Buddy Up: An Interaction Design Project For Supporting Task Initiation And Academic Progress Through Peer Accountability Among University Students, Ruijun Li

Theses

Academic procrastination is a common challenge among university students. Although students often understand what they need to do and when their work is due, they may still have difficulty starting tasks, maintaining progress, and avoiding digital distractions. Many existing productivity tools depend on individual self-discipline and provide limited social support. My thesis explores interaction methods that use peer accountability to help university students begin academic work and maintain consistent progress. Buddy Up aims to turn academic work from an isolated activity into a voluntary and mutually supportive accountability experience.

Pixel Weave: Explore The Craft, Share The Story, Janki Akbari

Theses

Traditional craft practices are often preserved as finished objects rather than experienced as active systems of knowledge. As a result, the techniques, visual logic, and cultural meaning behind these crafts become less accessible to broader audience. Pixel Weave addresses this challenge by translating the double ikat (a premium, highly complex weaving technique in which both the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) yarns are individually resist-dyed to a preplanned pattern before being placed on the loom, so that the design only fully emerges once the two dyed yarn sets are woven together) weaving logic of Patan Patola, a centuries old textile …

Tomographic Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Exploiting The Starlink Communication Waveform, Jonathan C. Denton

Theses

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a powerful tool for imaging and reconnaissance, typically operated in a monostatic configuration. Bistatic geometries spatially separate the transmitter and receiver, capturing unique target scattering information, while passive methods leverage existing environmental signals of opportunity. With the advent of massive Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, high-bandwidth reference signals with large Doppler modulation now exist globally, offering bistatic SAR imaging potential worldwide. This research presents an end-to-end simulation to demonstrate the passive exploitation of Starlink communication waveforms for tomographic bistatic SAR imaging. Utilizing high-fidelity Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models, the simulation generated a …

The Mediating Role Of Moral Disengagement In The Relationship Between Facets Of Empathy And Aggression, Romiere J. Horace

Theses

Aggression is a major social and public health concern with economic, psychological, and interpersonal implications. Extensive research has examined the potential antecedents for aggressive behavior, with many different environmental, biological, and intrapsychic factors being significantly associated with aggression. Researchers have also focused on cognitive mechanisms, like empathy, as a protective factor for aggression. More specifically, research has linked lower levels of empathy to higher levels of aggression; however, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain underexplored. A potential explanatory mechanism is moral disengagement, which allows individuals to justify harmful behaviors and avoid self-sanctions. However, limited research has examined these constructs …

Modeling Comparative Judgments With Machine Learning, Monoshiz Mahbub Khan

Theses

Many tasks can involve analyzing data points and assigning unbound numerical scores or labels. However, without a well-defined standard or point of comparison, such data annotation can require significant cognitive effort from human judges. To mitigate this issue, I propose the use of comparative judgments. Comparative judgments involve pairs of data points and a comparative label instead of a direct one. This process would only ask the human judge to compare the pair of data points and decide which one should have a higher label, but would not ask for the exact value. Moreover, ranking or sorting based tasks with …

Predictive Modeling For B2b Cybersecurity Sales Optimization, Aya Alqawasmi

Theses

The B2B cybersecurity marketplace is characterised by long sales cycles, high organisational risk, and technically sophisticated decision-makers, conditions under which conventional rule- based lead qualification systematically misallocates sales effort. This dissertation develops, evaluates, and interprets a predictive lead-scoring framework for this setting, grounded in the Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) and applied to a synthetic B2B cybersecurity CRM dataset of 5,000 opportunities. Five classification algorithms — Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, Linear Support Vector Machine, Neural Network, and XGBoost — are benchmarked on accuracy, AUC, precision, recall, F1-score, and probability calibration. Logistic Regression is selected as the final model …

Bridging The Gap: Using A Regional Pediatric Intensive To Improve Rural Nursing Students’ Self-Efficacy, Hannah J. Sasser, Will Brewer

Theses

Abstract

Introduction: Valuable clinical learning opportunities is essential, yet often an unmet goal in nursing education, especially within rural associate degree nursing (ADN) programs, where access to high-acuity and diverse clinical experiences is limited.

Background: Nursing students in geographically isolated areas face limited access to specialty clinicals, including pediatrics, creating inadequacies in clinical learning and preparedness (Institute of Pediatric Nursing, 2021).

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effect of a two-day pediatric intensive, incorporating simulation scenarios and micro-learning activities, on the self-efficacy and satisfaction with learning of students in a rural ADN program. …

Accurate 3d Computational Modeling Of Multiphase Flows In Boiling Heat Transfer, Winston O. James Iii

Theses

In the past ten years, the electronics industry has seen a sustained demand to reduce thermal resistances while increasing volumetric heat removal. The limitations of traditional air-cooled systems have caused a major industry shift toward liquid cooling. To maintain beam quality, high output efficiency, and continuous uptime, high-powered lasers require cooling to manage the waste heat of 5-55 kW. Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) have a capacity of 350 MW or less per unit and operate at an efficiency of 33.4% to 45%. As a result, 55% to 66% of the heat generated must be dissipated. Within data centers, a …

A Foresight Study For The Future Of Higher Education Models In The United Arab Emirates: Moving Beyond Degrees By 2035, Yaser Mohammed Ebrahim Essa

Theses

Higher education systems worldwide are facing increasing pressure to change beyond traditional degree-based models in response to rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence disruption, and shifting labour market demands. Although the United Arab Emirates has made significant investments in higher education and has a clear vision for a knowledge-based economy, a growing gap between graduate skills and employer needs continues to limit the system’s effectiveness. This thesis explores how the UAE higher education system can move beyond traditional degree models and develop more flexible, skills-based, and future-ready learning systems by 2035. The thesis focuses on how new learning models, such as …

A Minimum-Phase Approach To Optical Signal Processing, Hector Alejandro Rubio Rivera

Theses

Phase retrieval is the algorithmic process of recovering the phase of a signal from more accessible quantities, such as iterative transformations of its magnitude response. The phase often reveals far more about the underlying system than the magnitude alone, yet conventional retrieval methods rely on software approaches that use computationally expensive iterative algorithms or hardware solutions that are sensitive to manufacturing variations.  In this dissertation, we show that the phase can be retrieved via a Hilbert transform of the magnitude response, bypassing iteration entirely, provided that the underlying system structure satisfies the minimum-phase condition. We apply this to three classes …

Machine Learning For Practical Quantum Computing: Adaptive Mitigation And Data-Driven Noise Characterization, Steven Szachara

Theses

Quantum error mitigation (QEM) is essential for reliable near-term quantum computing, yet practical deployment requires balancing mitigation strength against runtime overhead under nonstationary noise. This work introduces GSC-QEMit, a telemetry-driven context–forecast–bandit framework that adaptively selects mitigation intensity using unsupervised context discovery, uncertainty-aware Gaussian process forecasting, and a cost-aware contextual bandit. Evaluated on benchmark quantum circuits under drifting noise in simulation, the approach improves logical fidelity while reducing unnecessary intervention cost. Complementing this systems-level contribution, we apply unsupervised machine learning to broadband cryogenic transient dielectric spectroscopy data to analyze two-level system (TLS) noise mechanisms. Through clustering, dimensionality reduction, and spectral analysis, …

Numerical Range Of Rank-1 Partial Isometries And Elliptical Range Theorem, Lucas Saone

Theses

The Elliptical Range Theorem states that the numerical range of a 2x2 complex matrix A is an elliptical disc with foci at the eigenvalues of A and center at tr(A)/2. Many proofs have been offered for this theorem. In this paper, we provide another one. The strategy we will use is to decompose the matrix A into the sum of rank-1 operators of the form YxX*, where X and Y are in 2-D complex vectors. When analyzing the numerical range of a rank-1 operator of this form, three results can happen: i) the numerical range forms a disc at the …

Decision Model For The Application Of Circular Economy In The End-Of-Life Management Of Power Transformers, Maha Mansour Nadhari

Theses

Power transformers are critical assets within utilities characterized by high capital and material intensity and long operational lifetimes. Traditionally, end-of-life management strategies for these transformers are very linear, limited to recovery or basic recycling and disposal. Although circular strategies can be integrated into the end-of-life management of these transformers, a key challenge to implementation is the absence of a structured, multi-criteria framework that can support decision-making in this context. This study addresses this gap by developing a decision model using a hybrid Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference …

Benchmarking Spatial Niche Identification Tools On High-Resolution Xenium Single-Cell Transcriptomic Data, Sabiq Shahab

Theses

Spatial niche identification tools recover the tissue microenvironments that shape cell function, but existing benchmark studies typically rely on a single accuracy metric or focus on a single tissue type. This thesis benchmarks six niche identification tools, including Seurat, NicheDE, BANKSY, scNiche, Novae, and Quiche, which span composition based, spatial embedding, differential expression, graph fusion, foundational model, and differential abundance approaches. A five dimension evaluation framework was used to evaluate the six tools, which was applied across three resolutions using two 10x Genomics Xenium datasets with contrasting spatial organization, including a HER2+ breast cancer tumor and the mouse brain. While …

Learning-Based Multi-Objective Operation Of Microgrid With Renewable Uncertainty And Demand-Side Management, Zeina Bahij

Theses

A microgrid is a small-scale power grid that can operate in either the grid-connected mode or the islanded mode. It consists of energy generation and storage devices for both power and thermal demands, where the thermal energy from the exhaust heat that cannot be transmitted over long distances can be utilized locally. The supply side may include dispatchable generation units with adjustable outputs and energy storage, alongside non-dispatchable renewables that depend entirely on resource availability. On the demand side, thermal loads are satisfied through waste heat recovery from exhaust gas (to maximize overall system efficiency) and direct fuel combustion. Electrical …

Rooted Worlds, Eli Groborchik

Theses

Plant Awareness Disparity (PAD) describes a widespread cognitive bias where plant life is systematically overlooked in favor of its animal counterparts. This disconnect is acutely visible in natural history museums where plant life is notoriously difficult to display. Rooted Worlds is an interactive, physical-digital installation designed to combat this bias by bridging the emotional and educational gap between audiences and Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Rejecting traditional flat screens and passive dioramas, the exhibit utilizes a fourteen-foot, 270-degree cylindrical projection screen to immerse visitors in six distinct, digitally rendered global biomes, creating a restorative and engaging space that leverages Attention Restoration Theory …

Spikerff: Learning Forward With Layer-Local Plasticity And Semi-Hard Negatives, Karthik Tumkur Kumar

Theses

Effective contrastive learning relies on choosing useful, informative "hard" negative samples. Current hard negative sampling methods designed for traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs) are, in general, computationally costly and are ill-suited to account for the temporal structure relevant to neuromorphic data. To tackle these issues, in this work, we formulate a similarity-guided semi-hard negative sampling strategy for neuromorphic computing based on spiking neural networks (SNNs). We propose SpikeRFF (Spiking Recurrent Forward-Forward), a gradient-free and unsupervised recurrent spiking framework that combines layer-local Forward-Forward learning with semi-hard negative selection and temporally structured negative construction. Positive samples are encouraged to produce high goodness, …

Comparing Deposition-Dependent Variations In Tungsten Oxide Thin-Film Composition Using X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Tevfik Ozkaynak

Theses

In this work, tungsten oxide thin films were fabricated using magnetron sputter deposition and electron beam evaporation under varying oxygen conditions to produce a range of stoichiometries, including substoichiometric compositions near WO₂.₇. The primary goal was to evaluate how reliably X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) can quantify the stoichiometry of WOₓ thin films, determine how deposition conditions influence measured composition and oxidation states, and assess how argon ion sputtering, used for surface cleaning, alters tungsten oxidation states and affects XPS based stoichiometry. The films were analyzed using XPS under ultra-high vacuum conditions. Survey spectra were used to identify elemental composition, while …

What’S Kept, Caitlin Smith

Theses

This thesis examines the collective psychological aftermath of de-industrialization in a rust belt city, processed through perspectives of nostalgia and betrayal. By reframing childhood memories of instability and inherited narratives, a framework is established for investigating the modalities through which love and attachment may obscure entangled harm, and how grief operates across both collective and personal registers. Found objects are situated as sites of projection where memories are abstracted and reconstituted. The processes of decay and weathering serve as analogues for psychological trauma, reframing deterioration as an inevitable and generative condition. Natural elements act as metaphors for neutrality, challenging imposed …

Too Big, Too Soon: Investigating Black Hole Masses In High-Redshift Jwst Agn Using Belmac, Katrina Mcmaster

Theses

The masses of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in high-redshift quasars are commonly estimated using virial mass estimations calibrated on active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the local universe. However, when applied to new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations at high redshift, these methods often yield SMBH masses that exceed theoretical growth limits, implying the need for heavy black hole seeds or periods of high mass accretion rates, also known as super-Eddington accretion. This tension highlights potential limitations of the virial approach at early cosmic times. This work investigates an alternative method for estimating high-redshift SMBH masses using the Broad Emission …

Understanding The Lubrication Mechanisms Of Environmentally Compatible Protic Ionic Liquids, Davis Kipkania Kiboi

Theses

The development of environmentally sustainable lubricants is increasingly important as industries seek to reduce friction, wear, energy losses, and environmental impact. Choline amino acid protic ionic liquids (PILs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their bio-based constituents, tunable molecular structures, and favorable lubrication properties. However, the influence of amino acid structure on their lubrication mechanisms and tribological performance remains poorly understood. This dissertation investigates the physicochemical properties, tribological behavior, and tribofilm formation mechanisms of choline amino acid PILs to establish structure–property–performance relationships for sustainable lubricant design. Ten choline amino acid PILs containing glycine, alanine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine, aspartic acid, …

Improving Neutron Scattering And Fission Modeling With Modern Machine Learning, Karl Daningburg

Theses

We describe the development of a novel emulator for the fission fragment decay code, $\texttt{CGMF}$, which calculates the emission of prompt neutrons and $\gamma$ rays from fission fragments.  The emulator described in this work uses a combination of a noisy emission model and mixture density network to model the neutron and $\gamma$-ray multiplicities and energies.  In this manuscript, we display the power of this type of emulator for not only modeling average prompt fission observables but also correlations between fission fragment initial conditions and these observables, using both neutron-induced and spontaneous fission reactions. We find that neutron ($\gamma$-ray) multiplicities can …

Evaluating The Use Of Artificial Intelligence To Enhance Pediatric Simulation Among Associate Degree Nursing Students, Kaitlyn Price

Theses

Abstract

Background: Simulation has long been used to prepare pre-licensure nursing students for clinical practice. Traditional written pre-simulation assignments have been the assignment of choice for many years. However, artificial intelligence (AI) guided preparatory tools may offer students a more interactive, personalized way to enhance their simulation experience.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to utilize AI technology in pre-simulation preparatory work to enhance learning in second-semester associate degree nursing students. 

Methods: The study consisted of randomized traditional and AI-guided preparatory groups among consenting participants. The sample consisted of 23 participants. Both sets of students completed the same simulation. …

What Is Media Authenticity?: A Guide To Detecting Authentic Media Literacy, Kawan Yarbrough

Theses

This project seeks to answer the question of what media authenticity is, as it relates to different forms of popular media such as social media and content creators, content consumers that also actively post on social media, Reality Television and also touching base on how Artificial Intelligence has infiltrated the lives of many. Aside from discussing academia that has been published on this topic prior, my project will additionally include a quick guideline for being able to detect inauthentic media, and give quick points and recommendations for people that have no active media literacy training of any kind that can …

Valorisation Potential Of Microalgae As A Sustainable Source Of Lipids And Health Promoting Compounds, Bozena Mccarthy

Theses

The transition toward a circular bioeconomy requires sustainable strategies for managing and valorising food industry effluents while reducing reliance on environmentally damaging raw materials such as palm oil, which is associated with deforestation, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Microalgae represent a promising platform for converting nutrient rich industrial by-products into biomass and high-value compounds for food, nutraceutical and bio-based applications. Dairy processing generates large quantities of whey, creating environmental challenges due to its high organic load. Improved whey treatment and valorisation strategies are therefore essential for enhancing sustainability in food production systems. In this study, the biomass productivity …

Framework For Building A Social Media Marketing Strategy For Micro-Small Businesses, Joanna Byrne

Theses

Existing social media marketing literature consistently fails micro-small businesses with five or fewer staff. These sources default to models built for brands with dedicated marketing teams and large budgets. This project addresses that gap using a mixed-methods, practitioner-based action research design. It combines quantitative platform analytics with qualitative process documentation. The research covers four businesses at distinct stages of digital development: Torched Motorsport Supply, a new automotive parts retailer built from zero digital infrastructure; Byrne Diesel Performance, an established diesel shop with an unoptimized presence; Texas Best Compost, a startup developing its brand identity and digital launch disrupted by supply …

Color Shift: A Graphic Design Process Book Exploring How Color And Motion Influence Emotional Perception And Brand Connection In Affordable Women's Fashion Jewelry, Elizabeth Voight

Theses

This study examines how manipulating color and motion within a single brand identity system influences consumer emotional response and brand consistency. Using a fictional modern jewelry brand, Quanta & Co., the research isolates color as the primary variable by applying nine distinct mid-range color palettes to identical layouts, logos, and structures across both print and digital touchpoints. These collateral assets include jewelry packaging, vehicle wraps, digital advertisements, and an animated logo. A quantitative survey was executed to capture real-time audience impressions regarding brand traits, perceived quality, and the overall alignment of each color variation with the brand's identity.

The findings …

Quiet Relief: Voice In Migraine Packaging, Nicole Allgeyer

Theses

This paper explores typography as a form of nonverbal communication in pharmaceutical branding for a fictional medication called Neura by investigating how font choice, visual hierarchy, spacing, and color function as communicative tools to its viewers. This paper combines the studies of semiotics and branding to create a brand that evokes trust, calm, and clarity through a visual branding system. This study investigates visual signifiers (semiotics) such as color and type through visual analysis and implements the findings into the brand. By researching branding, I was able to create a brand that has a focused demographic and image. In creating …

Ethical Visual Truth: An Analysis On Vietnam War Photojournalism, Anna Lauryn Carmichael

Theses

This thesis examines the ethical dimensions of Vietnam War photojournalism through close analysis of four iconic photographs: Nick Ut's The Terror of War (Napalm Girl) , Eddie Adams's Saigon Execution , Catherine Leroy's Vietnam, February 1967 , and Gilles Caron's Untitled (Who's the Enemy Here?) . Rather than treating these images as transparent documentation, this thesis argues that Vietnam War photojournalism functioned as a contested medium of narrative construction, one whose most celebrated images achieved iconic status by conforming to Western visual conventions and institutional demands, rather than by capturing some unmediated truth. Drawing on the interconnected frameworks of visual …

From Grid To Freedom: A Comparative Analysis Of Canva’S Guardrails And Adobe Illustrator’S Design Flexibility, Caroline Wilmes

Theses

This project focuses on graphic design software becoming increasingly accessible and questions emerging regarding the role of professional designers and the value of industry-standard design tools. This project examines the differences between Canva, a widely used template-driven design platform, and Adobe Illustrator, a professional vector-based design application. Through a hands-on, project-based research approach, the same brand identity was developed in both programs, including a style guide, business card, website homepage mock-up, and tri-fold. The comparison focused on workflow efficiency, creative freedom, typography, color management, scalability, and production readiness.

Findings revealed that Canva excels in accessibility, speed, and ease of use …