Digital Commons Network^™

Second-Order Permutation Variable Importance: Quantifying And Attributing Uncertainty In Future Coastal Risk, Dwight Dinkins

Theses

Sensitivity analysis (SA) systematically assesses and quantifies a model’s uncertainty by examining the impact of parameter variations on the model’s output. An objective of sensitivity analysis is to ascertain model-input parameters that contribute the most to the uncertainty of a model’s output and could serve as a gauge to determine whether a parameter’s variation is suitable, expected, or a realistic representation of the phenomenon being modeled. Incorporating sensitivity analysis for assessing the importance of a model feature is imperative for decision-making. Therefore, as a statistical methodology, SA’s application in investigating coastal regions that are vulnerable to sea-level rise and extreme …

Color Change: Illumination And Observers, Che Shen

Theses

While color change is often associated with physical or chemical alterations in an object, this thesis focuses on perceptual color changes due to factors like color inconstancy under different lighting conditions, observer metamerism due to varying color matching functions, and individual differences in hue perception despite identical tristimulus values. Based on the complexities of color change phenomenon, a psychophysical experiment was conducted to establish the threshold of color inconstancy, where observers were tasked with categorizing colors under varying lighting. A major advancement in this thesis is the development of the Weighted Geometric Mean (WGM) model, an advanced chromatic adaptation model …

Revitalizing The Rochester Gorge Strategic Urban Site Planning To Enhance Water Quality In The Lower Genesee River, Stephen Adam Stoker

Theses

The project began with investigating a regional asset of interest: the Genesee River. Initial research into this area revealed that the river suffers from poor water quality. The causes and effects of poor water quality were explored, and it was determined that excess nutrients – namely phosphorus – play a critical role in the water quality of the Genesee River and present downstream risk at the river’s point of outflow in Lake Ontario. An examination of peer-reviewed literature, contemporary examples in the built environment where similar water quality issues were addressed, and existing watershed design frameworks were conducted to understand …

The Impact Of Vehicular Noise On The Effectiveness Of Acoustic Indices, Rebecca Ducay

Theses

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a valuable tool in wildlife research, offering non-invasive and cost-effective means to collect acoustic data. However, the processing of PAM recordings can be time-consuming, prompting the use of acoustic indices to expedite analysis. Acoustic indices are numerical values that characterize biological information in sound recordings based on an environment’s acoustic characteristics. While acoustic indices have been correlated with species richness across ecological contexts, their reliability diminishes in areas with heightened vehicular noise. However, it is unclear if index biases caused by vehicular noise are consistent across all traffic levels, and which acoustic indices are most …

Directing A Technical Cyclone, Leonard A. Lively

Theses

In October 2023, the Southern Illinois School of Theater and Dance produced Ride the Cyclone. This thesis documents the participation of the technical director, Leonard Lively, in this collaborative production process. The project involved multimedia construction, CNC technology to manufacture custom components, curtain fabrication, engineering inspiration from anatomical structures, and advanced AutoCAD drafting techniques. Chapter one explores the play’s text, past productions, and the production’s possibilities. The design process is documented in the second chapter. The third chapter covers the production process and the fourth chapter reflects and evaluates the effectiveness of the production.

Covid-19 And Unemployment Dynamics: A Regional Analysis In The United States, Keesha Queenie St. John

Theses

The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on unemployment rates in several US locations is examined in this research article. We investigate the intricate relationships between COVID-19 cases, mortality, GDP per capita, and unemployment rates through a thorough study of the data. The study sheds insight into the complex interaction between health crises and labor markets by revealing considerable differences in how these factors affect unemployment in various geographic locations.Unexpectedly, key findings show that places with higher COVID-19 cases frequently have lower unemployment rates. This trend is related to several variables, including critical sectors and public health activities. The positive correlation …

Mechelle’S Bridal Palace Business Plan, Lakendra Montgomery

Theses

This project aims to develop a comprehensive business plan for a one-of-a-kind bridal store called Mechelle's Bridal Palace, which offers an innovative and unique bridal shopping experience. The plan goes beyond the traditional bridal store concept and includes a café, which will provide customers with additional relaxation and convenience. This business plan focuses on redefining the traditional bridal shopping experience and making it more enjoyable for customers. Moreover, this project aims to address the issue of diversity, representation, and inclusion in bridal fashion. The bridal industry has historically been exclusive, and it aims to address this by creating a more …

White Cell Support Application For Expo Ops Tactical Wargame System, Zackery Joseph Milder

Theses

The purpose of this project was to create a support application for a tabletop wargame currently used for training and scenario simulation by the United States Marine Corps. The EXPO OPS Companion is meant to enhance the capabilities of the White Cell/table director, the unbiased third party responsible for running adjudication for the EXPO OPS Tactical Wargames System. EXPO OPS TWS is “…a table top wargame covering contemporary and future conflict at the platoon, company and battalion level. It is a wargame toolkit that enables wargaming scenarios in the 2020 to 2030 timeframe. The design centers on plans and decisions …

The Effects Of Social Media In The Fashion Industry, Kirsten Leigh Whitaker

Theses

This project focuses on how social media is impacting the fashion industry. The primary focus is on the inner workings of social media within the fashion industry, and how it has changed the industry. The project aims to study problems found within fashion marketing, which are causing negative effects in the industry. The negative effects can be defined as environmental and unethical working environments, which are common topics of discussion within the fashion industry as a whole, but never discussed in tandem with the influence of marketing and social media. Furthermore, the project studies how these can be solved by …

The Space That Tell Stories, Asia Gonzalez

Theses

This project focuses on visual storytelling in game design. The primary focus of this project is to create an environment that tells a story through visual exposition and very minimal dialogue or written words. Furthermore, the project studies the ways in which a story can be both a visual and interactive experience.

Meaning Through Materiality: Bisa Butler’S Expressive Portraits, Jacqueline D’Arco Miller

Theses

This thesis examines how Bisa Butler creates meaning through the materiality in her quilted portraits. Bisa Butler is of West African and American descent and incorporates part of her own identity in her quilted portraits using Dutch wax prints and other highly patterned textiles. Not only does Butler connect her identity in her quilted portraits, but she also connects the meaning of these textiles to the figures in her portraits. This thesis explores the materiality of Bisa Butler’s Colored Entrance (2023), along with The Passion of Questlove (2023) and Grandpa Zakani (2004), to argue that in this new development of …

The Impact Of Ai On Ux: Challenges And Opportunities, Susan Stephanie Wells

Theses

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in user experience (UX) design is reshaping the field of UX, offering new opportunities and challenges for designers. This thesis project explores the multifaceted relationship between AI and UX design, focusing on the challenges, opportunities, and skills demanded of UX designers in the age of AI. Through a review of academic research and real-world experiences, this project studies the impact of AI on web design processes, UX testing, and data analysis. Key findings highlight the transformative potential of AI in enhancing user experiences, from suggesting website structures to facilitating UX testing and data analysis.

Comparative analysis …

Goalbert: Goal-Directed Colbert For Iterative Retrieval, Ben Giacalone

Theses

We dissect and extend ColBERT, a state of the art multi-vector retrieval model. We first perform a number of experiments to identify the role structural tokens (i.e. [CLS], [SEP], [MASK], [Q]) play in retrieval. The most consequential findings are that (1) [MASK] tokens can be remapped to their closest non-[MASK] embedding without a significant degradation in performance, (2) the existence of [MASK], [Q], and [D] does not really affect the contextualization of query text tokens, and (3) [CLS] and [SEP] can act as “summary” embeddings for the model. In another set of experiments, we ex tend the number of [MASK] …

The Use Of A Token Economy To Decrease Problem Behaviors And Increase Task Completion For A Pre-Schooler With Autism, Dyana Schneider, Robbie Hanson

Theses

The execution of a token economy has been shown to be effective to decrease problem behaviors and increase task completion, communication, and other skills for individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (Matson & Boisjoli, 2009). Although previous research has shown token economies to be effective, there remains criticisms regarding existing research, such as low experimental rigor, among others (Maggin et al., 2011). Additionally, although token economies embed evidence-based behavior-analytic strategies (Wong et al., 2015) there appears to be a disconnect between basic and applied research and implementation of token economies in a clinical context (e.g., relying on fixed …

Revealing The Similarities Between Bosch's Garden Of Earthly Delights And Medieval Musical Forms, Lindsay A. Nevin

Theses

This paper analyzes the triptych entitled The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch painted between 1490 and 1510. This specific piece is Bosch’s most famous and therefore garners the largest amount of discourse analyzing the visual components of it. This specific paper is unique in its approach by using methodology similar to music historians to relate the forms of music popular at this time to the visual elements in the work. Some of the most popular music genres at the time were those of madrigal and polyphonic. An additional element popular in the transition between the 15th and 16th …

A Review Of Training For First Responders When Interacting With Individuals With Diagnoses, Mackenzie Drost, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Safety is a priority for first responders when responding to calls, but there have been numerous cases in which unintentional harm was caused when interacting with individuals with diagnoses or disabilities. Thus, it seems as though effective training procedures for these professionals is critical. However, training for first responders varies from state to state and can depend on the county in which the services are provided. Although behavioral skills training (BST) has a well-established history of training non behavior-analytic professionals and although there have been some encouraging recommendations for the effective dissemination of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to those outside …

Seeing With New Eyes: A Costume Design Thesis On Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story In Black And White, Jennifer Nielson Helms

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OFJennifer N. Helms, for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater Design, presented on March 26, 2024, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: SEEING WITH NEW EYES: A COSTUME DESIGN THESIS ON WEDDING BAND: A LOVE/HATE STORY IN BLACK AND WHITEMAJOR PROFESSOR: Wendi R. Zea This thesis document is a presentation and exploration of the process involving the costume design for Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White by Alice Childress. The play was produced in the Christian H. Moe Laboratory Theatre at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and ran from November 30 …

المسؤولية الجنائية الدولية للقادة, فاطمة محمد الظھوري

Theses

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The International Criminal Liability of Leaders

The primary objective of this research is to explore and elucidate the concepts, principles, and legal frameworks pertaining to the international criminal liability of leaders, particularly in instances where they contravene established norms and statutes of international criminal law. This endeavor seeks to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the enforcement mechanisms underpinning such liability, thereby reinforcing respect for international legal standards. The study delves into the evolution of this principle and examines the contemporary acceptance of the idea that leaders and heads of state can be held accountable before a stable …

Investigating Native Bamboo Practices For Reservoir Conservation And Habitat Restoration, Taryn Elizabeth Ann Bieri

Theses

Reservoirs are an important resource for both humans and wildlife. They provide drinking water, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and more. A major issue land managers face on reservoirs is shoreline erosion leading to water quality impairments, sedimentation, and habitat loss. Traditionally, riprap has been used to mitigate this issue, but is costly and has limited ability to provide habitat. A promising measure to mitigate shoreline erosion and provide habitat is the establishment of giant cane [Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Muhl], on shorelines. Giant cane, a bamboo species native to southern Illinois and the southeastern United States, forms monodominant stands called canebrakes. …

Efficient Quantum Multiplication In The Quantum Fourier Transform Domain, Aden Crimmins

Theses

The subject of Quantum Computing is in its early stages of development, and new technologies and algorithms are constantly evolving. Even with all of this progress it is important to recognize that current quantum computers are still in their infancy and, as such, have notable issues. The ``era" that we are in currently is known as the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, which is characterized by machines of small size that are prone to quantum noise, which causes computational error the longer the circuit runs. In order to make use of these quantum computers, algorithms need to be developed that …

Prosperity And Quality Of Life: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Economically Liberated Nations, Alia Omar Bin Touq Almarri

Theses

This project aims to employ data exploration, data analysis, visualization tools, and modelling to conduct a comprehensive research study concerning the desirability and impact of residing in economically liberalized nations, strongly focusing on their influence on human development. By leveraging advanced exploratory data analysis techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and modelling techniques such as multiple linear regression and random forest, this study aims to offer a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of how economic freedom correlates with and impacts various facets of human development, offering valuable policy suggestions for nations pursuing economic freedom as a development strategy. To ensure …

Reduction Of The Length Of Stay At The Emergency Department Of The Audie L. Murphy Hospital, Arwa Al Shikrian

Theses

We implemented the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) and Lean Six Sigma methods to reduce the length of stay (LOS) in the Emergency Department (ED) at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, a crucial issue affecting operational efficiency and patient care quality. This project was conducted in conjunction with an internship at the Hospital; our efforts were an integral part of a Green Belt project being conducted by Mr. Roarke Verkaik-Bushby, Hospital Administration Service, to

whom this author reported.

We employed quantitative research design, meticulously observing, measuring, and analyzing ED processes. We tracked patient flow, identified bottlenecks, and …

Predictive Analytics: Assessing Air Pollution’S Influence On Real Estate Prices In Dubai, Hani Khalaf

Theses

This study examines the link between air pollution and property prices in Dubai. It aims to find the relationship between environmental and economic factors in Dubai’s rapidly expanding real estate market and concerns about city livability. The research is centered on investigating how differences in air quality between various neighborhoods in Dubai affect property pricing. To achieve this goal, the thesis adopted the Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) typical for this type of analysis. The Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) provides insights on the price of a product from its components. The study utilized records of housing transactions and air quality measurements …

Comparative Analysis Of International Gold Prices: The Case Of The Uae And Five Major Economies, Hend Ahmad Bintouq Almarri

Theses

This study identifies the complex interrelationships of gold prices with the UAE when assessed against large world economies like United States of America, India, China, and different European countries. Given gold’s critical role in the global economy, the study seeks to analyze the determinants of gold prices, including macroeconomic factors, geopolitical concerns, and market sentiment. The research uses comparative analysis to reveal the interaction of regional and global economic trends and how they influence gold prices. The methodology covers the detail analysis of historical gold price data in addition to other relevant economic indicators like crude oil prices, stock market …

An Analysis Of Machine Learning Hardware From Tenstorrent, Matthew Stephen Doerner

Theses

Machine learning is growing at an exponential rate in industry today, with contemporary machine learning models having parameter counts in the high hundred millions to trillions paired with a huge computing requirement. As the field continues to grow and the models get larger and more computationally expensive, there is a greater need for specialized hardware that can accelerate the inference and training computations that are required of these machine learning models. The design of a custom hardware device specifically made to accelerate machine learning models is very intricate, with software and hardware development that needs to work together at the …

(Virtual) Space: The Final Frontier – Virtual-Reality-Based Identification Of Nearby, Young Stars In Gaia Data, Ryan W. Butler

Theses

Nearby Young Moving Groups (NYMGSs) are loose kinematic associations of young (<150 >Myr) stars in the solar neighborhood (distance ≤ 140pc). These groups offer an excellent testbed for the study of pre-main sequence stellar evolution, protoplanetary and evolved disks, and recently formed (or forming) extrasolar systems. To further inform studies of these systems, we can expand the known membership of these NYMGs using the multi-dimensional spatial, kinematic, and photometric data from the Gaia mission. Using a new virtual reality tool known as StarGateVR, we search Gaia Data Release 3 for new candidates of 8 NYMGs and identify ∼ 370 such …

Emulsion Stability, Rheological Properties, And Combustion Characteristics Of Water-Jojoba Biofuel Emulsion, Ihab Mohamed Helal

Theses

This thesis comprehensively investigates the stability, rheological properties, and engine performance implications of Water in Jojoba Biodiesel (WJBD) emulsion. The research delves into multiple aspects, including the influence of diverse surfactants and water concentrations on emulsion stability. It also yields valuable insights into the development of stable water in jojoba biodiesel emulsions, specifically tailored for diesel engines. These insights contribute significantly to the body of knowledge of positioning emulsion fuels as viable alternative to traditional diesel fuels. The anticipated benefits include notable reductions in emissions, improvement in combustion efficiency, and lower production cost. Importantly, this study underscores the critical importance …

Head Impact Measurement Using Piezoelectric Sensors, Huda Abdulla Alnuaimi

Theses

The importance of safety measures cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to protecting the human head. Head injuries can have severe, life-altering consequences, as the head is crucial for controlling the entire body. Unlike machines that store data, the human brain's capacity to retain thoughts and memories can be significantly affected by even a single injury. This thesis introduces a method for predicting the specific area of the head that might be injured during an impact. The prediction is based on the intensity and duration of the impact. The innovation of this thesis lies in the use of piezoelectric …

Assessing The Impact Of Differential Privacy On Data Security In Machine Learning Applications, Adewunmi O. Adeyeye

Theses

Differential privacy is a method that adds noise to data to protect individual privacy without significantly affecting the overall analysis results. This study focuses on the trade-offs between maintaining privacy, accuracy, and the practical utility of ML models. The research methods involve a thorough review of existing literature, development of a methodology to assess differential privacy's impact, and conducting comparative analyses on ML models with and without differential privacy. Findings suggest that while implementing differential privacy ensures the confidentiality of individual data, it can reduce the accuracy and utility of ML models. The severity of this reduction depends on factors …

Exploring The Phase Space Of Binary Neutron Star Simulations And Photon Geodesics In The Presence Of Black Holes, Ben Fisler

Theses

Here, we investigate the use of the Lorene code to generate quasi-equilibrium initial data for close binary neutron star configurations. The code has been widely used throughout the field of numerical relativity, and is capable of generating initial data for a wide range of neutron star equations of state and binary mass ratios. We also explore the ranges of parameter space for which the code can generate accurate initial data, and the nature of the instabilities that arise when the code is asked to produce data outside this range. This work should aid other groups performing merger simulations of binary …