Digital Commons Network^™

Town Of Plainfield, New Hampshire Annual Report 2024, Annual Reports Of The Officers And Selectmen And The School District, Plainfield Town Representatives

Plainfield, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Reasoning Through Change: Exploring Covariational Thinking In Student Exponential Graph Interpretation, Samantha Lynn Pearson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores how life science students reason about exponential functions in the context of an introductory physics course. While exponential functions are essential in both physics and biology—appearing in scenarios like population growth and temperature cooling—students often encounter challenges in interpreting them. Using a resources framework, we examined the cognitive resources these students bring to exponential reasoning, focusing on what ideas and strategies they already possess. Our methodology involved conducting think-aloud interviews with nine students from PHYS 402. Interviews were coded using a framework informed by prior research on covariational reasoning and exponential understanding. Results show that students generally …

Design And Analysis Of Facial Recognition Algorithms For Home Monitoring, Nathaniel F. Bernich

Honors Theses and Capstones

Facial recognition "in the wild" has posed a challenge in the field of computer vision. Though facial recognition algorithms are generally proficient at recognizing faces up close, subjects at awkward angles and greater distances from the camera make monitoring areas with this software a practical challenge. At UNH's Cognitive Assistive Robotics Lab (CARL), overcoming the weak areas of face recognition is essential to the task of home monitoring. The CARL research team is implementing a suite of robotics and computer vision technologies to monitor patients with Alzheimer's dementia in their homes. This necessitates a reliable and effective facial recognition pipeline …

Frozen Commons: Food Security And Food Sovereignty In Rural Alaskan Communities And Tribes, Catey Selby, Weiwei Mo

Honors Theses and Capstones

This project explored the challenges, needs, and potential solutions related to food security and food sovereignty in rural Alaskan communities. These communities have long relied on traditional subsistence practices like fishing, hunting, and foraging, but those practices have been increasingly affected by climate change, regulatory restrictions, and commercial overfishing. Key issues identified included shorter hunting seasons, changes in animal migration, unsafe ice conditions, habitat loss, complex land ownership, and permitting barriers. Large-scale commercial fisheries also put additional pressure on subsistence resources, reducing access to traditional food sources.

The project focused on identifying key stakeholders—such as government agencies, tribal organizations, and …

Synthesis Of Bio-Orthogonal Hydrogels For 3d Cell Culture Via Penicillamine Β-Thiolactone-Mediated Native Chemical Ligation, Kaelin E. Marshall, Matthew E. Currier, Nathan J. Oldenhuis

Honors Theses and Capstones

Many hydrogel systems designed to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) employ thiol-based chemistries with undesirable functional groups, including vinyl sulfones and methacrylates. In downstream applications, any unreacted functional groups are problematic and render hydrogels non-viable for human use. Here, we introduce modifications to the Native Chemical Ligation (NCL) mechanism, exploring the elimination of cytotoxic byproducts and increased reaction rate by using a β-thiolactone. The inclusion of the β-thiolactone results in retention of the thiol within the gel, as well as enhanced kinetics due to the thermodynamic favorability of the ring opening and amide formation. We achieved this by functionalizing 4-arm …

A Study In The Student Experience Of Care – What It Looks, Sounds, And Feels Like For Students In A Rural Public High School, Steven Mark Chamberlin

Doctoral Dissertations

Students' voices are essential to understanding their perceptions, experiences, and viewson care. Many schools prioritize standardized test outcomes over individual care for each child, which leads to disengagement and a lack of agency. Students who feel cared for tend to achieve greater success in school.

This question guided the inquiry: How do students perceive, experience, and understandcare in their secondary school in New Hampshire? Twelve individual interviews were conducted with students who had varying degrees of academic success and special education identification.

The findings led to the development of a preliminary model of care that establishesschool culture as the foundation …

The Impacts Of Social Media On Teacher Environment Perceptions, Victoria Puglia

Doctoral Dissertations

Social media significantly influences teachers’ perceptions of their professional environment, shaping job satisfaction, respect, autonomy, and professional support. This dissertation, split into three articles, investigates how exposure to positive, negative, or mixed social media posts impact these perceptions, addressing concerns surrounding teacher well-being and attrition in K-12 education. The study began with a literature review in Article 1 to establish a theoretical framework, followed by a series of validation steps to refine a survey instrument aligned with teaching perception constructs in Article 2. The final survey was administered to 406 K-12 teachers across the United States in Article 3, using …

Analyzing Seasonal Wind Trends And Climate Change Impacts Along The East Coast Of The United States (1990-2022), Avery L. Wilson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study investigates long-term trends in ocean wind intensity and variability along the U.S. East Coast between 1990 and 2022 using ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis data. Focusing on monthly maximum, mean, and standard deviation (STD) of wind speed at 10 meters above the surface, linear regressions were performed to analyze long-term trends. Results indicate a significant increase in wind intensity and variability in the northeastern region, particularly during winter months, which may forecast more frequent and intense cyclonic activity such as Nor’easters. Conversely, a weak decreasing trend was observed in the south. These shifts have implications for ocean-atmosphere dynamics, including vertical …

2024 U.S. Globe Partner Yearbook, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Partner Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

The Forms Of Representation: How To Be A Kantian Realist, Willem A. Devries

Faculty Publications

Sellars argued that Kant did not make certain distinctions concerning space and time, and because of this adopted his transcendental idealism. Once these distinctions are made, the path to realism remains open. Sellars' argument is not entirely clear. This essay attempts to clarify the argument, showing why Sellars believed he could remain a scientific realist while also adopting a Kantian style epistemology.

Backyard Chimeric Microbiomes: K-12 Participatory Science, Abigail Saucier

Honors Theses and Capstones

The US education system has seen a recent push for more secondary school curriculum to include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) materials and activities. Middle and high school is a pivotal time when academic and personal experiences affect the development of student attitudes towards STEM (Christensen et al., 2015; Moreno et al., 2016). Teachers often utilize hands-on activities to promote student engagement with science curriculum (Brooks & Poles, 2021; Christensen et al., 2015). Hands-on activities improve student learning, but impacts vary by type of activity. When students work towards a known outcome they can feel disconnected from the work …

Cheshire 4-H Presents 2025 Action Exhibit Info, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Soil Tent: Implementation Guide, Haley F. Wicklein, Alicia Carlson

Earth Around Us

No abstract provided.

Viscosity Stratified Turbulence: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations, Quasilinear Reduction And Resolvent Analysis, Pulkit Kumar Dubey

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on wall-bounded shear-driven turbulence with temperature-dependentviscosity. Direct numerical simulations and quasilinear reduction have been used to establish the asymmetric variation of turbulent statistics in the wall-normal direction. A comparison of energy spectra in the cold and hot halves of the channel reveals that large scale motions are amplified in the more viscous half while small scale motions are amplified in the less viscous half. Interestingly, the threshold wavenumber distinguishing these scales remains independent of stratification. This observation has been verified via a low-order reconstruction of the turbulent kinetic energy profile using resolvent analysis. Fourier modes that selectively …

A Collaborative Assessment Of Coastal Ocean Acidification Monitoring In Maine & Standard Operating Procedures And Best Practices For The Collection Of Continuous Ph Data In Coastal Marine Environments, Christopher W. Hunt, Curtis Bohlen, Mike Doan, Jeremy Miller

Faculty Publications

The ‘Sensor Squad’ of the Maine Ocean Climate Collaborative is the product of a 2023 Maine Coastal and Marine Climate Action Fund grant to conduct “A two-year pilot project designed to address and overcome technological barriers to ocean acidification data collection, develop protocols to elevate quality assurance and ensure comparable data, and meet regularly to discuss project results and data compilation”. The Squad consists of representatives from Friends of Casco Bay (FOCB), Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (WNERR), and the University of New Hampshire (UNH). This report is a summary of their efforts to assess affordable, repeatable means of continuously …

Cheshire 4-H Presents 2025 Demonstrtion Info, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

A Biogeochemical Perspective On Acidification And Buffering Capacity In The Piscataqua Estuary, Sanjana Varanasi

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coastal acidification is influenced not only by rising atmospheric CO2 and river-ocean mixing, but also by metabolic processes that alter seawater carbonate chemistry and buffering capacity. This study examines how sedimentary biogeochemical processes contribute to carbonate system variability in the Piscataqua Estuary, a tidally dynamic channel connecting Great Bay to the Gulf of Maine. The biogeochemical processes considered include sedimentary aerobic respiration, denitrification, sulfate reduction, and carbonate dissolution or precipitation. Two incubation experiments were conducted in September and October of 2024 at the University of New Hampshire’s Coastal Marine Laboratory (CML) to quantify changes in pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), …

Advances In Ocean Mapping And Nautical Cartography, Giuseppe Masetti, Ian Church, Anand Hiroji, Ove Andersen

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

The Special Issue of Geomatics on "Advances in Ocean Mapping and Nautical Cartography" addresses emerging methodologies, technologies, and applications in ocean mapping. This collection includes studies on the development of high-resolution seabed mapping techniques, innovative data processing for marine cartography, and advancements in hydrographic surveying. It highlights the importance of integrating geospatial data from sources such as remote sensing, autonomous underwater vehicles, and satellite-based observations. Additionally, articles discuss challenges and strategies for ensuring data accuracy and accessibility, reflecting a growing interest in sustainable marine resource management and navigation safety enhancements.

Unh/Noaa Joint Hydrographic Center 2025 Performance And Progress Report Executive Summary, Larry A. Mayer

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

Signal-Based Error Handling: Case Study Using The Bathymetric Attributed Grid Library, Anthony R. Papetti

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Causes Of Land Subsidence On The U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coast Measured With Insar, Jordan Leigh Diprima

Honors Theses and Capstones

Land subsidence is a frequently overlooked geologic hazard that is caused by natural processes and anthropogenic stressors. The goal of this study is to quantify vertical land motion (VLM) on Long Island, New York and Virginia’s Eastern Shore and evaluate the potential causes of subsidence. The causes considered in this work are glacial isostatic adjustment, groundwater extraction, infrastructure loading, and land cover. This study utilizes interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) satellite data from Sentinel-1 to calculate linear VLM trends from 2017 to 2023. Datasets for each hypothesis were qualitatively compared to VLM data. Subsidence rates in both regions were found …

Cheshire 4-H Presents 2026 Information Packet, Diane Dugray

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Role Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership, Sabrena Craft

M.S. in Leadership

No abstract provided.

Organic Alkalinity Distributions, Characteristics, And Application To Carbonate System Calculations In Estuarine And Coastal Systems, Christopher W. Hunt, Joseph Salisbury, Xuewu Liu, Robert H. Byrne

Faculty Publications

The capacity of aquatic systems to buffer acidification depends on the sum contributions of various chemical species to total alkalinity (TA). Major TA contributors are inorganic, with carbonate and bicarbonate considered the most important. However, growing evidence shows that many rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters contain dissolved organic molecules with charge sites that create organic alkalinity (OrgAlk). This study describes the first comparison of (1) OrgAlk distributions and (2) acid–base properties in contrasting estuary-plume systems: the Pleasant (Maine, USA) and the St. John (New Brunswick, CA). The substantial concentrations of OrgAlk in each estuary were sometimes not conservative with salinity …

How Should Scientists Act? Assessing Public Perceptions Of Scientists And Scientific Practices And Their Implications For Science Communication, Thomas G. Safford, Emily H. Whitmore

Faculty Publications

Is how science is conducted legitimate? Are scientists trustworthy? Whether the public answers “yes” to these questions is critical for science communicators. We explore how social factors affect public perceptions of the practice of science, and then test how those beliefs relate to views about how scientists engage with the public and policy making. Our results show that political ideology and religiosity affect these views. However, more importantly, respondents’ concerns about the integrity of the scientific process are the strongest predictor of views about scientists’ behavior, providing a focus area for future communication efforts in support of science-based decision making.

The Nature Of Students' Justifications In Geometry: The Impact Of Using Dynamic Geometry Software, Anek Janjaroon

Doctoral Dissertations

Mathematical justification is a process that reflects how students demonstrate and accept the truth of mathematical statements. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of students’ justifications when allowed to use dynamic geometry software in the justification process. The justifications of 18 preservice teachers in response to two geometric conjectures were analyzed to identify characteristics of justifications based on Harel and Sowder’s (1998) framework of proof schemes. The results inform us of the impact of the dynamic software in students’ justifications and the overall nature of students’ work when they use the software to learn geometric ideas. …

Global Imaging Of The Magnetoshpere: An In-Depth Analysis Of The Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling, Mayowa Adewuyi

Doctoral Dissertations

Magnetosphere – Ionosphere (MI) coupling plays an important role in Earth’s overall space environment. MI coupling influences ion dynamics in the plasma sheet, the evolution of ring current ions, and field aligned currents during storm time events. The coupling of these two regions makes it important to understand both as a whole, rather than individually. Understanding the importance of the magnetosphere-Ionospheric system and how the coupling affects earth’s space environment is made difficult due to the reliance on localized in-situ measurements and the spacecraft being at the right location at the right time.

The Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers (TWINS), …

A Physics-Based Material Model Incorporating Strain Gradient Plasticity Formulations In A Mean-Field Framework To Predict Spatial Fluctuation Of Material Properties, Zhangxi Feng

Doctoral Dissertations

With the market expansions and increasing number of scientific explorations, the demands for manufacturing metallic parts to satisfy specific requirements continue to increase. A slight improvement in the manufacturing process can result in great cost savings in time and energy. The research and development time to identify these areas of improvements can be greatly reduced using numerical models. One such model is the mean-field elastoplastic self-consistent (EPSC) framework studied extensively and advanced in this dissertation. In the past two decades, many material behavior formulations were implemented in EPSC, and the model has shown versatility and accuracy in predicting a wide …

“Why You Understand The Why”: A Qualitative Characterization Of The Metacognitive Competence Of Introductory Stem Peer Coaches, Jonathan Kustina

Doctoral Dissertations

The processes of metacognition are vital for students’ development of critical thinking skills and productive learning mindsets, yet many students never receive the direct instruction that would allow them to formally develop their metacognition. As instructors are typically not providing this instruction, there may be an alternate source to facilitate the learning of metacognition to students. This research study will investigate the viability of having peer coaches, undergraduate peer educators who help facilitate learning and problem solving in introductory STEM courses, facilitate metacognition to their students. Specifically, this research study aims to understand and characterize the metacognitive competence of the …

Navigating The Complexities Of Time: Innovative Approaches For Accurate And Resilient Time Series Modeling, Sepideh Koohfar

Doctoral Dissertations

The application of time series data has a rich history, and its relevance continues to expand due to recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems. These technological developments have driven the collection and utilization of time series data to new heights, propelling its significance to unparalleled levels. Deriving insights from time series data has become indispensable for effective decision-making in various domains, as it enables the identification of patterns, trends, and fluctuations that inform strategic actions and optimize outcomes. The core challenge lies in developing precise and reliable predictive models that effectively leverage the input data for accurate …