Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Reflective Practices To Improve Self-Awareness In Youth Sport Coaches, Stephanie R. Mcwilliams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I explore the use of reflective practice among a group of youth sport coaches. More specifically, reflective practice as facilitated through use of videos and repeated interviews, with the intent to inspire greater awareness, malleability, and positive behavior change is presented. To synthesize this research, the following topics: coaching identity and the role of the coach, coach education and its misalignment with the goals of youth coaches, counseling as a means of mentoring, self-awareness and reflection, and behavior change, are discussed. In the current coach education literature, there is a gap in the types of education volunteer …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Pete Master’S Programs In The U.S. And Their Alignment With Advanced Teaching Standards, Jamie K. Gilbert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: This study provided a descriptive analysis of PETE master’s degree programs in the United States. Program demographics and curriculum alignment with SHAPE America’s three advanced teaching standards and four guiding principles were the focus of this research.

Methods: This research utilized a non-experimental, cross-sectional descriptive research design and a two-phase approach to collect data. The quantitative survey component analyzed the demographics of programs (n=13) using descriptive analysis. Phone-based semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from program affiliates (n=4) concerning program adherence to three advanced PETE standards and four guiding principles.

Results: Public universities granting …

A Timeless Ritual, Luke Thomas Doyle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This written thesis is the supporting documentation for A Timeless Ritual, my Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition. The exhibition seeks to define my expression of aesthetics through utilitarian vessels to create a sense of nostalgia with the user my mimicking industrial objects.

The research pertaining to my thesis explores the interactions between object and user. A patina layered over time evokes a sense of age, weathered memories of a time once lived. I look for these subtle nuances in form. Borrowing an aesthetic from manufactured products and reviving it in a domestic space is where my pots takes life. …

Artifacts Of Imagination, Rachel Emily Simpson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My MFA thesis and supporting exhibition focus on works ranging from video and sculpture to installation. The work has evolved from an intimate spiritual dialogue and interaction with the terrestrial world. This personal narrative is a jumping off point to pursue more universal themes and ideas of layering of information, shared versus collective perceptions and creating systems of understanding. Many of the processes involved in this exhibition contain some form of collage. The use of these various collage techniques furthers the idea of complexity in perception and expression and the many layers of experience. I will explain how the creation …

The Structural Information Filtered Features Potential For Machine Learning Calculations Of Energies And Forces Of Atomic Systems., Jorge Arturo Hernandez Zeledon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the last ten years, machine learning potentials have been successfully applied to the study of crystals, and molecules. However, more complex materials like clusters, macro-molecules, and glasses are out reach of current methods. The input of any machine learning system is a tensor of features (the most universal type are rank 1 tensors or vectors of features), the quality of any machine learning system is directly related to how well the feature space describes the original physical system. So far, the feature engineering process for machine learning potentials can not describe complex material. The current methods are highly inefficient …

Student-Instructor Out-Of-Class Communication: A Media Multiplexity Approach, Cathlin V. Clark-Gordon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present set of studies examined media multiplexity theory (MMT; Haythornthwaite, 2005) in the context of student-instructor out-of-class communication (OCC) in two samples: undergraduate and graduate students. It was predicted that student-instructor tie strength (closeness) would lead to a greater number of modes used for OCC, and subsequently, the number of modes used for OCC would predict positive classroom outcomes, including communication satisfaction, cognitive and affective learning, and motivation. It was also predicted that the effect of closeness on the number of modes used for OCC would be moderated by student’s enjoyment of online communication, insofar as it would suppress …

Nuanced Narratives: Reporting With Critical Race And Feminist Standpoint Theories, Emily Margaret Pelland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Google Expedition titled WWI Era Through the Eyes of the Chicago Defender explores African American experiences during the early years of the Great Migration (1910-1970). Conventional journalism relies on the false idea that journalists are meant to be, and can be, objective, outside observers. This report provides tools for journalists to create more nuanced, thorough storytelling endeavors. This report describes the theoretical framework and intent of the Virtual Reality (VR) project for students in grades 8 and above. It utilizes Feminist Standpoint Theory (FST) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to cultivate a VR experience that acknowledges particular, overlooked aspects …

Johannes Brahms’S Fünf Ophelia-Lieder Performance History, Cultural Context, And Character Study As It Pertains To Johannes Brahms’S Fünf Ophelia-Lieder: A Performer’S Perspective, Caryn Alexis Crozier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document aims to contribute research on the lesser known and under researched vocal works by Johannes Brahms, particularly his Fünf Ophelia Lieder. This song cycle, while not written to be performed on its own, originally, is a rich technical resource for beginning singers and advanced singers alike. Brahms wrote a simple melody with sparse accompaniment that really allows the performer to focus on language, technique, or dramatic interpretation. This document looks at Brahms’s setting of Ophelia’s mad scene through many different lenses including theoretical, by analyzing each song musically and dramatically, historical analysis of Hamlet and its many iterations, …

Musical And Cultural Perspectives Of Héctor Campos Parsi: An Examination Of His Influences And Analysis Of Selected Vocal Works, Cynthia Ortiz-Bartley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper examines the historical and cultural atmosphere in Puerto Rico and how it affected one of Puerto Rico’s most celebrated composers, Héctor Campos Parsi, and two selected works in two different times of his life. The discussion includes events that affected the island with respect to art music from 1898, the birth of Héctor Campos Parsi in 1922, and up to 1986, which marks the date of the second selected work. This document considers three questions about cultural and structural influences about the life and experiences of Héctor Campos Parsi: Does a composer’s life experience and environment and culture …

Contemporary Collaborative Piano Practices In Korea: Five Case Studies, Jiyeon Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper provides insight into the practices of collaborative piano in Korea. Interviews are included with five Korean pianists who have enjoyed successful careers in either Korea or the United States: Eun Young Lee, Young Kyung Hyun, Jin Hye Lee, Tony Cho and Hun Won Yim. Their responses provide practical advice for collaborative pianists as well as details about educational and career opportunities for collaborative pianists in Korea and the United States. Also included is biographical information about the selected pianists, information about Korean collaborative pianists’ associations, a list of Korean universities offering collaborative piano degrees, and a bibliography.

Development Of A Sustainability Evaluation And Control Framework For Chemical Processes, Shuyun Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Industry, government, and society have begun to shift from economic stand-alone focus to the inclusion of sustainability in the decision-making process. This shift can be attributed to the growing environmental and social awareness that makes consumers and stakeholders not only care about product quality and cost, but also products and processes that minimize the environmental impact and conserve natural resources. As a result, some progress has been made in recognizing and understanding the challenges of sustainable development, which helps evaluating the sustainability performance of a specific process/product. In particular, sustainability assessment tools and methodologies have been developed to help the …

Metal Nanomaterials: Immune Effects And Implications Of Physicochemical Properties On Sensitization, Elicitation, And Augmentation Of Allergic Disease, Katherine Adair Roach

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many allergenic metals are being manufactured in nanoparticulate forms. Although the decreased size profile of metal nanomaterials has been consistently associated with more pronounced lung toxicity compared to larger materials, it is unclear if metal-induced immunotoxic effects exhibit a similar size-dependency.

The central hypothesis of these studies was that metal nanoparticles cause more pronounced immunomodulatory effects on allergic processes than larger forms of respective metals. Moreover, it was anticipated that, similar to their inflammatory potential in airways, the magnitude of these responses would correlate best with the dose metric of surface area.

The first set of studies utilized fine and …

Discrimination And Behavioral Responses To Communication Signals Compared Across Apteronotids., Danielle Leigh Dillon-Seeger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensory systems are often uniquely tailored to encode behaviorally relevant signals and comparative studies across species can thus reveal how evolutionary changes shape sensory functions. The structure of communication signals varies widely between ghost knifefish species. Recent findings suggest that the nervous system co-adapted to the various signal structures observed across species to support different sensory behaviors. The aim for this thesis was to compare the sensory behavior of 3 species of ghost knifefish to contrast their behavioral performance with the known differences in neurophysiology. We hypothesize that for the different signal types and species, the ability to discriminate small …

Low-Power Reconfigurable Sensing Circuitry For The Internet-Of-Things Paradigm, Alexander Dilello

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With ubiquitous wireless communication via Wi-Fi and nascent 5th Generation mobile communications, more devices -- both smart and traditionally "dumb" -- will be interconnected than ever before. This burgeoning trend is referred to as the Internet-of-Things. These new sensing opportunities place a larger burden on the underlying circuitry that must operate on finite battery power and/or within energy-constrained environments. New developments of low-power reconfigurable analog sensing platforms like field-programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) present an attractive sensing solution by processing data in the analog domain while staying flexible in design. This work addresses some of the contemporary challenges of low-power wireless …

Browsing Via Sonification, Taylor C. Cutlip

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Based on unexpected results in her previous research, Dr. Frances Van Scoy became inspired to develop a tool that allows the user to navigate spaces using auditory instead of visual cues to detect objects or anomalies in a given space in an effort to overcome the encountered obstacles. This problem report details the work of one of her grad students in exploring different open source software for developing the tool as well as research into gestures and other considerations when furthering this research into the third dimension at a future date.

Can Fitts' Throughput Be A Predictor Of Muscle Fatigue – A Study Based On Metacarpal Gloves?, Sachin Sah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, Fitts’ throughput was used to estimate throughput for metacarpal gloves. Fitts’ throughput combines speed and accuracy during target transfer/movement tasks into a single performance index. It was hypothesized that the throughput will be affected by the glove condition and it will exhibit a relationship with the physiological response of hand muscles and perceived exertions. Fifteen healthy participants (10 males, 5 females) were recruited for data collection. Each participant performed a series of target transfer tasks using four glove conditions: (1) a pigskin leather (glove 1); (2) a synthetic fiber glove (glove 2); (3) a goat-grain leather glove …

Examining Musical Hybridity And Cultural Influences In Valerie Coleman’S Wish Sonatine And Fanmi Imèn, Brittany Marie Trotter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research document is to examine elements of musical hybridity and cultural influences in renowned African-American flutist-composer Valerie Coleman’s Wish Sonatine and Fanmi Imèn for solo flute and piano. Prominently known for her chamber music works, Coleman describes her compositional style as “urban-classical,” which infuses elements of popular American styles into modern Western art music traditions to highlight and encapsulate the cultural experiences of various diasporas of our time.

The most significant elements of hybridity and cultural influences examined in Wish Sonatine and Fanmi Imèn are programmatic imagery and compositional motifs. The programmatic imagery is represented through …

Artificial Immune System For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Abnormal Condition Detection And Identification, Ryan G. Mclaughlin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A detection and identification scheme for abnormal conditions was developed for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on the artificial immune system (AIS) paradigm. This technique involves establishing a body of data to represent normal conditions referred to as “self” and differentiating these conditions from abnormal conditions, referred to as “non-self”. Data collected from simulation of the UAV attempting to autonomously fly a pre-decided trajectory were used to develop and test a scheme that was able to detect and identify aircraft sensor and actuator faults. These faults included aerodynamic control surface locks and damages and angular rate sensor biases. The …

Virtual Morphology As A Method Of Robotic Control, Conner Todd Castle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents Virtual Morphology (VM), a method that explores a different perspective on the design of robot autonomy using inspiration from morphological computing and programmed computation. Morphological computation offers physical solutions that solve complex tasks, like robotic grasping of unknown objects, with relative ease. Unfortunately, these physical solutions are difficult to adjust post-development, and are usually designed to complete only one or a few specific tasks. Programmed computational approaches are more flexible because they can be implemented and adjusted through software, but unfortunately, these approaches can become rather complex as tasks become more difficult. This thesis explores the potential …

Latin American Influences On Selected Piano Pieces By Louis Moreau Gottschalk And Darius Milhaud, Hyejeong Seong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research document examines selected piano works by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869) and Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) that are influenced by Latin American cultures.The paper traces the influence of Latin American music and the incorporation of characteristic melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements in the following compositions: Souvenir de Porto Rico, op. 31 (1857) and Souvenir de la Havane, op. 39 (1859) by Gottschalk; Saudades do Brasil, op. 67 (1920-1921) and Brasileira: Third movement of Scaramouche Suite, op. 165b (1937), for Two Pianos, by Milhaud. After a brief introduction, the study reviews the existing related literature about this topic. Then, Chapters Three …

Critical Physicochemical Properties For Nanoparticle Toxicity: Impact Of Surface Coating And Size On Particle-Induced Cell Transformation And Inflammatory Response, Tiffany Kornberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanoparticles, which measure 100 nm in at least one dimension, have surged in development, production, and use for a wide range of applications. However, the rapid pace of development for these emerging materials with unclear/unknown toxicity profiles makes it difficult to adequately assess health risk associated with exposure. One critical obstacle which limits scientific research to fill these critical knowledge gaps is the lack of accurate and predictive models for nanotoxicology studies, particularly those which involve occupationally relevant exposure scenarios (pulmonary exposure to low dose of particles in the circulating air). Typically, animal models are used to assess potential systemic …

Evaluating The Consistency Of A Breathing Flow Recording Device Across Different Elastomeric Half-Mask Respirators, Samuel Jennings Munnis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the organization in charge of approving respiratory devices in the United States, as permitted by 42 CFR Part 84. Standards that NIOSH uses to certify powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are based on respiratory data collected before the 21^st century. With new technologies, it is possible to gain a more accurate understanding of breathing flow of healthcare workers (HCWs). A new portable breathing flow recording device developed by The S.E.A. Group was intended for use with a Sundström SR100 mask with a P100 filter. This study tests the device with …

Phased Array Feed Beamforming And Its Application In Mapping Extended Sources, Gargi Roy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ever since the detection of radio signals, technology has strived to improve the performance of the hardware associated with detecting and observing faint radio sources by improving signal processing and detection techniques. Phased array feeds (PAFs) for radio telescopes can yield in an increase in the survey speed and field of view for reflector antennas. Beamforming, calibration, and imaging are some of the challenges that need to be addressed in order to further the development of PAFs. There is a trade-off between achieving high sensitivity and maintaining a stable clean beam pattern when it comes to beamforming design strategies. A …

Persistence Of Undergraduate Women In Stem Through Timsi, Heather L. Henderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is a need to increase the persistence of women in science careers. This study focuses on undergraduate women majoring in or interested in science. Despite interest early on in their academic careers, women are leaving STEM at higher rates than other fields. Through the framework of the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence (TIMSI), this study explores psychosocial factors leading to integration in science careers. 484 undergraduate women from 9 universities in the Colorado/Wyoming Front Range and the Carolinas were recruited into this study and surveyed through 8 waves of data collection. A model building process was performed using …

Promoting Cognitive And Fine Motor Development In The Art Room For Young Students With Exposure To Trauma: An Exploratory Case Study., Tiffany Marie Minuci

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the overwhelming research that suggests visual artmaking experiences can produce positive outcomes for individuals, many state art education policies fail to implement and integrate the arts into core academic curriculums. Specifically in the state of West Virginia, kindergarten through twelfth grade students often lack the access to a quality and consistent art education. With high teacher-pupil ratios and inclusive learning environments, educators face the difficult task of meeting all the individual needs of their students’ in the classroom. This not only affects whole student populations, but also poses risks for children who have been exposed to trauma. Traumatic experiences …

Induction Of Cerebral Hyperexcitability By Peripheral Viral Challenge: Role Of Cxcl10 Chemokine, Tiffany J. Petrisko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peripheral viral infections are po­tent comorbid factors that exacerbate neuro­degene­ration. Although the under­lying mecha­nisms have not been defined, neuronal hyperexcitability has been established as an underlying feature. Our lab has developed a preclinical model in which a viral mimetic, poly­inosinic-poly­cytidylic acid (PIC) is injected in­tra­peritoneally to induce an anti-viral acute phase response (APR). APR in turn elicits robust neuronal hyperexcitability. The present study was undertaken to characterize molecular mechanisms that mediate the development of hyperexcitability in response to PIC challenge. The analysis of brain tissue after PIC challenge revealed a robust elevation of CXCL10 chemokine, indicating its putative role in …

Performance Study Of An Unconventional Breathresponse Papr Against A N95 Ffr And Conventional Paprs, Huihui Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the first responders when infectious pathogens occur. Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are one of the most widely used personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Currently, few studies have been performed with HCWs in the actual healthcare work environments to assess discomforts, acceptance and protective efficiency towards wearing and use of PAPRs. The main purpose of this dissertation was to introduce and assess a brand new unconventional PAPR (Koken breath-response PAPR). The protection performance and user preferance of this unconventional PAPR were studided and compared to that of a N95 FFR and traditional PAPRs.

Firstly, a laboratory …

Music Technology, Gender, And Sexuality: Case Studies Of Women And Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers, Justin Thomas Massey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document aims to contribute to the established scholarship that highlights the role gender and sexuality has with one’s fundamental relationship to composition and music technology. The profession of electronic music composition and music production are strongly associated with notions of power and control, as much of this technology was built during the World Wars and Cold War. These aggressive views have created gendered language and metaphors in the field. Metaphors are the primary way in which we accommodate and assimilate information and experience to our conceptual organization of the world. It is at the source of our capacity to …

X-Ray Fluorescence Applications In Mudrock Characterization: Investigations Into Middle Devonian Stratigraphy, Appalachian Basin, Usa, Keithan Garrett Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mudrocks are characterized by nanometer-scale pore sizes and nano-darcy permeability, which plays a significant role in hydrocarbon flow during production. Resulting from these characteristics, mudrocks were exclusively considered a source rock, which charged overlying, more porous mediums. Hydraulic fracturing, a technology used to create artificial fractures to liberate hydrocarbons from the reservoir, enabled natural gas to be produced from mudrock reservoirs economically. Over the last fifteen years, this technology motivated research efforts to understand reservoir characteristics of mudrock. These investigations significantly improved our knowledge of mudrock systems, but have also highlighted key areas that are undeveloped and/or where conflicting hypotheses …

Dispositional Empathy And Autonomic Reactivity During A Comfort Interaction, Alaina G. Tiani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between dispositional (trait) empathy and autonomic reactivity during dyadic interactions among women enrolled in undergraduate psychology courses. The primary research question was: do individuals who are deemed higher in dispositional empathy according to self-report exhibit differential autonomic reactivity patterns during a task in which they are asked to comfort another student experiencing emotional distress than those who are deemed lower in dispositional empathy? The literature on this relation has been mixed and has utilized photos or videos to evoke emotion; thus this study sought to examine the relation between …