Digital Commons Network^™

Food Neophobia, Food Pickiness, And Physical Growth Status In A Sample Of Emirati Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders And Neurotypical Development In The United Arab Emirates, Hessa Salem Al Derei

Theses

Eating habits and expression of independence in food selection typically starts at about 18 months of age, reaching its peak between 2 and 6 years. However, child feeding problems are common in boys and girls, both- in children with neuro-typical development (NTD) and those with neuro-development disorders (NDDs). Food Neophobia (FN) and Food Pickiness (FP) are considered as the main forms of food rejection in children, affecting their diet variety, and consumption of foods. If unresolved, these may result in nutrient deficiencies and compromised growth and development in children. There is a dearth of evidence on this important topic in …

Effect Of Virtual Reality Technology On Computer Science/Engineering Based Laboratories Education – A Case Study, Saeed Salem Al Shebli

Theses

The rapid growth in mobile applications raises critical concerns about the security of apps and users' privacy, especially in permission control. Mobile apps access sensitive information of users, and the current cybersecurity landscape faces a huge challenge in ensuring the least required permissions are granted. This research focuses on designing an advanced permission recommendation system that couples the strengths of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) in solving most of the existing gaps in permission management, thus guiding which permissions are mostly needed by Android applications.

The research thus follows a multi-classification approach, integrating state-of-the-art ML techniques with …

A Secure And Effective Framework For Key Concept Mining From Educational Content Using Large Language Models, Ashika Sameem Abdul Rasheed

Theses

This thesis examines the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in education, with a focus on improving performance and implementing strong security measures. The research has two main goals, namely, the development of an effective lecture summarization technique using LLMs and identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities in LLM applications according to OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) guidelines. For the former goal, we have proposed an effective framework for fine-tuning LLMs using real lecture datasets and compared the performance of different LLMs. For the latter goal, we conducted a thorough review of the application dataflow of the proposed framework and …

Developing Policies For Digital Twin Data Quality And Security Controls, Ahmad Abdelbaset Hassan

Theses

This thesis is concerned with the data quality and security of the digital twin and how it is going to impact its adoption, trustworthiness, and potential for real-world applications. By addressing the potential vulnerabilities and ensuring the integrity of data, this research aims to contribute to the development of robust and trustworthy digital twin policies that to complement the existing international standards across different domains. Moreover, it underscores the important need to establish robust policies to ensure the successful and secure deployment of digital twins across industries. Previous research, while valuable, may not have fully addressed the critical interplay between …

The Mediational Role Of Religiosity In The Relationship Between Emotional Regulation And Relationship Satisfaction In Uae And Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study, Beril Berksu

Theses

Marriage and romantic relationships are significant turning points in personal and social development, contributing to overall well-being and health. In romantic relationship studies, relationship satisfaction is one of the most researched aspects and is affected by various variables, which are gender, relationship duration, and other factors. Among these, religiosity and emotional regulation have been proposed as important aspects as well. However, there is still a gap in the literature to understand how these aspects are connected in non-Western countries like Turkey and the UAE regarding cultural differences. The study aims to explore the mediating role of religiosity in the relationship …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Efficacy Of 3d Printing Versus Traditional Construction Techniques: A Study Of Cost, Time And Energy Of A New Lowrise Office Building On The Uaeu Campus, Hala Mohammed Basel

Theses

In line with the forward-looking vision of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), this research evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of 3D printing technology compared to traditional construction methods, focusing on cost, time, and energy efficiency for a new low-rise office building on the UAEU campus. With the growing number of PhD students in the Architectural Engineering Department, expanding office space has become a priority. This study explores how 3D printing technology, known for its sustainability, reduced material waste, and accelerated construction, can address these challenges more efficiently than conventional methods.

Guided by the UAE Vision 2030, which focuses on …

Adapting Emergency Response: A Nationwide Study Of Disability Accommodation Practices Among Local Emergency Managers, Iskender Mambetkadyrov

Theses

Local emergency management agencies (EMAs), who are critical in disaster response and management in the US, frequently underserve their constituencies who identify as people with disabilities (PWD) and, more specifically, as deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). These shortfalls have still persisted even after policies such as the Americans with Disabilities Act have passed in an attempt to bridge these gaps. This thesis aims to explore the organizational actions & strategies local EMAs have taken towards disability inclusion, the barriers they run into, and explore whether increases in general disability-inclusive actions lead to increased DHH-specific inclusive actions to steer local …

Fluidity Of Time, Phoebe Huey

Theses

Fluidity of Time is a digital clock installation that uses particle simulations to symbolize the fluctuating nature of human emotions throughout the day. Inspired by the concept of entropy—the natural shift from order to disorder—the clock’s particle-based digits flow, collapse, and rebuild, mirroring emotional cycles. The project addresses the issue of disconnection in a post-pandemic, technology-driven world, aiming to captivate viewers and create shared experiences that foster community. Through experimentation in X-Particles, I developed fluid, life-like motion in a digital clock that engages viewers on both aesthetic and emotional levels. The installation received positive feedback for its mesmerizing and satisfying …

Dubai Urban Planning 2040: Resource Requirements In The Urban District 5, Bakhit Alfalasi

Theses

The availability of water, food, energy and air quality resources is compromised by prevailing global issues like environmental stress, climate change, and population growth. This research study details the different requirements for Dubai urban District 5 based on the tenets laid out in the Urban Planning 2040 initiative. The literature review section looks into existing literature on the present state of affairs in the UAE as regards availability of water, food, and energy resources in the country and implications of their production processes on air quality. The Study will employ an exploratory research design, where a systematic review of literature …

Monitoring The Seasonal Presence Of The Blue Shiner, Cyprinella Caerulea, In Little River Canyon National Preserve Using Environmental Dna, Deanna Meadows

Theses

The study of environmental DNA (eDNA) has provided researchers with a more accessible and sensitive way to identify the presence of specific species compared to traditional monitoring methods. eDNA enables species detection by analyzing environmental samples such as water or soil, which contain genetic material shed by organisms in a given area. Research indicates that eDNA techniques have become a valuable method for monitoring threatened and invasive species, proving particularly reliable for detecting aquatic species compared to traditional techniques. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been used in numerous eDNA studies, as it provides for greater accuracy than conventional PCR. Cyprinella …

Writing A Course Guide “Fashion Design: A Guide To The Apparel Industry”, Rosemary P. Durfee

Theses

This project focuses on improving course materials for the author, among others, to use as a teaching resource for undergraduate apparel design students. The primary focus is to compile information from various resources and industry knowledge gained first-hand by the author. This project aims to create a course guide that can easily integrate with current Fashion Design and Merchandising courses taught at the college level.

Unraveling Grief: Historical Mourning Wear And Modern Reinterpretations, Sharon Caitlin Carpenter

Theses

Sharon Carpenter's thesis, "Unraveling Grief: Historical Mourning Wear and Modern Reinterpretations," explores the evolution of mourning fashion from ancient times to modern reinterpretations. Carpenter examines how mourning attire has historically reflected cultural attitudes toward death and grief, serving both personal and societal functions. The thesis traces mourning practices across civilizations, beginning with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, where clothing symbolized beliefs in purity and the afterlife. It moves through the Middle Ages and the Victorian era, where mourning wear became heavily ritualized, particularly influenced by Queen Victoria’s deep grief for Prince Albert. This formalization of mourning attire impacted social norms and …

Palette Of Perspective: Designing An Inclusive Art History Curriculum, Amy Bettencourt

Theses

This project aims to develop an inclusive art history curriculum as a high school level course, addressing the traditional Western-centric focus that has been marginalized non-Western contributions. By pairing Western and non-Western artworks within a chronological framework, students can compare artistic expressions across cultures, emphasizing parallel histories rather than a single Eurocentric narrative. The curriculum employs diverse interpretive methodologies to foster critical thinking and challenge conventional narrative. Designed for a 20-week semester, it focuses on a smaller number of key artworks per unit to encourage meaningful engagement and projects. While still rooted in Western art, the course connects global artistic …

Digital Marketing And Consumer Consumption Of Breast-Pumps On Social Media, Leanne Clark

Theses

A breast pump brassiere, designed to provide hands free experience for the mother when collecting mother's milk, and which integrates various operative components in the category of a micro pump, at least one suction cup, and a milk reservoir, preferably within each cup, to provide for hands free collection of expressed milk, as desired and required by the mother for use in the feeding of her infant.

Predicting Consumer Churn In Telecommunications, Amna Yousef Almatrooshi

Theses

The telecommunications industry is highly competitive, with consumer churn being a significant concern due to market saturation. Churn, or customer attrition, refers to customers leaving a service provider due to dissatisfaction or better offers from competitors. This phenomenon is particularly impactful in the telecom sector, where retaining customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. To address this issue, telecom companies increasingly rely on machine learning techniques to predict customer churn and implement strategies to retain at-risk customers. The study highlights the importance of understanding the factors contributing to customer churn, including service quality, pricing, customer service interactions, and competition. …

Navigating The Job Landscape: Insights From Linkedin Through Npl, Mohammed Alsallal Alfalasi

Theses

This study uses NLP to examine the relationships between skills needed, wage trends, and job attributes in over 33,000 LinkedIn job posts. NLP enabled us to analyze a large dataset and gain deeper insights into the employment market. We obtained and cleansed the data ethically to guarantee that it was accurate for NLP analysis. This investigation included techniques such as keyword extraction and sentiment analysis to uncover important talents, job market attitudes, and industry trends. We also examined pay trends to better comprehend the market's economic aspects. By merging NLP and machine learning, this study offers a novel methodological framework …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Law Enforcement Strategies In Combating E-Crime Using Ai, Mohammad Ahmad Alkhazraji

Theses

The rise of e-crime, particularly international online scams, has presented significant challenges to law enforcement agencies around the world. Scams have become transnational, exploiting the internet's interconnectivity to deceive victims from different countries. Law enforcement agencies have a severe uphill battle in trying to combat these types of crimes because of technological and jurisdictional limitations and resource accessibility. This research has analyzed the effectiveness of current policing against international online scams, focusing on the challenges encountered thus far and possible solutions. The critical research objectives revolve around assessing law enforcement agencies' present strategies, identifying the main barriers that these agencies …

An Edge Platform Streamlining Connectivity Between Modern Edge Devices And Cloud, Anderson Carvalho

Theses

The numerous uses of cloud, fog, and edge computing in a variety of industries are thoroughly examined in this thesis, with a special emphasis on smart factories, smart cities, and smart agriculture. It starts with an introduction to cloud computing, going over its history, importance in contemporary digital infrastructures, and related security concerns. It emphasizes the value of cloud computing for processing and storing data while addressing issues like guaranteeing low latency applications and possible improvements from container technologies. The conversation then shifts to fog computing, going over its history, designs, and uses. It focuses on how fog computing might …

Integration Of Blockchain And Machine Learning For Robust Intrusion Detection In Iot Network, Saeed Al Banna

Theses

This thesis explores the integration of blockchain technology and machine learning techniques to enhance cybersecurity in IoT networks. An intrusion detection system (IDS) framework is proposed, leveraging the decentralized, immutable, and transparent features of blockchain with the predictive capabilities of machine learning. The study utilizes the CICIoT2023 dataset, which has 33 diverse attack types on 105 devices, to evaluate five machine learning models: Random Forest, MLP, CNN, and RNN and a Hybrid RF/MLP Model. The Random Forest and MLP models demonstrated superior performance across multi-class, grouped, and binary classification tasks. Blockchain technology is integrated to securely log detected anomalies, to …

The Future Of Robotic-Teacher Relationship In Classrooms: Cooperation Or Competition?, Miaad Saleh Hassan Abdullah Mobarak

Theses

As the realms of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics undergo exponential growth and the issue of teacher shortage remains a concern, the potential for remarkable advancements in education with the assistance of robots becomes increasingly important. This review is conducted to understand the forthcoming role of robotics in education and its impact on teachers’ role in the classroom. Currently, it is widely known that AI is evolving in a rapid way, creating a huge presence in our life, building a perception among people that it will take over the role of human in various settings in the future. Various articles …

An Examination Of Artistic Expression Through Honoré Daumier's Le Fardeau, Sarah Isak-Goode

Theses

Honoré Daumier, renowned for his career as a political cartoonist in 19th-century France, created a substantial body of personal works that have received comparatively little scholarly attention. This thesis focuses on Daumier's paintings, particularly those created during his midlife (1848-1864), examining their distinctively serious qualities and emotional depth. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining art historical analysis and psychobiography, this research explores the previously unrecognized connection between Daumier's paintings and his private life experiences. Central to this study is an in-depth analysis of Le Fardeau, a painting that exemplifies Daumier's artistic evolution and emotional expression during a period marked by personal …

Exploring Experience Design In The Art Deco Restoration Of Indianapolis Bottleworks Hotel, Jennifer A. Mott

Theses

This thesis investigates the interaction between emotional resonance, the Decorative Arts, and historical significance in creating a curated emotional experience. Focused on the case study of the Bottleworks Hotel, a restored Art Deco gem within the former Coca-Cola Bottling Company plant in Indianapolis, this research provides an interpretative analysis, synthesis of the literature, and primary source surveys and reviews to show that the Art Deco restoration and the historical significance of the bottling plant work together to create stimulating experience design. As urban landscapes undergo transformation and the tourism industry becomes increasingly competitive and significant, this study not only enriches …

Creation Story Motifs As Expressions Of Identity And Resiliency In The Visual Culture Of Kahnawà:Ke, Jana Ondrechen Hallford

Theses

Kahnawa:ke is a First Nations reserve near Montreal in Quebec, Canada, with a rich history of creative expression. This is a Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) community, a part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, a prominent First Peoples group of the Northeast Woodlands. Like many other Indigenous communities, Kahnawa:ke is in the process of revitalizing and renormalizing their culture after centuries of assimilation efforts and pressures to separate them from their traditions. Their creation story, known as the Sky Woman Epoch, is foundational to this culture. While there are a number of creation symbols, this study will focus on the Sky Dome, a …

Predictive Modeling Of Sociodemographic And Self-Construct Factors Affecting Math Performance In Secondary Education, Shaikha Ahmed Alaleeli

Theses

Math is a prime subject because of its transferability to other fields of learning and its applications in daily and professional life. As a result, most countries and educational institutions focus on improving math performance, however student grades vary due to personal, familial, and institutional factors. Thus, the present study seeks to build a predictive model of sociodemographic and self-construct factors affecting math performance and identify which ones are the most impactful on student grades. The specific objectives are (1) to determine the association between student/family and school sociodemographic characteristics and math performance; (2) to the influence of student self-construct …

Polytetrafluoroethylene (Ptfe) Vs. Ptfe-Free Coatings On Paper Label: Analysis Of Label Mechanical And Performance Properties, Chuqi Su

Theses

Post-printed water-based (WB) coatings, commonly known as aqueous coatings, have gained popularity for paper-based label manufacturing because of their environmentally friendly characteristics. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is one of the common additives added to the WB coatings to achieve heat resistance and rub resistance properties for the final product. PTFE is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, and is a category of Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS). As of January 2024, the sale of food packaging containing PFAS is prohibited in the state of Minnesota, with expectations that this regulation will extend to other states because of the proven harm of PFAS to both humans …

Gallbladder, Raiven Gibbons

Theses

Gallbladder is a triptych feature screenplay focusing on a woman’s search for the meaning of life, death, and their function in between, titled “Time.” The feature explores themes of home, desire, lust, family, romance, codependency, independency, work life, and responsibilities, while finding a reason to laugh in an absurdist world. Each segment is inspired by my personal experiences working within the healthcare system. It was written between September 2023-August 2024 including pre-production and post-production of the live action proof of concept short and the full feature script. This paper describes and analyzes the screenwriting process for Raiven Gibbons, writer and …

Reduction Of Crimes In Dubai With The Use Of Artificial Intelligence, Ahmad Saeed Abdulrahim

Theses

This dissertation examines the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance crime reduction efforts by the Dubai Police. As Dubai continues to grow and new technologies emerge, integrating AI into Dubai Police represents a significant opportunity to improve operational efficiency, predictive policing, and data-driven investigations. However, this integration also raises critical ethical and privacy concerns that must be addressed to ensure responsible use. The rapid development of AI technologies offers promising solutions for modernizing crime prevention and Dubai Police strategies. Dubai, with its advanced technological infrastructure and forward-looking governance, is an ideal context for exploring these innovations. The effective use …

Sold Out: The Commodification Of Personal Data In The Digital Age, Olaya Ordieres Ortega

Theses

The project titled ‘SOLD OUT’ investigates the profound implications of digital data privacy through a multifaceted multimedia campaign designed to expose and critique the commodification of human information. The campaign explores how contemporary data collection practices have transformed individuals into mere products, bought, sold, and traded without their consent. The project employs a combination of analog and digital mediums to present an engaging and provocative narrative that challenges viewers to confront the stark reality of data privacy in the modern age. ‘SOLD OUT’ transforms abstract privacy concerns into tangible and relatable experiences by linking them to common daily activities and …

Modeling The Impact Of Behavioral Changes And Heterogeneity On U.S. Energy Demand, Sinoun Phoung

Theses

Energy consumption is fundamental to the functioning of modern society, powering essential activities such as transportation, cooking, and working. The drivers of energy demand are influenced by an interplay of physical characteristics, climatic conditions, policy decisions, and behavioral patterns. These behavioral patterns are shaped by socio-demographic factors such as age, income, and employment status, which introduce variability in energy usage. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced changes in daily behaviors, which is persisting into the post-pandemic era and further influencing changes in energy consumption. Understanding and quantifying the diversity and changes in societal behaviors is crucial for energy management and …

Augmenting Social Engagement For Students: Leveraging Ar For Interactive Student Experiences, Promoting Overall Well Being., Aditi Singh

Theses

This thesis explores the concept of an Augmented Reality Application designed to enhance student’s social engagement with their peers in campus activities at universities. It uses AR Technology and futuristic interface design to create a fun and interactive environment that motivates graduate students to socialize more often and maintain a balanced lifestyle. The problem addressed here is the lack of motivation and resources among students to engage in activities due to academic pressures which also adversely affects students mental and emotional wellbeing. The proposed solution involves integrating AR interfaces and elements that immerse them in an enjoyable environment and encourage …