Digital Commons Network^™

The Object Memory Palace, Amra Causevic

Theses and Dissertations

I am interested in orchestrating instances of potentiality or concrete possibilities that proposes the futurity of play through means of touch, activation, assembly, and interaction within art spaces. The installation mentioned is composed of found objects and repurposed materials that address themes of place, memory, object-ness, and the archive, through gestural means of poetics and map making. It is an invitation to create new logics and find moments of empathy, connectivity, and hopes for a collective.

“There Are Bulls And Almost Wild Horses There”: Vincent Van Gogh And The Landscape Of Saintes-Maries-De-La-Mer, Lisa E. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In May 1888, Vincent van Gogh visited the Mediterranean village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, a site with a unique environment and history. This thesis examines how the specific cultural, social, and physical space of Saintes-Maries is represented in the landscapes Van Gogh produced depicting the town.

Little Rock Urban Renewal Project Ark-4: The Demise Of West Rock, Arkansas, 1884 – 1960, Nancy Tell-Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Little Rock, Arkansas, known internationally for the Central High integration crisis of 1957, once had a vibrant African-American community known as West Rock. This thesis will reveal how Little Rock Urban Renewal PROJECT ARK-4, buttressed by complex and systematically restrictive federal, state, and city laws, and under the umbrella of slum removal, removed the population of West Rock for financial reasons. It will also establish the carefully planned demise of West Rock is an important part in the study of Little Rock’s economic growth and its ethnic history and, therefore, should be placed into Arkansas’ historical record.

Airfoil Analysis And Design Using Surrogate Models, Nicholas Alexander Michael

Theses and Dissertations

A study was performed to compare two different methods for generating surrogate models for the analysis and design of airfoils. Initial research was performed to compare the accuracy of surrogate models for predicting the lift and drag of an airfoil with data collected from highidelity simulations using a modern CFD code along with lower-order models using a panel code. This was followed by an evaluation of the Class Shape Trans- formation (CST) method for parameterizing airfoil geometries as a prelude to the use of surrogate models for airfoil design optimization and the implementation of software to use CST to modify …

Availability Of & Access To Prenatal Care & The Effects On Maternal & Infant Mortality Rates: A Comparison Of Central American Countries, Costa Rica & Guatemala, Joanne Danae Youngblood

Theses and Dissertations

Costa Rica and Guatemala share similarities in history, culture, and a relatively congruous geopolitical philosophy. Yet despite these superficial parallels, access to prenatal care between the two countries is shockingly disparate. Costa Rican women have better access to prenatal care and both the maternal and infant mortality rates are comparable to more developed countries with significantly higher rates of economic development and higher spending on healthcare per capita. In juxtaposition, the lack of prenatal care within Guatemala’s health care system is a prime example of a country’s failure to implement protections and policies that promote and elevate the level of …

The Spirit Of Columbus: Civil War Memory In The Fountain City, 1865-1880, Kevin Fabery

Theses and Dissertations

During the Civil War men and women from Columbus supported the Confederate war effort through direct military service and the Ladies Soldier’s Friend Society. After the Civil War, the women of Columbus organized the Ladies Memorial Association to beautify Linwood Cemetery and build a Confederate monument. Their efforts between the years 1865 and 1880 was marked by organization of military parades and speech readings during Confederate Memorial Day, and fundraising projects for the creation of the Columbus monument. No research has been done on the work of Columbus’ Ladies Memorial Association. This work is a historic narrative on the efforts …

Connecting To History Through Service-Learning: A Qualitative Case Study Investigating Student Engagement In Core History Courses, Kimberly D. Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Surveys have shown that students are not enthusiastic about taking history in college; some describe the discipline as boring and unnecessary. College is a setting where students are investing in themselves, exploring new knowledge to build a career, and gaining insight into the person they want to become in the future. Learning history through a traditional lecture method where memorization of names, dates, and events seems to be the norm is not appealing to students. Universities, promoting the thought that a well-rounded education is beneficial, commonly add history to the collection of general education core courses that are required for …

An Evaluation Of Environmental Concerns And Private Land Conservation Programs, Ram Kumar Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

Bottomland hardwood forests and pine forests in the southern United States provide valuable ecosystem services such as timber, recreation, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, floodwater storage, and sediment and nutrient retention. However, these forest ecosystems are threatened because of intensive forest management, forest land conversion, and urbanization. As private landownership dominates in this region, landowner participation is crucial for success of conservation programs facilitating ecosystem services. This research focused on three different aspects of private land conservation programs. First, it estimated the impact of environmental contextual factors, private land attributes and sociodemographic characteristics on landowner concern about environmental issues. Second, it …

Rankings And The Quest For Excellence In The Public Higher Education Institution, Jennifer Barrett Easley

Theses and Dissertations

Business decisions are increasingly being made in the higher education institution (HEI) based on their impact to university rankings, sometimes to the detriment of the HEI mission. HEIs are not homogenous, and rankings are inadequate on their own in capturing HEI excellence. This dissertation took a three-pronged approach in addressing quality and excellence in the HEI. First, a case study adapted the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) for a Financial Aid office in a public HEI, illustrating that, with a few modifications, the BSC is an appropriate and holistic approach to addressing quality in the HEI. The primary modification was to place …

A Bio-Inspired Classification System For Cyber-Physical-Human Identity Resolution, Mary Catherine (Kay) Michel

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has created a need for understanding complex technology and identities today. Cybercrime can take years to solve, and a systematic design may aid in more rapid resolution. Classification of identities involves the arrangement of shared qualities or characteristics known as features set expression, useful for identifying specific types of cybercriminals based on empirical evidence and logic. In order for classification of a cyber identity to be explainable and acceptable to researchers, a holistic systematic approach is beneficial to organize natural and synthetic features of living and non-living organisms into a standardized model. Proven scientific methods in the biology …

Do Individuals Have Stressful Experience Of A Future Possible Disaster In The Rio Grande Valley?, Nancy Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

The risk of exposure to natural and man-made disasters in the United States has been an increasing concern among key stakeholders. During a disaster event, individuals living in the impacted area experience destruction through personal experience. Whereas, individuals living in other parts of the country experience the disaster second-hand through media outlets such as print, news broadcast, social media, and the Internet.

This study focuses on individuals living in the Rio Grande Valley, a location that is geographically vulnerable to natural disasters including hurricanes, flooding, flash flooding, and storm surge. The study investigates whether individuals indirectly experience stress of two …

Equity Crowdfunding In The United States: Evolution, Determinants And Performance, Kenny Ozuna

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, equity crowdfunding has developed into an alternative form of early stage financing for startup firms. The main purpose of this dissertation is to understand the evolution, process and regulation of equity crowdfunding in the United States as well as assess the determinants of a successful campaign and whether this capital market lead to an enduring business.

The first essay examines the evolution, process and regulation surrounding equity crowdfunding. I establish a clear definition of crowdfunding and its restructuring of the music industry to establishing an alternative form of raising capital for nascent firms via equity crowdfunding. I …

Resisting Whiteness & White Supremacy Through Mexican American Studies, Josue Puente

Theses and Dissertations

In 2018, the Texas Board of Education approved the creation of a Mexican American Studies High School elective course. However, before this course became a reality member on the board pushed to end the course all together. Board members opposed to the creation of a Mexican American Studies course argued that the class could represent a division between different groups under the banner of “we are all Americans”. This thesis centers on the implications are from the narrative created by the social studies standards and the role these standards play in supporting whiteness and supporting white supremacy that has been …

Examining Various Aspects Of Zika Virus Dissemination In Aedes Aegypti, Ileana C. Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

South Texas is one of the few locations where Zika virus has been locally transmitted in the U.S. It has a climate which is distinct to other areas with autochthonous transmission, with extremely hot, dry summers and moderate winter temperatures. Studying mosquito transmission of Zika in a range of temperatures conditions replicating where virus transmission is occurring is essential in order to have a better understanding of transmission patterns. These factors were examined by infecting mosquitoes and monitoring the dissemination status through real-time PCR analysis.

To further characterize dissemination of Zika virus within south Texas mosquitoes a time series immunohistochemical …

Act Reading Performance And Science Performance: The Influence Of Science Teachers’ Self- Efficacy And Emphasis Of Terminology Strategies During Instruction, Sophia Bailey-Suggs

Theses and Dissertations

Reading ability impacts “high stakes” standardized tests that science students need to graduate, to enter college or to enter the work force. As a result, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require science teachers to implement vocabulary techniques amongst other reading strategies for improved content comprehension and test performance. Simple linear regression was applied to determine the effect of average ACT reading scores on average ACT science scores. Path analysis was utilized to explain the impact of science teacher self-efficacy (X1SEFF) and teaching of important terms/facts (N1TERMS) on average ACT reading scores (AVGACTREAD) and average ACT science scores (AVGACTSCI). Those …

Assessing The Environmental And Educational Value Of An Agricultural Watershed Restoration Project In Mississippi, Audrey K. Mccrary

Theses and Dissertations

With a majority of land in the United States being utilized for agricultural production, water resource conservation has become a significant topic of interest for natural resource agencies. In partnership with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mississippi State University conducted a stream restoration project within its agricultural research properties in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. Water sampling during storm-runoff events was conducted to assess changes in microbial, nutrient, and sediment concentrations and loads pre- and post-restoration. In addition to these water monitoring activities, a regional survey of Cooperative Extension Service agents with agriculture and natural resource …

Authoritative And Unbiased Responses To Geographic Queries, Naresh Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

Trust in information systems stem from two key properties of responses to queries regarding the state of the system, viz., i) authoritativeness, and ii) unbiasedness. That the response is authoritative implies that i) the provider (source) of the response, and ii) the chain of delegations through which the provider obtained the authority to respond, can be verified. The property of unbiasedness implies that no system data relevant to the query is deliberately or accidentally suppressed. The need for guaranteeing these two important properties stem from the impracticality for the verifier to exhaustively verify the correctness of every system process, and …

Nations Imagined Online: A Case Study Of The Villoux Server System, Tyler Daniel

Theses and Dissertations

Online communities have become commonplace in the modern world, developing on nearly every website and application. These communities can develop on a singular website, e.g. forums like Reddit and 4Chan where like-minded people can discuss and share ideas and websites like Facebook and Twitter which capitalize on social interactions; they develop around gaming platforms, e.g. Xbox live chat or Minecraft servers; and they can develop on applications solely developed to engage with other people, e.g. Internet relay-chatrooms and TikTok. The communities formed from these online services may differ in purpose but ultimately all function within the realm of an online …

Properties Of Four Domestic Hardwood Species, Marly Gabriela Carmona Uzcategui

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of red oak (Quercus spp.), white oak (Quercus spp.), hard maple (Acer saccharum) and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and compare them to values from past publications. Mechanical testing was conducted on small, clear, defectree specimens from red oak, white oak, hard maple and yellow-poplar following the standard ASTM D143. Percentage of latewood, moisture content, specific gravity, modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), compression parallel and perpendicular to the grain and Janka hardness were determined. Results indicated that mechanical properties for red oak, white oak, hard maple and yellow poplar …

Surface And Satellite Perspectives On Precipitation Variability Across San Salvador Island, Bahamas, Christana Landress

Theses and Dissertations

Located in the subtropical central-eastern Bahamas, San Salvador Island is impacted by both synoptic-scale weather systems as well as local features and the North Atlantic Subtropical High. This study explores rainfall variability via one year of daily rain gauge observations in relation to daily weather patterns identified from 18 UTC surface analyses. Satellite-derived rainfall estimates are then compared to gauge observations to look at days when gauge data was missing. Though non-synoptic classifications comprised 61.1% of the days and synoptic classifications comprised 38.9% of the days, more rainfall was produced by synoptic days. Unlike other studies done on San Salvador, …

The Construction And Use Of An Economic Model For Prospective Forest Products Manufacturing Facilities In Mississippi, John William Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, capital investment amounts into Mississippi’s forest products industry have been disproportionate compared with those in neighboring states. Reasons for this have been casually hypothesized, but the topic has not been researched in depth. An economic model has been developed that will aid stakeholders in examining and addressing this issue. The model utilizes county-level data related to southern yellow pine (SYP) lumber manufacturing in tandem with a linear programming solver to produce estimates of annual costs for a SYP sawmill built in any southeastern county. Early results suggest that Mississippi has been an underutilized location for investments in SYP lumber …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of The Mississippi Agriculture In The Classroom Program On Elementary Students’ Agricultural Literacy Levels, Alyssa Hutcheson

Theses and Dissertations

Currently, the United States faces a time where the majority of the population is illiterate about the origins of their food. Thus, the population is considered to be agriculturally illiterate. Agricultural illiteracy allows skewed and misconceived agricultural information to infiltrate the populations’ beliefs about how their food is made. The United States Department of Agriculture along with the National Research Council have taken the initiative to start programs like the National Agriculture in the Classroom program to help combat low agricultural literacy levels. This study observes agricultural literacy levels in elementary students in Mississippi before and after new and existing …

Exporting Reconstruction: Civilization, Citizenship, And Republicanism During The Grant Administration, 1869-1877, Ryan Patrick Semmes

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines Ulysses S. Grant’s Reconstruction policy, both the domestic and foreign policies, as an integrated whole. He focused on the broad application of citizenship rights, not only for African Americans in the South, but for all peoples in the United States’ sphere of influence. The centerpiece of Grant’s Reconstruction policy was the “Grant Doctrine,” articulated in his 1869 memorandum considering whether to annex the Dominican Republic to the United States. In it, Grant delineated his determination to export the republican policies of Reconstruction to the Caribbean by the acquisition of the island territory. Grant envisioned exporting the ideals …

Priviledge And Place: An Exploratory Study About Healthcare Bypass Behavior, Jorden Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Bypass, or utilizing healthcare outside of one’s community rather than local healthcare, can have serious consequences on rural healthcare availability, quality, and outcomes. Previous studies of the likelihood of healthcare bypass used various individual and community characteristics. This study includes measures for individuals and communities, as well as place-based characteristics. We introduce the social vulnerability of place index (SoVI)—a well-established measure in disaster literature—into healthcare studies to further explain the impact of place on healthcare selection behavior. Additionally, with the use of qualitative data, this study explains why people choose to bypass. By including each of these measures, this study …

Social Networks, The Local Food Environment, And Maternal Food Choice For Children Ages 1 To 5 Years Old In Rural Mexico, Ligia Ivette Reyes

Theses and Dissertations

Children’s nutrition is largely determined by the food choices their primary caregivers make. Food choice for children has important implications for nutrition, development, and the dietary habits and preferences that are formed during early life food exposure. Little is known about the food environments in which food choices are made and the role of social networks in maternal food choice during habit- and preference-forming years in contexts undergoing nutrition transitions and facing the double burden of malnutrition. The overall objective of this study was to gain an indepth understanding about how mothers, as primary caregivers, make food choices for their …

Remote Sensing And Social Sensing For Improved Flood Awareness And Exposure Analysis In The Big Data Era, Xiao Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Floods are among the most devastating hazards on Earth, posing great threats to a large amount of population in the world. As the severity and frequency of flood events have noticeably increased, there is a growing need to improve the flood awareness and exposure analysis to assist flood mitigation. Fortunately, the Era of Big Data has fostered many innovative spatial data sources as well as spatial data analytics. This dissertation advances the existing flood monitoring studies by obtaining enhanced flood awareness via the development of a data fusion enable and deep learning supported flood monitoring framework that systematically integrates remotely …

A Return To Turtle Island: Eco-Cosmopolitics In American Indian Literature, 1880-1920, Kristen Brown

Theses and Dissertations

During opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), the Lakota words mni wičoni, “water is life,” came to define the ongoing movement at Standing Rock and serve as a reminder of not only humans’ dependence on interconnected ecological communities, but also of the vitality and sentience in more-than-human beings. Looking to Indigenous author-activists producing texts in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries— when colonial ideologies of land exploitation and Indigenous dispossession were codified by federal policy—provides valuable insight into the tensions between these land-ascommodity and land-as-community worldviews. While scholars like literary and cultural theorist Joni Adamson and anthropologist Marisol …

Time’S Up: How Opera Is Facing Its Own Me Too Reckoning, Craig Price

Theses and Dissertations

Opera as an artform has a very misogynistic history. Many of the most beloved works in the standard repertory involve female characters as victims of violence, or an abuse of power by male characters. These works have recently been cast in a different light, in part due to a greater cultural awareness inspired by the “Me Too” movement. This study was executed to explore productions of standard repertory operas around the world, and how they have been handled in light of current culture. The study examines popularly performed operas Carmen, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and …

Septentrionalism: Whiteness And 19th Century Representations Of Scandinavia, Madison Elisabeth Boland

Theses and Dissertations

During the nineteenth century, the British Empire grappled with a rapidly changing world, both in terms of the industrializing landscape at home and the multi-ethnic nature of their expanding empire. With native white British making up the privileged minority, the understanding of what a subject of the British Empire looked like began to change, contributing to racial anxieties and a rise in British nationalism. To consolidate and strengthen their sense of national identity, many white Victorians sought to define Britishness upon racially exclusive lines, prioritizing a Germanic or Anglo-Saxon ethnicity above all others, including other European ethnicities. One way the …

International Conflict, Political Leaders, And Accountability, William Thomas Christiansen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role that an individual leader’s background (e.g. what they did before gaining power) plays in public evaluations of their performance managing international conflicts. I propose a novel theory arguing domestic audience members (e.g. the citizens of a leader’s state paying attention to international conflicts) heuristically analyze the competence of a leader by examining their professional and educational background. Once audience members determine whether a leader is competent, they use these judgments to inform whether a given leader deserves blame or credit for the outcome of a given conflict. I find support for this theory by fielding …