Digital Commons Network^™

Common Goods In Uncommon Times: Water, Droughts, And The Sustainability Of Ancestral Pueblo Communities In The Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, Ad 1100-1700, Michael Aiuvalasit

Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Adapting our infrastructure and institutions to climate change is a crucial dilemma for modern society. Archaeologists should be well positioned to address this issue with examples from the past. Yet, too often when we find that cultural changes are synchronous with climate variation, such as abandonment of a region during a drought, we advance causal arguments to what may merely be correlations. I argue that identifying proxies for resource management in the archaeological record, particularly for resources managed by collective action and vulnerable to climate change, can help to address this problem. To test this approach I studied water management …

2017 Fall - Commencement Program, Office Of The Registrar, East Tennessee State University

ETSU Commencement Ceremonies and Programs

No abstract provided.

Quantum Chemical Studies Of Noncovalent Interactions And Multicenter Bonds Utilizing Local Vibrational Modes, Vytor Oliveira

Chemistry Theses and Dissertations

Noncovalent interactions play an important role for the design of novel drugs, better catalysts, synthesis of complex supramolecular structures, and so on. To develop new materials, a well-founded knowledge of how to control the strength of these interactions is desirable. Despite the many investigations done so far, a quantitative assessment of the intrinsic strength of most types of noncovalent interactions is still missing. Recently and for the first time, the Konkoli-Cremer local modes analysis was successfully used to probe the intrinsic strength of hydrogen and pnicogen bonds. We extended these investigations to more than 300 halogen and chalcogen bonds. A …

Dual Enrollment And Rural Alaska: A Qualitative Case Study Examining Student Access And Impact, Corey S. Weiss

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This case study employed an interview process that examined the access rural Alaskan students have to dual enrollment and how it differs from the access of similar school districts in remote areas of Texas. The interviewees consisted of administrators of five school districts in northern and western Alaska and their counterparts in districts in western Texas. The outcome of this study is relevant to dual enrollment research as it provides more data from a region that has been overlooked by researchers and establishes that the school districts have a substantial degree of access to dual enrollment, with no significant differences …

2017 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 16.

Commencement Speaker: Herb Byrd III

Micro-Architectured Metamaterials: Design And Analysis, Li Ai

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Metamaterials are engineered materials with unusual properties deriving mainly from their micro-architectures rather than composition. They have attracted increasing attention owing to their tailorable multi-functional properties that cannot be exhibited by naturally-occurring or traditionally-manufactured materials. Materials with a negative Poisson’s ratio (PR) and materials with a non-positive coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) are examples of mechanical metamaterials. In this dissertation, metamaterials with negative Poisson’s ratios and negative coefficients of thermal expansion are designed using both heuristic approaches and topology optimization methods.

Firstly, based on a star-shaped re-entrant structure, three two-dimensional (2-D) periodic cellular materials are developed, which can be tailored …

The Twilight Zone: The Confluence Of Childhood Scenes And Future Anxiety, Jongwon Bae

Theses and Dissertations

Jongwon Bae’s paintings reflect his childhood memories as an archive that is to be repressed until it manifests itself in uncertain ways as it becomes confluent with the anxiety about the future.

Rgb Image-Based Pupillary Diameter Tracking With Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Chatchai Wangwiwattana

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Pupillary diameter monitoring has proven successful at objectively measuring cognitive load. This work presents three robust RGB video based pupillary diameter trackers and compares them for measuring cognitive load using commodity cameras. We investigate the use of modified starburst algorithm from previous work and propose two algorithms: 2-Level Snakuscules and a convolutional neural network which we call PupilNet. Our results show PupilNet outperforms other algorithms in measuring pupil dilation, is robust to various lighting conditions, and robust to different eye colors. In addition, this work explores various deep learning architecture for extracting the pupillary response as well as understand the …

Material State Awareness For Composites Part I: Precursor Damage Analysis Using Ultrasonic Guided Coda Wave Interferometry (Cwi), Subir Patra, Sourav Banerjee

Faculty Publications

Detection of precursor damage followed by the quantification of the degraded material properties could lead to more accurate progressive failure models for composite materials. However, such information is not readily available. In composite materials, the precursor damages—for example matrix cracking, microcracks, voids, interlaminar pre-delamination crack joining matrix cracks, fiber micro-buckling, local fiber breakage, local debonding, etc.—are insensitive to the low-frequency ultrasonic guided-wave-based online nondestructive evaluation (NDE) or Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) (~100–~500 kHz) systems. Overcoming this barrier, in this article, an online ultrasonic technique is proposed using the coda part of the guided wave signal, which is often neglected. Although …

Enhanced Recent Local Moisture Recycling On The Northwestern Tibetan Plateau Deduced From Ice Core Deuterium Excess Records, Wenling An, Shugui Hou, Qiong Zhang, Wangbin Zhang, Shuang-Ye Wu, Hao Xu, Hongxi Pang, Yetang Wang, Yaping Liu

Department of Earth, Environment and Sustainability Faculty Publications

Local moisture recycling plays an essential role in maintaining an active hydrological cycle of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Previous studies were largely limited to the seasonal time scale due to short and sparse observations, especially for the northwestern TP. In this study, we used a two‐component mixing model to estimate local moisture recycling over the past decades from the deuterium excess records of two ice cores (i.e., Chongce and Zangser Kangri) from the northwestern TP. The results show that on average almost half of the precipitation on the northwestern TP is provided by local moisture recycling. In addition, the local …

Changes In Vitrinite Reflectance And Liptinite Fluorescence With Increasing Rank In Dispersed Organics In The Illinois Basin And Its Environmental, Economic, And Political Impacts, Kailey Zalucha-Seaman

Honors Theses

Vitrinite reflectance and spectral fluorescence are commonly used together to determine the rank and thermal maturity of shale samples. Although vitrinite is not commonly found in the New Albany Shale, solid bitumen is found in significant amounts; reflectance of solid bitumen provides another method to determine maturity of these samples. The purpose of this study was to compare the vitrinite reflectance and spectral fluorescence of liptinites to determine the thermal maturity of the New Albany Shale, which can benefit those tasked in the industry who determine the oil and gas potential of these source rocks. Establishment of a relationship between …

A Low Power High Speed Mobile Memory I/O Interface Using Reconfigurable Multi-Band Multi-Modulation Signaling, Yue Yu

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This research mainly focuses on the design of a novel memory I/O interface with high bandwidth and high energy-efficient for mobile computing systems in order to dramatically enhance the circuit and system bandwidth and power efficiency. The proposed memory I/O interface, exploiting multi-modulation and multi-band signaling, is capable of supporting simultaneous bidirectional data transition of 4 separate data streams across a single-ended off-chip transmission line to achieve both high speed data rate and low power consumption. This multi-band multi-modulation interface (MMI) consists of multiple RF-band transceivers which utilize ASK modulation, and baseband transceivers which utilize 4-PAM modulation to increase the …

Design, Fabrication, And Demonstration Of Square Holey Dielectric Thz Waveguides, Nafiseh Aflakian

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

A variety of novel dielectric THz waveguides were demonstrated to increase a channel capacity in a chip-to-chip communication system. Square holey cladding dielectric THz waveguides were designed, fabricated, and characterized. The single material holey cladding waveguide is low loss and easy to fabricate compared to doped core fibers. The square geometry supports two states of polarization with minimum cross-talk for polarization division multiplexing applications. Simulations show the waveguide supports two states of polarization across the frequency range of 180 GHz to 360 GHz. In addition, simulations show good mode isolation and low bending losses. Holey cladding square waveguide was fabricated …

Implementation Of Switching Circuit Models As Vector Space Transformations, David Kebo Houngninou

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Modeling of switching circuits is the foundation for many Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tasks and is commonly used at various phases of the design flow for tasks such as simulation, justification, and other analyses. State-of-the-art simulation tools are based on discrete event algorithms using switching algebraic models and are highly optimized and mature. Symbolic simulation may also be implemented using a discrete event approach, or other approaches based on extracted functional models. The common foundation of modern simulation tools is that of a switching or Boolean algebraic model that may be augmented with timing information. Justification using switching circuit models …

Brain Motion, Deformation, And Potential Injury During Soccer Heading, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Working Papers

This paper addresses the problem of what is happening physically inside the skull during head-ball contact. Mathematical models based upon Newton’s laws of motion and numerical methods are used to create animations of brain motion and deformation inside the skull.

Initially a 1 cm gap filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) separates the brain from the rigid skull in adults and older children. Whole head acceleration induces a pulse of artificial gravity within the skull. Because brain density differs slightly from that of CSF, the brain accelerates and strikes the inner aspect of the skull, undergoing viscoelastic deformation, ranging from 1 …

Soil Morphological, Physical, And Chemical Parameters Affecting Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Site Quality And Ecosystem Restoration Potential In East Texas, Ryan Svehla, Kenneth W. Farrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been a large decline in coverage of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) within its range in the southeastern United States since the time of European settlement. Due to this decline, interest has developed in the re-establishment of this species on suitable sites. However, many attempts have been unsuccessful in re-establishment, likely in part due to the lack of emphasis on selection of suitable soils. Historically, longleaf pine was found on soils with a wide range of soil properties, including higher quality soils, due to frequent fires which kept many competing species suppressed. Decline in longleaf pine coverage …

Predicted Suitable Habitat Declines For Midwestern United States Amphibians Under Future Climate And Land-Use Change Scenarios, Brock Struecker, Joseph Milanovich

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

With current declines of vertebrate taxa meeting or exceeding those of historic mass extinction events, there is a growing need to investigate the main drivers of losses. Two of the main drivers of declines are global climate and land-use changes, both affecting multiple groups of taxa. Amphibians are at great risk from these two drivers of change and investigations into the impact of future change could assist with the formation of conservation plans to mitigate losses. Forecasting changes in suitable habitat with ecological niche modeling serves as a useful tool to begin to understand how species may respond to anthropogenic …

Is Issa Amro The Palestinian Gandhi?, Micah Danney

Capstones

Issa Amro is a Palestinian activist who practices nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation. His work has risen him to international prominence, and drawn the ire of the authorities he criticizes. He preaches peaceful action but stands accused of incitement and troublemaking.

https://micahcdanney.atavist.com/is-issa-amro-the-palestinian-gandhi

Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors: Evaluation Of Geometry, Attachment Surface Material And Biofilm Populations On The Uptake Of Ammonia And Synthetic Organic Contaminants In Wastewater., Patrick D. Mclee

Civil Engineering ETDs

Plastic biofilm carriers are used in biological wastewater treatment to encourage the attachment and retention of microorganisms that metabolize pollutants. The following research was conducted to better understand how different characteristics of the biofilm carrier affect the treatment performance of the attached biofilms in moving bed bioreactors. Lab scale reactors were used in this study to grow nitrifying biofilms in reactors with contrasting and controlled conditions. The effect of surface geometry on nitrification performance was evaluated by testing commercially available moving bed bioreactor media that contrast in physical design, and by varying operational parameters. Additionally, mature biofilm from a similar …

Quantifying The Effect Of Construction Site Factors On Concrete Quality, Costs And Production Rates, Jorge L. Santamaria

Civil Engineering ETDs

Factors affecting concrete can be categorized as structured factors or unstructured factors. The first group of factors consists of those related to the production process of concrete including water-cement ratio, properties of raw materials and mix proportions. Unstructured factors or construction site factors are related to labor skills and local conditions during the construction process of a project. Concrete compressive strength as a quality metric, costs and production rates may be affected significantly by such factors while performing concrete operations at the jobsite. Several prior studies have investigated the effect of structured factors on concrete. However literature is limited regarding …

Medieval Trolls, Mansplainers, And Bullies: Reading Gontier Col's Letters To Christine De Pizan, Elizabeth A. Hubble

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Biomimicry A “Natural Lesson” In Steam, Steve Pauls

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

The introduction of biomimicry as a theme in the classroom has some significant advantages when developing a STEAM curriculum. This growing field has many natural overlaps between the different disciplines within STEAM. There are many fascinating stories surrounding biomimicry connecting nature to simple solutions for many of our most difficult problems, especially related to the sustainability of our planet. Biomimicry cannot but help capture the imagination of our students.

Stumbling Into The Spiral: A Serendipitous Steam Exploration, David Rufo

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

An artist-educator discovers how a STEAM-based approach to making art brings together a variety of subject areas in surprising ways.

Outer Space: A Steam Voyage, Jancy Mcphee

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

SciArt Exchange offers multi-disciplinary art contests, artwork events, consulting, training and community resources to support science and technology education, collaboration, and innovation. Using a science-integrated- with-art approach, SciArt Exchange supports, prepares, and convenes people of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations to discuss and potentially solve space, science, and technology challenges. This field note shares the Humans in Space Art Program and the Project Mars Competition.

3d Printing – An Insider’S Perspective, Siddharth Sah

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

The 3D printing market globally is still at its infancy, - or some might argue that there isn’t really a market yet. The knowledge of 3D printing design is still largely limited to engineering design – not product design. At MakeWhale, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of the application of 3D printing technology to consumer products resulting in a beautiful mix of technology and art.

Kids Inspire Kids For Steam, Kristof Fenyvesi, Tony Houghton, José Manuel Diego-Mantecón, Elizabeth Crilly, Adrian Oldknow, Zsolt Lavicza, Teresa F. Blanco

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

The goal of the Kids Inspiring Kids in STEAM (KIKS) project was to raise students’ awareness towards the multi- and transdisciplinary connections between the STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics), and make the learning about topics and phenomena from these fields more enjoyable. In order to achieve these goals, KIKS project has popularized the STEAM-concept by projects based on the students inspiring other students-approach and by utilizing new technologies, tools, open educational resources, and everyday items and materials. Through the students-inspiring-other-students-approach, we have aimed to get participating students developing STEAM activities for other students in their own local …

Science Theater As Steam: A Case Study Of "Save It Now", Christopher D. Davidson, Willard Simms

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

What are the markers of a successful STEAM program? How and when can educators be reasonably sure that an interdisciplinary unit or project, rich in both the sciences and the arts, has delivered on its implicit promise – by adding value to a student’s education in ways that are beyond the scope of traditional discipline-specific learning? I attempt to address this question with a case study of Theatre of Will’s “Save It Now,” a pilot program for 4^th, 5^th and 6^th graders at eight Los Angeles public schools that integrates theater arts, music and the STEM …

Creating Steam With Design Thinking: Beyond Stem And Arts Integration, Danah Henriksen

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This article suggests the value in a broad view of STEAM beyond arts-integration, as well as the potential of design thinking for STEAM. Despite much interest in STEAM it is often challenging for many teachers to integrate into their teaching of school subject matter. I suggest that as an interdisciplinary crossroads, design thinking provides a natural bridge between the arts, sciences, and other subjects. In this it can offer guiding flexible structure and in-road for teachers to design STEAM-based lessons, and to incorporate as an integrated aspect of students’ STEAM learning. I discuss an example of an elementary Spanish teacher, …

Into The Woods - Environmental Problem Solving Through Steam Lesson Planning, Laura Rachel Fattal

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Title - Into the Woods – environmental problem solving through STEAM lesson planning

Abstract

The STEAM conversation takes on new urgency in the preservice university classroom due to its potential for synergistic problem solving of real world problems. The visual and performing arts invite creativity to be understood as social practice and aesthetic flexibility and the assessment of the practice through student/student and student/teacher curiosity building. In this article pedagogical praxis is centered on the critical issue of climate change caused by global warming. The praxis addresses:

• University preservice candidates’ arts-integrated teaching and learning focusing on climate change,
• Provocative rewriting …

Using Steam To Increase Engagement And Literacy Across Disciplines, Robert L. Long Ii, Stephen S. Davis

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This paper explores STEAM as a solution to improving student engagement and helping students improve functional literacy across the curriculum. While STEM is a fairly established approach to curriculum, researchers and practitioners are continuing to develop and understand STEAM and its place in school curriculum. It is important that educators foster this holistic approach to education and strive to participate in active research associated with STEAM. It is also most advantageous for stakeholders to understand the importance of arts integration and its use to support collaboration, innovation, and creativity within students. Key strategies can be used to support arts integration …