Will Beauty Save The Brain? Exploring The Relationship Between Eudaimonic Reels Exposure And Egyptian Gen Z'S Mind And Motivations, Petra Zaky

Theses and Dissertations

Social media entertaining content includes a mixed bag of the meaningful and the trivial. For Generation Z, whose favorite daily entertainment is shallow yet funny short-form videos (reels), there is often an invisible price paid. The loss of ability to watch long meaningful videos, distractedness from self, “Brain Rot”, glamorizing of hedonism are among the maladies left behind the attractive rabbit hole of their daily media diet. This study explores the relationship between exposure to meaningful reels, in contrast to pleasurable reels, and Gen Z’s reflective thinking, “Brain Rot” symptoms, motivation to watch long meaningful videos and life motivations between …

Fathers’ Footprints: The Role Of The Father-Son Relationship In Shaping Men’S Experience And Expression Of Anger In Egypt, Lydia E. Wassef

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

In many Egyptian families, the father holds a central position as an authority figure, a protector, and a provider, yet often remains emotionally reserved and relationally distant. The emotional legacy of paternal acceptance or rejection extends into adulthood, shaping patterns of emotional regulation. Particularly, the father-son relationship plays a fundamental role in shaping men’s experiences and expressions of anger. Within cultural contexts discouraging vulnerability and associating masculinity with strength and emotional restraint, anger may become one of the few socially acceptable modes of emotional expression for men. This study positions these dynamics within the cultural context of fatherhood in …

The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Enhancing Arabic Regional Tv News Stations, Engy Mohamed Elzakazeky

Theses and Dissertations

Arabic regional TV news stations have started using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for facilitating journalism work, coping with technology, and engaging audiences, as a result of the digital transformation in the television industry. This study examines how Arab regional TV news stations are incorporating AI into their operations, including its uses, opportunities, and limitations, in its early stages, through in-depth interviews with 14 media professionals in 13 Arab news stations. By reflecting on their own experiences, a purposive sample of news editors, managing editors, and graphic designers employed by news channels were interviewed. These media professionals were able …

Gatekeeping As Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency In European Union Migration Management, Nadine Omar Elkady

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how Morocco has leveraged migration as an instrument in its relation with the European Union (EU). Following the Arab Spring, Morocco has utilized this opportunity to implement its own agenda and bargain with the EU on prevention tactics for irregular migration. I argue that cooperation for migration management between the EU and Morocco is built on bargaining processes and tactics from Morocco, which has shifted power dynamics from being merely a passive actor to a key player. Morocco's cooperation reflects calculated bargaining strategies rather than a response to the EU pressure. The research utilizes qualitative methodology, combining …

The Style Of Decision: Consumer Wisdom And The Mediating Role Of The Heuristic-Systematic Model Of Information Processing In Clothes Shopping, Nourane Sakr

Theses and Dissertations

Rationality and emotions are often treated as opposing forces in decision-making. Yet what if the more productive question is not which one prevails, but how a balance between the two might be achieved? Wisdom offers precisely this kind of integrative paradigm. Wisdom is a central trait for self-development; yet, little has been explored on Consumer Wisdom from a communications perspective. The theory has been initially examining ecology principles with an extensive space in consumer behavior and marketing practices. This research approaches consumer wisdom in online fashion advertising context whilst understanding the common information processing modes; evoked by the mediation of …

Breaking The Silence: A Content And Expert Analysis Of The 2025 Ramadan Series Lam Shamseya's Framing And Subversion Of Child Sexual Abuse Discourse In Egypt, Maya Abouelnasr

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes how the 2025 Egyptian TV series Lam Shamseya served as a sociocultural intervention and awareness platform for reframing and subverting the typical child sexual abuse (CSA) discourse in Egypt. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study triangulates framing theory and two complementary tools of the critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the circuit of culture model through a scene-level content analysis of 304 scenes across all 15 episodes of the series and ten semi-structured interviews with media experts, media practitioners, and psychologists. Key findings include reported corroboration of subversion of traditional tropes and archetypes, as well as reframing of …

A Parallelized Multi-Component Radiation Testing Methodology For Systems-On-Chip, Weston M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

As the space industry expands, there is an increased reliance on system on chip (SoC) devices in high radiation environments. The reliability of these devices becomes crucial, especially in space applications. The industry's rapid growth has led to a massive expansion in the use of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components. Electronic systems are vulnerable to single event upsets (SEUs) and the failure modes caused by SEUs are not fully understood, especially for COTS SoCs. Standard radiation testing techniques of SEUs use a single core of a multi-core processor to monitor bit flips. In this work, we present a parallelized radiation testing …

Collaborative Practices Of School-Based Professionals In Conducting Multilingual Assessments, Megan Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

The current study evaluates the perceived best practices and current actual practices of school-based professionals in interprofessional collaboration and in conducting multilingual assessments. The participants consisted of 341 professionals from across the United States in the following groups: speech language pathologists (SLPs), assistants, special education teachers, general education teachers, specialists, school psychologists, and administration. Participants responded to an online Qualtrics survey with a total of 74 possible items regarding demographics, caseload, multilingual assessment practices and beliefs, and interprofessional collaboration practices and beliefs. Results were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicate that participants recognize the need for interprofessional collaboration …

Developing Custom High Resolution 3d Printers For Microfluidic Device Fabrication, Dallin Scott Miner

Theses and Dissertations

The advancement of microfluidics in biomedical diagnostics and lab-on-a-chip systems is increasingly dependent on the ability to fabricate complex, three-dimensional architectures with high-resolution negative features. While Digital Light Processing Stereolithography (DLP-SLA) has emerged as a leading fabrication method, it remains constrained by a fundamental trade-off between feature resolution and build volume, as well as challenges regarding fabrication consistency and design accessibility. This dissertation presents an integrated ecosystem of hardware, materials, and software designed to overcome these barriers and enable scalable, high-resolution microfluidic fabrication. We first introduce a novel multi-resolution 3D printing technique utilizing a dual-optical engine architecture, comprising a Very …

Speech Motor Variability In Typical Speakers With Blocked, Predictable, And Unpredictable Stimulus Order, Jocelyn L. Turley

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect on spatiotemporal variability of speech in reading threesyllable, five-syllable, and eight-syllable phrases in blocked, predictable, or unpredictable order. This was done to address the need in the field for a greater understanding of the interactions of stimulus length and stimulus presentation order. The experiment was completed with 35 typically speaking young adult participants. Participants read variable stimuli in the different presentation orders to measure the spatiotemporal variability in different conditions with electromagnetic articulography and audio recording software tracking their speech. The statistical analysis main condition effect revealed a significant impact on all phrase lengths between …

Effects Of A Complexity-Based Approach For Treatment Of Be Verbs In Children With Developmental Language Disorder: A Single-Case Design, Megan Shawnee Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine whether a complexity-based treatment approach improves the production of BE verb structures in a child with developmental language disorder (DLD). One school-age child with morphosyntactic deficits participated in a single-case AB experimental design. Treatment targeted a complex structure (auxiliary BE questions), and performance was measured using experimental probes, a narrative language sample, and the Test of Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI). Results indicate a functional relationship between treatment and increased accuracy of the treated structure, with a medium effect size (τ = .695, p = .019). In addition, the participant demonstrated generalization to …

Prosodic Characteristics Of People With Moderate Broca's Aphasia: Measures Of Pitch And Intensity, Morgan Smith Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Aphasia is an acquired neurogenic language disorder commonly treated by speech language pathologists (SLPs). People with aphasia (PWA) experience various language deficits which impact their ability to effectively communicate with their environment. One of these deficits which impacts individuals with non-fluent aphasia is dysprosody. The purpose of this study is to acoustically evaluate the pitch and intensity of individuals with moderate Broca's aphasia along with age and gender matched control participants across a variety of task types in order to help SLPs better understand how to effectively assess and treat prosody in PWA. This study is an extension of Pickard …

Evaluating C-Band Scatterometer Images For Estimating Deforestation In The Amazon Rainforest, Alex Mcbride

Theses and Dissertations

Satellite-based active microwave sensors have been successfully employed for a wide range of vegetation and soil studies. Spaceborne microwave instruments have proven particularly useful for wide-scale monitoring of the vegetation, especially under conditions that limit the effectiveness of high-resolution optical sensors. Satellite scatterometry can be used to detect and model deforestation in the Amazon rainforest by correlating changes in the C-band backscatter data to observed changes in vegetation coverage. The exploratory methodology developed in this paper applies the longest continuous microwave satellite record to the problem of deforestation. The backscatter measurements taken by the ERS and ASCAT missions provide more …

Lack Of Effects Of Autistic Traits On Adjunct Control Processing, Alyssa Crezee

Theses and Dissertations

Autism has effects on social, communication, and information processing factors (American Psychological Association, 2022; Happé & Frith, 2006). Sentence processing is a type of information processing that synthesizes both discourse and local information (e.g., syntactic and morphological). This thesis explores potential effects of autistic traits on sentence processing in the context of adjunct control structures. In a two-part study, adult English L1 participants (n=118) were administered a self-paced-reading (SPR) task with comprehension and acceptability questions for task 1. Task 2 consisted of an online survey containing three standardized autism questionnaires: the Autism Quotient (AQ; Baron-Cohen et al, 2001), the Broad …

Examining The Effects Of A Complexity-Based Treatment For One Child With Down Syndrome Using Single-Case Design, Markelle Luddington

Theses and Dissertations

Common language difficulties observed in English-speaking children with Down syndrome (DS) and developmental language disorder (DLD) include challenges with marking tense and agreement on verbs, particularly with BE verbs. In addition, difficulties with syntactic movement may further exacerbate these challenges, often resulting in increased omission errors. A complexity-based approach to treatment target selection has been suggested as one method to address these needs. Therefore, this single-case design study examined the effects of a complexity-based treatment approach for one participant with Down syndrome. Specifically, this study investigated the effects of targeting a more complex treated structure, auxiliary BE questions, and the …

Sequencing Of Chenopodium A-Genome Diploids To Identify Potential Mechanisms Of Speciation: A Preliminary Study, Riley Roser

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Chenopodium is of increasing significance, mainly due to allotetraploid quinoa (C. quinoa Willd.,2x = 4x =36, AABB genome) becoming globally recognized for its high nutritional value and tolerance for stress. Diploid A-genome relatives of quinoa in the Western Hemisphere have shown speciation patterns congruent to adaptive radiation, particularly in the North American continent, where a number inhabit ecological niches while others form mixed populations where they are sympatric. Characterization of the genetic mechanism(s) underlying this rapid speciation, could clarify their potential usefulness for improving quinoa . Previous whole-genome assemblies of AA diploids C. watsonii A. Watson and C. …

Exploring The Impact Of Leadership Development On The Sense Of Belonging Among Collegiate Black Men, Todd Lamont Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study used Strayhorn’s Sense of Belonging Model (2018) to examine how collegiate Black men experienced affirmation, connection, and mattering through participation in Leaders of the Free World (LFW), a culturally grounded program integrating mentoring, leadership development, and short term study abroad. Through semi structured interviews, a focus group, and document analysis, five themes emerged: (1) Global Exposure and Cultural Heritage, (2) Identity Development, (3) Academic Realignment, (4) Mentoring and Relationship Growth, and (5) Leadership Capacity Building. Findings show that LFW fostered the core belonging conditions Strayhorn (2018) identifies: psychological safety, meaningful relationships, validation, and institutional navigation support. …

U.S. Black Men’S Perceptions Of The Similarities And Interplay Among Mind-Body Practices, Spirituality, And Religion: A Qualitative Study, Khanh Pham

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored U.S. Black men’s perceptions of relations among mind-body practices (MBPs), spirituality, and religion to understand how these factors might influence Black men’s health. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze data from individual semi-structured interviews with 18 Black male MBP instructors. Five themes were generated. The themes were (1) spirit(uality) is the foundation for Black men’s experience of life seen and unseen, (2) MBPs and religion are rooted in spirituality, (3) MBPs, religion, and Black culture share common characteristics, (4) MBPs and religion facilitate holistic wellbeing, and (5) confusion and negative perceptions about MBPs, spirituality, and …

Context-Sensitive Control-Flow Analysis For Non-Standard Language Semantics, Tim Whiting

Theses and Dissertations

Control-Flow Analysis (CFA) is a static technique for understanding the execution of higher-order programs without running the code. CFA aids in identifying bugs, assisting program comprehension, and exposing optimization opportunities. Constructing a CFA typically begins with an idealized evaluator--such as an abstract machine or interpreter--and proceeds by approximating components of evaluation to ensure that: (a) the analysis is sound (representing all possible behaviors), and (b) the analysis is guaranteed to terminate (finitely representable). These constraints necessitate a loss of precision, providing an approximation of the values that flow to program locations rather than exact execution traces. This imprecision causes the …

Testing The Moderating Effect Of Self-Compassion On The Relationship Between Perfectionism-Related Discrepancy And Perceived Social Support From Family, Marinne Hammond

Theses and Dissertations

Perfectionism involves an insistence on outstanding performance on tasks to an extreme level. More specifically, perfectionism-related discrepancy is when one subjectively sees a gap between their performance and their expectations for how they should perform. Perfectionism may be linked to mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and social disconnection. The perfectionism social disconnection model asserts that perfectionism can also lead to social withdrawal. Self-compassion involves the acceptance of imperfection; it has been associated with higher perceived social support and has also been shown to attenuate the relationship between perfectionism and psychological distress. This study aimed to further …

A Qualitative Study Of People With Aphasia And Their Experiences With The Bible, Marin Li

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of 4 individuals with aphasia (1 female, 3 male; 3 Catholic, 1 Lutheran) regarding their relationship with and engagement with the Bible. Participants completed three remote sessions via Zoom. In Session 1, participants completed the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, Fourth Edition, (TONI-4), and the remote Quick Aphasia Battery (QAB). In Session 2, participants engaged in a semi-structured interview led by the researcher. In Session 3, the researchers presented preliminary analysis to receive feedback from participants. Student researchers coded interview transcriptions to develop a structured codebook. Five primary themes describe the participants' experiences with …

Assessing Psychological Trauma And Resilience In Collegiate Ems Providers: A Quantitative Study Of Risk And Protective Factors, Maribeth Olivia Novsak

Theses and Dissertations

Collegiate Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events while simultaneously managing academic responsibilities, yet limited research has examined psychological outcomes within this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among trauma exposure, PTSD symptom severity, resilience, and perceived social support among collegiate EMS providers. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using a self-report survey administered to collegiate EMS personnel across multiple institutions. The final sample consisted of 26 participants. Results indicated that trauma exposure was significantly positively associated with PTSD symptom severity, suggesting that increased exposure to critical incidents is linked …

A Peer Evaluation Of Safety At Signalized Intersections, Auzton Mitchell Stutts

Theses and Dissertations

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has made significant efforts to reduce crashes at signalized intersections and is constantly seeking to improve safety across the state. The purpose of this research is to quantify and evaluate the safety rates and frequencies at signalized intersections in Utah compared to other states. Once the crashes have been quantified, the secondary purpose is to determine why there may or may not be differences. A survey was developed to understand how states analyze, prioritize, and implement safety at signalized intersections, including different policies, procedures, and countermeasures. Crash data from eight states were analyzed and …

Data Science In The Utah Draft K-12 Standards Of Mathematics, Kate Webster Green

Theses and Dissertations

In today's data-driven world, the field of data science is becoming increasingly important. Research has shown that more job listings in Utah require applicants to have data science skills than ever before. Due to this growing demand, there is a push to begin data science instruction in grades K-12; however, what data science instruction is in grades K-12 is not yet clearly defined. Previous research has identified the skills and processes that make up data science in grades K-12, and several states and research groups have begun developing and implementing data science standards and learning progressions. This study analyzes the …

Design Of Precise Hinges For Optical Space Arrays, Jacob Sutton

Theses and Dissertations

Deployable origami-based arrays offer significant advantages for space optical systems due to their ability to stow compactly and deploy to a large surface area. However, achieving the panel alignment precision required for optical applications remains an open challenge, particularly for non-rigid-foldable patterns such as the flasher, where large relative motion during deployment and geometric constraints at panel interfaces limit the effectiveness of traditional hinge designs. This thesis addresses the precision alignment challenge through the design, prototyping, and experimental testing of novel passive precision hinges for rigid-panel origami-based deployable space arrays. A compact kinematic coupling hinge incorporating Lamina Emergent Torsional (LET) …

Exploring The Impact Of Self-Compassion And Mindfulness Interventions On Teacher Stress, Feedback Delivery, And Student Behavior In Elementary Classrooms, Coral Lynn Koller

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher stress is a persistent challenge that negatively affects educator well-being, classroom climate, and student outcomes. Although the prevalence and impact of teacher stress are well-documented. This single-case multiple baseline study investigated the effects of a structured self-compassion and mindfulness intervention on teacher stress, delivery of positive feedback, and student on-task behavior in three general education elementary teachers. Over a 6- week period, participants engaged in mindfulness and self-compassion practices, tracked through a combination of self-report scales (Daily Stress Response Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, SelfCompassion Scale, and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) and pre- and post-classroom observations. Results indicated reductions in …

Development Of A Low-Cost Roadside Monitoring System For Identifying High-Emitting Heavy-Duty Trucks, Spencer Larson

Theses and Dissertations

This project investigated the feasibility of using low-cost sensors to identify high-emitting heavy-duty diesel trucks through roadside emissions monitoring. A sampling system was designed and tested in both laboratory and field environments to evaluate sensor performance and measurement reliability. In the laboratory, controlled engine testing enabled direct comparison between low-cost sensors and research-grade instruments to establish baseline accuracy, response time, and sources of uncertainty. These tests demonstrated that while low-cost sensors exhibit greater bias and slower response, several are capable of detecting transient emission events. Field deployments revealed that real-world conditions, such as plume dilution, spatial variability, and short exposure …

Viewing Machines, Janos Cseh

Theses and Dissertations

By sifting through personal memories, the contemporary media landscape, and seeing the world through the lens of painting, Cseh asks what it means to understand information through images.  The artist unpacks the interwoven relationships between images and memory, feeling and seeing, and the difficulty of seeking truth through an analysis of his paintings.

Wounded Domestic Ecologies: Ecofeminist Readings Of Gendered Trauma In Purple Hibiscus, Erere Victory Iwhi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus through an ecofeminist and postcolonial ecocritical lens, developing the concept of "wounded domestic ecology" to analyze how gendered violence operates within domestic space. Drawing on trauma studies, particularly J. R. Kurtz and Rob Nixon's concept of slow violence, it argues that harm in the novel is accumulative, produced through repetition, surveillance, ritual, and spatial regulation. Eugene's household functions as an environment that disciplines bodies, governs language, and embeds fear into everyday life. In contrast, Aunt Ifeoma's home in Nsukka offers a counter-ecology structured by sound, shared labor, and dialogic authority, interrupting the …

Storytelling, Gender, And The Double-Empathy Problem, Annie Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Storytelling has been proposed as a meaningful way to facilitate empathy and connection, particularly across neurotypes. The present study examined whether a live storytelling event influenced perceptions of the autism community, empathy, and interpersonal connection, while also exploring differences on biological sex and levels of autistic traits. Participants completed pre- and post-event measures assessing relationship perceptions and connection, along with standardized measures of empathy and autistic traits. Results showed a significant increase in positive perceptions of the autism community and perceived closeness to storytellers after the event. Engagement, emotional impact, openness, and motivation to support the autism community were all …