Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Hybrid Multi Criteria Decision Making Techniques For Efficient Cloud Service Selection, Obulaporam Gireesha

Theses and Dissertations

During the past few decades, cloud computing became a primary driver for the next generation of digital technology due to the increase in organizational performance and profitability based on a ‘pay-as-you-use’ fashion at anytime and anywhere across the globe. Cloud computing enables various enterprises to access pooled resources (like storage, network bandwidth, software applications, processing power, etc.) over the Internet with minimal Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and capital expenditure.

Indeed, the enormous popularity of cloud computing in both academia & industry over the decade has resulted in a wide range of similar cloud services offered by numerous service providers. Even …

Economics And Risk Of Catfish Production Strategies, Morgan Christine Cheatham

Theses and Dissertations

US catfish producers, seeking to reduce production costs, adopted technologies and production systems with the potential to increase the catfish pond productivity. Catfish pond intensification was accompanied by increased operating risk due to increased reliance on operating inputs. Split ponds were one adopted production system. The US catfish industry has adopted four split-pond variants differentiated by water circulation mechanism. Variants include the slow-rotating paddlewheel, the modified paddlewheel aerator, the screw pump, and the axial-flow turbine pump. Initial investment ranged from $54,400/4-ha ponds to $71,150/4-ha pond. Mean annual gross fish yield ranged from 12,876 kg/ha to 16,984 kg/ha. Net returns were …

Common-Mode Emi Characterization And Mitigation In Networked Power Electronics-Enabled Power Systems, Ashik Amin

Theses and Dissertations

Rapidly-increasing medium-voltage power electronics applications in emerging industry systems, including electrical ships, more electric aircraft, and microgrids, have emphasized the critical need for highly energy-efficient, reliable, and fast switching devices. As a result, Wide-Bandgap (WBG) devices have gained considerable interest over conventional silicon-based switches in recent years. For example, emerging WBG devices have unlocked new dimensions for modern motor drive systems with increased efficiency, switching frequency, and superior power density. Commercially-developed WBG devices such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) offer promising opportunities to meet those pressing requirements. However, the fast switching operation of WBG devices may cause …

Stochastic Programming Models And Algorithms To Improve Resiliency In A Biomass Supply Chain, Jay Artil

Theses and Dissertations

Biomass-based CHP (bCHP) can provide reliable electricity in remote and rural areas because it is an on-site generation resource, and it is designed to support continued operations in the event of a disaster. However, the benefits of such facilities can only be realized if a reliable and economical feedstock supply system is designed, given the system not only efficiently transports biomass under normal scenarios (e.g., when depots and transportation links are functioning properly) but also hedges against unexpected infrastructure/transportation link failures due to severe weather events (e.g., hurricanes). To serve this purpose, this study proposes a three-stage stochastic programming model …

The Role Of High-Resolution Dataset On Developing Of Coastal Wind-Driven Waves Model In Low Energy System, Ramin Baghbani

Theses and Dissertations

The spatial variation of wave climate plays a crucial role in erosion, sediment transport, and the design of management actions in coastal areas. Low energy wave systems occur frequently and over a wide range of geographical areas. There is a lack of studies assessing wave model performance in low-energy environments at a regional scale. Therefore, this research aims to model a low energy wave system using a high-resolution dataset. The specific objectives of this study involves 1) using cluster analysis and extensive field measurements to understand the spatial behavior of ocean waves, 2) develop a physics based model of wind-driven …

The Impact Of A Summer Bridge Program At A Public Land-Grant University In The Southeastern Region On The Retention Of First-Time Black Students, Marcus Isaiah Brumfield

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few decades, there has been a push to retain and increase URM student participation in STEM fields. To address this need, there are STEM Summer Bridge programs that specifically target underrepresented minority (URM) students to assist with the transition from high school to college. Summer bridge programs were established as a response to the effort to help with the transition from high school to college for first-time students. There are a number of these programs that specifically target URM students with the goal of increasing the diversity within professions that are related to the STEM areas of …

Resource Sharing In Secure Distributed Systems, Trisha Chakraborty

Theses and Dissertations

Allocating resources in computer systems is a significant challenge due to constraints on resources, coordinating access to those resources, and tolerating malicious behavior. This dissertation investigates two fundamental problems concerning resource allocation. The first addresses the general challenge of sharing server resources among multiple clients, where an adversary may deny the availability of these resources; this is known as a denial-of-service (DoS) attack. Here, we propose a deterministic algorithm that employs resource burning (RB)—the verifiable expenditure of a network resource—to defend against DoS attacks. Specifically, our solution forces an adversary to incur higher RB costs compared to legitimate clients. Next, …

Quantum Task Mapping For Large-Scale Heterogenous Computing Systems, Mackenzie Danyel Ellenberger

Theses and Dissertations

Heterogeneous computing (HC) systems are essential parts of modern-day computing architectures such as cloud, cluster, grid, and edge computing. Many algorithms exist within the classical environment for mapping computational tasks to the HC system’s nodes, but this problem is not well explored in the quantum area. In this work, the practicality, accuracy, and computation time of quantum mapping algorithms are compared against eleven classical mapping algorithms. The classical algorithms used for comparison include A-star (A*), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Simulated Annealing (SA), Genetic Simulated Annealing (GSA), Opportunistic Load Balancing (OLB), Minimum Completion Time (MCT), Minimum Execution Time (MET), Tabu, Min-min, Max-min, …

Producing College And Career Ready Graduates In Rural High Poverty School Districts, Hilute Hudson Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the crucial task of equipping students from rural and poverty-stricken school districts for success beyond high school. While conventional markers of academic achievement often center around standardized testing, this study takes a wider perspective, emphasizing comprehensive approaches to education. By conducting a quantitative analysis that includes surveys of staff and faculty, this research explores the effectiveness of different strategies aimed at nurturing college and career readiness among students in these districts. The findings demonstrate a powerful narrative: educators can greatly improve graduation rates and post-graduation success by going beyond traditional test preparation methods. Key strategies include …

An Examination Of Middle School And High School Special Education Students In Inclusion Classrooms Employing Co-Teaching Model, Antwaunette Jones-Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that all school districts provide a free appropriate public education to students with Individualized Education Plans in their least restrictive environment. Co-teaching in inclusion classrooms is a collaborative effort, with a general education teacher and a special education teacher, to provide academic and behavioral support to students with disabilities with their non-disabled peers. A review of the literature identified several studies conducted over the years that document the effects of employing co-teaching models in inclusion classrooms for middle school special education students and high school special education students. The purpose of this qualitative …

Socioeconomic Status And Rural Community College Students’ Academic Outcomes, Robert Jason Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if differences exist in academic achievement based on student SES as measured by grade point average (GPA), credit hours earned, and completion of the academic year for rural community college students enrolled during the 2018-19 academic year. The study used existing data from a multi-campus rural community college located in the Southeastern region of the United States. To answer the research questions, existing data were collected from this community college. The independent variable collected was SES, as measured by Pell grant eligibility. The dependent variables collected included GPA, credit hours, …

Exploring The Relationship Between Network Topology And Braess Paradox, Samuel Giftson Prabhakar

Theses and Dissertations

The Braess Paradox is a rare phenomenon that only occurs under specific scenarios. This project aims to study the probability of the Braess Paradox occurring in a Directed Weighted Graph while the number of edges increases. The graphs in the experiment are focused on studying the occurrence of the Braess Paradox in a directed weighted scale-free network while transforming it into a directed weighted complete graph. A simulation model is used to simulate the bots traveling through a network to detect the occurrence of the Braess Paradox, considering the increase of directed weighted edges. A Graph Neural Network (GNN) is …

Inclusion: Survey Of Mississippi General And Special Education Teachers View And Experiences In An Inclusion Classroom, Patricia Ratliff

Theses and Dissertations

Considering the significance of integrating students with disabilities into general education classes in Mississippi, it is critical to identify the methods by which co-teachers report working together, whether they have obtained the needed professional development, and which teaching model they employ in the inclusion classroom. This data can facilitate the assessment and efficacy of inclusive practices and offer valuable insights into potential areas requiring enhancement. Furthermore, by gaining insight into the experiences of co-teachers, future training initiatives and assistance for educators in advocating for the effective integration of students with disabilities can be enhanced. The purpose of this research was …

A Modular Compact Kw-Class Ipos Dc-Dc Converter For Pulsed Power Applications, Walker Joseph Thames

Theses and Dissertations

Pulsed power systems are concerned with the delivery of significant amounts of power in a greatly condensed time frame. To achieve this, energy is often stored in a capacitor, where it can be rapidly discharged. Certain applications require repeated charging and discharging of the load capacitor in a specifically modulated manner; special power electronics systems must be developed for these situations. Existing systems on the market sacrifice a small form factor for greater pulsed power output. The proposed design outlines the development of a compact pulsed power capacitor charger capable of charging a load capacitor to high voltages at a …

Setting The Table: A Study Of Grassroots Organization Political Training Program And Black Women Interests To Run For Local Government., Adrian Shonna Tillman

Theses and Dissertations

The comparative study aims to assess the efficacy of grassroots organizations that provide political training programs for Black women to equip them for local office candidacy. An online survey was performed among alums to assess the influence of enrolling in these programs on participants' aspirations to pursue and actively run for local office. The alum survey comprised thirty-four questions to evaluate if Black women had obtained the essential abilities for political candidacy. The poll aims to determine the perceived strengths, problems, and opportunities for Black women participating in political leadership training programs. The surveys aimed to collect important information about …

Integrating Building Information Modeling (Bim) And Blockchain Technology In The Pre-Construction Planning Processes, Abdul Wahab

Theses and Dissertations

Adopting new technologies is a relatively slow process in the construction industry due to the nature of activities involved in construction projects. However, with the current evolution in Information Technology (IT) and other computing technologies it is essential to incorporate them into the construction world to enhance and upgrade some critical activities to yield higher accuracy and productivity. The current literature provides a good overview of the construction industry's modern technology. Still, it lacks specific details about the factors that contribute the most in the two pre-construction processes, i.e., cost estimation and contracts. Therefore, this dissertation expands the current literature …

Choosing A Foundational Mathematics Course In Higher Education: How Is The Decision Made?, Heather Marie Wood

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research used the tenants of phenomenological research to structure a study that begins to identify faculty coordinator’s decision processes in selecting a general education mathematics course. In this study, I examined the question if a faculty member's experiences or beliefs had any influence on the decision process. The interviews occurred with faculty in degree programs grouped by the following a) no specific mathematics requirements (e.g., Humanities) degree programs, b) mathematics-light degree programs (e.g., Social Sciences) and c) mathematics-intensive degrees (e.g., Computer Science). The results of this study are varied but suggest that faculty tasked making decisions on mathematics …

Hydrologic Connectivity Between Oxbow Lakes And Rivers Within The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Hafez Ahmad

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated hydrologic connectivity, the intricate network of water pathways linking waterbodies, and its implications for biodiversity exchange in floodplains. Chapter 1 provides an exhaustive literature review encompassing factors influencing hydrologic connectivity, assessment approaches, scales, challenges, and management tools. Existing research often focuses on single scales and short-term periods, revealing a need for comprehensive multi-scale and extended temporal analyses. The absence of standardized definitions and methodologies in this field is also considered. Chapter 2 presents an innovative approach quantifying eight key connectivity metrics using remote sensing and GIS within the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV). This adaptable method assesses …

Fabrication And Testing Of A Stitched Sandwich Composite Main Landing Gear Door, Mary Dimitroff

Theses and Dissertations

Lightweight sandwich composite structures exhibit high strength and bending stiffness and have been used in various load-bearing aerospace structures. A primary weakness of these structures is the low interfacial strength that can result in the disbonding between the facesheet and the core. Through-thickness reinforcement techniques, such as stitching, can be utilized to improve the interfacial strength of sandwich composites. This study focuses on fabrication and structural testing of stitched sandwich composite main landing gear (MLG) strut doors. The MLG strut doors are constructed from carbon fiber non-crimp fabric facesheets and closed-cell foam core that are stitched using a modified lock …

Common Mode Electromagnetic Interference Attenuation For Dc/Ac Inverters Using Enhanced Sinusoidal Frequency Modulation Technique, Dinh Le

Theses and Dissertations

Common mode (CM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) can compromise electronics systems, interfere with communication systems, and degrade mechanical systems. Multiple inverters can also generate excessive CM EMI that often exceeds individual inverter EMI standards. Due to their weight, volume, cost, and suboptimal performance, active and passive filters and chokes are inefficient as EMI mitigation options. By utilizing frequency modulation (FM) or spread spectrum frequency modulation (SSFM), EMI energy is dispersed. In spite of not requiring expensive, bulky, and heavy filters, these techniques produce significant ripples in output voltages and currents. This dissertation uses enhanced sinusoidal frequency modulation to reduce CM EMI …

Effectiveness Of Omeka Virtual Collections For Engaging Dunn-Seiler Museum’S Middle School Audiences, Amanda Mayo

Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed effectiveness of the Dunn-Seiler Museum's Omeka Virtual Platform by comparing student learning after virtual and hands-on informal outreach activities. The research, conducted in two Mississippi middle schools, focused on students’ (N=99) content gains and affective responses when engaging with fossil specimens that illustrate shifts in sea levels in Mississippi’s geological past. Data were categorized into three sections: content, affective response, and drawing portion. This mixed-methods research encompassed scoring student tests, coding student drawings, and identifying stable themes through teacher interviews. Analysis of pre-and post-tests for Control (hands-on) and Experimental (virtual specimens) groups revealed no significant differences in …

Collectors Versus Non-Collectors With Hoarding Symptoms, Caitlyn A. Nix

Theses and Dissertations

Research assessing the diagnostic criteria for hoarding disorder has firmly differentiated hoarding disorder from normative collecting. However, there has been no examination of non-normative collecting – that is, collectors that experience elevated hoarding symptoms. The current study utilized an online survey to explore differences between self-identified collectors (n = 140) and non-collectors (n = 169) in externalized hoarding symptoms, saving cognitions, and psychosocial functioning. Collectors reported higher general self-efficacy and higher need for control of items than non-collectors. Hoarding symptoms were not significantly different between collectors and non-collectors. These results suggest that identifying as a collector does not significantly change …

Development Of A Framework To Completely Quantify Airfield Pavement Serviceability, Timothy Allen Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a new concept for measuring airport pavement condition that consolidates measures of Foreign Object Damage (FOD), skid resistance, and smoothness into a single number. This research verified that FOD, skid resistance, and smoothness are necessary and sufficient to completely describe airport pavement serviceability and proposed a mathematical framework to reduce these properties to a single number describing the serviceability of the pavement. Serviceability was defined as “meeting the expectations of the user.” An extensive review of standards, regulations, and research indicated these components are each an expectation of the various types of airport pavement user. …

An Examination Of Teacher Candidates’ Planning Processes As They Seek To Integrate Technology Into Disciplinary Literacy Instruction, Kimberly O. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Demands of the workplace and society have made 21st-century knowledge and skills critical elements for success. As a result, the role of teachers in adequately preparing students to meet these demands continues to grow. National and state standards also call for increased attention to multimodal reading and writing. Today’s teachers must have the skills to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning, supporting student development of digital reading and writing skills. Unfortunately, many teachers do not feel adequately prepared to do this (Hutchison & Reinking, 2011). Teacher education preparation programs must intentionally design programs to prepare teacher candidates for this …

Mitigating Delay And Coupling Effects In A High-Speed Pmsm Drive Using An Optimal Multivariable Control Approach, Kazi Nishat Tasnim

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, an optimal multivariable current control method is presented for the highspeed permanent magnet synchronous motor (HS-PMSM). The HS-PMSMs have growing applications in the industry. One of their major challenges is the low switching to fundamental frequency ratio (SFR). At high speed and low SFR, the control time delays including the digital, the PWM, and sensor delays become more pronounced and lead to oscillations and even instabilities. A well-known method for delay compensation is to advance the phase angle of control input for a known amount. In practice, the exact delay is unknown, and mismatch in the compensating …

Towards Carbon Dioxide Reduction: Synthesis And Characterization Of Ccc-Nhc Pincer Iron Complexes., Joshua Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

The industrial revolution came with its downside of emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The NOAA reported in 2019 that, of the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, CO2 contributed to about 80% of the increased greenhouse gases hence the need for CO2 Sequestering and Storage (CSS) and ultimately leading to Carbon Capture and Recycling (CCR) as a viable option to convert CO2 into useful forms. The race to find the best catalyst for CCR has led to the synthesis of many organometallic compounds. Pincer complexes catalyzed CO2 reduction has gained notoriety recently because of the tunability and robustness …

Optimal Multi-Target Navigation In Complex Environments Via Generalized Voronoi Diagram Graph Structures, Brandon Black

Theses and Dissertations

With many robots now being developed for indoor settings, an autonomous mobile robot should be capable of reaching multiple targets within a dense, complex environment while maintaining the optimal path taken and avoiding all obstacles. In this thesis, we propose a global path planning algorithm that uses data created from a Generalized Voronoi Diagram (GVD) to traverse complex environments. The global route is made from the skeleton of the diagram that ensures the avoidance of static obstacles. Once this route is determined, dynamic programming is used to determine the optimal route to reach each target location while safely navigating obstacles …

Derivations On Smooth Hensel-Steinitz Algebras, Shelley David Hebert

Theses and Dissertations

I define and analyze the Hensel-Steinitz algebra ����(��), a crossed product C∗-algebra associated with multiplication maps on continuous functions on the ring of ��-adic integers. In ����(��), I define an ideal and identify it with a known algebra. From this, I construct a short exact sequence conveying the structure of the algebras. I further identify smooth subalgebras within both ����(��) and its ideal, classify derivations on those algebras, and compare the classification with derivations on other smooth algebras. I also analyze the algebras associated with multiplication maps based on the multiplier being a root of unity, not a root of …

Disruptors And Resilience Capabilities Of Pharmaceutical Supply Chains Exposed To Rare Catastrophic Disasters: Case Studies Of One Localized And One Global Disaster, Jeanne-Marie Elizabeth Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, rare catastrophic disasters have triggered pharmaceutical supply chain disruptions, resulting in product shortages and other problems that have negatively impacted healthcare delivery. Since the health sector is part of many nations’ critical infrastructure, ensuring minimal disruption in the supporting supply chains is an essential aspect of national security. While traditional risk management approaches have proven adequate for handling independent routine operational risks, these methods are inadequate for infrequent disruptive risks that propagate further risks, producing a domino effect in complex systems. Since today’s pharmaceutical supply chains have many characteristics of complex systems, elucidating the disruptive risks and …

Effect Of Pressure On Viscoplasticity And Its Usefulness In Designing Impact Devices, Marouane Jarachi

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the interactions between impact devices and material response in the realm of solid mechanics, utilizing explicit finite element analysis and experimental methods based on the split-hopkinson pressure bar. It focuses on understanding how tools like jackhammers use hammer strikes to generate pressure waves, then the wave is transferred through a chisel to materials such as rocks to cause fracture. The interaction between the wave and the rock is complex. Under dynamic loading the mechanical response of materials changes and significant losses occur due to reflections and inefficient pressure states. This research explores how chisel geometry can be …