Digital Commons Network^™

Creating And Testing The Higher Education Leadership Competencies (Helc) Model: A Study Of Athletics Directors, Senior Student Affairs Officers, And Chief Academic Officers, Zachary A Smith

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was threefold: to extend existing knowledge of McDaniel's (2002) qualitative inquiry of higher education leadership competencies by testing her theory using quantitative methods; to either affirm or create a new, more refined model of higher education leadership competencies based on the results of the data analysis; and finally, to compare the similarities and differences of important competencies necessary for effective leadership between and within three groups of leaders in higher education: athletics directors (ADs), senior student affairs officers (SSAOs), and chief academic officers (CAOs); Goodness of fit results indicated McDaniel's 4-category model of higher education …

Soil Moisture And Hydrological Drought In The Colorado River Basin, Chunling Tang

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the interannual variability of soil moisture as related to large-scale climate variability, and oceanic-atmospheric patterns. Firstly, a three-layer hydrological model VIC-3L (Variable Infiltration Capacity Model - 3 layers) was used in the Upper Colorado River basin at a daily time step and a 1/8 spatial resolution over a 50-year (1950 to 2000) period. Using wavelet analysis, deep soil moisture was compared to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), precipitation, and streamflow to determine whether deep soil moisture is an indicator of climate extremes; Secondly, this research evaluates the spatial and temporal variability of soil moisture by using …

Business, Community And Education Perceptions Regarding Education Needs In Nevada, Charlotte Curtis

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The study ascertained the perceptions of business, community and education representatives on the education needs in Nevada. The research followed up a Statewide Needs Assessment Process conducted in 2004 involving 60 people with interviews conducted with selected representatives in 2007. The Nevada needs assessment was the first recorded example of a formal process designed to determine stakeholder perceptions about education. The research conducted in 2007 provided an update on what was learned from the Statewide Needs Assessment Process in 2004. The major themes that surfaced in the 2004 needs assessment were: (1) Ready to Learn, (2) Successful Transitions, (3) Equity …

Examining Women Faculty Experiences Using The Model Of Human Occupation Perspective: A Qualitative Approach In One Community College, Christine R Privott

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Occupations for women in the academy have been changing over the last century. Contemporary studies that have looked at women faculty work have been mixed in their findings about the relationship between gender and job satisfaction. Few studies have focused on two-year-college models of women's experiences as faculty; Set in the context of occupational science theories, this qualitative study explored the daily work of women faculty in one community college. The concept of faculty work was viewed through Kielhofner's Model of Human Occupation, which suggests that occupations are made up of three subsystems of human action or doing: volition, habituation, …

Effects Of Possible Selves Instruction On Self -Determination Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer L Stringfellow

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Students with disabilities face a difficult transition from high school to adult life. In the areas of employment and post secondary education students with disabilities have difficulty being successful (National Council on Disability, 2004; U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). The need for students with disabilities to be adequately prepared for the transition from school to adult life has been stated in government reports and research (Raskind, Goldberg, Higgins, & Herman, 1999; Wehmeyer, 1999; Field, Sarver, & Shaw, 2003, National Council on Disability, 2004; Reiff, 2004); The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Possible Selves program (Hock, …

Investigation Of The Robustness Of Star Graph Networks, Xiaolong Wu

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The star interconnection network has been known as an attractive alternative to n-cube for interconnecting a large number of processors. It possesses many nice properties, such as vertex/edge symmetry, recursiveness, sublogarithmic degree and diameter, and maximal fault tolerance, which are all desirable when building an interconnection topology for a parallel and distributed system. Investigation of the robustness of the star network architecture is essential since the star network has the potential of use in critical applications. In this study, three different reliability measures are proposed to investigate the robustness of the star network. First, a constrained two-terminal reliability measure referred …

Experimental And Finite Element Studies Of Shock Transmission Through Bolted Joints, Masoud Feghhi

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this study is to analyze and assess the dynamic behavior of bolted joint connections subjected to impact loads using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and experiment. Also, it investigates the effect of the joint on shock propagation through the structure. There is little or no literature available describing the proper method for analyzing the transient shock propagation across bolted connections. The main study will be performed on hat sections bolted to a flat plate. These simple configurations are representative of structures found in many military ground vehicles that can be subjected to transient impact and blast loads. The …

Incorporating Spatial Characteristics In Travel Demand Models, Valerian Kwigizile

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this study was to address one of the major weaknesses of the ubiquitous four-step procedure for travel demand modeling: omission of spatial interactions between the variables. While contiguity of the analysis zones is commonly used to define spatial interaction of the variables in spatial analysis, it might not capture the interactions of travel demand variables. In this study, the efficacies of four alternative methods for defining spatial relationships: contiguity, separation, a combination of contiguity and separation, and economic linkages (accessibility), were evaluated. The home-based-work (HBW) spatial models and non-spatial models for trip attraction, and trip production were …

Development Of Seat Shock Isolation Systems, Erik Wolf

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A numerical model has been created to predict the behavior of seat shock isolation systems exposed to mine blast loaDing The model is a two dimensional, five degree-of-freedom, rigid body, mass-spring-damper approximation of the seat system and human occupant. The outputs of the model are the positions, velocities, and accelerations of the system masses, the forces of the connecting elements, such as the seat cushion force, the load limiter force, the spinal force, and the Dynamic Response Index (DRI) based on the pelvic z-axis acceleration. The model has been calibrated with drop tower test data collected by the Army Research …

Seven Cs Of Reading Comprehension Strategy/Graphic Organizer, Michele Frances Farmer

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The intervention was Seven Cs/graphic organizer, comprised of seven steps (connect, clarify, consider, collect, converse, conclude and cite) in a graphic organizer format. It is completed as the reader works through the reading process (pre, during, and after-reading) in a nonfiction reading selection. The purposes of this study were as follows: (a) to determine if the use of the Seven Cs strategy/graphic organizer increased nonfiction reading comprehension scores for middle school students with learning disabilities, (b) to determine if the use of the Seven Cs strategy/graphic organizer in other content areas increased reading comprehension for the participants when measured through …

Songs From The Ashes: An Examination Of Three Holocaust-Themed Song Cycles By Lori Laitman, Serdar Ilban

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

During the years of the Holocaust, literature of many different types was generated in order to fulfill the distinctive needs of people caught in an unimaginable nightmare. Despite the horrific conditions or perhaps propelled by them, the Jewish people kept diaries, wrote poetry and stories, and they made music, in particular, by singing. This literature represents the undying hope, the very soul of the Jewish people; Lori Laitman is one of the most prolific composers of American art songs working today. Although the amount of scholarly work on Laitman's music is rather limited, this should not diminish the worthiness of …

German Mathematics Teachers' Subject Content And Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teresa A Leavitt

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

How required teacher knowledge is obtained is debated in today's educational context. This dichotomy in acquisition of teacher knowledge between university training including content and pedagogy versus classroom experiences combined with strong subject background has become particularly important as the U.S. seeks to find key components to increase student achievement and to improve education. International comparisons indicating the U.S. consistently lags behind top-performing countries have spurred such efforts; Review of existing literature exposed differences in what is considered necessary knowledge for effective teaching, and where such knowledge can be developed. Types of knowledge and where such knowledge is acquired are …

Exploring Relationships Between Configurations Of Technology Use And Professional Development Among Ces Teachers, Andrew Hyrum Mcarthur

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect recent technology integration was having on teaching in the Church Education System (CES). Specifically, this study sought to identify (a) different configurations of technology use; (b) different forms and processes of support; and (c) examine the relationships between the two. Education change theory, particularly the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, was used to guide the research. An Innovation Configuration (IC) Map was developed and used to collect data. Three configurations of use were identified: Independent---teachers who proactively learned technology on their own and implement it well; Interdependent---teachers who are fairly new to …

Discover Mojave Outdoor World Activity Unit Curriculum, Daphne Sewing, Jennell M. Miller, Allison Brody

Curriculum materials (DM)

This document provides suggested activity outlines for each recreational unit as well as available resources, pertinent contacts, checklists, and activity assessments. Each unit is correlated with the themes identified by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Conservation Education and Interpretation Team.

The Discover Mojave Outdoor World program introduces urban youth, ages 8-12, to outdoor recreation and environmental education. The program promotes the belief that outdoor recreation plays an important and positive role in the health and fitness of America’s youth.

The program is patterned after the national Wonderful Outdoor World (WOW) program. WOW introduces urban youth and families to the outdoors …

Learning Science At The Lake: A Successful Partnership Between Formal And Informal Educators, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (DM)

Emphasis on cooperative conservation through:

• Education
• Research
• Community Engagement

Assessing “Discover Mojave”, Year Two: Final Report, Lori Olafson, Gregory Schraw, Michelle L. Weibel

Reports (DM)

Discover Mojave Outdoor World is a hands-on outdoor recreation program for urban, economically disadvantaged youth. In Year One of the program, knowledge, attitude, and performance assessments were developed to document the effectiveness of program events over the duration of the program. Year One findings revealed that knowledge, attitudes, and performance increased substantially as a result of participating in the outdoor recreation events. The assessment plan was modified in Year Two by creating assessments for teachers and parents, as well as a developing a structured interview protocol. Changes were made to existing assessments and two new assessment tools were implemented. Findings …

Improved Parameterization To Invert Rayleigh-Wave Data For Shallow Profiles Containing Stiff Inclusions, Carlos Calderon-Macias, Barbara Luke

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Inversion of shear-wave velocity profiles from phase-velocity measurements of Rayleigh-wave energy for sites containing stiff layers can be erroneous if such layers are not characterized in the starting or reference model. Incorporation of a priori knowledge then is key for converging upon a realistic or meaningful solution. Resolving soil profiles in desert regions where stiff layers cemented with calcium carbonate are intermixed with softer, uncemented media is an application for which locating shallow stiff inclusions has important implications. Identification of the stiff layers is critical for foundation design and cost estimating of excavations. A parameterization that seems adequate for this …

Las Vegas: A Sustainable Urban Environment For Health?, Nancy Menzel

Nevada Journal of Public Health

The rapid growth of Las Vegas has resulted in negative consequences for the health of its residents to a level that threatens the area’s sustainability. This article reviews key indicators of population health in Las Vegas through the framework of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy People in Healthy Places and concludes that public health professionals, citizens, businesses, and political leaders must act now to protect and improve population health.

Geostatistical And Stochastic Study Of Radionuclide Transport In The Unsaturated Zone At Yucca Mountain, Feng Pan, Ming Ye, Jianting Zhu

Publications (YM)

Motivation: Why Study of Unsaturated Zone? The unsaturated zone (UZ), where the proposed repository would be located, acts as a critical natural barrier by delaying the arrival of radionuclides at the saturated zone and by reducing radionuclide concentrations in groundwater through dispersion and dilution Quantitative prediction of radionuclide transport in the unsaturated zone becomes critical for performance assessment and design of the proposed repository of the Yucca Mountain Project

Precipitation Monitoring At Yucca Mountain, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amanda Brandt

Publications (YM)

Objectives:

Status of the Task to Date
Network Overview/ Equipment
Data Trends
Uses and Collaborative Projects
Spatial Interpolation of YM Rainfall
Storm Event Analysis
Shallow Groundwater Response to Rainfall
UE29a1 Water Level Response to Barometric Pressure Fluctuation

Yucca Mountain Climate: Past, Present, And Future, Saxon E. Sharpe

Publications (YM)

Evaluation of modern climate is necessary to relate climatic events to near-surface processes such as infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration. Modern climate information also aids in environmental analyses of repository design facilities and atmospheric dispersion models. Evaluation of past climate regimes, particularly temperature and precipitation, is needed to assess the relation of past climate to past hydrologic conditions. Estimates of potential future climate and hydrology are needed to evaluate repository performance.

Yucca Mountain Saturated Zone Carbon-14, James Thomas, David L. Decker, Todd M. Mihevc, Ronald L. Hershey, Gary Patterson, Zell Peterman, Peter Striffler

Publications (YM)

Travel time of groundwater from beneath Yucca Mountain to down gradient areas is important to nuclear waste storage.
For this study, travel times determined by:
1) Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) isotopes Geochemical modeling--corrected C-14 ages
2) Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) isotopes DOC ages independent of DIC reactions

Design Concepts And Process Analysis For Transmuter Fuel Manufacturing, Georg F. Mauer

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The safe and effective manufacturing of actinide-bearing fuels for any transmutation strategy requires that the entire manufacturing process be contained within a shielded hot cell environment. To ensure that the fabrication process is feasible, the entire process must be designed for remote operation. The equipment must be reliable enough to perform over several decades, and also easy to maintain or repair remotely. The facility must also be designed to facilitate its own decontamination and decommissioning. In addition to these design factors, the potential viability of any fuel fabrication process will also be impacted by a number of variables, such as …

Impact Of The Synthesis Process On Structure Properties For Afci Fuel Candidates, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

Synthesis of actinium mononitrides using carbothermic reduction of the corresponding oxides has a few outstanding issues, including the formation of secondary phases such as oxides and carbides and low densities of the final product. Furthermore the requirement of a high process temperature at 1700°C, for more than 12 hours is also a drawback particularly for Americium-bearing samples. Therefore, it is important to explore the use of other possible routes to synthesize actinide mononitrides.

A low temperature process is used in this research to produce actinide mononitrides using a fluoride route in which the first step is to mix the actinide …

Solution-Based Synthesis Of Nitride Fuels, Tyler A. Sullens, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The preliminary studies into the synthesis of actinide nitride fuels through a low temperature, liquid ammonia based synthesis route have been conducted on the uranium containing system, and there is good indication for the success of synthesizing uranium (III) nitride. The dissolution of iodine in ammonia is a rapid process, resulting in a pale green solution, which does not result in any observable oxidation of iodine. The cannula transfer of dissolved iodine into the reaction vessel containing U metal has been conducted with little to no residual iodine remaining in the original flask. The metal being used for these reactions …

Video Based Vehicle Detection For Advance Warning Intelligent Transportation System, Naveen Chintalacheruvu

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Video based vehicle detection and surveillance technologies are an integral part of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), due to its non-intrusiveness and capability or capturing global and specific vehicle behavior data. The initial goal of this thesis is to develop an efficient advance warning ITS system for detection of congestion at work zones and special events based on video detection. The goals accomplished by this thesis are: (1) successfully developed the advance warning ITS system using off-the-shelf components and, (2) Develop and evaluate an improved vehicle detection and tracking algorithm. The advance warning ITS system developed includes many off-the-shelf equipments like …

Cryptography In The Digital Age, Thomas R. Hodge

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Despite it not being an armed conflict between nations, there is a war that has been waged for over 5000 years and is still being fought today. Battles have been won and lost by both sides. The battlefield is the world of cryptography. Our combatants are cryptographers, personnel who make secret codes; and cryptanalysts, personnel who try to break the secret codes; In this thesis, we examine public-key or asymmetric cryptography, the are of writing or deciphering secret codes or ciphers. We begin by taking a brief look at the overall history of cryptography. Our primary focus involves studying the …

Design And Implementation Of Bibliographic Database, Kiranmayi Karamcheti

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, we investigate the issues associated with the design and implementation of a comprehensive bibliographic database. Of particular interest is identification and implementation of recursive queries; The design process will be dictated by dependencies and constraints as set by the scientific communities. The final design will be represented in the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The physical database and associated recursive queries are implemented in the Oracle database management system.

Development Of In-Cylinder Injection For A Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engine, Ronald L Fifield

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Traditional means for converting an engine to operate on hydrogen fuel incorporates port injection. The typical method for controlling emissions on a port injection engine is to operate the engine lean (typical AFR of 70:1) and/or incorporate an EGR system. The result of utilizing these methods is an appreciable reduction in power output. In-cylinder injection of an internal combustion engine provides a reliable method for delivering hydrogen fuel whereby fuel efficiency, power output and emissions levels are improved. Injection of hydrogen directly into the combustion chamber allows control of various factors such as burn rate and combustion timing which influence …

Thermal Hydraulic Analysis Of The High-Power Race Target, Ryan D Lecounte

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The High-Power RACE (HP-RACE) Target, a component of the Reactor-Accelerator Coupling Experiments (RACE), was designed to be coupled with a high-power electron linear accelerator (linac). The target was designed to be bombarded with electrons to produce photoneutrons via bremsstrahlung. This process will deposit 20 kW of beam power across a small mass of heavy metal and requires an analysis of the target's thermal system to ensure a safe design. In this study, the thermal hydraulics of the HP-RACE electron accelerator target is analyzed; Low-power testing was performed at Idaho State University-Idaho Accelerator Center (ISU-IAC) using a linac capable of 1 …