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The Struggles Black Women Face In Federally Qualified Community Health Centers In South Carolina: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Women In Leadership Positions, Sharon Black

Dissertations

This qualitative interpretive phenomenological study examined the professional lived experiences of Black women who hold leadership positions within Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs) in South Carolina. The researcher examined their experiences through the lens of Belenky’s (1986) Ways of Knowing framework, focusing on self-expression, voice, and how the participants processed their leadership experiences. In addition, the study draws on Crenshaw’s Intersectionality and Black Feminist Post-structuralist theories. The study explores the difficulties, successes, and strategies these women use, focusing on stereotypes, challenges in leadership roles, diversity of experiences, and the importance of voice themes.

The study provides practical suggestions for …

Exploring Gender Bias In Semantic Representations For Occupational Classification In Nlp: Techniques And Mitigation Strategies, Joseph Michael O'Carroll

Dissertations

Gender bias in Natural Language Processing (NLP) models is a non-trivial problem that can perpetuate and amplify existing societal biases. This thesis investigates gender bias in occupation classification and explores the effectiveness of different debiasing methods for language models to reduce the impact of bias in the model’s representations. The study employs a data-driven empirical methodology focusing heavily on experimentation and result investigation. The study uses five distinct semantic representations and models with varying levels of complexity to classify the occupation of individuals based on their biographies.

The Use Of Data Balancing Algorithms To Correct For The Under-Representation Of Female Patients In A Cardiovascular Dataset, Sian Miller

Dissertations

Given that women are under-represented in medical datasets, and that machine learning classification algorithms are known to exhibit bias towards the majority class, the growing application of machine learning in the medical field risks resulting in worse medical outcomes for female patients. The Heart Failure Prediction (HFP) dataset is a historical dataset used for the training of models for the prediction of heart disease. This dataset contains significantly fewer female patients than male patients, and as such it is expected that models trained using this data will inherit a gender bias to favour male patients. This dissertation explores the use …

Analysis Of Cryptic Variation Affecting Splicing In Early-Onset Mendelian Disease, Stephanie A. Felker

Dissertations

Genetic variants with poor annotation or unknown biological consequence are often systematically excluded in genomic analysis. Here I analyze variants near "poison exons” which are often absent from standard gene annotations and are alternative exons whose inclusion results in a premature termination codon. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often result from rare genetic variation, but the genomic testing yield for NDDs remains around 50%, suggesting some clinically relevant rare variants may be missed by standard analyses. Variants that alter poison exons inclusion can lead to loss-of-function and may be highly penetrant contributors to disease. I analyzed variants found by genome sequencing in …

Understanding Advanced Practice Providers' Personal Factors That Influence Evaluating And Referring For Sleep Disorders In Pediatric And Adolescent Young Adult Cancer Survivors, Lindsay R. Melson

Dissertations

Pediatric and adolescent young adult (AYA) cancer survivors disproportionately experience sleep disorders compared to healthy peers. This dissertation examines the facilitators and barriers that influence advanced practice providers' (APPs) ability to evaluate and refer pediatric/AYA hematology oncology cancer survivors to sleep specialists. The first manuscript provides an integrative review of APPs' behaviors in screening for sleep disorders in pediatric/AYA cancer survivors using the Social Cognitive Theory as a guide. The second manuscript defines the concept of sleep disorders in pediatric cancer survivors using the Walker and Avant method. The third manuscript provides a qualitative analysis from interviews with hematology/oncology (heme/onc) …

Community-Based Early Dementia Advance Care Planning In The United States, Christine Noelle Flaherty

Dissertations

Dementia Advance Care Planning (ACP) promotes quality of life through discussions and decisions about goals of care and end-of-life wishes. However, ACP is rarely introduced in the community setting, and ACP is commonly deferred until advanced dementia when the patient can no longer communicate. The purpose of this three-manuscript dissertation was to advance the understanding of community-based early dementia ACP through an examination of the literature (manuscript one), the development of the dementia public health exposome conceptual framework (manuscript two), and the exploration of perceptions of ACP amongst dementia clinicians, dementia caregivers, and individuals with preclinical dementia in a dementia …

Improving Undergraduate Student Engagement In Stem Through Bioinformatics Research, Michele C. Morris

Dissertations

A novel intervention to introduce undergraduate students to bioinformatics, provide authentic research opportunities, and support student retention in science majors and careers is presented in the Characterizing Our DNA Exceptions (CODE) project. The need to increase the number of qualified STEM graduates, particularly in the fields of bioinformatics and computational research, was the impetus for this project that leads students down the path of scientific discovery as they characterize genomic variants of uncertain significance (VUS). This study sought to examine if student participation in a CODE research project would increase their bioinformatics awareness, interest, comfort, and knowledge, as well as …

Predictors Of Trust Between The Southern Baptist Pastor And Congregation, Jared Thompson

Dissertations

Trust is at a low point in American life regarding institutions in general but particularly the church. This study examined the relationship between a Southern Baptist pastor and the congregants that he serves. Specifically, a model was proposed in which perceived consistency between words and actions, perceived warmth, and perceived competence predict trust in the pastor from the congregation. To test this model, a quantitative study with a survey design was performed. A survey was created using a combination of instruments for authentic leadership, behavioral integrity, competence, warmth, and trust. The survey was distributed through digital mediums to Southern Baptist …

Professional Counseling/Psychotherapy And Its Influence On Emotional Intelligence And Authentic Leadership Development: A Qualitative Participatory Inquiry Research Study, Jenny Lee Broaddus

Dissertations

The authentic leadership theory acknowledges that leaders must advance their introspection to gain self-awareness, balanced processing, internal moral perspective, and relational transparency. Leaders may desire to lead effectively, yet modern leaders lack emotional intelligence, authenticity, and a vehicle to acquire (Northouse, 2019). Like authentic leadership, emotional intelligence is favored in leaders to include self awareness, emotional management, empathy, and relationship management (Goleman, 1995). Much research surrounds emotionally intelligent competencies in leadership, but limited research targets behaviors for development. A look at psychology and counseling revealed that self-awareness, a standard competency in authentic leadership and emotional intelligence, is also the primary …

Covid Implications For Southeastern States: A Thematic Analysis Of Influences From Leaders And Health Agencies Social Media Platforms, Jennifer Suber

Dissertations

The problem investigated in this study was the conflicting social media messages between the Office of the President and the two preeminent national health organizations (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health) regarding the COVID-19 crisis. The purpose of this study was to explore alignment and disconnect in the social media messaging between the Office of the President and the top two health organizations and subsequent state government decisions around the COVID 19 pandemic in the southeast region of the United States. …

Applying Organizational Learning Theories To Continuous Improvement Practices Through Self-Study Methodology To Better Reflect Upon And Understand Factors That Influence School Improvement Efforts, Morgan Daniel Gallagher

Dissertations

The purpose of this self-study is to better understand and address the factors that influence continuous improvement efforts led by the researcher/practitioner. To this end, this study applies Bolman and Deal’s 4-frame model of organizational learning lenses to school improvement indicators on the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. Through taking Bolman and Deal’s Online 4-frame Self-assessment, I am able to identify the organizational learning lens least integrated into my own leadership worldview. The organizational learning lenses that comprise Bolman and Deal’s 4-frame model are the structural, symbolic, human resource, and political lenses. I then apply core tenets of my least integrated lens …

Method Development For The Quantification Of Heavy Metals In Biological Matrices And Its Application To Clinical And Environmental Samples, Michelle Catherine Gende

Dissertations

A three-fold approach was taken to develop a method for the detection of heavy metals in different matrices and had to be performed sequentially. The first was to develop a method capable of quantifying lead in complex matrices by graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA). The developed method needed to meet specific analytical requirements, namely, to be robust, sensitive, and accurate. Initially, four different sample preparation methods were explored for the quantification of lead using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a sample matrix. The sample preparation procedures attempted were acidic dilution, matrix modification, conventional heating digestion, and microwave assisted acid digestion …

Role Of Micrornas In Intestinal Inflammation And Barrier Homeostasis After Alcohol And Burn Injury, Caroline J. Herrnreiter

Dissertations

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression. Within the intestinal epithelium, miRNAs play a critical role in gut homeostasis and aberrant miRNA expression has been implicated in various disorders associated with intestinal inflammation and barrier disruption. In this study, we sought to profile changes in intestinal epithelial cell miRNA expression after alcohol and burn injury and elucidate their impact on inflammation and barrier integrity. In a more targeted approach, we began by focusing on anti-inflammatory miRNAs that, when downregulated, could exacerbate inflammation and result in intestinal barrier disruption. Using a mouse model of acute ethanol intoxication …

Design Of Secure, Low-Power Internet Of Medical Things With Precise Time Synchronization, Steven C. Puckett

Dissertations

With the emerging worldwide aging crisis, low power, secure health monitoring becomes increasingly important. Internet of Things (IoT) technology is revolutionizing many application fields, creating a new opportunity: Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). The main IoMT issues include security, energy efficiency, and time synchronization. This study evaluates the IoMT design space, security weaknesses of IoMT systems, and methods of synchronization of distributed IoT sensors. The researcher presents an analysis of the design space of IoMT controllers in Espressif ESP-32 family of microcontrollers and the development, implementation, and evaluation of the ecoSync: a time-synchronization algorithm for IoMT devices on standard Wi-Fi …

Bioimpedance-Based Real-Time Wearable Physiological Monitoring, Robert Joseph Mathews

Dissertations

Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases account for nearly forty percent of worldwide deaths. A critical factor in preventing these deaths is early detection, treatment, and monitoring of the diseases. Remote patient monitoring coincides with significant advances in integrated circuit technology resulting in greater performance and lower power consumption. In this work, novel monitoring configurations and frequency excitations are assessed across ten subjects to evaluate their suitability for monitoring cardiac and respiratory activity. A custom bioimpedance controller board was fabricated and integrated into the existing UAH euHy board. In the pilot experiment, the average inter-beat interval (IBI) derived from bioimpedance compared with …

Edible Learning: School Food Service Programming And Experiential Education That Promote Sustainable Agriculture And Better Nutritional Health, Kristina Grasty

Dissertations

The typical American diet, which involves the consumption of processed foods high in saturated fats, sodium, and refined sugar, is known to be unhealthy. Millions of students in the U.S. suffer from symptoms of malnutrition, making them susceptible to compromising health conditions such as type 2 diabetes that may persist into adulthood. Well-designed school nutrition programs and action learning that promotes sustainable agriculture have the potential to enhance students’ nutritional well-being as well as their understanding of the ecological systems needed to support good nutrition. This dissertation uses documentary film as an exploratory, qualitative research method to investigate approaches used …

Analytical And Computational Study Of Linear And Nonlinear Acoustics In Quasi-1-D And 2-D Gaseous And Biphasic Media, Sattik Basu

Dissertations

The overall goal of this dissertation is to perform analytical and computational investigations of acoustic wave propagation in gaseous and biphasic domains with non-uniform cross-section and axially inhomogeneous mean properties. This research was carried out in five parts, with each successive part building on the previous one. The first part focuses on deriving the Helmholtz equation (or the wave equation in frequency space) governing the acoustic field in quasi one-dimensional (1-D) ducts. This derivation also introduced two linearly exact relations that were necessary to agree identically with the solutions from the Euler equation - the pressure-density relation and the linearly …

An Empirical Evaluation Of The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program Framework Using Applicant Data, Jonathan B. Hill

Dissertations

Over the 30+ years of its existence, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (originally known as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program) has sought to define the basis for high performing organizations. The Baldrige framework has evolved since its inception in 1988. The purpose of this study was to empirically assess the existing Baldrige framework to determine its validity in context of its continuing evolution (Research Objective 1). Specifically, this research attempted to empirically validate the causal relationships suggested by the framework (Research Objective 2) and determine which criteria items are more important (Research Objective 3). The use of recent, …

Exploring Moral Distress Among Nurse Leaders, Preston H. Miller

Dissertations

Moral distress (MD) occurs when an individual knows the ethically correct action to take in a situation but institutional constraints prevent the individual from acting. MD is a well-documented phenomenon among nurses and occurs at a high frequency in the critical care setting. When MD is not adequately addressed and actions are not taken to mitigate precipitating factors within an organization, moral injury, moral residue, and burnout may consequentially result in nurses leaving their role or the profession. Nurse leaders are positioned to exemplify ethical leadership and provide support for their staff when MD is experienced; however, nurse leaders experience …

Atmospheric New Particle Formation In Biogenic And Urban Environments, Lee Tiszenkel

Dissertations

New particle formation (NPF) is a process that impacts climate, air quality and human health. NPF occurs in a diverse range of environments, initiated by a variety of different chemical precursors in the atmosphere, including anthropogenic pollutants and organic compounds emitted by vegetation. In highly populated urban areas, newly formed particles can be scavenged during their initial steps of formation by coagulation with pre-existing particles. Thus, NPF must occur rapidly to explain observed NPF events in polluted urban environments. The presence of reduced nitrogen compounds such as ammonia and amines is key to these formation processes. These compounds have a …

Structural Impact Of Epstein-Barr Virus- Encoded Small Rna -1 On Its Transport And Function, Zubaida Hassan

Dissertations

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded RNAs (EBERs) are two small, noncoding, structurally conserved transcripts that are expressed in millions of copies in all stages of EBV infection. Despite their abundant expression, the role of EBERs in EBV biology or pathogenesis is not well defined. However, they are associated with driving cell proliferation and improving intercellular communication via their secretion in exosomes. In spite of the pathogenic potentials of EBERs, the mechanisms involved in their transport and function remain to be elucidated. The aim of this PhD dissertation was to investigate the structural impact of EBER1 in its transport and function. The conserved …

Never Too Young: The Existence, Impact, And Sustainability Of Ethnic Studies In Elementary School, Angela R. Guzmán

Dissertations

Ethnic Studies has existed in higher education for more than fifty years. In high school, critical education researchers have recognized Ethnic Studies as vital to improving attendance, lowering suspension rates, and boosting GPAs for BIPOC students. This has given rise to the recent K-12 Ethnic Studies model curriculum adoption by the State Board of Education, and the signing of Assembly Bill 101, making California the first state to require that all high school students complete a semester-long course in Ethnic Studies. Regrettably, Ethnic Studies continues to be mostly limited to higher education and grades 9-12 in public schools despite research …

Voice Of The Inaudible: Well-Being Of Chinese American Young Adults, Chinese American Parents’ Parenting Competency, And The Correlation Of The Two, Diana Huang

Dissertations

Violence against Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a national crisis in the United States. Racism against Asian Americans in the country, however, has been deep-rooted since the nineteenth century. Chinese American adolescents, who are susceptible to identity crisis as young adults and confront racial discrimination as a minority race, face distressing challenges. It is critical to inquire into their lived narratives and hear their voices. The author investigated the early life experiences of nine Chinese Americans and identified how racial identity is shaped at a young age with negative external inputs, as well as …

When She Speaks: A Black Feminist Autoethnography Exploring Joy And Positionality In Higher Education, Leslye M. Tinson

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersections of race, class, and gender of a Black woman as an educational leader and doctoral student. Through autoethnography, I explore self-meaning in cultural contexts and focus on how my positionality contributes to my attempts to find joy in academe. Chapter I discusses the gender and racial gaps in the American professoriate and introduces three research questions. Chapter II interprets extant literature and identifies a conceptual framework that utilizes Black feminist thought, critical race feminism, intersectionality theory, and multicultural feminist perspectives to analyze my lived experiences. Chapter III outlines the research methodology of autoethnography to address …

Measuring High School Counselor Beliefs On The Importance Of Mtmdss Universal Supports Since Covid-19, Ryan J. Carter

Dissertations

The U.S. onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought immediate and unprecedented disruption to California secondary education. High school students in California have endured varying degrees of uncertainty, hardship, and trauma, with the full extent of impacts on students not yet known. California high school counselors, faced with the dilemma of how to support student needs effectively and equitably during COVID-19, have looked to the state as well as professional organizations for guidance on best support practices. Multi-tiered support frameworks, such as MTSS and MTMDSS have emerged as prominent pandemic response recommendations and are being implemented throughout California. The …

Influencers Of The Institution: Millennial Women Of Color On Leadership As Classified Professionals In California Community Colleges, Marisol Quevedo

Dissertations

This study centers Millennial Women of Color (MWOC) California Community College Professionals as institutional influencers by understanding how their leadership practices support the success of marginalized, minoritized, and historically underrepresented students and equity-advancing institutional change. In this study I use the term “influencer” to reflect the impact that MWOC, working as classified professionals at a CCC who are committed to serving as leaders beyond their job duties have on their students and within their institutions. The use of “influencer” in this study addresses three different areas that summarize the study’s findings. First, the theme “Key-Makers not Gatekeepers'' addresses the ways …

Divine Attachment: A Canonical Model For Discipleship And Religious Education, Kristina Marie Freed

Dissertations

Problem

Christianity is in decline in the United States and, with it, discipleship engagement. While several explanations and many remedies have been offered as solutions to the problem over the last half-century, demographic research shows that the decline continues. The problem addressed in this dissertation is the lack of a theological model to augment psychological models of religious attachment theory. The research sought to identify a canonical model of divine attachment which may contribute to the revitalization of personal discipleship and religious education by offering a new relational context. This model is based on an understanding of God as an …

"A Raisin In A Box": The Experiences Of Racialized Black Males In Leadership Roles In The Non-Profit Sector In Toronto, Canada, Morris Anthony Beckford

Dissertations

Problem

The marginalization of Black and other racialized bodies (people of colour) has led to the position of a leader becoming so synonymous with Whiteness that it is normalized and naturalized; and worse, there has been limited analysis about why this is so. There is even less analysis of the experiences of the few people of colour who occupy leadership roles in organizations (Berkshire, 2008; Bradshaw et al., 2009; Mills et al., 2010; Nkomo, 2011; Ospina & Foldy, 2009). Astonishingly, organizations in diverse communities also have exiguous conversations about such salient issues like race and gender even though there is …

Self-Regulation And Academic Motivation As Predictors Of Academic Achievement Of Undergraduate Students In An Online Learning Environment, Sonia Almwalad

Dissertations

Problem

Online learning is a form of distance education that occurs via the Internet (Adams, 2004; Carliner, 1999). The success of online learning depends on student-related factors such as acceptance, willingness, and motivation (Almaiah et al., 2019; Almaiah et al., 2020). When online learning systems are not utilized, students cannot realize the concomitant benefit of improved performance. Online learning has many positives, but it does present a problem when it comes to academic success. Motivation and self-regulation are two of the key factors for successful online learning given that students are subject to minimal supervision or guidance from teachers in …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Ethnic Identity, Spirituality, And Social Support As Predictors Of Resilience Among Black Male College Graduates Born In The United States, Sandy Belizaire

Dissertations

Problem

This study aimed to assess the influence of ethnic identity, spirituality, and social support on resilience among Black males (BM) who were born in the United States of America and are recent college graduates. The achievement gap between BM and their counterparts is among education's most infuriating problems. Educators are more likely to dissuade Black men from going to college, and those who enroll drop out before they graduate (Noguera 2003; Wilborn 2013).

Method

This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative correlation research design using self-report questionnaires. The target population for this study was American-born Black males who were graduates …