Digital Commons Network^™

Bridge: A Thoughtful Workflow, Isabella Rainey

Theses

The creative workspace is filled with all walks of life – from right to left brains, different personality types, mental health setbacks, and differences in neurodivergencies. While the differences amongst employees can be a huge asset, it can also create a struggle to have productive and inclusive workflows – specifically in relation to project life cycles. These types of differences can create a gap in regards to healthy communication, which can lead to lesser productivity in the long run due to a disconnect with employees battling mental health setbacks. There are many tools out there already that focus on productivity, …

Reconsidering Gender And Social Constructs In Prehistoric Cave Art: The Role Of Women In Creating Art, Amanda Mooney

Theses

This thesis reviews the importance of Prehistoric Cave Art and the partial basis of its creation, including some ways in which gender and society of the time influenced and led to the creation of said art, with a considerable focus on the devaluation that women have faced as artists in prehistory. The timeframe under consideration follows the Upper Paleolithic period, which covers 50,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago. Reviewing images from certain cave art in this time period of 50,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago, and recent scholarship allows for a specific look into the assumptions of who …

User Experience Research For Books For Stl Kids, Danielle Nicole Randall

Theses

This project focuses on how to improve Book for STL Kids website experience. The primary focus is to study how key users utilize and interact with the organization’s website. The final deliverable is a list of user experience improvement recommendations for the organization.

The Importance Of Sustainability Within The Fashion Industry, Ashlee S. Hernandez

Theses

Blogging made its debut in 1993 and from that point on the internet would change forever. This project is a lifestyle blog that will highlight the diversity of the word sustainability, focus on the final product and the sustainable methods or practices to get to that final product and dive into the history of blogging and the history of fashion sustainability. This entire project will showcase specific items of women's clothing (the final product) and the sustainable methods or processes involved in creating those final products. This project specifically defines the similarities and differences between the terms eco-friendly, sustainable, green, …

Building An Immersive Simulation Of The 1785 Parisian Salon In Vr: A Guide To Recreating Historical Interiors And Digital Twins, Charles E. O'Brien

Theses

This project aims to identify a workflow for creating digital twins without access to specialized 3D imaging equipment, such as photogrammetry. The process of creating a digital twin without specialized equipment is focused more on research than data analysis. Readily available resources, such as literature, paintings, drawings, and any other historical accounts, need to be considered. The case study for this workflow was reconstructing the Parisian Salon from 1785. The Salons were a haven for men and women to have intellectual discourse. The essence of scholarly thought that was produced through these Salon exhibits makes them perfect historical event candidates …

Glass, Danielle Tonnessen

Theses

This project is a full walking simulator video game and includes a demonstration of a variety of game design and development skills, including pre-development documentation, narration, game design audio, graphics, post-processing, UI elements and animation. Additionally, the project promotes the author’s ability in creative writing, and involves mental health subject matter with a focus on trauma processing, hypnosis, and survivor’s guilt.

High School Curriculum Outline And Unit Plan For Unit 3: Researching And Referencing For The Comparative Study, Kendra Bomar

Theses

Before beginning the International Baccalaureate Art program, most high school students will have already spent a significant amount of time studying a variety of art genres and will have a solid understanding of art terminology and methods. This is because the program is designed to build upon prior knowledge and experience. This is true for the majority of schools that participate in the IB program. It is common practice for educational institutions that provide tough programs to insist that students complete prerequisite coursework before they are allowed to enroll in the challenging programs that the institution provides. This is done …

Effects Of Matching Images Of Natural And Built Environments On Delay Discounting: A Systematic Replication Of Berry Et Al. (2014), Elizabeth Fillmore

Theses

Decision making is heavily influenced by the environment around us. Berry et al. (2014, 2015, 2019) showed that viewing images of natural environments during the delay discounting task resulted in lower impulsive choice, as compared to viewing images of built environments or geometric figures. Berry et al. proposed that attentional factors could explain this effect, however, recent attempts to reproduce Berry et al.’s findings in a different laboratory have been unsuccessful (Johnson 2017, 2018, 2019). The present study tested if manipulating the participants’ observing responses towards different types of images (natural, built, and no images) modulates the effect reported by …

Multi-Species Trophic Response In Tributaries Of The Ohio River Along A Gradient Of An Invasive Planktivore, Justin Kowalski

Theses

1. Aquatic invasive species often have a gradient of abundance along connected systems as invasion occurs. Invading species effects on native species may not be apparent when the species first colonizes a new area but as abundance of the invader increases they may have detrimental effects to native ecosystems even when not fully established. 2. A gradient of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) abundance in the Ohio River exists as invasion has been slowed by the many navigation dams that exist on the river. I examined how the isotopic niche of four native species differed along the Silver Carp gradient in …

Combating Systemic Racism With Truth Commissions, Katherine E. Miles

Theses

The main form of justice practiced in the United States when it comes to criminal proceedings and individual wrongdoings is a form of justice called Retributive Justice. Retributive justice is committed to following these three principles, 1: that those who commit certain kinds of wrongful acts, morally deserve to suffer an equivalent punishment; 2: that it is intrinsically morally good—good without reference to any other goods if some legitimate punisher gives them the punishment they deserve; and 3: that it is morally impermissible to punish the innocent intentionally or to inflict disproportionately large punishments on offenders. From the three principles …

Investigating The Impact Of Baselines On Integrated Gradients For Explainable Ai, Ajay Shewale

Theses

Deep Neural Networks have rapidly developed over the last few years, demonstrating state-of-the-art performances on various machine learning tasks such as image classification, natural language processing, and speech recognition. Despite their remarkable performance, deep neural networks are often criticized for their need for more interpretability, which makes it difficult to comprehend their decision-making process and get insights into their workings. Explainable AI has emerged as an important area of study that aims to overcome this issue by providing understandable explanations for deep neural network predictions. In this thesis, we focus on one of the explainability methods called Integrated Gradients (IG) …

A Graph-Based Approach To Studying The Spread Of Radical Online Sentiment, Le Nguyen

Theses

The spread of radicalization and extremism through the Internet is a growing problem. We are witnessing a rise in online hate groups, inspiring the impressionable and vulnerable population towards extreme actions in the real world. Though the body of research to address these issues is growing in kind, they lack a key understanding of the structure and behavior of online extremist com- munities. In this thesis, we study the structure and behavior of extremist online communities and the spread of hateful sentiments through them to address this gap in the research. We propose a novel Graph-Based Approach to Studying the …

Moodify, Jiaqi Liu

Theses

Abstract Degree: Master of Fine Arts Program: Visual Communication Design Authors Name: Jiaqi Liu Advisors Name: Mike Strobert; Adam Smith Thesis Title: Moodify This paper proposes a research and solution to address the major psychological risk factor of pathological rumination, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other chronic conditions. Rumination and worry are identified as key components of mental illnesses and may be underpinned by the same cognitive process. This paper proposes a combined approach of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) treatments to reduce worry and/or rumination. The proposed solution aims to assist users in …

Ecomves: Enhancing Comves Using Data Piggybacking For Resource Discovery At The Network Edge, Sanzida Hoque

Theses

Over the past few years, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have emerged as highly popular technologies that demand rapid and efficient processing of data with low latency and high bandwidth, in order to enable seamless real-time interaction between users and the virtual environment. This presents challenges for network infrastructure design, which can be addressed through edge computing. However, edge computing also presents challenges, such as selecting the appropriate edge server for computing tasks in dynamic networks with rapidly changing resource availability. Named Data Networking (NDN) is a potential future Internet architecture that could provide a balanced distribution of …

Care: Towards Customized Assistive Robot-Based Education, Nafisa Abdul Razak Maaz

Theses

Purpose of the Study The aim of this paper is to propose a solution for enhancing the learning experience of elementary school students by combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in education. Our AI-powered system aims to classify students according to their intellectual abilities and offer personalized educational materials to assist their progress. Summary We propose using a personalized tutor robot to aid students in their learning. The robot categorizes students into three groups – High-Ability Student (HAS), Average-Ability Student (AAS), or Low-Ability Student (LAS) - based on their performance, facial expressions, and subjective feedback. The robot then displays educational …

Facility Management System, Abdulla Talib Al Malik

Theses

Businesses nowadays are suffering due to high costs associated with energy consumption, maintenance, and overall lack of monitoring of assets. The downside of this is the negative impact high energy consumption has on the environment in terms of carbon emissions. To address this concern, this paper proposes a Facility Management System that details how a business can link all their assets to one central location for effective monitoring. This will allow any business to ensure that their maintenance costs are managed appropriately, all asset operations are in line with demand and not operating outside of when it Is required, and …

Tourism, Mapping, Retail And Recreational Trails: A Case Study Of Connectivity Between Trails And Adjacent Downtowns In Anniston, Alabama, Usa, Jennifer Green

Theses

This study examines the estimated increase in economic impact on a geography’s local economy by creating cross-marketing efforts between expanding an established outdoor recreation trail to a closely located city downtown commerce district. This research will analyze the resulting potential rise in sales/lodging tax revenues for that city by mapping the trail and downtown district, and cross-marketing the other to users of both or either venue. Potential increase in economic impact will be estimated utilizing IMPLAN methodology by assessing the economic impact on the local economy that a percentage range of increased spending resulting from this cross-marketing effort could generate.

Representing Color As Multiple Independent Scales, Hao Xie

Theses

The concept of color space has served as a basis for vast scientific inquiries into the representation of color including colorimetry, psychology, and neuroscience. However, the ideal color space that can model both color appearance attributes and color difference as a uniform Euclidean space is still not yet available. In addition, different color appearance phenomena such as the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect highlight the interference or lack of independence between the existing color metrics. Based on the alternative representation of independent one-dimensional color scales and the concepts of brilliance and zero grayness proposed by Ralph Evans, a series of psychophysical experiments were …

Urban Waterfront Revitalization: A Case Study Of Downtown Waterfront In Rochester, New York, Yaoyu Lorrain Xiao

Theses

This research paper presents a case study of the Rochester downtown waterfront revitalization project. The project aims to revitalize the neglected waterfront and create a vibrant and attractive space for residents and visitors alike. Key factors contributing to the success of the Rochester downtown waterfront revitalization project include strong community engagement, public-private partnerships, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and a focus on sustainability. The study finds that the revitalization efforts have led to uneven economic, social, and environmental benefits for the community. The purpose of this study is to gain a comprehensive evaluation of the current status, difficulties, and potential …

A Novel Approach For Detection Fault In The Aircraft Exterior Body Using Image Processing, Noura Nayef Almansoori

Theses

The primary objective of this thesis is to develop innovative techniques for the inspection and maintenance of aircraft structures. We aim to streamline the entire process by utilizing images to detect potential defects in the aircraft body and comparing them to properly functioning images of the aircraft. This enables us to determine whether a specific section of the aircraft is faulty or not. We achieve this by employing image processing to train a model capable of identifying faulty images. The image processing methodology we use involves the use of images of both defective and operational parts of the aircraft's exterior. …

مشروعية الأنشطة العسكرية في المنطقة الإقتصادية الخالصة (دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة نموذجاً تطبيقيا), عمار يوسف النقبي

Theses

One of the innovations in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the year 1982 is the system of the exclusive economic zone, where it was discussed for the first time in this agreement. The exclusive economic zone is defined as an area located deep in the sea and adjacent to the contiguous zone and the territorial sea and extends beyond that for a distance of 200 nautical miles. However, the legal system in the exclusive economic zone raises many problems that were excluded from the negotiations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of …

Teacher’View About Dual Enrolment Of Student With Disabilities In Special And Inclusive Private School, Mahra Saeed Ismaeil

Theses

The education of children with disabilities is challenging. Special and inclusive schools cannot offer meaningful access to education to children with disabilities. Currently, schools strive to provide access to education in a dual context: a certain number of days at inclusive schools and others at special schools. However, information on how teachers are contending with such practices is limited. This study explored teachers’ views on the education of students with disabilities in the dual enrolment education system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The social education model was conceptualised to understand teachers’ perceptions, collaborative efforts, resources and challenges to dual …

Transmuting Tragedy: The Political Martyrdom Of The Executed Leaders Of The 1916 Easter Rising In Irish Visual Arts, Megan Howard

Theses

The Easter Rising of 1916 marked a defining moment in Irish history, as a group of Irish nationalists sought to overthrow British rule and establish an independent Irish Republic. While the rebellion was initially unsuccessful, it was a pivotal moment in Irish history that sparked a wave of national mourning and resistance following the execution of its leaders by the British government. Such a transition occurred with the careful and deliberate shaping of their legacy by their families with the aid of the Irish Catholic Church. This thesis explores the depiction of the executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising …

Look At The Bigger Picture: Analyzing Eye Tracking Data With Multi-Dimensional Visualization, Anjali Jogeshwar

Theses

Eye tracking has proven to be a valuable tool for a number of disciplines such as imaging science, vision science, psychology, and neurology. They have used eye-tracking to study the human visual system and to understand how humans attend to their environment for different tasks. Analyzing the gaze data obtained from eye-trackers begins with visualizing the gaze point. By monitoring gaze we can answer questions including, ‘where was the person looking?’ and ‘what image region or object was the person looking at?’ Traditional methods aimed at answering such questions from gaze data: required frame-by-frame analysis of videos, manually annotating gaze. …

Corneal Transplant Education In A Clinical Setting, Chynna Desimone

Theses

Keratoplasty, or corneal transplant, is available as a solution for patients suffering from corneal pathology. There are various types of keratoplasty available to prospective patients depending on the severity and the histological layer affected. Surgeries such as keratoplasty have been observed to cause distress among prospective patients, which may impede recovery. Patient education in a timely and appropriate delivery can help alleviate preoperative anxiety. Creating patient education materials for keratoplasty can help prepare for surgery and subsequent recovery. These materials utilize both 2D and 3D design tailored to the unique needs of low-vision patients to teach them about their options …

The Geometry And Topology Of Landslides, Kamal Rana

Theses

Landslides are often catastrophic, causing loss of life and destruction of property and infrastructure. Landslide susceptibility and hazard modeling help mitigate these losses by finding regions prone to landslides and providing probabilistic forecasting of landslide occurrence in a region. However, these landslide susceptibility and hazard models' efficacy depends on the quality of existing databases that often lack crucial information, like the underlying trigger and failure mechanism of a landslide. In this Ph.D. project, we developed methods to identify landslide triggering and failure mechanism information using their geometric and topological properties. For identifying landslide trigger information, we developed three different methods …

Urologic Sequelae Following Phalloplasty: An Explanation Of Common Complications Following Transmale Gender Affirmation Surgery, Michelle Kittleman

Theses

Medical advancement and societal acceptance in recent years has paved the way for gender affirmation surgery to become a growing subspecialty, with more transgender individuals seeking permanent methods to treating gender dysphoria. In a 2016 report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there had been a 20% increase in female-to-male gender affirmation surgeries over the past year, totaling over 1,700 surgeries (Schardein, 2020). Those seeking genital gender affirmation surgery, also known as ‘bottom’ surgery (Puckett, 2018), often have goals pertaining to the ability to urinate upright, with secondary goals relating to sexual penetration functions. Gender reconstruction procedures, such …

التفكير الاستباقي وإدارة الأزمات (دولة الامارات العربية المتحدة نموذجاً), عائشة عبدالله اليماحي

Theses

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Proactive Thinking and Crisis Management (The Case of United Arab Emirates)

The aim of this study was to identify intellectual approaches to crisis management and their impact on national security in the United Arab Emirates. The study also evaluated the impact of proactive thinking in crisis management on national security in the UAE. The decision-making and systems methodology was used as the general method for the study. The study addressed the importance of proactive thinking and crisis management, determinants of crisis management, determinants of using proactive thinking in the UAE, proactive thinking and the management of the Gulf-Qatar crisis, …

Feasibility Study On The Characterization Of Mars Atmospheric And Surface Features In Spacecraft Images By Machine Learning And Similar Automated Methods, Hind Hassan Alriyami

Theses

This thesis is focused on automated detection of Mars atmospheric and surface features in spacecraft images based on machine learning and similar automated methods using crater detection algorithm (CDA) software, named DeepMars2 algorithm. The purpose of this study is to perform machine learning to detect coarse and high-resolution topography craters on mars. The algorithm is applied to two digital elevation models (DEMs) of the Mars surface with high and coarse resolution in order to identify craters using machine and deep learning methods. The DEMs are based on the satellite instruments MOLA/MGS (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter/Mars Global Surveyor) and HRSC/MEX (High …

Emerging Trends And Challenges Of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case Of The United Arab Emirates, Noura Eisa Al Harasi

Theses

This research shed light on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by examining the trends, benefits, and challenges of CSR in the UAE. The research contributed to the literature in the field of CSR by providing a comprehensive understanding of the concept in a non-Western context that can represent a generalizable model, not only for the UAE, but also for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that share similar corporate culture with the UAE. In this regard, the research serves as a reference work into CSR beyond the UAE as it answered the following …