Digital Commons Network^™

Undergraduate Research For Online Students, Emily K. Faulconer, Amy B. Gruss

Publications

Since the term “high impact educational prac-tices” (HIPs) was coined in 2008, it comes up often in SoTL research and professional devel-opment. Undergraduate research is one of the commonly listed HIPs. The profes sional and personal benefits to studentsP are numerous, including increased perAsistence, self-confi-dence, career preparation, enhanced mentori©ng relationships, development of transferable skills, networking opportunities, and balancing of intellectual independence and collaboration skills (Council on Undergraduate Research, 2017; Lopatto, 2006, 2010; Madan & Teitge, 2013).

Representation Of Women Leaders In Business Magazines: 2010-2018, Kia Ja'shona Cooper

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This framing analysis focuses on the portrayal of women leaders in popular business magazines. Framing theory was used to examine how women leaders were portrayed in Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and Bloomberg Businessweek magazines from 2010-2018. The study identified three key frames, which include the minority frame, asset and fixer frame, and the work-life balance frame. Further findings from the study suggested that the portrayals of women have changed following the women's movement in the 1970's and that women are indeed beneficial to organizations in senior-level positions, although there is still a low percentage of women in these roles.

A Topic Modeling Approach For Code Clone Detection, Mohammed Salman Khan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis work, the potential benefits of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) as a technique for code clone detection has been described. The objective is to propose a language-independent, effective, and scalable approach for identifying similar code fragments in relatively large software systems. The main assumption is that the latent topic structure of software artifacts gives an indication of the presence of code clones. It can be hypothesized that artifacts with similar topic distributions contain duplicated code fragments and to prove this hypothesis, an experimental investigation using multiple datasets from various application domains were conducted. In addition, CloneTM, an LDA-based …

Investigating Whether Implicit Prejudice Moderates The Impact Of Sexual Assault Survivors’ Minority Status On Negative Stereotyping, Tabitha Powell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although all sexual assault survivors have the potential to experience victim blame, Black women and transgender survivors of sexual assault face higher rates of victim blame and discrimination than their non-minority counterparts. This increased blame may be related to stereotypes about these individuals that do not align with “real” rape victim stereotypes. To understand how minority survivors of sexual assault are stereotyped, I investigated the intelligence and promiscuity ratings of minority survivors of sexual assault compared to their non-minority counterparts. Moreover, I investigated how implicit prejudice moderated the stereotyping of survivors. Participants read crime alerts that varied the race of …

The Relationship Between The Employment Of School Resource Officers, School Discipline, And School-Based Arrests Variables, Johnathon D. Monson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The school resource officer (SRO) program is a program developed in the United States with the goal of making schools a safer environment for students across all grades (Cray & Weiler, 2011). To date, the majority of research surrounding SRO programs focuses on recommended characteristics and qualities of SROs, as well as appropriate utilization of SROs (Weiler & Cray, 2011). However, relatively little is known about the effect of increased presence of SRO’s in the school setting. With SRO’s being tasked with disciplinarian roles Barnes (2016), it would be important to look at the effect of SRO’s on school discipline …

Narratives Of Alternative School Teachers: Perceptions Of Their Principals' Transformational Leadership Behaviors And How They Impact Self-Efficacy, Lakenya Tenae Branch

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact that principals’ transformational leadership behaviors had on teachers’ self-efficacy in secondary urban alternative schools. The research question that guided this study was: How does perceived transformational leadership behaviors of principals’ impact teachers’ self-efficacy? This question had two sub-questions. The first was: How do teachers perceive their principals’ leadership behaviors? And, the second sub-question was: How does this perceived behavior affect teachers’ self-efficacy? Literature focused on urban schools and alternative schools, since they share a similar population of students. Additional literature discussed the four components of being a transformational leader which are idealized influence, inspirational …

Testing Coulwave For Use In Modeling Cross-Shore Sand Transport And Beach Profile Evolution, Patrick Michael Cooper

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Realistic, reliable, and effective modeling of cross-shore sediment transport is not present in the current literature. Building that model requires the accurate recreation of breaking wave processes in the nearshore. To develop that first step for an as-yet-to-be-designed model, multiple phase-resolving wave transformation algorithms are reviewed for in-depth investigation. The COULWAVE model is selected for robust testing. Testing of the COULWAVE model shows that, although capable of recreating realistic results, it does not adequately describe major wave characteristics in the surf zone, across a wide range of conditions, to warrant use in a future cross-shore sediment transport model.

An Analysis Of Writer's Block: Causes, Characteristics, And Solutions, Sarah J. Ahmed

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research suggests that writer’s block can have multiple causes and occur at any part of the writing process (Boice, 1985; Flaherty, 2015; Kaufman & Kaufman, 2013). A survey was distributed to a sample of 146 writers with experience in a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres. Research objectives concerning the causes and characteristics of writer’s block were investigated using mixed-method, qualitative and quantitative analyses. Effective solutions provided by writers were presented and described. Blocks with physiological and motivational components were the most frequently reported in general and were found to interfere with the composition process more than the creative …

Note The Change: A Comparative Study Of Demonetization Efforts In India And Sweden, Danielle Browske

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

On the evening of November 8th, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to a shocked India that the two most common banknotes would thereafter cease to be legal tender. Newly designed notes were printed and dispersed to Indians who were forced to wait in long bank and ATM lines, which frequently ran out of cash due to such high demand. There were reports of people dying in lines, not getting paid their salaries due to the chaos, and losing everything in the resulting inflation that plagued rural farmers. Since then, India has seen a rise in cash usage rates compared …

Trapping Aco Applied To Mri Of The Heart, Shannon Lloyd Birchell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The research presented here supports the ongoing need for automatic heart volume calculation through the identification of the left and right ventricles in MRI images. The need for automated heart volume calculation stems from the amount of time it takes to manually processes MRI images and required esoteric skill set. There are several methods for region detection such as Deep Neural Networks, Support Vector Machines and Ant Colony Optimization. In this research Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) will be the method of choice due to its efficiency and flexibility. There are many types of ACO algorithms using a variety of heuristics …

Comparing Grounded Theory And Phenomenology As Methods To Understand Lived Experience Of Engineering Educators Implementing Problem-Based Learning, Shannon Chance, Gavin Duffy, Brian Bowe

Articles

Convincing teachers to implement pedagogical innovations is notoriously hard. This research project investigated the shift in pedagogical approach among a small group of faculty as they replaced traditional lecture-based methods with problem-based learning projects. Interviews were conducted with eight drivers of this change, around the question: What was it like to be part of a learning group focused on tangible change toward student-centred learning? Objectives were to understand how pedagogical change happened in an electrical engineering programme at a post-secondary institution in Ireland; analyse data using two different research methods; describe the processes, results, and findings, determining: To what extents …

Econophysics And Fractional Calculus: Einstein's Evolution Equation, The Fractal Market Hypothesis, Trend Analysis And Future Price Prediction, Jonathan Blackledge, Derek Kearney, Marc Lamphiere, Raja Rani, Paddy Walsh

Articles

This paper examines a range of results that can be derived from Einstein’s evolution equation focusing on the effect of introducing a Lévy distribution into the evolution equation. In this context, we examine the derivation (derived exclusively from the evolution equation) of the classical and fractional diffusion equations, the classical and generalised Kolmogorov–Feller equations, the evolution of self-affine stochastic fields through the fractional diffusion equation, the fractional Poisson equation (for the time independent case), and, a derivation of the Lyapunov exponent and volatility. In this way, we provide a collection of results (which includes the derivation of certain fractional partial …

Power System Loading Margin Enhancement By Optimal Statcom Integration:A Case Study, Sasidharan Shreedharan, Tibin Joseph, Sebin Joseph, Chittesh Veni Chandran, Vishnu J., Vipin Das P

Articles

Safe and secure network operation with acceptable voltage level has become a challenging task for utilities requiring corrective measures to be implemented. Network upgrades using Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System devices are being considered to serve this purpose. To this end, static loading margin enhancement by optimal static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) allocation to enhance the power transfer capability with minimal voltage variation is presented. Maximum loadability is formulated as an optimization problem, subjected to voltage and small-signal stability constraints. Stability indices are presented and incorporated with the optimization problem to ensure secure operation under maximum loading. The scheme is executed …

Efficient Spectral Compression Of Wavelength-Shifting Soliton And Its Application In Integratable All-Optical Quantization, Chao Mei, Jinhui Yuan, Feng Li, Binbin Yan, Xinzhu Sang, Qiang Wu, Xian Zhou, Kuiru Wang, Chongxiu Yu, Gerald Farrell

Articles

n this paper, we numerically demonstrate efficient spectral compression (SPC) of wavelength-shifting soliton in a chalcogenide strip waveguide. It is found that the profiles of group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and Kerr nonlinearity play key roles in determining SPC. After calculating the dispersion of Kerr nonlinearity and Raman spectrum for three kinds of chalcogenide materials, Ge11.5As24Se64.5 is chosen as the material for designing the chalcogenide strip waveguide (CSW). The geometric parameters of CSW are optimized to obtain the desired GVD and Kerr nonlinearity. Simulation results show that in the designed CSW, an input spectrum width of 52.04 nm can be compressed to …

Low Level Turbulence Detection For Airport, Derek Kearney, Anthony O'Connor

Articles

Low level wind shear and turbulence present a serious safety risk to aircraft during the approach, landing and take-off phases. Despite many advances in on-board and ground based warning systems. Wind shear remains a formidable force that coupled with a microburst can overpower any aircraft. Aviation reports have concluded that pilots need to have improved information in relation to tailwinds, wind shear and wind variations on approach and during the landing phases. Low level wind shear continues to cause disruption, delays and contribute to aircraft crashes. As recently as 2016, two Boeing aircraft crashed while attempting a Go-around manoeuver after …

Dc Side And Ac Side Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Topologies: A Comparative Study Due To Variation In Design Features, Shahab Sajedi, Michael Farrell, Malabika Basu

Articles

This paper presents a comparative study between DC side and AC side cascaded topologies for the hybrid modular multilevel converter (MMC) which are becoming popular in recent years. A multilevel converter with half or full bridge sub modules connected across DC link is another alternative for high-voltage applications as it has the same number of sub modules and footprint as AC side cascaded topology with the same DC link voltage and AC side voltage. The compared AC side cascaded structure offers a two-level converter as the high voltage stage and cascaded H-bridge (which is full bridge) sub modules with electrically …

Use Of Matrix-Pencil Method For Efficient Islanding Detection In Static Dg And A Parallel Comparison With Dwt Method, Sanjay Agrawal, Sandipan Patra, Soumya R. Mohanty, Vineeta Agarwal, Malabika Basu

Articles

Islanding or nonislanding events in grid-connected distributed generation bring along a typical distinguishable transient signature in its frequency profile. This demarcation leads to the development of a new islanding protection approach, which is based on the estimation of frequency waveform parameter (transient's frequency) by Matrix pencil (MP) method. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed MP method, four critical scenarios are considered in this paper for covering all possible disturbance events. These events are also compared along with a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) based islanding detection method in simulations as well as in RT-LAB-based real-time environment. It is noteworthy to …

Towards An Ontology For Soft Robots: What Is Soft?, Kevin Chubb, Damon Berry, Ted Burke

Articles

The advent of soft robotics represents a profound change in the forms robots will take in the future. However, this revolutionary change has already yielded such a diverse collection of robots that attempts at defining this group do not reflect many existing ‘soft’ robots. This paper aims to address this issue by scrutinising a number of descriptions of soft robots arising from a literature review with the intention of determining a coherent meaning for soft. We also present a classification of existing soft robots to initiate the development of a soft robotic ontology. Finally, discrepancies in prescribed ranges of Young’s …

Protection Of Sensitive Loads Using Sliding Mode Controlled Three-Phase Dvr With Adaptive Notch Filter, Samet Biricik, Hasan Komurcugil, Nguyen Duc Tuyen, Malabika Basu

Articles

This paper introduces a sliding mode control (SMC) strategy for three-phase dynamic voltage restorers (DVRs) with a 12-switch voltage source inverter. The compensating voltage references needed in the SMC strategy are generated by an adaptive notch filter (ANF), which exhibits excellent performance under grid voltage anomalies such as voltage sags, swells, and unbalanced and distorted grid voltage conditions. The consequence of using the ANF eliminates the use of phase-lock loop or frequency-lock loop and low-pass filter, which makes it distinguishable from the existing reference signal generation solutions. In addition, the use of the SMC strategy with its attractive properties makes …

Performance Of A Campus Photovoltaic Electric Vehicle Charging Station In A Temperate Climate, Ayda Esfandyari, Brian Norton, Michael Conlon, Sarah J. Mccormack

Articles

A photovoltaic (PV) array can be combined with battery energy storage to satisfy the electrical demand of lightweight electric vehicles. Measured solar resource and vehicle energy consumption, together with locational, mechanical and electrical constraints were used to design a vehicle charging station comprised of a 63 m2 10.5 kW AC PV array, with a 9.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. PV output, battery charge and discharge, electricity flows were monitored over one year. Deviations between measured and calculated annual AC generation averaged to 14%. Average annual direct consumption, self-consumption and system self-sufficiency were 8.47%, 30.3% and 74.36% respectively.

A Review Of Co2 Emission Reductions Due To Wind Turbines Using Energy Benchmarks: A Focus On The Irish Electrical Energy Market, Tony Kealy

Articles

The installed capacity of wind turbines in Ireland increased from a value of 2,250 MW in 2014 to 3,318 MW in 2017, a 43% increase in the four years, supported through climate mitigation policies. The main aim of this study is to determine if the increase in wind turbine installed capacity is impacting on efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. The study utilises a review methodology. The findings show that the steady rise in wind turbine installed capacity year-on-year is not reflected in the Irish CO2 g/kWh energy benchmark. The benchmark value was 457 g CO2/kWh in 2014 and 437 g …

Role Of Reactive Power (Statcom) In The Planning Of Distribution Network With Higher Ev Charging Level, Arsalan Hussain Zaidi, Keith Sunderland, Michael Conlon

Articles

In recent years, new trends in electrification of the transport sector have been a major concern for distribution grid operators. New types of flexible, uncontrollable loads, such as EV, influence the reliability of distribution networks. This work is related to the distribution system planning framework, with a particular focus on uncoordinated flexible EV loads. The main focus is the enhancement of the hosting capacity of EVs on distribution networks, while maintaining power quality (especially voltage magnitude and voltage unbalance), which is ultimately a pre-requisite for increasing prosumer engagement. Several EV charging scenarios, in the context of UK/Irish distribution networks with …

The Heat Is On: The Capacities Required For The Establishment And Sustainability Of Community-Owned Renewable Energy District Heating Systems In Ireland, Gerard Doyle

Reports

International reviews of countries’ progress at tackling climate change show that Ireland is making small levels of progress on tackling issues associated with climate change. This paper will examine a theoretical framework, referred to as capacity analysis, to explain the capacities that need to be in place for the successful implementation of community-owned renewable energy district heating initiatives. The theoretical framework employed here is based on the ‘conceptual framework’ developed by Pringle which consists of four categories of capacity. The research methodology involves a case study with cases from Austria, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The …

No One Really Minded A Female Barmaid, But I Don't Know They'd "Not Mind" A Female Engineer: One Student's Journey, Bill Williams, Shannon Chance, Inês Direito

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

A Review Of 3d Gis For Use In Creating Virtual Historic Dublin, Alain Chenaux, Maurice Murphy, S. Pavia, S. Fai, T. Molnar, John Cahill, Shane Lenihan, A. Corns

Conference papers

This paper illustrates how BIM integration with GIS is approached as part of the workflow in creating Virtual Historic Dublin. A design for a WEB based interactive 3D model of historic buildings and centres in Dublin City (Virtual Historic Dublin City) paralleling smart city initiates is now under construction and led by the National Monuments at the Office of Public Works in Ireland. The aim is to facilitate the conservation and maintenance of historic infrastructure and fabric and the dissemination of knowledge for education and cultural tourism using an extensive Historic Building Information Model. Remote sensing data is now processed …

Surface Modification Of Silver Nanoparticle (Agnp) By Liposomal Encapsulation Mitigates Agnp-Induced Inflammation, Azeez O. Yusef, Alan Casey

Articles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are widely used in a variety of consumable products as antibacterial to prevent or treat infection. Unfortunately, evidence exits that AgNP induces inflammation which can worsen with repeated human exposure. However, there is little or no research on how to mitigate these adverse effects due to AgNP induced-toxicity. Here, we investigated if surface modification of AgNP by liposomal encapsulation suppresses AgNP-mediated inflammatory responses in THP1 monocytes and THP1 differentiated macrophages (TDM). AgNP was encapsulated in a dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline- (DPPC)/cholesterol-based liposome by extrusion through a 100-nm polycarbonate membrane to form Lipo-AgNP. It was found as expected that …

Predicted Temperature-Increase-Induced Global Health Burden And Its Regional Variability, Jae Young Lee, Ho Kim, Antonio Gasparrini, Ben Armstrong, Michelle L. Bell, Franceso Sera, Eric Lavingne, Rosana Abrutzky, Shilu Tong, Micheline De Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho, Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva, Patricia Matus Correa, Nicolas Valdes Ortega, Haidong Kan, Samule Osorio Garcia, Jan Kysely, Ales Urban, Hans Orru, Ene Indermitte, Jouni J.K. Jaakkola, Niilo R.I. Ryti, Mathilde Pascal, Patrick J. Goodman, Ariana Zeka, Paolo Michelozzi, Matteo Scortichini, Masahiro Hashizume, Yasushi Honda, Magali Hurtado, Julio Cruz, Xerxes Seposo, Balthazar Nunes, Joao Paulo Teixeira, Aurelio Tobias, Carmen Iniguez, Bertil Forsberg, Christofer Astrom, Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, Martina S. Ragettli, Yeu-Liang Leon Guo, Bing-Yu Chen, Antonella Zanobetti, Joel Schwartz, Tran Ngoc Dang, Dung Do Van, Fetemeh Mayvaneh, Ala Overcenco, Shanshan Li, Yuming Guo

Articles

An increase in the global health burden of temperature was projected for 459 locations in 28 countries worldwide under four representative concentration pathway scenarios until 2099. We determined that the amount of temperature increase for each 100 ppm increase in global CO2 concentrations is nearly constant, regardless of climate scenarios. The overall average temperature increase during 2010–2099 is largest in Canada (1.16 °C/100 ppm) and Finland (1.14 °C/100 ppm), while it is smallest in Ireland (0.62 °C/100 ppm) and Argentina (0.63 °C/100 ppm). In addition, for each 1 °C temperature increase, the amount of excess mortality is increased largely in …

We Can’T Afford To Turn A Blind Eye To Myopia, Christine Marie Bourke, James Loughman, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, Ekaterina Loskutova, Colm O’Brien

Articles

Background

Myopia is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world. It is an overlooked but leading cause of blindness, particularly among the working aged population. Myopia is often considered benign because it is easily corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. Traditionally myopia has been classified into physiological and pathological subtypes based on the degree of myopia present. Higher levels of myopia are associated with increased risk of pathological complications but it is important to note that there is no safe level of myopia. Even low levels of myopia increase the risk of retinal detachment and other ocular comorbidities which …

Low-Resolution Models For The Interaction Dynamics Of Coated Gold Nanoparticles With Β2-Microglobulin, Giorgia Brancolini, Hender Lopez, Stefano Corni, Valentina Tozzini

Articles

A large number of low-resolution models have been proposed in the last decades to reduce the computational cost of molecular dynamics simulations for bio-nano systems, such as those involving the interactions of proteins with functionalized nanoparticles (NPs). For the proteins, “minimalist” models at the one-bead-per residue (Cα-based) level and with implicit solvent are well established. For the gold NPs, widely explored for biotechnological applications, mesoscale (MS) models treating the NP core with a single spheroidal object are commonly proposed. In this representation, the surface details (coating, roughness, etc.) are lost. These, however, and the specificity of the functionalization, have been …

Evaluation Of Silver Nanoparticle Encapsulation In Dppc-Based Liposome By Different Methods For Enhanced Cytotoxicity, Azeez O. Yusef, Alan Casey

Articles

Here we carried out a comparative study on two cost and time effective methods of encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl choline (DPPC)/cholesterol-based liposome to enhance nanoparticle cytotoxicity, and evaluated the effect of this on a blood cell line (THP1 monocytes) often involved in uptake of nanoparticles during human exposure. DLS and Zeta potential analyses over a 6-months period showed the extruded Lipo-AgNP (Ex-Lipo-AgNP) exhibited more stable characteristics when compared with the probe-sonicated Lipo-AgNP (PB-Lipo-AgNP). SEM microscopy indicated agglomeration of the PB-Lipo-AgNP which was not observed in Ex-Lipo-AgNP. Ex-Lipo-AgNP also exhibited higher temperature-dependent stability with 35.3% reduction in size from …