Digital Commons Network^™

G.A.M.E.: A Hypermedia Edition Of James Mcneill Whistler’S The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies, Amy Colombo

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, G.A.M.E., refashions James McNeill Whistler’s book, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, into a hypermediated facsimile text and archive. By remediating the text, the socio-historical context of the Victorian time period in which Whistler lived is reestablished, making his book more accessible to twenty-first century audiences. The era studied in this dissertation includes the expansion of the idea of celebrity, the power of the press, and the concept of art for art’s sake from 1863 through 1892. In order to showcase these concepts, archival materials, such as personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, and published pamphlets, from this period were …

Ultrafine Particle Generation And Measurement, Qiaoling Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) with diameters smaller than 100 nm are omnipresent in ambient air. They are important sources for fine particles produced through the agglomeration and/or vapor condensation. With their unique properties, UFPs have also been manufactured for industrial applications. But, from the toxicological and health perspective, ultrafine particles with high surface-to-volume ratios often have high bio-availability and toxicity. Many recent epidemiologic studies have evidence UFPs are highly relevant to human health and disease. In order to better investigate UFPs, better instrumentation and measurement techniques for UFPs are thus in need. The overall objective of this dissertation is to advance …

Urban Energy, Liz Bahl-Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Artist Statement

The urban environment of New York City is the source of inspiration for my prints and paintings. I am fascinated with the range of architecture and the intensity of sights and sounds. It is exhilarating for me to be in this setting that is ever changing and I want to share this excitement with the viewer.

In my work, I layer photo transfers, stencils with acrylic paints, and printing inks to convey a sense of urban energy. I use a range of bright and bold colors that reflect my vivid memories of this environment. I also want to …

Measuring Mental Health Provider Stigma: The Development Of A Valid And Reliable Self-Assessment Instrument, Jennifer L.K. Charles

Theses and Dissertations

Provider-based stigma is defined as the negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of mental health providers toward clients they serve. Often unintentional and unknowingly conveyed, this phenomenon has been indicated in previous research (e.g. Lauber, Nordt, Braunschweig, & Rössler, 2006; Nordt, Rössler, & Lauber, 2006; Hugo, 2001; Schulze, 2007). Other instruments crafted to measure provider stigma have utilized theory in their development, without incorporating the voice of the client (e.g. Wilkins & Abell, 2010; Kennedy, Abell, & Mennicke 2014). To better address the social injustice posed by provider stigma, the profession requires a valid and reliable measure, guided by theory, which …

A Perception Of Change, A Change Of Perception, Christopher D. White

Theses and Dissertations

Change is a constant reminder that permanence is the ultimate illusion. It is through the creation of hyper-realistic, ceramic sculpture that I explore the relationship between nature, humans, and the phenomenon of impermanence. I seek to expose the beauty that often results from decay while, at the same time, making my viewer question their own perception of the world around them. The juxtaposition of natural and man-made features in combination with the skewing of scale, proportion, and material, creates an altered perspective – forcing the viewer to look closer. By combining both human and natural elements within my work I …

Imaging The Early Cold War: Photographs In Life Magazine, 1945-1954, Kathryn L. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes Life’s early coverage of the Cold War (1945-1954) in order to explicate this publication’s creation and reinforcement of prescriptive attitudes about this ideological engagement through photographically illustrated news. By uncovering Life’s editorial approach this project proposes a new diagnostic for evaluating documentary images by re-configuring Hayden White’s incisive theory of emplotment—the process of engendering historical narratives with meaning— through semiotic models proposed by Louis Hjelmslev and Roland Barthes, thereby offering a useful tool for future scholars to re-examine modern media’s transition towards prizing visual immediacy over critical engagement.

Life’s editors’ link narrative devices …

Heterosandwich Assay Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Augustine J. Pagan Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Using the technology afforded by Winschel et al., cyclen-1, a high affinity, strong complexation agent for 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6 trisulfonate and derivatives, a new assay has been developed for fluorescently labeling proteins of interest (POIs). Ligation of the endogenous ligand for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), acetylcholine, using click chemistry afforded the triazole derivative of an alkynyl-acylcholine (compound 1) with 8-azidopyrene-1,3,6 trisulfonate (compound 2). Liposomes encapsulated with Rhodamine B were used to strengthen the initial fluorophore response of compound 2, using an anchored form of cyclen-1 complex. Using a palmitoyl tail as the lipophilic moiety for liposomal amplification, the …

Functional Characterization Of Rai1 In Zebrafish, Joshua S. Beach

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS; OMIM #182290) is a multiple congenital abnormality and intellectual disability (ID) disorder caused by either an interstitial deletion of the 17p11.2 region containing the retinoic acid induced-1 (RAI1) gene or a mutation of the RAI1 gene. Individuals diagnosed with SMS typically present characteristics such as ID, self-injurious behavior, sleep disturbance, ocular and otolaryngological abnormalities, craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities, neurological and behavioral abnormalities, as well as other systemic defects and manifestations. Previous work by Vyas in 2009 showed temporal expression of rai1 in zebrafish embryos as early as 9 hpf. We hypothesize that there is maternal …

Reconnect: Designing To Touch, Dana Seros Rohani

Theses and Dissertations

Our everyday lives are surrounded by gadgets and digital devices that help us perform our daily chores with ease and efficiency. However, these digital devices can also separate us from what we should do ourselves. Although children who are exposed to high levels of technology might become attuned to the latest and the best gadgets, they might not learn to use their physical abilities. Another implication of a child’s over dependence on technology is that parental interactions such as encouragement, tutoring and reinforcement are provided by gadgets rather than living, breathing parents. Research done by Padma Ravichandran and Brandel France …

Capturing The Social/Emotional World Of Students, David Naff, Jesse Senechal

MERC Publications

The goal of this report is to explore the possibilities using student social emotional measures withing K-12 schools. This will include (1) a discussion of what constitutes a social emotional measure, (2) an overview of commonly used measures, and (3) a discussion of how these measures may inform school improvement processes and promote the success of students at the classroom, school, school system, and community level.

The “Aha!” Moment: Library Support For The Cognitive Process Of Creativity, Carla-Mae Crookendale

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Research on creativity in the field of cognitive psychology suggests that creativity is a process, and therefore success in creativity is less about talent or temperament than about the ability to manage that process. Creativity is necessary for all disciplines, though those in art and design fields tend to be more focused on it as an everyday practice.

This poster gives an overview of a session on creativity designed for “Advance Your Research,” a workshop provided by VCU Libraries for graduate students and advanced researchers. Through the in-person session and following webinar the visual arts librarian sought to familiarize attendees …

Commonwealth Times 2014-12-01

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-11-24

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-11-17

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-11-10

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-11-03

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-10-27

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-10-20

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-10-13

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Waking Up In Prison: Critical Discussions Between Typical College Students And Their Incarcerated Peers, Tabitha Dell'angelo

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

This article describes a typical college course that was taught in a youth correctional facility. The course combined traditional college students and inmates from the prison. Over the course of 15 weeks both groups grew to understand one another and themselves. The article seeks to illustrate the realities related both to fear and success in such an undertaking. This collaborative model between colleges and correctional facilities has promise as a model for prison education.

A Prisoners' Island: Teaching Australian Incarcerated Students In The Digital Age, Susan Hopkins, Helen Farley

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

While incarcerated students have always faced many obstacles to full and effective participation in university study, the global shift toward paperless e-learning environments has created new challenges for prisoners without direct internet access. Based on prison focus groups with Australian incarcerated students and direct participant observation while tutoring tertiary students within four Queensland correctional centres, this paper explores the obstacles and constraints faced by incarcerated students in light of the increasing digitisation of materials and methods in higher education. This paper also reviews the outcomes, limitations and challenges of recent Australian projects trialling new internet-independent technologies developed to improve access …

Commonwealth Times 2014-10-06

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-09-29

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-09-22

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2014-09-15

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Ink (2014 Fall/Winter, Culture Cover)

Ink, 2008-

The student-run features magazine covering the fashion, art, music and culture worlds at VCU and in Richmond. Published annually in print and updated regularly online.

Ink (2014 Fall/Winter, Fashion Cover)

Ink, 2008-

The student-run features magazine covering the fashion, art, music and culture worlds at VCU and in Richmond. Published annually in print and updated regularly online.

Commonwealth Times 2014-08-25

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Excellence In Community-Engaged Research At Virginia Commonwealth University: A Compendium Of Case Studies Developed Through A Faculty Learning Community, Cynthia George

Community Engagement Institute

Draft presented to participants of the Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) Institute, May 8-9, 2014. A Working Document. Edited by Cynthia George, MSSW, Doctoral Candidate Graduate Research Assistant Division of Community Engagement and Center for Clinical and Translational Resea

Frequently Asked Questions: Community-Engaged Research (Cenr) & Vcu’S Institutional Review Board (Irb), Cynthia George

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.