Toward A Unified Framework For Open World Visual Learning, Yuansheng Zhu

Theses

Artificial intelligence systems have achieved remarkable performance across a wide range of visual tasks. However, most existing models operate under the unrealistic closed-world assumption, where training and test data are drawn from the same distribution. In real-world applications such as anomaly detection, autonomous driving, and medical diagnosis, learning systems frequently encounter novel or out-of-distribution scenarios. These settings require models that can recognize unknown inputs, adapt to new information over time, and maintain reliable performance under evolving conditions. This dissertation studies the problem of Open World Visual Learning, a paradigm that enables visual learning systems to operate robustly in dynamic and …

The Gospel Of Glamour: A Christian Woman's Style Blueprint, Osaromwenyeke Osemwota

Theses

The Gospel of Glamour: The Christian Woman’s Style Blueprint was a luxury-branded, sustainability-focused, faith-based style guide that addressed a gap in fashion, theology, and sustainability scholarship. Existing literature had either systematized fashion, explored the spiritual significance of dress, or examined sustainable and luxury practices—but none had integrated these dimensions into a prescriptive, actionable guide for Christian women. Drawing on Scripture as the foundational authority, including passages from Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, and Proverbs, the guide framed clothing as both practical provision and visible expression of covenantal identity. The style guide synthesized secular fashion methodology, modest-fashion scholarship, and sustainable luxury principles to …

Artemisia Gentileschi's Judith And Her Maidservant Serves As A Message Of Hope, Holly Kyseth

Theses

This thesis argues that through iconography and specific artistic techniques, Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith and Her Maidservant utilizes the biblical story of Judith and Holofernes to relay a distinctly female-centered narrative, reflective of the ideals of her seventeenth century Italian community. This piece stands apart from other representations of this narrative in that Judith was commonly shown as either dainty yet violent in the act of decapitating Holofernes, or as a saintly victor proudly displaying his head to her people. With Judith and Her Maidservant, Artemisia displays an obvious sororal alliance between Judith and her servant Abra, while cleverly implementing Caravaggesque …

Art Therapy In The Art Classroom, Sherry Williams

Theses

The integration of art therapy practices within the art classroom provides a transformative framework for supporting the emotional and psychological well-being of students. Research into these strategies demonstrates that creative practices allow students to manage stress and anxiety while fostering mindfulness, reflection, and self-expression. Art educators can create safe and supportive environments by incorporating therapeutic activities such as drawing mandalas, doodling, and engaging in collaborative projects. These methods prioritize the creative process over technical achievement, allowing students to communicate complex feelings that may be difficult to articulate verbally. 

While art teachers are not licensed therapists, they can effectively implement therapeutic …

The Heart Seat™: An In Home Cardiovascular Monitoring Device, Archana Venkataramani

Theses

Heart failure (HF) is one of the most common disorders, affecting an estimated 64 million people globally. Although heart failure incidence is stabilizing in some countries, prevalence is rising because of an aging population, improved post-myocardial infarction survival, and advances in treatment. High mortality, morbidity, reduced quality of life, and significant healthcare costs are results of heart failure (Shahim et al., 2023). Recurrent heart failure episodes are associated with an increased risk of death. Heart monitoring systems exist in several forms, including implantable cardiac devices, wearable and portable monitors, and remote patient monitoring systems. Each type differs in monitoring needs, …

The Usability And Influence Of Comprehensive Sports Nutrition Handouts For Adolescent-Aged Female Athletes, Chloe Brassie

Theses

Objective: This study aimed to examine the usability and influence of comprehensive sports nutrition handouts for adolescent-aged female athletes. Design: Cross-sectional online survey incorporating post retrospective-pre self-assessment Participants: Adolescent female athletes between 13 and 17 years of age Methods: Participants received a series of digital nutrition handouts every day for seven days and completed an online survey. Variables: Age, sport, engagement, knowledge, behavior, features of interest, and experience with nutrition education. Analysis: Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test assessed the change in responses for both knowledge and …

Inflection Points In Academic Career Trajectories: Statistical Modeling And Interactive Visualization, Aicha Malouche

Theses

This thesis examines the temporal structure of academic career trajectories, with a particular focus on identifying non-linear patterns of research productivity and moments of maximum acceleration in scientific impact. Situated within the broader context of bibliometric evaluation, the study responds to long-standing limitations of aggregate and linear career models that obscure heterogeneity across disciplines and national research systems. Drawing on theories of cumulative advantage, life-cycle productivity, and structural stratification, the research seeks to clarify how and when elite researchers experience peak growth in impact over the course of their careers. The study is guided by four research questions: (1) when …

Spike-Based Architectures For Energy-Efficient Audio Enhancement, Kedar Sandip Fitwe

Theses

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have shown remarkable success in speech denoising; however, their high computational and energy requirements make realtime deployment on edge devices challenging. In contrast, Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) operate using sparse, event-driven spikes—offering a biologically inspired and energy-efficient alternative. In this study, we delve into a Spiking Neural Network (SNN) model that leverages the temporal dynamics of spiking neurons to capture long-range dependencies in the audio signal. By encoding the input audio into sparse and event-driven computations, the SNN can efficiently process the temporal information while requiring significantly fewer computations compared to DNNs. We present a real-time …

Knowledge And Perception Of Human Milk Donation Among Pregnant, Lactating, And Postpartum Women In Rochester, Ny, And Near Hmbana Milk Banks, Samantha Allen

Theses

Human milk banks provide pasteurized donor milk for premature infants whose mothers are unable to produce sufficient amounts of milk, offering critical nutritional and immunological benefits for this high-risk population.1–4 Although 28 HMBANA-accredited milk banks operate in the United States, none are located within 4.5 hours of Rochester, NY. This study examined the knowledge and perceptions of human milk bank donation among pregnant, lactating, and postpartum women in Rochester, NY, and in communities near HMBANA-affiliated milk banks, and assessed if there is a correlation regarding the proximity of milk banks.  A cross-sectional study design was used, and participants completed a …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Scenario-Based Virtual Escape Rooms To Improve Student Confidence In Dosage Calculations, Jennifer A. Cuevas

Theses

Abstract

Background: Accurate dosage calculations (DCs) are critical for patient safety, as medication errors contribute to approximately 7,000-9,000 preventable deaths annually. Nearly 30% of nursing students exhibit weakness in foundational mathematical skills, and a significant confidence gap exists: 70% feel confident in mathematical abilities, yet only 45% feel confident in clinical application, necessitating innovative educational interventions.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate a scenario-based virtual escape room intervention to enhance undergraduate nursing students' confidence in DCs.

Methods: Grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning theory, this online asynchronous intervention engaged students through concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract …

Increasing Confidence Of Respiratory Therapy Students In Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Using Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice, Heather Ashley

Theses

Background: Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) simulation has emerged as an innovative approach to strengthening confidence among healthcare learners and professionals. Grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, RCDP emphasizes structured repetition, immediate feedback, and skill refinement through cycles of performance, reflection, and reapplication.

Methods: Senior-level respiratory therapy students participated in either a traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) simulation or an RCDP CPR simulation as part of their scheduled coursework. After completing the simulation, students participated in a post‑simulation survey, and scores were compared between the two groups.

Results: Confidence was evident across both simulation methods, and students indicated increased self‑confidence following …

From Tension To Teaching: Combating Incivility And Bullying Behaviors Directed At Nursing Students, Shelley Dyal

Theses

Background: The phrase “nurses eat their young” has long been used to describe the culture of incivility and bullying often directed at nursing students. These behaviors in the nursing clinical learning environment break down nurse-student relationships. To address this issue, nursing staff must have the tools to fulfill their roles as educators and mentors in clinical settings. The purpose of this project is to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based asynchronous educational workshop focused on incivility reduction and student mentorship among nursing staff in a rural hospital setting.

Methods:  This study used a quantitative, one-group pretest–posttest intervention design …

Empowering Change: Impact Of Motivational Interviewing On First-Semester Nursing Students' Perceived Confidence And Communication Skills, Norma L. Branyon

Theses

Background: Effective communication is vital when interacting with others, regardless of the profession. When healthcare providers lack the skills to facilitate conversations about behavior changes, poor patient outcomes can be produced. New graduate nurses often encounter difficulties in effectively communicating with patients and display reluctance to engage with patients and their families. Ineffective communication may lead to increased anxiety, miscommunication, and mistrust. This communication gap can hinder therapeutic relationships, patient engagement, and overall health outcomes. Communication plays a crucial role in student nurses’ self-confidence, motivation, and personal and professional growth. Therefore, role transition for new nurses can be difficult and …

The Southern Roots Of Populist Rhetoric And The Growth Of Fundamentalism, Ethan Teems

Theses

The religious fundamentalism of the 1920s was a direct evolution of the Southern Populist movement of the 1890s. While populism began as a political crusade against economic exploitation, industrialization, and urbanization, it evolved into a movement that attacked modernity. The southern United States was rooted in a predominantly religiously homogeneous society. The Protestant religions that encompassed the region were unwilling to adapt to a changing society, allowing religious fundamentalism to expand.

Beginning with the cultural conflicts of the 1920s, such as the Scopes Trial and William Jennings Bryan’s activism, the study explains how fundamentalists framed their struggles against modernism as …

'Guide The Tide' - Supervision Of International Medical Graduates In The Emergency Department: A Mixed Methods Study, Purnasankar Bhowmik

Theses

Australia’s emergency departments (EDs) have experienced significant stress since the COVID-19 pandemic. An increase in the number of patient presentations, a lack of in-patient beds for the disposition of admitted patients and long waiting times are contributing factors jeopardising patient safety. In addition, the shortage of skilled staff to look after patients in the ED is the paramount concern currently and moving forward. Similarly to many other specialty areas of medicine, EDs rely on international medical graduates (IMGs) to fill the gaps in the medical workforce. However, concerns have been raised regarding IMG diversity in training requirements, clinical skills and …

Compassion In Crisis: A Study Of Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses Working In The Emergency Department At A Western Australian Metropolitan Tertiary Hospital, Sonu Susamma Sam

Theses

Compassion fatigue (CF) is defined as the emotional depletion caused by ongoing involvement in caring for another individuals experiencing trauma or hardship, pain, distress, and critical incidents. It is characterised by a decline in emotional capacity, reduced ability to empathise, and feelings of helplessness, that could potentially lead to burnout and secondary traumatic stress. While CF affects many healthcare providers including physicians, social service professionals, mental health practitioners, but nursing staff are particularly vulnerable due to their close and continuous engagement with patients.

Compassion fatigue has been extensively examined in oncology, palliative care, and intensive care, where exposure to patient …

Tranquil Talismans, Yayan Zhang

Theses

My series aims to delve deep into my personal experiences, narrating the uncertainty of graduating, the imbalance between study and work, and the anxiety brought about by countless rejections that have gradually disrupted the rhythm of my life. This disruption manifests in physiological symptoms such as insomnia, irregular menstrual cycles, emotional fluctuations, and the discovery of bodily lumps.My thesis work is separated into three parts of my journey. The first part portrays a dark period marked by chaos and confusion as I underwent a transition in my social roles and visually metaphorizes the onset of anxiety as darkness and chaos …

Examining Preoperative Health And Lifestyle Risk Factors In Patients Awaiting Surgery During Covid-19 In Western Australia, Nadine Radin

Theses

This study investigated the prevalence of modifiable preoperative lifestyle risk factors among patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal and colorectal surgery at a metropolitan hospital in Perth, Western Australia (WA). It aimed to characterise behaviours such as smoking, alcohol and drug use, nutritional risk, physical fitness, frailty, and body mass index (BMI), and to examine whether these changed during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2019.

A retrospective audit of 2,340 patient medical records was conducted, with data extracted from routinely collected preadmission documentation. Regression models compared the prevalence of risk factors across matched calendar periods, adjusting …

Predicting Undergraduate Fallout And Success, Ammar Ahmed Alzarooni

Theses

Universities need to uncover students who are likely to drop out early and do something about it. It should be easy to find and use this information. This thesis evaluated interpretable machine-learning models (MLMs) for predicting three final student outcomes including Dropout, Enrolled and Graduate, using solely demographic, administrative/financial and first-semester academic variables. Study employed publicly accessible Portuguese UCI student retention dataset (4,424 records) and incorporated end-of-Semester-1 feature window to prevent look-ahead leakage and align with actual advising cycles. We trained and compared models using stratified validation, explicit class-imbalance handling and decision-threshold optimization to make dropout detection most critical factor. …

The Impact Of Pre-Trial Attitudes And Educational Jury Instructions : Juror Decision-Making In Mens Rea Cases Involving Mental Illness, Victoria E. O'Connell

Theses

Juror decision-making in cases involving mental illness is shaped by legal understanding and subjective attitudes. This study examined how juror attitudes and jury instruction type influence the application of mens rea defenses—Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), Diminished Capacity (DC), and Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI)—in criminal case vignettes involving defendants with mental health presentations. Enhanced jury instructions improved understanding of mens rea concepts but did not improve the application of these concepts to verdict decisions. Biases against mens rea defenses were associated with DC verdict decisions, with more negative NGRI attitudes predicting less legally accurate but more confident …

Down The Rabbit Hole : A Journey Of Writing And Liberation, Mckenzie Sharp

Theses

Down the Rabbit Hole: A Journey of Writing and Liberation is a hybrid creative thesis composed of poetry, memoir, and auto-fiction that explores trauma, mental illness, abuse, and resilience through non-linear narrative and surrealist imagery. This collection examines writing as both a survival practice and reclamation of agency after prolonged silencing by drawing on feminist theory, trauma studies, and experimental literature techniques. Structured as an anthology, the thesis mirrors fractured memory and identity and the cyclical nature of healing. Organized into three chapters— “Awakening,” “Deconstruction,” and “Enlightenment”—the collection traces recognition of harm, dismantling of inherited belief systems, and the ongoing …

The Influence Of Defendant Mental Illness Characteristics On Prosecutorial Decision Making, Claire Elise Martin

Theses

As most criminal cases are now resolved via plea-bargaining, research on legal decision making has extended beyond the jury to evaluate judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors. Although legal actors are obliged to remain objective and dispassionate, extralegal factors regarding defendant characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic class) can influence case outcomes. Extant research on the effect of defendant mental health status and defendant demeanor on sentencing outcomes in court hearings is limited. Therefore, the present experiment solicited 134 prosecutors in a vignette study designed to assess how extralegal characteristics, specifically those related to mental illness, may affect the punitiveness of …

The Impact Of Stereotype Threat And Grit On The Experience Of Imposter Syndrome, Lindsey C. Davis

Theses

Imposter syndrome (IP) is a psychological phenomenon in which one has an internal experience of intellectual phoniness. Past researchers have found that overall females tend to report higher levels of IP than men, with Stereotype Threat (ST) being a cited explanation. A common denominator in much of the literature is how belongingness can activate ST in females. It has been found that individuals high in IP, especially females, tend to experience poor mental health outcomes. Past research has also established a link between IP and conscientiousness in females, a personality trait related to the facet of grit. The current study …

Predicting Student Academic Performance Using Behavioural And Parental Engagement Data From Learning Management Systems, Saeed Alfalasi

Theses

This paper explores how behavioral, academic, and parental engagement data provided within the xAPI-Edu-Data dataset can be used to predict the academic performance of students when training on machine learning models with supervised learning. Due to the developing demands of the data-driven initial selection of the learners under risk, the study will create a valid and explainable predictive model that can consider the most significant factors of student success in Learning Management System (LMS). The research is based on behavioral engagement and self-regulation learning theories; the observations included in the analysis of student interaction, i.e. resource usage, classroom engagement and …

Evaluating Datasets And Models For Offensive Language Identification, Skye Deson Morgan

Theses

Social media platforms enable people to easily communicate with one another, share ideas and express their opinions. Unfortunately, the anonymity provided by platforms such as Twitter and Facebook is more than enough to foster the spread of harmful content. Government agencies, as well as technology companies, are actively working towards finding better means of curbing offensive and objectionable content in social media and contributing to a more welcoming online environment. In this study, I first present a critical literature review on offensive language identification, exploring offensive language datasets and computational models using both machine learning and deep learning. Next, I …

A Study Of Perceptions, Readiness, Benefits, And Barriers Related To Exoskeleton Adoption In New Jersey’S Warehousing Sector, Terry Asante

Theses

The warehousing industry in New Jersey remains a vital component of the region's logistics network, employing more than 200,000 workers who routinely engage in lifting, bending, overhead reaching, and other physically demanding activities. These exposures contribute to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) rates that exceed national averages, particularly affecting the low back and shoulders. Nationally, MSDs account for an estimated $420 billion in combined direct and indirect costs each year, underscoring the need for interventions that can effectively reduce biomechanical strain. Industrial exoskeletons have emerged as a potential solution, with prior research demonstrating reductions in muscle activation, perceived exertion, and fatigue during …

Understanding Crime Through Harm: A Multi-Stage Study Of Rochester, Ny, Hayder Alhafedhi

Theses

This capstone project develops, critiques, and applies a Crime Harm Index (CHI) for the City of Rochester, New York, as an alternative to traditional crime measures that rely solely on raw counts. Rather than treating all offenses as equal “one crime = one unit,” the project weights crimes by the severity of harm they cause, using New York State sentencing guidelines as the core metric. Across four working papers, the project moves from conceptual foundations and limitations of harm-based metrics, to the construction of a Rochester-specific Crime Harm Index, and finally to a set of spatial regression models that link …

Understanding The Relationship Between Mental Health And Criminal Justice Involvement: Pathways, Disparities, And Improving System Responses, Haley Bly

Theses

This capstone project examines the complex relationship between mental health and involvement in the criminal justice system, emphasizing how pathways, external conditions, structural inequities, and system responses interact to shape long-term outcomes for persons with mental illness (PwMI). While mental illness alone is not a predictor of criminal behavior, the intersection between psychological disorders, social strain, stigma, and systemic failures significantly heightens the risk of criminal justice involvement. Combining four working papers, this capstone examines these relationships across individual, environmental, institutional, and community levels, ultimately arguing that treatment and rehabilitative-centered reforms are essential for improving the experiences of individuals with …

The Impact Of Screen Time Patterns On Digital Behaviour And Productivity: A Data Analytics Study Across Age Groups, Maytha Alshamsi

Theses

The increasing incidence of screen time of all ages has generated a greater interest in the effect of screens on the human psyche. This paper looks at behavioural data of 2, 000 individuals aged 13-64 to investigate the predictability of a composite mental- health score by various modalities of screen-time, lifestyle and psychological charac- teristics. We determine, based on exploratory statistics, multivariate regression and su- pervised machine-learned models, that in as much as the influence of total screen time and social-media consumption has significant relationships with worse mental health, the effects are small when juxtaposed to those of lifestyle and …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Employee Attrition And Organizational Profitability, Saeed Almehairi

Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in the modern workplace, reshap- ing decision-making processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and influencing the dynamics of human resource management. One of the critical areas where AI demonstrates substantial potential is in predicting, managing, and mitigating employee attrition. Employee attrition remains a pressing organizational challenge, incurring substantial costs in recruitment, training, and lost productivity. This research investigates the dual impact of AI on employee attrition and organizational profitability, exploring both the opportunities and the challenges that arise from its integration into human resource and business operations. The study examines how AI-driven predictive analytics …