Digital Commons Network^™

Hearing All The Colors: Stories Of Engagement From Teachers' Perspectives, Carolyn Allison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study documented four high school English II End of Course teachers' stories about student engagement in the classroom. Students of color, in particular, have been maligned for underperformance on state-mandated tests. Instead of focusing on the despairing headlines and data, this study focused on how teachers follow the state standards and district curriculum guides to increase success. The teachers' authentic voices on student engagement shine through their stories. Student engagement is not a one-size-fits-all scenario which these teachers prove.

The teachers' stories served as the data for this study. The data was viewed through the lens of …

Developing Mathematical Thinking And Reasoning For Students With Disabilities Through Professional Learning Communities, Dawn Pilotti

Theses and Dissertations

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are designed to improve learning outcomes for all students through educator collaboration. Guided by systems theory and supported by social cognitive, social practice and change theories, this longitudinal participatory action research study explored the development of an interdepartmental PLC, and its impact on mathematics teachers’ practices and students’ performance. Additionally, this study explored the relationship between participation in the PLC and participants’ collective efficacy. The study was conducted at a school for students with learning disabilities. The PLC included Grade 5 and Grade 6 mathematics teachers, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, a mathematics specialist, reading …

Reassessing Readiness: Physical Performance Trajectories And Future Physical Military Readiness, Giovanna Leone

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three studies integrating frequentist and machine learning techniques to examine physical fitness trajectories and future physical military readiness. Study 1 consists of a cross-sectional examination of Physical Fitness Test (PFT) scores from four cohorts of first-year Cadets at a Senior Military College from 2019 to 2022. Study 2 consists of a longitudinal examination of PFT performance from one cohort of Cadets across a baseline test and three years of training at a Senior Military College. Study 3 examines predictive machine learning and growth curve modeling methods to project future physical military readiness based on motor competence …

Essential Characteristics And Perceived Needs Of Teachers And School Leaders Of Steam-Focused Elementary Schools: An Exploratory Study, Christopher Abbaleo

Theses and Dissertations

While STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education has traditionally been emphasized at the high school level, there is growing recognition of its importance in elementary education. This exploratory, action research multiple-case study identified the essential characteristics of two STEAM-focused elementary schools and how they are operationalized as well as the perceived needs of teachers and school leaders working within the schools. Within-case analyses and a cross-case synthesis revealed both common and distinct STEAM-focused curricular approaches, along with other commonalities such as enriching co-curricular offerings, connections to STEAM careers, professional development, teacher collaboration, visionary leadership, and networking with external …

Investigating The Immunomodulatory Effects Of Cdk8/19 Inhibitor Senexin631 In A Her2-Positive Breast Cancer Model, Stephen O'Rourke

Theses and Dissertations

HER2-positive (HER2⁺) breast cancer is aggressive and often develops resistance to anti-HER2 therapies. CDK8 and CDK19, transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases (tCDKs) in the Mediator complex, are dysregulated in HER2⁺ breast cancer, correlate with poor survival, and support transcriptional escape driving therapeutic resistance. Previous studies Previous studies in immune-deficient models demonstrated that CDK8/19 inhibition (CDK8/19i) reduces pro-tumor macrophages (M2Φs), but its role in immune-competent tumors and innate immune–mediated tumor control remains unclear. Since HER2⁺ tumors are often immunogenic and anti-HER2 therapies rely on innate immune activation, reprogramming immunosuppressive M2Φ toward an M1Φ-like phenotype could enhance antitumor immunity. We hypothesized that CDK8/19i modulates …

Characterizing The Relationships Between Cranial Geometry, Brain Morphometry, And Brain Mechanical Properties Using Mr Imaging And Elastography, Jessica Restivo

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health concern, with over 69 million cases annually. TBI risk depends on subject-specific neuroanatomical variation, yet research often only considers generic finite element (FE) models, based on the geometry and material composition of a 50th percentile male head. Although highly accurate, subject-specific models require expensive magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, elastography, and time-consuming computational resources. There is a need to create subject-specific TBI models that account for subject-specific variations, without neuroimaging. This study aims to create mathematical models to predict brain morphometry (dimensions, volume) [Objective 1] and mechanical properties (shear stiffness, damping ratio, octahedral …

Apathy Or Agency: Exploring Civic Engagement With Ap Psychology Students, Regina Dilley

Theses and Dissertations

Sensing my high school students’ apathy toward civic engagement, I used a community of inquiry framework to address this problem of practice. Through mixed-methods action research, I explored participants’ perspectives on community, civic engagement, and their involvement in both spheres. A community of inquiry framework was the foundation for my research questions, and as I collected data, I launched an intervention based upon my findings. Although the results of this study were not statistically significant and are not generalizable, I collected a wealth of survey, interview, and reflection data from 48 students across two classes. Analysis grounded in my observations …

Addressing Key Challenges In Mhz Power Converters, Aqarib Hussain

Theses and Dissertations

Power electronics are essential in applications such as aerospace, electric vehicles, and electric ships where compact, efficient, and high power-density converters are increasingly demanded. This push toward miniaturization has led to converter designs operating at switching frequencies in the megahertz (MHz) range. Higher-frequency operation enables significant reductions in passive component sizes—particularly transformers and inductors—thereby facilitating dense packaging. However, these benefits come with new challenges, including increased thermal stress, complex semiconductor behavior, higher-frequency magnetic design constraints, and elevated electromagnetic interference (EMI).

This research addresses several key challenges in MHz converter design. The first part involves the development of a 1-MHz, 1-kW …

Elevating Next Generation Wireless Devices Towards Contactless Sensing For Healthcare Applications, Aakriti Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing interest in technologies that can understand and perceive at-home human activities to provide personalized healthcare monitoring, aimed at early detection of disease markers and assisting physicians in making clinical decisions. Existing approaches, such as wearables, require users to wear sensors that can be cumbersome and cause discomfort. Vision based solutions, such as optical cameras, IRs, LiDARs, etc., can be used to design contactless at-home monitoring systems. However, these systems are limited by poor lighting and occlusion, and they are privacy-invasive. Fortunately, high-frequency millimeter-wave wireless devices provide an effective alternative to the existing systems to enable fine-grained …

Understanding Community College Students’ Thoughts And Motivations Regarding Tutoring In An Undergraduate Mathematics Course, Whitney Paige Cherekos

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examines community college students’ thoughts and motivations regarding tutoring, with the aim of identifying disparities in tutoring utilization and engagement at a community college in North Carolina. The purpose of the dissertation is to evaluate tutoring effectiveness and explore students’ perceptions of tutoring. The findings of this study led to proposed solutions to reduce or eliminate the barriers that today’s community college students encounter when needing academic support.

To evaluate tutoring effectiveness, I collected quantitative data from institution registration reports, transcripts, tutoring logs, and an anonymous student survey for students enrolled in multiple sections of a single …

Positive Self-Talk, Politics, And Poetry: The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Workshop In A High School Support Lab, Danielle Ann Verwers

Theses and Dissertations

This action research dissertation describes my effort to expand access to the arts for my high school students with IEPs through a culturally responsive poetry workshop. For this qualitative study, I used ongoing content analysis to explore how the experience impacted my students and me, drawing insights from artifacts, field notes, and interview data. Predetermined categories of student identity, writing, and poetry yielded themes like positive self-talk, family, voice, and reimagining to illuminate the students’ experiences. As I analyzed my own experience, two categories of pressure and political impact emerged, characterized by freedom, growth, struggle, burnout, and hope. In addition …

Causal Neuro-Symbolic Artificial Intelligence: Synergy Between Neuro-Symbolic And Causal Artificial Intelligence, Utkarshani Jaimini

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding and reasoning about cause and effect is innate to human cognition. In everyday life, humans continuously engage in causal reasoning and hypothetical retrospection to make decisions, plan actions, and interpret events. This cognitive ability allows us to ask questions such as: “What caused this situation?”, “What will happen if I take this action?”, or “What would have happened had I chosen differently?” This intuitive capacity to form mental models of the world, infer causal relationships, and reason about alternative scenarios, particularly counterfactuals, is central to our intelligence and adaptability. In contrast, current machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) …

Electrochemically Active Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers For Energy Generation And Storage, Jinyao Tang

Theses and Dissertations

The growing demand for sustainable energy has spurred interest in hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, yet its widespread adoption is limited by storage and transport challenges. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) offer a promising solution by enabling reversible hydrogen storage through chemical redox reactions under ambient conditions. Compared to conventional thermal methods, LOHC electrochemistry provides improved energy efficiency, operational safety, and integration into electrochemical systems. However, key challenges remain, such as catalyst deactivation, limited redox reversibility, and low system-level performance that hinder broader application. Alcohols like isopropanol (IPA) and cyclohexanol (CHOL), and amines like ethylamine, have emerged as promising …

A Neuro-Symbolic Ai Approach To Scene Understanding In Autonomous Systems, Ruwan Tharanga Wickramarachchige Don

Theses and Dissertations

Effectively understanding scenes requires a unified representation of scene data and background knowledge. A neuro-symbolic AI approach to scene understanding leverages such a unified representation to enable advanced expression, inference, and labeling of scenes, improving the perception of autonomous systems.

Scene understanding remains a central challenge in the machine perception of autonomous systems. It requires the integration of multiple sources of information, background knowledge, and heterogeneous sensor data to perceive, interpret, and reason about both physical and semantic aspects of dynamic environments. Current approaches to scene understanding primarily rely on computer vision and deep learning models that operate directly on …

Play, Guide, Aspire: How Game Type And Trainer Involvement Shape Orientation Training Outcomes, Damla Sonmez

Theses and Dissertations

The use of gamification in orientation training has gained attention in organizational settings, yet questions remain regarding how different gamified training designs influence new employees’ emotional commitment, willingness to participate in future training, and long-term aspirations. Drawing on Stimulus–Organism–Response (SO-R) theory, Achievement Goal Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, this dissertation investigates how game type (individual vs. team) and trainer involvement (active vs. passive) shape these outcomes.

Two experimental studies using vignette-based scenarios were conducted. Study 1 tested the direct effects of game type on emotional commitment and willingness to participate. Study 2 employed a 2 (game type) × 2 (trainer …

Seeding Science: Exploring Impacts From Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning Experiences On Preservice Teachers Science Teaching Self-Efficacy, Kathryn Ruth Madden

Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood and elementary education preservice teachers often report having limited firsthand experiences in constructivist, inquiry-based science instruction. This can be a factor in contributing to nervous or anxious feelings about teaching science to young learners. To address this critical problem, this study explored the impact of interdisciplinary project-based learning (PBL) experiences on preservice teachers' selfefficacy. The study extended over six weeks of the preservice teachers' science methods courses. The early childhood participants engaged in interdisciplinary PBL by designing and exploring schoolyard gardens. The elementary participants investigated the local saltmarsh ecosystem focusing on the plants and animals. The PBL experiences …

From Chalk Dust To Destiny: Race, Gender, Hair, And The Making Of My Stem Identity, Angela Gaines Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This critical autoethnography explored the evolving STEM identity of myself as a Black female student and educator and examined how race, gender, and hair politics intersected to shape experiences within predominantly white institutions. Guided by a two-fold framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Transformative Leadership Theory (TLT) , I posed two research questions: 1) How has my STEM identity as a Black woman evolved over time through my experiences as a student and educator?; 2) In what ways does my current STEM identity as a Black woman, as understood through reflective practices, inform my pedagogical approaches and mentoring of …

Some Likelihood-Based Methods For Clustering Functional Data, Tong Shan

Theses and Dissertations

The analysis of functional data is an increasingly relevant part of statistics. The exploratory data analytic method of cluster analysis plays a very important role in different fields. Over the years, researchers have developed many clustering approaches, striving to achieve more accurate and efficient clustering. In Chapter 1, we aim to improve the accuracy of our outcome when clustering functional data. To achieve this goal, we use a predictive likelihood function which serves as an objective function to optimize in order to determine the most appropriate clusters. To optimize the objective function over the space of clustering partitions, we produce …

Clusters In The Storm: Regional Economic Specialization Before And After Hurricane Harvey, Gwyneth King Waddington

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, large-scale disaster events have dominated headlines. As the world faces an increasing number of such disasters, it is crucial to understand their impacts beyond immediate monetary losses. Disasters not only directly impact individuals and businesses but may also reshape the spatial patterns of the regional economy. Through a case study of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, this study examines how disaster events influence regional economic specialization patterns and contribute to uneven impacts across economic supersectors and geographies. Expanding on previous methodologies, this study incorporates temporal analysis tools to identify and investigate case studies of economic change. …

Microstructure And Defects Of Aa6061 In The Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing, Sivaji Karna

Theses and Dissertations

AA6061 is a widely used aluminum alloy known for its excellent thermal conductivity, strength, and corrosion resistance. However, its application in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing is restricted by solidification cracking and porosity. This study examines defect formation, microstructural evolution, and precipitate behavior in AA6061 processed under various LPBF conditions, including room temperature and heated substrates (500°C), as well as pulsed wave laser configurations. Microstructural characterization was conducted using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

A maximum relative density of 99.17% was …

Hydrogen Permeation And Mechanical Behavior Of Hydrogen-Charged Cr-Coated And Oxidized Zr-Alloy Fuel Cladding, Daniel Cole Viands

Theses and Dissertations

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) became a major research interest to enhance the safety of light water reactors. Because the current fleet of light water reactors and their associated fuel cycle infrastructure are well-established, developing ATF that does not significantly alter the current fuel form or change its supporting infrastructure is ideal. Cr-coated Zircaloy fuel cladding is therefore an excellent short-term solution to enhance accident tolerance. Thin layers of Cr-coating offer notable resistance to corrosion, high-temperature oxidation, physical wear, and hydrogen permeation. Cold spray (CS) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) are two well-established Cr-coating …

Saw Biosensor For The Detection Of Cyanobacteria And Cyanotoxin, Tally Bovender

Theses and Dissertations

The growing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms and associated cyanotoxins, such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR), presents a significant threat to water quality and public health. Conventional detection methods, including ELISA and PCR, are often time-consuming, expensive, and require trained personnel, limiting their application in field settings. Hence, a miniaturized, quick testing sensor is proposed to circumvent the current sensing challenges for real time, in-situ diagnostics of MC-LR. The proposed high-frequency ultrasonic sensor employs surface acoustic waves (SAW). The sensor was designed using a multi-physics simulation tool to understand wave propagation in the piezoelectric substrate (lithium tantalate) and optimize the design of the …

Integrating Ensemble Hydrologic Forecasts With Policy Optimization Models For Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (Firo), Alessandra Estefania Perez Salas

Theses and Dissertations

Effective reservoir management in hydrologically variable regions such as California’s Central Valley faces increasing pressure to balance flood control, water supply reliability, hydropower generation, and ecosystem health. Traditional rule-based operations, while operationally simple, often lack the adaptability required to respond to real-time hydrologic conditions and forecast uncertainty. This study presents an integration of a policy tree optimization model with ensemble streamflow forecasts to enhance Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at Folsom Reservoir. Building on historical data for inflow, storage, and release, an interpretable, threshold-based decision framework was developed and coupled with 14-day ensemble inflow forecasts from the California-Nevada River Forecast Center’s …

Database Development For Reliable Small Object Detection In Maritime Environments, Jacob Matthew Whisenant

Theses and Dissertations

Achieving high reliability in small object detection is critical for advancing maritime and littoral intelligent navigation operations. Computer vision provides an undetectable form of perception that can be easily integrated into existing camera systems, offering a low-profile yet powerful solution for navigation and situational awareness in water-based environments. While deep learning techniques have significantly advanced the field of computer vision, the detection of small objects remains a persistent challenge. Limited pixel representation, the scarcity of large-scale small object datasets, and the reduced detail and indistinct features of small objects complicate detection efforts, especially in complex environments. These factors collectively hinder …

Optical And Thermal Characterization Of Vertically Conducting Β-Ga₂O₃ Diodes Grown On 4h-Sic Substrates For Short-Wavelength (<254 Nm) Detection, Muhammad Hassan Tahir

Theses and Dissertations

The advancement of compact, thermally stable, and efficient devices for deepultraviolet (DUV) detection below 254 nm is critical for solar-blind sensing, radiation monitoring, and high-power electronics. This thesis presents the growth, fabrication, and detailed optical and thermal characterization of vertically conducting β-gallium oxide (βGa₂O₃) Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) grown on n-type 4H-Silicon Carbide (4H-SiC) substrates using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).

β-Ga₂O₃ is an ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor (~4.8 eV) with intrinsic DUV transparency and high breakdown electric field, making it an ideal candidate for short-wavelength photodetection. However, its low thermal conductivity limits its vertical device performance. To overcome this, …

Design Of Supercritical Reactors To Understand Supercritical Water Oxidation Process And Hydrothermal Flames, Victor Dubceac

Theses and Dissertations

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) has been a topic of immense interest as an effective technique/tool for hazardous aqueous waste disposal. SCWO can be achieved by introducing an oxidizer (e.g., H2O2), or a hydrothermal flame as an internal source of both heat and oxidizer species in an aqueous environment at conditions above the critical point of water (P > 218 atm and T > 647 K). SCWO poses important environmental advantages for the treatment of harmful organic materials contained in waste streams. An SCWO reactor has the potential to be compact in design and therefore can be an ideal alternative to existing technology …

Multi-Task Deep Learning Approach For Segmenting And Classifying Competitive Swimming Activities Using A Single Imu, Mark Shperkin

Theses and Dissertations

Competitive swimming performance analysis has traditionally relied on manual video review and multi-sensor systems, both of which are resource-intensive and impractical for everyday training use. This study investigates whether a single wrist-worn inertial measurement unit (IMU) can be used to automatically segment and classify swimming activities with high accuracy. We propose a multi-task deep learning pipeline based on the MTHARS (Multi-Task Human Activity Recognition and Segmentation) architecture introduced by Duan et al. to perform stroke classification, lap segmentation, stroke count estimation, and underwater kick count estimation. Data were collected from eleven collegiate-level swimmers wearing left-wrist-mounted IMUs, each performing five 100-yard …

Effect Of Growth Conditions On The Performance Of Vertically Conducting Beta-Ga2o3 Diodes On 4h-Sic Substrate By Mocvd, Nifat Jahan Nipa

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis highlights the critical influence of doping strategies, specifically co-delta doping with silicon (Si) and indium (In), on improving the structural quality and device performance of β-Ga₂O₃-based Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). To achieve better thermal management, β-Ga₂O₃ thin film was grown on bulk 4H-SiC substrates using the Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) technique, renowned for its precise control over composition, thickness and doping profile. The ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG), high critical breakdown field and low turn-on resistance of β-Ga₂O₃ make it a strong candidate for next-generation power electronics and short-wavelength detection in extreme environments. However, the presence of structural defects …

Getting Poked (Lovingly) With A Stick: A Study Of Parental Involvement During First-Year Students’ College Transitions, Mary Ellis Glymph

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, some higher education professionals have observed an increase in parental involvement in the lives of their students during their transition to college. While involved parents are sometimes referred to as “helicopter parents,” this new generation of parents often fits more into the label of “snowplow parents” or “lawnmower parents.” This sort of over-involvement impacts students’ personal and academic development far beyond high school graduation; during college, students can struggle to adjust to new levels of academic rigor, but they can also struggle with self-confidence and internal motivation due to their lack of experience with addressing their own …

Artificial Intelligence In Sport Management: A Systematic Review, Scale Development And Validation, And Implications, Kemardo Tyrell

Theses and Dissertations

The democratization of intelligent systems and their ubiquitous presence across the sport industry have created an urgent need to understand the current environment and how stakeholders perceive artificial intelligence (AI) as it reshapes decision-making, engagement, and organizational design. This three-manuscript dissertation conceptualizes artificial intelligence as a contested domain shaped by stakeholder meaning-making, consumer perception, and shifts in organizational practice. The first manuscript provides a systematic review of AI in sport management using the PRISMA framework, mapping how AI has been conceptualized as a methodological tool or contextual innovation across the sport industry segmentation (performance, production, and promotion). The second manuscript …