Digital Commons Network^™

Movement Ecology And Population Dynamics Of Box-Nesting Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna Autumnalis) In Louisiana, Katie E. Miranda

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding demographic and behavioral processes underlying population dynamics is essential for effective wildlife management, especially for species subject to harvest pressure or experiencing population shifts. Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) are currently undergoing a notable northward range expansion and are increasing in abundance across the southeastern United States, raising management concerns for both ecological and economic reasons. As a result, there is growing public support for a special Black-bellied Whistling-Duck-specific harvest season, yet little research has been conducted on this species, particularly within newly-established populations. To address this gap, I conducted this study with the goal of evaluating seasonal …

Understanding The Needs And Practices Of Cut Flower Growers In Louisiana, Jessie M. Hoover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The specialty cut flower industry is expanding nationwide, including southeastern states such as Louisiana. Existing studies and market analyses focus on national trends of other regions with established floriculture networks, leaving a critical gap in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities faced by growers in Louisiana. This lack of data limits the ability of extension professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop targeted strategies that support local production and market development. This study used qualitative case study methods to investigate the practices, challenges, and needs of 13 specialty cut flower growers in Louisiana. The study utilized Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1986) …

Effects Of Peer Tutoring Training Duration And Group Piano Level On Harmonization And Transposition Achievement And Learning Attitudes Of Undergraduate Non-Keyboard Music Students, Jinnan Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among peer tutoring training duration, group piano level, and undergraduate non-keyboard music students’ achievement in harmonization and transposition, as well as their learning attitude following peer tutoring. Based on the literature on cooperative learning, peer-assisted learning, and reciprocal peer tutoring, this study examined whether differences in training duration and group piano level were related to student performance and learning experiences in university group piano.

A quasi-experimental 2  2 design was used. The independent variables were peer tutoring training duration (2-day vs. 4-day) and group piano level (Group Piano II vs. …

Safe By Construction, Personalized By Design: Formal Methods Meet Human Feedback For Safe And Adaptive Autonomous Systems Behavior, Ruya Karagulle, Necmiye Ozay

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Control Theories For Machine Learning Algorithms Analysis And Design (Ct4ml): An Overview Of A Short Course, Yangquan Chen

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Data-Driven Predictive Control For Uav Interception Via Koopman-Based Lifting, Sanjay Maharjan, Darren Johnson, Animesh Bangal, Yousuf Atteia, Tariq Hlayel, Adrian Stein

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Soft Robotics And Sensor-Embedded Inferior Vena Cava Simulator, Robert Herbert, Julio Zuazola, Anish Maharjan, Tatum Dixon, Landon Hyder, Lily Nguyen

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Gain-Modulated Pid Control: A Framework For Sensitivity Shaping Under Parametric Uncertainty, Nyi Nyi Aung, Abigail Lawlor, Adrian Stein

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Fairness-Aware Management Of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Paulo Bessa Do Rego Monteiro, Ricardo Pinto De Castro

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Modular Learning‑Based Control Frameworks For Efficient Mobilit, Sidra Bhatti, Qadeer Ahmed

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

The General Polyak-Lojasiewicz Inequality And Its Connection To Neural Network Training, Arthur Castello B. De Oliveira, Eduardo Sontag

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Towards Adaptive Driver Training: Online Estimation Of Dual-Task Performance Model Parameters, Aleksandra Dudek, Patrick Linford, Zihan Yu, Scott James, Matthew Castanier, Chris Vermillion, Kira Barton

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Control System Development For Wave Energy Converters With Active Mechanical Motion Rectifier, Lisheng Yang, Zechuan Lin, John Vincent Ringwood, Lei Zuo

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Modal Supervisory Coordination Of Power Source Transitions In Data Centers Via Lingua Franca And Simulink Co-Simulation, Md Rubel Ahmed, Md Kibria Saroare

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Entropy-Aware Model Predictive Control For Transient Quality Mitigation In Metal Additive Manufacturing, Md Shafikul Islam, Mahathir Mohamamd Bappy, Saifur Rahman Tushar

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Model-Reference Adaptive Flight Control Of The 95-Mg Bee++, Francisco Goncalves, Conor K. Trygstad, Nestor O. Perez-Arancibia

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Multiagent Social Influence: Modeling Persuasion In Contested Social Networks, Renukanandan Tumu, Cristian Ioan Vasile, Victor Preciado, Rahul Mangharam

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

Newton-Flow Particle Filters Based On Generalized Cramér Distance, Uwe D. Hanebeck

2026 LSU Symposium on Control, Learning, and Intelligent Systems

No abstract provided.

To Be Closer, Sarah Moschel Miller

LSU Master's Theses

to be closer explores the intersection of yearning and unease. This series of works uses the visual language of the body and its thresholds to explore how each of us builds interpersonal relationships and understandings of self. Pulling from abjection theory, the abject comes from the internal becoming external, the crossing of a bodily or personal threshold. My sculptures, vessels, and prints translate the visual language of the border of the body into a discussion of emotional ones. to be closer uses these corporeal thresholds and the language of the uncanny as vehicles to discuss the crossing of emotional …

The Effects Of Asymmetric Cervical Muscle Fatigue On Cervical Proprioception, Stepping, And Standing Postural Sway, Maryam Homafar

LSU Master's Theses

Background: The cervical spine contributes critically to proprioception and postural control through its dense mechanoreceptor population. The acute effects of asymmetrical cervical muscle fatigue on proprioception, gait, and balance remain understudied, especially considering its widespread occurrence in multiple populations.

Objective: To investigate the acute effects of asymmetrical cervical muscle fatigue on cervical proprioception, stepping ability, and standing postural sway in healthy young adults.

Methods: Eighteen of 25 healthy participants, who met the inclusion criterion of baseline cervical joint position error (CJPE) below 4.5° for left and right rotational directions, completed pre-fatigue and post-fatigue assessments with eyes closed, including CJPE test, …

This Body Held Others, Mia I. Pons

LSU Master's Theses

The exhibition this body held others examines the body's invisible depths, the unseen, and its interpersonal memories. These ideas are explored through printmaking, book arts, and papermaking, with a focus on their connection and response to the materiality and nature of the body. Through the examination of my personal archive this work explores the collection, reconstruction, and recycling of imagery. The exhibition explores an unfolding story that examines how the ephemeral and corporeal survival and legacy of self and maternal lineage. These ideas are explored through the exhibitions three sections; emergence, body merger / departure, and the return. The attention …

Models, Agency, And Expectations: A Mixed-Methods Study Of How Character Develops In Middle School, Aaron J. Schwindt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigated how character develops among middle school students at an international school recognized as a "National School of Character." Despite significant investment in character education (CE), a lack of formal evaluation exists, particularly regarding the process of development during the critical middle school years, a period of intense neurological and social change. Grounded in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study aimed to (1) understand how character develops, (2) compare development before and after program enhancements, and (3) assess the program's impact on discipline. Phase 1 collected Character Growth Index (CGI) survey data from students …

Silent No Longer: Pedro Albizu Campos And The Fbi, Noah D. Dubroff

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis explores the Puerto Rican revolutionary, Pedro Albizu Campos, and how he evolved from a typical independence-minded young man into a radical who actively rebelled against the colonial rule of the U.S. because of the pressures applied by law enforcement agencies, especially the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The United States annexed Puerto Rico in 1898 at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. Ever since, many Puerto Ricans have strongly advocated for their independence from the continental U.S., shaping the relationship into the present day. This article argues that the pressure and strain of such an imperial relationship influenced Albizu …

Climate Change Attributable Flooding And Post-Disaster Housing Market Dynamics: Evidence From Hurricane Harvey, Kaylynn Larrison

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, yet the social consequences of climate change attributable impacts remain relatively underexplored. This dissertation examines whether flooding attributable to climate change was associated with distinct post-disaster recovery outcomes following Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas. To explore this link, parcel-level flood model outputs are integrated with Harris County Appraisal District parcel data and OpenFEMA records on tract-level flood insurance policies and post-Harvey aid. Response variables are operationalized as change scores to capture differences between pre- and post-storm conditions and outcomes are measured over a five-year post-storm period. Across …

Automated Analysis Of Radiation Oncology Incident Reports Using Large Language Models, Nathan A. Dobranski

LSU Master's Theses

Patient safety incident reporting in radiation oncology requires expert analysis that is time-intensive and subject to variability. This thesis presents the development and technical validation of a locally deployed large language model (LLM) system for automated incident report analysis across multiple cancer centers. The system was designed for automated summarization and taxonomy assignment of Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS) reports, operating entirely on local infrastructure to preserve patient privacy. A two-round, multi-rater evaluation methodology was employed, incorporating 600 total expert evaluations from two academic cancer centers. Round 1 established baseline performance using Mistral 7B and Mixtral 8x7B models with …

Comparing The Effects Of Suicide Stigma Reduction Interventions On Adult Help-Seeking Intentions: An Experimental Investigation, Max Stivers

LSU Master's Theses

With relatively few individuals who experience suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors (STB) engaging in formal treatment, one critical aspect of bridging the treatment gap is to reduce barriers to their seeking help (WHO, 2014). Stigma regarding suicide and mental health help-seeking has been identified as a barrier to care, inspiring development of interventions and public health campaigns targeting stigma reduction as a means of increasing help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and behavior (Corrigan et al., 2004). However, because efforts focusing specifically on reducing stigma may fail to address other logistical and psychosocial barriers to engaging with treatment, their broader impact in promoting help-seeking …

Recent Wetland Elevation Dynamics In Coastal Louisiana, Usa, Elizabeth Harris

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal marshes globally are increasingly vulnerable to accelerating relative sea-level rise (RSLR), which threatens their capacity to maintain elevation through feedbacks among sediment supply, vegetation productivity, hydrology, and soil processes. Although many marshes can persist under moderate rates of sea-level rise through vertical accretion and belowground biomass production, this resilience is strongly constrained by sediment availability and subsurface processes such as autocompaction and organic matter decomposition. High accretion is often assumed to confer marsh resilience; however, subsurface processes, particularly autocompaction driven by surface loading, can substantially offset elevation gains. Coastal Louisiana experiences among the highest rates of RSLR worldwide due …

Setbacks And Stigmas: The Career Consequences Of Mental Health Treatment For Soldiers In Combat Roles, Micah Mark Marchand

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines how potential career consequences, perceived stigma, and confidentiality concerns influence mental health help-seeking among United States Army Soldiers, with particular attention to differences across Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) categories. Despite the availability of behavioral health services, many service members delay or avoid treatment due to fears that seeking care may negatively impact their careers, including risks to promotion, deployment eligibility, and retention. Guided by Systems Theory, this research explores how interconnected military structures, policies, and cultural norms shape these perceptions and behaviors.

Using a confidential survey design, data were collected from current service members and recently separated …

The Right-To-Work Debate In Louisiana: How A Moment Of Violence Changed Law, Emma K. Thigpen

LSU Master's Theses

These two projects focus on the rise of business communities in twentieth century politics of the South and how they shaped national visions of the United States’ economic future. Chapter 1, a primary source project about how labor violence led to a Right-to-Work law, examines the actions of the La. AFL-CIO, led by Victor Bussie, and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, led by Edward Steimel, as they pursue alternate visions of economic progress and the “American way.” A major theme of this chapter is how violence was manipulated and refashioned to legitimize a lobbying organization and legislation intended …

Public Understanding Of Ai-Enabled Cyber Threats And Its Impact On Cybersecurity Governance In The United States, Charlotte M. Barbrick

LSU Master's Theses

Artificial intelligence is spreading quickly in workplaces and everyday life, and that fast growth is creating cybersecurity and privacy risks that current laws and organizational practices do not fully address. This thesis asks whether AI-specific knowledge shapes public support for cybersecurity governance of AI-enabled systems in the United States. Using nationally representative survey data from the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP) Wave 119, fielded December 12--18, 2022, I estimate weighted regression models to test how objective AI knowledge shapes support for cybersecurity governance. I also test whether concern about data misuse helps explain that relationship and whether AI …