Digital Commons Network^™

The Theory And Practice Of Rhetorical Gaming For Composition Instruction, Jeffrey M. Gerding

Open Access Dissertations

In recent years videogames scholarship has grown from a small interest group within rhetoric and composition to a burgeoning interdisciplinary subfield. This growth has not been without problems or controversies, however, and on the whole there seems to be little consistency in either theory or practice when it comes to integrating games into composition curriculum. The purpose of this thesis is to examine a number of theories, concepts, procedures, and issues in the history of games and composition in order to suggest a possible direction for the future. To be clear, this is not an attempt to standardize a rule-governed …

Soundscape Ecology: Rich Contexts For Investigating Conservation Biology & The Effect Of Informal Environmental Experiences On Youth’S Conceptual Understanding, Interest And Identity Development, Maryam Ghadiri Khanaposhtani

Open Access Dissertations

Recent educational studies have shown increasing lack of interest and participation of youth (ages 10-14 years old) in various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in the U.S. The decline in the number of youth choosing to study STEM fields in higher education and the resulting lack of STEM professionals in the society has drastic economic impacts. Therefore, it is critical to introduce youth to quality STEM education that engages them with science practices and triggers their interest and curiosity in order to increase their participation in those fields. To address this issue, the aim of this study is …

Lipid And Metabolite Profiling Mass Spectrometry Of Human Glioblastoma Using Mouse Xenograft Model, Soo Jung Ha

Open Access Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant form of human primary brain tumor. Due to its extremely malignant and invasive nature, the mean survival period of GBM patients is only 12 to 15 months from diagnosis. GBM patients rely on current treatment options including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, these treatment options fail to improve quality of patients’ lives. Studies have shown that altered lipids and metabolites in GBM may play a critical role in chemo-resistance, cancer cell initiation and progression regulated by oncogenic signaling pathways. This research utilized multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) profiling mass spectrometry (MS) and desorption …

Baroque Modes Of Seeing: Reinventing Neo-Baroque In Contemporary Latin American Cinema, Liana Hakobyan

Open Access Dissertations

While the Latin American literary neo-baroque garnered significant attention, scholarship on its cinematic counterpart has been relatively scarce. What is more, existing studies situate this aesthetics within the anti-dictatorship contexts of the 1970s-80s, which contradicts major neo-baroque theories that view it as an ahistorical aesthetics relevant to Latin American modernities. “Baroque Modes of Seeing: Reinventing Neo-baroque in Contemporary Latin American Cinema” is a dissertation that addresses this gap in research and argues for the relevance of the neo-baroque in contemporary Latin American cinema. I engage texts by Severo Sarduy, José Lezama Lima, Alejo Carpentier, Serge Gruzinski, Irlemar Chiampi and others …

Characterizing Trade-Off Decisions In Student Designers, Molly Hathaway Goldstein

Open Access Dissertations

Decision-making and design in uncertain situations in which information is limited and goals are ambitious or conflicting are a part of common practices of engineers. Such abilities in engineering practices are important to develop for all students from elementary school through college and graduate school. An important aspect of decision-making in design are the trade-offs decisions designers make throughout a project. Trade-offs are a complex element of a decision, that involves weighing possible outcomes against their respective benefits and costs in areas such as aesthetics, cost, degree of safety, and various performance indicators. Making trade-off decisions is an effective design …

Differential Molecular Diffusion In Turbulent Non-Premixed Combustion: Power-Law Scaling, Modeling Requirements, And Flamelet Simulations, Chao Han

Open Access Dissertations

The significance of differential molecular diffusion (DMD) has been demonstrated experimentally and numerically in many studies. Despite the significance, the effort of modeling DMD in turbulent combustion is still inadequate, and assumptions of equal molecular diffusion and unity Lewis numbers are often made when modeling turbulent combustion. It is imperative to interrogate the physics of DMD in turbulent combustion to provide needed physical insights for the advancement of models for DMD. In this work, we examine DMD in turbulent non-premixed combustion and advance the flamelet models for incorporating DMD.

The effect of DMD in turbulent non-premixed flames is studied by …

Gas-Phase And Condensed-Phase Studies Of Small Reactive Intermediates, Christopher William Haskins

Open Access Dissertations

Nitriles are an integral functional group in many chemical industries. A new methodology for the dehydration of amides to nitriles has been developed using a palladium catalyst. The reaction conditions are robust and able to tolerate a wide variety of functional groups and substrates. The substrate scope can be broken into 4 main types of substrates including: alkyl, aromatic, cinnamic, and α, β, δ, γ-unsaturated amides. Mechanistically, the amide goes through a water exchanging mechanism to generate acetamide in equal parts to the nitrile. Cyclopropanols are important precursors for the generation of beta-carbonyl radicals. In the presence of a single-electron …

Native Graph Support In Relational Data Systems, Mohamed S. Hassan

Open Access Dissertations

A variety of data management applications spanning various domains, e.g., social networks, transportation, and bioinformatics, have graphs as first-class citizens. Specialized graph databases can serve these applications to evaluate vital graph-traversal queries, e.g., shortest path and reachability queries. However, specialized graph databases are not as mature as the pervasive relational database systems. Although the literature has several proposals to process graph queries inside an RDBMS, none of these proposals process graphs natively inside an RDBMS for potentially better performance, which is particularly challenging due to the impedance mismatch between the relational and the graph models. Additionally, to scale for large …

Nonperturbative Methods For Quantum Field Theory: Holographic Wilson Loops And S-Matrix Bootstrap, Yifei He

Open Access Dissertations

In this thesis, we explore nonperturbative methods of quantum field theory through two topics: holographic Wilson loops and S-matrix bootstrap. In the first part, we study the holographic calculation of Wilson loops using Ad-S/CFT correspondence, which is a duality between a string theory in AdS space and a gauge theory living on the conformal boundary of the AdS space. Under this duality, the expectation value of the Wilson loop operator in the gauge theory at strong t’Hooft coupling limit is given by the area of a string worldsheet ending on a boundary curve defined by the shape of the Wilson …

Digital Badges And Student Motivation In The Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory, Sarah Hensiek

Open Access Dissertations

Laboratory courses have been the focus of much research and debate in the field of chemistry. One goal for the laboratory that is consistently cited by faculty is student learning of hands-on skills. Despite this, hands-on skills are rarely assessed in practice because to do so is resource intensive. Digital badges allow each individual student to demonstrate their proficiency in a hands-on lab skill while relieving the constraints associated with assessing individual students during a laboratory period. Previously at Purdue, digital badges were developed for the pipet, buret, and volumetric flask. These badges were shown to support student learning of …

An Examination Of Underrepresentation In Florida, Indiana, And Washington, Jaret Hodges

Open Access Dissertations

Black, Latinx, and Native American students are underrepresented in gifted education programs across the United States. This underrepresentation is one way in which the excellence gap manifests in gifted education. In turn, the underlying causes for underrepresentation are debated by scholars. This dissertation examines the issue of underrepresentation through three case studies. In all case studies, a generalized linear mixed model is used as the framework to analyze publicly available data acquired from the associated state departments of education.

The first case study examines underrepresentation in the state of Florida. In this study, the influence of socioeconomic status on rates …

A Spectroscopic Study Of The Folding Propensities Of Molecules Relevant In Combustion Processes, Daniel Malcolm Hewett

Open Access Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the conformational preferences of molecules relevant in combustion, specifically alkylbenzenes, present in diesel fuels, and covalently-bound naphthalene dimers, likely intermediates in the soot formation process. Utilizing a suite of conformation-specific laser techniques, coupled with a supersonic jet expansion to cool the molecules down to their ground state zero-point vibrational level, the infrared and ultraviolet spectra of individual conformers are collected and compared to theoretical predictions, resulting in conformational assignments.

The first section of this thesis discusses a series of straight chain alkylbenzenes, from ethylbenzene through dodecylbenzene, with the primary goal of determining the shortest chain length …

Quantification Of Morphogen Gradients And Patterning Scale Invariance Along Dorsal-Ventral Embryonic Axis, Yan Huang

Open Access Dissertations

Morphogen gradients provide positional information to underlying cells that translate the information into differential gene expression and eventually different cell fates. Scale invariance is the property where the gradients of the morphogen adjust proportionately to the size of the domain. Scale invariance of morphogen gradients or patterns of differentiation is a common phenomenon observed between individuals within the same species and between homologous tissues or structures in different species. To determine whether a pattern is scale invariant, we and others developed definitions and measurements of gradient scaling. These include point-wise and global scaling errors as well as global scaling power. …

Pathways To Persistence: A Study Of The Effects Of Neighborhood Stress And Family Communication Patterns On Community College Student Outcomes, Jill Marie Inderstrodt

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation draws upon literature from family communication, sociology, public health, and education to determine what neighborhood and family factors contribute to a community college student’s commitment to the goal of completing college. Community college students are more likely to come from low socioeconomic conditions, are more likely to have parents who did not earn a college degree, and are more likely to be ethnic or racial minorities than traditional four-year college students. Because of these demographics, community college students are also more likely to live in neighborhoods with high levels of neighborhood stress: noise and other pollution, crime, high …

Resource Allocation In Nanocommunication Networks And Online Service Platforms., Wei-Kang Hsu

Open Access Dissertations

Resource allocation appears in various forms in communication and networking systems. In this thesis, we start with relay-based nanonetwork communications and analyze the message delay with bacteria-inspired message transfer carriers. Modeling the message transfer as a renewal process, we draw the connection to the mobility model of ad-hoc networks and show that the expected message delay between two nodes is a convex function of the number of available carriers. We then design a decentralized carrier-allocation strategy such that the systematic message delay is minimized. We show that the proposed policy can effectively reduce weighted delays when different message priorities are …

Makerspaces For Education, Avneet Hira

Open Access Dissertations

In my dissertation, I present research examining Makerspaces for education. The concept of a Makerspace has evolved, currently being understood as a space for people to practice the idiomatic term Making, which is to tinker or fabricate. Broadly put, Makerspaces are environments where individuals use technologies to Make physical artifacts within a community of fellow Makers.

When I started this work, stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds had begun to discern the educational potential of Makerspaces. Since then, several resources in schools, libraries, educational research, and community spaces have been directed towards realizing this educational potential. However, despite the belief …

Performance Of Finned Heat Exchangers After Air-Side Fouling And Cleaning, Harshad V. Inamdar

Open Access Dissertations

Air-side fouling of enhanced surface heat exchangers by particulate matter may significantly reduce their performance. Hence, the effect of particulate fouling and subsequent cleaning on the performance of finned heat exchangers is investigated. It is anticipated that heat exchanger geometry and operating conditions such as air velocity, air humidity, and concentration of dust in air will impact the process of fouling and subsequent performance degradation of heat exchangers.

In the experimental phase of research, heat exchangers being tested are installed in a wind tunnel where all air-side parameters can be controlled. ASHRAE standard test dust is injected into the air …

A Deuterium-Deuterium Neutron Generator-Based Neutron Capture Therapy System For Brain Tumors, Mindy Hsieh Joo

Open Access Dissertations

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an attractive radiotherapy modality that utilizes high-LET particles to deliver the radiation dose. Different from conventional treatments, BNCT has the ability to target tumor cells by injecting patients with a boron10 (B-10) compound that selectively accumulates inside the tumor and irradiating the target area with a neutron beam. The radiation dose produced is very localized due to the short travel range of the resulting particles and limited to the B-10 containing cells. The surrounding healthy tissues receive minimal dose. At present, the BNCT neutron sources are mainly nuclear reactors and large particle accelerators. These …

Constructing Fragment-Density Functionals, Kaili Jiang

Open Access Dissertations

Approximations of the non-additive non-interacting kinetic energy (NAKE) as an explicit functional of the density are the basis of fragment-based methods that provide improved computational efficiency over standard Kohn-Sham calculations. However, within most fragment-based formalisms, there is no unique NAKE, making it difficult to develop general, robust approximations to it. In partition density-functional theory (P-DFT), the ambiguity of the NAKE is removed and approximate functionals may be more meaningfully compared to exact quantities. We demonstrate that the decomposable approximations constructed from approximations to the non-interacting kinetic energy fail to reproduce accurate NAKE and discuss promising avenues for constructing fragment density-functionals …

A Multi-Agent Control Approach For Optimization Of Central Cooling Plants, Rita Jaramillo

Open Access Dissertations

This research focuses on the application of a multi-agent control approach to optimal supervisory control of central cooling systems. Most of the research related to supervisory control of central cooling systems has focused on centralized control approaches. Although these approaches can be effective at reducing operational costs, the high initial costs associated with site-specific controller design and implementation, and the need to update the plant model and control sequences every time a modification is made, have prevented a greater penetration of these technologies in the market. In light of these limitations, the goal of this research is the development and …

Essays On Labor Economics, Xuan Jiang

Open Access Dissertations

Quantum annealing (QA) uses the principles of quantum mechanics for solving unconstrained optimization problems. Since its initial proposal, there has been much interest in the search for practical problems for which QA has advantage over classical algorithms. Although it is believed that quantum computers cannot in general solve NP-complete problems effciently, there has been evidence suggesting that effects such as quantum tunneling can bring quantum speedup over classical computation for some problems in NP.

In this dissertation, we consider two problems that have both theoretical and practical importance. One is the Set Cover with Pairs problem. The other is the …

Quantum Annealing For Solving Optimization Problems, Shuxian Jiang

Open Access Dissertations

Quantum annealing (QA) uses the principles of quantum mechanics for solving unconstrained optimization problems. Since its initial proposal, there has been much interest in the search for practical problems for which QA has advantage over classical algorithms. Although it is believed that quantum computers cannot in general solve NP-complete problems efficiently, there has been evidence suggesting that effects such as quantum tunneling can bring quantum speedup over classical computation for some problems in NP. In this dissertation, we consider two problems that have both theoretical and practical importance. One is the Set Cover with Pairs problem. The other is the …

Early Social Origins Of Premature Aging: How Do Childhood Exposures Shape Aging And Mortality?, Blakelee R. Kemp

Open Access Dissertations

The early origins of health literature documents a distinct link between early life exposures and a range of pathologies in later life. However, it is still unclear if and which types of childhood events and experiences shape biological aging or increase mortality risk among older adults. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine (1) what types of early life exposures influence biological aging and mortality and for whom and (2) whether biological age acts as a marker of early life stress and a predictor of mortality. Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, this dissertation uses six waves of data (2004-2014) …

Agent-Based Approach For System Identification And Optimal Control Of High Performance Buildings, Jaewan Joe

Open Access Dissertations

Commercial buildings have strong impacts on humans and the environment. They not only affect occupants’ comfort, health, and well-being but also consume more than 19% of the total energy consumption in the US. High performance building designs can achieve significant energy savings, with new building technologies such as advanced building envelopes, thermally activated building systems, on-site power production and thermal storage; dynamic effects related to variability in occupancy and environmental conditions; diversity in occupant thermal preferences; and the integration of these diverse technologies into an overall control system design. Model-based predictive control (MPC) is a promising approach for the realization …

Assessment Of Dcnet: A New Data Center Network Architecture, Rajas H. Karandikar

Open Access Dissertations

Migration of enterprise computation and storage to cloud data centers has imposed new communication requirements and a need for fundamental changes in infrastructure. As more applications are hosted inside virtual machines and containers in the cloud, a significant amount of networking occurs within data centers, increasing the so-called east-west communication. With the increasing use of virtual machines and their migration across physical servers, future data centers must support efficient mobility in addition to traditional requirements of scalability and easy manageability. This dissertation proposes and analyzes a radical redesign of data center networks, using a new approach called DCnet. DCnet changes …

“Muthologos Has Lost Such Ground”: Myth, History And Orality In The Poetics Of Charles Olson, Matthew L. Kroll

Open Access Dissertations

American poet Charles Olson (1910-1970) spent the last two decades of his life composing his magnum opus, the three-volume modern verse epic The Maximus Poems (Maximus). He began composing Maximus in 1950, the same year he published his poetics manifesto “Projective Verse.” Taken together, these two moments in Olson’s career can be read as marking the beginning of his mature poetics and poetry. However, the concepts he develops and the projective verse style he proclaims in the first half of the 1950s can already be seen emerging in his earlier publications.

Beginning with two of his most significant publications of …

Refracting Gender: Experiences Of Transgender Students In Postsecondary Stem Education., Elizabeth Kersey

Open Access Dissertations

Transgender students are often an invisible minority in postsecondary education, particularly in STEM fields. I am addressing the lack of research in this area with an exploratory narrative study designed to answer two questions: (1) How have the experiences of postsecondary transgender students in STEM education varied with their gender presentation? (2) How do their experiences with mathematics compare with other STEM fields? I conducted a sequence of three interviews each with three participants to gather information about their life histories relating to gender and STEM. This information was then restoried utilizing the three-dimensional space of narrative inquiry proposed by …

Kinematics And Dynamics Of The Pamir, Central Asia And Main Ethiopian Rift, Cassidy N. Jay Seymour

Open Access Dissertations

Plate tectonic theory predicts that deformation is localized in narrow zones along plate boundaries, but geodetic, seismic, and geological observations show that deformation of continents is diffuse and complex. Furthermore, dense, recently published GPS velocities hint at regional heterogeneities within two of the most widely studied continental deformation zones in the world: the India-Eurasia collision zone and East African Rift System. Here, we use numerical models to investigate deformation in the Pamir, a region west of the Tibetan Plateau, and the Main Ethiopian Rift, the northernmost segment of the East African Rift System. Inverse and forward numerical models are constrained …

Atomistic Simulations And Microscopic Experiments To Understand Nanoscale Composition Control, Changeun Kim

Open Access Dissertations

In this dissertation, the possibility of using the quantum mechanics calculation in combination with experimental result is explored, in order to explain experimentally observed phenomena in materials science problems. A series of published works in this theory-experiment combinatory approach will be introduced. The topics include the phase stability of Sb2O4, surface instability of MgB2, the interplay of diffusion and mechanical strengthening effect in multilayer, and latest findings of the syntheses of metallic nano-foams. The theory-experiment combinatory approach has proven to be useful in various materials science problems. The phase transformation trajectory of the Sb2O4 polymorphs, the surface reconstruction pathways of …

Generation, Manipulation, And Detection Of Charged Droplets And Ions In The Open Air, Adam Lee Hollerbach

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation describes the development of methodologies for characterizing the physical properties of electrosprayed droplets and ions as they exist in the open air. Two novel ways of generating electrospray plumes were developed using voltage induction. Also described is a novel way to measure the sizes of electrosprayed droplets smaller than the diffraction limit of light using super resolution fluorescence microscopy. Studies performed in parallel to the sizing experiments describe an unconventional way of using ablative ions generated by corona discharges to probe chemical reactions occurring inside the inlets of mass spectrometers. Also described is the ability to direct and …