Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

A Comparison Of Shaping And Imitation For Reducing A Dog’S Problem Behavior, Carlee Weir, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Over one million dogs have entered shelters in 2024 alone with approximately 31% of those dogs being relinquished by their owners (Shelter Animal Count, 2024). Further, non-aggressive behavioral issues are often cited as a primary cause for owner relinquishment (Best Friends Network Partners, 2018; Howard & DiGennaro Reed, 2014). Previous research has shown the effectiveness of training methods based on positive reinforcement to reduce problematic behavior with dogs and to increase desirable behavior, such as shaping and clicker training, and there has been a growing interest in the use of imitation during training. Fugazza and Miklosi (2015) compared a shaping …

A Preliminary Analysis Of Functional Communication Training Via Voice-Recorded Buttons To Reduce Undesirable Behaviors With Dogs, Mya Watson-Blake, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Undesirable behavior, such as excessive barking, jumping up, and biting, is prevalent among pet dogs with an estimate of 72%-85% of dogs exhibiting at least one type of undesirable behavior (Dinwoodie et al., 2019; Powell et al., 2021; Salonen et al., 2020). Further, canine undesirable behavior has been found to be the leading cause of owners relinquishing their dogs to rescue shelters (Powdrill-Wells et al., 2021). Functional communication training (FCT) is a method that has shown to be effective with human populations for reducing challenging behaviors by teaching an individual an alternative response that results in the same class 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 …

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 …

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 …

Neural Network Characterization Methods For Noisy Quantum Hardware Results, Daniel Richard Breslawski

Theses

As the nascent quantum computing paradigm matures and quantum devices become widely available, discrete "eras" are emerging which characterize evolving quantum computing technologies, much like semiconductor technology node classifications. The current period has been coined the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, as devices above 50 qubits in size exist but computations using these devices accumulate error quickly from classical interference sources and state decoherence. NISQ machines may surpass the capabilities of modern classical computers in ideal circumstances, but the accumulation of error from physical noise limits the size and implementability of reliable quantum algorithms. Because of these limitations, strategies are …

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 …

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 …

Methodology For Volumetric Estimation Of Condensed Water Vapor Plumes From Remotely Sensed Imagery, Ryan J. Connal

Theses

In recent years, technological developments have advanced the capabilities of computer vision techniques, including those leveraged toward 3D reconstruction with Structure-from-Motion. This process allows for the generation of accurate 3D models from sets of 2D imagery. With accurate feature detectors and matchers, Structure-from-Motion remains a widely used technique. However, the reconstruction of 3D structure is heavily dependent on the spatial characteristics of the object of interest. Fast-moving, featureless, and dynamic objects suffer from this latter issue, where standard or advanced feature detectors cannot derive any information on the object's surface. With the goal of producing three-dimensional geometric reconstructions of condensed …

Investigations On Process Options Towards Improved Operation And Stability Of Igzo Tfts, Emanuelle Chowdhry

Theses

Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) is an amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS) being used in the display industry for backplane TFTs due to its superior mobility in comparison to hydrogenated amorphous silicon, as well as being compatible with the existing flat-panel manufacturing infrastructure. The ongoing research efforts primarily revolve around making the processing more robust so improved performance can be obtained and with greater consistency. The original proposed studies involved investigations on process options that promote enhanced passivation of defect states, and resistance to hydrogen plasma exposure to enable straightforward device integration schemes. However, during the beginning stages of experimentation there …

Evaluation Of A Silicon Carbide Stiffening Layer For Silicon-On-Glass Thin-Film Transistors, Ankur Korad

Theses

Thin-film electronic devices based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) or low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) are currently utilized in the development of electro-optical systems. These systems require a transparent substrate and are commonly found in active-matrix flat-panel displays for handheld digital assistants, digital cameras, and smart phones, among other devices. The performance of these systems could be greatly enhanced in terms of speed, power consumption, resolution, and degree of integration if single-crystalline thin films became available. Corning’s Silicon-on-Glass (SiOG) technology, initially investigated prior to 2010, involved the transfer of single crystal silicon layers onto glass substrates using an anodic bonding process …

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] …

Improvements To Testing And Packaging Technology For Silicon Photonics Research And Development, Eric Thornton

Theses

Silicon photonics is an emerging field that aims to integrate traditional digital CMOS logic with micro scale optical components made using silicon onto the same chip in order to overcome recent bottlenecks related to information transfer through copper interconnects. The end goal of silicon photonics is to use optical links, integrated together with modulators (devices that translate between the electrical and optical systems) controlled by traditional CMOS logic, packaged in familiar form factors, and interfaced using traditional digital serial protocols. However, groups involved in the research and development of silicon optical components do not work with these fully integrated designs …

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 …

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 …

A Study Of The Impact Education Level Has On Unemployment Rates For Youths In Emerging Market Countries, Alia Aldhaheri

Theses

Economic stress endured by countries globally can be due to numerous socioeconomic factors, including unemployment, measured by the unemployment rate expressed in percentage (%). Various micro and macro socioeconomic variables, including the quality of education and vocational training in the countries and the availability of it, cause high unemployment rates. This study assesses the impact education has on unemployment rates and focuses on youths in emerging market countries to determine the nature of the relationship between the two variables. In addition, the study aims to predict which continents will have increasing unemployment rates for youths in the next five years …

Investigation On The Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Phase Change Materials For Packaging Application, Sriram Srinivasan

Theses

Phase change material (PCM) is one of the majorly growing techniques used for thermal heat storage in various fields including construction for insulation and packaging industry. PCMs are widely used to increase the shelf life of the produce and prevent from harsh climatic conditions during transportation. In this present investigation, a PCM system was developed in the form of microcapsules using lauric acid (LA) and capric acid (CA) emulsions in melamine formaldehyde (MF) solution and polyurethane foam (PUF) using polytetrahydrofuran, isoprene diisocyanate, and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Acetic acid and triethylamine were used to control the pH during microcapsule preparation. The …

Leveraging Machine Learning For Enhanced Lead Quality Prediction: A Case Study Of Vam Consulting, Huthayfa Nawafleh

Theses

In today's data-driven business landscape, companies are increasingly leveraging data analytics and machine learning to optimize their lead management processes and enhance customer acquisition strategies. This research focuses on the application of data analytics and the CRISP-DM methodology to improve lead quality prediction and streamline the sales funnel for VAM Consulting, a company specializing in marketing and business technology solutions. VAM Consulting has been developing customer acquisition processes and digital marketing strategies since 2016, amassing a diverse portfolio of over 300 client projects. Despite their extensive experience and utilization of various technologies, the company faces challenges in optimizing lead generation …

Predicting Student Attrition In Higher Education Institutions In The Uae Using Machine Learning, Dezzil M. Castelino

Theses

UAE has made significant progress in the field of education, including Higher Education, by attracting students from all around the world to various colleges and universities. Student dropout or attrition is a major issue that is faced by Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Hence, we need effective techniques to identify student data that affects attrition. This research aims to explore the use of machine learning algorithms to predict student attrition at Rochester Institute of Technology- Dubai (RIT Dubai). In this research, the CRISP-DM (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining) methodology was used as it is widely used in projects based on …

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 …

Voltage Total Harmonic Distortion-Based Communication-Free Adaptive Protection Strategy For Microgrids, Mohamed Jaffer Ali

Theses

The microgrid protection strategy encounters major obstacles because of the varying fault current capacities that result from the diverse modes of microgrid operations. The challenges are heightened with the incorporation of large-scale systems. Protecting microgrids has become a complex task due to various factors. This includes 1) increased fault current contribution during grid-connected operation, 2) insufficient current contribution during islanded operation, 3) sympathetic tripping, 4) blinding, and 5) loss of mains. These factors can render existing protection devices ineffective in clearing faults. And thus, current alone cannot be only key factor for detecting a fault among various modes of operation. …

Crime Rate Analysis And E-Crime Prevention In Dubai Using Machine Learning., Mohammad Ahmad Hatam

Theses

Globally increasing criminal activity, such as E Crimes, presents a serious threat to both economic growth and social welfare. Nevertheless, Dubai is a safety haven in the middle of this trend, as seen by the significant decline in major and non-alarming crimes during the first quarter of 2023. This study uses an examination of the large crime dataset (about 34,567 events) from the Dubai Police Department that spans 2019 to 2021. Several main goals are to be achieved by this work by using geospatial methods, predictive modelling, correlation investigations, and exploratory analysis. First of all, it looks for complex trends …

(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 …

Creating A Unified Brand Identity For United Way Chapters In New York, Sarah Dejoy

Theses

Consistent and effective web design plays a role in enhancing the online presence and supporting the mission of nonprofit organizations (NPOs), which utilize online spaces to provide information to their constituents and the general public. This study centers on the web presence of United Way, presenting an analysis of the official websites of chapters in New York State. Visual rhetoric was used as the conceptual framework orienting the analysis, considering websites typically include written and visual texts intended to appeal to various audiences. The Brand Standards & Guidelines provided by United Way Worldwide were utilized to identify various website characteristics. …

A Comprehensive Study Of Gain Characterization In Mosfets, Elaine Greenfield

Theses

The functionality of MOSFETs makes them a crucial component in modern electrical engineering. These devices play a fundamental role in a wide range of applications. Understanding the behavior and characteristics of MOSFETs is essential for their effective utilization in circuit design. One crucial parameter that significantly impacts MOSFET performance is voltage gain. It represents the ratio of output voltage to input voltage and varies depending on the circuit configuration employed. When selecting a MOSFET for a specific circuit, understanding the parameters and characteristics that influence voltage gain becomes crucial. This research project aims to delve into the realm of MOSFETs, …