Digital Commons Network^™

On Explainability Of Neural Networks, Cem Benar

Dissertations

It is widely reported that deep neural networks outperform most competitors for a range of applications. The state-of-the-art neural networks have built-in inductive bias of architectural choices, regularizations, optimizer types, and initialization methods. Using inductive bias is intuitive to enhance the model approximation. Deep neural networks are mostly dense and heavily overparameterized. They tend to be biased towards low-rank solutions to reduce complexity and improve generalization performance, known as implicit regularization. The implicit regularization as observed in specific architectures and various real-world data sets suggests to overparameterize neural networks judiciously and learn compressed representations (lower rank approximation) with improved performance. …

Toward Smart And Efficient Scientific Data Management, Jinzhen Wang

Dissertations

Scientific research generates vast amounts of data, and the scale of data has significantly increased with advancements in scientific applications. To manage this data effectively, lossy data compression techniques are necessary to reduce storage and transmission costs. Nevertheless, the use of lossy compression introduces uncertainties related to its performance. This dissertation aims to answer key questions surrounding lossy data compression, such as how the performance changes, how much reduction can be achieved, and how to optimize these techniques for modern scientific data management workflows.

One of the major challenges in adopting lossy compression techniques is the trade-off between data accuracy …

Integrated Land Use And Transportation Modeling Considering The Impact Of Autonomous Vehicles, Roksana Asadi

Dissertations

The advent of autonomous urban mobility is expected to effect changes in land use patterns and urban development. A new framework for integrated land use and transportation system models that incorporate Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs) will be needed to investigate the development of transportation and land use plans and policies. This study aims to analyze the impacts of AVs and SAVs on land use changes by defming scenarios that consider different shares of these emerging transportation modes. Also, this study explores the corollary effects of various land use factors by applying them to a case study …

Local Labor Markets Exposure To Artificial Intelligence, Greg Call

Dissertations

As more evidence builds that artificial intelligence (AI) is a new general-purpose technology driving a fourth industrial revolution, scholars have begun to consider its potential impact on labor markets. The current debate among researchers is centered on whether AI will ultimately produce net new job gains or losses and what type of workers will benefit or be displaced. While no consensus has developed yet within the literature on AI’s predicted net employment impact, a majority of studies are forecasting that a skill-biased technological change will occur.

This exploratory study contributes to the current literature by operationalizing Webb’s objective patent-based AI …

Pláticas Liberadoras: Testimonios Of Chicana/O Elders En La Comunidad De San Diego, Gabriel Nunez-Soria

Dissertations

There is robust scholarship inquiring about many facets of critical consciousness (CC), most of which is centered around working with teens, youth, and educators. This study explored development of CC through testimonios of the lived experiences of eight Chicana/o elders in San Diego County. All eight of these elders participated in the Chicana/o movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s and carried these experiences with them into the present moment. Development of CC, the contextualized understandings of historical, social, and systemic aspects of our collective struggle against oppression through dialogue, reflection, and action, is a fundamental aspect of liberatory …

Climate Justice Perspectives And Strategies Implemented By Public Health Nurses And Their Community Partners, Jessica Leclair

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand PHN perceptions, strategies, and experiences with environmental and climate justice in the United States. In the first published study, a scoping review, I examined strategic actions nurses take to promote environmental justice through research, education, advocacy, and practice reported in peer-reviewed literature.

Interests And Decent Work’S Account Of Well-Being And Job Performance In A Lower Social Class Sample, Benjamin J. Wright

Dissertations

There is a need for more accurate information regarding the work-related experiences of individuals from lower social class backgrounds. The present study seeks to evaluate the degree to which important career-related variables (e.g., interest congruence, decent work) account for differences in subjective well-being (SWB) and job performance (e.g., occupational citizenship behavior [OCB], task performance) for a sample of adults from lower social class backgrounds. A novel approach to evaluating the objective indicators of social class for individual study participants was implemented to collect a sample of 365 participants, 105 of which were included in analysis. A path analysis was conducted …

‘The Food Of The Home’ An Exploration Of Place And Practice Of Ordinary Women In Dublin City 1950-2000 On Irish Cuisine, Roann Byrne

Dissertations

Before the rise of restaurants and the accessibility of dining out, the home was where food engagement took place. In the recent surge of Irish Michelin restaurants, and our growing reputation for food culture, one element has been overlooked. Long before the great chefs and level of fine dining we have now – the heart of Irish food culture lay in the home. In the ongoing debate of what Irish cuisine is, we haven’t thought to look inwards, to the routes of our food engagement. This thesis seeks to understand the places, practices and engagement of ordinary women and food …

Assessing Threats To Plant Populations: Linking Pollinator Differences To Patterns Of Plant Fitness And Population Genetics, Rieka Yu

Dissertations

Land use change is a major driver of biodiversity loss and consequently has led to the loss of genetic diversity in many plant populations due to declines in population sizes and an increase in spatial isolation. However, not all plant populations respond similarly to land-use change, suggesting there are additional mechanisms mediating plant population genetic patterns. Here, I examine the role of pollinators as this mediating factor. In Chapter 1 I conducted a meta-analysis to investigate how different types of pollinators drive changes in gene flow for plant populations in disturbed habitats, finding that different types of pollinators mediate different …

A Correlational Study Of Work Environment Factors And Organizational Commitment In Southern California Staff Nurses, Rosemary Haggins

Dissertations

The main purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the association between work environment factors and organizational commitment in staff nurses working in southern California hospitals. Data were generated from 136 of the 205 (66%) purposely selected nurses attending a Sigma Theta Tau research conference.

Implementing Rowley's Aseptic Technique On Wound Care In A Home Health Setting, Kelechi E. Ogu

Dissertations

Pathogen contamination is a risk factor for patients with wounds in home-based care. At the project site, there was no current evidence-based wound care guidelines for the nurses to use during wound care. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine to what degree the implementation of Rowley's aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) would impact wound healing when compared to the current practice among adult patients in a home health facility in urban Texas over four weeks. Jean Watson's health promotion theory and Prochaska's trans-theoretical model were utilized to guide this project. Data on wounds was retrieved …

Recognizing Burden In Unpaid Caregivers Of Patients With End Stage Renal Disease, Joanne Affinito

Dissertations

Aims and objectives. To analyze if an association exists in unpaid caregivers positive aspect of caregiving and self-assessed level of health have on their perceived degree of burden when caring for end stage renal disease patients.

Background. The literature has recognized caregiver burden as having negative consequences such as depression, anxiety or poor perceived health. Many caregivers are unprepared to take on their new role. There is limited research on the positive aspects experienced by caregiving and their perception of self-assessed health.

Method. A sample of 89 caregivers responded to an online survey distributed by The National Kidney Foundation using …

Trust In The Nurse And Perceived Quality Nursing Care By Adult Oncology Patients With Implantable Vascular Access Port Devices: A Mixed Methods Study, Lois Rajcan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of nurse behaviors that promote trust and quality nursing care as perceived by oncology patients with totally implantable vascular access devices (TIVAD).

Experiences And Perceptions Of Rural Postpartum Women With Substance Use Disorders Inclusive Of Opioids Regarding Their Care, Debra L. Kramlich

Dissertations

Perinatal opioid use and neonatal withdrawal continue to rise rapidly in the face of the growing epidemic of opioid addiction in the United States, with rural areas more severely impacted. Despite several decades of research and development of practice guidelines, maternal and neonatal outcomes have not improved substantially. This focused ethnography aimed to address that gap by exploring rural women's experiences and perceptions of care to inform development of efficacious, holistic models of care to improve outcomes for these women and their children. Participant observations, oral accounts and formal interviews, and artifact review (i.e., health records, any print and electronic …

Lgbtq+ Adults During Post-Breakup Appraisals: Understanding Adaptive Communication Coping Mechanisms Following The Termination Of A Non-Heterosexual Romantic Relationship, Nur E Makbul

Dissertations

This study highlights the intersections among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and/or Other Non-Heterosexual (LGBTQ+) individuals' and/or communities' experiences with romantic relationships, relationship crises, emotional appraisals, coping mechanisms, and cyber tech practices. It employs a mixed-method approach, including in-depth interviews with LGBTQ+ participants and a digital ethnographic investigation of social media platforms. The theoretical framework and review of literature have been drawn from the queer perspectives of numerous critical cultural theories, and media and communication theories. Interviews with LGBTQ+ participants largely demonstrate three distinct mechanisms of coping, including emotional, behavioral, and psychological that LGBTQ+ individuals use after the termination of …

Exploring Relationships Between Practicing Registered Nurses (Rns) Pharmacology Knowledge And Medication Errors, Coleen Kumar

Dissertations

Medication errors result in significant negative patient outcomes and major costs to the health care system. Registered nurses (RNs) assume a major role in the medication administration process demanding high-level knowledge and skills.

This study aimed to determine if there was a relationship between practicing RNs' pharmacology knowledge and medication error occurrence.

Teaching Professional Accountability In Nursing: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Faculty Experiences, Lorretta C. Krautscheid

Dissertations

Professional nursing organizations and nursing education credentialing agencies describe accountability as an essential attribute underpinning professional practice. Although accountability is foundational to nursing practice, little is known about how nurse educators teach accountability. The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand and describe socially constructed meanings nurse educators attribute to the phenomenon of teaching accountability. This study brought out of concealment the real-world teaching experiences of nurse educators. Participants (n=6) were nurse educators who taught accountability in baccalaureate academic classrooms. Data collection occurred via face-to-face semi-structured interviews. An interpretive phenomenological design was utilized throughout data collection and …

‘The Magic Of Flowers’: An Explorative Study Into The Ways Floral Decorations Influence The Experience Of Guests In A Food Setting, In Contemporary Ireland, Johanna Banaditsch

Dissertations

This research project explores the influence of floral decorations on the experience of a diner in a food setting in contemporary Ireland by examining what and how dining experiences are designed, where floral decorations are relevant in this context and how they specifically influence people in these settings.

The research was conducted using the philosophical worldview of interpretivism. In order to answer the five sub-research questions and thus achieve the research aim, the research draws on existing literature on hospitality experiences, literature on the influence of flowers and qualitative primary research conducted through semi-structured in-depth interviews with flower providers and …

The Mentoring Experiences Of Mid-Level Leaders In Higher Education As They Relate To Leadership Development, Adam Ek

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the mentoring experiences of mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education as it relates to their leadership development.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the mentoring experiences of 15 mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education in California as they related to leadership development. Respondents were chosen based on specific criteria, snowball sampling, and finally convenience. The researcher collected data and coded the data for themes based upon frequency counts.

Findings: Examination of the qualitative data from the 15 mid-level leaders in Private, Non-Profit Higher Education yielded 10 …

It's Nerve Racking: The Lived Experiences Of New Graduate Clinical Care Nurses Using Simulation As Part Of An Orientation Program, Robert L. Kerner Jr.

Dissertations

The nursing profession has adopted high fidelity simulation (HFS) on the premise that it provides suitable opportunities for experiential learning in a non-threatening environment and it will improve clinical skills and critical thinking through repetition and reflective practice. Numerous quantitative studies have examined the effect of HFS on skill acquisition, critical thinking and teamwork, predominantly with experienced clinicians. The voice of the learner has been conspicuously absent in the discussion. The phenomenon of interest in this study was the experience of simulation for new graduate nurses. The participants were recruited using a purposive technique, and each underwent a comprehensive interview, …

The Experience Of Accelerated Nursing Program Graduates Utilizing Ethics In Their Nursing Practice, Mary Ann Siciliano Mclaughlin

Dissertations

This study, based on hermeneutic phenomenology, asked: What is the experience of accelerated nursing program graduates utilizing ethics in their nursing practice? Using van Manen's phenomenological method, 10 accelerated nursing program graduates were interviewed to illuminate their lived experience of utilizing ethics in their nursing practice. Through the process of reading and rereading transcripts five essential themes emerged: the nurse serving as a patient advocate, the nurse promoting a dignified death for a patient, the nurse fostering the humane side to patient care, the nurse encouraging virtuous integrity, and the nurse actualizing authentic leadership.

Cumulative Advantage And Student Performance In General Chemistry: An Empirical Study At A Midwest Tier 1 University (2016-2019), Nicole Barvian

Dissertations

General chemistry (GC) plays a crucial role in the academic and career outcomes of students interested in postsecondary science, engineering and medicine. As a whole, chemistry education research literature has reported student attrition rates averaging from 25% to 35% for nearly a century. Student attrition rates can be attributed to a number of factors, including high school preparation (e.g. Tai et al. 2006), opportunity to learn (Carroll, 1989) and accumulated time and practice in a domain (e.g. Ericsson et al. 1993). The factors, in turn, are affected by mechanisms of social stratification, in particular, the social mechanism of cumulative advantage …

Peruvian Musical Elements In Selected Peruvian Piano Compositions By Duncker Lavalle, Ayarza De Morales, And E. Valcárcel Arze, Gonzalo Aguilar

Dissertations

This research paper focuses on Peruvian musical elements used by three Peruvian composers active in the twentieth century: Luis Duncker Lavalle (1874-1922), Rosa Mercedes Ayarza de Morales (1881-1969), and Edgar Valcárcel Arze (1932-2010). The analysis is centered upon three solo piano works: Duncker’s Leggenda Appassionata (published 1964), Ayarza’s Marinera y Resbalosa (n.d.), and Valcárcel’s Cuatro Piezas Infantiles (1963). These composers represent a cross section, not only chronologically, but also geographically. Relevant Peruvian traditional music (such as mestizo music; Arequipan yaraví; música criolla: marinera, zamacueca; cueca chilena; as well as music of Cuzco and Puno—including from …

College For What . . . How Middle School Students From Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds Perceived Post-Secondary Education, Michelle Patrick

Dissertations

This study examines the attitudes and perceptions of middle school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds about attending post-secondary institutions. As research continues to explore the experiences of traditional high school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and students' attendance into post-secondary institutions, research concerning middle school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds preparedness for college attendance has been limited. Using a phenomenological research design to obtain the study's results from fifteen students and thirteen parent interviews provided insight into the “lived experience” of the students’ and parents' attitudes and perceptions regarding college attendance. The study found that regardless of the parents’ and …

College Sexual Assault, Career Adaptability, And Grit: A Moderation Analysis, Patricia Danielle Sparks

Dissertations

Sexual assault rates are a rising concern, particularly on college campuses. The impacts of being a victim of sexual assault were well documented in the research and spread from academic decline to negative mental health outcomes to career path derailment. Career construction theory suggested a critical developmental time period for young adults where pieces of their environment, past experiences, and personal characteristics informed their career decisions. Career adaptability is a foundational piece of career construction theory that consists of psychosocial, internal resources developmentally related to how a person learns and advances in their career goals. Grit was identified in the …

Davidsbündler: Robert Schumann, Theodor Kirchner, And An Intimate Musical World, Dandan Liu Powell

Dissertations

Theodor Kirchner is an accomplished Romantic composer in the nineteenth century. He wrote over one thousand piano pieces, and most of them have a strong influence by his mentor Robert Schumann. However, little attention has been paid to his musical works. His piano works either disappeared or are not prevalent outside of the German-speaking world. The study of Kirchner and the relationship between Robert and Kirchner’s music is not sufficient. Clara Schumann, as the wife of Robert Schumann and the lover of Theodor Kirchner also inspired both composers’ music works. Therefore, this dissertation will focus on introducing Theodor Kirchner and …

Exploring The Dimensions Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Affirmative Clinical Supervision, Lindsey N. Dollar

Dissertations

Graduate programs have continued to improve over time regarding incorporating training on LGB issues into coursework and practicum experiences with less emphasis on supervision. Since supervision is a major training area where therapists learn about clients and themselves, it becomes an important area for also teaching supervisees how to work with minority populations. However, relatively absent from discussions of cultural influences in supervision is a focus on LGB concerns, and missing is the ‘how to’ within the supervisory relationship. This quantitative investigation sought to learn how clinical supervisors with knowledge of LGB issues and people implement LGB-affirmative supervision, and to …

Risk And Resilience Factors For Black Individuals Who Face Racial Discrimination, Tabitha M. Mpamira

Dissertations

African Americans report extensive experiences of discrimination across a range of individual, institutional, cultural situations, and more than any other marginalized group (RWJF, 2017). The pervasiveness of discrimination keeps Black individuals at risk of severe physiological ills and heightened risk of psychopathology, including onset of depression and racial trauma symptoms (Williams & Mohammed, 2009). This study investigated risk and resilience factors for Black individuals who face racial discrimination in the United States of America by examining whether encounters of discrimination correlated with psychological distress (depression, anxiety) and racial trauma symptoms. Additionally, the study investigated factors (social support, psychological flexibility, and …

Exploring Biotic And Abiotic Constraints On Competition For Signal Space Within Birdsong Communities, Joanna M. Sblendorio

Dissertations

With the acceleration of climate change and the conversion of natural ecosystems to human-dominated landscapes, there is concern for the persistence of biodiversity amid novel biotic and abiotic factors. An important outcome of shifting species distributions and environmental disturbance is the formation of novel assemblages. For animals that vocalize for mate attraction and resource defense, the introduction of new species into communities may alter availability of acoustic space for signaling and affect detection of signals by conspecifics. Thus, to minimize signal overlap, species should partition signal space and thereby inhabit well-defined acoustic niches. Yet mixed evidence exists regarding signal space …

Intercultural Competence For Educators: A Phenomenological Study, Kathryn Mcclintock

Dissertations

The present study examined the lived experiences of in-service kindergarten–12 (K–12) teachers participating in Intercultural Competence for Educators professional development. Intercultural Competence for Educators is a curriculum designed to foster intercultural friendship development and grow educators’ intercultural competence (IC). The study aimed to explore the stories of eight K–12 teacher participants’ experiences in IC activities and investigated four research questions: Q1 What generic skills do in-service K–12 teacher participants assert are needed to grow interculturally competent? Q2 What cultural knowledge do in-service K–12 teacher participants gain from experiencing intercultural competence professional development? Q3 What self-knowledge do in-service K–12 teacher participants …