Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis Of A Basket-Shaped Host Molecule Based On P-Tert-Butylcalix[4]Arene Featuring Pyridinyl Groups For Volatile Guest Molecule, Boluwatife S. Ajewole

Masters Theses

Supramolecular and Molecular chemistry offer an expanding array of applications for the development of smart devices, with calixarene-based molecular baskets playing a pivotal role in host-guest chemistry. A key concept in this field is the design of "smart" molecules with gate-like features, which can selectively transport chemical or biochemical species that are volatile, reactive, or sensitive to typical solution environments. These molecular hosts are engineered with predefined groups that respond to external stimuli, such as changes in concentration, temperature, or pH.

Molecular baskets are synthetic host molecules designed to capture guest molecules selectively through adjustable gates. In our study, we …

Putting The “Proof” In The Pudding: Ingredients To Consider In Executing An Effective And Sustainable Diversity Management Strategy Within Esg Conscious Organizations, Diamond D. Dubose

Theses and Dissertations

ESG exchange-trade fund inflows increased to a total of 22 billion dollars in 2020; three times their amount as compared to 2019, reflecting increasing capital market prominence (Wagner & Ballentine, 2020). Many organizations have since engaged in DEI practices because of the appeal Environment, Social, and Governance (also known as ESG) investment ratings provide (Henisz et al., 2019). However, companies must go beyond publishing organizational commitments to diversity to ‘check the box’ if they want to remain in the good graces of their internal and external stakeholders, ultimately validating their financial performance (S. J. Singh, 2021). An obstacle also emerged …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Empathy Trait As A Moderator Of Leadership Behavior, Barbara N. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

There are indications that empathic concern for others has been declining around the world (Konrath et al., 2014). Empathy has long been recognized as a component of social functioning that significantly influences behavior that impacts relationships with others on both personal and societal levels (Batson, 2009; Davis, 2017; M. L. Hoffman, 2000; Stilwell, 2001). Leaders who apply empathy in their leadership can promote stronger connections with others (Gentry & Sadri, 2007), and foster social closeness and well-being (Morelli et al., 2015). While traits and behaviors are helpful predictors of effective leadership (Judge & Piccolo, 2004; Mumford et al., 2000), there …

Is It In The Job Description? Best Practices For School Psychologists’ Advocacy For Systemic Change Benefiting Black Students, Taylor Manuel Moore

Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists can be essential team members in driving systemic change towards achieving educational fairness, as their experiences, perspectives, and actions significantly contribute to this effort. This qualitative phenomenological study delved into an in-depth investigation of the lived experiences of school psychologists who have committed themselves to advocating for transformative changes that have a direct influence on the educational paths of Black students. The research design entailed conducting in-depth interviews with practicing school psychologists who have actively engaged in advocacy campaigns. The objective of phenomenological inquiry was to reveal the fundamental nature of individuals' experiences, providing insight into the obstacles …

Hack24f: Ai Attacking Ai, Emry Hankins, Sofia Escobar, Yinxin Wan

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

As MLaaS gains popularity, it also attracts new threats, in particular, model extraction attacks. These attacks involve unauthorized attempts to access and replicate AI models by querying and analyzing the response. Not only do these attacks pose a threat to security and safety but also compromises valuable intellectual property. Because businesses are increasing accessibility to their models that contain sensitive data, it is crucial that they are able to keep them safe and secure.

Hack24f: Careplus: Ai Chatbot, Arianna Fernandez, Sophia Cherkaoui

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

90% of patients Google symptoms before they talk to their doctor. What are we developing? An app that asks for user symptoms and personal information, users AI to determine medical conditions and provides a plan of action, including recommended medications and suggested doctors to visit.

Hack24f: Llms And World Knowledge Problems, Chengtaon Lin, Joseph Lobo, Huuthanhvy Nguyen, Brian Santos, Ting Xu

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

While AI “hallucinations” have been widely publicized by the media as shortcomings of Large Language Models (LLMs), there is much less awareness about shortcomings that derive from the potential lack of understanding of the world, from a potential lack of commonsense knowledge. We want to raise awareness among our student body about the potential fallibility of LLMs when they the problems that they need to solve require a basic understanding of the world. We hope that this awareness will prompt everyone to question more carefully the outputs generated by LLMs.

Hack24f: Using Ai To Support Teachers Working With Young Children With Challenging Behaviors, Muqing Zhang, Bennie Bendiksen, Songtian Zeng

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

While coaching or mental health consultation can be a promising approach to support educators (Kang-Yi et al., 2018), the cost can be substantial and many school districts find it difficult to hire qualified personnel to coach the educators in need. Previous research has attempted to utilize mobile technology to support parents in addressing children with challenging behaviors (Meadan et al., 2016). There are few tools available to support teachers and that attempt to integrate AI technology in the program design and implementation. Our objective is to develop a prototype AI-based tool called Trick-or-Treat to support teachers in identifying and developing …

Hack24f: Beacon Pathway, Michael Agbesi, Ciara Santiago, David Martinez, Olivia Moos, Mohammed Mustafa

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

The problem: There are a multitude of students from different backgrounds who are feeling lost in their academic journey at UMass Boston & need help with finding opportunities that fit their needs.

The solution: Developing Beacon Pathway, a user-centered platform designed to empower UMass Boston students from diverse backgrounds by streamlining their academic journey. This solution focuses on providing personalized resources, tailored opportunities, and community engagement, ensuring every student feels supported and connected as they navigate their unique paths to success

Hack24f: Tori Project: An Llm Powered Personal Assistant That Speaks, Inal Mashukov, Avi Felzenstein

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

The problem: remember Jarvis from Iron Man? If not, Jarvis is an AI personal assistant to Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, which can speak in a human-like manner, and is in charge of the systems of the Iron Man suit. Tony Stark also relies on Jarvis for direct access to information, automation of his projects, and helping with work in general. Currently, the “best” real-world alternatives to Jarvis are Siri and Alexa. These are NOT particularly intelligent. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Jarvis-like assistant that is: actually intelligent and resourceful, sounds human, runs locally/offline on your phone or …

Hack24f: Ai And Mental Health: Addressing The Therapy Gap, Samatrai Piam, Digvijay Mahawar, Meric Kinali, Luxman Surentha, Jackson Comeau, Gail Rauch, Cody Turner

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

Real-World Problem: There is a global shortage of mental health professionals, especially in underserved areas. AI-based chatbots could help fill this gap, but there are serious ethical concerns about the quality of care and efficacy of such chatbots.

Solution: This is a non-technical project that involved conversing with existing chatbots in an effort to develop a normative framework that could be used by future AI therapy bot developers. This framework seeks to build on, and operationalize, some of the insights from the recently published whitepaper on the ethics of chatbot therapy by the UMass Boston Applied Ethics Center. This presentation …

Hack24f: Examine The Human Creativity And Productivity In Ai Generated Content, Jongsoo Ha, Dante Barton, Onkar Khedkar, Neeti Shah, Yash Gondkar, Youxiang Zhu, Xiaohui Liang

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This project, presented at the Fall 2024 Hackathon, explores the balance between human creativity and productivity in the age of AI-generated content. With tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly becoming integral to students’ academic workflows, questions surrounding originality, intellectual property, and academic integrity have grown increasingly urgent. The team addresses the challenge of distinguishing between human and AI contributions in content creation, particularly as current AI detection tools prove unreliable. Their proposed solution involves a system that not only detects AI-generated text using watermarking techniques but also quantifies contributions from humans and AI throughout the writing process.

Stability Of Organic Metal Halide Perovskites, S S M Tareq Hossain

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Perovskites have emerged as a promising candidate for low-cost production of solar cells. However, the most critical barrier for commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is the inadequate stability of the organic metal halide perovskites (OMHPs). The degradation of OMHPs is induced by light, heat, air, and electrical bias. The known degradation pathways involve the oxidation of I- and Sn2+, dissolution of perovskites by moisture, irreversible reactions with water, ion migration, and ion segregation. To improve the stability of OMHPs various methods are adopted, such as additive engineering, perovskite surface treatment, and composition engineering. Surface ligands are used on top …

Fundamental Studies Of Optical Properties And Electrocatalytic Properties Of Low Dimensional Nanomaterials Carbon Nano Dots And 2d Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, Nadeesha Kothalawala

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Low dimensional nanomaterials are widely used in a variety of applications such as opto-electronics, energy production and storage, and bio-medical applications due to their unique optical, catalytic, electronic, and mechanical properties. Most of the nanomaterials offer a plethora of modifications in their structure, composition, morphology, and dimensionality that can lead to the manipulation of their physiochemical properties. This dissertation presents insight into two types of compelling nanomaterials: carbon nanodots (CND) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), investigating their optical and electrocatalytic properties respectively.

Carbon nanodots (CND) are a promising class of photoluminescent nanomaterials that hold a significant potential in many optoelectronic …

Investigating The Behavior Of Redox–Active Organic Molecules In Electrochemical Energy Storage Through Experiment–Guided Computational Simulations, Anton Perera

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

The long–anticipated implementation of using renewable sources such as solar and wind to meet the world’s energy demand is still limited by not having appropriate grid–level energy storage systems on a global scale. When considering grid–scale energy storage solutions, environmental concerns, and techno–economic viability play a crucial role in the practical implementation of such technology. To address this, redox–active organic molecules (ROMs) have been explored for many uses including serving as redox–active molecules in redox flow batteries (RFBs) and providing overcharge protection in lithium–ion batteries (LIBs).

Nevertheless, in order to be a major player in electrochemical energy storage, further optimization …

Impacts Of Key Degradation Byproducts On Amine Scrubbing For Post-Combustion Carbon Capture, Thomas Jorgensen

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

The increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration causes significant concern about global warming and its environmental impact. Industrial sectors, including power generation, transportation, and production factories, contribute most of the anthropogenic sources of CO₂ emissions. Researchers search for methods to mitigate these CO₂ emissions without compromising the benefits of industrial processes, including CO₂ capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS). Post-combustion carbon capture (PCCC) by amine scrubbing is the most technology ready CCUS, with various pilot-scale projects worldwide showing small-scale to fully operational plants. While researchers have made significant progress in amine scrubbing, they strive to improve the efficiency and …

Addition Reactions Of Olefinic Heterocycles And 4-Hydroxycoumarins, Benjamin Goka

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The work outlined in this dissertation describes acid-base catalyzed projects facilitating the construction of key synthetic analogs with vast therapeutic applications. Three major projects have been covered demonstrating various synthetic routes developed by our research group to furnish key derivatives of heterocyclic compounds, including coumarins, carbohydrate moieties, and beta-lactams. By their catalytic nature, acids, and bases are known to enhance the reactivities of compounds. This allows synthetic chemists to design or chart new and better reaction pathways leading to the delivery of desired reaction products. The first chapter features a summary of the main concepts underpinning the projects.

Chapter 2 …

Witnessing Bullying And Internalizing Symptoms: The Influence Of Peer Relationships, Matthew Geisler

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Bullying is a common problem in schools and has been associated with many different negative outcomes for students. While there has been considerable research examining students who are directly involved in bullying scenarios such as the bullies and victims themselves, less is known about the other students who witness bullying events at school. Bullying scenarios become more common at a similar time where peer relationships become more important in the daily lives of students as they begin to spend more time interacting with their peers. Positive peer relationships have been associated with positive outcomes for students and thus may serve …

Superelectrophile Promoted Syntheses Of Aromatic Spirocycles, Jeffrey Caz Ferreira

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Aromatic spirocycles are crucial organic scaffolds that are at the forefront of innovation in various fields of organic electronics, as well as in drug design. The synthesis of these compounds is challenging, especially on an industrial scale and often have suboptimal yields in many traditional syntheses. New synthetic methodologies are being continually explored for the installation of sp3 hydridized spiro junctions. Our research group, as well as other groups, have done exploration of using superelectrophilic synthetic routes that are nicely applied to the formation of aromatic spirocycles. Most relevant to the results discussed in this dissertation are condensation chemistry using …

Investigating Native And Nonnative English-Speaking Teachers’ Identities In Saudi Arabia, Stephanie Schmidt

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A three-part interviewing approach was used to investigate the teacher identity of fourteen participants working in Saudi Arabian universities. Behaviorally, teachers exhibited many common traits, such as performing extra duties outside of expected job responsibilities and showing adaptability. Relationally, teachers were shown to feel more stress when they were micromanaged, but also responded negatively to absentee management. Psychologically, teachers sometimes built coherent narratives of teacher identity through being treated as professionals and through validation from their students, but also faced identity conflicts such as worrying about their professional qualifications and feeling imposter syndrome. These findings suggest there are methods to …

Does Gossip Predict Desire For Apologies?, Teddy Schupack

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Gossip and reputation contribute to the smooth functioning of society. Apologizing after a transgression is one way people can repair their relationships and reputations. The current research proposed that reputation concern would promote the desire to apologize after a transgression among those who would be the targets of gossip to an interdependent recipient. The results from the current study, however, did not support the hypothesis. There was no observed difference in the desire to apologize when people believed their behavior would be gossiped about to a related person versus an unrelated person.

The Glutamine-Asparagine Interplay: Exploring The Role Of Asparagine Synthetase In Hepatocellular Cancer Cells, Babatunde George Olawuni

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a liver cancer that accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-related deaths globally; likewise, as the primary metabolic regulatory center in the body, the liver undergoes profound metabolic shifts in carcinogenesis, with net glucose and glutamine consumption. Much attention has been focused on the myriad roles of glutamine in supporting cellular growth over the past several decades, but more recently, the relationship between glutamine and the other amide-bearing amino acid, asparagine, has garnered attention. Asparagine is synthesized from glutamine, aspartic acid, and ATP via the enzyme Asparagine Synthetase (ASNS). Extracellular asparagine reliance has been targeted in …

Stand-Up Leaders: Creation Of A Perceived Intentions-Based Taxonomy Of Humor, Morgan Gabrielle Tillery

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

As with any behavior, humor has the ability to shape the way that others perceive us. When leaders use humor, we can perceive them as more likeable or as escalating conflict. Going further into the cognitive evaluation of humor may assist us in exploring the cause of divergent outcomes. The current research proposes that an influential element of our perceptions of humor is our perceptions of the humor user’s intention. Two studies were conducted to explore the impact that this element has on workplace outcomes, specifically affective commitment and emotional labor. Study 1 utilized a qualitative approach to identify common …

The Effect Of Inverse Reasoning On Scrupulosity Symptoms, Anna M. White

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The inference-based approach (IBA) is a cognitive model which proposes that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) primarily develops and is maintained by unhealthy reasoning processes. One such unhealthy reasoning process identified by the IBA is inverse reasoning, in which conclusions about reality are drawn based on what could be true despite evidence indicating that a conclusion is not true. Research indicates that the IBA may be particularly relevant for OCD presentations involving lower levels of insight, including scrupulosity—obsessions and compulsions with religious or moral themes. Although the IBA is a model developed for OCD generally, no research has examined whether the IBA …

Attitudes, Perceptions, And Quality Of Learning Experience Design In Head-Mounted Virtual Reality For Preservice Educators, Jonathan Steven Spike

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

As more and more students seek out online educational opportunities, emerging technology and platforms must provide the most effective experience for learners to expand their knowledge and skill sets. The research study aimed to investigate social presence, collaboration, and design opportunities in head-mounted, virtual reality as compared to the more common synchronous video communication. A convergent mixed methods study was conducted using participant quantitative questionnaires regarding social presence and collaboration in both head-mounted virtual reality and synchronous video communication, expert scores of learning experiences designed by groups in each group, as well as qualitative interviews of the head-mounted virtual reality …

Race-Based Stressors And Racial Trauma: The Moderating Role Of Parental Racial Socialization, Jessica S. Philip

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Experiences of race-based stressors are linked with worse psychological outcomes for racial/ethnic minority individuals (e.g., Ferdinand et al., 2015). The way in which parents talk to their children about race (i.e., racial/ethnic socialization; RES) may exacerbate or buffer against the strength of this link (e.g., Keum & Ahn, 2021). Therefore, the present study examined the links between race-based stressors, RES, and psychological outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, racial trauma) across multiple racial/ethnic minority groups. The present study also explored the different RES messages as potential moderators for the link between race-based stressors and outcomes, as well as differences in these …

Magnetotransport Properties Of Dirac Semimetal Taco2te2 And Ferromagnetic Weyl Semimetal Co3sn2s2, Samuel Pate

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the magnetotransport properties of topological semimetals, specifically focusing on the Dirac semimetal TaCo2Te2 and the Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2. In TaCo2Te2, I observed extremely large magnetoresistance that violates Kohler’s rule. Extended Kohler’s rule can be applied with a calculation of Hall factor at low temperatures. I also explored the applicability of the two-band and four-band models of carrier analysis and correlate the region where Kohler’s rule is obeyed to the four-band model. In Co3Sn2S2, I explored the angle-dependent anomalous Hall effect (AHE) near the Kagome plane, revealing a tunable AHE under applied fields and an abrupt disappearance of …

Exploring The Connection: Field Ecology Research And Student Wellbeing, Elizabeth Small

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Field work is essential in ecological research, offering the opportunity to gather firsthand data, observe natural processes, and deepen our understanding of ecosystems. In my study on small mammal trophic niche dynamics, I investigate how small mammals—critical players in grassland food webs—adapt their diets in response to environmental disturbances. By examining the drivers of variation in trophic niche among three common small mammal species, I aim to uncover how these animals coexist despite similar dietary requirements. Understanding these dynamics is critical for informing global conservation efforts, especially as we work to reverse the biodiversity crisis and restore damaged ecosystems.However, the …

Through The Lens Of Tiktok: A New Perspective To Improving Food And Nutrition Literacy In Adolescents, Devin Kathleen Ebeling-Hammond

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Understanding food, nutrition, and physical activity is essential for everyone, and is important to learn from a young age to foster healthy, lifelong habits. Research indicates that 50% of adolescents do not consume the right amount of fruit, vegetables, or protein, and often consume excessive amounts of fats and sugar. Coincidentally, type 2 diabetes and other non-communicable diseases are on the rise, which can be improved through modifiable health determinants. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into innovative ways to teach adolescents about food, nutrition, and the importance of physical activity. An exploratory pilot study was selected …

Explicitly Counting Subspaces Of Given Height Defined Over A Field Of Rational Functions, Kakoli Bhuyan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A height function measures the complexity of mathematical objects, usually points on some projective variety. There are previous results that estimate the number of subspaces of bounded height defined over number fields and function fields over a finite field. These results are asymptotic estimates as the height bound tends to infinity. In this dissertation we derive an explicit counting of the number of subspaces of given height defined over a field of rational functions.