Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Bioplastics By Innovative 3d Printing Approaches, Kathryn Marie Hall

Theses and Dissertations

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of novel bioplastic composites by using novel additive manufacturing (AM) approaches. As a background, global plastic consumption has become a problem with the accumulation of plastics in landfills and the ocean. Recently, bioplastics have emerged as a viable option to petrochemicals. Currently, there are some issues like biodegradability, property optimization with bioplastics etc. In thesis, novel methods and engineering of composition of bioplastics are being reported. In Chapter II, the addition of lignin to the PLA polymer matrix by using solvent mixing will be reported. During this study, liquid ink mixture was successfully …

Autonomous Localization Of A Uav In A 3d Cad Model, Akkas Haque

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel method of indoor localization and autonomous navigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) within a building, given a prebuilt Computer Aided Design(CAD) model of the building. The proposed system is novel in that it leverages the support of machine learning and traditional computer vision techniques to provide a robust method of localizing and navigating a drone autonomously in indoor and GPS denied environments leveraging preexisting knowledge of the environment. The goal of this work is to devise a method to enable a UAV to deduce its current pose within a CAD model that is fast and accurate …

International Freshmen Student Satisfaction With Campus Environments At U. S. Institutions Through The Lens Of The National Survey Of Student Engagement (Nsse), Ludmi Herath

Theses and Dissertations

International students’ enrollment has continuously increased over the past decade. According to the Open Doors Annual Report, published and distributed by Institute for International Education (IIE, 2016), more than one million international students studied in the United States from 2015-2016; according to the same report, international students generated more than $36 billion to the United Stated (U.S.) economy making international students the fourth largest import sector to the U.S. economy. As U.S. institutions more aggressively recruit and retain international students, it is critical to learn how to serve this growing population—to learn of their needs and offer corresponding tools, programs …

Smartphone Dependence: Relation To Text-Message Dependence, Personality, And Loneliness, Alex James Holte

Theses and Dissertations

Given the ubiquity of smartphones, research has examined its impact on human behavior. Through prior studies have examined smartphones through the addiction framework, resulting in controversy of if habitual smartphone use is an addiction disorder, prior works have not examined the framework of how reliant someone is to their smartphone in their daily life. Additionally, prior works have not examined how smartphone dependence is related to texting dependence, state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, neuroticism, extroversion, and loneliness. The literature has also not examined the method of communication that an individual prefers and how that relates to loneliness. We had 237 …

Other Duties As Assigned: Competencies Required Of Chief Financial Officers In Minnesota State Colleges And Universities, Shannon Martineau Jesme

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of chief financial officers of public higher education institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) System regarding the professional competencies required of them, whether competencies have changed over time, and how competencies are acquired to successfully fulfill the demands of their position. Beyond the essential characteristics required for a CFO (chief financial officer) to perform the business side of their positions effectively, there are leadership competencies that are also required. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores the perceptions of CFOs regarding the knowledge and skills required of …

Examining Cultural Identification And Alcohol Use Among College Students, Lynn Martell

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found American Indians (AI) to demonstrate higher levels of alcohol use than Caucasians (CA); however, recent research has found that AI may be drinking at similar or lower rates than CA. Cultural identification (i.e., degree to which an individual associate with, and represents themselves as a member of a specific cultural group) may be a factor contributing to the level of alcohol use among AI. The current study examined cultural identification and alcohol use among University of North Dakota (UND) AI (n=56) and CA (n=88) college students. Results indicated non-significant differences in alcohol use between cultural identification …

Stress And Coping Strategies: Perceptions Of Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Amber Lynn Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand the way Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students perceive stress and during which period of their program they tend to encounter the most stress, compared to students enrolled in a Master’s program. As each nurse anesthesia program transitions to a DNP curriculum, it will be beneficial to determine how DNP students perceive stress, and during which period of their program they encounter the most stress, in comparison to those students who are enrolled in a master’s program.

Participants for this mixed methods online study included a convenience sample of 237 nurse …

Juror Perceptions Of Child Witness Testimonial Aids, Rachael Sophia Mickelson Hendrickson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the present study is to assess the affect testimonial supports have on mock jurors’ perceptions of child witnesses in a sexual abuse case. In general jurors’ perceptions operate on a two-factor model. The two factors are child competency and honesty. Jurors perceive children’s competency and honesty differently based on the child’s age and the mock juror’s gender. Testimonial supports have been suggested as a way to relieve some of the stress that a trial brings on a child. However, this seems to exacerbate the negative perceptions jurors already hold of child witnesses. The current juror perceptions of …

Wayward Girls, Amanda Susan Osgood Jonientz

Theses and Dissertations

Wayward Girls represents a culmination of my creative and critical work at the

University of North Dakota. The dissertation includes a critical introduction, a collection of short stories, and a pedagogical article. In my critical introduction, I explain ways in which I manipulate narrative and time, the decisions I make about levels of discourse, my use and experimentation with conventional forms of plot, and my work in the short-story cycle genre. My collection of six short stories includes works about women at crucial turning points in their lives. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the stories range in time period from …

Neural-Vascular Interactions In An In Vitro Model Of Cortical Forebrain Development, Kayla Michelson

Theses and Dissertations

Progressive restriction of neural stem and progenitor cell fates in the cortex has been linked to a clearly defined sequence of transcription factors that regulate neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the developing cortex. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms contributing to cell fate choice, largely focusing on intrinsic properties of the neural stem cells (NSCs), themselves, rather than microenvironmental influences such as vascular investment. To investigate the influence of vascular cells on cortical NSC fate choice, we developed a novel coculture system that utilizes Transwell® membranes and primary cultures that include an enriched NSC …

The Achieve Model In Professional Experiences Of Information Technology Workers In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Michelle Fahey Rakoczy

Theses and Dissertations

The information technology field changes at a fast rate and, combined with the fast pace of change in the higher education environment, it is more important than ever that Information Technology professionals be productive and that retention rate increase in this field. This phenomenological study is an exploration of the professional experiences of IT workers in higher education, including the organizational, leadership, and individual level qualities that shape that experience. The ACHIEVE model is utilized for the theoretical framework for this study as it relates to an impact of leadership practices on followers’ performance. The results of this study provide …

Relationship Effects Of Action Control And Temperament Scale (Reacts): Establishment And Validation Of An Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale, Alyssa Noelle Rowland

Theses and Dissertations

Relationship Effects of Actions, Control, and Temperament Scale (REACTS) has been designed to fill a gap in the literature addressing emotional reactions to hypothetical partner behaviors. The REACTS (intially100 items) was reduced to 24 items following an exploratory factor analysis, resulting in 4 factors: Jealousy and Control, Relationship Consciousness, Infidelity, and Substance Use. Temporal stability was established using a college sample (n = 71). Internal consistency was established for both a college and an online national sample (N = 879) after accounting for inclusion/ exclusion criteria. While it was expected that convergent validity would be established with a measure of …

Exploring Student Perspectives On Elementary To Middle School Transition Practices, Erin Spies

Theses and Dissertations

Characteristics of effective transition programs include (a) providing realistic experiences of middle school expectations for incoming students, (b) frequent communication with students, parents, and staff, and (c) extensive and ongoing planning, assessment, and redesign of the transition program. While these effective components of a transition program have been recommended based on research, student reflection on essential elements have not been included. The purpose of this study was to use phenomenology research methods to identify components of middle school transition programs from the perspective of middle school students. The study analyzed current transitional practices and their alignment with Schlossberg’s Transition Theory …

Northern Great Plains Blizzards In Past And Future Climates, Alexander Trellinger

Theses and Dissertations

Areas that reside in the high-latitudes such as the northern United States can experience hazardous conditions during the winter months due to snowstorms. When strong winds exist with falling or freshly fallen snow, blizzard conditions are able create significant personal, societal, and economic impacts for the Northern Great Plains. While the climatology for these extreme snowstorms is known, the frequency and intensity of how these events may change in a warming climate is not certain. In order to determine how extreme snowstorms may change in the future climate, climate models can be used but the horizontal and vertical grid spacing …

The Role Of A Principal In Establishing And Maintaining Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis): An Ethnographic Case Study, Angela Wanzek

Theses and Dissertations

An ethnographic case study was used to examine roles of a principal in implementing and maintaining positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in one North Dakota elementary school. Observations, school documents, and semi-structured interviews were analyzed to identify the role of a principal. Skinner’s reinforcement theory and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory served as

theoretical frameworks.

Research indicates a trend in the increase of PBIS in schools across the country. A

need remains to identify the role of elementary principals utilizing PBIS in North Dakota

elementary schools. Certified and classified staff were interviewed to examine their

perspectives on the role of …

A Confucian Theory Of Crime, Nicholas Lassi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an analysis of pre-Qin Confucian philosophy as it pertains to crime and the crime related issues of personal control and social control. From this analysis of pre-Qin Confucian philosophy, a wholly new and distinct theory of crime is developed. Material relating to crime, and the crime related issues involving personal control and social control, is filtered out of an assortment of prominent pre-Qin Confucian texts (namely those of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi), dissected and juxtaposed with historical and modern Western criminological thought, and ultimately systematized into a unified Confucian theory of crime. This endeavor works to enrich …

Racial Identity Development Of Somali Refugees In The Midwest, Nnenna Lindsay

Theses and Dissertations

The number of Somali refugees in the United States continue s to increase, yet research on their racial identity development, racialization experiences, and strategies used to cope with racism and discrimination is lacking. This qualitative study was conducted to explore the unique racial narratives of Somali refugees. In order to better understand how Somalis make meaning of their racial identity and adjust to the contemporary racial climate of the Midwest, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven Somali refugees and a narrative methodology was used to analyze the results. The overarching narrative highlighted the journey to becoming Black for Somali refugees …

Swimming In A Sea Of Javascript Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love High-Fidelity Replay, John A. Berlin, Michael L. Nelson, Michele C. Weigle

Computer Science Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] Preserving and replaying modern web pages in high-fidelity has become an increasingly difficult task due to the increased usage of JavaScript. Reliance on server-side rewriting alone results in live-leakage and or the inability to replay a page due to the preserved JavaScript performing an action not permissible from the archive. The current state-of-the-art high fidelity archival preservation and replay solutions rely on handcrafted client-side URL rewriting libraries specifically tailored for the archive, namely Webrecoder's and Pywb's wombat.js [12]. Web archives not utilizing client-side rewriting rely on server-side rewriting that misses URLs used in a manner not accounted for …

The Effect Of Sexually Objectifying Media And Social Threat On Sexual Coercion, Carissa Ann Malevich

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual aggression researchers have struggled to find a specific profile of individuals likely to become sexually aggressive (Abbey, 2005). As most of the research has focused on internal personal characteristics, some researchers have called for more research into external or situational factors that may increase the likelihood for men to become sexual perpetrators (Farris, Viken & Treat, 2010). Thus, the current investigation sought to explore the impact of two promising external factors, sexually objectifying media and social threat, on sexual coercion proclivity. Sexual coercion is a much lesser studied form of sexual aggression but is very common and often normalized …

Tactical Implementation Of Strategic Guidance During The American Revolutionary War: Pedagogical Application For Classroom Use, Ryan Menath

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force Academy is a specialized institution of higher learning dedicated to producing military officers in the U.S. Air Force. Specialized graduation requirements, like a required Military History course, present the opportunity for the implementation of unique pedagogical methodologies. Further, as a technologically forward-looking branch of service designed to control air, space, and cyberspace in a contested environment, the Air Force places a premium on twenty- and twenty-first century military history. Unfortunately, pre-airpower American military history gets overshadowed compared to later conflicts to the point where cadets attending the Air Force Academy get relatively little exposure to …

Depending On The Weather And Other Stories, Benjamin Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Depending on the Weather and Other Stories is a collection of short stories set in the rural and small town communities of contemporary America. The problem my characters address is their changing relationship with the American Dream. While my baby boomer characters tend to believe the Dream is alive and achievable, their children are growing more disenchanted and skeptical of the Dream. The disconnections between these generations are largely due to a credibility gap and a shifting set of generational values. These values have shifted for the younger generation because of an evolving (or devolving) American culture.

My stories are …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Defining Emotional Infidelity Among Mid-Career Women In Monogamous, Cross-Sex Relationships, Lindsey Morrissey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine what factors are involved in defining emotional infidelity among professional women who are in monogamous, cross-sex, romantic relationships. Constructivist grounded theory (CGT; Charmaz, 2014) was the qualitative methodology used within this study to capture participants’ lived experiences, perspectives, and worldviews. Eight partnered, self-identified women, between the ages of 30 and 50, who were established in their careers engaged in semi-structured initial interviews and follow-up interviews. Seven participants identified as heterosexual and one participant identified as bisexual. Race and ethnicity represented included White (6), Latino (1), and Black (1).

During the interviews, …

Claims Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses: Impact Of Educational Evidence & Victim Prototypicality On Attributions Of Blame, Heather J. O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is one of the most prevalent but under-reported crimes in the United States and sexual assaults are even more common on college campuses (RAINN, 2016). Although both laws and campus student policies may be violated, very few perpetrators are ultimately punished (Lonsway & Archambault, 2012). Lack of investigation and prosecution of these cases may in part arise out of myths surrounding sexual assault. These myths may be challenged when scientific evidence is presented. Whether such evidence can undermine myths and prototypical notions of a sexual assault victim remains equivocal. To this end, the current study employed a 2 …

The Long-Term Effects Of Parental Military Deployment On Perceived Parent/Child Relationship Quality, Timothy Patrick Pagano

Theses and Dissertations

The lived experiences of children who go through parental military deployment remain largely unexamined. Although the literature surrounding this population continues to expand, there remains a paucity of research surrounding the potential long-term effects of a parent's military deployment. The following study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the possible long-term effects of parental deployment on the parent/child relationship. The study makes several noteworthy contributions to the knowledge base. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, this study provides insight regarding how this population views their past and current parental relationships, the factors impacting the relationship with their formerly deployed …

Exploring The Experiences Of African American Nurses: An Emancipatory Inquiry, Laurie Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This inquiry provided a critical and in-depth analysis of African American nurses’ situations within the context of the work environment. Through this examination, multiple oppressions were illuminated. Participants identified both personal experiences of oppression and oppression related to administrative and interdisciplinary hierarchies. Additionally, the participants provided their insights on the concept of empowerment. Definitions of empowerment included being a voice for self and others and empowering others is empowering to self. Thus, the concept of relational empowerment was explicated. Furthermore, the participants envisioned an ideal environment where administration is supportive of nurses, nurses have time to care for the patients, …

A Channel Ranking And Selection Scheme Based On Channel Occupancy And Snr For Cognitive Radio Systems, Adnan Quadri

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless networks and information traffic have grown exponentially over the last decade. Consequently, an increase in demand for radio spectrum frequency bandwidth has resulted. Recent studies have shown that with the current fixed spectrum allocation (FSA), radio frequency band utilization ranges from 15% to 85%. Therefore, there are spectrum holes that are not utilized all the time by the licensed users, and, thus the radio spectrum is inefficiently exploited. To solve the problem of scarcity and inefficient utilization of the spectrum resources, dynamic spectrum access has been proposed as a solution to enable sharing and using available frequency channels. With …

American Indian Biculturalism Inventory - Pueblo, Royleen J. Ross

Theses and Dissertations

A time in American history existed when Native Americans were not allowed to express, much less retain their traditions, culture, language, and livelihood. Today, Natives are thriving in various fields at many different professional levels and have not only mastered majority culture’s ways, but have integrated them, on their own terms, into their lives. Warfare was declared upon Native Americans in the educational arena beginning in the late 1800’s, resulting in many indigenous individuals not only meeting the educational challenge posed to them, but excelled beyond expectation. Thus, in contemporary society, many Native Americans have retained their traditional ways and …

Evaluation Of Movements And Habitat Use Of Suburban Striped Skunks (Mephitis Mephitis) In The Northern Great Plains To Inform Rabies Management, Anna Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have investigated the ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) despite their role as a primary rabies vector species paired with an ability to thrive in these landscapes. Our aim was to obtain baseline ecological information with an emphasis on spatial ecology of urban striped skunks in the Northern Great Plains region that is missing in the literature. This information, such as home range, nightly movements, habitat selection, and denning behavior is important for informing rabies management decisions such as the placement of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits. We used radio telemetry equipment to track 22 (4M, 18 …

Internships In Kinesiology: Reconsidering Best Practices, Mark Urtel, Sara F. Michaliszyn, Craig L. Stiemsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the 2018 American Kinesiology Association (AKA) pre-workshop on best practices in internships. This pre-workshop contained 2 keynote speakers, 5 ignite sessions, and 6 round-table discussions looking at the status of internships in departments of kinesiology, nationally. It is clear kinesiology does not have a common practice for implementing internships. Given the many variables in respect to offering an internship, such as: curricular mandates, faculty workload policy, community partner availability, program outcomes, student learning objectives, and assessment tools this is not surprising. Perhaps we should rethink the notion that there is a set …

Prove You Are Not A Dog: Fostering Social Presence In Online Learning, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Learning online can be isolating for students. Some students may prefer to be anonymous—on the outset, at least—until they feel comfortable participating in the course. Many instructors value interaction between students or between the student and the instructor, and without a sense of “presence” in the online classroom, some students will be reticent to participate. It is thus incumbent on instructors and instructional designers to create courses that foster interaction between users to develop this sense of being “a real person” online. This chapter examines the concept of social presence, articulates reasons high social presence is a desirable feature in …