Digital Commons Network^™

Cross-Dataset Fairness Evaluation Of Transformer-Based Sentiment Models, Sara Zuiran

Theses and Dissertations

With the growing exploration of Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems in decision-making environments, it is essential to evaluate technical and ethical aspects of the dataset and the NLP model to improve fairness. To assess fairness, the thesis examines demographic imbalances in sentiment classification models by evaluating transformer-based models fine-tuned on the Stanford Sentiment Treebank version 2 dataset (SST-2) against the demographically annotated Comprehensive Assessment of Language Model dataset (CALM). This work identifies performance disparities in sentiment prediction across demographic groups by examining sensitive attributes such as gender and race. The study evaluates both the RoBERTa and MentalBERT transformer models using …

Trends In And Factors Associated With Science Achievement Among Eighth Graders In Saudi Arabia: A Secondary Analysis Of Timss Data, Roba Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

This secondary analysis examined trends in and factors influencing science achievement among eighth-grade students in Saudi Arabia, using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). However, Saudi Arabia's performance on the TIMSS science assessments fell below the international average, from 2003 through 2019. In addition, gender differences in science achievement have been observed, with female students outperforming male students by 30 or more points. This study addresses two problems: factors associated with the lower performance of Saudi students on TIMSS science assessments compared to global standards, and the small number of studies which explored factors which …

An Analysis Of Face Morphing Presentation Attacks Against Facial Recognition Systems, Joshua Breininger

Theses and Dissertations

Security has been a problem for human society for as long as history has been recorded. The identification of people is an ongoing, ancient battle, with a variety of methods that only become more complex with time. The Romans performed censuses, ciphers have been used for thousands of years in the pursuit of security, and in modern day we own identifications and governments keep track of who lives in their country with citizenship and licenses. The question of ”Who are you?” is vital for society to function, which opens up a massive field of potential for how to ask that …

Exploratory Study On Factors That Impact Job Embeddedness For Northeast Government And Commercial Aerospace Procurement Specialists, Nicholas Alaimo

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined job embeddedness theory and its impact on commercial and government aerospace procurement professionals in the Northeast United States. The research sought to understand the factors that influence why these professionals remain in their positions and what elements contribute to improved job performance. Job embeddedness theory explains employee retention through three key factors: perceived fit within their role, perceived links to organizational culture, and perceived sacrifices that would result from leaving.

The study identified six main themes. First, the research found both similarities and differences in how aerospace procurement specialists connect with aerospace culture in government subcontracting …

Expressive And Interpretable User Engagement Prediction Using Multivariate Survival Processes, Akshay Aravamudan

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to characterize how information diffuses online is of paramount importance to stakeholders that are interested in tasks such as proposing solutions for mitigating and countering dis/misinformation, predicting user engagement of content in social media, planning marketing campaigns to roll-out products and planning dissemination of political campaign messaging among others. One such facet of learning the dynamics of information diffusion is the ability to predict user engagement or the popularity of a single piece of information as it spreads through an online medium. Existing works in this regard mainly either obfuscate user level information or utilize frameworks that are …

Personality Trait Recognition Through Deep Neural Temporal Modeling Of Non-Verbal Behavior, Kushal Vangara

Theses and Dissertations

Personality research seeks to explain the wide range of human behaviors through stable, measurable traits. Human interactions are inherently rich and multidimensional, and analyzing behavioral data offers a promising path to uncover personality insights. The increasing convergence of psychology, computer science, and machine learning has fueled interest in computational approaches to personality assessment. Advances in sensing technologies have made it possible to capture fine-grained information about individuals’ behaviors and interactions in naturalistic and controlled environments. Automated audio-visual analysis techniques extract relevant behavioral cues, which machine learning models then interpret to infer underlying personality traits. This work provides a comprehensive overview …

Gothic Monstrosity And The Historical Context Of Colonial Violence In The Borderlands In Isabel Cañas’ Vampires Of El Norte, Paulina Longoria

Theses and Dissertations

The speculative genre has become a venue for Chicanx cultural producers to narrate their own histories, preserve their cultural identities, and reaffirm their rightful place in the United States. This thesis explores the redefinition of gothic monstrosity in Isabel Cañas’ Vampires of El Norte (2023), a contemporary novel within the Latinx speculative fiction genre. The novel blurs the boundaries between the supernatural threat posed by the vampires and the human threat embodied by the Anglo American settlers as both endanger Mexicans living in the Borderlands during the Texas Revolution and the U.S.-Mexico War. Drawing from L. Heidenreich’s theoretical framework, this …

Exploring The Relationship Between Suicidal Behavior And Obesity Among Young Hispanic Adults In The United States, Nadeen Salhadar

Theses and Dissertations

The rates of obesity and suicidal behavior have continued to increase over the years among young adults in the United States. Previous research has indicated a relationship between obesity and suicidal behavior, primarily among women, yet minimal research has been done to examine factors that explain this relationship (i.e., mediators). This study investigated the role of depression, body dissatisfaction, body shame and guilt, insomnia, physical health, and social anxiety on obesity and suicidal ideation among 209 college-aged Latina women. The researcher hypothesized that there would be an indirect relationship between obesity and suicidal behavior through multiple variables. Mediation analyses via …

The Benefits Of Fantasy Book When Used As A Coping Measure Against Interpersonal Conflict In Hispanic College Women, Ruby Kaitlynn Tijerina

Theses and Dissertations

High mental health disparities among Hispanic individuals have been well-documented. One potential contributing factor to mental health challenges is interpersonal conflict, which is prevalent among Hispanic young adults. Effective interventions are needed to treat psychological symptoms associated with interpersonal conflict, and one possible approach is bibliotherapy via fantasy fiction reading. This study examined the therapeutic benefits of fantasy fiction reading compared to self-help and scholarly reading materials among 109 Hispanic college women. Participants attended two lab sessions scheduled one week apart. In Session 1, self-report measures and a reading assignment were administered to participants, while in Session …

Linguistic (In) Security And Persistence In Doctoral Studies: A Mixed-Methods Study Of The Impact Of Metapragmatic Discourses On The Persistence Of Multilingual Doctoral Students, Germaine Tondji

Theses and Dissertations

Linguistic beliefs and practices in doctoral studies have often been overlooked, partly due to the assumption that advanced students face fewer language-related challenges. However, research on multilingualism in hypernormative academic contexts suggests that linguistic concerns persist even among the most educated. Multilingual doctoral students (MDSs) operate at the intersection of multiple linguistic and epistemic systems. In English-dominant, monoglossic environments, they must not only navigate the complexities of doctoral study but also reconcile competing linguistic and epistemic identities. This study explores the role of linguistic insecurity (LI) in MDSs' doctoral persistence through a mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase draws on survey …

Sensor Data Fusion For Air Quality Monitoring, Mirna Hesham

Theses and Dissertations

Since traditional air quality monitoring methods often rely on geographically sparse and costly air quality monitoring stations, image-based air quality method- ologies are recently offering a compelling alternative that utilizes images from sources like satellites, traffic cameras, and even smartphones to monitor pollution levels by using estimation models, image-processing techniques, and deep-learning models. In this thesis, we first conduct a systematic review, in which we categorize and discuss the existing literature work. Moreover, we introduce a novel, multi- modal dataset designed to address the limitations of existing datasets, which are restricted in size, geographical coverage, and fixed-scene imagery, impeding the …

Selecting Green Wall Adoption Best Solutions Using Optimization: Addressing Barriers And Maximizing Benefits, Samar Nadeem

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the potential of green walls as a sustainable solution to mitigate urban challenges and align with global climate change objectives. Despite their ecological and social benefits, green wall implementation faces significant barriers, hindering their adoption. Consequently, this study aims to develop a comprehensive framework to identify the obstacles, propose feasible solutions, and provide actionable strategies for promoting green walls. This framework incorporates an optimization model specifically designed for government-led solutions, evaluating their feasibility based on administrative feasibility, community acceptance, technical feasibility, industrial acceptance, and long-term adoption potential. By quantifying and prioritizing solutions based on their cost, feasibility, …

Developing End-To-End Imitation Learning For Asteroid Proximity Operations, Patrick David Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

Asteroid exploration remains a popular topic in the scientific community, however hurdles still exist for controlling spacecraft within the asteroid environment. Communication delays often require the usage of limited onboard computing hardware for navigation. Additionally, long mission timelines must be accommodated with highly efficient fuel use. Considering these issues, it is apparent that any guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system in these spacecraft should emphasize both computational and fuel efficiency in its design. Furthermore, the integration of a robust state estimation system is necessary for the successful deployment of such systems. The development of a controller aiming to address these …

The Relationship Between Weather Variablity And Agricultural Land Cover Change In North Dakota (1997-2023) And Its Implication For Future Change, Sabrina Karim

Theses and Dissertations

Climate variability and weather patterns play a critical role in shaping agricultural land use and land cover (LULC), particularly in states like North Dakota, where agriculture dominates the landscape. This study explores the impacts of climatic factors—specifically rainfall, temperature, and Growing Degree Days (GDD)—on agricultural land cover (ALC) changes in North Dakota from 1997 to 2023, with projections for 2033. By combining historical analysis and predictive modeling, the research examines how climate variability has influenced crop dynamics and provides insights into future scenarios. The research uses advanced geospatial tools, including Google Earth Engine, and machine learning techniques such as Random …

The Impact Of Politics On Romantic Relationships: Longevity, Quality, And Political Beliefs Or Candidate Choice?, Jadelyn Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This project aimed to understand how polarization in the United States affects romantic relationships. Other studies in this area have only gauged samples that were either couples in relationships or singles. This work compared the responses of individuals based on their relationship status (in a relationship or not), to note the differences, if any, between samples. This research was conducted through surveys on The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley student population.

In understanding how political opinions affect relationship longevity, satisfaction, and whether candidate choice or opinions matter more, there were interesting findings. Regarding relationship longevity, there was a significance …

How Do Women Deal With Beauty Standards?, Mandy Lashay Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the profound impact of beauty standards on women’s lives, focusing on how unrealistic ideals influence their emotional and physical well-being. Through a series of figurative oil paintings, this work examines women’s actions to conform to and reject these standards. It also explores the consequences of striving to meet or falling short of these ideals, such as emotional turmoil, physical pain, potential social exclusion, as well as the comparison, and competitive beauty culture. This research analyzes the motivations behind striving for beauty standards, such as pursuing attention, success, and validation. Drawing from contemporary literature and visual analysis of …

Joint Modelling Of Longitudinal Egfr Trajectory And Time To Acute Kidney Injury In Lung Transplant Patients, Samiha Zakir

Theses and Dissertations

Progressive declines in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) often precede acute kidney injury (AKI), yet the relationship between eGFR trends and AKI risk remains unclear. This study investigates longitudinal eGFR changes and their association with AKI in 459 lung transplant patients followed for up to 7 years (n = 6419). We applied a piecewise linear mixed-effects model to evaluate eGFR trajectories and a Cox proportional hazards model to assess time to AKI. A joint model was used to explore the interplay between longitudinal and survival processes. Key covariates included gender, age at transplantation, antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and pre-transplant eGFR. Males …

Ai-Enhanced Flipped Classroom Approach For Chinese Vocabulary And Grammar Learning, Haotian Ye

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effectiveness of ChatGPT-4 in enhancing L2 Chinese learners' vocabulary and grammar acquisition within a flipped classroom setting, focusing on its impact on learning outcomes, student motivation, and associated challenges. Conducted over 10 weeks, the study involved 19 native English speakers enrolled in a third-year Chinese course at a U.S. university. The experimental group (n = 11) used ChatGPT to self-study six target words and five grammar structures before attending Tuesday and Thursday sessions, while the control group (n = 8) followed a textbook-based approach. Participants completed in-class vocabulary and grammar quizzes twice a week, three journal …

Limit Tests: Sociodemographic Representation In Public Organizations, Christopher Dee Eddy

Theses and Dissertations

Bureaucratic institutions are a critical yet often underappreciated nexus of democratic legitimacy. However, public agencies frequently fail to represent key constituencies of the American public, significantly influencing citizens' attitudes toward governing institutions and challenging effective governance. Research suggests that improving sociodemographic representation within political institutions can reinforce institutional support and citizen trust through symbolic processes and promote equitable policy outcomes through actions of bureaucrats from historically excluded groups.

Despite these insights, past research is divided on if, how, and when descriptive or passive representation leads to beneficial symbolic or active effects. While the existing body of representative bureaucracy theory offers …

Thematic Geo-Inquiry In Seventh Grade Geography, Rebekah Driscoll Austing

Theses and Dissertations

With the growth of globalization, geography is an important subject for students of the 21^st Century to understand. Being adept in geography will aid our future generations to be able to use geographic skills to answer complex world issues. Unfortunately, geography has been a long-neglected subject of social studies; often considered boring and not worthwhile with teachers using teacher-centered curriculum methods and memorization. A teacher’s job is to provide appropriate experiences, materials, and context for students to construct and connect knowledge that is useful and beneficial to them. Through a constructivist lens, inquiry-based thematic units can be used by …

Economic Development On The Ground: Rural Development And The Distribution Economy, John David Rinehart

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the practice of economic development in the South Carolina at the county and regional level. Looking at the Interstate 95 corridor, this research examines economic development organizations in practice, using in-depth interviews with actors operating at different spatial scales. Specifically, I highlight the current ideology of development as it relates to the proliferation of warehousing and distribution in the state. I outline the ideologies of economic development professionals, including their spatial strategies and perceptions of ‘community’ as it relates to economic development goals.

My research demonstrates the extent to which rural areas have been left without the …

Mental Health Courts: An Assessment Of Eligibility Criteria, Service Characteristics, And Public Opinion, Emily Suiter

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health courts, a type of specialty court targeting justice-involved persons with mental illness, have become prominent across the United States. Using a therapeutic jurisprudence approach, these courts largely operate independently with no guiding framework, leading to varied practices. Additionally, public opinion on mental health courts is unknown, causing potential problems as these courts are rapidly expanding and funded, at least partially, through taxpayer dollars. Chapter One of this dissertation provides a framework for the remainder of the dissertation. Chapter Two is a detailed literature review of relevant theories and past research regarding mental health courts. Chapters Three and Four …

Mapping Fire Susceptibility Of The South Carolina Coastal Plain, Breonna Roden

Theses and Dissertations

Wildfires are a natural hazard that have occurred across the world, throughout time. Regions prone to wildfires have been experiencing changes in their fire regimes. Not only has the fire season length increased, but the fires themselves are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire research has been limited for the state of South Carolina, raising concerns along with global warming and population growth. Global warming is likely to become more extreme, which can lead to droughts becoming more frequent and lasting for longer periods of time. According to the 2020 census, South Carolina was the 10th fastest-growing state, which is …

Racial Contestations Of Space: Rural Preservation And Black Municipal Development In The South Carolina Lowcountry, Sydney Elizabeth Potter Smith

Theses and Dissertations

As newcomers flock to the South Carolina Lowcountry and drive development, the region has generally implemented strategies to preserve what remains of the region’s iconic rural landscapes by restricting new development in places that are designated as “Rural Areas”. These multi-scaler growth management strategies are problematic because they frame rural preservation as benefiting the greater good and prescribe a universal solution to urban sprawl, regardless of the individual needs of rural communities. This naturalizes and perpetuates forms of racial inequality across the landscape. Simultaneously, there are alternative spatial practices that aim to improve the quality of life for rural residents …

The Effects Of Implementing A Mindfulness Program In Two Elementary School Math Classrooms, Sara Lilley

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the effects of utilizing trauma-informed social-emotional learning (SEL) teaching practices in two elementary math classrooms located in a Title 1 public school in North Carolina. The classrooms consisted of one third-grade classroom with 18 students and one fifth-grade classroom with 22 students. These classrooms integrated 10 minutes of mindfulness practice which included direct instruction on calming strategies and breathing techniques. This study worked to help foster a learning environment that supported the academic and mental health needs of the student participants and looked at potential relationships between calming strategies and math assessment data. This study …

Narratives In Motion: The New Era Of Dam Building In East Africa, Andrew Nicholas Selassie Prado-Alipui

Theses and Dissertations

Narratives of energy insecurity, underdevelopment, and resource conflict influence how African hydropower projects are justified within the broader context of climate change and demands for sustainable development. The challenge of meeting energy demands provides the overarching motivation for ambitious large-scale hydropower projects in East Africa, especially in Tanzania and Ethiopia. As development projects, the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) can be understood as vehicles of political discourse, framed as the technopolitical solution to questions of national identity that both countries face in the midst of sociopolitical and economic transformation periods. This research shows …

Dust And Metals In Distant Galaxies, Fatima Elkhatib

Theses and Dissertations

Interstellar dust causes reddening and dimming of light from background objects. To analyze how different the dust in distant galaxies is compared to dust in nearby galaxies, we look at multiple background quasars and try to fit their spectra with various models for known galaxies that have differing dust grain populations combined with a quasar spectrum template. Through fitting these models, we found that dust in most of the foreground galaxies we analyzed is similar to the SMC bar, a relatively thin area selected from the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). However, we note that all the objects we studied did …

Of Grave Importance: A Collaborative Approach To Archaeological Research On The Cooper River Cemetery, Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, Angelina Towery-Tomasura

Theses and Dissertations

Land dispossession and displacement is a challenge being faced by the Gullah community in Lowcountry South Carolina. Land dispossession due to a phenomenon known as coastal capitalism, or, the increased interest in coastal property, on Daufuskie Island served as an impetus for Miss Sallie Ann Robinson, a Gullah, Daufuskie native, to reach out to academic communities to assist in the preservation of spaces including cemeteries. This led to the ongoing collaborative archaeology project on the Cooper River Cemetery to record information about burials and investigate the presence of those without any headstone markers. The Cooper River Cemetery is one of …

Young Children’S Reading Experiences In An Online Family Book Club Centered On Multimodal Responses, Ling Hao

Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic case study explored Chinese American children’s heritage language and culture learning and their multimodal responses to culturally relevant picture books. I focus on six Chinese American families who participated in an online family book club. The children were between four and six years old. In each session, I first introduced Chinese characters or cultural traditions related to the book, and then had an interactive read aloud of a culturally relevant picture book. The children discussed the book with one parent and came up with a question and a connection. The children then responded to the book through creating …

Assessing Relationships Between Water Quality, Precipitation, Land Cover And Stormwater Conveyance Type Across A Range Of Sub-Watersheds In The Southeastern Coastal Zone, Kevencia Sabine Gabriel Faton

Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of urban land use/cover along the coast may degrade water quality by introducing a plethora of pollutants and pathogens that negatively impact human and ecological health. It is hypothesized that anthropogenic contaminants associated with stormwater runoff increase with increasing urban density and vary with the timing and magnitude of rainfall. In this study, we examined land use/cover change and relationships between Escherichia coli (E. coli), turbidity, nutrients, and the timing and magnitude of rainfall in two different types of stormwater conveyances (ditches and ponds) within Murrells Inlet, SC during the summer of 2023. Our results indicate …