Digital Commons Network^™

Plant Invasion Patterns In Understory And Soil Microbial Communities Of North Central West Virginia Mixed Hardwood Forests, Isabelle Marie Uganski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Invasive plants alter forest ecosystems by reducing species richness, habitat heterogeneity, and nutrient cycling as they rapidly displace native plants. Invasive plant composition can influence soil health through altering soil microbial associations and communities. By studying the mechanisms in which invasives alter above- and below-ground communities, we can better understand whole-ecosystem impacts and inform management decisions. This study examined the relationships between co-occurring invasion on above and belowground communities of mixed hardwood forests of north central West Virginia. Despite distinctive associations with aboveground characteristics (native diversity, native tree regeneration, and leaf litter density) we detected limited changes to soil microbial …

A Multiobjective Framework For Joint Coverage And Motion Planning In Uav Inspection Tasks, Luis Fernando Escobar Carvajal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become essential for data acquisition in complex 3D environments. However, traditional Coverage Path Planning (CPP) methodologies often rely on a sequential pipeline that isolates viewpoint generation from flight path routing. This decoupling fails to account for the interdependence between viewpoint distribution and minimum flight paths, effectively restricting the search space and preventing the identification of a global optimum. This dissertation proposes a unified multi-objective framework for joint coverage and motion planning. The primary contribution of this work is the transition from isolated, sequential steps to a simultaneous optimization of the number and position of viewpoints …

Multiple Changepoint Detection For Non-Gaussian Time Series, Robert Lund, Thomas J. Fisher, Norou Diawara, Michael Wehner

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

This article combines methods from existing techniques to identify multiple changepoints in non‐Gaussian autocorrelated time series. A transformation is used to convert a Gaussian series into a non‐Gaussian series, enabling penalized likelihood methods to handle non‐Gaussian scenarios. When the marginal distribution of the data is continuous, the methods essentially reduce to the change of variables formula for probability densities. When the marginal distribution is count‐oriented, Hermite expansions and particle filtering techniques are used to quantify the scenario. Simulations demonstrating the efficacy of the methods are given and two data sets are analyzed: 1) the proportion of home runs hit by …

The Impact Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Preference On The Performance Of Distance Learning Students, Christopher A. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Distance learning is a growing part of education. The transition to distance learning was underway at higher education institutions, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions of all types to rapidly transition to distance learning. The technology that was adapted during this emergency distance learning remained in the classroom once normal instruction resumed. This quantitative study examined two aspects of distance learning technology in education. The study examined student preference for either synchronous or asynchronous instruction through the framework of expectancy theory. Students who were more familiar with the course material were hypothesized to have a higher expectation of success and …

Finding Value In Professional Learning: Developing Teacher Learning That Is Internalized And Implemented In Practice, Stephanie Dossett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was designed after the researcher engaged in multiple mandated professional learning experiences with faculty members who expressed dissatisfaction with their learning experiences, did not desire to engage in learning on the mandated topics, and wanted to engage in different types of learning opportunities. The problem was centered around dissatisfaction with professional learning among teachers and the lack of implementation of their professional learning in the classroom. The goal was to gather feedback that could help leaders design mandated learning for teachers that they would find satisfaction in and implement in their classroom. The study used semistructured qualitative …

Assistant Principals’ Perspectives And Experiences Concerning Their Influence As Instructional Leaders On Student Achievement In Title I Schools, Courtney J. Charles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study explored the perspectives and experiences of assistant principals in Title I schools in the context of their instructional leadership responsibilities. The study examined the relationship between assistant principals as instructional leaders in Title I schools and student achievement by addressing research questions related to curriculum implementation, data-driven decisions, school culture, instructional support, and professional development. Moreover, this study used purposeful sampling to select 13 assistant principals from Title I schools, and data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Marzano’s focused school leader evaluation model served as the framework for interview questions. …

Tinjauan Frasa “Setiap Orang” Dalam Pasal 3 Ayat (1) Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 56 Tahun 2021 Tentang Pengelolaan Royalti Hak Cipta Lagu Dan/Atau Musik, Fajar Hidayansyah Ilham, Luna Dezeana Ticoalu

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Copyright is one form of legal protection for intellectual works, occupying an important position within the intellectual property law system. The Copyright Law explicitly grants exclusive rights to creators, encompassing both moral rights and economic rights. Economic rights, as stipulated in Article 9 paragraph (1), allow creators to obtain economic benefits from their works, ranging from publication, reproduction, distribution, performance, to communication to the public. This provision shows that creators hold a primary position as legal subjects entitled to protection, while also serving as central actors in the creative industry ecosystem. In practice, the mechanism for copyright protection requires implementing …

Deep Learning-Based Co-Current Upward Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow Regime Identification In An Annular Conduit, Joshua Robert Macomber

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Flow regime identification in co-current upward gas-liquid flow through annular conduits remains a significant challenge in petroleum engineering, with major safety and operational implications. It is also important across industries involving the transport of multiphase fluids. Misidentifying flow regimes can introduce major operational risk, yet regime boundaries in annular gas-liquid flow are often visually complex and context dependent.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of convolutional neural network (CNN) classifiers for flow regime identification. The CNN was trained using annular flow image dataset published by Texas A&M University. The dataset consists of approximately 947 RGB images …

Public Perception Of Using Public Lands For Climate Change Mitigation, Casey Marie Zaitzew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biological carbon sequestration provides a way to integrate carbon initiatives while meeting sustainable forestry management needs. In the United States, woody plants capture about 13% of annual carbon emissions, highlighting the importance of forests and other ecosystems in national climate strategies.With over 640 million acres of public land, management strategies that incorporate carbon sequestration could significantly influence national carbon storage. Because public lands are taxpayer-funded, public acceptance is critical in carbon-focused policies. While prior studies have examined public attitudes toward carbon capture and storage techniques, fewer studies have focused on biological sequestration within federally managed lands.

This study analyzes public …

Data-Driven Methodologies For Mapping Cultural Heritage: The Case Of The National Coal Heritage Area, West Virginia, Usa, Hossain Mohammad Nahyan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this dissertation was to develop a comprehensive, data-driven spatial framework for characterizing the complex cultural landscape of the National Coal Heritage Area (NCHA) in West Virginia. By transitioning away from traditional, heuristic spatial mapping, this research integrates advanced spatial statistics, machine learning, and GIS-based methodologies to objectively quantify the physical, visual, and cultural dimensions of the post-mining environment. The research is structured around three interconnected empirical studies, each addressing a specific scale of the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) framework to support heritage conservation and sustainable spatial planning. The first paper focused on landform classification, developing an automated …

Call Off The Dogs: Rethinking Sniffer Dog Searches In Canadian Criminal Law, Sara Gordon

All Faculty Publications

The Supreme Court of Canada has repeatedly held that police sniffer dog searches are Charter-compliant based on a low standard of reasonable suspicion because they are minimally intrusive, narrowly targeted, and can be highly accurate. Since the Court last considered their constitutionality, however, extensive empirical research has fundamentally challenged assumptions about the reliability and accuracy of police sniffer dogs, as well as the harm to individuals subjected to these searches. Moreover, the phenomenon of handler cueing can operate to transmit a police officer’s unconscious biases—even those they would consciously reject—to their dogs, further reducing accuracy and leading to false alerts …

Race And Racism In Canada’S Immigration Detention System, Efrat Arbel, Prasanna Balasundaram, Hanna Gros, Nana Yanful

All Faculty Publications

Race and Racism in Canada's Immigration Detention System is the first comprehensive, independent study to examine race and racism in Canada's immigration detention system. Grounded in rigorous legal analysis and qualitative research, the study draws on interviews with 50 participants, including people with lived experience of immigration detention, as well as lawyers, paralegals, and service providers who work in immigration detention. The research was guided by an advisory board of people with lived-experience in immigration detention and co-led by a collaborative research team.

Element-Based Predictive Modeling Of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Bioproducts Derived From Corn Stover, Isamu Umeda, Meicen Liu, Yi Zheng, Jiefu Wang, Zhiwu Wang, Sandeep Kumar

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process offers an energetic advantage over pyrolysis because it does not require prior drying of the biomass feedstock. However, there are significant challenges in simultaneously estimating both the yields and characteristics of products from the HTL of biomass with theoretical support. This study developed a unique element-based kinetic model to predict the yields, higher heating values, and fuel characteristics of solid residue and heavy bio-oil, based on the temperature, residence time, solid loading, and elemental composition (C, H, N, and O) of corn stover. Furthermore, the model predicted the weights of dissolved carbon and nitrogen in …

Harnessing Activated Sludge For The Treatment Of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Wastewater: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Cyrus Li, Jiefu Wang, Meicen Liu, Yi Zheng, Sandeep Kumar, Isamu Umeda, Chandan Mahata, John Norton

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Although hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is the leading technology in converting wet biomass into bioenergy, the treatment of its toxic-laden aqueous phase wastewater presents a major challenge on its path toward commercial viability. This study presents the first-ever assessment of sewage sludge-fed HTL wastewater (SS-HTLWW) treatment and toxic compound removal using municipal activated sludge (AS) by optimizing its cultivation condition. It was found that AS with optimized pretreatment can remove up to 91.2% of the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) in SS-HTLWW, of which up to 82% can be attributed to biological mineralization and adsorption of sCOD by AS. Conventional bioprocess …

Federal Protections For Farmworker Health In The United States: A Scoping Review Of Three Decades Of Research, Kaitlyn Alvarez Noli, Stephane Labossiere, Becca Berkey, Joseph G. Grzywacz

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Objectives: This scoping review characterizes the scope, methods, and framing of empirical research evaluating the Field Sanitation Standard (FSS) and Worker Protection Standard (WPS) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Labor respectively. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we identified empirical studies (1990–2024) assessing elements of either the FSS or WPS. Two reviewers screened and extracted study characteristics, designs, populations, and regulatory elements. Framing analysis of 1226 segments, identified using a large language model, from the studies' abstracts and introductions examined how authors conceptualized farmworkers' need for protection. …