Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating Hate: The Public Deliberation Of Matthew Shepard And Hate Crime Legislation, Abigail Barnes

Master's Theses

Since Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998, his narrative has been recirculated to justify a federal hate crime statute and Shepard has been used as a symbol for the demand for hate crime legislation. This study seeks to evaluate how Shepard is used in public deliberation, the role of private organizations in the public deliberation of hate crime legislation, and the discursive history of the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009. Through a rhetorical criticism, this study finds that the nuances of Shepard’s narrative are abandoned in order to construct him as a “permissible” symbol for LGBTQ+ protections. However, if …

Emergency Management Plan To Increase Resilience In Transportation Sector Vehicles To An Emp Attack, Julian A. Lorusso

Master's Theses

A vulnerability exists in the U.S. to an attack from a nuclear weapon of mass destruction (WMD) optimized to generate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) with potential for widespread damage to electrical components in the critical infrastructure including non-military (non-MIL) transportation sector vehicles. The purpose of this study was to develop a plan on how hazard risks from an EMP attack can be better understood for modern-day, “electronics-heavy”, transportation sector vehicles leading to affordable mitigation countermeasures that could be implemented as part of an emergency management plan. The FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and preceding executive order signed by the …

Exposing Evil: My Lai, The Media, And American Atrocities In Asia, 1941-1975, Joshua Caleb Greer

Master's Theses

In both the Pacific War against Japan from 1941 to 1945 and the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, United States combat troops—emboldened by a combat culture of dehumanization through racism and a military that enacted policies of attrition— committed atrocities against Asian soldiers and civilians. This trend continued into the Vietnam War unabated beginning in 1965. Incidents of atrocities committed by American troops overseas were not publicly discussed until the My Lai Massacre of 1968 was revealed to the American people in 1969. Once the massacre became a national news story published in outlets all over the country, American …

The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership And Organizational Change Readiness: The Mediating Role Of Psychological Safety, Paulina Christine Manzano

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to examine the mediating effect of psychological safety on the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational change readiness in the workplace. A total of 107 employees participated in the study, which utilized online survey distribution. Results showed that psychological safety partially mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational change readiness. In other words, the more employees perceived their leadership to be authentic, the more likely employees felt safe taking risks at work, which in turn, increased employees’ emotional and cognitive inclination to adopt and embrace organizational change. Based on these findings, organizations …

Effects Of Urbanization And Habitat On The Diet And Reproduction Of Red-Shouldered Hawks In Central California, Catherine Y. Fisher

Master's Theses

Urbanization alters biological community interactions and trophic structures compared to natural habitats; these changes may be reflected in the diets of apex predators such as raptors. The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a dietary generalist that is expanding from natural and rural habitats into urbanized areas. In this study, direct observation was used to quantify the diet and reproductive success of red-shouldered hawks in Santa Clara County, California during the 2019 breeding season. GIS methods were used to quantify the nesting habitat and level of urbanization at each nest. Hawk diet consisted of mammals (50.4% by frequency and 77.7% by …

The Relationship Between Diversity Climate Perceptions And Organizational Citizenship Behavior And Work Engagement: The Mediating Role Of Overall Organizational Justice, Arika Nakajima Higgins

Master's Theses

Employees’ perceptions concerning their organization’s diversity climate have important implications for both the organization and the individual. Diversity climate research has traditionally focused on exploring the moderators of the relationship between diversity climate perceptions and the attitudinal outcomes of employees; however, research has neglected to examine behavioral outcomes and the potential mediators of the relationship. Therefore, the present study explored the indirect effects of overall organizational justice on the relationship between diversity climate perceptions and organizational citizenship behavior and work engagement. It was hypothesized that diversity climate perceptions would be positively related to organizational citizenship behavior and work engagement. It …

Dairy Manure Flushwater Treatment By Algae Raceway Ponds And Aerated Biofilm Reactors, Darin Son

Master's Theses

Nitrogen removal technologies can help dairy industries meet their nutrient management needs. This thesis investigated two separate treatment technologies for total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal: algae raceway ponds and aerated biofilm reactors. Six 1000- liter algae raceway ponds and four 1000-liter tote tanks, each equipped with 10 sheets of nonwoven geotextile (i.e., thermally bonded or needle-punched) biofilm substrate, were used to treat the effluent from a flush dairy in central coastal California (TAN = 251 mg/L, cBOD5 = 204 mg/L). For the algae raceway ponds (TAN loading rate = 7 - 35 g/m³-day among 7-, 10- and 14-day hydraulic residence …

Solar Pv Feasibility Study On Higher Education Institutions In Connecticut, Sai Pujitha Karanam

Master's Theses

One of the most common issue in Connecticut (CT) is the high electricity rates. CT stands among the top five states for its high electric rates due to limitation in transmission facilities and storage of natural gas. Education institutions serve as good places to install photovoltaic systems as they have a large number of buildings available. Photovoltaic systems are a growing alternative energy source that reduces the electricity demand and hence higher education institutions should start implementing these technologies to reduce the burden of paying more for electricity bills.

The primary objective of the study was to analyze the economic …

Evaluation Of Winter Weather Prediction During Extreme Snowfall Events And Analysis On Wind Gust Prediction For Non-Convective Rain And Wind Events, Michael Walters

Master's Theses

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) models are important tools used by federal agencies and the weather enterprise to inform and warn the public about extreme weather events. Snowstorm forecasts, which can be highly impactful throughout the Northeast United States, face challenges related to microphysical and initial and boundary layer processes that hinder the accuracy of forecasts. In addition, observations of mixed phase precipitation are very sparse spatially and temporally which causes an added challenge to validate predictions. This study presents an evaluation of 38 significant snowstorms and 18 rain/wind events from 2005 to 2020 using three NWP models. Each modeling system …

Electrospray Printing: An Advanced Technique For Processing Polymers Into Thin Films For Membrane Applications, Tulasi Ravindran

Master's Theses

This thesis deals with the scope and prospects of the novel technology for electrospray printing to process polymers for liquid filtration membrane applications. First, the ability to explore novel reaction media to tune polyamide properties was demonstrated. Aromatic polyamides for reverse osmosis membranes are made by interfacial polymerization. Conventionally, interfacial polymerization is an in situ polycondensation of a diamine and an acid chloride conducted on a porous support at the interface of two immiscible solvents. Using electrospray printing, different solvent media were used to print polyamides on to ultrafiltration support membranes. It was observed that polar protic solvents formed membranes …

Applying Transit Accessibility Metrics To Locating Affordable Housing, Robert Walsh Smith

Master's Theses

The location of affordable housing in the United States is greatly influenced by how it is funded, and current funding criteria does not make wide use of comprehensive accessibility metrics. To show the benefits of using a comprehensive metric to locate affordable housing, one such metric, the TOI, was compared with more simple measures of transit access in a case study. A qualitative assessment of the comprehensive transit metric showed improvements over a simpler measure currently used by an affordable housing program. Statistical modeling was also performed to see if the TOI could better predict whether households had adequate transit …

Human Intention Inference Using Fusion Of Gaze And Motion Information, Daniel Trombetta

Master's Theses

Enabling robots with the ability to quickly and accurately determine the intention of their human counterparts is a very important problem in Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). The focus of this work is to provide a framework wherein multiple modalities of information, available to the robot through different sensors, are fused to estimate a human's action intent. In this thesis, two human intention estimation schemes are presented. In both cases, human intention is defined as a motion profile associated with a single goal location. The first scheme presents the first human intention estimator to fuse information from pupil tracking data as well …

Alcohol-Related Consequences: Factor Structure And Associations With Trait Mindfulness And Drinking Motivations, Lauren Carney

Master's Theses

Objective. This two-study project aimed to determine if motivations to use alcohol (coping and social motivations) mediate the relationship between trait mindfulness and a variety of alcohol-related consequences and to determine if the relationship between motivations to use alcohol and alcohol-related consequences is moderated by alcohol use. Study 1 determined the factor structure of positive and negative consequences of alcohol use. In Study 2, this structure served as the outcome across eight moderated mediation models. Method. For Study 1, data were obtained from 165 undergraduate students to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on alcohol-related consequences. For Study 2, …

Snap Assistance, Food Purchasing Behaviors And Dietary Patterns Among Overweight/Obese, Pregnant, Low-Income Latinas, Marta Holovatska

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Supplementation In A Drosophila Model Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Derek Lee

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Replanting Our Roots: A Best Practices Analysis On How To Empower Arab Migrant Women And Develop Leadership Through Service Work, Linda Ereikat

Master's Theses

This research is focused on identifying the best practices and methods used by community service providers who serve Arab immigrant women, a heavily marginalized and isolated demographic. Specifically, this research seeks to answer, what are the best practices for community engagement, leadership, and empowerment in the lives of Arab migrant women in San Francisco? I examine the elements of community empowerment, engagement, leadership, and methods of providing services from the Asian Women’s Shelter, the Chinatown Community Development Center, and the Arab Resource and Organizing Center. The methods used were personal interviews with key leaders of these organizations. The Arab Resource …

An Exploration Of Health Misinformation In A Facebook-Delivered Health Education Intervention, Kelsey Arroyo

Master's Theses

Background: Health misinformation is commonly shared on social media but little research has examined how misinformation is communicated and what health messages are most likely to receive misinformed responses on social media. Purpose: The purpose of this work is to explore the extent to which health misinformation was shared by participants in a private Facebook-delivered health education intervention moderated by a health counselor. Methods: We used engagement data from a randomized controlled trial of a yearlong Facebook-delivered health education intervention. We conducted a content analysis of 6,016 participant comments (including original posts and replies) to examine the nature of comments …

Fabrication, Testing And Theoretical Background Of A Quantum Dot Floating Gate Flash Non-Volatile Memory (Qdg Nvm), Nathan Butterfield

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Shyness X Niche Interactions Across Five Countries: A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study, Daniell Carvalheiro

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Maleic Anhydride Compatibilized Peach Waste As Filler In Polypropylene And High Density Polyethylene Biocomposites, Caralyn Wong, Stephanie Jung, Joongmin Shin, Ajay Kathuria

Master's Theses

It is estimated that roughly 103, 515 tons of peach waste is produced annually in the US. The majority of the waste is disposed of in landfills, which contributes to climate change as they release 93 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Peach waste principally consists of remaining stone and seed after flesh removal. The agro-waste includes both cellulose and lignin, which can be utilized as a filler in plastic packaging to reduce carbon footprints and material cost. The objectives of this research are (1) to develop peach flour (PF)-filled biocomposites with a polyolefin matrix using maleic anhydride-g-high density …

Determinants Of The Carbon Footprint Of German Swimmers 2020., Ann-Marie Muehlbauer

Master's Theses

The current climate situation is placing our planet and future generations at risk, which demonstrates the urgency to combat climate change and conduct research to support this effort. Calculating the carbon footprint of active sport participation represents an important opportunity to conduct additional research. This study examined the environmental attitudes and practices of swim club members in Germany. The study had three goals: First, to calculate the total and partial carbon footprint of German swimmers; second, to understand how sport organizations induce participants to engage in pro-environmental behavior; and third, to analyze various factors associated with carbon footprint, such as …

Application Of Lignin (Modified/Unmodified ) To Cement And Observing Effects, Ashique Ur Rahman Akond

Master's Theses

Biomass of various types have been known to be important sources of energy or raw material for products in industries for centuries. Biomass have been proven to be cost effective as sources of suitable chemicals that can enhance many industrial processes. Lignin is one of many very valuable components extractable from biomass. Using lignin, modified or unmodified, can improve the sustainability of manufacturing processes. In this work, lignin was extracted from two different biomass, i.e. coffee chaff and sugarcane bagasse. Coffee chaff is the dried skins of coffee beans, the waste product from the roasting process. Sugarcane bagasse is the …

Exploring Experiences With Social Disorganization In Denver Communities, Tiffanie Pham

Master's Theses

Social disorganization theory states that individuals residing in disadvantaged communities are more likely to engage in delinquency and criminality due to the elements the individuals experience (Shaw & McKay, 1969). More specifically, social disorganization theory refers to the failure of the community to fully understand and acknowledge the common goals or solve any issues that the community might be experiencing (Kubrin & Weitzer, 2003). Utilizing social disorganization theory, specifically, the family disruption and poverty elements, the current literature focuses on individuals who reside in disadvantaged communities in Denver, Colorado. By using the qualitative approach, this study relied on in-depth interviews …

The Power Of Together: Applying Group Dynamics To Organizational Change Initiatives, Megan Bissell

Master's Theses

Work and occupations are among the oldest and most salient concepts studied in sociology. Sociology as a field has largely focused on organizations from a macro perspective; primarily looking at organizational systems and institutionalized systems of oppression. Conversely, in conjunction with other disciplines such as psychology, sociology has maintained a presence in the more micro space, focusing on individualized interaction and behaviors. However, there is a distinct lack of meso-level research about the impact of group dynamics and social interaction in the for-profit workplace. Since 2010, there have only been 89 articles published about groups and their interactions in the …

Developing Metrics And Protocols For Evaluating Restoration Success For The Little Thompson River, Colorado, Haylie Brown

Master's Theses

In September 2013, the US Colorado Front Range experienced an extreme rainfall event causing mass flooding in the region. Many Front Range rivers were impacted and subsequently restored, especially those adjacent to roadways. Channel restoration practices often lack a standard approach, and evaluating project success is usually lacking. An assessment framework was developed incorporating both ecological and geomorphic variables in addition to project-specific objectives, applied to the Little Thompson River. Topographic and functional traits vegetation surveys were conducted at both the restored reach and an upstream reference reach, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the knowledge of best practices …

Assessing The Effects Of Habitat On Bird Song Propagation, Braelei Hardt

Master's Theses

The Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis (AAH) posits that animal acoustic signals meant for long-range communication should be adapted to transmit well within the habitats in which they evolved. However, comparative studies investigating predictions of the AAH relating to signal form indicate that support for the hypothesis is not universal. Several studies have employed experimental playback approaches to testing signal transmission which can provide complimentary analyses to comparative studies of signal form in the field. Here, I first summarize these experimental playback tests of the AAH in birds, mammals, insects, and anurans, describing the methodologies used in these tests, and assessing the …

Artificial Night Lighting And Anthropogenic Noise Alter Animal Activity, Body Condition, Species Richness, And Community Structure, Joshua Willems

Master's Theses

Sensory pollution from artificial night-lighting and anthropogenic noise have increased at a dramatic rate over the last several decades. Alterations to the sensory environment have been found to affect wildlife in a wide variety of ways including behavioral changes, physiological responses, changes in species interactions, and altered community structure. Increased levels of light and noise pollution can originate from many sources including roads, energy development and infrastructure, and urbanization. Even remote or protected areas are not immune to the effects of increased sensory disturbances with 63 percent of protected areas within the United States found to have been exposed to …

Creative Expression Through The Gift Of God: The Intertwining Of Creativity And Religion Of The Poor Clares In New Orleans, Louisiana, Maureen Tierney

Master's Theses

This thesis looks at the relationship of art and creativity among the Poor Clares in New Orleans, Louisiana. Through the six sisters, the project addresses the way that religion influences the art that each sister produces. While each sister has had a different experience that drew them to religious life and their artwork, they all agree that their creativity is a gift from God, and this shapes how they engage with their art.

The literature gives an understanding to the role of the artist, and how to understand the nuance in an artist’s choice, when “why” something is produced is …

The Wakefield Phenomenon: A Rhetorical Examination Of The Resurgence Of The Anti-Vaccination Movement In The 20th & 21st Century, Karen Boger

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the phenomenon of the anti-vaccination movement and existing publications documenting significant points in its resurgence in the late 20^th and early 21^st century following the now redacted publication by the former Dr. Wakefield asserting a correlation between children receiving vaccinations and children exhibiting the onset of developmental disorders, with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) garnering the most public attention. With increasing numbers of parents delaying or forbidding their children from receiving vaccinations, along with the re-emergence of previously eradicated disease outbreaks and casualties, questions about the salience of Wakefield’s anti-vaccination statements arise. Investigation here is key …

Mental Healthcare Providers' Personality And Its Relation To Preferences Of Client Personality, Taylor R. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

The incorporation of personality assessment and client treatment preferences in psychotherapy has implications for therapeutic processes and outcomes (e.g., treatment engagement, retention). While this research has largely focused on client characteristics and traits, mental healthcare providers seem to demonstrate differing perspectives of clients as a function of both their own and their clients’ personalities. However, no prior literature has considered providers’ pretreatment preferences of clients. The current study aimed to examine providers’ unique personality profiles and their associations with preferences for client personality characteristics utilizing a person-centered personality approach (i.e., latent profile analysis). Specifically, the study (1) examined providers’ personality …