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Robust Broadband Characterization Of Flexible Absorbers, Sheet Material, And Liquids Using A Coaxial Structure, Joseph Christopher Stecher

Masters Theses

Modern high-frequency measurement systems require reliable calibration and sample positioning to ensure measurement fidelity. This thesis presents three studies addressing practical limitations in broadband material parameter extraction and instrumentation.

The first study introduces a modified Nicolson–Ross–Weir (NRW) technique for flexible, compression-sensitive materials from 100 MHz to 18 GHz. Rigid 3D-printed spacers ensure precise sample positioning, and a T-matrix–based de-embedding procedure removes spacer effects. Validation using microstrip measurements and full-wave simulation confirms accurate permittivity extraction across compression levels.

The second study extends NRW to sheet materials enabling accurate material characterization. Independent validation using toroidal inductors with leakage correction and parallel-plate capacitors …

Empirical-Based Model Of Spatio-Temporal Errors, Godwin Naaba Ndaa

Masters Theses

This research develops an empirical model to characterize spatial-temporal InSAR errors and improve the accuracy of deformation time-series analysis. Using standardized Sentinel-1 HyP3 products and MintPy, the study quantifies how correlated noise affects velocity precision and validates the results against continuous GNSS velocities.

Residual velocities are near-Gaussian, with σ ~0.92–2.04 cm/yr and ~1 cm/yr on average. Variograms show power-law spatial structure with a non-zero nugget implicating troposphere and decorrelation while errors drop exponentially with more acquisitions; spatial uncertainty is strongly affected by unwrapping errors, coherence, and tropospheric noise, not simply troposphere.

A comparative assessment of on-demand cloud processing with other …

Optimal Slotting In Hybrid Warehousing For Industry 4.0, Teng Yang

Masters Theses

In the era of Industry 4.0, the warehouse management system (WMS) employed by many firms prescribes hybrid storage, i.e., products with high turnover, called fast movers, are kept in random storage for a short time duration before being shifted to a dedicated storage area, while products with low turnover, called slow movers, remain in random storage. From dedicated storage, the products are dispatched to the customer. The challenge for managers is selecting the slot in dedicated storage to assign to each product while demand data change because of fluctuating market conditions; this problem is referred to as slotting in the …

Calcium Based Carbon Negative Fillers And Additives: Effects On Hydration And Performance Of Low-Carbon Cement Systems, Smita Bhowmick Shithi

Masters Theses

Cement production is a major source of global CO₂ emissions creating an urgent need for carbon-negative fillers and functional additives that lower clinker use while maintaining cement performance. This thesis investigates the effects of organic mineral salts as fillers and additives on cement hydration, fresh properties, compressive strength and pore structure. In the first study, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was partially replaced with calcium carbonate or calcium oxalate to enable a direct comparison under controlled particle size distribution (PSD). Rheology, flowability, hydration kinetics, phase evolution, mechanical performance and water absorption were evaluated. Calcium carbonate promoted early hydration through nucleation and …

Developing Discharge Estimation Algorithm Using Low-Cost Velocity Sensor And Machine Learning, Barkha Gautam

Masters Theses

Accurate river discharge estimation is essential for flood forecasting, water resources management, and hydraulic decision-making; however, continuous discharge records are unavailable at many river locations. Traditional stage-discharge rating curves are widely used but their reliability may decrease when channel conditions change or flow conditions vary rapidly. This study develops and evaluates Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models for discharge prediction using 15-minute time-series data from river monitoring stations in Missouri. Two model configurations, a baseline stage-only model and an enhanced stage-plus-velocity model, are developed and evaluated independently at two river sites to determine whether the inclusion of surface velocity improves discharge …

Examination Of Laser Microwelding As A Technique For The Repair Of Steel Castings, Allan John Woldow

Masters Theses

"Metal castings have long been plagued with minor defects caused by various process and design conditions. Commonly, minor defects are not seen until after machining operations have been completed, and by the time they are identified, they cannot be salvaged in a manner that is structurally sound and does not have other detrimental effects on the product. Detrimental effects may include warping from high heat input in traditional welding, warping from reheat treatment, oxidation of machined surfaces, microstructural anomalies, and reduced mechanical properties. Micro laser welding has the potential to provide a solution to these issues by providing a low …

Aura-Visionpose: Creating Datasets For Vision-Based Pose Estimation, Mohanad Alameer

Masters Theses

"Spacecraft rendezvous is an integral part of many orbital missions, including active space debris removal (ADR) and in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM). Traditionally, rendezvous missions rely mainly on manual ground-based control to perform rendezvous and docking. While this can be effective on an individual basis, it becomes less practical at scale. Autonomous vision-based methods can reduce reliance on human control, and may improve scalability, response time, and reduce the possibility of human error for both ADR and ISAM. This work lays the necessary groundwork for developing a machine learning (ML) model for autonomous rendezvous by creating a labeled image …

Near-Field Scan Method For Radiated Susceptibility Analysis And The Design And Optimization Of A Miniaturized Spiral Antenna For Ultra-Wideband Applications, Mckennan Edward Starkey

Masters Theses

"The work presented in this thesis consists of two separate topics. The first topic is a new method for the characterization of radiated susceptibility of electronic devices, while the second topic is on antenna design. The first topic proposes an approach to experimentally determine locations within an electronic system that are well coupled to external far-field radiators. This method is performed by using a differential magnetic field probe to sweep across the target device while measuring the total radiated power (TRP) produced by the device in a mode stirred tent. Scan locations where the TRP is larger than the background …

Castrip Process Technology: Non-Grain Oriented (Ngo) Si Steels Extension And Carbide-Free Bainitic (Cfb) For Flat Products, Naram Naidu Meesala

Masters Theses

"This research explores the development of advanced steel grades manufactured through Castrip® twin-roll thin strip casting technology, with particular attention to non-grain-oriented electrical Si-Steels (NGOES) and carbide-free bainitic (CFB) steels. The Castrip® process offers a near-net-shape route for producing thin steel strips, which greatly decreases the number of processing stages, lowers energy demand, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions when compared with traditional steel production methods.

In the NGOES part of the study, several industrial Fe–Si steel compositions were cold rolled to final thicknesses ranging from 0.35 mm to 0.15 mm. These materials were then exposed to short-duration continuous annealing at …

International Students Experience Show: A Television Content To Prepare African Students For Study In The United States., Eric Atsu Senyo

Masters Theses

For many African students, studying in the United States begins with hope but often leads to confusion, isolation, and unmet expectations. This creative thesis presents International Students Experience Show, a 26-minute television shows designed to prepare African students for the realities of studying in the U.S. Grounded in Uses and Gratifications Theory, the project positions media as an active tool for empowerment through storytelling, practical guidance, and emotional engagement.

The series addresses key challenges, housing, transportation, mobile communication and daily life experiences through a hybrid format of personal testimonies, panel discussions, expert interviews, and field segments. Featuring nine African international …

Replication Of The Construct Validity Of The Cas2: Rating Scale, Isabelle Joann Kurowski

Masters Theses

Naglieri et al. (2014) created the Cognitive Assessment System Second Edition: Rating Scale (CAS2: Rating Scale) to assess cognitive functioning of children based on teacher observations for use in Tier I screening purposes. The current study is a replication of Graham (2025) study that assessed the construct validity of the CAS2: Rating Scale by comparing it to the Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS). Based on prior findings from Canivez and Gaboury (2016), this study hypothesized that the Attention and Planning subscales of the CAS2: Rating Scale would be most closely related to the Attention/Persistence and Strategy/Flexibility subscales of the LBS, respectively. …

Shadow Of The Rising Sun: How Japanese Culture Was Transferred To The United States Via Foreign Policy, Alex Pearson

Masters Theses

Post-World War II U.S. economic foreign policy towards Japan aimed to revitalize the war-torn country’s economy and spread democracy to the East. The economic foreign policy enacted by the United States to revitalize the Japanese economy resulted in an increase and “normalization” of Japanese culture in America. This thesis explores the connection of post-war American foreign policy to the increase of American exposure to Japanese culture that sparked normalization. By focusing on the efforts of U.S. policymakers and the positive media coverage of Japanese culture in the United States, a clear correlation between economic foreign policy and the normalization of …

Hierarchical Analysis Of Predictors Of Public Speaking Anxiety, Ruimin Peng

Masters Theses

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a prevalent type of phobia that shares many similarities with social anxiety. This paper examines factors related to social anxiety and PSA. Previous literature has identified self-efficacy, perfectionism, and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) as factors related to both social anxiety and PSA. However, less attention has been given to fear of positive evaluation (FPE) and international status, although these two factors are likely related to PSA. This study employed hierarchical regression analysis to investigate the predictive power of FPE and international status on PSA, while controlling for self-efficacy, perfectionism, and FNE. FPE, academic status, …

Personality-Based Clinical Predictors Of Transdiagnostic Suicidality In Emotional Disorders, Harshini Arun

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Cervical Ligament Systems In Sauropod Dinosaurs: What Support Is There?, Audrey Rose Williams

Masters Theses

"Sauropod dinosaurs, such as Diplodocus, have been the subject of numerous hypotheses about what ligamentous structures could have lifted and supported their long necks. Because the supportive tissues rarely fossilize, palaeontologists rely on osteological correlates on the bone to infer their nature. Options for supportive cervical ligaments in sauropods are mammal-style nuchal ligaments, avian-style interlaminar elastic ligaments, reptilian-style supraspinal ligaments, or some combination thereof. This study tested for the presence of a mammal-style nuchal ligament via histological and micro-computed tomography of posterior cervical hemispinous processes of Apatosaurus and Diplodocus, in addition to examining gross morphological features of the cervical vertebrae …

Validating A Low-Cost Radio Frequency Characterization Framework For Development-Grade Software-Defined Radios In Short-Duration Cubesat Missions, Thomas Wayne Francois

Masters Theses

Software-defined radios (SDRs) and CubeSat platforms have reduced the cost and complexity of space-based communication systems, enabling broader participation in satellite missions. While low-cost radio hardware is increasingly accessible, the ability to characterize and validate its performance remains constrained by the high cost and limited access to traditional RF test equipment. This disparity creates a challenge for small satellite development teams, which must characterize communication-system technical performance with limited access to laboratory-grade instrumentation.

This thesis presents a low-cost RF characterization framework for assessing key radio-frequency performance metrics using readily available hardware and measurement techniques. The approach integrates frequency translation, SDR-based …

Structured Decomposition And Efficient Adaptation For Scientific Data Movement: From Transfer Concurrency To Genomic Data Acquisition, Rasman Mubtasim Swargo

Masters Theses

"The end-to-end performance of scientific data movement is increasingly limited not by raw network capacity but by whichever resource along the path is momentarily slowest, a bottleneck that no single static configuration can track. This thesis argues that the right response is to decompose each problem along the resource or workflow axis where bottlenecks vary, adapt only the genuinely dynamic control variables at runtime, and make that adaptation efficient through utility-guided or offline-learned control rather than expensive online search. The thesis develops this principle through four systems of widening scope. AutoMDT decomposes a transfer by operation, assigning separate concurrency levels …

Moth Assemblages Of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Kimberly Anne Steese

Masters Theses

"Moths (Lepidoptera) are ecologically important insects that function as herbivores, pollinators, prey resources, and indicators of ecosystem integrity. Despite their ecological significance, moth communities in the Missouri Ozarks remain poorly documented, particularly within military-managed landscapes. This thesis examined patterns of moth diversity, assemblage structure, and environmental drivers at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW), Missouri, while also assessing the distribution and genetic diversity of species within the genus Papaipema.

Field surveys were conducted from 2019 through 2021 across prairie, savanna, forest, and restoration habitats at FLW using UV bucket traps, sheet trapping, and targeted larval surveys. Across all sampling efforts, 29,116 individual …

The Turning Of The Years, Katie L. Smith Lopez

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the exquisite interplay of moments that matter in brief human interactions. The Critical Paper focuses on the contrasting literary theories of Reader-Response Criticism and Psychoanalytic Criticism, which illustrate the varying ways readers engage with written works. The Artist Statement provides insight into the origin story of the writer and the variety of influences that led to the lyrical field of writing. The Creative Manuscript features a substantial portion of the writer’s memoir. Titled “The Turning of the Years,” this memoir-style work is anchored by significant life events that occurred near the writer’s impactful birthdays. An undercurrent of …

Tracing The "Growth Of The Poet's Mind" In The 1850 Version Of The Prelude, Karen F. King

Masters Theses

This work compares the 1805 and 1850 versions of William Wordsworth's autobiographical epic The Prelude to reveal that the revisions he made evidence his poetic growth. Critical scholarship has long discussed the poet's revisional habits, offering various rationales for his motivation and often dogmatically choosing a preferred version based on those assumptions. This paper first addresses these perspectives, then examines the structural details of Wordsworth's revisions through analysis of significant events in the poet's life that he relates in the epic, his "spots of time". Finally, I discuss the role of imagination as an influencer on the poet's growth. Although …

Examination Of Sportscasters To Understand The Key Overlapping Traits And Skills Exhibited, Jason Prill

Masters Theses

The world of sportscasting is a growing and crowded field. Due to its appeal, the field itself has become competitive with a few select broadcasters holding the most coveted positions. These broadcasters have set themselves apart in their skills, leading to their placement at the pinnacle of the industry. However, a lack of research has presented a gap in the field on what skills are most dominant for successful sportscasters. As an understudied avenue, sportscasting often goes overlooked in traditional research due to its misnomer as a “fun” profession. The following presents an in-depth look at high-level sportscasters to find …

Anvilstorm: The Dweller's Crown, Todd Gaige

Masters Theses

The thesis explores a personal vision for the original manuscript of The Dweller’s Crown, and the impact of setting in literature and world-building. The thesis also shares a variety of characters and how they represent themes of belonging, acceptance, unity, faith, and friendship. From the very beginning, the strong bonds between Araad, Thomble, Atlee, Sylvan, and Mereth distinguish the world of Thir Thodim apart. This thesis and the following chapters focus on the characters' deep desire to protect their beloved world. It is through their faith in one another and shared goals of survival and preservation that they set out …

Understanding Barriers To High School Teen Self-Expression, Connection & Inclusion., Susana Estes

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the invisible barriers that prevent high school students from expressing their identities, forming meaningful connections, and experiencing a sense of belonging within school environments. Drawing on research in adolescent development, school climate, psychology of belonging, and participatory design, the study identifies structural, emotional, and social factors that contribute to student disconnection. Through a review of key theorists and three case studies, the research reveals that teens need structured opportunities for safe self-expression, visible affirmation of their identities, and accessible spaces for reflective interaction. In response, this thesis presents a research-informed interactive design solution: a two-part installation titled …

Homemade For Change: Addressing The Barriers To Home Cooking Among Emerging Adults For Better Health, Finances, And Well-Being, Sarida Smitthimedhin

Masters Theses

This study investigates how a visual approach—combining design, photography, and illustration with nutrition—can encourage home cooking. In today’s fast-paced society and overabundance food culture, many emerging adults struggle to prepare meals at home. This study examines how food industry practices and cultural trends shape the eating habits of emerging adults by exploring the reasons behind the decline in home cooking and its adverse effects on health, finances, well-being, and the environment.

Although research indicates that most adults recognize that home cooking is the healthiest choice, they often do not practice it, citing time and lack of cooking knowledge as their …

Grounding Human Value: A Critical Evaluation Of Naturalism And A Defense Of Christianity As The Basis For Human Value And The Moral Status Of The Unborn, Jacob Vazquez

Masters Theses

This thesis will explore the grounding of personhood and seeks to convince atheist readers who adhere to naturalism that abortion is wrong because human beings are made in the image of God, as the Christian doctrine of the Imago Dei teaches. This will be done by taking the reader on a journey or a map, in which various secular (non-religious) destinations are visited before finally reaching the final theological conclusion as presented above. The evidence culminated from each of the secular stops will end up supporting the argument from the Imago Dei against abortion.

For instance, Chapter 1 will consist …

Gospel-Centric Liturgy For Contemporary Worship: A Biblical Basis For Locally Crafted Worship Songs, Adriane M. Blanco

Masters Theses

Despite a cultural shift toward creating original worship music in churches today, there remains a need for new songs that reinforce biblical theology and foster spiritual formation through an intentional gospel-centric liturgy contextualized for the local congregation. Such a gospel liturgy consists of a cycle of songs that, with each weekly gathering of the church body, reiterates the revelation of God's presence, humanity’s sinful nature, Christ’s work of salvation, and the believer’s response in worship. At the same time, it is essential to emphasize spiritual songs that express the heartfelt emotions of the worshiper, maintaining a balance in properly worshiping …

Hollywood, Ai, And The Moral Universe: An Analysis Of The Terminator And Battlestar Galactica, Lara Sumera Samms

Masters Theses

This thesis defends the argument that depictions of artificial intelligence in Hollywood film and television point to a moral universe. Films The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), as well as the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) are analyzed to find clues of moral facts. This research paper submits that these stories add weight to the moral argument and provide evidence that humans implicitly recognize a moral universe. Such acknowledgment of moral structures cannot be adequately explained within a secular framework such as utilitarianism or evolutionary ethics. However, the Christian worldview frames reality around the existence of God, …

Aeolian Tones: A Book Of Minor Poetry About Isolation And The Space Between Disconnection And Connection, Thaddeus Tague

Masters Theses

This is the artistic statement for Aeolian Tones, the poetry chapbook that will serve as my thesis. In this accompanying paper, I explore the vision, process, and inspiration behind the various themes in the chapbook, as well as the overall goal. I hope to provide personal context for the writing's purpose, as well as offer reflections and interpretive guidelines for how the poetry can and should be understood. In this work, I aim to provide a space for readers seeking reflections on loneliness, healing, profound pain, and disconnection.

Next, the literature review will examine ten modern works of minor non-epic …

Archetypes: Angels Of Literary Art; Demons Of Science, Ronald A. Davidson

Masters Theses

This Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing thesis focuses on archetypal literary theory and criticism and their application to Bushido of the Cur, a novella by Ronald A. Davidson. The critical analysis will evaluate the characters in the novella and identify how their roles in the story align with everyday human experiences, suggesting the existence of a literary collective unconscious. The creative manuscript, Bushido of the Cur, exploits the craft of character development to present a storyline that feels authentic, even though it is a work of historical fiction in the western noir genre. The goal of the manuscript is …

The Ultra Dilemma: Understanding The Impact Of Ultra-Processed Food, Cassia Elizabeth Brenning

Masters Theses

Ultra-processed food dominates the market, making up an estimated 73% of the national food supply and costing 52% less than healthier, minimally- processed alternatives (Ravandi et al). With such a large supply, there is a great demand to sell these products to consumers. Major food corporations rely on misleading labels, heavy marketing, and industry-funded research to manipulate consumers into buying more of their products. While these products are cheap, quick, convenient, and delicious, they are not components of a healthy diet.

This thesis argues that the best way to tackle the issue of ultra-processed food is by redirecting focus from …