Digital Commons Network^™

Visual And Verbal Rhetoric In Howard Chandler Christy's War-Related Posters Of Women During The World War I Era: A Feminist, Mary Ellen Gomrad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the development of a series of posters created by Howard Chandler Christy during the World War I era. During this time, Christy was a Department of Pictorial Publicity (DPP) committee artist commissioned by the committee chair, Charles Dana Gibson. The DPP was part of the Committee on Public Information (CPI) developed by the Woodrow Wilson administration to generate the propaganda necessary to gain the support of the American people to enter World War I. The CPI was headed up by George Creel, a journalist and politician, who used advertising techniques to create the first full-scale propaganda effort …

Using Computer Simulation Modeling To Evaluate The Bioterrorismresponse Plan At A Local Hospital Facility, Robert Bebber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax mail attack have forced health care administrators and policy makers to place a new emphasis on disaster planning at hospital facilities--specifically bioterrorism planning. Yet how does one truly "prepare" for the unpredictable? In spite of accreditation requirements, which demand hospitals put in to place preparations to deal with bioterrorism events, a recent study from the General Accounting Office (GAO) concluded that most hospitals are still not capable of dealing with such threats (Gonzalez, 2004). This dissertation uses computer simulation modeling to test the effectiveness of bioterrorism planning at a …

An Analysis And Design Of Widebrand Vivaldi Antennas, Walker Hunsicker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Languages And Logics Of Segregation At The University Of Mississippi, Thomas John Carey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Civic-Ness In The Caribbean: Civic Society And Governance In Barbados And Jamaica, Liam Carstens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tests the hypothesis of Robert Putnam (Making Democracy Work) which posits that 'civic-ness' explains why democracy works better in some cases than in others. This paper seeks to determine whether this variable explains "good governance" in the Caribbean as well as it does for the Mediterranean.

In order to establish whether or not 'civic-ness' determines 'good governance,' two extreme cases in the Caribbean are examined. Barbados and Jamaica are case studies of variance in economic performance, government, and the social situation. The two are compared in terms of their levels of 'civic-ness,' an independent variable resembling Putnam's but …

Friend/Foe Identification Accuracy And Shooting Performance: Effects Of Prior Task Loading And Time Pressure, Kelly Ann Burke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current dismounted soldier and the soldier of the future will be "loaded" with more information processing tasks while they perform shooting tasks. It is conceivable that some increased level of cognitive tasking may be performed simultaneously with required shooting tasks. The effect of cognitive load on shooting performance has been previously examined (Scribner and Harper, 2001). This study concentrated on the effect of various cognitive workload demands on a friend-foe discrimination shooting task in a single- and dual-task scenario. In light of this, it is imperative that the soldier not be overburdened mentally, which may result in decreased survivability …

Recognizing Teamwork Activity In Observations Of Embodied Agents, Linus Jan Luotsinen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents contributions to the theory and practice of team activity recognition. A particular focus of our work was to improve our ability to collect and label representative samples, thus making the team activity recognition more efficient. A second focus of our work is improving the robustness of the recognition process in the presence of noisy and distorted data. The main contributions of this thesis are as follows: We developed a software tool, the Teamwork Scenario Editor (TSE), for the acquisition, segmentation and labeling of teamwork data. Using the TSE we acquired a corpus of labeled team actions both …

Assessment Of The Contribution Of Game-Based Simulation In The Advancement Of Individual Soldier Intelligence Gathering Skills, Carlos Wiley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-directed Learning Internet Modules based on gaming technology are making tremendous strides as tools to current training system for our military services. Currently, the US Army is testing the Every Soldier is a Sensor Simulation software (ES3) as part of the Every Soldiers a Sensor program that focuses on intelligence gathering and maintaining situational awareness. The primary training goal of this simulation is the training of individual soldiers on conducting "Active Surveillance" and "Threat Indicator Identification" where the soldier is an active participant in the process. Traditional training in intelligence gathering is based largely on cold war models. As a …

Optimizing The Design Of Multimodal User Interfaces, Leah Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to a current lack of principle-driven multimodal user interface design guidelines, designers may encounter difficulties when choosing the most appropriate display modality for given users or specific tasks (e.g., verbal versus spatial tasks). The development of multimodal display guidelines from both a user and task domain perspective is thus critical to the achievement of successful human-system interaction. Specifically, there is a need to determine how to design task information presentation (e.g., via which modalities) to capitalize on an individual operator's information processing capabilities and the inherent efficiencies associated with redundant sensory information, thereby alleviating information overload. The present effort …

Project Camelot And Military Sponsorship Of Social Science Research: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Ryan Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Project Camelot" was an ambitious social science research project conceived and funded by the Army, one whose scope and level of funding was unprecedented as of its inception in 1964. It was created in order to examine the potential for "internal war" and insurgency in the "developing countries" of the world, and to identify actions that the U.S. and its allies could take to prevent or suppress such insurgencies. Historians have described the Project as an event of particular importance in the history of American social science, and have argued that it is related to significant changes in their structure …

Hybrid Photonic Signal Processing, Farzan Naseer Ghauri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes research of novel hybrid photonic signal processing systems in the areas of optical communications, test and measurement, RF signal processing and extreme environment optical sensors. It will be shown that use of innovative hybrid techniques allows design of photonic signal processing systems with superior performance parameters and enhanced capabilities. These applications can be divided into domains of analog-digital hybrid signal processing applications and free-space--fiber-coupled hybrid optical sensors. The analog-digital hybrid signal processing applications include a high-performance analog-digital hybrid MEMS variable optical attenuator that can simultaneously provide high dynamic range as well as high resolution attenuation controls; an …

Patchwork Culture: Quilt Tactics And Digitextuality, Michelle P. Barrett Ferrier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Embedded in the quilt top, the fabric patches are relays, time pathways to stories and memories of their former owners. Through the quilts, the voices of the past survive. The stories trace a path of connection between oral traditions, storytelling, the invention of meaning, and the preservation of cultural memory. The theory and method described herein use the quilt patchwork metaphor as the basis for a web interface for designing and modeling knowledge-based graphical, narrative, and multimedia data. More specifically, the method comprises a digital storytelling and knowledge management tool that allows one or more users to create, save, store, …

The Popular Images Of John Brown And Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Sarah Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the evolution of the popular images of John Brown and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. It begins by analyzing the historiography of each man. The second and third chapters are biographies of each man. The fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters examine the popular images of the two men in print media, visual media, and monuments. This thesis concludes with appendices which contain reproductions of songs, photographs, and paintings referred to in the chapters. This study finds that the myth of the Lost Cause has kept Thomas Jackson's popular image consistently positive and heroic since his death in 1863. At …

The Emergence Of The Maya Tlaloc: A Late Classic Religious Icon, Amanda Toyie Groff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iconography has the capability to memorialize and guarantee one's place in history; iconography can also provide powerful insight into human culture, and explore social and cultural values in a visual manner. Iconography can incorporate information about group identities, allegiances, religious affiliations, propaganda, and acceptance within both modern and ancient societies. By studying a specific iconographic figure, the Central Mexican god Tlaloc, as a visual representation of a belief or identity, we can glean a greater understanding of the cultural transmission of iconographic symbols. The substantial use of this icon, in both Central Mexico and the Maya region, reveals iconography as …

Visioning The Nation: Classical Images As Allegory During The French Revolution, Kristopher Guy Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the latter half of the Eighteenth Century, France experienced a seismic shift in the nature of political culture. The king gave way to the nation at the center of political life as the location of sovereignty transferred to the people. While the French Revolution changed the structure of France's government, it also changed the allegorical representations of the nation. At the Revolution's onset, the monarchy embodied both the state and nation as equated ideas. During the Revolutionary Decade and through the reign of Napoleon different governments experienced the need to reorient these symbols away from the person of the …

Airport Security: Examining The Current State Of Acceptance Of Biometrics And The Propensity Of Adopting Biometric Technology Fo, Kristine Sumner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 propelled the issue of aviation security to the forefront of the U.S. domestic agenda. Although hundreds of individual airports exist in the U.S., the travel activities at each of these airports combine to holistically comprise an aviation system that represents a significant portion of the U.S. social and economic infrastructure. Disruption at one airport resulting from a criminal act, such as terrorism, could exert detrimental effects upon the aviation system and U.S national security (9/11 Commission, 2004). Each U.S. airport is individually responsible for various aspects of security including the control of physical …

The Braggart Soldier: An Archetypal Character Found In "Sunday In The Park With George", Paul Gebb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In preparation for performance, an actor must develop an understanding for the character they portray. A character must be thoroughly researched to adequately enrich the performance of the actor. In preparation for the role of the "Soldier" in the production, Sunday in the Park with George, it is important to examine the evolution of the "Braggart Soldier" archetypal character throughout the historical literary canon. It is also of equal importance to study an author's canon of literature to acknowledge the reoccurring use of similar archetypal characters in order to successfully interpret the intentions of the author. This thesis paper will …

Men, Cohesion, And Battle : The Inniskilling Regiment At Waterloo., Mark Richard Bois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a social and military history of the First Battalion of the 27th Foot, the Inniskilling Regiment, at the Battle of Waterloo. Crucial to success in battle is the cohesion of units and their ability to withstand punishment and keep fighting. This paper offers an examination of the constituent elements of unit cohesion as manifested in the demonstrable staying power of the Inniskillings. The Inniskillings' battlefield experience is a case study in cohesion: by understanding the devastating battlefield experience of the 1/27th, the only all-Irish infantry unit at Waterloo, it is then possible to examine the many elements …

Letters From The Communications Zone: Lt. Edwin Best In The Second World War., Jeremy Eugene Cobb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The subject of this paper is the experiences and observations of Lt. Edwin Best of the 618th Ordnance Ammunition Company from 1943 until 1946. This includes time in the United States, England and France.

The primary sources for this paper include letters home from Lt. Best and an oral history transcript. Secondary sources have been used to place Lt. Best into the overall context of the war.

He made keen observations regarding the level of training before D-Day, comparisons of life in England and the US, from the "communications zone" in Normandy, as a temporary Judge Advocate General officer, and …

Training For Diversity In Journalism: Tracking The Columbia Summer Program Graduates, 1968-1974., Mary Alice Basconi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Columbia University's Summer Program, created by Fred Friendly, was the first enduring effort to prepare non-whites for jobs in the news media. It operated from 1968 to 1974 at the Graduate School of Journalism, training 223 journalists for print and broadcast jobs. Three decades after the closing of this elite program, 110 graduates responded to a telephone survey on attitudes toward first employers, careers, and their experiences at Columbia. Results from this exploratory study show respondents spent an average 17.6 years in news media after the Summer Program, and 30.9 percent of respondents spent thirty years or more in journalism. …

Dogs In A Village, Karen Porter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nearly all of the histories of Shays's Rebellion point to debt as the reason why farmers in western Massachusetts rose against the courts and the state government in the fall and winter of 1786-87. Recent scholarship demonstrates a new line of reasoning based on the tax records of those involved. The following thesis, a screenplay, offers a fictional telling of this insurgency. The story is told using language pulled from contemporary letters and documents and follows a line of causation pointing to inequitable state tax structure and poor representation as the provocation. The response that ensued was not a rebellion …

An Analysis Of Perfusion Technology Preadmission Factors On Academic Success And American Board Of Cardiovascular Perfusion Certification Achievement, David Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the contribution of grade point average (GPA) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) practical scores toward predicting perfusion academic success, career placement as a clinical perfusionist, and certification success or failure. The files of 95 students enrolled in the perfusion technology program at Carlow University-University of Pittsburgh Medical Center School of Cardiovascular Perfusion (CARLOW-UPMC) from 1995 through 2005 were reviewed to obtain admission and academic data. The independent variables used were WAIS-R practical results for the picture completion (PC), picture arrangement (PA), block design (BD), object assembly (OA) and digit symbol (DS) …

The Effects Of Secondary Task Demandon The Assessment Of Threat, Harriss Ganey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Threat perception is an important issue in today's world. As the line between hostile and non-hostile entities is blurred, it becomes more important for individuals to clearly distinguish between those who would present danger and those who would not. This series of experiments tested whether observers engaged in a dual-task paradigm perceived a greater amount of threat from target stimuli than they did when they were engaged in the threat task alone. The first experiment revealed that observers rated targets as more threatening when they were engaged in the additional task than when they only rated the targets themselves. Response …

Prediction And Allocation Of Live To Virtual Communication Bridging Resources, Stephanie Lackey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This document summarizes a research effort focused on improving live-to-virtual (L-V) communication systems. The purpose of this work is to address a significant challenge facing the tactical communications training community through the development of the Live-to-Virtual Relay Radio Prediction Algorithm and implementation of the algorithm into an Integrated Live-to-Virtual Communications Server prototype device. The motivation for the work and the challenges of integrating live and virtual communications are presented. Details surrounding the formulation of the prediction algorithm and a description of the prototype system, hardware, and software architectures are shared. Experimental results from discrete event simulation analysis and prototype functionality …

A Common Component-Based Software Architecture For Military And Commercial Pc-Based Virtual Simulation, Joshua Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Commercially available military-themed virtual simulations have been developed and sold for entertainment since the beginning of the personal computing era. There exists an intense interest by various branches of the military to leverage the technological advances of the personal computing and video game industries to provide low cost military training. By nature of the content of the commercial military-themed virtual simulations, a large overlap has grown between the interests, resources, standards, and technology of the computer entertainment industry and military training branches. This research attempts to identify these commonalities with the purpose of systematically designing and evaluating a common component-based …

Demonstrating Reflectarray Behavior At Infrared, James Ginn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reflectarrays are traditionally passive, planar microstrip antenna devices designed for reflected phase manipulation at each individual antenna element making up the array. By varying the phase response across the surface with the antenna elements, reflectarrays allows a planar surface to exhibit electromagnetically an arbitrary geometry, such as a spherical surface. Initially proposed as a low-cost replacement for bulky parabolic reflectors, reflectarrays have been successfully developed and utilized at both RF and millimeter-wave frequencies. From the standpoint of an optical systems designer, adapting low-frequency reflectarray technology to develop a sub-millimeter and infrared reflectarray (SMIR) would provide a highly desirable alternative to …

Cognitive Training Transfer Using A Personal Computer-Based Game:A Close Quarters Battle Case Study, Michael Woodman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developers of Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) gaming software are making remarkable strides in increasing the realism of their software. This realism has caught the attention of the training community, which has traditionally sought system and operational replication in training systems such as flight simulators. Since games are designed and marketed for entertainment and not designed for training of tasks, questions exist about the effectiveness of games as a training system in achieving the desired transfer of skills to the actual environment. Numerous studies over the past ten years have documented that PC-based simulation training environments can offer effective training …

Modeling Autonomous Agents In Military Simulations, Varol Kaptan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation is an important tool for prediction and assessment of the behavior of complex systems and situations. The importance of simulation has increased tremendously during the last few decades, mainly because the rapid pace of development in the field of electronics has turned the computer from a costly and obscure piece of equipment to a cheap ubiquitous tool which is now an integral part of our daily lives. While such technological improvements make it easier to analyze well-understood deterministic systems, increase in speed and storage capacity alone are not enough when simulating situations where human beings and their behavior are …

When Wombs Became Weapons: Women, Policy, And Propaganda In The Third Reich, Melanie Predis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the Nazi State used visual forms of propaganda in order to convey certain gender-specific policy aims to women living in the Third Reich. This will be accomplished by using the novel scholarly approach (referred to as the New Intentionalist approach) that these policy aims were not only fulfilling a State-centered need, but they also were reflecting a desire and a voice of agreement within the German population of women. In other words, while these policies were certainly driven by the immediate political needs of the National Socialists, such policies could not …

Authentic Dasein As Pathway To Heideggerianism As A Political Philosophy - A Political Vibration Of Being And Time, Thomas Akpen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the history of Western philosophy, Martin Heidegger is the only philosopher after Plato and Aristotle to have seriously investigated the question of being. Instead of dwelling on particulars as previous philosophers did, Heidegger probes the question of being by investigating the being of the investigator of being. This being is Dasein, understood as human existence. Dasein is not just a thinking thing (res cogitans) or a political animal (politicus animalus), but essentially a being-in-the-world. Dasein has two modes of existence in its being-in-the-world -- inauthentic existence and authentic existence.

To exist inauthentically is to reject the clarion call of …