Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Gender Gap: Women In Stem Management, Kathryn Skeeters

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to study the current effects of training and accommodations on women in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields. Currently, there is a lack of women at the senior levels in the STEM field. This study evaluates the current literature as well as the personal experiences of 14 subjects. This information was collected through interviews. No personal data besides gender and age is communicated in the paper, with company names and signifiers removed. With the information gleaned from this research, the study evaluates the current programs and assesses a path forward. The assumption from …

Indigenization Of Genocide Healing: A Grounded Action Of Culturally And Contextually Relevant Educational And Psychosocial Strategies To Reduce Impacts Of Societal Toxic Stress In Rwanda Post-Genocide, Jean Pierre Ndagijimana

Master's Theses

Sixty percent of the current Rwandan population were born after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and those born since or who were young at the time of the genocide have remained among those affected most. Although Western trauma theorists and interventionists have played the role of experts in the genocide healing, the exclusion of the indigenous population’s experiences, knowledge, and wisdom has limited them from meeting local needs. The post-genocide situation raises various issues, genocide ideology, and increasing family homicides; however, locals do not want to seek counseling services, or run the risk of being labeled as mentally ill. …

The Effectiveness Of Medication Assisted Treatment (Mat) Programs In Correctional Facilities: A Review Of The Evidence And Recommendations, Woodlyn Joachim

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Groundwater Quality And Bacterial Community Composition In Chloride Impacted Drinking Water Wells In Sherman, Ct., Ryan Ordung

Master's Theses

The following chapters of this thesis are written with regards to the hydrogeologic investigations of the anthropogenically impacted fractured bedrock aquifer located in Sherman Connecticut. Several domestic and public water supply wells in the town center have consistently exhibited concentrations of chloride and sodium above state and federal drinking water standards over at least a four-year period. Using multiple methodologies and analysis to characterize subsurface conditions and flow pathways provides a greater understanding of the controls on water quality in the town center. Through the analysis of geochemical trends, spatial distribution of well locations and construction along with geologic context, …

Reachability Analysis Of Power Electronic Converters, Heqiang Wang

Master's Theses

This work presents a reachability analysis approach for dual active bridge (DAB) converters in the presence of heterogeneous uncertainties induced by manufacturing tolerance, temperature, humidity, etc. Reachability analysis can overapproximate the set of all possible reachable states from the set of initial states and parameter values based on the reachability algorithm. The novelty of this work includes: 1) it gives a comprehensive introduction of how to build a hybrid automata model for a DAB converter, and use the hybrid automata model for the purpose of reachability analysis through SpaceEx; 2) it develops the procedures of building the SpaceEx model for …

Hbn-Acrylate Composite Printing: Stereolithography And Uv-Assisted Direct Write, Zachary Bauman

Master's Theses

3D printing is an additive manufacturing technique capable of creating highly customizable and uniquely-shaped structures that are difficult or completely impossible to produce using conventional methods, such as injection molding. Stereolithography and UV-assisted direct write printing are two 3D printing processes, each of which can create complex geometries through photopolymerization. As the 3D printing market is transitioning from prototyping to industrial-use parts, there is a growing demand for improved resins and filled composites to satisfy the needs of various, specific industrial applications. The introduction of hexagonal boron nitride in different composites has been shown to enhance several properties over a …

The Context Of Disorder: How The Physical Environment Affects Judgments Of Police-Citizen Interactions, Cassidy Burt

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Challenging Experiences Of The Graduate Mathematics Teaching Assistant, Zoe Cramer

Master's Theses

This study investigates the challenges that beginning graduate mathematics teaching assistants (MTAs) face and suggests possible solutions to aid in their transition to teaching. Interviews and surveys were conducted with both beginning and experienced MTAs to better understand their experiences.

Overactive Bladder: Shortcomings Of Current Diagnostic And Treatment Approaches And A New Etiological Paradigm, Nina L. Franzen

Master's Theses

Aims: To examine the effectiveness of the current diagnostic and treatment approach of overactive bladder (OAB) and the relative impact of cognition on what is currently a bladder-centric condition. Methods: A review of the literature on OAB from the population to organ/brain level was conducted. The impact of age-induced bladder dysfunction via cognitive changes to sensory integration and attention control are discussed. Results: OAB uses bladder-centric terminology to represent a collection of symptoms with inconsistent and often unknown pathology. Proposed etiologies and therapeutic models for overactive bladder focus on the bladder organ, but evidence suggests that age-related degradation to inhibitory …

Human Dimensions Of Roadside Vegetation Management Across The Connecticut Landscape, Daniel Connor Hale

Master's Theses

Context For the roadside forest, utility vegetation management is a driver of landscape change that involves tradeoffs between reliable electric power and preservation of trees. Little is known about public perceptions of vegetation management in the landscape context.

Objectives Our objective was to evaluate landscape characteristics and social factors associated with resident attitudes toward roadside utility vegetation management across Connecticut.

Methods We used a mail survey to collect social science data from residents in two study areas in Connecticut. We measured landscape characteristics associated with tree cover and development density at multiple scales around each respondent household. Random forest predictive …

Food Liking In Chronic Smokers: Associations With Sweet E-Juice And Adiposity And Short-Term Changes Across An E-Cigarette Intervention, Brittany Larsen

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Community Living In Context: Rural, Suburban, And Urban Differences Among Older Money Follows The Person Participants, Kaleigh Ligus

Master's Theses

Older adults (65+) are a growing and significant population in the United States. Due to medical conditions and other social factors, some older adults may move to institutional settings to receive care. The Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration is a federal initiative that offers Medicaid recipients the opportunity to live independently in the community by facilitating transitions from institutional settings. A secondary data analysis was performed using longitudinal data from a Quality of Life (QoL) survey conducted with 1,577 older adults in Connecticut (CT). The purpose of these analyses was to explore potential differences among rural, suburban and …

The Effect Of Guilt Free Claims On Restrained And Non-Restrained Eaters' Purchase Intention, Perception Of Product Healthfulness, And Amount Willing To Pay For A Novel Product, Alexis Ludwig

Master's Theses

Products with health-related claims that are perceived to be tasty are more likely to be purchase by consumers than products without a claim. Restrained eaters rely more on external cues such as food packaging rather than internal cues such as hunger signals in a way to control their caloric intake.^1,2 Restrained eaters may be more susceptible to marketing and food claims compared to non-restrained eaters. We propose a guilt free message will affect perception of healthfulness. We also propose a guilt free message and eating restraint will affect purchasing decisions. Lastly, perception of healthfulness and valuing nutritious products mediates …

Perceived Chewing Ability In Adults With Or Without Dentures, Mara Cuberos Guevara

Master's Theses

Background: Masticatory impairment impacts both oral health as well as general health. Self-perceived chewing ability can be a tool to assess denture satisfaction, food choices and quality of life. Objective: To describe the perceived chewing ability with or without use of dentures in adults of different ages and implications in food choices. Methods: Administration of a 20- question survey to adult patients at the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency clinic at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Results: Chewing ability and food choices were significantly impacted by denture status (p = 0.015). Denture status …

“Stop! In The Name Of Civility”: Testing The Effectiveness Of An Intervention To Reduce Workplace Incivility, Corey Grantham

Master's Theses

Workplace incivility is a common problem within organizations. Recent data estimates that 96% of the total workforce population in the United States has experienced incivility at one time or another. Individual targets of incivility face detrimental effects to their psychological and professional well-being. Workplace incivility also leads to poor outcomes for workgroups and for organizations as a whole. Results are mixed for the use of formal training programs to curb incivility in organizations. A workshop designed to train employees on behaving in a civil manner in the workplace, as well as how to respond to workplace incivility, was implemented across …

Using Google Translate To Prepare Discharge Instructions: Spanish-Speaking Patients With Limited English Proficiency In The Emergency Department, Alexis Cordone

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project is to evaluate whether Google Translate can be used to accurately translate discharge instructions from English to Spanish, and whether native speakers prefer translations provided by a certified interpreter or Google Translate upon leaving the Emergency Department. In order to study this question, 211 patient charts with discharge instructions in English were translated by a certified human interpreter and by Google Translate; then, those translations were analyzed by two independent reviewers who counted the number of errors in each translation. The human translations contained substantially less errors than those provided by Google Translate, and the …

Risk Factors For Attrition From A Pediatric Weight Management Program, Richika Makol

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Who Receives Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder?, Daniel Madden

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

La Marquise De Merteuil : Le Corps, Le Voile, L'Écriture, Clara Matet

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Malaria Related Issues In Western Uganda During A 9-Year Period Of Implementing Prevention Strategies, Natalie Moore

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

« Mind The Gap » : Les Pièges Cognitifs Dans Cinq Œuvres D’Eugène Ionesco, Olivia Merchen

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Alternative Paradigms For Synthesizing Household And Person-Level Attributes Jointly, Amit Ranjan Mondal

Master's Theses

In order to apply microsimulation-based models of land use and travel demand, socio-economic and demographic attributes are required for each individual in a region. This disaggregate level information is not readily available and planners resort to population synthesis procedures. This research includes two studies that are focused on developing alternative paradigms for population synthesis and for estimating sample household weights. In the first study, a simulation-based technique for multi-level population synthesis using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) framework is presented. A comparative analysis is carried out to highlight the feasibility and applicability of the proposed approach in generating consistent multilevel …

He Said, She Said: Talker As Context For Semantic Integration Of Spoken Language In Memory, Elizabeth O'Brien

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

How Slps Assess, Treat, And Make Discharge Decisions For People With Mild Aphasia: A Survey Of Current Practice In The U.S., Andrea Pascariello

Master's Theses

The goal of the present study is to provide a comprehensive overview of how speech-language pathologists (SLP) are currently assessing, treating, and discharging patients with mild aphasia. In addition, the present study aims to learn which factors may be limiting SLP involvement with this population and how, as a field, we can better serve these patients. A 26-question survey, consisting of both open-ended and closed ended questions, was developed and distributed via email and social media to selected groups of speech-language pathologists. A total of 133 speech-language pathologists responded to the survey. Reports of assessment, treatment, and discharge procedures were …

Implementing An Sbirt Interprofessional Simulation Curriculum: When More Is More, Iwona Pawlukiewicz

Master's Theses

Background. Regular screening for psychoactive substance misuse in primary care and other health care settings enables earlier identification and management of substance misuse; however, wide-scale implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) services is lagging. The early exposure of health professional students to simulated interprofessional SBIRT education is one solution to address barriers in the uptake of service delivery methods in health care settings. Methods. The feasibility of a newly-developed SBIRT simulation curriculum was tested with 35 interprofessional Urban Service Track Scholars during two separate training events in April and November of 2018. Results. The evaluation …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Physical Literacy In Children, Emma Zuk

Master's Theses

Context: Physical literacy is a growing concept throughout the United States. In order to be physically active, children must develop physical literacy, which is the competency to control their body, and the confidence and motivation to be active. Socioeconomic status of children’s living communities may influence opportunities for physical activity and motor development, but this has not been examined in relation to physical literacy in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate physical literacy competency between a low-resourced community and a high-resourced community. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to compare children between high-resourced (HIGH) …

Medication Adherence In Pediatric Asthma: A Preliminary Analysis Of A Randomized Control Trial Using Electronic Monitoring Devices, Ye Sun

Master's Theses

Objective – Non-adherence to asthma medication is a common problem in patients with asthma, especially in children, leading to more frequent asthma exacerbations, ED visits and hospital admissions. Current methods of assessing adherence are unreliable. Electronic monitoring devices (EMDs) are more accurate means of assessing for adherence, but little is known about whether EMDs have a sustained effect on adherence in children. The objective of this study is to determine whether a mobile-based reminder system paired with EMD scan result in sustained improvement in adherence to asthma therapy over six months.

Methods – Children (8-17 years) with physician-confirmed persistent asthma, …

More Than Just A Myth: How Shapeshifter Rhetoric Relates To Esl Students 2019, Amber Kent

Master's Theses

The academic analysis surrounding the shapeshifter, or shapeshifter mythologies has, so far, been related to modern issues of violence, militarization, feminism, gender studies, or studies simply focusing on the compilation of shapeshifter myths themselves. This essay will map out the current discussion surrounding shapeshifter mythology to illustrate that it has often fallen into two forms of analysis: that of an anthropological or sociological analysis, where shapeshifter myths were analyzed as a method for understanding different cultures and their development, and that of a poststructural analysis, where shapeshifter myths are analyzed as a means of deconstructing binaries such as good/bad and …

“Flowing Along The Wall”: Anarcha-Feminist Bioethics And Resistance In Octavia E. Butler’S Dawn 2019., Theresa Mendez

Master's Theses

Science fiction (sf) texts conversant with the temporal play between past, present, and future push readers to imagine the extremes of human and environmental existence, interaction, and potential. Simultaneously, despite the sf genre’s tendency to traffic in extremes, these texts provoke readers to consider the ways in which these imagined worlds are grounded in history as well as in the contemporary social moment. As Donna Haraway has argued, “the boundary between science fiction and social reality is an optical illusion” (306). This illusory boundary must continue to be traversed in order to consider how sf literatures, particularly those which imagine …

Characterizing Vegetative Communities Across The Salt Marsh To Upland Ecotone In Connecticut: Indications Of Tidal Inundation Stress In The High Marsh, Matthew J. Ormrod

Master's Theses

The viability of Connecticut’s future salt marshes remains uncertain as pressure from multiple anthropogenic stressors and accelerated relative sea level rise continue to undermine the dynamic ecogeomorphic mechanisms that allow these landscapes to persist in times of environmental change. Observed rates of relative sea level rise in the Long Island Sound estuary appear to be accelerating since recording began in the early 1930s. Furthermore, as much as 90% of the land parcels expected to undergo habitat change as marine ecosystems migrate landward are privately owned and managed. This finding suggests that, in addition to these intrinsic ecogeomorphic feedbacks that make …