Digital Commons Network^™

The Development Of 800 Days Of Solitude: A Conjuring: A Playwriting Thesis, David Dudley

Theses

This thesis document is a presentation of the process and production of my play, 800 Days of Solitude: A Conjuring, which was presented in the Moe Theater Lab March 22 through 25 2018. This play endeavored to tell the story of a young man who was wrongfully imprisoned, and then forced into solitary confinement. Chapter 1 contains a detailed account of the pre-writing process, including early inspirations, impressions of what the play might be, and character bios. Chapter 2 is a narrative account of the writing of 800 Days of Solitude: A Conjuring, along with key inspirations and how I …

The Impact Of Perceived Leadership Styles On Hotel Employee Job Engagement, Abutaleb Zarban

Theses

Engaged employees have a positive impact on organizational outcomes. In fact, employees who are highly committed to their jobs tend to perform better, and such employees are less likely to quit. Leaders in the workplace have the potential to influence employee work engagement. Different leadership styles might drive employee engagement to different extents. The purposes of this study are twofold: to identify the leadership styles and drivers that lead to engaged employees, and to contribute to the literature of employee engagement in the context of hospitality and tourism. This study used a quantitative method, specifically survey that was distributed to …

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, Tanmayee Gupte

Theses

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a meshfree particle method based on a Lagrangian formulation, which has been widely applied to different areas in astrophysics involving complicated fluid dynamical processes. For the first part of this project we have expanded an existing smoothed particle hydrodynamic code (StarCrash). We have added different time integration methods and used them to study the code's overall ability to conserve energy. In the second part we have evaluated the StarCrash code's ability to use different numerical treatments to perform shock tube simulations via Sod's shock tube test. We have used different evolution schemes involving either the …

Implementing A Database To Intervene In And Reduce Gun Violence In Rochester, Ny, Audrey Dipoala

Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the issue of gun violence, specifically urban gun violence in the city of Rochester, New York. The goal was to gain an understanding of the circumstances surrounding these shootings and to learn how to potentially reduce these types of incidents. In order to do this, we created a database containing over 200 different variables covering incident information, victim/suspect information, weapons information, circumstances, and outcome of the investigation. All fatal and non-fatal shootings in the City of Rochester between years 2010 and 2012 were entered into this database. These three years’ worth of …

Mathematical Model And Parameter Estimation For Tumor Growth, Lujun Yin

Theses

We consider a tumor growth model initially proposed by Ward and King in 1997. Our primary goal is to find an efficient and accurate numerical method for the identification of parameters in the model (an inverse problem) from measurements of the evolving tumor over time. The so-called direct problem, in this case, is to solve a system of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations for given fixed values of the unknown parameters. We compare several derivative-free and gradient-based methods for the solution of the inverse problem which is formulated as an optimization problem with the system of partial differential equations (PDEs) …

A Quantum Simulation Study Of Iii-V Esaki Diodes And 2d Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors, Patsy Cadareanu

Theses

Tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) have long been considered as a replacement technology for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors in low power digital applications due to their low OFF-current and small subthreshold swing. These benefits are somewhat neutralized by the low ON-current exhibited by TFETs fabricated with large bandgap semiconductors such as silicon. To offset this drawback, different material systems can be used, with material optimization required for the channel material, the gate stack, and their corresponding geometries. This study considers the novel idea of using 2-dimensional (2D) semiconductors for the channel material in TFETs, and the potential effects of such a channel …

An Assessment Of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems In Support Of Sustainable Forestry Management Initiatives, Michael P. Mcclelland Ii

Theses

Sustainable forest management practices are receiving renewed attention in the growing effort to make efficient long-term use of natural resources. Sustainable management approaches require accurate and timely measurement of the world’s forests to monitor volume, biomass, and changes in sequestered carbon. It is in this context that remote sensing technologies, which possess the capability to rapidly capture structural data of entire forests, have become a key research area. Laser scanning systems, also known as lidar (light detection and ranging), have reached a maturity level where they may be considered a standard data source for structural measurements of forests; however, airborne …

Holographic Generative Memory: Neurally Inspired One-Shot Learning With Memory Augmented Neural Networks, Dillon R. Graham

Theses

Humans quickly parse and categorize stimuli by combining perceptual information and previously learned knowledge. We are capable of learning new information quickly with only a few observations, and sometimes even a single observation. This one-shot learning (OSL) capability is still very difficult to realize in machine learning models. Novelty is commonly thought to be the primary driver for OSL. However, neuroscience literature shows that biological OSL mechanisms are guided by uncertainty, rather than novelty, motivating us to explore this idea for machine learning.

In this work, we investigate OSL for neural networks using more robust compositional knowledge representations and a …

Fissures And Fractures: An Investigation In Natural Breakdowns, Joshua Dewall

Theses

Growing up in a mostly rural area in the Midwest, I spent great lengths outside as a child. Sure, I was born into the era of arcade games and Nintendo, but I remember preferring more active experiences rather than the stationary ones held within doors. Maybe it was hard to keep my focus; maybe I was a bit hyperactive. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t inside when I didn’t have to be. I recall escaping into the woods for hours when I was younger. I would take long bike rides or escape into the horse pasture deep behind our house. Not …

Heymoe: Leveraging Virtual Robot And Game Mechanics In Mobile Prototype Application Design For Chinese Language Learning, Boxiao Gong

Theses

With the growth of internet technology, individuals currently have a better experience in using interactive systems like desktop computer software or mobile device applications than ever before. Moreover, using mobile phones in learning activities is becoming increasingly popular. However, the learning applications today do not fully meet the learner’s needs, especially for young adults who have some interest but lack fundamental knowledge in their study subjects. Combining mobile phone technology and game elements could make it possible to solve this problem. In this way, the limitations of location and the sometimes boring nature of the learning activities could be efficiently …

Convex Optimization Approach To The Optimal Power Flow Problem In Dc-Microgrids With Energy Storage, Abdullah Mohammed Alzahrani

Theses

Humanity is currently facing a global energy crisis. This is due to the shortage in the conventional energy resources while the demand for energy is rising. In response to this crisis, research in designing more energy efficient systems has gained significant importance. The Microgrids (MGs) are one of the main key elements in giving significant momentum to efficient decentralized energy generation.

From the perspective of MGs power management, economical scheduling for generators, energy storage, and demand loads are critical. Performance optimization processes are needed to minimize the operating costs while considering operational constraints.

In this thesis, the optimal power flow …

The Graphic Design Archive: Generating Higher Levels Of Scholarship Through A User Experience Approach To Scholarly Image Database Design, Jenna Shay

Theses

Innovations in the user experiences of digital image collections have taken image-based searching from the realm of basic one-way searches and sorts and delivered users a new world of dynamic and interactive explorations that offer mechanisms for higher-level cognitive functions such as comparing, analyzing, sorting, sharing, designing, and creating in an intuitive environment. While innovations in image search functionality often occur first in non-academic applications (e.g., social media), image archives meant to amasse and preserve visual information for the ages would benefit by adopting and adapting search innovations.

Students and scholars that access image-based archives of information to gather resources …

Transcriptomics Of Learning, Pablo Iturralde

Theses

Learning is a basic and important component of behavior yet we have very little empirical information about the interaction between mechanisms of learning and evolution. In our work, we are testing hypotheses about the neurogenetic mechanisms through which animal learning abilities evolve. We are able to test this directly by using experimentally evolved populations of flies, which differ in learning ability. These populations were previously evolved within the lab by creating worlds with different patterns of change following theoretically predicted effects on which enhanced learning will evolve. How has evolution acted to modulate genes and gene expression in the brain …

An Assessment Of Competencies Of Clinical Instructors In Teaching And Guidance For Nursing Students In Clinical Areas: A Cross-Sectional Study In Tanzania, Rehema L. Mligo

Theses

Nursing student's clinical competence including psychomotor skills, attitude, values, and beliefs of professional practices depend on the quality of clinical instruction given by their preceptors in clinical settings. The main objective was to assess the Tanzanian clinical instructors' teaching abilities and attitude towards the clinical teaching and guidance of nurse students at clinical areas. It was a cross-sectional study design with quantitative approach.

The Psychology Behind Voting Behavior In Kosovo, Fjolla Qorri

Theses

The extent to which voting is a rational behavior is highly debated among social psychologists and political scientists. This paper aims to answer the question of what guides the voting behavior in Kosovo. Firstly, it suggests that the voters’ rationality is limited and that implicit biases override policy analysis. Secondly, it argues that social identity, family voting, gender bias, ideology, and emotions are all significant in its own way in guiding the voting behavior in Kosovo. It does this through a combination of secondary and primary research that includes one survey of 250 respondents and the Implicit Association Test (IAT). …

Hotel Industry Development In Kosovo, Kaltrina Zeka

Theses

The purpose of this paper is to first analyze the hotel industry in Kosovo in depth, through qualitative and quantitative research, and then to compare it with the hotel industry in Macedonia. In this paper, I look at: what are the capacities of hotels in Kosovo, do these capacities fulfill the hotel industry and tourism needs in Kosovo, how do star ranking criteria reflect the quality of hotels in Kosovo, where do Kosovo hotels lack the most, how does the hotel industry stand in general, how does it differ and compare to the hotel industry in Macedonia, both in capacities …

The Budgeting Process Of Kosovo: A Critical Analysis, Arber Maxhuni

Theses

The budgeting process is one of the most important macroeconomic tools of the Government. Throughout the budget cycle, strategic allocations of public money to budget organizations are conducted in aspiration of financial stability and economic prosperity. This study attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of Kosovo’s contemporary budgetary practices and underpin some of its weaknesses. It discusses both legislative and executive viewpoints of the process and proposes recommendations which would improve the budgeting process in terms of quality, transparency, and efficiency.

Numerical Investigation Of Heat And Mass Transfer Phenomena In Boiling, Isaac Bernabe Perez-Raya

Theses

Applications boiling are found in heat sinks for electronics cooling, nuclear and fossil fuel powered steam generators, distillation columns, concentrated solar power systems, glass melting furnaces, desalination chambers, and heat and mass exchangers. In order to increase the performance and safety margins of these applications, there is a need to develop tools that predict the thermal and fluid behavior during bubble growth. The analysis of boiling has been addressed by computer simulations, which employ methods for approximating mass and heat transfer at the interface.

However, most simulations make assumptions that could adversely affect the prediction of the thermal and dynamic …

Exploring High Level Synthesis To Improve The Design Of Turbo Code Error Correction In A Software Defined Radio Context, Bradley E. Conn

Theses

With the ever improving progress of technology, Software Defined Radio (SDR) has become a more widely available technique for implementing radio communication. SDRs are sought after for their advantages over traditional radio communication mostly in flexibility, and hardware simplification. The greatest challenges SDRs face are often with their real time performance requirements. Forward error correction is an example of an SDR block that can exemplify these challenges as the error correction can be very computationally intensive. Due to these constraints, SDR implementations are commonly found in or alongside Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to enable performance that general purpose processors …

Tactile Painting Easel: For People With Limited Vision, Yue Zhang

Theses

Visual art is probably the oldest art. But people with vision challenges have been held back, perhaps for many years by avoiding making art. However, it is never late to start and this painting system helps to paint with ease and joy. Through the researching about the behavior of people with visual disability, the conclusions are: Painting can help people with limited vision to face life in a more positive way; vision and touch are closely related. After the shape symbolism experiment and interview, the conclusion is people with visual disability understand the metaphors of the pictures. The mock blind …

Functional Imaging Connectome Of The Human Brain And Its Associations With Biological And Behavioral Characteristics, Chao Zhang

Theses

Functional connectome of the human brain explores the temporal associations of different brain regions. Functional connectivity (FC) measures derived from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI) characterize the brain network at rest and studies have shown that rfMRI FC is closely related to individual subject's biological and behavioral measures. In this thesis we investigate a large rfMRI dataset from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and utilize statistical methods to facilitate the understanding of fundamental FC-behavior associations of the human brain. Our studies include reliability analysis of FC statistics, demonstration of FC spatial patterns, and predictive analysis of individual biological …

Exploring The Application Of Homomorphic Encryption For A Cross Domain Solution, Cody W. Tinker

Theses

A cross domain solution is a means of information assurance that provides the ability to access or transfer digital data between varying security domains. Most acceptable cross domain solutions focus mainly on risk management policies that rely on using protected or trusted parties to handle the information in order to solve this problem; thus, a cross domain solution that is able to function in the presence of untrusted parties is an open problem.

Homomorphic encryption is a type of encryption that allows its party members to operate and evaluate encrypted data without the need to decrypt it. Practical homomorphic encryption …

Cryogenic Operation Of Scmos Image Sensors, Benjamin P. Stewart

Theses

Scientific CMOS image sensors have lower read noise and dark current than charge coupled devices. They are also uniquely qualified for operation at cryogenic temperatures due to their MOSFET pixel architecture. This paper follows the design of a cryogenic imaging system to be used as a star tracking rocket attitude regulation system. The detector was proven to retain almost all its sensitivity at cryogenic temperatures with acceptably low read noise. Once the star tracker successfully maintains rocket attitude during the flight of the CIBER-2 experiment, the technology readiness level of scientific CMOS detectors will advance enough that they could see …

Comparative Analysis Of Public And Private Start-Up Incubators (From A Users’ Perspective), Jelena Putarek

Theses

The emergence of technologically oriented small business ventures referred to as start-ups has brought in another global trend, the emergence of start-up incubators. Although business incubators have been present since the 1950’s, their importance has never been greater. Local governments, as well as private entities, have recognized the importance of business incubation as a driving force of innovation and the economy as a whole. This qualitative study is focused on examining experiences of tenants located in two start-up incubators in the city of Zagreb – public Tehnološki Park Zagreb – The Technology Park Zagreb incubator, and privately owned Zagrebački Inkubator …

Self-Assembled Monolayers For Phosphorus Doping Of Silicon For Field Effect Devices, Jenna L. Doran

Theses

Moore's law continues to drive the semiconductor industry to create smaller transistors and improve device performance. Smaller transistors require shallower junctions, especially for the non-planar geometries such as FinFETs and nanowires which are becoming more common. Conventional doping techniques such as ion implantation and spin-on diffusants have difficulty producing shallow junctions, especially for conformal doping of non-planar structures. Molecular monolayer doping (MLD) is presented as an alternative doping method with the capability to produce ultra-shallow junctions with low sheet resistances for planar and non-planar structures. MLD relies on the formation of a self-assembled monolayer of a dopant-containing compound which is …

Social Media And Its Impact On Users’ Decision Making To Visit A Fine Dining Restaurant, Petra Malbasa

Theses

This study focused on exploring what factors and social media tactics are important to consider when creating an effective social media strategy for a fine dining restaurant in Zagreb for Facebook and Instagram. The important factors to consider when creating an effective social media strategy and useful social media tactics to use for a fine dining restaurant in Zagreb were defined. The study used a qualitative research approach and in-depth research questions. Ten participants shared their personal experiences connected to social media and fine dining restaurants. Fifty percent of the participants were experts in marketing and the food industry who …

Empirical Satellite Characterization For Realistic Imagery Generation, Nilay Vijay Mokashi

Theses

There is an increasing interest in the use of machine learning deep networks to automatically analyze satellite imagery. However, there are limited annotated satellite imagery datasets available for training these networks. Synthetic image generation offers a solution to this need, but only if the simulated images have comparable characteristics to the real data. This work deals with analysis of commercial satellite imagery to characterize their imaging systems for the purpose of increasing the realism of the synthetic imagery generated by RIT’s Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model.

The analysis was applied to satellite imagery from Planet Labs …

Anatomy Of The Rotator Cuff, Shevon Barnes

Theses

Health literacy is the level at which an individual can obtain, comprehend, and retain general health information and available health services. Health literacy determines more than just how well a person understands medical information. It affects how well they can navigate the medical world. There are problems that often reoccur in patient education materials. Most patient education materials should be written at a 5th or 6th grade level (Health Literacy, NIH 2015) whereas most materials are written at an 11th grade level, or higher. Many illustrations included in resources are complex and not designed to give a general overview of …

Self-Healing Polymer Matrix Composite Matrix Materials Using Hindered Urea Bonding, Joseph F. Schevtchuk

Theses

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) utilize thermoset resins in large part because of their low starting molecular weights which allow for good reinforcement infiltration prior to curing. Formed networks owe much of their mechanical properties to covalent crosslinks tethering molecules within the matrix. Traditional covalent bonds are irreversible and thus damaged composites are either repaired or replaced. For the former, traditional repair techniques remain costly and time consuming. Dynamic covalent bonds represent a potential alternative to traditional covalent bonds. These unique chemical groups can be tailored to engender thermoset-like characteristics at use-temperatures and thermoplastic-like behavior at elevated temperatures thus enabling self-healing. …

Halal Certification For An Industrial Machine Intended To Come In Contact With Food, Luca Caffarelli

Theses

Halal Certification is a worldwide recognition that the products are permissible under Islamic law. These products are thus edible, drinkable or usable by Muslims. It can be extended to industrial machinery and tools. This Certification must be issued by a Notified Body under the supervision of an IMAM. Focus of the Certification are GMPs and Food Contact Materials and Articles. Four main phases to achieve Certification (the scheme is the same of ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and ISO 9001):

• Pre-Audit - The activity is to evaluate the documentation describing our internal system.
• Audit - The activity is to evaluate how …