Digital Commons Network^™

Deconstructing The Western Worldview: Toward The Repatriation And Indigenization Of Wellness, Jacqueline Marie Rahm

Indigenous Studies

As Indigenous peoples and scholars advance Native histories, cultures, and languages, there is a critical need to support these efforts by deconstructing the western worldview in a concerted effort to learn from indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing for humanity's future wellbeing. Toward that imperative, this research brings together and examines pieces of the western story as they intersect with Indigenous peoples of the lands that now comprise the United States of America. Through indigenous frameworks and methodologies, it explores a forgotten epistemology of the pre-Socratic and Pythagorean Archaic and Classical Greek eras that is far more similar to indigenous …

Effect Of Filling Methods On The Forecasting Of Time Series With Missing Values, Mingyuan Cheng

Mathematics and Statistics

The Gulf of Alaska Mooring (GAK1) monitoring data set is an irregular time series of temperature and salinity at various depths in the Gulf of Alaska. One approach to analyzing data from an irregular time series is to regularize the series by imputing or filling in missing values. In this project we investigated and compared four methods (denoted as APPROX, SPLINE, LOCF and OMIT) of doing this. Simulation was used to evaluate the performance of each filling method on parameter estimation and forecasting precision for an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. Simulations showed differences among the four methods in …

Research In Advanced Nuclear Development And Planning, Michael Kuca

Engineering

This project began as an examination of small and mini nuclear power plants as an emergent energy technology capable of sustained base-load power generation in northern climates. Literature review immediately demonstrated Alaska should remain current on small and mini nuclear power plants because commercial vendors are promoting their products to state leaders as certain solutions. Is Alaska prepared to receive, operate, and decommission advanced nuclear technology as an alternative to traditional hydrocarbon power plants? The graduate committee encouraged me to facilitate discussions with Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) leadership in reference to their 2010 study on small modular …

Changes In Extreme Hydroclimate Events In Interior Alaskan Boreal Forest Watersheds, Katrina Bennett

Engineering

The high latitude regions of the globe are responding to climate change at unprecedented magnitudes and rates. As the climate warms, extreme hydroclimate events are likely to change more than the mean events, and it is the extreme changes that present a risk to society, the economy and the environment of the north. The subarctic boreal forest is one of the largest ecosystems in the world and is greatly understudied with respect to hydroclimate extremes. Thus, defining a baseline for changing extremes is the first step towards planning and implementing adaptation measures to reduce risk and costs associated with the …

A Validity Study Of The Reasons For Life Scale With Emerging Adult College Students, Daniel B. Curns

Psychology

This study examined the validity of the Reasons for Life Scale (RFLS) with emerging adult college students. The RFLS measures "reasons for life." It was developed for use with Alaska Native youth as a way to assess potential risk of suicide without directly questioning about suicidal ideation or history of suicide attempts. This study sought to adapt the RFLS for use with emerging adult (age 18-25) college students, and to examine its factor structure and convergent validity with this population. First, a focus group was conducted to assist in rewording two Alaska Native-specific items from the RFLS for non-Natives. Then, …

Spectroscopic Study Of Sprites, Takeshi Kanmae, N/A 神前 丈

Physics

Optical emissions from sprites--large electric discharges in the mesosphere caused by intense lightning strokes--have been studied for decades. Studies have identified that sprite emissions are primarily composed of molecular band emissions of nitrogen and notably identified the near ultraviolet and blue emission from the N₂⁺ First Negative system, which provided direct evidence of ionization in sprites. This implies that further evidence of the ionization may be provided by the visible and near infrared emission from the N₂⁺ Meinel system, which is more accessible from ground-based platforms, though anticipated strong quenching in the mesosphere and below have made the presence of …

A Review Of Selected Works By J.S. Bach, Franz Schubert, And Alberto E. Ginastera, Ani Gyulamiryan

Music

No abstract provided.

Growth And Maturity Of The Pacific Razor Clam In Eastern Cook Inlet, Alaska, Jamie M. Mckellar

Fisheries

In Alaska, the only road-accessible fishery for the Pacific razor clam, Siliqua patula, is located in eastern Cook Inlet, and has been monitored by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) since 1964. In recent years, a shift has been observed in size, age, and number of clam cohorts in this region, yet little is known about the early life history of razor clams in this region. This study aimed to provide information on length and age at maturity, growth rates, and spawn timing at two beaches in eastern Cook Inlet, Ninilchik and Clam Gulch, in 2009 and 2010. …

Feeding Ecology And Movement Patterns Of Juvenile Sablefish In Coastal Southeast Alaska, Karson Marie Coutré

Fisheries

Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, is a commercially valuable groundfish species undergoing population declines in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. This study assessed the role of juvenile sablefish as consumers in coastal Southeast Alaska (St. John Baptist Bay, Baranof Island, Alaska; SJBB) to better understand their use of habitat and food resources during their early life history. Specifically, the diet of juvenile sablefish was described for multiple seasons (summer and fall) and years (2012 and 2013) from analysis of stomach contents recovered using gastric lavage. Sablefish ate a wide variety of prey taxa, and the most important prey groups were …

Biotic And Abiotic Influences On The Use Of Arctic Lakes By Fish And Loons, Trevor B. Haynes

Fisheries

The particularly severe effects of climate change anticipated in the Arctic, accompanied by ongoing anthropogenic activities, necessitate proactive and knowledge-based management of the region's aquatic ecosystems. However, the paucity of information on the Arctic's aquatic environments hinders strategic or spatially-explicit management. In this dissertation, I examine the habitat use of poorly studied taxa of the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska, including freshwater fishes and yellow-billed loons (Gavia adamsii). Distribution studies can be biased by false absences; therefore, I began by determining the detection probabilities of six fish species common to Arctic lakes for five gear types (Chapter 2). Variation …

Patterns In Size, Growth, And Condition Of Juvenile Chum And Pink Salmon In The Northeastern Bering Sea, Melissa Prechtl

Fisheries

The Bering Sea has alternated between warm and cool spring thermal regimes, as defined by May sea surface temperature, and in recent years has remained in a "cool" state. Differences in spring thermal regime influence the timing of sea ice extent in the southeastern Bering Sea (SEBS) region, with warm springs facilitating early ice retreats and cool springs resulting in later ice retreat. A recent conceptual model for relating production to higher trophic levels in the SEBS proposes that during years of early sea ice retreat, phytoplankton blooms occur in warm water and support small, lipid-poor species of zooplankton. Conversely, …

The Effects Of Barotrauma And Deepwater-Release Mechanisms On The Reproductive Viability Of Yelloweye Rockfish In Prince William Sound, Alaska, Brittany Blain

Fisheries

Previous research has shown that releasing sport-caught Yelloweye Rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus with a deepwater-release mechanism (DRM) can alleviate anatomical damage due to barotrauma. However, it is unknown if a Yelloweye Rockfish remains a viable member of the population and reproduces in subsequent years following a barotrauma event and recompression with a DRM. The objectives of my study were to: 1) determine if Yelloweye Rockfish were able to reproduce one to two years following known forced decompression and recompression event(s); and 2) evaluate if barotrauma and recompression affected the quality of developing embryos. In 2010, Yelloweye Rockfish were sampled from an …

Life History Characteristics, Management Strategies, And Environmental And Economic Factors That Contribute To The Vulnerability Of Rockfish Stocks Off Alaska, Jacqueline Patt

Fisheries

This study explored the extent to which variations in biological characteristics, environmental and economic factors, and management strategies have affected the tendency for rockfish to become overfished. The analysis used data on 5 species of rockfish that account for more than 95% of commercial catch of rockfish in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea and Aleutian Island (BSAI) management regions. These species are: Shortraker Rockfish (Sebastes borealis), Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus), Northern Rockfish (Sebastes polyspinis), Dusky Rockfish (Sebastes variabilis), and Shortspine Thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus). Fishery management models often treat BMSY, the biomass level that maximizes sustainable yield, …

Reproductive Potential Of Snow And Tanner Crab In Alaska, Joel Benjamin Webb

Fisheries

Fisheries for snow (Chionoecetes opilio) and Tanner (C. bairdi) crab in Alaska are managed with large male only harvest regulations. Management of sex-selective crab fisheries could be enhanced by improved understanding of the functional relationship between male harvest and female reproductive potential. This research advances knowledge of factors associated with variation in reproductive potential by characterizing factors influencing female sperm reserves for Tanner crab, identifying factors associated with variability in fecundity for female snow crab in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS), and developing refined indices of egg (embryo) production and recruitment for snow crab that revealed a positive functional relationship …

The Influence Of Higher Education On Promotional Outcomes In The New Jersey State Police, David D. Costantino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the strength of four predictor variables (i.e., level of education, seniority, gender and race) found in the archival data provided by the New Jersey State Police to predict the likelihood of promotional outcomes for five separate and distinct participant groups (i.e., Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Lieutenant, Captain, and Major). Five separate participant group analyses were conducted using binary logistic regression modelling. The participant data examined in this study, which represents a total population sample, pertained to 3,515 enlisted members of the New Jersey State Police considered for promotion during one, or both, of the promotional events held …

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Perceptions Of Social Workers Concerning Independent Living Programs In Conjunction With Post-Secondary Education After New Jersey Foster Youth "Age-Out" Of The Foster Care System, Patrick L. Beatty

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the perceptions of New Jersey social workers regarding potential barriers that may exist with foster care youth maturity development, independent living programs emphasizing foster care alumni post-secondary education achievement, and social worker departmental training relating to their understanding of independent living programs.

The design of this qualitative study focused on New Jersey Division of Children & Family volunteer participants consisting of three district office manager interviews, and three social worker focus group discussions from specific geographic locations throughout New Jersey. The interview and focus group questions were developed after comprehensive research …

Leed Certification Of Campus Buildings: A Cost-Benefit Approach, Erin Ann Hopkins

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

No comprehensive study has been done within the higher education sector to see if Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification makes sense economically. This study helps fill the gaps in the literature by providing construction costs and energy and water costs for a sample of campus LEED-certified buildings within the United States. Finding out if campus greening makes sense economically from a full lifecycle standpoint can help address possible upfront green premium barriers. This study found that there is an upfront green premium for LEED-certified campus buildings. However, when looking at LEED-certified campus buildings from a building lifecycle …

Key Acts And Cases For Alaska Tribal Court Jurisdiction, Ryan Fortson

Vols 31-36 (2014-2019)

This article provides an annotated survey of Alaska and federal case law and statutes tracing the development of tribal court jurisdiction in Alaska.

Numerical Study Of An Exhaust Heat Recovery System Using Corrugated Tubes And Twisted Tape Inserts, Vamsi Krishna Mokkapati

Engineering

Diesel engine generators are the major power source for small communities in cold regions. Diesel generators waste about 1/3 of their fuel energy in the form of heat through exhaust gas. The primary goal of this work is to capture part of the heat from the exhaust and improve the efficiency of the system. A gas to liquid heat transfer performance of a concentric tube heat exchanger with corrugated tubes and twisted tape inserts is investigated by considering its effects on engine performance and economics. This type of heat exchanger is expected to be inexpensive to install and effective in …

Hardware And Software Implementation Of A Low Power Attitude Control And Determination System For Cubesats, Jesse Frey

Engineering

In recent years there has been a growing interest in smaller satellites. Smaller satellites are cheaper to build and launch than larger satellites. One form factor, the CubeSat, is especially popular with universities and is a 10 cm cube. Being smaller means that the mass and power budgets are tighter and as such new ways must be developed to cope with these constraints. Traditional attitude control systems often use reaction wheels with gas thrusters which present challenges on a CubeSat. Many CubeSats use magnetic attitude control which uses the Earth's magnetic field to torque the satellite into the proper orientation. …

Still Serving Soulful Sounds, Edwin B. Smith

University of Mississippi News

UM Gospel Choir recently celebrated 40th anniversary with a joyous reunion

Rowan Oak Holiday Hours, Christina Steube

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Chancellor's Report 2014-12, John Pugh

Chancellor's Report

No abstract provided.

Chancellor's Philanthropy Report 2014 Winter, John Pugh

Chancellor's Report

No abstract provided.

Deans' Council Meeting : 2014 : 12 : 17 : Minutes, University Of South Florida St. Petersburg. Office Of The Regional Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs.

Deans' Council

No abstract provided.

Cordova Floating Ferry Dock, Andrew T. Metzger

INE Project Reports

This study began the evaluation of the Cordova floating ferry dock using the ANSYS AQWA software. The AQWA software models the effects of waves, wind and current on floating structures. Floating bodies are modeled as a point-mass with inertial and hydrostatic characteristics. As part of the study, the critical wave characteristic was defined. During the modeling it was found that AQWA can only model rigid bodies and that the Cordova floats experience a wide range of wave periods and directions. Consequently, AQWA requires adaptation to fully model the ferry dock at Cordova.

Penny For Your Thoughts? The Protective Effect Of Youths’ Attitudes Against Drug Use In High-Risk Communities, Emily M. Wright, Abigail A. Fagan, Gillian M. Pichevsky

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Individual-level attitudes about drugs are strong predictors of substance use among adolescents, and aggregate-level community norms regarding deviancy and drug use may influence youth attitudes as well as their drug use. This study examined the direct effects of neighborhood norms about deviance, disadvantage, immigrant concentration, and residential stability on youths’ attitudes about drug harmfulness as well as their variety of past month substance use. The moderating effect of community norms on the relationship between youth attitudes and drug use was also examined. Results suggest that community norms favorable to deviance and drug use reduced youth’s attitudes that drugs were harmful. …

Diversity, Abundance And Fate Of Ice Algae And Phytoplankton In The Bering Sea, Anna Szymanski

Marine Biology

Sea ice algae are an essential part of Arctic and subarctic ecosystems. They significantly contribute to total algal primary production, serve as an early spring food source for both pelagic and benthic biota, and can seed the spring phytoplankton bloom during periods of ice melt. In the subarctic Bering Sea, virtually nothing has been known about the composition of the ice algal community, its magnitude, and its connection to pelagic and benthic ecosystems. This study, therefore, focused on the diversity, abundance, and ultimate fate of ice algae in the Bering Sea using sea ice, water and sub-ice sediment trap samples …

Variability In Foraging By Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaenangliae) On The Kodiak, Ak, Feeding Ground, Dana Louise Wright

Marine Biology

The North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population has been growing rapidly following a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. Knowledge of humpback whale foraging on feeding grounds is becoming increasingly important as the growing population consumes more prey, including economically important commercial fishes. The goal of this thesis is to better understand how marine resources are shared among the growing humpback whale population and sympatric apex predators, including western Steller sea lions (SSLs; Eumetopias jubatus), on the Kodiak, AK, feeding ground. To address this, we explored spatial and temporal (inter-annual and within-feeding season) variability in summer foraging by humpback …

Minutes From December 17 2014, University Senate

University Senate Minutes

Minutes from December 17 2014 University Senate Meeting