Digital Commons Network^™

Acoustics Of The Kettle Drum: A Scientific Approach To Timpani Performance, Yuesen Yang

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation bridges the gap between scientific and performance approaches in timpani pedagogy. While the timpani have long been a member of various ensembles, its pedagogy often relies on experiential knowledge of the performers. This study synthesizes findings from acoustical research with traditional teaching sources to establish a coherent framework for timpani pedagogy.

Chapter one introduces the study’s purpose, states the problem, and presents the methodology. It also clarifies the scope of this dissertation. It identifies the lack of consistency between acoustic research and current pedagogical approach, proposing a comparative analysis of scientific literature and established pedagogical texts.

Chapter two …

Soft Skills As The New Hard Skills In The Industry 5.0 Era, Miria Zangirolami Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

As technological advancement reshapes educational and professional landscapes, the human dimensions of teaching have become increasingly critical. This action research study examines the gap between the strong academic preparation of Teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL) pre-service teachers and their readiness to meet professional workplace expectations. Situated within the context of Industry 5.0, where human-centered skills are emphasized alongside digital competence, the study explores how soft skills, punctuality, digital etiquette, presentation skills, and professional attire, can be intentionally developed within teacher education. Guided by the strength model of self-control and achievement goal theory, a targeted workshop intervention was …

Examining Role-Play Simulation Effectiveness In Reducing Student Skill Gaps In An Interpreter Education Program, Nicole Nadine Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to identify students’ skill development in an interpreter education program using authentic role-play simulations. Three research questions guided this study. Two questions guiding the quantitative data collection centered on skill development during foundational interpreting courses and through the practicum semesters. The third research question guided the qualitative data collection, which focused on the participants’ perceptions of the usefulness of the role-play simulations in preparing them for their practicum placements. Together, the data indicate that the simulations provide significant benefits for students in interpreter education programs in terms of their professional readiness. …

The Implementation Of A Manufacturing Curriculum In Secondary Education, John Chieyung Kim Ii

Theses and Dissertations

American manufacturing cannot find workers. By 2030, 2.1 million positions will go unfilled, at a projected cost of one trillion dollars. Secondary schools are not solving this problem. At Ypsilanti Community High School, only 23.7% of graduates pursue postsecondary education. The rest enter the workforce without credentials or technical skills. No manufacturing curriculum existed at YCHS. This Dissertation in Practice built one.

The study used improvement science methodology. Two Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles designed, tested, and refined a precision measurement curriculum aligned to NC3 industry certification standards. Thirty-three students participated across both cycles. Cycle 1 used a traditional theory-first sequence over ten …

Evidence Of Metal-Microcystin Complexation And Its Potential Role In Environmental Fate, Ashley Marie Womer

Theses and Dissertations

Microcystins that enter freshwater systems pose a threat to human health therefore their fate and transport throughout the water column have been intensively studied. While sediment has been regarded as an environmental fate for microcystin (MC), less is known about the molecular mechanisms by which microcystin interacts with the sediment and/or the thermodynamic stability of these interactions. While microcystin has a half-life in lake water on the order of weeks, microcystin adsorbed to sediment can be detected hundreds of years later1-2. Microcystin has been desorbed from these sediments with various EDTA solutions, therefore, work is presented to support the hypothesis …

Majority Vote Consensus Via Over-The-Air Computation, Davis Jianmin Mo

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, we explore the reliability consensus algorithms using non-coherent Over-the-Air Computation (OAC) Majority Vote (MV) for multi-agent stochastic bias systems under ideal conditions with only sensor variance, and with both sensor noise and frequency selective fading channels. In this investigation, we will analyze the reliability data for the combination of these two concepts, such as observing computation error rate, and convergence.

The Mountains Call: Escaping To Zones Of Seclusion, Alec Lee Parry

Theses and Dissertations

The biographical and thematical overlap between the literature of Austrian authors Ingeborg Bachmann and Thomas Bernhard, and Swiss writers Max Frisch and Fleur Jaeggy, is established in literary scholarship. However, similarities in the role Alpine spaces play in their works remain unaccounted for. The Alps represent a cultural and geographical boundary between linguistic identities and international borders. Protagonists across this dissertation’s three chapters face internal crises, prompting them to move to “zones of seclusion.” Within these “zones of seclusion,” characters spark discussions of collective memory even if they are isolated themselves. These peripheral locations force recollection, often on collective memory, …

Between What’S Promised And What’S Lived: Lgbtq Former College Athletes’ Experiences At Inclusive Institutions, Alyssa Morgan Edlin

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) inclusion in college sports, it remains unclear whether athletes find these environments truly safe, supportive, and able to live authentically. Institutional evaluations and rankings often focus on policies and public commitments, offering limited insight into how inclusion is experienced in everyday athletic settings. Consequently, little is known about whether institutions labeled as inclusive actually foster environments where LGBTQ athletes feel a sense of belonging, authenticity, and meaningful support.

Rooted in an interpretivist-constructivist paradigm and guided by narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000), this study examines the …

Assessing The Impacts Of Wastewater In Occupational Health Risks And Monitoring Infectious Diseases Within Communities, Sarah Catherine Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater and wastewater treatment plants can both positively and negatively influence public health, due to their central role in socio-ecological systems in many communities. This dissertation aimed to fill key gaps in understanding their roles: as possible sources of occupational exposure and as tools for community disease monitoring and control. The three projects in this work examined these roles, focusing on how WWTPs can impact and inform public health at both occupational and community levels. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of chronic low-dose exposure to ARGs on WWTP workers' resistomes, evaluated the potential of WBE for building-level surveillance as …

A Combined Observational And Reanalysis Approach To Beaufort Gyre Freshening, Christina Mccarty Gregory

Theses and Dissertations

The freshwater (FW) content in the Arctic plays a critical role in the global climate by influencing the regional physical and biological processes, large-scale ocean circulation in the North Atlantic, sea-ice albedo, and other crucial climate parameters. Located in the Canadian Basin, the Beaufort Gyre (BG) is the largest retainer of FW in the Arctic. Here we examine the dynamics of the BG between 2016-2018 using satellite-derived products and ocean reanalysis parameters. Our results demonstrate that the characteristics of BG during the years of this study are a complex combination of various processes. The Ekman-induced FW fluxes were separated into …

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Dynamics In Beach-Dune Systems Under Anthropogenic And High Energy Forcings, Youngjae Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal regions have historically been integral to geographic research given the complex interactions among physical processes, ecological systems, human activities, and socio-economic dynamics. As global populations in low-elevation coastal zones increase, understanding the coupled human-natural dynamics becomes essential for effective hazard mitigation. This dissertation presents an analytical framework that combines high-resolution remote sensing, image classification, landscape metrics, and geomorphometry to characterize the composition, configuration, and morphodynamic trajectories of coastal systems. The research investigates multi-scale dynamics in managed and unmanaged coastal environments by integrating diverse data sources to analyze spatial and temporal variability. The framework is implemented through three distinct research …

It’S Not A Hierarchy Of Needs; It’S A Maze. A Case Study Of The Challenges And Supports For Former Foster Youth Transitioning To The Community College In Virginia, Lee Hemmrich Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of policy reform and targeted support, today’s former foster youth (FFY) face disproportionate challenges to higher education completion. This qualitative case study explored the lived experiences of six former foster youth as they transitioned from the foster care system to a community college in Virginia. Guided by a conceptual framework integrating Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Bridges’ Transition Theory, and Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Theory, this study sought to understand the barriers FFY encounter, the supports they find most meaningful, how they define successful independence, and the role higher education plays in that definition.

Data was collected through preliminary meetings, …

Perception Is Reality: Co-Teachers’ Perceptions On Co-Teaching, Tabitha Stewart Strickland

Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching is a service delivery option that high schools use to assist in meeting the needs of students with high-incidence disabilities in general education classrooms. This quantitative study investigates the effectiveness of co-teaching in South Carolina high schools by examining co-teacher perceptions related to fidelity implementation, the descriptions of current co-teaching classrooms, student outcomes, specially designed instruction in the co-taught classroom, teacher preferences, and barriers to effective implementation. The results reveal co-teachers (n = 117) agree that 58% of the implementation practices are occurring; co-taught classrooms are described as having 31 to 40% of students with special needs in classes …

“Not Being Classified (English Proficient), Only Limits How Much I Can Learn”: An Action Research Examination Of The Elpac, Manuel De Jesus Acuna Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging language learners across the United States face challenges in accessing equal educational opportunities because they are classified as not proficient, which holds them back. The emphasis on this classification compromises their performance on state exams, jeopardizing their educational future. The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California is a state-mandated exam that non- first-language English Speakers must take and pass in order to be classified as English proficient. Districts and educators must begin to challenge the educational system in California. This research outlines the difficulties faced by emergent language learners who are not classified and the repercussions on their future. …

I Fina’Nå’Guen I Famagu’On Put I Tåsi: The Impact Of Phenomena-Based Learning On Explaining And Conceptualizing Ocean Acidification In The Pacific, Angelia Jean Blas-Lizama

Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed methods study examined the impact of a new phenomena-based (PhBL) lesson plan—grounded by social constructivism and the NGSS framework—on 1) student ability to explain and contextualize a phenomenon, and 2) assess student perceptions of PhBL compared to traditional science instruction. This addressed the shift towards science education reform that better prepares K-12 students for the STEM pipeline and creates student agency surrounding human impact on the environment. Ocean acidification was the selected phenomenon for this study as it was culturally and locally relevant to the participants—sixth-grade science students at a Pacific Island public middle school. Findings revealed …

Breast Cancer Communication For Young Women: Exploring Narrative Games As Vehicles Of Transportation, Adetutu Oluwaseyi Wande-Kayode

Theses and Dissertations

Despite extensive intervention efforts, breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Prior research in breast cancer communication has largely focused on older women, yet early-onset breast cancer among younger women (ages 18-39) has increased in recent years. This trend highlights an urgent need for tailored communication strategies to improve young women’s understanding of breast cancer risk factors, prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship. The present study developed and tested a digital narrative game based on the Health Belief Model, as a potential tool to enhance …

Comparative Study Of Modern Chinese And Claude Debussy’S Piano “Water” Theme Works, Jingxia Kuang

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the music depiction of "water" and explores the similarities and differences between the piano works of modern Chinese compositions and French composer Claude Debussy, with particular attention to musical texture and performance techniques. It begins by examining the aesthetic parallels and cultural differences between French Symbolist literature and classical Chinese poetry, both of which are grounded in symbolic expression, indirect suggestion, and sensory resonance. Influenced deeply by Symbolist poets such as Mallarmé and Verlaine, Debussy often approached music composition through the lens of poetic thinking, constructing soundscapes rich in implication and ambiguity. Similarly, symbolic imagery plays …

Continuous Imaging Of The Shallow Subsurface Of Horry County Using Gpr And Auger Data, Chase William Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Welded barrier systems are common along passive margins globally and make up approximately 15% of the coastlines around the world. The subsurface facies assemblages of welded barrier systems record depositional histories and past sea-level dynamics, but their complicated depositional architecture can be problematic for understanding aspects like groundwater flow and freshwater-saltwater exchange. Most studies of modern welded barrier sedimentary systems using ground penetrating radar (GPR) rely on a few 100 meters of subsurface data supplemented with a few drill cores. In this study, we used over 75 km of 100MHz and 25MHz GPR data and 195 auger drill logs collected …

A Study Of Type Ia Supernova Spectra, David Edwins

Theses and Dissertations

Type Ia Supernova already represent a valuable tool for astronomical exploration by providing a bright standardizable candle, however, they also represent an opportunity to observe the matter in the universe along the line of sight. A study of the spectra of Type Ia supernovae reveals a variety of contamination of these spectra at a variety of locations, including the Milky Way galaxy, a source likely local to the original supernova and an as yet unidentified source of contamination. Further, Type Ia Supernova appear to change with the redshift of the supernova.

Beyond The Mansion: Black Women In Tenant Farming And The Material Culture At Rose Hill Plantation, Caroline Elizabeth Hall

Theses and Dissertations

This research is focused on archaeological materials recovered from three late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth-century tenant house sites at Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site. Excavations took place during the Spring of 2023 by the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA), under the direction of Stacey Young with the South Carolina State Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (SCPRT). Through an analysis of these artifacts, primary historic documentation, and previously recorded oral histories from descendants of Rose Hill Plantation I will discuss how the material culture and landscape associated with these tenant houses can be viewed through a lens of intersectionality to …

Polyvinylidene Difluoride As A Platform For Photonic Circuits, Caleb Duff

Theses and Dissertations

Integrated photonic circuits represent a promising avenue for advancing computing capabilities by replacing electrons with photons as information carriers. This transition necessitates a comprehensive and innovative approach as the well understood requirements for electronic circuits are replaced by the needs of photonic circuits. This work will discuss topological photonics and one of many recent successes in their use to create near scatter free states. This work will then discuss progress towards creating an electromechanical platform using polyvinylidene difluoride [(C2H2F2)n], the platform’s benefits, and how the platform has been tested. This platform would have the potential to create reconfigurable photonic circuits, …

Vocabulary Learning In High School Chemistry To Enhance Conceptual Understanding: An Action Research Case Study, David Thibodeau

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate application of the domain-specific language of chemistry is often a challenge for students. To address this problem of practice, an action research intervention was implemented in a suburban high school chemistry classroom. Integrated with the predict-observe-explain instructional sequence, students participated in a targeted vocabulary intervention designed to ground abstract chemistry terms in concrete laboratory-based learning experiences. In concretizing abstract terms, students had more access to challenging chemistry vocabulary, consistent with the principles of the dual coding theory of cognition. The study’s findings suggest growth in students’ conceptual understanding of chemistry topics and ability to accurately articulate explanations of chemistry …

The Role Of Parenting Factors On Moderating The Effects Of Parent Perceived Stress On Waist Circumference And Family Mealtime Outcomes In Black Adolescents With Overweight And Obesity, Taylor Ryan White

Theses and Dissertations

Family mealtime is a protective factor for adolescent health outcomes (e.g. well-being, diet quality); however, parent stress may diminish the frequency and quality of family meals and increase obesity risk through physiological (e.g., allostatic load) and behavioral (e.g., decreased physical activity (PA), obesogenic diet) pathways. Parenting factors, like responsive parenting (e.g., providing support for adolescent healthy eating) and feeding practices (e.g., parental monitoring - tracking adolescent diet), may mitigate the effects of parent stress by promoting adolescent behaviors (e.g., nutritious eating, increased PA) that are linked with healthier weight outcomes; however, few studies have examined this in Black families. Therefore, …

Advancing Edge Ai Through Integrated Neuromorphic Algorithms And Hardware, Peyton Chandarana

Theses and Dissertations

As machine learning continues to expand across diverse sectors, including healthcare, transportation, environmental monitoring, and consumer electronics, many applications operate under strict constraints on latency, bandwidth, privacy, and power availability. Meeting these demands increasingly requires deploying machine learning at the edge to process data locally rather than relying on remote cloud infrastructure. These limitations highlight the importance of computational efficiency and motivate the exploration of alternative hardware and algorithmic paradigms capable of delivering real-time, accurate inference under tight resource constraints.

Two major paradigms have emerged for edge intelligence: conventional artificial neural networks (ANNs) deployed on highly parallel edge accelerators such …

Is Access Enough?: Toward A Blueprint For Prosocial Digital Interventions In Schools (A Case Study On The Implementation Of A Cmc-Based Gratitude Intervention), Carmen Latrice Landy

Theses and Dissertations

This organizational autoethnography examines the process by which a researcher-practitioner began implementing a CMC-based gratitude intervention for adolescents in a school setting. Too often, innovations are unable to reach full adoption within organizations because the real-world implications have not been fully considered. This study seeks to bring a deeper understanding of the facilitators of and barriers to school-based implementation. Through observations and critical reflection, this study highlights the importance of relationships, processes, and mutual agreements in any effort to introduce new practices to an organization. Weick’s (1988) findings on sensemaking combined with the constructs of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation …

An Agile-Informed Job Demands-Resources Framework In Hospitality: A Dual-Pathway Structural Model Of Employee Satisfaction, Burnout, And Turnover Intentions, Albaraa Mesawi

Theses and Dissertations

Persistent labor shortages and elevated voluntary turnover define the hospitality industry. High-intensity service interactions increase workload, emotional labor, and time pressure for non-management employees. The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model predicts engagement and retention when job resources offset job demands. Existing research has not specified which operational conditions reliably predict this balance in dynamic service work. This study evaluates whether adapted Agile philosophy serves as a heuristic framework for specifying JD-R constructs in hospitality. The study maps Agile values and principles to validated psychological constructs through Psychological State Matching: Self-Organization to Psychological Empowerment (PE), Regular Reflection to Perceived Team Learning Behavior …

(Un)Celebrated Women: Three Women Authors And Their Imprint On The Gullah Geechee Literary Tradition, Raven Mariah Gadsden

Theses and Dissertations

Three women authors, Laura Middleton, Julia Peterkin, and Zora Neale Hurston, are responsible for the creation of some of the most important Gullah Geechee literary images in the 1920s and 1930s. By examining the historical moments and movements which were active while these women were writing, it is obvious why these women are at the center of this conversation. Each of these women’s writing plants the seed for a Renaissance of Gullah Geechee representation. While Middleton's work never gets published, her documentation of black life in South Carolina for the Federal Writers' Project worked as a counter narrative to texts …

Comparing Stress Levels And Experiences Between Mothers And Fathers Of Children With Angelman Syndrome, Katherine Helen Fix

Theses and Dissertations

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by significant developmental and cognitive impairments, disruptive behaviors, and a hallmark happy demeanor. Past studies have shown that certain features of AS contribute to increased parental stress. Other studies report that in general the stress of parents of children with disabilities is influenced by stereotypical gender roles surrounding factors including daily care taking tasks, financial responsibility, and medical care involvement. This study aimed to compare perspectives among mothers and fathers of individuals with AS to identify discrepancies and themes relating to stress, specific hardships, and caregiving roles. Parents of children with AS …

Weaponized Nostalgia And The Modern Woman: Patriarchal Insecurity In A Lost Lady And The Sound And The Fury, Grace Nicole Becker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the patriarchal nostalgia that resulted from men’s perceived feminization in modernity and how it manifests in the narrative framing of modern women in modernist literature. Niel Herbert from Willa Cather’s A Lost Lady and Jason Compson from William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury each embody contrasting masculine responses to the feminization of white manhood. Niel exemplifies the mourning of white masculinity that does not hinge on being antithetical to femininity, a sentiment which Greg Forter similarly identifies in Cather. Jason personifies an aggressive masculinity and repudiates women, blaming them, and other minority groups, for his own …

Bias Effects Of Priming Towards Huntington’S Disease Among Second- Year Medical, Physician Assistant, And Genetic Counseling Students, Cameron Lynn Galley

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with Huntington’s Disease (HD) have experienced bias in their interactions with the public and with health professionals. This study explored perceptions of HD and potential bias among students in interdisciplinary health professions. We hypothesized that the presence of symptoms in vignettes would reflect increased implicit bias, participants with exposure to HD would show less bias than those without, and genetic counseling students would exhibit lower bias towards HD than medical and physician assistant students.

Attitudes towards those with HD were assessed through one of four vignettes about a fictional character in which a presymptomatic diagnosis was present or absent, …