Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Harnessing Ai For Assessing Government Digital Maturity, Mohammed Zhair Swalha

Theses

This paper provides a comprehensive analytical examination of the Global Technological Maturity Index (GTMI), with a focus on assessing the determinants of national digital maturity and structurally modeling GTMI performance. Using rigorous data preparation methods including imputation, feature transformation, and exploratory statistical analysis the study applies multiple regression models (Decision Tree, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and MLP) to replicate the GTMI structure and identify its primary drivers. The UAE demonstrates a strong maturity profile, ranking in the  Very High  category globally. Deviation analysis shows that the UAE aligns closely with global leaders across the most structurally divergent indicators. Among the …

Basil_Dock: Development Of Accessible And Customizable Molecular Docking Procedures, Lee Schoneman

Theses

Molecular docking is a computational technique often used in drug design due to its ability to predict ligand binding potential, conformation, and location for a given drug target. Docking as a screening tool also comes at a greatly reduced cost compared to wet bench work. Despite its usefulness, molecular docking is often inaccessible to novice users, as to perform molecular docking, most programs require at least a basic knowledge of command line and computer programming for both installation and utilization. Additionally, tutorials for the most popular programs tend to be inflexible, instructing how to bind predetermined molecules to a specified …

Planning For Power: The Role Of Architecture & Urban Form In Local Energy Generation In Dense Built-Up Areas, Chris Shing Wai Leung

Theses

This thesis explores how the urban form/building design, and a well-thought-out City Master Plan can significantly affect wind patterns and enhance on-site energy generation in dense urban areas. It will examine strategies such as modifying building heights, adjusting separations between structures, shaping urban landforms, and varying the roughness of the urban fabric to optimize wind energy generation. Additionally, the research will focus on the strategic placement of community power harvesting devices. The study of the urban forms and fabric with the impact of wind patterns is simulated by fluid mechanics with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. The goal of this …

Social Media's Impact On Female Generation Alpha's Beauty Standards And Consumer Habits, Matisen O'Brien

Theses

This study examines how social media shapes beauty standards and consumer behaviors among female Generation Alpha (ages 7–13). As the first generation fully immersed in digital culture, these young girls face early exposure to influencer marketing, algorithmic promotion, and adult beauty practices, which influence their skincare routines and product preferences. The research highlights the decline of child-centered physical spaces, intensifying their engagement with digital platforms. Using a mixed-methods approach focused on a subgroup of female gymnasts, the study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative analysis to reveal how social media affects identity formation, consumer choices, and related mental health concerns. Results …

A Decision Support System For Global Vaccine Funding: Data-Driven Proposal Scoring, Epidemiological Risk Modeling, And Portfolio Optimization, Ashutosh Kumar

Theses

Global health financing must continually stretch limited immunization resources across competing priorities, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, plays a central role in this landscape. This work reframes Gavi’s funding decisions as a multi-objective portfolio optimization problem that jointly considers health impact, equity, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and epidemiological interdependence. To operationalize this approach, this study develops a decision support system grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, treating each proposal as an asset characterized by expected return and risk. Proposal returns are estimated through a heterogeneous data-fusion pipeline that generates quantitative, multi-objective scores aligned with Gavi’s strategic priorities, while epidemiological risk is quantified using …

Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning Models For Spam Email Detection, Rashed Almarri

Theses

The current research examines one of the most effective approaches to spam email detection based on machine learning and natural language processing (NLP). The study is placed in the context of the rising cyber threats and the influx of emails, where the spam/ham data is to be classified correctfully using the combination of the Logistic Regression, NLP (including tokenization, lemmatization, and TF-IDF vectorization). The questions of the research were devoted to the efficiency of such an approach and the interpretation of its results. The data used are obtained by a publicly available Kaggle data set that contains 5,572 labeled email …

The Role Of Technology In Modernizing Prison Management Systems, Essa Anwahi

Theses

This thesis examines the role of technology in modernizing prison management systems and improving operational efficiency, security, and decision-making. It explores how digital technologies and data analytics can address challenges in traditional prison management, such as inefficient processes and limited data utilization. The study highlights the potential of technology-driven solutions to enhance system performance and support more effective management practices within correctional facilities.

Security Vulnerabilities In Cloud Storage: A Comparative Study Of Google Drive, Dropbox, And Onedrive, Sultan Majid Alshamsi

Theses

In recent years, use of internet has increased manifold. People have started creating more data, and instead of saving it locally, people have started preferring storing it “online”. Companies are also following the same path to maintain accessibility and availability of their data. Thus, data has become a central part of our lives. People, companies, and institutions rely heavily on cloud storage solutions these days for managing their data. Some of the main cloud storage solution are Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. These are sophisticated solutions developed by tech giants, and general expectation of the public is that these solutions …

A Comprehensive Digital Marketing Strategy Guide For Independent Musicians, William Elree Hilburn

Theses

Creating and implementing a sound digital marketing strategy is a crucial element to consider as an independent musician. In this thesis report and the strategy guide that follows, a number of current digital marketing strategies are discussed at length. The strategies that are discussed in this report and within the strategy guide have been gleaned through semi-structured qualitative interviews with two separate up-and-coming music artists. The information shared by these case studies has been documented and synthesised into this report, as well as, into a comprehensive strategy guide that has been written to aid fledgling music artists in their digital …

A Comparison Of Fixed And Repetitive Models During Imitation Training In Children With Developmental Delays In A School Setting, Laci Fletcher

Theses

Imitation training is commonly recommended in applied behavior analytic literature to address deficits in imitative skills. Few studies have directly compared imitative models to identify the most efficient and effective teaching arrangement to facilitate imitative skills (Deshai & Vollmer, 2019; Halbur et al., 2023). Previous results are inconclusive, and the authors recommended further research comparing the effect of fixed and repetitive models. Therefore, the present study was a replication of Halbur et al. (2023) and addressed limitations suggested by the authors. We examined whether components of imitative models affected the efficiency of the model type and reduced faulty stimulus control …

Exploring The Relationship Between Social Media And Anxiety In Deaf Community Students: A Mixed-Methods Approach., Gigi Zheng

Theses

The mental health of Deaf individuals, particularly in relation to social media engagement, is an understudied area amid growing global concerns about anxiety disorders. Deaf individuals face unique challenges, including communication barriers, social isolation, and stigma, all of which can heighten anxiety levels. Although social media offers valuable opportunities for connection and self-expression, it may also amplify stress and feelings of inadequacy when accessibility barriers persist. This mixed-methods study examined anxiety among Deaf college students and explored the cultural validity of two widely used anxiety measures—the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Quantitative data were collected …

The Vampire In Video Games: Narrative Structures, Game Mechanics, And Cultural Significance, Ricardo Longo Minervino

Theses

This thesis examines how vampires are represented in video games by analyzing narrative structures, game mechanics, and cultural meaning. Using the existing games of Vampyr, V Rising, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, The Sims 4: Vampires, Skyrim: Dawnguard, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Bloodlines 2, the study identifies which design strategies successfully create an engaging and believable vampire experience for the player, as well as determining which development decisions could hurt the experience for players. Using formalism, symbolism, feminist methodology, and player reception theory, this thesis argues that vampire games function best when players confront moral dilemmas, experience consequences for feeding …

Rubbing Away Respect: How Repeated Touch Alters The Meaning Of Women’S Statues, Olivea Kittrell

Theses

This thesis examines how repeated public interactions with statues of women, particularly the ritualized rubbing of their breasts, alter both the material surfaces and symbolic meanings of statues. We will focus on three bronze sculptures: the Molly Malone statue in Dublin, the Juliet statue in Verona, and the Bust of Dalida in Paris. Through these, we will investigate how statues created with commemorative intent become sites of sexualized behavior based on gender. The problem this thesis addresses is the lack of scholarly analysis on how gendered public interaction physically and symbolically transforms statues of women. While some scholarship covers either …

Frameworks Of Genius: Fresco, Labor, Scaffolding, And Patronage In The Making Of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Jackelyn Eileen Adkins

Theses

This thesis examines how the materiality of production and the patronage of Pope Julius II influenced the visual and conceptual outcome of Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. It argues the physical demands of the fresco medium, the architectural constraints of the chapel, and the material infrastructure, such as the pigments, scaffolding, and spatial dynamics related to the political, theological, and ideological imperatives of papal authority. The materials served as a symbolic extension of Pope Julius II’s ambitions, embedding his message directly into the frescoes. By foregrounding the complex web of labor and materials that supported the project, this …

Firing Through Adversity: How Women Ceramicists Sustained Stoke-On-Trent’S Pottery Industry Between The Wars, Zachary Carlson

Theses

Between the First and Second World Wars, the pottery industry of Stoke-on-Trent endured economic depression, material shortages, and social upheaval. Within this volatile context, women ceramicists such as Susie Cooper and Clarice Cliff emerged as central figures in sustaining, and redefining British ceramic production. This thesis examines how these artists transformed adversity into innovation through design, entrepreneurship, and leadership, arguing that their work both stabilized the industry and advanced a distinctly feminist modernism grounded in labor, creativity, and resilience. Drawing on feminist design theory, class and economic analysis, and material culture studies, this research situates Cooper and Cliff within broader …

Terracottas: A Case Study On Late Pre-Classic Colima Figurine Functions And Origins, Gracie Isabella Roades

Theses

This paper investigates the origins and functions of Late Preclassic Colima ceramic figurines from West Mexico through a case study approach. It argues that key stylistic features of the Colima canon have roots in the Early Preclassic period, particularly through the comparison with figurine examples from the site of El Opeño. The study further examines the role of these figurines within mortuary contexts, interpreting them as representational vessels of real individuals used in ancestral remembrance practices. Although many Colima figurines are well represented in museum collections today, their original contexts were often lost due to early twentieth-century looting. Recent excavations …

Identity And Representation In Contemporary Art: An Inclusive 400/500-Level Art History Seminar Course, Laura E. Franz

Theses

This project is an upper-level art history seminar addressing identity and representation – specifically related to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality – in contemporary art. Primarily a discussion-based course, the course is focused on inclusivity and is highly structured, with weekly low-stakes assignments that provide students with ample opportunities to practice engaging with academic texts. Designed for students with varying levels of academic skills, it is built around current non-academic articles that students select via an online survey. Students then “unpack” the “big ideas” in each of the four chosen non-academic articles via a cluster of academic readings and videos …

Accessible Preservation: Developing A Low-Cost, Iiif-Compliant Workflow For Small Art Collections, Robyn Palescandolo

Theses

This project explores the development of an affordable, standards-based digital collections management system designed for small galleries, independent artists, and emerging institutions. Using the artist’s own studio collection as a case study, the research integrates accessible hardware and open-source technologies, including the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF), Artwork Archive, GitHub Pages, and the Internet Archive, to establish a transparent, replicable workflow for cataloguing and publication. The project demonstrates how interoperability, metadata consistency, and open access can be achieved without reliance on costly proprietary systems, such as TMS Collections or PastPerfect.

The workflow includes high-resolution image capture, 3D scanning, data normalization, …

Asymptote, Aybuke Yilmazer

Theses

Asymptote is a short film that is an expression of mankind’s emotional consumption through confusing love with sex. This film is a frame-by-frame hand-drawn animation that combines digital and analog techniques. It was produced between August 2024 and April 2025, and its music was re-produced in August 2025. This paper is a written declaration of the motives and intentions of the director, Aybuke Yilmazer, in making this film, and analyzes the filmmaking process. The text of the thesis is in third person except for the self-evaluation section.

Microgrid Approach With Data-Driven Monitoring To Enhance The Resilience Of Water Distribution Systems, Binod Ale Magar

Theses

Existing centralized water supply systems are critically threatened by the joint effects of climate and socioeconomic changes, extreme weather events, and physical degradation due to aging, and their changeability. The uncertain and changing drivers pose challenges for water supply systems in providing sustainable water services during disruptions. The energy field dealing related issues has endorsed the microgrid approach with a decentralized energy supply with dispersed local energy sources. The application of energy microgrids has demonstrated their resiliency for sustainable energy supply. For improved resiliency of a water distribution system, this study investigated the application of a microgrid approach and the …

Echo’S Repertoire: Performing Science Fiction And Trans Care Models, Juniper Blue

Theses

Echo’s Repertoire is a mixture of a passion piece and a call for more work with performing science fiction. It focuses on interpersonal communication within trans studies and the experiences of transgender individuals and myself. Echo’s Repertoire is also an example of the Lyrical Model proposed by Awkward-Rich as a new model for trans affirming speech. The show is laid out non-linearly and follows along with Echo as he starts to build new relationships with the advice of his spaceship ai, Eep, who is a previous version of himself prior to transformation (transition).

Embedded Sensor Design For Non-Robust Delay Testing, Presh Jayawardana Manannaidelage

Theses

Current delay testing methodologies for integrated circuits face critical limitations, asrobust tests remain unachievable for most paths, forcing reliance on Non-Robust (NR) tests that suffer from unrealistic single-fault assumption, the path under test non being sensitized, and vulnerability to hazard-induced errors. This thesis propose a built-in sen- sor to detect delayed hazards and a sensor to diagnose circuits in the presence of those hazards resulting reliable detection. This thesis intends to propose 2 sensors for non-robust test-based monitoring and test- ing. The first sensor discussed is for IC testing with NR tests. This sensor is capable of detecting any full-swing …

Make Ready: Productive Disruption And Interstitial Sites Of Graphic Design Practice, Peter Maybury

Theses

This thesis draws on five publications produced between 2010–22: My 2020 film installation Landfall; a series of four museum and gallery-published books made with artist Gerard Byrne (2010–18); Gall, my practice enquiry with Tom dePaor which encompasses film, writing, books, sculpture, curation, and gallery works; releases and live performances by my band Thread Pulls during the period 2010–12; and my exhibition, conference talk, and book Make Ready (2015), the structure of which is taken as ‘armature’ for the writing of the thesis. Through these wide-ranging pursuits, this thesis articulates a non-normative role for the graphic designer. It identifies my operative …

Hyaluronic Acid Loaded With Aloe Vera-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A New Bioactive Approach For Fibrotic Scarring, Maria Camila Ceballos Santa

Theses

Disruptions in wound healing can result in pathological outcomes ranging from chronic nonhealing wounds to excessive fibrotic scarring. Hypertrophic scars and keloids are hallmarks of this dysregulation, characterized by abnormal collagen deposition, persistent myofibroblast activation, and disorganized extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress play central roles by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage essential macromolecules and sustain pro-inflammatory signaling, while promoting the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and the excessive production of ECM proteins, such as collagen and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). This fibrotic cascade leads to tissue stiffness, contractility, and disfigurement, affecting the well-being of …

Unmasking Corruption And Bribery Using Predictive Analytics, Maha Salem

Theses

The initiative (Unmasking Corruption and Bribery Using Predictive Analytics) aims to identify employees in government sectors who commit corruption and bribery by addressing issues such as the lack of transparency, fairness, equality, and public trust, as well as weakened loyalty and poor reputation. This project focuses on data analytics and predictive modeling to detect suspicious or high-risk employee behaviors related to corruption and bribery. The main objective is to reduce these unethical activities in government sectors, strengthen integrity, and promote transparency and public trust through predictive capabilities. It also seeks to raise awareness about how serious and harmful these crimes …

Transgender Adolescents' Healthcare Rights: The Gap Between Gender-Affirming-Care (Gac) Policymakers’ And Healthcare Providers’ Goals, Jayden Galli

Theses

Transgender people have marginalized healthcare experiences that result in decreased health outcomes. For transgender adolescents, gender-affirming-care (GAC) is even more difficult to access and being restricted with increasing frequency. This mixed methods study was conducted to examine transgender healthcare through the gaps between GAC policymakers’ and healthcare providers’ goals. General research has focused on the relationship between GAC and transgender health, GAC policy development, and the discrepancies between GAC policy outcomes and medical professionals’ advice. This leads to the research question about how policymakers and healthcare providers can collaborate to bridge the gap between GAC policies and transgender minors' healthcare …

Predictive Maintenance For It Equipment Using Machine Learning Models, Rashed Khalid Alshirawi

Theses

Predictive maintenance was recently introduced as a paradigm shift in the field of smart manufacturing, and it allows organizations to predict equipment failures and streamline maintenance planning based on the data-driven insights. The present work addresses the concept of the implementation of a decision tree-based predictive maintenance model based on AI4I 2020 Predictive Maintenance Dataset, a simulated environment of an actual industry through sensor data including temperature, torque, rotational velocity, and toolwear. The study uses a quantitative approach that is based on positivism philosophy, which is the focus on objectivity, empirical validation, and statistical testing of the model performance. Synthetic …

Predicting Inmate Overcrowding To Improve Facility Management, Mayed Ali Alameri

Theses

Overcrowding is a major challenge to correction systems because the conventional forecasting techniques are inaccurate and inadequate in most cases. This paper will solve this by constructing and testing a machine learning-based model to predict facility-level overcrowding. With the use of the XGBoost Regressor model on a dataset comprising of U.S. correctional facilities, the research identified key structural drivers but showed that the static facility attributes alone have limited predictive power (r-square approx 0.18) The discussion shows that overcrowding is non-linear, and a complicated problem not confined to the facility characteristics but to the larger, non-measurable regional influences, of which …

Strainx : A Technical Exploration Of Cinema4d'S Native Particle System In An Experimental Title Sequence, Farah Ahmad

Theses

This paper presents a practice-based investigation into the capabilities of Cinema 4D’s native particle system through the creation of an experimental title sequence titled StrainX. The project was conceived as a technical and aesthetic exploration, prioritizing abstraction, form, and motion over narrative content. Through iterative testing and simulation, the study examines how Cinema 4D’s built-in particle, geometry, and material tools can generate visually complex results without relying on third-party plugins, such as X-Particles. All assets, simulations, and textures were developed natively within Cinema 4D, allowing for a unified and efficient workflow. The methodology emphasizes procedural experimentation, simulation caching using Alembic …