Digital Commons Network^™

Structural Behavior Of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Beam Elements Repaired With Fabric-Reinforced Matrix Composites, Youssef Ibrahim Elmezayen

Dissertations

Advanced methods for rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with corroded reinforcement were designed and implemented in this research. The nonlinear flexural and shear behaviors of RC beams with corroded reinforcement repaired with fabric-reinforced matrix (FRM) composites were investigated. Numerical simulation models were developed to predict the flexural response of flexure-deficient continuous RC beams before and after repair with FRM composites. A novel sustainable repair solution that involves the use of cement-free geopolymeric matrix reinforced with nonmetallic fabrics was also introduced for rehabilitation of shear-critical RC beams with corroded stirrups. Simplified and easy-to-use analytical approaches were adopted to estimate the …

The Effect Of Work-Life Responsibilities On The Well-Being Of Female Employees: A Uae Case Study, Mouza Mohamed Alqubaisi

Dissertations

This study examines the possible conflict between work commitments and family obligations and its implications for working women's well-being. In this respect, in-depth interviews were held with a sample of twenty female employees working in different departments of the Abu Dhabi Government. The collected qualitative data have been analyzed through frameworks drawn from the concepts of the Work-Life Balance (WLB) and the Work-Family Conflict (WFC), specifically considering the Job Demands- Resources (JD-R) and the Conservation of Resources (COR) theories. The findings probably indicate that working women encounter substantial challenges in their daily work, such as long working hours, lack of …

Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (Mmtv) Genomic Rna (Grna) Packaging: Selective Grna Encapsidation Is Facilitated By Long-Range Interactions (Lris) That Facilitate Specific Gag Binding, Suresha G. Prabhu

Dissertations

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a betaretrovirus that induces breast cancer and sporadically, T-cell lymphomas in mice. MMTV serves as a pertinent model for elucidating the mechanism(s) of oncogenesis and the genetics associated with the development of mammary tumors. Being a rodent retrovirus, MMTV is phylogenetically distant from human and other primate retroviruses; thus, positioning it ideally as a potential vector of choice for human gene therapy. This may circumvent safety concerns such as recombination with other related endogenous human retroviruses. In addition, MMTV is distinct from most other retroviruses, but similar to lentiviruses, in that it has the …

Role Of B Cell Mediated Immune Response During Skin Atopic Dermatitis Disease, Hidaya Mohammed Abdul Kader

Dissertations

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most prevalent non-infectious skin allergy affecting approximately 10-30% adults and 40% children worldwide. It is clinically characterized by eczematic lesions and elevated IgE levels and is a multifactorial disease that is heterogenous in nature. AD results in a dominant Th2 polarized immune response. Until date, there is no cure for this disease. B cells are key players of humoral immune responses and contribute significantly to allergic responses through IgE secretion. However, recently a subset of B cells termed regulatory B cells (Bregs) have been reported to provide protective role by the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine …

Navigating The Beliefs, Practices, And Challenges Of High School Principals And Teachers Within Culturally Diverse Contexts: A Mixed-Method Study, Mouza Alketbi

Dissertations

The main objective of this study is to understand the practices, beliefs, and challenges related to cultural diversity among high school principals. It also examines the cultural diversity practices of high school principals from the perspective of teachers, as well as the challenges they encounter when interacting with principals and teaching staff. The study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods to gain a better understanding of how high school principals handle their culturally diverse teachers. The first phase involved qualitative research, where (n=5) principals and (n=7) teachers were purposively selected. Semistructured interviews were …

The Meaning-Making Of African American Leaders In Technology Organizations, James Hooks

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to identify and describe behaviors that reflect the character, inspiration, relationships, vision, and wisdom that African American technology leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers. It was also the purpose to rate how followers perceive their leader’s behaviors related to character, inspiration, relationships, vision, and wisdom in creating personal and organizational meaning.

Methodology: The qualitative portion of this mixed-method study involved face-to-face interviews with African American technology leaders, while the quantitative segment consisted of electronic surveys completed by their followers. The quantitative survey assessed followers’ perceptions …

Leveraging Social Practices In The 11th Grade American Literature Classroom: Video Games As Texts, Alora Moser

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study explores the effectiveness of using a video game as a text in high school narrative instruction, testing Lave and Wenger’s (1991) situated learning theory, which posits that learning is a by-product of social interaction. This study seeks to bridge the gap between literacy practices at home and in school (Beavis, 2014; Ladson-Billings, 1995), effectively acknowledging students’ cultural capital, including multiliteracies (New London Group, 1996) and affinity spaces (Gee, 2013) in privileged academic settings such as the Georgia Milestones American Literature End of Course assessment. 11^th grade American literature students in a suburban Georgia high school were …

Pre-Service Teachers Conceptions Of Equity In Secondary Mathematics Education, Mariah Walton

Dissertations

This study investigated how pre-service mathematics teachers (PSMTs) understand equity-based pedagogies and apply equity-based pedagogical methods in their instructional planning. A central goal among educators is improving the academic achievement of racially minoritized groups, such as Black and Latinx students, who are often overlooked by traditional pedagogies. This goal has shaped the foundation of culturally relevant pedagogy and other equity-based teaching approaches. This research study focused on the intersection of equity-based pedagogical methods and secondary mathematics teaching and learning involving PSMTs in the third year of their teacher education program. Through an analysis of a discussion post assignment, a focus …

Acculturation And Attitudinal Disposition Of People From India Living In The United States Toward Mental Health Services, Santhosh Jose Adhikarathil

Dissertations

Acculturation experience and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Asian Indian Americans, an ethnic minority group, are predominantly underrepresented in current literature despite their increasing number in the United States. The purpose of this study was to assess the acculturation experience of Asian Indian Americans and their attitude toward seeking mental health services, and to explore the relationship between acculturation levels and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. I used a quantitative research design to conduct this study. I employed an online survey through Qualtrics. The participants (n = 568) constituted a probability sample recruited from Indian-based Christian churches …

Experiences Of Incivility And Ageism In Currently Enrolled Rn To Bs Nursing Students And Their Intent To Quit, Kimberly A. Balko

Dissertations

Student registered nurses face barriers to successful completion of a bachelor's of science degree program when faced with memories of incivility within their basic nursing program and their current experiences of incivility and ageism in the classroom, as well as in the workplace. This incivility, along with generational differences, adds to the growing concerns of nurses' intent to quit their employers or the profession, which adds to the current and future nursing shortage. The incorporation of multigenerational education for nurses could enhance generational awareness including ageism, communication skills, conflict resolution, coaching, and mentoring to guide employed RNs and nursing students …

Influences Of Perceived Environment, Partner Support, And Attitudinal Familism On Physical Activity Among Mexican American Women, Neomie C. Congello

Dissertations

Healthy lifestyle behaviors such as engaging in physical activity (PA) may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the number one cause of mortality among Mexican American women (MAW). Research findings show that MAW have low levels of leisure time PA and vary in the amount of overall PA. The influence of partner support has received little attention in studies examining predictors of PA. This cross sectional study investigated factors influencing PA among MAW aged 19 to 64 years old (mean = 39.4, SD = 11.1) who may be at increased risk for CVD based on hypertension, diabetes and obesity …

The Relationship Between The Neighborhood Environment, Health Behaviors And Health Outcomes Among Urban Hispanics In New York City, Manuel C. Co Jr.

Dissertations

Hispanics account for more than half of the total United States (US) population growth between 2000 and 2010. To gain a comprehensive understanding of a predominantly Hispanic urban community in Northern Manhattan, the aims of this cross-sectional observational study were: (1) to characterize the actual and perceived neighborhood food environment in Northern Manhattan, (2) to understand the relationship between the actual and perceived neighborhood food environment, sociodemographic characteristics and the likelihood of consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and (3) to describe the contribution of participants' sociodemographic characteristics and health behavior to their health outcomes.

An Insider's Perspective To Mentoring Novice Math And Science Teachers In A University Mentoring Program: A Self-Study, Krishna R. Millsapp

Dissertations

Novice teachers benefit from individualized and cohort mentoring to help them successfully navigate student teaching and the first years of independent teaching. However, schools are experiencing a rise in attrition rates post-pandemic, especially in math and science. Mentoring, goal setting, and community-building are deemed important for retaining novices and providing them with individualized support as they navigate instructional challenges and professional responsibilities. This self-study investigates the experiences of a mentor while leading a new Professional Development & Mentoring Program for math and science novices. Educative mentoring and Hegarty’s Reflective framework helped guide the reflections of the mentor as mentoring strategies …

Tensions Between Catholic Identity And Academic Achievement: Roles Of Catholic School Leaders In Southeastern Nigeria, Augustina Ngozi Mbata

Dissertations

Despite the series of documents by the sacred ecumenical council and replete research enumerating the two-dimensional focus of Catholic schools: faith and academics and its collaborative nature, Nigerian (southeast) Catholic primary and secondary schools are continually experiencing activities of disharmony between Catholic identity and students' academic achievements. To better understand the nature of disharmony and its causes from the perspectives of leaders, teachers, and parents, this study examines the major challenges that face the representation and teaching of Catholic identity and the students’ academic achievement in the Catholic schools of southeastern Nigeria. While the purpose is critical to the student’s …

Hotspotting In Home Health: The Impact Of Interprofessional Student-Team Home Visits On Health Outcomes Of Super-Utilizers Of The Health Care System, Jennifer T. Alderman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of interprofessional student-team home visits on the health outcomes of super-utilizers of the health care system. The cost of health care continues to increase at an unsustainable pace. Innovative educational approaches integrated with existing models of care are an example of a potential strategy aimed at reducing costs and improving outcomes. The model implemented in this study is referred to as hotspotting, an emerging term that describes an intervention during which super-utilizers are the focus of the intervention. Teams of interprofessional health professions students performed home visits on these patients …

The Meaning Of Life’S Broken Fragments: A Constructive Theology Of Fragmentation Grounded In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’S Theological Ethics, Meghan Toomey

Dissertations

Understood comprehensively, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s legacy offers contemporary American Catholicism a contextual approach to theological ethics that can meaningfully inform the development of an ethics of resistance to totalitarian and pseudo-religious forces that dominate U.S. politics today. Unfortunately, Catholic scholarship on Bonhoeffer overall has failed to grasp the full scope of his work and to incorporate his biography and the historical and theological context in which he lived. This dissertation brings Bonhoeffer into dialogue with modern and postmodern American Catholic theological contexts, specifically engaging Bonhoeffer’s concept of analogia relationis, his incarnational Christocentrism, and his embrace of contextual ambiguity. This dissertation is …

Bipoc Counseling And Health Service Psychology Graduate Students’ Experience Of Racism And Sense Of Belonging: A Conditional Mediation Analysis Of Coping And Social Support, Erica Pinney

Dissertations

This study sought to understand the relationship between experiences of racism within academic settings and sense of belonging to the field of Counseling/Health Service Psychology (C/HSP) for BIPOC graduate students. Further, this study sought to understand the potential mediating role of engagement coping in this relationship, as well as the conditional effect of high, neutral, or low perception of race-related social support from faculty/peers. Two-hundred forty-nine BIPOC C/HSP students responded to survey questions measuring frequency of racial/ethnic microaggressions, sense of belonging to C/HSP, engagement styles of coping with racism (Education/Advocacy and Resistance), and perception of availability of racism-related social support …

Experiences Of School Climate Among Sexual Minority Students Of Color, Brandon Westerman

Dissertations

Since the 1980’s educational research regarding sexual minority students has continued to expand. Researchers have found that school climate can have a profound impact on sexual minority students’ outcomes, including their mental health and academic success. However, much of the research on the effects of school climate upon sexual minority students consists of studies that are predominantly composed of White participants, or the researchers do not address other aspects of participant identity. Based on the concept of intersectionality, it is known that an individual’s experiences are shaped by all their identities, not just a singular one. The purpose of this …

A Womanist Narrative Ethics Of Survival: An Exploration In African American Meaning Making, Lashaunda Janeice Reese

Dissertations

This project creates a womanist narrative ethics of survival framework using literary analysis, sociological and theological comparisons, and reflections on moral dilemmas in fiction and history. Steeped in the African American woman’s experiential perspective, this framework provides an alternative viewpoint through which to examine and analyze ethical issues arising in the context of marginalized bodies. Integrating the Christian faith, the history of chattel slavery in the United States, and the expanding field of African American literature and literary theory, this work posits that fiction provides a rich platform to work through thick moral dilemmas, affording a concrete ethical framework to …

Can One-Party Dominant States Be Democratic? A Meso-Level Classification Of The Playing Field Of Hegemonic Party States., Adam Hii

Dissertations

This project seeks to fill a gap in the regime classification literature on how to approach one-party dominant states. Historically, these states have been difficult to classify with numerous scholars expressing struggles in approaching these cases. Using the level electoral playing field, this study proposes a new meso-level classification scheme to create clearer regime classification for one-party dominant states. It uses three cases studies of current one-party dominant states to see if any of these regimes can realistically be considered democratic. The case study of Botswana in comparison to the other two one-party dominant states (Tanzania and Azerbaijan) as well …

Regulatory, Structural And Functional Studies Of The Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase From Photosynthetic And Heterotrophic Organisms, Gabriela Martinez-Ramirez

Dissertations

The production of biofuels like ethanol has increased with the transition to renewable energy. Starch can be converted into ethanol through chemical modification. Increasing the availability of starch is crucial to fight back climate change thus, researchers have focused on the biotechnological modification of plants. This modification is known as transgenics, where a plant is modified by the insertion of genes, to make it as productive as possible. The genes inserted code for enzymes that control pathways responsible for the synthesis of certain biomolecules, in this case starch. The synthesis of starch in plants (as glycogen in both photosynthetic and …

Racializing Digital Campus Spaces: A Critical Phenomenological Approach To Understanding (Re)Production Of Whiteness In Digital Campus Ecology, Victoria Elizabeth Callais

Dissertations

The landscape of higher education campus environments continues to change as student populations diversify (Parsons, 2023; Renn & Reason, 2013) and campus spaces extend into the digital realm. This critical phenomenological study examined organizational features that racialize digital campus ecology by examining the phenomena of interest, racialized digital campus spaces (RDCS). Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with undergraduate students that focused on their experiences with RDCS and semi-structured interviews with administrators that focused on the organizational infrastructure and campus digital culture, findings revealed a complex understanding of campus ecology when reflecting on issues around race. I introduce Augmented Reality …

Assessing The Role Of Psychological Self-Sufficiency And Organizational Factors In Achieving Economic Self-Sufficiency Among Low-Income Populations, Alanna Jeeyoung Shin

Dissertations

Low-income populations in the United States face complex challenges amid persistent high levels of poverty, income inequality, and child poverty (OECD, 2023; OECD, 2024; Smeeding & Thévenot, 2016; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023b). Influenced by neoclassical economic theory and human capital theory, work-first initiatives like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) focus on fostering individual change by enhancing employable skills (Kim, 2010). These programs predominantly emphasize personal responsibility as a strategy for reducing poverty. However, multilayered barriers remain that hinder the achievement of economic self-sufficiency (Hong et al., 2014). To challenge the prevailing approach focusing on the individual level, …

Addressing Gatekeeping Challenges In Counselor Education: A Grounded Theory, Vanessa Pauline Gill

Dissertations

This constructivist grounded theory study explored how counselor educators navigate remediation and gatekeeping challenges in CACREP-accredited programs. Fifteen counselor educators with at least one challenging gatekeeping experience participated in semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. All interviews were recorded and transcripts were completed. Data was analyzed using grounded theory methodology and analysis efforts were organized using the MAXQDA 2024 software. Data analysis involving constant comparison methods and memo-writing generated an emerging theory describing counselor educators’ journey from uncertainty to increased confidence in addressing remediation issues. The theory illuminates how experiential learning, reflective practice, and supportive professional relationships inform this developmental process. …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

Multi-Label Classification Using Conformal Prediction, Chhavi Tyagi

Dissertations

In many machine learning applications, such as image tagging, document classi-fication, and medical diagnosis, a data instance can be associated with multiple classes in parallel so that each instance is associated with multiple response variables simultaneously defining multi-label classification. Standard multi-label classification methods that provide point predictions have been developed. They lack in quantifying the uncertainty of predictions. These methods also lack in accounting for label dependencies and are very computationally expensive. This dissertation develops two methods of multi-label classification using conformal prediction that quantify the uncertainty of predictions. Chapter 1 introduces notations and tools that have been used in …

A Micromagnetic Study Of Skyrmions In Thin-Film Multilayered Ferromagnetic Materials, Nicholas J. Dubicki

Dissertations

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected, localized, nanoscale spin textures in non-centrosymmetric thin ferromagnetic materials and heterostructures. At present they are of great interest to physicists for potential applications in information technology due to their particle-like properties and stability. In a system of multiple thin ferromagnetic layers, the stray field interaction was typically treated with various simplifications and approximations. It is shown that extensive analysis of the micromagnetic equations leads to an exact representation of the stray field interaction energy in the form of layer interaction kernels, a so-called 'finite thickness' representation. This formulation reveals the competition between perpendicular magnetic anisotropy …

Data Driven Decision Making For Sustainable Planning And Operations Of Large Scale Networks, Bahareh Kargar

Dissertations

This dissertation explores data-driven decision-making networks, focusing on sustainable planning and operations for large-scale systems such as healthcare supply chains and power systems. One significant application in healthcare is the optimization of vaccine supply chains. An agent-based simulation-optimization modeling framework is developed to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of vaccine distribution. First, an agent-based epidemiological model of COVID-19 is extended to capture disease transmission dynamics and forecast the number of susceptible individuals and infections. Then, a sustainable vaccine supply chain considering the impacts of greenhouse gases is developed and integrated with the simulation model to minimize total costs and environmental …

Order-Picking Strategies And Efficiency Models For The Fulfillment Of Multi-Line E-Commerce Grocery Orders, Zijia Wang

Dissertations

The fulfillment process for Buy Online Pickup from Store grocery orders (BOPS-Grocery) is particularly challenging, given the large item count per order and the low-profit margins. This research investigates the BOPS-Grocery model and pursues the following objectives: (i) Defining and specifying the BOPS-Grocery fulfillment process. Differentiating the process from classical warehouse order picking., identifying performance objectives, and characterizing design options and facility layout. (ii) Modelling and developing order picking algorithms specific to the straight aisle section. Formulated as an order hatching problem with picker movement minimization. No order splitting, and (iii) modeling and developing order picking algorithms specific to the …

Collision Dynamics Of Compound Droplets In Microchannels: A Combined Numerical And Data-Driven Study, S M Abdullah Al Mamun

Dissertations

Understanding and predicting the hydrodynamic interactions of micron-scale droplets is crucial in a wide range of industrial and real-life applications, including microfluidics, pharmaceutics, drug delivery, food science, and enhanced oil recovery. These multi-phase and multi-scale phenomena are further complicated by the presence of core droplets of an immiscible fluid within shell droplets, known as compound droplets. The collisions and interactions of droplets in emulsions are influenced by various physical and geometric parameters, leading to distinct rheological and dynamic responses. This research employs numerical methods for a systematic parametric study of both simple and compound droplet pair collisions under confined shear …