Digital Commons Network^™

Uncovering The Plant-Microbe-Permafrost Paradigm As It Relates To Soil Priming And Arctic Carbon Cycles, Sean Robert Schaefer

Doctoral Dissertations

Permafrost, or perennially frozen soil, covers approximately 25% of the northern hemisphere and contains over half of the world’s soil organic carbon stocks. Permafrost-affected regions are rapidly warming, resulting in ecosystem changes including permafrost thaw and a shift from sedge-dominated to shrub-dominated plant communities. As permafrost thaws, it releases previously unavailable compounds to plants and microorganisms. Plant root inputs can then stimulate the decomposition of thawed permafrost, increasing greenhouse gas emissions in a process called priming. Permafrost thaw increases the decomposition of previously frozen soil organic matter (SOM); however, the extent of decomposition is highly dependent on plants and their …

Association Between Decisional Conflict And Quality Of Life Among Parents With A Child Undergoing Hospital-Based Treatment For A Recent Cancer Diagnosis, Augustine Provencio

Doctoral Dissertations

Having a child with a chronic illness, such as cancer, can cause families significant distress. Parents of these children must make frequent decisions relating to their child’s care. Depending on factors such as health literacy and support from medical staff, parents may have varying levels of decisional conflict (DC) throughout the decision-making process. Compounding stress throughout their child’s illness can often contribute to lower levels of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) while their child is receiving hospital-based treatment. Parents with a non-English language preference (NELP) often have greater challenges navigating healthcare systems due to a lack of resources and limited …

Contributions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Racism, Therapy And Health Habits To Cardiovascular Health In African American Adults, Tahra Chaunice Nobles

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), racism, health habits, and therapy engagement on cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Black adults. This study builds on the Biopsychosocial Model and Allostatic Load Theory to examine how trauma, racism, and health habits influence cardiovascular health outcomes in the African American population. Through a quantitative analysis, this study investigates whether ACEs, experiences of racism, engagement in health habits, and participation in therapy contribute to the development or mitigation of CVD in Black adults. A total of 83 participants were included in the study, with data collected on ACEs, the frequency of …

The After Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Mental Health Of International V/S Domestic Students - A Qualitative Study, Keerat Sidhu Bhatti

Doctoral Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of both international and domestic graduate students, exacerbating social isolation, financial strain, and psychological distress. This qualitative study examines the long-term effects of the pandemic on these student populations, exploring shared and divergent experiences, coping strategies, and evolving priorities. While both groups faced heightened anxiety and academic disruptions, international students encountered additional stressors, including cultural displacement, visa uncertainties, and limited support networks. Domestic students, in contrast, struggled with routine disruptions but had greater access to familial and social support. Across both groups, the pandemic prompted a reassessment of personal and professional priorities, …

Conflicts Teaching About Conflicts: How Jewish Educators Engage With Israel-Palestine, Nancy Sheftel-Gomes

Doctoral Dissertations

Dissertation Abstract

Conflicts Teaching About Conflicts: How Jewish Educators Engage with Israel-Palestine

Traditionally, Jewish teachers in Jewish supplementary school programs in the United States have erased the history of Palestinians when teaching about the founding of the State of Israel. Since Jewish students have been taught a single-sided story that ignores the injustices perpetrated against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, they now feel betrayed by their Jewish education. The purpose of this study was to learn how the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, impacted Jewish teachers as well as their students, classrooms, and communities during the subsequent …

A Study Of Rural Health Care For Chronic Care Management Using Machine Learning To Determine Costs, Joanna Maria Keeling

Doctoral Dissertations

Management of diabetes or heart disease may be uniquely challenging for older individuals with multiple chronic conditions[1]. Chronic Care Management would target patients living with comorbidities in Louisiana, who are not receiving sufficient healthcare services and help them receive the care they deserve[2]. This study is aimed at comparing the results of rural Louisiana Medicaid recipients with comorbidities to the National Averages. We will also use Machine Learning to predict Churn and Medical Costs. To help us identify these patients with comorbidities, we decided to use NCQA Quality Measures. We identified several measures from NCQA that we wanted to use, …

Emotional Armor: An Exploration Of Emotion Regulation On Race-Related Stress And Well-Being, Jibri Khalia Parker

Doctoral Dissertations

Scholars have examined at length the impact of stress on well-being. However, people of color experience an additional stressor called racism. Increased experiences with chronic discrimination and racism have been associated with increased hypertension, heart disease, anxiety and depression to name a few (Williams, 2018). Chronic experiences with racism leads to a phenomenon called race-related stress (Utsey & Ponterotto, 1996). The research has shown the impact of race-related stress on physical and mental health outcomes, particularly on individuals from an ethnic background (Williams, 2018). However, not much research has focused on potential moderators in this relationship. This study poses emotion …

Posture - A Framework With Measures And Mediating Effects In Support Of A Structural Model For Attitude In Identity Formation, Christopher Kyle Prather

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation develops a framework and new, valid, abbreviated instruments for researching engineering identity formation as an evolving relational and attitudinal development process rather than a fixed outcome. The framework centers on “posture”, a mediating effect analogous to physical posture in human factors engineering. The investigation was unique, and developed evidence for a structural model using an interdisciplinary, systems-oriented approach. Methodologically, a clinical measure of internal emotional states from the Marriage and Family Therapy literature was administered alongside existing scales for perseverance, perceived workload, and psychological ownership. This study used the broad coverage of the clinical instrument to search for …

Structural And Computational Results On Equitably Dissectible Graphs, Ann Wells Clifton

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation introduces the class of equitably dissectible graphs — graphs whose vertex set can be recursively partitioned into two parts whose sizes differ by at most one where the two induced subgraphs are connected. In Chapter 2, we show that a graph is equitably dissectible if and only if it has a spanning tree that is equitably dissectible, and we use this result to establish connections between the class of equitably dissectible graphs and Hamiltonian graphs. We also fully characterize the equitably dissectible spiders of the form S3(a) and S3(a, b), identifying a family of unruly spiders that are …

A Backtracking Algorithm For Determining The Existence Of Regular Graphs Of Specified Girth And Excess, Stetson Ray Bosecker

Doctoral Dissertations

The study of cages focuses on finding (k, g)-graphs of minimal order. This dissertation generalizes the problem of finding cages to the determination of graphs with specified excess, thereby broadening the significance of the results. The (k, g, ε)-graph problem seeks to determine the existence or nonexistence of k-regular graphs with girth g and excess ε = n(G)−M(k, g) (where M(k, g) represents the Moore bound for cage graphs). Motivated by heuristic methods used to determine properties within the study of cages, we present a backtracking algorithm capable of constructing (k, g, ε)-graphs or determining their nonexistence. Chapter 2 provides …

Privacy-Preserving Structure Learning For Geospatial Data Using Information-Theoretic Dependency Measures, Ahmed Mudhish

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation proposes a privacy-preserving framework for structure learning in Bayesian networks (BNs) that addresses the challenges of distributed geospatial data face. Geospatial datasets often exhibit region-specific patterns such as sparsity and nonlinear dependencies. These patterns undermine the effectiveness of traditional machine learning models. Additionally, learned BN structures may reveal sensitive relationships in the generated graph by BNs. These relationships pose a significant privacy risk if reverse-engineered. To address these issues, three novel algorithms are introduced. First, the Selective Naïve Bayes with HSIC (SNB-HSIC) algorithm applies a kernel-based dependency measure to filter redundant and irrelevant features in sparse datasets, improving …

Personality, Self-Compassion, And Alcohol Use In College Students, Kristen Kay Ridgdell

Doctoral Dissertations

Substance use has been occurring throughout history, and most individuals have been impacted by substance use in one way or another (Durrant & Thakker, 2003). The individual using substances is not the only one who faces the consequences of their usage. Their families and communities also pay a price (Lander et al., 2013; McLellan, 2017). College students are in a unique role in their lives where they are fighting for autonomy, trying to fit in with their peers, and facing new stressors they have never experienced before. Previous research has demonstrated that certain personality traits, including conscientiousness and agreeableness, are …

Sleep, Emotion Regulation, And Relationship Satisfaction: A Moderation Analysis, Lakyn Boone

Doctoral Dissertations

Sleep plays a pivotal role in overall health and well-being, influencing mental health, cognitive abilities, memory, emotional balance, and physical well-being (Luyster et al., 2012; Mukherjee et al., 2015). Emotions constitute a natural and indispensable element of human existence but necessitate proper regulation, as any disruption in emotion control has been associated with various mental health disorders (Gross & Jazaieri, 2014; Kring & Gordon, 1998; Phelps, 2006). Furthermore, human connections and relationships are fundamental aspects of the human experience, contributing to emotional support, personal growth, a sense of belonging, and even influencing one's physical health outcomes (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; …

Advancing Rfid Systems: From Head Orientation To Robotic Localization Using Passive Tags, Guilherme Ricardo Mendes Da Silva Barreto De Figueiredo

Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Hardiness, Coping, And Well-Being In Trauma-Exposed College Student-Athletes, Kiara Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

College student-athletes (CS-As) face many stressors, such as adjusting to a university setting, academic pressures, and the demands of an elite athlete (e.g., battling at a high level during training and competition and managing mental struggles in their sport) (Barbayannis et al., 2022; Barnard, 2016). Some individuals are exposed to events that may be classified as traumatic, such as physical and sexual assault, natural disasters, and other related forms of human suffering (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Around 50%-80% of college students have been exposed to at least one traumatic event throughout their lifetime (Frazier et al., 2009; Read et al., …

An Envisioned And Efficient Design Of Next Generation Decentralized Iot Bot Detection Model, Ahmed Abdullah Almalki

Doctoral Dissertations

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) are revolutionizing critical infrastructures, but their expansion has also introduced severe cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Traditional IoT Bot Detection Systems (IBDS) struggle to scale in environments characterized by high-dimensional, large-scale, and redundant network traffic. These challenges hinder the development of reliable cloud-based intrusion detection systems. The limitations of static and rulebased methods in detecting evolving IoT botnet attacks—such as those launched by Mirai and Gafgyt—underscore the need for intelligent, adaptive approaches. To address this, the present study proposes a machine learning and deep learning-driven IoT Botnet Detection Model, validated through …

"Please Hold Space For Them": The Role Of Mental Health Professionals In Supporting Bipoc Female Survivors Of Campus Sexual Assault, Brianna Josefine Ortega

Doctoral Dissertations

Campus sexual assault (CSA) remains a pervasive issue in the United States, disproportionately affecting women. Despite this, the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color (BIPOC) women are often underrepresented in the literature, limiting understanding of how best to support them. Based on intersectionality theory, this qualitative study explores how mental health professionals (MHPs) support BIPOC female survivors of CSA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six MHPs, and a thematic analysis framework uncovered seven key themes: disclosure (subtheme: barriers to disclosure), impacts of campus culture, fear and distrust, impact of campus sexual assault, coping, resources available for survivors, …

The Experience Of Posttraumatic Growth For Atheists, Savannah Miller

Doctoral Dissertations

Background - This study aimed to understand how atheists manage to make meaning and find growth after experiencing trauma. Posttraumatic Growth is a well documented point of research across qualitative and quantitative domains, and this project aimed to add meaningful findings to that research body. Atheists, however, are an understudied population, especially as it relates to their subjective experience of trauma and posttraumatic growth.

Methods - This study aimed to investigate the experience of posttraumatic growth for atheistindividuals. Semi-structured interviews adhering to the tenets of interpretive phenomenological analysis were conducted then transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Themes and subthemes emerged and …

Adaptations To Family-Based Treatment For Medicaid-Insured Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa, Renee Borges

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Family-based treatment (FBT) is the leading intervention for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), however it is under researched in socioeconomically disadvantaged and racially diverse youth.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were completed with ten FBT clinicians who practice in publicly-funded settings. Interview questions were focused on implementation challenges, overall acceptability and appropriateness of FBT, and naturally-occurring treatment adaptations.

Results: Content analysis revealed common themes relating to the implementation of FBT in publicly-funded, community-based settings: acceptability and appropriateness, complexity and learnability, perceived core components of FBT, cultural adaptations, socioeconomic factors, logistical considerations, organizational and systemic barriers, training acceptability, participant’s self-efficacy, and telehealth …

The Psychological Constructs Of International Graduate Students Transitioning To A University In America: A Thematic Analysis, Umadevi Ramesh

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation employed a qualitative analysis methodology to explore the experiences of first-time international graduate students during their transition to university, focusing on initial adjustment, perceived support, perceived discrimination, and mental well-being. Previous studies about international student experience have mainly focused on undergraduate students. Furthermore, few have examined the initial transition period to university and factors involved in both positively and negatively impacting students’ adjustment process as well as overall psychological well-being. Nine participants qualified for inclusion in the present study and participated in semi-structured interviews, which the researcher analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. Participants expressed a strong need …

Detection And Mitigation Of Out-Of-Band Channel Wormhole Attack In Wireless Network Using Propagation Delay, Harry May

Doctoral Dissertations

Wireless networks, susceptible to a range of attacks due to their simplicity and ease of evasion, face a significant threat from control data attacks, notably the elusive wormhole attack. Detecting and mitigating such attacks poses challenges, particularly in the absence of a digital signature. This dissertation introduces an innovative approach that utilizes the propagation delay associated with malicious nodes’ timing characteristics for detection, employing the Ad-hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) algorithm as its foundation. The inherent propagation delay in the AODV protocol is calculated for each node link along the entire communication path, offering a distinctive timing method that provides …

The Role Of A Lower Elementary Principal In Championing Co-Teaching As A Strategy To Promote Inclusive Education, Lauren Pigue Keen

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative autoethnographic study explores the role of a lower elementary principal in leading a co-teaching initiative to create a more inclusive educational environment for students with disabilities. Rooted in Lewin’s Change Theory, the study examines how personal experience, professional vision, and intentional leadership contributed to the implementation and expansion of co-teaching practices within an early childhood setting. The research focuses on the principal’s dual role as both a systems-level change agent and an insider experiencing the transformation firsthand. Data were collected through reflective narrative, stakeholder interviews, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive view of the leadership decisions, cultural …

Who Should Take Responsibility For Artificial Intelligence Actions And Outcomes? Perception Of Auditors As Users Of Ai Systems, Hanh Hoang Le

Doctoral Dissertations

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly embedded in auditing processes, questions arise regarding how professional auditors perceive and allocate responsibility for AI-assisted decisions. This study investigates the effects of AI explainability and auditors’ perceived autonomy on perceived responsibility in the context of audit decision-making. Drawing on theories of moral responsibility and professional judgment, the study employs a 2x2 experimental design using hypothetical audit scenarios to manipulate levels of AI explainability and auditors’ autonomy. Hierarchical regression analysis reveals that perceived autonomy statistically significantly increases auditors’ perception of responsibility for AI-assisted decisionmaking, whereas AI explainability is not a significant predictor. Additionally, …

Competencies For Effective Stem Leadership: Essential Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions, And Practices To Inform Stem Education Programs And Support Program Leadership, Melissa Adams Wooley

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify a set of knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practices that are important for STEM leaders to consider as constructs of a STEM theory as they plan and implement a STEM program. The research design included a modified Delphi panel to gain consensus on the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practices, called competencies, that effective STEM leaders consider when planning and implementing a STEM program. The panel participants were experts in STEM education. Based on the literature, the researcher identified the initial set of competencies. The panel identified ten additional competencies through the Delphi process, …

Encryption With Synchronized Chaos Using Fabricated Cobalt Ferrite Memristors, Kiran Sai Seetala

Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Virtual And Hybrid Work In Higher Education, Kathryn Elaine Shamburg

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines leadership dynamics within hybrid and remote work environments in higher education, focusing on the enrollment management department of a university. As institutions shift toward flexible work models, the study explores how leaders adapt communication, support, and collaboration strategies to maintain effectiveness, employee well-being, and inclusion. Grounded in Siemens’ (2004) connectivism and supported by insights from Prensky (2001) and Shirky (2009), the study uses a theoretical lens that emphasizes technology’s role in learning and organizational interaction. Data was collected through interviews and document analysis, with participants ranging from frontline recruiters to senior administrators. The constant comparative …

Defying Gravity: Representation Matters And The Leadership Experiences Of Black Leaders In The K-12 Educational Atmosphere, Jordan Washington-Smart

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a qualitative interpretive phenomenological single case study of Black leaders in an urban, public school district in the southern region of the United States. In this school district, demographic disparities existed between the student population and the leadership. This study analyzed the work of Black leaders and better understand how their leadership experiences shape the school environment for faculty, administrators, students, and community stakeholders outside of traditionally numerical accountability measures. The study was guided by a tri-fold theoretical framework that included applied critical leadership, social justice leadership, and culturally responsive leadership. Twelve Black educational leaders were interviewed …

Exploring Ignatian Pedagogy's Role In Shaping Holistic Student Success In The Current Neoliberal Era: A Qualitative Inquiry At Saint Ignatius High School, Rwanda, And Lycée Du Saint-Esprit, Burundi, Olivier Kayitare

Doctoral Dissertations

The growing influence of neoliberalism in education has shifted priorities toward a transactional, utilitarian model that emphasizes technical skills, standardized testing, and market-driven outcomes over holistic development. Education systems increasingly focus on preparing graduates for labor market demands, often sidelining moral, emotional, social, and spiritual formation. This shift creates tension for Jesuit schools, which emphasize a transformational approach to education rooted in ethical leadership, critical thinking, and social responsibility. In countries like Rwanda and Burundi, Jesuit schools face added pressure from state policies and parental expectations shaped by market ideologies. This study examined how Ignatian pedagogy is implemented in this …

“How Do You Replicate A Relationship?” An Exploration Of How A School-Community Partnership Was Conceptualized And Enacted, Emilie Coppinger

Doctoral Dissertations

With concerns about supporting students’ overall wellness on the rise, school-community partnerships offer a promising solution. These collaborations can improve outcomes for students, schools, and communities by bringing together diverse expertise and funding sources. However, how these partnerships are formed and maintained, as well as how stakeholders are included in them, needs further exploration. To address this gap, the current study follows a collaboration between a school district and local health agency from the project’s initiation through its execution. The research approach and study design draw on the traditions of community-based research and ethnography, guiding my data collection and representation …

Robust Edge Machine-Learning For The Real-Time Processing And Prediction Of Geomagnetic Anomalies And Geomagnetically Induced Currents (Gics), Talha Siddique

Doctoral Dissertations

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) are currents induced in the Earth's surface conductors and are caused by geomagnetic disturbances or storms (GMDs). Such disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field are the result of interactions between the Earth's magnetosphere (the region of space dominated by the Earth's magnetic field) and the solar wind (a continuous stream of charged particles from the Sun) \cite{camporeale_machine_2018} \cite{geosciences12010027}. These induced currents considerably threaten vital technological systems, notably the electrical power grids. This research addresses the critical challenges of robust, real-time forecasting and monitoring of GICs using machine learning (ML). The project initiative responds to the inherent …