Digital Commons Network^™

Endowment To Help Fund Experiential Learning For Education Majors, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – When University of Mississippi education majors have opportunities to travel for field trips, Renee Hill-Cunningham wants to make sure there's no student left behind.

January 3, 2025, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Applied Statistics Course Offerings: Spring 2025, University Of Mississippi. Graduate School

GMAS Course List

No abstract provided.

Hydrogen And Halogen Interactions With 2,6 Dimethoxypyridine, Margaret Manning Stucky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Raman spectroscopy and computational chemistry are used to explore the effects of non-covalent interactions with the nitrogen-containing building block 2,6-dimethoxypyridine. Previously, we have shown that hydrogen and halogen bonding with simple nitrogen containing heterocycles leads to partial charge transfer and evolving spectroscopic properties. Adding electron donating and withdrawing groups to azabenzenes should allow us then to tune these interactions. Here, 2,6-dimethoxypyridine (DMOP) with its two methoxy substituents offers an excellent opportunity to study the effect of electron withdrawal on spectroscopic observables. Unlike in previous studies, however, hydrogen bonding led to no discernable experimental spectroscopic changes in mixtures of DMOP and …

Because Kids: Improving Reading Outcomes For Students In A Low-Performing Rural School, Cornishee Jekee Bruce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this applied research study, I aimed to improve reading growth among at-risk, low-performing fifth and sixth-grade students at West Upper Elementary School, which was designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school. I employed a data-driven decision-making framework, introduced the iReady reading computer program, and used high-quality instructional materials to address students' ongoing literacy issues. The research revealed a slight decline in the lowest reading percentiles by integrating quantitative and qualitative data collection methods through a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle for continuous improvement. However, significant gains emerged in lower performance tiers, including significant decreases in the number of students at the …

Designing Security Primitives Using Digital And Analog Discrete-Time Chaotic Systems, Mrittika Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we explore the design of lightweight, reconfigurable, and entropy-rich security primitives using both digital and analog discrete-time chaotic systems. By leveraging the inherent unpredictability, sensitivity to initial conditions, and nonlinear dynamics of chaos theory, we present two distinct architectures: a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) built using digital chaotic maps and a physically unclonable function (PUF) constructed from a compact analog chaotic oscillator. Each system is tailored for efficient implementation on resource-constrained platforms while maintaining strong statistical and security properties.

The Underrepresentation Of African American Male Educators In K-12 Education, Nisa Lewis Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American education system has struggled with a significant teacher shortage for years. Alongside this shortage is the underrepresentation of African American male teachers. Despite the increasing diversity of the student population, African American men make up less than 2% of teachers nationwide (Aftunion, 2020). This disparity denies all kids access to diverse perspectives in the classroom and limits the presence of role models for students of color. Research studies have shown that African American students who have African American teachers show improvement in their grades, standardized test scores, attendance records, and graduation rates (Breazeale, 2023). This study aimed to …

Copulas And Applications Of The Multivariate Central Limit Theorem In Statistics, Mous-Abou Hamadou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We first investigate the mixing properties of copula-based Markov chains,

Secure Wireless Communication With Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces, Babita Pradhan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the promising use of Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) for enhancing the security in wireless communication, this dissertation explores secure wireless communication facilitated by IRS to improve the secrecy rate of the system. We consider a multiple-input single-output (MISO) communication system supported by the IRS in the presence of a single legitimate user (Bob) and an illegitimate user (Eve).

First, we focus on maximizing the secrecy rate of the system through joint optimization of transmit beamforming and the phase shifts of the IRS elements. We examine two methods: (1) Method 1, which directly optimizes the secrecy rate as the objective …

Slope Stability Hazard Investigation Of Calhoun County, Mississippi And The County Road 210 Landslide, Miles Heath Grames

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses geological field data, laboratory characterization of sediments, and multiple computational models of slope stability to investigate a landslide that occurred in Calhoun County, Mississippi. The primary hypothesis is that intense rainfall led to the saturation of the slope, triggering failure through the reduction of shear strength.

Fieldwork included drilling at the failure site to obtain subsurface samples and drone-based site characterizations. Laboratory analysis included soil descriptions, grain size analysis, and Atterberg limit testing. Sample characterizations revealed a stratified soil profile dominated by fine-grained silts and clays, including an organic-rich lignite layer (OL). Strata generally exhibit low permeability …

Partitions Into Sums Of Two Squares And Gaps Between Zeros Of L-Functions, Jaime Hernandez Palacios

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work consists of two distinct problems. In the first one, we use a variation of the Circle Method, along with ideas coming from the Saddle Point Method, to obtain an asymptotic formula for the number of partitions of a number n into integers which are sums of two squares. In the second problem, we discuss some new results for large and small gaps between the ordinates of zeros of high degree zeta and L-functions, including Dedekind zeta-functions associated with Galois extensions of Q and principal automorphic L-functions.

A Spoonful Of Sugar: A Mathematics Board And Card Games Intervention For Kindergarten Students At Risk For Mathematics Disabilities, Leah Kai Tiisler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early mathematics knowledge in kindergarten students can predict their later success in school and in life, while difficulties with mathematics early on can derail a child’s future unless they are provided with effective interventions. Ideally, interventions should be developmentally appropriate, playful, low in stress, and easy to implement. Board games and card games can be integrated into math interventions and easily adapted to include early arithmetic elements. This dissertation investigates the impact of a mathematics board and card game intervention on kindergarten students at risk for mathematics disabilities. The study employed a single-subject research design to assess the effectiveness of …

The Predictive Value Of College Entrance Exams On Retention Of Domestic, First-Time, Full-Time Freshman At The University Of Mississippi, James D. Corner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the predictive value of college entrance exams specifically the ACT and SAT on the academic retention of domestic, first-time, full-time freshmen at the University of Mississippi. With the rise of test-optional admissions models, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this research investigates whether standardized test scores remain relevant in forecasting student success, defined by persistence from freshman to sophomore year and academic performance measured through GPA in the first and second semesters. Drawing upon a conceptual framework that includes pre-college characteristics, standardized assessments, and early academic performance, this study challenges the long-held assumption that standardized exams …

Large Sample Theory For Some New Copula-Based Models, Sahifa Siddiqua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores continuous-state stationary reversible Markov chains generated by a new family of absolutely continuous symmetric copulas that have square-integrable densities. We examine and define parameter estimation techniques for the Markov chains generated by the new family of copulas and different marginals. Furthermore, we provide the joint limiting distributions and confidence intervals/regions of these estimators. We also look into the parameter estimation and it’s limiting distributions for bivariate independent data generated by the new family of copula and various marginal distributions. A simulation study using R is proposed to support our findings.

Dream And Reality: Warping Southern Mythologies, Greta Koshenina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Details fade upon waking from dreams, and childhood memories wither over time. My work holds a moment and strips away details. What seems captured is ephemeral. This thesis explores the fleeting nature of memory through a multimedia installation of cyanotype photography and a poetic documentary short film. I blend family videos and photographs with ancient and medieval religious iconography to emphasize art's connection to the unconscious, particularly the archetypes expressed in dreams. The written portion examines the influence, process, and context of my artwork. I delve into these concepts in a review of Southern literature, documentary films, and photography. Oral …

Voltage-Dependent Anion-Selective Channels 1 And 2 Wild Type And Mutant Bh3-Like Domain Peptides: Analysis Of Secondary Structure And Binding Stoichiometry To Recombinant Bax, Geanell C. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite national efforts to increase female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), women remain significantly underrepresented in collegiate STEM programs. This pilot study sought to identify pre-collegiate factors that influence female students’ decisions to enroll and persist in STEM collegiate programs at the University of Mississippi, a predominantly white R1 research institution using qualitative methods. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, the research examined the environmental, behavioral, and personal determinants that shape academic pathways for women in STEM.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six sophomore female STEM majors. Thematic analysis revealed that early exposure to structured …

Non-Standard Interaction Effects On Neutrino Oscillations In Dune, Ehsan Farooq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, we aim to investigate the effects of matter-induced neutrino oscillations and non-standard interactions (NSIs) in long-baseline neutrino experiments, with a focus on long base line neutrino oscillation experiments, the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and the Neutrino at Main Injector( NuMI) Off-Axis electron-neutrino Appearance (NOvA) Experiment. Neutrino propagation through matter can be significantly modified by both the standard Mikheyev–Smirnov–Wolfenstein (MSW) effect and possible NSIs, which introduce additional flavor-dependent interactions beyond the Standard Model. We will systematically vary the NSI parameters to study how they enhance or suppress the neutrino oscillation probabilities, particularly for appearance and disappearance channels. …

Working With Parents/Guardians To Provide Support And Knowledge For Structured Literacy Spelling Instruction At Home, Claire Rearick Fearn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice explores the role of spelling instruction within the framework of the Science of Reading (SOR) and Structured Literacy (SL). This research examines how spelling, a vital yet acquired literacy skill, is foundational to reading and writing development and should be taught explicitly and systematically through SL principles. Drawing on research in cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and educational research the study highlights how the brain learns to read and spell, reinforcing the need for evidence-based instruction that integrates both encoding and decoding practices. Despite research starting the importance of teaching spelling utilizing SL methods, spelling instruction and …

An Advanced Machine Learning Framework And Multi-Label Heart Disease Classification With Unet-Based Nucleus Segmentation, Md Rahat Kader Khan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growing demand for accurate, rapid, and interpretable diagnostic tools in the medical field has spurred the integration of artificial intelligence into various healthcare applications. Acute Myocardial Infarction, which remains one of the primary causes of mortality in both developed and developing nations, requires timely and precise identification to prevent life-threatening complications. In response to the lack of interpretable AI models tailored to diagnosing AMI using hemogram parameters, this study presents a robust machine learning-based framework that explores the diagnostic potential of these parameters. By evaluating several machine learning techniques, the research establishes the superiority of boosting algorithms, particularly the …

Optimizing Infill Density For Fabricating Novel Radio Frequency Devices Utilizing Additive Manufacturing, Bibek Kattel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, is revolutionizing radio frequency engineering. Along with rapid prototyping and fabricating complex structures, it enables varying substrate thickness and dielectric properties, which are highly beneficial for radio frequency research. However, despite its growing popularity, there’s a gap in understanding how 3D printing process parameters affect the electrical properties of the 3D printed structure. In radio frequency design, where device performance and characteristics heavily depend on electrical parameters such as relative permittivity, this hinders the consistency, repeatability, and reliability of 3D printed radio frequency devices.

This research addressed this gap by investigating the relationship …

The Characterization Of Radiation Forces Using Tunable Acoustic Lenses, Sina Rostami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the design, analysis, and optimization of tunable acoustic lenses with a primary focus on beamforming, dynamic focusing, and the generation of limited diffraction beams. The study examines the performance of four-channel and six-channel lenses in producing highly controlled ultrasonic fields with minimal diffraction. Numerical simulations and experimental validation are used to demonstrate how these lenses effectively form focused beams that maintain spatial coherence over a range of distances.

A systematic comparison between the four-channel and six-channel lenses is performed at multiple focal configurations (5.5 cm, 7.8 cm, and 10.0 cm). The results show that both lens types …

An Evaluation Of A Collaborative Effort In High School Science Classes To Support Teaching And Learning Through Professional Development, Shalanda Saulsberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to improve high school teachers’ instructional practices through professional learning. This applied research study, using program evaluation, sought to improve science instruction in building their capacity through instructional practices. Faculty interest was created from reviewing various school and district data sources, observing the practices of science teachers, and having informal conversations with students about learning. Although professional development was provided in the past, there was a need for content-specific science professional learning to change teachers’ instructional practices. Through targeted professional development sessions, as well as observation and feedback, there was a goal of increasing …

Maximum Likelihood Estimation For Partially Observed Markov Model Using Different Tail Perturbations, Zamzam Qazi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work is about parameter estimation of POMP models using the two-time scale Iterated Filtering algorithms with p-generalized Gaussian perturbations. The algorithms are effective for estimating numerous types of infectious disease models such as COVID-19, influenza or various other diseases. First, we introduce the generalization of Stein’s identity for normal distribution to p-generalized Gaussian distribution, which enables more flexible perturbation with different tail behaviors. Then, we provide proofs and verify their authenticity by applying them in black box optimization as well as optimization of multivariate state space models. Also, we propose a novel weighted average algorithm for maximizing likelihood through …

Efficient Hierarchical Design In Reservoir Computing, Shuai Song

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reservoir Computing (RC) has established itself as a compelling paradigm for modeling complex temporal dynamics, particularly owing to its efficient training regime, theoretical grounding in dynamical systems, and growing compatibility with hardware-oriented deployments. Among RC variants, Echo State Networks (ESNs) remain popular due to their simplicity and effectiveness; however, traditional ESNs with densely connected, randomly initialized reservoirs present inherent limitations in scalability, energy efficiency, and hardware realizability challenges that hinder their adoption in edge and embedded intelligence scenarios.

In this work, we present an efficient hierarchical reservoir computing framework that integrates three complementary strategies: (1) deterministic Simple Cycle Reservoirs (SCRs) …

A Study Of The Ultrasonic Properties Of Dispersive Materials, Farhana Afrose Sonia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the ultrasonic behavior of nanocomposite and polymer materials by evaluating the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of 20% multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced composites and nylon. The primary goal of the work is to study longitudinal and shear wave propagation in both composite and homogeneous media. To achieve this, I used thru transmission techniques to collect data at multiple incident angles, including 0°, 30°, 35°, and 40° relative to the transmitting transducer.

I analyzed the acquired ultrasonic signals using both time-domain and frequency-domain techniques. In the time-domain approach, I measured the peak-to-peak time delay from gated waveforms …

Academic Achievement Variables: Significance Devalued By Correlated Variables, Ray J. Yancy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This correlational study investigates the relationship between student academic achievement and various external factors, including funding, student attendance, school attributes, and family income, across 147 Tennessee K-12 public school districts. Using Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) and End-Of-Course (EOC) scores to define student achievement, the study analyzes data from over 1900 schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Employing the statistical analysis software - SPSS - for descriptive and correlation analysis, the study excludes schools with incomplete data. The findings reveal significant correlations between student achievement and 80% of the external variables, rejecting the null hypothesis in 12 of 15 cases …

Modeling Capillary-Gravity Wave Scattering With Contact Lines And Meniscus, Guoqin Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capillary–gravity wave scattering is crucial in fluid systems governed by gravitational and surface tension forces, yet classical theories often neglect key boundary and geometric effects. This dissertation examines two influential mechanisms—dynamic contact line conditions and meniscus curvature—that significantly affect wave behavior at smaller scales.

First, a semi-analytical framework is presented to show how dynamic contact lines, modeled by an effective-slip boundary, alter wave reflection and transmission around a fixed, semi-immersed cylindrical barrier. Using linear potential flow theory combined with conformal mapping and integral-equation methods, the study quantifies how barrier geometry, Bond number, and slip parameters shape energy dissipation. It identifies …

Careers On The Spectrum: Enhancing Higher Education Career Services For First-Generation Neurodivergent College Students, Shyra Jannay Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the unique career service needs and experiences of first-generation neurodivergent college students (FGNCS) at the University of Mississippi. First-generation college students (FGCS), as the first in their families to attend college, often face distinct challenges in navigating higher education due to limited familial support and unfamiliarity with academic resources. Meanwhile, neurodivergent students, those with conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and various cognitive differences, encounter unique barriers related to sensory sensitivities, communication, and social integration within academic and career environments. At the intersection of these identities, FGNCS encounter distinct challenges in career services that may not …

Advancing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Innovative Applications Of Hot Melt Extrusion For The Preparation Of Drug Complexes And Fixed Dose Combination Immediate Release Formulation With Diverse Crystalline Properties, Sivaram Munnangi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research encompasses three distinct studies focusing on innovative applications of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The first investigation explores the implementation of solvent-free hot-melt extrusion (HME) to enhance the solubility and dissolution of Ibuprofen (IBU) through the formation of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. Molecular docking and phase solubility studies confirmed the hosting of IBU in Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβ-CD). A twin-screw co-rotating extruder aided complex formation, and a Quality by Design (QbD) approach, using a Box-Behnken design, systematically studied the impact of process variables on solubility and dissolution. The second study delves into abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) employing ion-exchange resin complexation as a chemical barrier. …

Meeting The Mandate: An Applied Research Study On Improving Student Success In Advanced Placement Courses., Heather Bryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational policy influences the landscape of American public schools. School leaders are tasked with navigating change and addressing unforeseen repercussions stemming from shifts in educational policy. As Mississippi moved to integrate Advanced Placement courses in all high schools, school leaders were tasked to comply and provide systems of support for school and student achievement. These unintended consequences led to an adjustment in expectations and rigor in all classrooms. This applied research study with program evaluation aimed to mitigate this change and support not only Advanced Placement students, but all students, to facilitate student growth and achievement. The program sought to …