Digital Commons Network^™

Reflecting On Themes From Telehealth Consultations Early In The Pandemic: An Opportunity To Learn From Multiprofessional Colleagues, Maggie Meeks, Laura R. Joyce, John Dean, Lorna Davies, Tika Ormond, Philippa Seaton, Dale Sheehan, Dean Sutherland, Melanie Welfare, Arindam Basu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims: This study is aimed at documenting the reflections of New Zealand healthcare professionals on the use of synchronous telehealth consultations. Methods: A qualitative narrative inquiry was conducted to explore the practice of telehealth in New Zealand. Purposive sampling was used to identify clinicians from multiple professions who used telehealth during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen semistructured interviews were conducted between October 2020 and May 2021 with clinicians from primary and secondary care, including multiple professional backgrounds. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically. Results: Six themes were identified: (1) equitable access: There were concerns regarding equitable access to …

Strengthening Ocean Literacy: Marine Science Education And Training To Ensure Australia's Blue Future, Prue Francis, Rachel Kelly, Louise Swanson, Tanveer M. Adyel, Benjamin Arthur, Kirsten Benkendorff, Melanie J. Bishop, Helen Bostock, Marnie L. Campbell, Emma Church, Corrine Condie, Vaibhavi Dwivedi, Michelle Dyer, Matthew England, Liam Fullbrook, Charlie Huveneers, Malcolm Johnson, Brianna Le Busque, Rebecca R. Mcintosh, Amelie Meyer, Benjamin Mos, Jana Mrazova, Allyson O'Brien, Gretta T. Pecl, Amandine Schaeffer, Rebecca J. Shellock, Grant A. Smith, Scott Smithers, Ana Vila-Concejo, Graham Wood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This white paper sets out a national vision for advancing ocean literacy in Australia and outlines the role of marine science in fostering an informed, engaged society capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities of our changing oceans. As environmental pressures intensify, and marine resource demands increase, Australians’ capacity to engage with ocean issues, understand risks and opportunities, and participate in marine decision-making has never been more urgent. Marine science will play a central role in building ocean literacy by delivering credible, actionable science, and strengthening education and training systems that enhance understanding of, and connection to, the ocean. Our …

Strengthening Social Structures To Improve Informal Care For Older People With Chronic Life-Limiting Illnesses In Rural Ghana, Barbara Adonteng-Kissi, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Traditional family-based care for older people in Ghana is declining as globalization and social change weaken historical support systems. This analysis is informed by a review of scholarly literature concerning the implications of globalization for the provision of caregiving for older people managing chronic life-limiting illnesses. We aimed to explore ways of strengthening social structures to enhancing the quality of lives of older people with chronic life-limiting illnesses in rural Ghana amongst 15 older people; 15 family caregivers; 10 healthcare professionals. Critical Social Theory (CST) functions as the primary theoretical framework for conducting an interrogation of the systemic structures that …

Towards Transgressive Inclusion In Physical Education? The Experiences And Perspectives Of People With Disabilities In Western Australia, Steven Connelly, Dawn Penney, David Aldous

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper foregrounds the voices of people with disabilities (PwD) and their experiences of Physical Education (PE) in Western Australia (WA) in exploring interests in transgressive inclusion that are grounded in social justice and equity for PwD (DeLuca, 2013). Towards an interdisciplinary framework for educational inclusivity. Canadian Journal of Education, 36(1), 305–348. https://journals.sfu.ca/cje/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/1157/1475). The study employed a questionnaire method to pursue the perspectives of PwD in relation to (i) their experiences of lower secondary PE (years 7-10), (ii) teacher support in PE classes, (iii) experiences beyond PE in sport and physical activity, and (iv) their views regarding ways to improve …

Understanding The Journey To Higher Education: Decision-Making Insights From Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Students, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Claire Lambert, Braden Hill, Maria M. Ryan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigates the decision-making process of Indigenous Australian students in pursuing higher education, addressing a gap in understanding their educational choices. It identifies the key factors influencing university enrolment decisions and how these shape students’ educational pathways. Using a narrative-inquiry approach, the study explored the lived experiences of Indigenous students from two Western Australian universities. Through written autobiographies, yarning sessions and one-on-one interviews, participants shared rich, nuanced insights into their journeys to higher education. Findings reveal the pivotal role of ‘sparks’ in normalising higher education as a viable option. Students relied minimally on formal information search, depending heavily on …

Design, Syntheses And Biological Applications Of Fluorescent Probes For Nad(P)H, Hsa And Cellular Microenvironment Sensing, Adenike M. Olowolagba

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Fluorescent probes have emerged as powerful tools for investigating complex biological processes due to their high sensitivity, selectivity, and capability for real-time, non-invasive imaging. In particular, the detection of key biomolecules such as NAD(P)H, viscosity-related parameters, human serum albumin (HSA), and pH is essential for understanding cellular metabolism, redox homeostasis, and disease progression. In Chapter 2, three coumarin-based fluorescent probes (A–C) were designed, synthesized, and characterized for monitoring NAD(P)H levels in living cells. Probes A and B feature coumarin–cyanine hybrid structures linked via vinyl and thiophene bridges to 3-quinolinium acceptors, respectively, while probe C incorporates a dicyano moiety to replace …

Modular Synthesis Of Conjugated Aromatic Systems Via Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions, Joden Russell Robinson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis describes the development of a modular synthetic route to extended conjugated aromatic systems through iterative palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira crosscoupling reactions. The work was motivated by the challenge of preparing a discrete conjugated molecule in a controlled manner. The synthetic strategy used complementary protected alkyne functionalities that could be selectively activated. This enabled sequential deprotection and coupling reactions to predictably extend the molecular scaffold. Using this approach, a series of conjugated intermediates was prepared and exponentially extended. Spectroscopic characterization by NMR and mass spectrometry supported the structures of the isolated products and the success of the iterative elongation strategy. Overall, …

Report On A Gpr Survey Of The Copper Harbor Cemetery, Copper Harbor, Michigan, Grace Griffin

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Copper Harbor Cemetery in Grant Township, Michigan, is one of the oldest settler cemeteries in the Keweenaw, with the earliest burial dating back to 1853. The cemetery is also still used by the community today. However, consistent burial records have not been maintained throughout the cemetery's entire history, leading to some doubt about which areas of the cemetery can be opened for new burials and where excavation should be avoided. For this reason, Grant Township commissioned a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the cemetery, primarily to locate anomalies indicating possible unmarked graves and possible buried headstones. The survey …

Minimizing Snow Loss On Fixed Tilt Solar Pv Installations Through Frame Material Selection And Installation Layout, David B. Wallis

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis investigates the effects of frame material selection, module orientation and module gaps on photovoltaic energy production in a snowy environment. These factors are easily implemented in new PV installations at minimal or no extra cost. These experiments are installed as fixed tilt arrays at 35° with DC current, DC voltage, and meteorological monitoring. The frame material and module gap experiments both produced actionable results. In the frame material experiment, consistent event level energy production gains resulted in seasonal production gains favoring aluminum framed modules. In the module gap experiment energy gains are independent of atmospheric conditions. The orientation …

Aqueous Iron Electrowinning: From Electrolyte Engineering To The Unexplored Potential Of Acetate Systems, Chodwell N. Verenga

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Iron electrowinning and electrodeposition sit at the intersection of classical metallurgy and developing sustainable manufacturing. With the iron and steel industry responsible for 7 - 9% of global CO₂ emissions, low-temperature electrochemical pathways for iron production have garnered significant research interest. This review examines the fundamental electrochemical principles governing iron deposition, the thermodynamic constraints imposed by the iron-water system, and the kinetic challenges posed by the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The three key electrolyte systems are objectively evaluated: acidic sulfate and chloride electrolytes, alkaline suspension electrolytes and water-in-salt electrolytes. Their operating parameters, faradaic efficiencies, energy consumption and deposit characteristics …

First-Principles And Thermodynamic Modeling Of Hydrogen Storage In Mxenes, Yi Zhi Chu

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Hydrogen storage is a critical component of the emerging hydrogen economy, playing a central role in enabling the global transition from fossil fuels to a sustainable, green energy system. With advances in materials research, increasing attention has been directed toward the development of promising hydrogen storage materials. Due to their diverse and advantageous physicochemical properties, MXenes have attracted significant interest in this regard. A fundamental understanding of the hydrogen interactions with the MXenes structure is crucial for explaining and predicting their hydrogen storage performance. In this work, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) combined with a revised thermodynamic model is employed …

An Investigation On Downwind Impacts Of The Keweenaw Peninsula On Lake-Effect Snow Events, Thomas M. Pavell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lake-effect snow (LES) produces copious amounts of snow across the Great Lakes region. While mechanisms and impacts are well-understood, they remain difficult to observe and study over Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan due to a large gap in radar coverage and sparse in-situ measurements. The goal of this project aimed to characterize variables present across Lake Superior and counties on and downstream of the Keweenaw Peninsula that contribute to the formation and evolution of lake-effect snowbands. Nine different lake-effect snow events were analyzed in this project, identifying structures and features resulting from upstream passage over the Keweenaw …

Correlation Of Mwd Parameters And Soil Properties In Nebraska With Geospatial Visualization Of Borehole Data, Michael N. Erzuah

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

One of the techniques used for recording a drilling system in terms of its mechanical response is Measurement While Drilling (MWD). A combination of recorded MWD parameters can be used to form compound parameters by utilizing different physics-based equations. Several engineering and index properties of the subsurface material can be correlated using these combined parameters for site characterization. In this study, we investigated the outcome of correlations between different compound parameters and SPT-N values using MWD data from four different boreholes in the state of Nebraska, USA drilled using tricone bits and mud rotary method. An interactive web map was …

Nondestructive Evaluation Of Additively Manufactured Parts Using Resonant Inspection And Frequency Domain-Based Correlation Criteria, Gita Deonarain

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the production of highly customized and geometrically complex components; however, these parts remain susceptible to a wide range of defect types and severities. The combination of complex geometries and distributed defects presents a significant challenge for post-process nondestructive evaluation (NDE). Conventional inspection techniques, such as computed tomography and ultrasonic testing, are often limited by geometry, material, accessibility, and cost, while in situ monitoring is not yet sufficiently mature to replace post-process inspection.

This dissertation establishes the Frequency Domain Assurance Criterion (FDAC) as a quantitative, vibration-based framework for defect detection in AM components. FDAC captures spatial–spectral correlations …

The Excess Path Length Distribution: A Stochastic Model For Sample-Based Path Planners, Chaz B. Cornwall

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Through random sampling, sample-based path planners enable autonomous agents to quickly find paths without human intervention. However, due to the paths' randomness, sample-based path planners currently require additional verification, partially nullifying agents' ability to act autonomously. I set out to characterize this uncertainty so humans know what to expect from these path planners and know how to alter the path planner to desired specifications. To ensure the results are theoretical as well as practical, I first create a stochastic model of path length uncertainty using the trade-off between sampling time and optimality. By leveraging this model, my proposed algorithm reduces …

Shm For Incipient Buckling Detection In Overloaded Structures Using Nonlinear System Identification Algorithms On Redundant Data Sets, Padmanabh Shridhar Desai

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Structural health monitoring (SHM) detects and characterizes damage to predict failure, but failures such as buckling, which are not predicated on traditional damage modalities, are harder to detect. Direct load measurements are costly and difficult to implement (especially for dead loads) as they require copious numbers of sensors, which must be installed before loading is present. Vibration-based detection is a good alternative because it can infer global structural characteristics with relatively few sensors. This dissertation presents an SHM approach for detecting incipient buckling in structures under excessive loads based on non-linear models fit from measurements of small lateral vibrations due …

Mapping Historical Neighborhoods With Geospatial Viewshed Buffers, James B. Townsend

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The concept of neighborhood has been long studied with little agreement beyond the notion that neighborhoods are somewhat self-contained areas within a wider urban environment. Despite the lack of a finite definition, there is wide agreement of the importance of studying population dynamics at the neighborhood scale. Many attempts have been made to spatially define, measure, and quantify contemporary neighborhoods, but less attention has been given to methods to spatially define historical neighborhoods. In this paper, we utilize a historical spatial data infrastructure for the city of London, Ontario to develop a viewshed methodology that recognizes that ‘neighborhood’ is unique …

Experimental Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Based Invisibility Cloak Under Tm-Polarized Microwaves, Muhammad Danyal

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Electromagnetic invisibility cloaks guide waves around an object so that the transmitted wavefront remains undisturbed. Most experimental microwave cloaking studies have focused on transverse electric (TE) polarization due to established measurement techniques. In this thesis, the experimental realization and characterization of a dielectric photonic crystal cloak operating under transverse magnetic (TM) polarization are presented. A measurement system operating in the X-band was developed to map the electric field distribution of the transmitted waves. Cloaking performance was first evaluated qualitatively by comparing numerical and experimental field distributions, where restoration of a flat wavefront indicated effective cloaking. Quantitative evaluation was performed by …

Development And Calibration Of A 2-D Diesel Oxidation Catalyst Filter (Docf) Model With Spatially Varying Washcoats Using Spacims And Engine Loading Data, Thomas K. Price

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Diesel engine exhaust contains regulated species, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter (PM). Meeting increasingly stringent emission standards typically requires multiple aftertreatment components, motivating the development of multifunctional devices that reduce system size, cost, and catalyst usage. Computational models are essential for guiding this design process; however, existing models primarily focus on single-function devices and rarely capture the behavior of multifunctional systems with multiple catalyst washcoats. This work presents a physics-based model of a wall-flow diesel oxidation catalyst filter (DOCF), a multifunctional device that integrates the roles of a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter …

On The Vibrational Dynamics Of Wind Turbine Blades: The Oscillatory Response To Gust Pulses, And The Physical Mechanisms Behind Them, North A. Yates

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

An easily noticed trend in the utility-scale wind turbine industry is that the size of the machines has continued to increase over time. While this may have benefits in terms of increasing the power generation for a single turbine, a major drawback is the rate with which the weight of the turbine blades grow. To ensure these larger machines can be utilized, efforts are being put forth to create lighter blades. This may fix the weight issue, but brings on a new one; these lighter blades can also be more flexible than previously studied ones. It is, therefore, vitally important …

Computational And Ai Frameworks For Identifying Key Regulatory Genes And Their Target Genes In Plants And Humans, Md Khairul Islam

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation presents computational and AI-driven frameworks for identifying key regulatory genes and their downstream targets across plant and human biological systems. Three studies address distinct challenges in genomic regulation using advanced machine learning and bioinformatics approaches.

The first study introduces DyGAF (Dynamic Gene Attention Focus), a dual-attention transformer framework that identifies and ranks disease-relevant biomarker genes by simultaneously modeling independent molecular responses and interdependent regulatory network behavior. Two attention models provide complementary perspectives on gene importance and are fused through a novel combination metric. Applied to COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab profiles, the attention-weighted representations achieved 94.23% classification accuracy, high sensitivity, …

Reading Between The Lines: Protected, But Not From Interpretation, Hooriya Habib

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In the realm of television, audiences are interactive viewers who decode meaning based on their lived experiences. Given that each culture has its own set of cultural codes it uses as a lens to navigate life, meanings do not remain constant. This cultural media study breaks down three advertisements to study the effectiveness of these advertisements in relation to religious and cultural codes. Using Stuart Hall’s (1980) encoding/decoding model, an oppositional reading was employed to understand the disconnect that may be caused between an audience of rural Pakistani women and the producers. Objects of focus were nonverbal codes such as …

Hiring People In Organizations: The State And Future Of The Science [Review], Paul R. Sackett, Filip Lievens, Richard N. Landers

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Here we review recent work in the personnel selection field. We open with two sections, the first focusing on meta-analytic validity research on well-established predictors and the second on new measurement approaches. These include moving from a holistic to a modular view of predictors; from face-to-face to asynchronous video interviews; from resumes to social media assessments; from multiple choice to constructed response; and to using artificial intelligence to develop, administer, and score tests, among approaches. We then review developments in estimating validity, including issues in correcting validity estimates for error of measurement and restriction of range. We address technical issues …

Brand Collaborations: Spillover Effects Of A Broadened Mind, Jin K. Han, Yong Seok Sohn, Bernd H. Schmitt

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The current research focuses on the overlooked spillover implications of brand collaboration on downstream consumer decisions. The authors propose that brand collaborations create a broader consumer mindset, which can inadvertently encourage choices beyond the brand franchise. The authors identify collectionist behavior (i.e., the tendency to collect items from specific product lines) and time-induced construal level as moderators of this unintended negative downside effect. A retail field study and five laboratory experiments provide evidence for the effect, the underlying mindset mediator and the moderating conditions. We recommend that retailers and brand owners assess both positive and negative outcomes of brand collaborations …

Workplace Mistreatment: A Systematic Review Of Interventions And Future Research Agenda, Gillian Leake, Albert Amankwaa, Irene Elisabeth De Pater

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Workplace mistreatment has garnered increasing attention from scholars and so has calls for research on interventions to prevent or reduce this phenomenon. However, there has been a lack of broad systematic approaches to studying interventions and existing reviews on workplace mistreatment interventions have predominantly focused on workplace bullying and incivility in the healthcare sector. To address these gaps and set an agenda for future interventions research, our review focuses on interventions for all forms of mistreatment and across industries and organizations. We reviewed 40 intervention studies from 38 articles finding a wide variety of interventions for specific forms of workplace …

Leveraging Esg Investment To Enhance Labor Employment In Hospitality And Tourism Firms: An Signaling Theory Perspective, Bing Hu, Tianyu Zheng, Songshan Huang, Ke Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite the growing focus in hospitality and tourism literature on the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment on corporate performance, empirical research has yet to explore its effects on labor employment, which are critical to economic vitality and social cohesion. Drawing on signaling theory, this study explores the effect of ESG investment on hospitality and tourism firm’ labor employment. The results of a fixed effects panel model suggest that ESG investment positively influences the labor employment of hospitality and tourism firms. Moreover, this positive effect is stronger for hospitality and tourism firms with fewer financing constraints and less …

Are Australian Schools Becoming Less Inclusive? Changes To Class Ability Grouping Practices In Australian Secondary Schools, Olivia Johnston, Peter Palamara

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Class ability grouping does not improve overall academic results, and is inequitable because it segregates students according to their disability, race, class, gender, and other factors that already make students at risk in education. The practice is not inclusive and previous research has shown that it exacerbates social disadvantage. Despite the evidence, historical efforts to change practices in Australia have been unsuccessful and many schools still use class ability grouping. This paper presents analysis of data from the Class Ability Grouping Survey about how often schools reported changing their class ability grouping practices in Year 7–9 Mathematics, English, Science, and …

Emerging Stronger From Challenging Times: How Servant Leaders Manage Workplace Spirituality And Employee Flourishing, Mahdi Vesal, Muhammad Aftab Alam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Business leaders, particularly in challenging times like the post-COVID era, grapple with fostering employee well-being and addressing spiritual needs. Our research explores the link between workplace spirituality—marked by meaningful work, community, and value alignment—and employee flourishing, with a focus on the role of servant leadership. Using self-determination theory, we analyzed survey data from SMEs in Iran and India, where employees navigated challenging times amid COVID-related difficulties. Study 1 (303 employees in 128 Iranian firms) found meaningful work and a sense of community positively influence employee flourishing, while value alignment has a curvilinear effect. Study 2 (215 senior Indian employees) replicated …

Fall Prevention Interventions In Community-Dwelling Older People With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review, Sumattana Glangkarn, Pelden Chejor, Rujira Nonsa-Ard, Kasama Wongprachum, Sirapat Khodseewong, Chaiwut Bourneow, Davina Porock

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Falls are a major health concern for older adults, particularly those with cognitive impairment. Many factors contribute to the risk of falls, making it a complex issue to manage. Aim: This systematic review aimed to identify and describe the implementation strategies used for fall prevention in community-dwelling older people with cognitive impairment. Eligibility criteria: The review included studies on fall prevention interventions for community-dwelling adults aged > 50 years with cognitive impairment. Eligible studies were primary research, including experimental, quasi-experimental, qualitative, and mixed methods designs, with detailed implementation strategies. Systematic reviews, protocols, editorials, opinions, commentaries, and conference papers were excluded. …

Fracture Energy Of Ambient-Cured Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete, Alireza Mohyeddin, Trijon Karmokar, Mohammad Fardipour

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Fracture energy is a key parameter in current prediction models for capacity of structural anchors. During broader research on behaviour of structural anchors in ambient-cured fly ash-based geopolymer concrete, it was realised that despite extensive literature on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and other types of geopolymer concrete, there is a lack of literature on fracture energy of such geopolymer concretes. The purpose of the current research is to measure this property for this specific type of concrete using Wedge Splitting Test (WST) method. This method was selected due to its stable crack propagation and suitability for small-sized specimens. The influence …