Digital Commons Network^™

Just Do Something: Framing A Movement To Fight Fascism, Heather-Ann Layth

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to better understand antifascist activism, in part to add sociological perspectives to the antifascist movement and better understand a group publicly maligned by negative portrayals by politicians and the media. This study is important because fascism is already doing real damage to marginalized Americans and represents a real threat of further identitarian and authoritarian oppression. Yet, the movement against growing fascism has been painted as a boogeyman in the public eye. Efforts to stop neo-Nazis and white supremacists from gathering are not discussed in terms of fighting fascism but rather in terms which criminalize and demonize antifascists. …

Asphalt Durability Improvements By Way Of Specification Advancements, Jessica V. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to provide content through which industry and agencies can adjust and/or update standards and specifications, as appropriate, to accommodate the present-day needs of the asphalt industry towards producing more durable asphalt. A total of 78 asphalt mixtures and 9 asphalt binders were evaluated for up to 10 years of field aging to provide content that was analyzed to meet this objective. A full-scale aging site in Columbus, Mississippi was the focal point of the aging experiments. A major conclusion from this work was that Cantabro Mass Loss (CML) testing of cores was able to …

Advancing Wood Chip Moisture Content Prediction Using Advanced Generative Ai Techniques, Daniel Esteban Marulanda

Theses and Dissertations

In this study we propose a deep learning method to optimize the classification of wood chip moisture content levels using the Vision Transformer and then ultimately increase the classification performance by creating synthetic images using the diffusion transformer model. In the first chapter of our study, we complete a detailed explanation of how the moisture content levels of 10 different wood chips were gathered ranging from 2 to 50$\%$. This chapter serves as a foundation for subsequent sections, illustrating the challenges associated with the current data collection process, which is both time-consuming and inefficient. Accurately determining moisture content for wood …

Investing In Your Own: How University Leaders Should Aim To Invest To Retain Quality Staff In Undergraduate Recruitment Offices, Grant Alexander Nerren

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative narrative inquiry study examined the experiences of undergraduate recruitment professionals, and the impact institutional investment can influence staff retention of these professionals within higher education. Using Job Embeddedness Theory often applied within private industry and Bolman and Deal’s (2017) human resource theoretical framework, the research question was: To what extent are specific dimensions (support, compensation, professional advancement) of institutional investment related to the retention of undergraduate recruitment professionals within higher education? Data were collected using an anonymous online survey that was shared with potential participants via email. Responses were analyzed through SPSS software using item-level and composite score …

Establishing A Baseline For Detecting Lotl Attacks In Windows Operating Systems, Ashlyn Martin Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an increasing realization of the rise in living off the land (LOTL) attacks where adversaries misuse legitimate system tools, particularly with state-sponsored actors targeting critical infrastructure in the United States. These attacks are difficult to detect because they allow attackers to remain present in a system without the user’s knowledge for an extended period. This thesis establishes an initial baseline specifically for Windows operating systems to measure normal system activity, focusing on CPU usage, memory utilization, and process activity. It particularly examines the use of PowerShell alongside other applications. The findings from this baseline are used to …

Design And Evaluation Of Hollow Cross-Laminated Timber With Corrugated Cores: A Structural Perspective, Suman Pradhan

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the integration of small-diameter trees (SDT) into cross-laminated timber by developing cellular cross-laminated timber (CCLT) with corrugated panels in the transverse mid-layer. This innovation addresses sustainable building material demands while mitigating forest fire risks associated with SDT. The research progressed through three phases. First, parametric linear finite element modelling (FEM) examined corrugated geometry's influence on CCLT flexural stiffness. Based on these findings and manufacturing constraints, an optimal geometry was designed and fabricated. Experimental testing validated the FEM predictions and demonstrated CCLT's superior normalized modulus of elasticity by density compared to conventional cross-laminated timber (CLT). Second, using modified …

Measuring What Matters: A Policy Analysis Of Statewide Accountability Systems Through The Lens Of College And Career Readiness, Steven Deandre Shadwick

Theses and Dissertations

A disconnect exists between statewide accountability systems and college and career readiness (CCR) outcomes measured by the ACT and SAT. The goal of a statewide accountability system is to enable, implement, and support success for all students in areas that demonstrate high academic achievement through federal- and state-mandated metrics. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), states have been granted flexibility in how to measure CCR via a number of School Quality and Student Success (SQSS) indicators. Through a quantitative correlational design, data were collected from 44 states with ACT and SAT participation rates ≥ 90%, ≤ 10% or closest …

Work-Life Balance And The Impact Of Covid-19 On Faculty At Historically Black Community Colleges (Hbccs), Taneshia Turner Winston

Theses and Dissertations

This research study was conducted to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the work-life balance of faculty at HBCCs based on their race, gender, age, marital status, and tenure status. The study employed a quantitative research design utilizing Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to conduct time-based activities separately and group perception-based response variables into meaningful categories to uncover patterns. To analyze the differences in race, gender, age, marital status, and tenure status, Regression and Chi-square test analyses were used to evaluate the collected data. Regression analysis explored relationships between time spent on activities and perceptions of stress, productivity, and satisfaction. Chi-square …

Myxozoan Diversity And Life Cycles In Catfish Production Ponds In Mississippi, Usa, Ethan Woodyard

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish aquaculture is a critical industry in the United States and Mississippi in particular. The industry is beset by depredation, rising feed costs, competition with imports, and loss to disease. Chief among these is the myxozoan parasite and causative agent of proliferative gill disease, Henneguya ictaluri. In chapter 2, novel molecular markers for greater resolution in species identification of these parasites are provided, allowing more robust life cycle inference, species-level identifications, and inference of evolutionary relationships through molecular phylogenetic analyses. Chapters 3–5 apply the approaches developed in Chapter 2 to a broad array of taxa beyond catfish-infecting Henneguya spp. These …

An Updated Viscoplastic Self-Consistent Model To Capture The Effects Of Residual Stress, Microstructural Heterogeneity, And Precipitation In Cold-Sprayed Aluminum Alloys, Aulora Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Cold spray additively manufactured (CSAM) aluminum alloys exhibit heterogenous microstructures and mechanical properties, primarily due to high dislocation densities, sub-grain structures, and variation in inter-particle (intersplat) bonding arising from high-velocity particle impacts. Thermal post-processing has been shown to enhance intersplat bonding, reduce high residual stress concentrations, and lower dislocation densities, thereby improving the overall mechanical properties. Building on previous advancements with a mean-field viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) model, integrating intersplat boundary terms, Hall-Petch relations, and physically informed residual stress parameters, the current work extends the model to include precipitates and their effects. Observations of CSAM aluminum 7050 alloy indicate precipitate congregation …

The Teaching Experiences Of Black Women Faculty In Educator Preparation Providers Licensure Programs At Predominantly White Institutions, Tiffiney M. Atterberry

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the experiences that Black women faculty encounter in instructional spaces of Educator Preparation Providers licensure programs (hereafter referred to as EPPs) at predominantly White institutions are important for institutional change and reform to occur. In spaces of EPPs, Black women faculty are forced to cope and deal with racialized issues such as feelings of social isolation, a lack of inclusion, acts of microaggression from students, disrespectful acts, and students challenging their knowledge and credentials. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Black women faculty narrate their teaching experiences in EPPs at PWIs. The use of Collins’ …

Evaluating The Feeding Value Of Almond Hulls And The Supplementation Of Carbohydrases On Performance, Egg Quality, Nutrient Digestibility And Intestinal Health In Lsl-Lite Hens, Nelly Giovanna Cribillero Chuquihuaccha

Theses and Dissertations

Almond hulls (AH) are a by-product of the almond nut processing rich mainly in insoluble fiber. Addition of fiber in the diet has been shown positive results in performance in poultry. However, scientific literature on the use of AH in poultry is limited. The objective of this dissertation was to determine the effect of the supplementation of ground AH and cellulase-xylanase carbohydrase enzyme (E) inclusions on performance, egg quality, ileal nutrients digestibility, jejunum gene expression and ceca microbiota of Lohmann LSL-Lite pullets and laying hens from 0 to 70 weeks of age. Chapter I describe the knowledge on the composition …

A Framework For Modular Knowledge Composition In Network Intrusion Detection Systems, Patrick L. Day

Theses and Dissertations

Autonomic Intrusion Detection Systems (AIDS) are sophisticated software systems designed to autonomously and adaptively identify and respond to security threats and intrusions in computer networks or systems. One of the fundamental challenges in intrusion detection research lies in the limited availability and scope of publicly available datasets. The proposed research aims to address data-related gaps with autonomic and traditional intrusion detection systems by describing a comprehensive approach to investigate the impact and potential of data augmentation. The goal is to explore various data augmentation techniques, assess their effectiveness in introducing variability, and evaluate their impact on the performance of neural-based …

Bucket-Based Priority Queues For A* And Related Bounded-Suboptimal And Anytime Search Algorithms: Theoretical And Practical Advancements, Garrett Michael Fereday

Theses and Dissertations

For shortest-path problems with a small number of integer transition costs, it is well-known that the performance of the classic A* algorithm can be improved by using bucketing to reduce priority queue overhead—in particular, by using a bucket queue data structure for the priority queue, instead of a binary heap. This dissertation describes several theoretical and practical extensions of this approach. First, the traditional two-level bucket queue data structure is modified in simple ways to improve the worst-case complexity of its operations, which leads to the first demonstration that the priority queue operations of a two-level bucket queue for A* …

Modeling Cross-Platform Narrative Templates: A Temporal Knowledge Graph Approach, Ridwan Amure

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, social media platforms have rapidly evolved in scale, functionality, and user engagement, encouraging individuals to maintain active presences across multiple networks. This complex, interconnected ecosystem has also enabled information actors to exploit cross-platform dynamics to amplify the reach of their content and strategically target diverse audiences. Recognizing the persistence and adaptability of such actors, this research emphasizes the need for robust models that can effectively capture and analyze cross-platform narrative diffusion. To this end, we propose a framework that utilizes temporal knowledge graphs to model the evolution and relationships among narratives across platforms. We extract temporal …

Method Development For The Analysis Of Drugs Of Abuse Using Solid Phase Extraction And High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Sangeeta Kurre

Theses and Dissertations

The accurate detection and quantification of drugs of abuse and their metabolites for HPLC analysis is key in the medical, forensic, and environmental sectors. Additionally, the detection of compounds related to substance use disorders in clinical settings can play a crucial role in effective treatment decisions by healthcare practitioners. The ability to detect these compounds at trace levels in any given sample matrix is a known challenge. Coupling a reliable sample preparation method to HPLC analysis for matrix interference reduction and the preconcentration of species for enhanced detection limits may provide a preferred solution to the analysis of drugs of …

"Cultural Identity And Economic Challenges": The Socio-Economic Impact Of The Texas Kickapoo Reservation In The South Texas Borderlands, Diana P. Medina-Rendon

Theses and Dissertations

The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas holds a significant place in Texas history. Facing conflicts with other tribes and experiencing broken treaties with the United States government, the Kickapoo slowly migrated from the Great Lakes region in the 16th century to the Midwest, then to the South, and into northern Mexico. Along the way, the Kickapoo encountered the French, British, Spanish, Americans, Texans, and Mexicans. They became involved in historical events such as the French and Indian War, the Battle of Tippecanoe, the War of 1812, the Battle Creek Massacre of 1838, and the Battle of Dove Creek of 1865. …

Redefining Roles In Displacement: The Asylum Journey Of Sudanese Women In Faisal, Cairo, Majeda Abdin Mahasneh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how Sudanese refugee women, who arrived in Faisal, Cairo, after April 2023 experience gender-based violence (GBV). The research investigates the types of GBV these women encountered during their journey from Sudan to Cairo, how their gender roles changed in the asylum context, and their vision for the future regarding safety and support. A qualitative approach was employed, using in-depth interviews with four Sudanese refugee women, complemented by field notes and observations made during visits to the Faisal neighborhood. The analysis focused on the personal stories shared by the women, highlighting the various forms of violence they experienced, …

‘Good Old John Decker’: Confronting Entrepreneurial Challenges In The Mid-Nineteenth Century Rio Grande Borderlands, Grace C. Maciel

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

'Good Old John Decker': Confronting Entrepreneurial Challenges In The Mid-Nineteenth Century Rio Grande Borderlands (May 2025)

Grace C. Maciel, M.A., Texas A&M International University

Chair of Committee: Dr. Jerry Thompson

This thesis presents the first scholarly study of John Decker, a French-born immigrant whose rise as a merchant and civic figure in the 19th-century U.S.–Mexico borderlands offers a compelling case of adaptability, resilience, and immigrant success. Settling in Rio Grande City and Camargo, Tamaulipas, Decker built a lasting presence during a period marked by regional volatility, navigating war, revolution, and economic transformation. His story is explored across five chapters, …

Biogenic Synthesis Of Metallic And Bimetallic Oxide Nanoparticles For Water Treatment Applications, Gunarani G.I

Theses and Dissertations

Access to clean water is a quality-of-life indicator. The availability of clean water apart from water scarcity is marred due to contamination by heavy metals and synthetic dyes, posing a grave environmental and public health challenge. This necessitates the implementation of advanced and sustainable treatment solutions towards water remediation. This research work focusses on the fabrication and application of biogenic and chemically synthesized metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles for the efficient removal of uranium, chromium, and toxic dyes from aqueous environments. The study particularly focuses on zero-valent (C-Fe and B-Fe) and bimetallic (C-NiFe and B-NiFe) nanoparticles, evaluating their adsorption capabilities and …

A Preliminary Study Of Hilbert–Kunz Functions: Coefficient Behavior In A Normal Affine Semigroup Ring, Jesus A. Mendiola Herrera

Theses and Dissertations

In 1890, David Hilbert published a set of notes on what now constitutes one of the bases of Commutative Algebra; his work would eventually influence the efforts of mathematicians like Ernst Kunz. In 1969, Ernst Kunz introduced a particular mapping regarding modules of regular local rings. His goal was to characterize Noetherian local rings of prime characteristic by computing the length of the composition series under Frobenius power transformations. In this thesis, the focus will be on stating the initial steps on finding the coefficients of the Hilbert-Kunz function of the normal affine semigroup ring of the form R = …

How Much Touch Can The Paper Withstand?, Aldrin Regina Valdez

Theses and Dissertations

Between embodiment and disembodiment, Aldrin Regina Valdez’s works on paper map histories of care, violence, and mourning, both personal and collective. They ask: how much touch can the paper withstand?

Indeed, In A Way, It's Worse., Jani C. Zubkovs

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates walking as both method and metaphor within an artistic practice grounded in photography. Through walking, I engage in a sustained act of seeing — one that resists the speed and consumption-driven logic of late capitalism and opens space for reflection, slowness, and heightened perception. My photographic work focuses on fragments of the built environment, particularly advertisements, signage, and residual human marks, reframing them through strategies of cropping, isolation, and recontextualization. These images question the distinction between original and reproduction, presence and absence, surface and depth. Drawing on thinkers such as Jonathan Crary, Luigi Ghirri, Siegfried Kracauer, and …

Paintings And Paintings, Anna T. Gregor

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues for a renewed distinction between mere paintings and capital-P Paintings, contending that meaning arises through sustained, reciprocal engagement between viewer and artwork. Amid "postmodern" disorientation, it proposes a reorientation toward individual works as sites of immanent logic and shared perception, rather than relying on external narratives or historical clichés.

The Function Of Art, Magdalen O. M. Pickering

Theses and Dissertations

With the help of machines and the powers of perception, Magdalen Pickering introduces logic to strange and fantastical subjects. The Function of Art explores a hybrid of techniques in painting, screenprinting, and computer generated imagery as Magdalen attempts to use generative printing to obscure art historical consciousness. The installation crosses into virtual reality; reframing textiles, landscapes, and the gallery space through a metaphysical lens.

E Is For Ephemera, E Rady

Theses and Dissertations

E is for Ephemera contends with an artist's role as a performer - traversing questions of identity, documentation, temporality, authority, power relations and implication of the self in response to systemic forces. Here, performances are treated as zones in which simulated scenarios sometimes offer various potential opportunities to resolve.

The Hand Reaches Out, Martin John Miller Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Through a combination of narrative description and in-depth explication, I will detail the physical experience of navigating the thesis work while tying those motions directly to personal writing. My hope is that, through this installation, I can establish a framework for relating to these systems through the felt and physical, through the suggested and implied, through the appearance of the ordinary, and on through to the interruption of the absurd.

Rewriting The Frontier: The Impact Of Collective Memory On The Mythos Of Western Settlement, Kelly E. Kooper

Theses and Dissertations

Using Paul Cohen’s methodological approach in History in Three Keys, this thesis examines the construction and debunking of the myths of manifest destiny, the rugged individual frontiersman, and the “noble savage” Native American in the writing about, experience of, and representation of the settlement American West. First, it analyzes the evolution of the historiography from Frederick Jackson Turner to William Cronon. Then it examines the experiences of four families (the Grices, Grahams, Deems, and McCormicks) who settled in Iowa and Nebraska from 1850 to 1880. Lastly, it surveys various popular cultural celebrations of the West. Through this triple lens, this …

Searching For Enslavement In Viking Age Iceland: An Exploration Of Making The “Invisible” Visible, Caitlin Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Enslavement was almost certainly a reality in Viking Age Iceland. However, the fields of Norse Studies and archaeology have traditionally used different lines of evidence to explore enslavement, and for archaeologists, the phenomenon has been left underexplored, and sometimes considered "invisible." While Norse Studies relies primarily on written texts, such as sagas and poems, archaeology focuses more on material remains, including burials and shackles. In Iceland, the archaeological evidence is more subtle - houses with annexes or pit houses, as well as signs of intensive farming and weaving, for example. The presence of any one of these could be otherwise …

Tears, Blood, And Milk: Frida Kahlo's Depictions Of Maternity, Jenny Mushkin Goldman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Frida Kahlo’s representations of miscarriage, childbirth, and breastfeeding as departures from idealized portrayals of womanhood in post-revolutionary Mexico. Drawing on Catholic and Mesoamerican imagery, Kahlo reframes the maternal body as a site of resistance, engaging mexicanidad (Mexicanness) to counter its patriarchal constructions of national identity and gender.