(OCH3)3 and 7; PR3 = P(CH3)3). Complex 4, (η6-p-cymene)RuCl2(P(CH3)3), was also synthesized and phenylated to produce (η6-p-cymene)RuClPh(P(CH3)3) (5) to understand the impact of chloride versus iodine …

Synthesis And Assessment Of Biobased Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil Resins For Stereolithography 3d Printing Of Microfluidic Devices, Natalie S. Romero Figueroa

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research focuses on the development and characterization of a biobased photocurable resin synthesized from soybean oil for use in stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing of microfluidic devices. The study explores a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based resins by performing an acrylation reaction on epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) to produce acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO), which was then formulated into a photocurable resin with the addition of a photo initiator. The fabrication process involved designing microfluidic molds in SolidWorks and printing them using an Elegoo Mars 4 SLA printer under various exposure and layer thickness parameters. The printed samples consisted of microchannels …

Science, Students, And Self: An Autoethnography Of One Middle School Science Teacher’S Experiences And Challenges With Implementing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Alexandra Dalton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is an autoethnographic inquiry into how the implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy into the middle school classroom is filled with challenges and wins. In this dissertation I explore how implementing culturally relevant pedagogy helped me connect more with my students which in turn increased their academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness. I was able to accomplish this by using the research within my own classroom and reflecting on how my students reacted to the changes in my pedagogy. Using the methodology of autoethnography, I was able to incorporate my own personal experiences as research. I also include …

Structured Conference Participation: Building Professional Identity In Preservice Mathematics Teachers

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators

This paper describes a structured approach to engaging preservice teachers in professional mathematics education conferences through a combination of presentation or volunteer opportunities. We detail a small-scale program implemented at Author’s University that removes financial barriers to conference participation while providing scaffolded support and mentorship. The program design emphasizes building a community through shared experiences and structured reflection. We offer practical guidance for teacher preparation programs seeking to implement similar initiatives, including timeline considerations, mentoring structures, and assessment strategies.

A Comparison: The Science Of Mathematics Vs. The Science Of Math

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators

This paper examines the field of mathematics education and the divisions within this domain. It presents a comparison from two websites, The Science of Math and The Science of Mathematics, and discusses their similarities and differences as they describe and define the field of mathematics education.

School Leaders’ Role In Strengthening Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support To Promote Student Success, Leslie Dial, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Antonio P. Gutierrez De Blume, Caitlin Criss, Mary Josephine Carney

Georgia Educational Researcher

School leadership in education is thinking, communicating, and modeling to maximize student growth and achievement. This quantitative research study explored how school leadership can strengthen the academic progress of students within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). When implementation of MTSS is guided by adaptive school leadership, educators will be prepared, communication will occur, interventions will be established, and data will be evaluated. Adaptive school leaders who build efficacy will ensure fidelity and continuous improvement. Survey research was conducted to analyze the operational level of MTSS regarding the domains of Leadership, Building Capacity for Instruction, Communication and Collaboration, Data-Based Problem-solving, Tiered …

Faculty Handbook, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Handbooks

Faculty Handbook for Georgia Southern University for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Faculty Handbook is published online by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and archived in Digital Commons@Georgia Southern.

Breaking The Plateau: Why Nutrition Must Be The Next Frontier In Maternal And Newborn Health, Tamah Kamlem, Ana M. Palacios, Kelly Sullivan, Ousainou Gomez

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

2024-2025 University Awards Of Excellence, Georgia Southern University

University Awards of Excellence

• Student Success
• Teaching
• Research
• Discovery & Innovation
• Inclusive Excellence
• Operational Efficiency, Effectiveness and Sustainability
• Community Engagement
• Collaboration
• Academic Excellence
• Sustainability
• Leadership
• Team Award

Apex Graphs And Cographs, Jagdeep Singh, Vaidy Sivaraman, Thomas Zaslavsky

Theory & Applications of Graphs

A class G of graphs is called hereditary if it is closed under taking induced subgraphs. We denote by G^{apex} the class of graphs G that contain a vertex v such that G − v is in G. Borowiecki, Drgas-Burchardt, and Sidorowicz proved that if a hereditary class G has finitely many forbidden induced subgraphs, then so does G^{apex}. We provide an elementary proof of this result.

The hereditary class of cographs consists of all graphs G that can be generated from K_1 using complementation and disjoint union. A graph is an apex cograph if it contains a …

Tweeting Over Time: Twitter/X For Communication, Assessment, And Growth In Middle Level Teacher Education, Toni M. Williams

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

This article shares how preservice Middle Level teacher candidates used social media, specifically Twitter/X as both a resource and a tool and how that tool became important in assessing student growth and knowledge building which, in turn, informed instructional planning for the teacher education classroom. This is paramount for teacher educators and the future educators they teach, as they are preparing to create a variety of engagements for learning in teacher education programs and in middle level classrooms. Creating an online community is a means in which all preservice teachers can use their voices while at the same time having …

Translanguaging In Middle Level Education, Helen Brandon, Ellis Hurd

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

This case study explores the experiences of two teacher candidates (TCs) in professional development school (PDS) settings with multilingual learners. While valuing multilingual learner’s diverse linguistic backgrounds and language repertoires by drawing from a toolkit of responsive practices, the TCs embraced but struggled with layering translanguaging into their classroom practices. It also examines the middle grades program that these TCs attended while centering asset-based thinking and culturally responsive practices. Overall, this study shows that teacher education programs must include another critical layer to TCs’ experiences: building the toolkit of middle school cooperating teachers (CTs). This study also serves as a …