Digital Commons Network^™

The League Of Nations High Commission For Refugees From Germany After 1935, Sergio Vlahovich

Masters Theses

The League of Nations’ effectiveness as a bureaucratic body has been hotly contested. Almost since its founding, critics of the League viewed its humanitarian and peacekeeping missions as failures. This thesis reevaluates these criticisms by studying the League’s work on behalf of refugees from Germany from the end of 1935 up through the Second World War. The thesis focuses on the activities of the League after James G. McDonald, High Commissioner for Refugees Coming from Germany, resigned in December of 1935 and during the time the Intergovernmental Committee for Refugees (ICR) began its work on the issue of refugees fleeing …

Twenty-Nine Delusions Concerning Love, Jackie Donaldson

Masters Theses

Twenty-Nine Delusions Concerning Love is the story of my relationship. I narrate the relationship's unfolding through the contexts of philosophy and cultural theory, and through artifacts of my own work rendered since the relationship's inception in December of 2020. The purpose of this project was to identify a gap in the autotheory genre, and to fill that gap with my own meaningful contribution -- a book which hybridizes life writing with prose and poetry. This piece is both a narration of my own experience, and an investigation into hookup culture and the way technology has redefined the modern romantic relationship. …

Hybrid Learning And Standards Based Grading: Fostering Writing Instruction During A Pandemic, Elizabeth Dietz

Masters Theses

Hybrid learning is steadily growing in popularity and showing to be an effective learning modality to accommodate diverse student populations. The pandemic is an unexpected outlier in the overall picture of hybrid learning, and it is helpful to reflect upon best academic practices, including grading methods, to help mitigate loss of learning and to continue to make improvements in pedagogical practices. This thesis explores the relationship between the hybrid learning model and evaluation, specifically Standards Based Grading, and how this combination of methods influences best writing practices. Using reflections gathered from teacher surveys via a case study, it appears the …

Student Affairs Professionals As Tempered Radicals: Lessons On Action And Advocacy, Devin A. De Both

Masters Theses

Modern universities are intricate organizations with many stakeholders each with their own goals and objectives. In a time of resource scarcity, student affairs professionals are tasked with advocating on behalf of their students, staffs, departments, and priorities against more solvent operations. Effective managers and administrators must align their priorities with other actors on campus and in accordance with institutional values. This study asked how professionals engage in the advocacy process, including the strategies that they use. Utilizing the tempered radicals perspective, this qualitative study was conducted through four interviews with experienced senior level student affairs professionals.

The Effects Of Online Anti-Bias Training On In-Service Educator Multicultural Competence, Kaeli O'Donnell

Masters Theses

The student population in the United States is becoming increasingly diverse, while the teaching base remains primarily white and female. One skill that helps educators form connections with students and decrease their biases is cultural competence. Thus, educators are often encouraged (and at times required) to participate in professional development training to increase their knowledge in this area. Although previous research has examined educator benefits from professional development trainings in general, and from trainings related to cultural competence, there is limited research into the benefit of online trainings intended to increase educator cultural competence. In this study, 17 educators completed …

Particle Swarm Optimization For Critical Experiment Design, Cole Michael Kostelac

Masters Theses

“Critical experiments are used by nuclear data evaluators and criticality safety engineers to validate nuclear data and computational methods. Many of these experiments are designed to maximize the sensitivity to a certain nuclide-reaction pair in an energy range of interest. Traditionally, a parameter sweep is conducted over a set of experimental variables to find a configuration that is critical and maximally sensitive. As additional variables are added, the total number of configurations increases exponentially and quickly becomes prohibitively computationally expensive to calculate, especially using Monte Carlo methods.

This work presents the development of a particle swarm optimization algorithm to design …

David Lindsay's A Voyage To Arcturus: An Anti-Fantasy, Bryan Wysopal

Masters Theses

This is a study of David Lindsay’s A Voyage to Arcturus (1920) in which I argue that the novel is an anti-fantasy, that is, a fantasy that negates certain tropes common to the genre as part of the author’s wider intentions for writing. I contextualize Lindsay by comparing him to several authors of his time who also worked in the mode of fantasy, then explain how the generic traits of the novel are handled unconventionally to promote Lindsay’s personal philosophy. I explore Lindsay’s treatment of the basic generic traits of the hero and his quest, the imaginary world, and …

Elliott, Brian Nierman

Masters Theses

Elliott is a chapbook that shares the pain and triumph of raising a child with special needs. From the perspective of a father, the poems are centered on reanimating moments that illuminate the love and loss of parenting a son who is living with unique challenges.

An Exploration Of Middle School Teachers’ Utilization Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Samantha Phillips

Masters Theses

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) can be used as a means for effectively teaching and managing students and decreases the achievement gap between students of Color and their White counterparts. This qualitative study with an ethnographic design examines the utilization of culturally responsive teaching strategies of two middle school teachers and two principals in public schools on the Southwest side of Chicago. The study is guided by one research question: What aspects of culturally responsive teaching practices are teachers using in their teaching strategies? The study has two purposes: To analyze the effectiveness of two middle school teachers’ utilization of culturally …

Northwest Semitic Epigraphy And Historicity In The Book Of Jeremiah, Matthew Tyler Bronson

Masters Theses

This thesis examines recent finds in Northwest Semitic epigraphy in an effort to determine their effectiveness for speaking to the historical validity of the prose sections of the Book of Jeremiah. In light of the book’s complex compositional issues, many models for understanding its development have been published over the last century; one foundational theory, expounded primarily by Robert P. Carroll, argues that material in Jeremiah apart from chapters 2–26 (Source A) fail to provide an accurate picture of the Historical Jeremiah. This claim is examined in light of Hebrew epigraphy. Chapter one introduces the issues involved in the study …

Feasibility Of A Critical Experiment Utilizing Uranium Dioxide-Beryllium Oxide With Neutron Spectrum Shifting Capabilities, Ashley Rachel Raster

Masters Theses

“The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of utilizing Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) fuel in core design with Sandia Pulse Reactor Facility’s (SPRF) Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) fuel rods as driver fuel for a critical experiment facility to support future critical and benchmark experiments for the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) handbook. This is part of the Critical Experiment Design (CED) process for future criticality experiments. These criticality experiment designs have the main goal of being performed in the same facility at different neutron energy ranges. To test the feasibility of this experiment …

Analysis Of Electromagnetic Interference Problems Causedbyhigh-Speed Multiplayer Boards With Split Referenceplane, Xin Fang

Masters Theses

"Digital/Analog ground partitioning has been used to isolate noisy digital and power current from sensitive analog currents in high-speed multiplayer printed circuit boards. The through-hole signal via enables convenient routing and component placement on the PCB and is used for signal interconnections when the signal traces are changing the layers. This design, however, breaks the current return path for signal traces that cross the two separated grounds, which causes undesired effects such as signal distortion and radiated emission.

Electromagnetic mechanism associated with them needs to be understood to control and suppress these undesired effects. In this paper, we have investigated …

Adsorption Of Arsenic Onto River Sediments, Leticia Augusta Dos Santos Ferreira

Masters Theses

“Previous studies have noted the relationship between shallow groundwater rich in sodium (Na) and bicarbonate (HCO₃) and elevated levels of dissolved arsenic. However, most experimental work on arsenic adsorption in the presence of HCO₃ and differing Na/Ca ratios has proven difficult to extrapolate to natural systems because of differences in tested mineral compositions and component concentrations. In this study, I performed a series of adsorption experiments using river sediments to evaluate the influence of HCO₃ and monovalent/divalent cations on the extent of arsenic adsorption onto natural sediment in groundwater.

Batch adsorption (kinetics, equilibrium, and metal loading) …

A Variable Node Optimization Model For Byzantine Fault Tolerant Systems, Ian Robert Fulton

Masters Theses

“Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) has been a major subject of study over the last two decades with increasing societal dependance on secure, correct, and reliable computer systems and online services. This research presents a model for high-level optimization of emerging systems that rely on these BFT algorithms and use a variable numbers of decision nodes. The model highlights the relationship between the security of a system and its efficiency. Two experiments were performed to determine system performance by varying the number of compromised nodes, decision nodes, and total nodes. They examine the probability that a transaction will be compromised based …

Predicting Radiated Emissions From A Cable Harness Through Component Level Tests, Fuwei Ma

Masters Theses

“In this work, a procedure is developed to predict the radiated emissions from a cable harness using component-level tests. Direct measurement on the engine control unit is utilized to accurately characterize the equivalent common mode source voltages and impedance associated with the device. The cable harness geometry is reduced using the equivalent cable bundle approach by lumping wires according to the source and load impedance compared with characteristic impedance of the harness, which dramatically reduces the measurement effort and allows practical 3D full-wave simulation of the radiated emissions. Radiated emissions are predicted from an engine control unit (ECU) and an …

Zinc Plating From Alkaline Non-Cyanide Bath, Abdul J. Mohammed

Masters Theses

“Alkaline non-cyanide zinc plating baths are preferred when trying to avoid the toxicity of cyanide baths or corrosivity of acid baths. Without additives, alkaline zincate baths produce powdery non-adherent deposits which have no use in commercial plating. Additives must be added at optimum concentrations to produce adherent, bright and uniform zinc deposits. In this study electrochemical tests were used to determine effects of additives on cathodic polarization, throwing power and morphology of deposits. Current density distribution in a unique bath of 37.5 g L^-1 Zn and 210 g L^-1 NaOH was modelled using COMSOL and validated two plating …

Characterization Of Cermet Fuel For Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (Ntp), James Floyd Mudd

Masters Theses

“A manned flight to Mars is met with many technical challenges, not the least of which is the development of propulsion technology capable of moving a transit vehicle from Earth orbit to Mars orbit. NASA is investigating Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) as a way of reducing flight time and providing the option for a mid-mission abort. NTP, which uses a high temperature nuclear reactor to heat a propellant, requires advanced fuel materials capable of withstanding temperatures well in excess of 2000 K. Among the fuel options are ceramic metal (cermet) composites composed of refractory metals and Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs). …

Industry 4.0 Remanufacturing: A Novel Approach Towards Smart Remanufacturing, Prashansa Ragampeta

Masters Theses

“Smart remanufacturing has become more popular in recent years as a result of its multiple benefits and the growing need for society to encourage a circular economy that leads to sustainability. One of the most common end-of-life (EoL) choices that can lead to a circular economy is remanufacturing. As a result, at the end-of-life stage of a product, it is critical to prioritize this choice over other accessible options because it is the only recovery option that retains the same quality as a new product. This work focuses on the numerous technologies that can aid in the improvement of smart …

A Convolutional Neural Network (Cnn) For Defect Detection Of Additively Manufactured Parts, Musarrat Farzana Rahman

Masters Theses

“Additive manufacturing (AM) is a layer-by-layer deposition process to fabricate parts with complex geometries. The formation of defects within AM components is a major concern for critical structural and cyclic loading applications. Understanding the mechanisms of defect formation and identifying the defects play an important role in improving the product lifecycle. The convolutional neural network (CNN) has been demonstrated to be an effective deep learning tool for automated detection of defects for both conventional and AM processes. A network with optimized parameters including proper data processing and sampling can improve the performance of the architecture. In this study, for the …

Validation Of Athlet-Cd With Cora-28 Test, Murat Tuter

Masters Theses

“Following the incidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, severe accidents at nuclear power plants (NPP) have become a global concern. These accidents generally occur because of a failure in the reactor cooling system (RCS) and result in the melting of the reactor core and fission product release. This event is mostly caused by a LOCA, loss of flow accident, station blackout or loss of heat sink. During a severe accident, generation of hydrogen as a result of steam-zircaloy fuel cladding is a significant safety concern. To better understand and prevent the hydrogen generation issue, safety related experiments and safety related codes …

Experimental Optimization Of Simulated Ring Rolling Operation For Heavy Rail Industry, Jacob M. Summers

Masters Theses

“Industrially cast AISI 1070 steel wheel pre-forms from Amsted Rail Co. were experimentally hot rolled to simulate the conditions for industrial wheel rolling. Ring rolling of near net shape castings can improve location specific properties by decreasing segregation, closing porosity, and reducing grain size without the use of multiple forging operations in a traditional forging line. As-cast wheel sections were subjected to thermomechanical processing routes using a 2-high rolling mill in a temperature range of 830°C to 1200°C. The goal being to simulate the ring rolling process and optimize benefits of mechanical properties of the as-rolled steel. Charpy V- and …

Several Problems In Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations, Tim Van Hoose

Masters Theses

“We study several different problems related to nonlinear Schrödinger equations….

We prove several new results for the first equation: a modified scattering result for both an averaged version of the equation and the full equation, as well as a set of Strichartz estimates and a blowup result for the 3d cubic problem.

We also present an exposition of the classical work of Bourgain on invariant measures for the second equation in the mass-subcritical regime”--Abstract, page iv.

Pressure Relief Wells: Analysis Of Subsurface Heterogeneity To Evaluate Relief Well Locations For Mississippi River Levees, Emma Marie Young

Masters Theses

“When designing pressure relief well systems, it is imperative to understand what major geomorphology and heterogenies features are present, such as buried oxbow lakes, especially when the feature is parallel to the source, such as the Mississippi River. When present, there is a notable greater increase in head pressures, especially on the landward tow of the levee. This can cause erosional features that originally thought of to have been protected from by installing pressure relief wells. When comparing the effective hydraulic conductivities of horizontal clay layers and vertical clay layers spanning the length of the model, little to no noticeable …

Controlling Microalloy Interactions On Precipitation, Hot Ductility, And Microstructure -- Mechanical Property Relationships, Madhuri Varadarajan

Masters Theses

“One of the main problems faced in the continuous casting of micro-alloy steels is the formation of transverse cracks. Transverse cracks are surface, or near-surface cracks formed perpendicular to the casting direction. The research focuses on using laboratory hot tensile tests methods to determine the low ductility ranges in high strength steel grades with different micro-alloy additions of titanium, niobium, and vanadium. The hot ductility of commercially produced as-cast slab and beam blank samples was evaluated using two experimental methods: tensile testing utilizing a servo-hydraulic load frame with a resistance furnace and thermomechanical testing using rapid Joule heating. The tests …

Continuous And Discrete Models For Optimal Harvesting In Fisheries, Nagham Abbas Al Qubbanchee

Masters Theses

"This work focuses on the logistic growth model, where the Gordon-Schaefer model is considered in continuous time. We view the Gordon-Schaefer model as a bioeconomic equation involved in the fishing business, considering biological rates, carrying capacity, and total marginal costs and revenues. In [25], the authors illustrate the analytical solution of the Schaefer model using the integration by parts method and two theorems. The theorems have many assumptions with many different strategies. Due to the nature of the problem, the optimal control system involves many equations and functions, such as the second root of the equation. We concentrate on Theorem …

Numerical Investigations Of 2-D Magnetic Nozzles On Pulsed Plasma Plumes, Joshua Daniel Burch

Masters Theses

"This research presents studies of a novel type of magnetic nozzle that allows for three-dimensional (3-D) steering of a plasma plume. Numerical simulations were performed using Tech-X's USim® software to quantify the nozzle's capabilities. A2-D planar magnetic nozzle was applied to plumes of a nominal pulsed inductive plasma (PIP) source with discharge parameters similar to those of Missouri S&T's Missouri Plasmoid Experiment (MPX). Argon and xenon plumes were considered. Simulations were verified and validated through a mesh convergence study as well as comparison with available experimental data. Periodicity was achieved over the simulation run time and phase angle samples were …

Effect Of In-Situ Formed Nano-Calcite Particles On Hydration And Properties Of Cement-Based Materials, Bowen Tan

Masters Theses

The in-situ preparation of nano-calcite via bubbling method and the effects of the nano-calcite on the hydration process and properties of the cement-based materials are investigated in this research. The nano-calcite is synthesized under different conditions and added into Portland cement to prepare test samples. The bubbling method is then introduced in upcycling the municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ashes, and the effects of the upcycled MSWI ashes on the hydration of Portland cement is investigated. Experimental results illustrate that the COâ‚‚ bubbling method can produce nanometer-to-sub- micron-sized calcite particles, and the synthesis rate and the morphology of the nano-calcite …

Developing A Vr Training Model For Improving Transportation Safety Protocols For Rural Areas, Emmanuel Olumide Adeosun

Masters Theses

"This research evaluated the effectiveness of using simulated virtual reality driving environments to improve transportation safety in rural areas. The transportation accident fatality rate is more than double the national average in rural areas and highlights an important opportunity to address these challenges through improved safety protocols and investments. A review of the literature revealed high frequency scenarios that contributed the most to fatality or injury accidents. Virtual reality driving simulations were created based on these high frequency events using a specified rural roadway identified with the assistance of the Missouri Department of Transportation. Scenarios considered weather-related conditions, such as …

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Novel Medium-Temperature And High-Temperature Resistant Re-Crosslinkable Preformed Particle Gels For Conformance Control, Zhanmiao Zhai

Masters Theses

"Gel treatment has been widely used to control excessive water production and improve oil recovery in mature oilfields. In comparison to traditional preformed particle gel (PPG), re-cross linkable preformed particle gel (RPPG) has a significant advantage in treating abnormal features such as open fractures, fracture-like channels, and void space conduits (VSC). This research provides a comprehensive evaluation of two novel RPPG products developed in our lab: medium-temperature resistant RPPG (MT-RPPG) for a Middle East reservoir and a high-temperature resistant RPPG (HT-RPPG) for North Sea reservoirs (130 ^oC).

We assessed the effect of the monomer types and concentration, pH, salinity, …

Using Lake Sediment Chemistry In The Exploration For Nickel Laterite Deposits In Tropical Regions, Gabriela Yvonne Ramirez

Masters Theses

"Developing reliable geochemical indicators to guide the search for ore deposits is a long-standing goal. This particularly applies to tropical regions that are often heavily vegetated which hampers boots-on-the ground exploration efforts. Here we present the preliminary results of a study that investigates the usefulness of lake sediment chemistry in the exploration for nickel laterite ore deposits in tropical regions using Lake Izabal, Guatemala, as a case study. Lake Izabal’s catchment area contains Ni laterite deposits along its northern shore, whereas no Ni-laterite discoveries have been made in the south except for a Ni mine in the southern region that …