Digital Commons Network^™

A Comprehensive Study On Explainable Artificial Intelligence : A User-Centric, Cognitive Workload, And Feasibility-Driven Analysis, Josiah Taylor

Theses

Explainable Artificial Intelligence aims to open up the “black box” of artificial intelligence, thereby improving user trust, decreasing cognitive load, and improving task performance. As the number of machine learning models has grown, so has the number of explanation methods, making it necessary to select the most suitable explanation method for a given context. However, current selection methods often fail to account for all the factors that contribute significantly to an explanation method’s suitability. This thesis proposes a novel methodology for selecting and evaluating explanation methods. Subjective workload, objective performance, and feasibility are considered. This three-pronged “pitchfork” methodology is put …

Development Of A Constitutive Model Free Method To Determine Full-Field Stresses Based Upon Fundamental Physics Principles, Joel David Barnes

Theses

Advances in imaging techniques allow for the determination of full-field displacements and strains during materials testing. However, most analysis techniques rely on strain gages and virtual extensometers instead of utilizing all available full-field data. Those methods that do utilize the full-field strain and displacement measurements, such as Finite Element Model Updating and the Virtual Fields Method, must also rely on a user-defined constitutive material models to relate the stresses and strains. While these methods can provide accurate full-field stresses and insights into complex material behavior in some cases, they are constrained by the fact that they require a pre-selected constitutive …

Optimizing Reliability And Design Efficiency Of Liquid Rocket Engines : A Structural Margin Approach For The Early Design Lifecycle, Mason Tudor

Theses

This thesis introduces a reliability-based design methodology aimed at mitigating costs incurred during the Test-Fail-Fix cycle for Liquid Rocket Engines (LREs) by addressing the limitations of the standard Factor of Safety (FoS) approach. By integrating a neural network informed by a structural model into a Bayesian framework for uncertainty quantification, the methodology enables the characterization of structural margin and early analysis of failure risks in the design lifecycle. A generalized 3D component geometry is subjected to typical LRE loading environments within Finite Element Analysis software to gather data for stress and strength distributions. These distributions serve as a foundation for …

Determination Of Material Deformation At Truly Constant Strain Rates Utilizing Full-Field Stress And Strain Measurements, Derryk Lee Daignault

Theses

The rate sensitivity of materials is an important aspect to consider when designing components; such as in manufacturing processes, aerospace vehicle impacts/propulsion systems, and automobile collisions. Characterizing a material’s rate sensitivity can be expensive and time consuming due to multiple tests being necessary at each given strain-rate to fully characterize the response. This project proposes a methodology to determine the material response at multiple truly constant true strain rates from a single test using non-uniform geometry and the strain localization phenomenon. Finite element simulations using Ansys LS-DYNA are used to design potential new test specimen geometries to induce constant and …

Deep Learning Time Series Prediction Strategies For Efficiently Emulating Noah Land Surface Model Soil Moisture Dynamics, Mitchell T. Dodson

Theses

This work examines the ability of deep learning time series generative models to accurately and efficiently emulate the hourly temporal dynamics of the Noah Land Surface Model (Noah-LSM) out to a 2 week forecast horizon, given atmospheric forcings and static parameterization provided by the second phase North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) framework. Results from multiple neural network architectures are compared alongside variations in prediction target, loss function characteristics, and model properties. The most performant model types are subsequently evaluated with respect to forecast distance, annual seasonality, and against a variety of regional scenarios, including several event case studies. …

Evaluating The Accuracy Of Johnson-Cook Strain Rate Sensitivity For Fcc Aerospace Structural Materials, Sydney Carlota Resnick

Theses

Understanding aerospace materials’ strain rate sensitivity is crucial for accurate designs and analysis for structural performance in dynamic loading conditions, such as rocket launches, airplane collisions, and debris impacts. Three common aerospace face-centered cubic (FCC) metals are evaluated through various strain rate tests and FEA and simulation modeling. Quasi-static and intermediate tests are performed on a hydraulic load frame, and dynamic tests are run on a split-Hopkinson pressure bar, all in tensile motion. This covers the range of strain rates from 1x10-3 s-1 to 1x103 s-1. Results reveal little strain rate sensitivity at room temperature for A286 steel and AL7075 …

Ink And Internment: The Wartime Artistry Of Japanese Americans And Spaniards During World War Ii, Avery Calvert

Theses

World War II displaced millions of people around the world. “Ink and Internment: The Wartime Artistry of Japanese Americans and Spaniards During World War II” evaluates the internment experiences of Japanese Americans and Spaniards through the lens of art with a special focus on two artists: Miné Okubo and Josep Bartolí. Okubo, a Japanese American artist born in 1927, experienced internment in the United States as a young adult. Her artwork reveals her personal experience as well as that of her fellow internees. Okubo created her art memoir, Citizen 13600, to share the internment experience of Japanese Americans with others. …

Study Of An Evolutionary Sequence Of Nearby, High-Excitation Bipolar Planetary Nebulae With Alma And Hst, Paula M. Moraga Baez

Theses

Planetary nebulae (PNe) reveal the near-final stages of the evolution of intermediate-mass (1-8 solar mass) stars, immediately after such stars shed their envelopes through copious asymptotic giant branch (AGB) mass loss. PNe reveal products of intermediate-mass stellar nucleosynthesis just before they enrich the interstellar medium, and their central stars provide subjects for studying the origins of white dwarfs and interacting binary systems involving compact objects. The processes that shape planetary nebulae and determine their chemistries can be unveiled through multiwavelength observational studies of molecule-rich PNe ranging from young and rapidly evolving nebulae, such as NGC 7027, NGC 6302, and NGC …

The Line, Tyler Delaney Bischoff

Theses

“The essence of good design is revealing the invisible structure that holds everything together, allowing us to see beauty in strength." - Frank Lloyd Wright This Thesis investigates the transposition of architectural principles into ceramic art, drawing inspiration from Western New York’s late 19th century and early 20th century architectural and craft traditions. Through an exploration of symmetry and proportion, surface texture, materiality, and the dynamic interplay between light and shadow, this research examines how architecture influences not only the physical aesthetics of ceramic art, but also its atmospheric and emotional presence. Recognizing how form is never static but continuously …

Concentrated Benefits And Dispersed Costs: The Contributions Of Pareto, Olson, And Ostrom, Nathan John Cuthbertson

Theses

Concentrated benefits and dispersed costs (CBDC) is a central concept in the field of public choice as well as economics more broadly. The phrase concentrated benefits and dispersed costs refers to a situation in which economic benefits are concentrated and the associated costs are borne by a larger group. This thesis argues that the elements of CBDC are common in the literature without the term being used directly. This study is an exercise in the history of economic thought. The study is structured into three case studies, with each dedicated to the work of an influential economist: Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923); …

Sigrid Undset: Nordic Catholic Apologist, Brendan Edward Arthur

Theses

This thesis explores the depth and breadth of Sigrid Undset’s non-fiction Catholic writing, a substantial body of work that has largely remained inaccessible to all but readers of Norwegian. Through original translations and analysis, it synthesises these texts into broad themes while situating them within their historical contexts of the intellectual and cultural debates in early twentieth-century Norway. The study addresses three research questions: (1) the general themes in Undset’s Catholic non-fiction; (2) the contemporary relevance of these writings; and (3) whether Undset merits the designation “Catholic apologist.” In its method, the thesis employs textual analysis of Undset’s essays, articles …

Gai Research - A Case Study On The Implications Of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gai) On Teaching Within An Irish Technological University., Moya Cronin

Theses

The rapid emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) has introduced a transformative age of technology, gaining prominent attention in higher education. This mixed-methods case study examined how GAI was understood, applied, and managed within an Irish Technological University at a time of turbulence when no official GAI policies were available as a point of reference. Lecturing and research staff were invited to participate in an online survey (𝑛 = 145) and semi-structured interviews (𝑛 = 8) to share their experiences with GAI technology within the case study university. Lack of guidance was seen to affect staff’s confidence and adoption, but …

Vision Or Exemplification? Augustine And Aquinas On Divine Illumination, Matthew Richard Cain

Theses

Many interpreters of Thomas Aquinas since the second half of the twentieth-century emphasise the Platonist dimensions of his thought, particularly his metaphysics. This contrasts with, and is a shift away from, the dominant Aristotelian interpretations of previous generations. Aquinas’s theory of knowledge, however, tends still to be interpreted in Aristotelian terms, according to which Augustine’s Platonist illuminationism is replaced by a Peripatetic emphasis on sensation and abstraction in the soul.

This thesis reexamines the role of illumination in Augustine and Aquinas’ theories of knowledge. It asks whether scholarship today ought to reconceive the relationship between these two major thinkers in …

A Public For The Problem: Vocabularies Of Belonging At The Climate Precipice, Louisa Stredwick

Theses

This study proposes the central concepts of belonging and vocabulary to critically analyse and recompose current approaches to more-than-human relationship that are inadequate and counterproductive. Contemporary vocabularies of belonging are inadequate because they fail to account for the practicalities of an expansive human and more-than-human ‘we’, and they are underpinned by extractivist or idealist logics. They are counterproductive because they carry embedded dualisms that often directly counter intended messages of inherent relationality. A largely theoretical work, the thesis is informed by a field philosophy approach in the Environmental Humanities, working alongside the Martuwarra (Fitzroy) River, in North-Western Australia, and its …

Nursing Students' Clinical Placement Experience In A Residential Aged Care Facility: A Comparative Study, Nitasha Aarni Narayan

Theses

Nursing education programs play a significant role in preparing future nurses to care for the growing number of older people who will require health care. A key component of this preparation is the learning that nursing students acquire through clinical placement experience in a residential aged care facility. This clinical placement provides them with opportunities to experience caring for older adults. However, many students are reportedly reluctant to accept clinical placement in aged care and are ill-prepared for the challenges of the residential aged care facility environment. Hence, it is important for the development of future nursing programs and the …

The Perceptions Of Principals And Faith Leaders Regarding The Transmission Of Presentation Charism In Australian Presentation Schools, Gemma Louise Thomson

Theses

This purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of Principals and Faith Leaders regarding the transmission of Presentation charism in Australian Presentation schools. In particular, the study investigated how Principals and Faith Leaders perceive the nature of Presentation charism, as well as how it is evidenced in their leadership approaches in Catholic schools in the Presentation tradition. Furthermore, the study explored the perceptions of Principals, Faith Leaders and Presentation Sisters of what is required to formally and informally transmit the Presentation charism in Australian Presentation schools. The study’s review of literature identified four areas of literature that formed …

Talking The Talk And Walking The Walk: A Bronfenbrennerian Interrogation Of The Complementarity Between Tertiary Catholic Ethos And Teaching As Perceived By Teachers Of First Year Undergraduate Students, Christine Anne Gietz

Theses

This study explores the relationship between an Australian Catholic university’s talk about its ethos and the walk of pedagogic practice. In particular, this study focuses on the talk of Catholic ethos at the macro level of the University as an organisational entity and the walk of teaching first year undergraduate students at the micro level of teachers as individual entities.

The ecological systems theory of Bronfenbrenner (1979) and the bioecological Process Person Context Time Model of Bronfenbrenner and Morris (2006) were utilised to interrogate this relationship. Along with a Bronfenbrennerian lens, the method of analysis adopted in this study was …

Learning To Be 'With Woman': The Lived Experience Of Studying Midwifery, A Phenomenological Study, Ashlee Guerin

Theses

At the heart of midwifery lies a philosophy grounded by the principle of being ‘with woman’. This core philosophy defines the profession itself, reflected in the etymology of the word midwife, derived from the Anglo-Saxon terms mid (with) and wif (woman), reflecting a tradition of relational care embedded within the profession. Understanding and embodying this philosophy is fundamental for midwifery students, as it shapes their professional identity, informs clinical decision-making, and underpins the provision of care that is safe, respectful and in partnership with women across their childbearing journey. Learning to be ‘with woman’ fosters respect, advocacy, and partnership, ensuring …

The Wellbeing Experiences Of Newly Employed Teachers At High-Fee-Paying, Independent, Pre-Kindergarten To Year 12 Schools In Perth, Western Austalia, Helen Mary Aguiar

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the wellbeing experiences of newly employed teachers at high-fee-paying, independent, Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 schools in Perth, Western Australia. The research explored two factors: experiences that enhance teacher wellbeing and experiences that diminish the wellbeing of newly employed teachers in these schools.

The review of literature highlighted four areas that formed the conceptual framework for the thesis. These four areas were the role of the teacher, wellbeing defined, the factors enhancing teacher wellbeing and the factors diminishing teacher wellbeing. These areas led to the development of the primary research question and the …

Consumer Buying Behaviour Towards Organic Food In Sri Lanka: Imports From Australia, Nalaka Kaushayla Mohotti

Theses

The Australian organic agriculture industry is thriving, with 9.9% of its agricultural land certified organic and production concentrated in fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy, collectively valued at over AUD 2 billion. At the same time, South Asia, including Sri Lanka, is experiencing significant growth in organic agriculture markets. In 1994, Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) was discovered among Sri Lankan paddy farmers. Research in 2012 linked it to hard water, pesticides, and heavy metals, triggering a pesticide ban and the ‘A Pesticides Free Nation’ program. This study analyses consumer buying behaviour for organic food in Sri Lanka, focusing …

Leveraging Future Foresight And Planning In Human Resource Management: Preparing Organizations For The Workforce Of Tomorrow, Naser Althehli

Theses

As organizations face unprecedented uncertainty as they navigate a complicated and fast-changing world, the ability to anticipate and adapt to workforce shifts has become more crucial than ever. This thesis examines how future foresight and strategic planning in human resource management (HRM) can reinforce organizational adaptability and maintain a competitive edge. By analyzing key drivers of change—including technological advancements, demographic shifts, political dynamics, and socio-economic trends—the study identifies innovative HRM strategies that enable organizations to address emerging workforce challenges and opportunities proactively. Through a structured evaluation of foresight techniques, this research highlights best practices for cultivating a resilient and future-ready …

Internet Of Things (Iot) In Developing Smart City Traffic Management Systems In Dubai, Ayesha Ahmed Alnuaimi

Theses

Traffic congestion is an ever-present problem affecting most cities, negatively affecting the economy, the environment, and people’s quality of life. Dubai is one of the rapidly growing cities in terms of urbanization and the usage of technologies, and it is aware of the ability of IoT to design intelligent city traffic control systems to resolve this problem. Consequently, this study sought to assess the implication of IoT in improving traffic management systems within the Emirate of Dubai, gleaning data concerning the factors that have a direct impact on the implementation of the IoT, the challenges, and barriers met during the …

How Smart City Growth Principles Can Be Adopted In The Uae To Solve The Local Housing Problems?, Shaima Abdulla Alblooki

Theses

Shaikh Zayed Housing Program “SZHP” is the governmental program that is responsible for local housing in the UAE. The program’s main aim is to offer a variety of housing services such as loans, grants, and ready-to-move houses. However, both the continuously growing urban population and liveability challenges are impeding the program to meet its goal. As mentioned on SZHP’s official website “We should continue to explore new ways to establish informed dialogue with different groups of society and to ensure adequate housing for national families, in achieving stability and community development by meeting future needs” (SZHP, 2022 ). Accordingly, this …

I Hear A New World, Katie Christ

Theses

“I Hear a New World” is a documentary short film that reflects on the relevance and persistence of nostalgia and tradition during a time of rapid technological advancement and societal change. The film highlights the memories and musings of 8 college students, who were all Class of 2020 high school seniors and whose senior traditions were inevitably brought entirely online due to the Covid-19 global pandemic to varied degrees of success. In rambling, thoughtful delivery, the Gen Z interviewees provide insight into their pre-pandemic internet obsession that led to their teenage reclusivity and how this perspective changed greatly following the …

Selling The City: A Qualitative Study On The Image Construction Of Times Square Through Its Media Environment, Sheetal Pandey

Theses

As a globally recognized symbol of indulgent consumerism and urban spectacle, the media environment of New York City’s Times Square plays a pivotal role in constructing its iconic image. This qualitative study uses a media ecology framework to analyze how Times Square’s digital displays, interactive installations, and live performances create an immersive experience that informs one’s image of it. Through participant observation and visual content analysis, this study examines how visitors interact with Times Square’s media landscape and identifies recurring media-driven themes. Observations reveal that Times Square’s media ecosystem invites constant public interaction, actively engaging visitors in a feedback loop …

Social Media Intelligence: Responding To Crime And Violence In The Digital World, Chloe Lynn Sitton

Theses

The integration of social media into everyday life has transformed how crime is committed, communicated, and investigated. This capstone project examines the emerging field of social media intelligence and its growing influence on modern policing, surveillance, and the community. Drawing from sociological theory, law enforcement practice, legal analysis, and community-based research, this project offers a far-reaching interdisciplinary view of how social media is shaping crime and justice in the United States.

Understanding The Effectiveness Of State Teaching Licensing For Deaf Instructors, Andrew Knox

Theses

This capstone research examines the systemic barriers that Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals face when pursuing state teaching licensure in the United States. Despite the growing need for Deaf educators, the current licensure process often marginalizes Deaf candidates by failing to provide adequate accommodations and relying heavily on standardized, English-based exams that disproportionately disadvantage non-hearing individuals. Using a mixed-methods approach that incorporates anonymous surveys of candidates’ experiences and a review of policy documents, this study uncovers key institutional biases and explores alternative pathways to licensure. These alternatives include performance-based assessments and innovative solutions such as video-based evaluations and …

Money Laundering Transactions Chronology Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence, Marwan Alawadhi

Theses

Money laundering is one of the most significant threats for the financial systems of the world, as it promotes other crimes and destabilizes the economy. This thesis presents an enhanced analysis of AI and ML on financial transaction data for the identification of patterns that relate to money laundering. It uses techniques like the Isolation Forest for the identification of outliers and clustering techniques like K-means and DBSCAN for identification of unusual transaction patterns across the four high risk countries that include United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Italy. The preprocessed dataset included different types of transactions like cross-border transactions, …

How Leadership Styles Impact Lgbtq+ Civil Rights, Milo Thompson

Theses

Leaders rely on different leadership styles to legitimize their rule and obtain political power. However, these leadership styles have positive or negative impacts for protecting human rights in the LGBTQ+ community. This thesis examines how political leadership styles impact protecting or repressing the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community. This article argues that constitutionalist leaders who abide by the “rule of law” will better protect LGBTQ+ civil rights than personalist, ideological, or performative leadership styles. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this paper examines how leadership styles impact LGBTQ+ discrimination.

Barriers To The Adoption Of Cross Laminated Timber For Mid-Rise Residential Buildings In Uae, Sabika Nasrim Pilathottathil

Theses

Buildings consume about 40% of the total annual energy produced globally, with significant energy usage across different life cycle stages, including construction and operational phases. The energy associated with the construction of buildings is substantial due to the energy required for the manufacture of materials and products. This underscores the need for stakeholders in the building industry to find construction materials and systems with low embodied energy. In the pursuit of low-energy materials, massive timber products, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), are gaining popularity in mid-rise buildings around the world. The development of CLT, which boasts excellent load-carrying capabilities, has …