Digital Commons Network^™

Several Levels Of Theory For Description Of Isotope Effects In Ozone: Symmetry Effect And Mass Effect, Alexander Teplukhin, Dmitri Babikov

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

The essential components of theory for the description of isotope effects in recombination reaction that forms ozone are presented, including the introduction of three reaction pathways for symmetric and asymmetric isotopomers, a brief review of relevant experimental data for singly- and doubly substituted isotopologues, the definitions of ζ-effect and η-effect, and the introduction of isotopic enrichment δ. Two levels of theory are developed to elucidate the role of molecular symmetry, atomic masses, vibrational zero-point energies, and rotational excitations in the recombination process. The issue of symmetry is not trivial, since the important factors, such as 1/2 and 2, appear in …

Profound Sophistication Or Legal Sophistry, Ediberto Román, Katryna Santa Cruz, Melissa Gonzalez, Dianet Torres

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Do Social Media Theories Actually Work? An Analysis Of Three Social Media Theories Implemented In An Active Nonprofit Campaign, Hannah Erickson

Research Papers

Social media has become an important part of donor and public relations for nonprofit organizations. But with various social networking platforms available, millions of potential viewers and countless theories and techniques, it can be challenging for these organizations to know what works in real-life situations. This study looks at three popular social media theories and how they are implemented into a live, nonprofit, social media campaign. These theories of dialogic communication, emotional appeals, and attitude formation are found to be greatly beneficial to both the daily maintenance of nonprofit social media pages, and for specific fundraising campaigns. This case study …

Duration Of Democracy, Corruption And Growth, Oksana Grabova

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Media Framing Of Drug Crises In The United States, Rebecca Bolinski

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Our Veterans In The Criminal Justice System: What Is Being Done To Decrease Their Involvement?, Tiffinee Hamlin

Research Papers

As the number of United States military veterans reaches above 20 million, the number of serious mental and emotional problem diagnoses, substance use disorders, as well as personal issues are also on the rise. With these diagnoses and struggles, the probability of veterans being involved in the criminal justice system increases. Currently United States veterans account for 9% of the United States population, while also accounting for 8% of the prison and 7% of the jail population.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has several programs and services available to veterans, programs established to promote overall well-being and to serve veterans …

Navigating Identities In The Classroom: International Graduate Teaching Assistants' Perspectives, Crystle Lacroix

Research Papers

In this project, I centerr the narratives and experiences of international graduate teaching assistants (IGTAs) to explore how the triumphs and challenges that they experience may create pedagogical im(possibilities). My work is guided by two primary research questions: 1) how do international Graduate Teaching Assistants communicate about their identities in the classroom? And 2) how am I, as a U.S. American, white instructor, able to practice critical communication pedagogy in ways that differ from international GTAs?

Modelling Of A Megavoltage Linear Accelerator Using Egsnrc Software To Perform Monte Carlo Simulations, Daniel Mckinney

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Scholarly Program Notes To Accompany A Graduate Flute Recital, Alex Carpenter

Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to provide scholarly program notes for a graduate flute recital performed on April 21, 2018. The composers and pieces examined in this paper are respectively Gabriel Fauré’s Fantaisie, Op. 79, Mario Pilati’s Sonata for flute and pianoforte, Otar Taktakishvili’s Sonata for flute piano, and Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5. Each chapter provides a brief biographical section and an analysis with performance practice commentary.

Quantity-Quality Tradeoffs In Family Size, Health And Crime, Tabitha Juneau

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Translucent Voices: Creating Sound Pedagogy And Safe Spaces For Transgender Singers In The Choral Rehearsal, Gerald Dorsey Gurss

Theses and Dissertations

While transgender rights and issues are gaining an increasing amount of attention in both pop culture and, to some extent, in the education sector, little information is available for the choral conductor that provides pedagogical tools for transitioning voices. This document provides conductor-educators with both a brief look at the transgender experience and also tools to create safe learning environments, from gender-inclusive language to vocal exercises to encourage healthy vocal transitions in transgender singers

Twenty-first century choruses are not the first institutions in the realm of Western art music that have faced visual, aural, and enigmatic conceptualizations of gender and …

The Rise Of The Chinese Concerto: A Look Into The Developments Of Chinese Traditional Instrument Concerti With Western Orchestra, Alex Alex Wise

Theses and Dissertations

The mixing of musical traditions between cultures, philosophies, and religions has been a crucial element of music for centuries. However, a marked rise over the last century has seen rapid development of specific East/West fusions that have become known as “fusion concertos.” These fusions combine Eastern and Western compositional techniques as well as Eastern and Western instruments to create new and interesting works for a multitude of ensembles.

This research takes two early examples written by Chinese composers, the worldfamous works Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto and Yellow River Piano Concerto, and analyzes them regarding form, melodic content, harmonic content, and …

Feminist Strategies And The Advancement Of Women In 19th-Century Spain: Press And Freethinking, Benjamín García Egea

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation reexamines the rise of feminism in 19th-century Spain. In this historical context, the female writers who received recognition were mostly from the upper-middle classes: Fernán Caballero, Rosalía de Castro, Concepción Arenal and Emilia Pardo Bazán, to name a few. However, at the end of the 19th century there was also a group of female authors from lower-middle classes who were promoting freethinking, secular education and equal rights for women in the press. Unfortunately, their contributions have been largely forgotten and ignored by critics. The main purpose of this study is to give well-deserved recognition to three female authors, …

The Impact Of Collaborative Strategic Reading On Students’ Comprehension Of Secondary Social Studies Texts, Kaitlyn Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study evaluates the impact of the literacy intervention, Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), on students’ comprehension of social studies texts in secondary classrooms at a high school in East Tennessee, and their perceptions of the intervention as an activity for learning. The identified problem of practice this study sought to explore is whether explicit, collaborative literacy instruction would impact students’ comprehension of grade-level appropriate social studies texts, and to evaluate students’ responses to such literacy instruction. Pre- and post-tests assessing students’ comprehension of informational articles pertaining to eras of United States history, and semi-structured interviews with students, provided …

Implementation Of A Response To Intervention Block, Amy Roberts Mcglohorn

Theses and Dissertations

The location of this study is Bulldog Elementary School (BES) (pseudonym) in Suburban School District (SSD) (pseudonym). According to the Read to Succeed Act (2016), students must read on grade level by the end of third grade. Therefore, the students reading achievement level is the problem of practice. This action research study describes the impact of the Response to Intervention (RtI) model within an instructional framework for English Language Arts (ELA) in an elementary level classroom and its impact on student growth in reading by reviewing student universal screening assessment data and progress monitoring using a pre-test/post-test model as well …

Everyday Occupations: Traffic, Hazards, And Mobility In The West Bank, Alice Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Mobility in the West Bank is inherently tied to the Israeli military occupation. Each new stage of the decades old conflict comes with new implications for the way Palestinians move around the West Bank. The past years have seen a transition during which the severe mobility restrictions that constituted the closure policy of the second intifada eased and intercity travel has increased. In this study I examine day-to-day experiences of mobility in the West Bank in the post-closure period. In doing so I highlight the ways in which routine experiences of mobility, those with traffic, road hazards, and infrastructure, bring …

1 Hour Ghost Visit, Charles Elizabeth Martin

Theses and Dissertations

1 Hour Ghost Visit is a collection of poems that engages with loss, as well as what can grow in the face of that loss. In “Dancing on My Own,” the poet describes being alone on a dance floor: “when the drop comes I become/a glowstick rain/downpouring fire/sprinkler bursting/with glitter/the corpse I’m/growing towards--/what will bloom in our ribcages will be deadly—” and this hunger for determination, for construction in the face of destruction, grows into a roar by the concluding poem’s call for collective celebration in the face of the end of the world.

The poems collectively sing together; they …

Re-Evaluation Of The Extent And Tectonic History Of The Helena Banks Fault Zone, Offshore South Carolina, Ahmet Postaagasi

Theses and Dissertations

The Helena Banks Fault Zone (HBFZ), first identified in the early 1980’s offshore Charleston, S.C., was originally interpreted to be a major, high-angle, basin-bounding normal fault associated with Mesozoic rifting. Subsequent work suggests that (1) Mesozoic rift basins are not present on the continental shelf of South Carolina, (2) the HBFZ originated as a strike-slip fault within Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Suwannee Basin sequence, (3) a mafic intrusion inferred from aeromagnetic data is coincident with a broadly circular zone of highly-complex faulting along the north-eastward continuation of the HBFZ where (4) up to 300 m of local relief can …

Twisting Reality For A Cause: American Mythology, Early Surrealism, And Audience Empowerment In The Works Of George Lippard, Joseph Samuel Hall

Theses and Dissertations

This article examines Philadelphia writer George Lippard's often-overlooked usage of literary conventions more typical outside of the genre he is most famous for, socialreform city fiction. In particular, the article focuses on Lippard’s vision of an American mythology, proto-surrealistic imagery, and demands for audience response and interaction. Various works are analyzed, most prominently: stories from Washington and His Generals, The Rose of the Wissahikon, Adonai: The Pilgrim of Eternity, and The Killers. The article concludes that Lippard values the artfulness of historical romance over presenting historical fact, recognizing the ability of the romance to instigate a greater collective response in …

Building Consumer Place Loyalty And Brand Loyalty: An Assessment Of The Microbrewery Taproom Experience, Scott Taylor Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most successful industries of the last few decades in the U.S. is the craft beer industry. Past studies have suggested that the neolocalism movement, the growing desire of people to reconnect with local communities, is one of the main drivers for the success of this industry. Likewise, studies have suggested that individuals who visit microbrewery taprooms do so for various reasons. Although studies have discussed the importance of the neolocalism movement and the motivations behind visiting taprooms, it is still unclear how consumers’ perceptions of the microbrewery taproom experience influence behaviors such as attachment or loyalty.

The …

Understanding Barriers To Genetic Testing For Sickle Cell Trait: The African-American Male Perspective, Shandrea Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown a reluctance in African-American males to pursue testing for sickle cell trait. Few studies have tried to discern what barriers are contributing to this issue within the African-American male community. Research suggests a lack of knowledge may be the biggest contributing factor. This study hypothesized there would be a significant difference in knowledge of sickle cell trait based on educational level, age, and health beliefs. African-America male participants (N=116), ages 18 and over, completed a questionnaire assessing knowledge, risk perception, health beliefs, barriers, and motivating factors within the context of sickle cell trait. One-way and two-way analysis …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Shiftwork And Self-Reported Depression In A Police Cohort, Meghan Holst

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Shiftwork is associated with many chronic diseases stemming from the disruption of circadian rhythms. Police officers have a high risk for many adverse conditions including depression. Abnormal bodily functions, such as increased stress and disturbed sleeping patterns, may play an important role in the development and severity of depression. This study was designed to assess the association between depressive symptoms and shiftwork in a police cohort from Buffalo, NY

Methods: This longitudinal analysis consists of 470 police officers from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study. Data were collected during visit 3 between 2004-2005 and visit …

The Influence Of Mindful Movement On Elementary Students’ Music Listening Enjoyment And Comprehension, Jean Louise Boiteau

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mindful movement on elementary students’ listening comprehension and enjoyment. Participants (N = 40) were third-grade music students who participated in an ABAB within-subjects research design. During baseline phases, participants listened to one of four musical selections. During treatment phases, participants completed a mindful movement activity while listening to the musical selections. After each baseline or treatment experience, participants rated how much they enjoyed the musical recording, answered a free-response question justifying why they chose that enjoyment rating, and completed a listening comprehension test. Although there was a slight increase …

Uncertain Animals, Laura Irei

Theses and Dissertations

This collection includes thirteen short stories that together form a fiction collection.

Counseling Program Intervention For Improving African American Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Dual Enrollment Participation, Sonja L. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans are underrepresented at all points in the STEM pipeline from K-12 coursework into professional careers. The reasons for this underrepresentation are varied and reflect a myriad of contributing factors based on early academic experiences, sociocultural influences, and the effects of standardized testing. The three-fold purpose of this study was to implement a counseling program to inform nine African American study participants about the dual enrollment opportunity at their high school, to gain perspective about the factors which shaped their STEM disposition, and to determine the effect of the program on their attitudes about dual enrollment participation. The study …

Study Of 4h-Sic And Alxga1-Xn Based Heterojunction Devices For Ultraviolet Detection Applications, Venkata Surya Naga Raju Chava

Theses and Dissertations

Ultraviolet (UV) detectors are important for their applications in flame detection, furnace gas control systems, plume monitoring etc. Due to their wide band-gap, 4H-SiC (Eg=3.26eV) and III-V semiconductors such as GaN (Eg=3.4eV), AlxGa1-xN (Eg=3.4eV to 6.2eV) etc., are excellent candidates for visible(��cut-0ff=400nm) and solar blind(��cut-0ff=290nm) UV detectors. Conventional SiC UV detectors suffer from poor UV responsivities due to reflection/absorption/transmission losses caused by the metal electrodes used in those detectors.

In the first part, a novel bipolar transistor with epitaxial graphene(EG)/p-SiC (30μm)/n+-SiC substrate was fabricated and characterized. The 2-3 ML thick, transparent and conducting, EG used in this work was grown …

An Action Research Study Of Female Calculus Students’ Perceptions Of The Flipped Classroom Model, Tammy Parham

Theses and Dissertations

To improve teaching practices away from teacher-centered strategies and towardstudentcenteredmethodology based in constructivist and social constructivist theory, the present research study describes six female students’ perceptions of a flipped-model classroom design in an advanced calculus course. In a flipped-model classroom, there is an inversion of the traditional instructional paradigm to move new content instruction outside of the classroom in order to provide time for student engagement in learning activities and interaction with peers during class meeting time. The flipped model enabled the female students to have more time for collaborative practices and application of calculus material, increased the student-participants’ interactions …

If This Be Sin: Gladys Bentley And The Performance Of Identity, Moira Mahoney Church

Theses and Dissertations

Known for her improvisational risqué lyrics and tailored white tuxedo, Gladys Bentley was one of the most notorious figures of the 1930s. Situated in the pansy and lesbian craze of the 1920s and 30s, Bentley’s career was part of a broader trend that favored gender-queer performers due to their exotic appeal. Despite being more transgressive than most, Bentley has ultimately faded from society’s collective memory.

The Rational Synthesis Of Bimetallic Catalysts On Oxide Supports, Andrew Phillip Wong

Theses and Dissertations

Catalysts play an important role in many chemical reactions. However, simple impregnated monometallic catalysts are often limited in their function. One way to overcome this limitation is through the incorporation of a secondary metal to the catalysts. These bimetallic catalysts often have synergistic benefits not observed in the monometallic analogues. Here, we focused on the synthesis of bimetallic catalysts using rational methods in order to improve catalyst function; specifically by tuning the particle size, morphology, and composition. The two methods of interests were Strong Electrostatic Adsorption (SEA) and Electroless Deposition (ED). An adaptation of SEA to bimetallic catalysts (coSEA) was …

Impact Of A Practicum In Education Course Designed To Recruit Stem Majors Into A Teacher Education Program, Rebecca A. Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the most efficient way of improving students’ performance, in mathematics and science, is by recruiting and retaining highly qualified mathematics and science teachers. This study augments the body of research aimed at the recruitment of STEM majors to the field of education. The purpose of this study was to determine how a practicum course, developed to recruit freshman and sophomore STEM majors into a teacher preparation program, impacted participants' perceptions of teaching as a profession. The impact of this course, which utilized a reflective cycle framework for evaluating participants’ reflections as the foundation of the program, was …