Digital Commons Network^™

A Flux-Limited Sample Of Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies From The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Physical Properties And The Case For Multiplicity, K. R. Hall, J. B. Hassan, R. M. Feder, T. A. Marriage, M. Zemcov, Jesus Rivera

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Youth Extracurricular Involvement On The Home Environment Of Millennial African American Families, Joyce Merius Speed

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study explored how youth extracurricular involvement shapes the home environments of Millennial African American families. Guided primarily by Ecological Systems Theory, with Critical Race Theory as a complementary lens, the study examined how parents navigated interconnected systems of home, school, peers, and community while responding to racialized barriers embedded in youth programs. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis with six African American mothers. Seven themes emerged: extracurricular activities, family dynamics, parental involvement, academic achievement, social development, cultural identity, and time management. Findings showed that extracurricular participation strengthened family communication, routines, and cohesion; supported …

The Relationship Between Teacher Self-Efficacy And Student Achievement, Rowena Costa

Theses and Dissertations

his non-experimental correlation study examined the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student achievement. The participants were elementary teachers and their students in grades 3-5. Teachers' self-efficacy was measured by teacher responses from Tschannen-Moran & Hoy's Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Student achievement scores were obtained from the 2018-2019 New York State English Language Arts and Mathematics Assessments. Other factors such as teaching experience and teacher evaluation were variables in this study. Simple linear regressions and one-way ANOVAs were conducted to look closely at the relationships between the variables. The results revealed that teachers’ years of experience in the field positively …

The Impact Of School Type, Community, And School Factors On Sixth-Grade Students In New York, John Trotta

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout New York State, sixth-grade learners are taught in a wide variety of schools with various configurations in diverse communities. The institutional and environmental differences may impact students' learning as they navigate a complex transition year. This non-experimental ex post facto study examined whether school type, community, and school factors were associated with the academic proficiency of sixth-graders in English Language Arts and Mathematics in New York State. In addition, the study identified the strongest predictors of high school graduation rates. The theoretical lens of Erikson’s psychosocial theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was used. This study included 1,112 public …

Homework And Well-Being: A Case Study Of Educator, Administrator, And Parent Perspectives In A Long Island Elementary School, Marie Frances Fonzo

Theses and Dissertations

This case study examined stakeholders’ perceptions of homework’s impact on elementary students’ emotional well-being and examined district policy structures designed to support student mental health. Grounded in John Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, the study explored how intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive loads interact to elicit a range of emotional responses to homework. The researcher collected data through principal interviews, teacher focus groups, and parent surveys at the Long Island School District. The findings revealed that homework generates both positive and negative outcomes, depending on the assignment's complexity, the support provided, and the student's home environment. Students in primary grades (K …

The Engagement Of One-To-One Devices In A Community Eligibility Provision Public School Environment, Leonard William Wright

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation examines the relationship between one-to-one device engagement and the academic performance of elementary students in a high-poverty Long Island district. The problem addresses the difference between simple access to a platform or undirected platform use and instructionally purposeful technology that supports learning. The purpose is twofold: to determine whether platform activity adds predictive value for state assessment performance beyond baseline achievement and demographics, and to identify developmental patterns that can inform improvement. Guided by the SAMR and TPACK frameworks, the study positions effective technology integration as the intentional alignment of digital tasks, pedagogy, content, and feedback. A …

Commercial Off-The-Shelf Electronic Warfare Threats To Global Positioning System Receivers, Matthew P. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluates the feasibility of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware developed into an electronic warfare (EW) system used to degrade or deny Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. All 16 critical infrastructure sectors rely on GPS signals to operate safely and effectively. Millions of Americans rely on GPS signals and the services they provide in their daily lives, so the loss of these vital services would dramatically impact our society. Our nation’s reliance on the GPS network makes it a potential target for COTS EW threats. The ways and means to develop COTS hardware into EW systems to interfere with GPS receivers …

Disability And Demographic Influences On Advanced Placement Calculus Performance: A Quantitative Analysis, Edward J. Storck

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined equity in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus outcomes for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in New York State. Using statewide data from 16,457 AP Calculus AB and BC exam takers in 2023, the study investigated whether disability status, race/ethnicity, economic status, and English language proficiency predicted performance and the likelihood of passing. Findings revealed that disability status was not a statistically or practically significant predictor of AP Calculus outcomes; students with IEPs performed comparably to peers without IEPs once enrolled. No significant interaction effects were found between disability status and other demographic variables, suggesting that students …

Biogothic: New Directions In The Haunted Spaces Of Nineteenth Century Gothic Fiction, Jessica Mintzes

Theses and Dissertations

The BioGothic is a set of biological metaphors in nineteenth century Gothic fiction that anticipates our contemporary understanding of what we now think of as biological processes. The BioGothic system in the novel captures the site of connection and interaction between the body and the interior spaces it inhabits. The Gothic genre, from its inception, shifts the focus onto interior spaces and the ways in which architectural spaces and the Gothic body interact with one another. This demonstrates, in part, how physical space and biological matter are not only capable of becoming integrated with each other, but also maintain the …

An Examination Of Ethics When Using Chatgpt, Blake V. Ailes

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

With the general population’s recent and dramatic increase in the frequency of ChatGPT and other similar Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) usage throughout various industries, gray areas are becoming more prominent regarding whether ChatGPT is considered to be ethical or unethical in certain situations. Examples of unethical use of ChatGPT include plagiarism, the use of inaccurate information in drawing conclusions, and the creation of malicious code that negatively impacts various companies. Not all of these ethical concerns are necessarily the fault of the user or the AIGC. To date, peer-reviewed research on the ethical usage of ChatGPT is limited, primarily …

Utahns' Low Concern About Wildfire Does Not Align With Growing Risk To Communities Statewide, Ashley Young, Kirsten Vinyeta, Catrin Edgeley

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

According to a national 2022 study published in the New York Times, the state of Utah bears the highest risk of property damage due to to wildfires when measured as a share of all properties.¹ These findings, coupled with Utah’s rapid population growth and accompanying residential development in fire-prone environments, present a pressing emergency preparedness challenge for federal, state and local officials. Utahns who live in the St. George metro area, which includes Dameron Valley and Washington County, face the highest possibility of harm across the state.² On July 31st, 2025, Governor Cox declared a thirty-day state of …

Part Ii: Industrial Information Integration Review 2020-2025, Jinzhi Li

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Industrial Information Integration Engineering (IIIE) has become increasingly essential for improving operational efficiency and harmonizing heterogeneous industrial systems through advanced digital integration approaches. Fueled by rapid advancements in Industry 4.0 technologies—including digital twins, artificial intelligence, immersive interfaces, and IoT infrastructures—IIIE is substantially transforming traditional enterprise architecture and integration frameworks. This systematic review synthesizes recent developments and emerging trends, with particular attention to the accelerating adoption of digital twins and the deepening convergence between operational technologies (OT) and information technologies (IT) across multiple sectors. While notable progress has been made, significant challenges persist, especially in developing resilient integration architectures and fully …

Physical Chemistry, Yingbin Ge

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

This Physical Chemistry textbook by Yingbin Ge is an open-access resource meticulously crafted for undergraduate students in chemistry, biochemistry, and related STEM fields. The text strikes a precise balance between conceptual clarity and mathematical rigor, ensuring students build a deep understanding of thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum chemistry, and statistical mechanics. What sets this text apart is its student-centered pedagogy. Rather than focusing on formalism alone, Ge guides learners through step-by-step derivations that prioritize physical meaning. By explicitly addressing common misconceptions and integrating worked examples, the book transforms complex theory into manageable insights. Its modular structure offers instructors the flexibility to adapt …

January 2026 Cafe Newsletter - Special Events Edition, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

CAFE Faculty Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Examining The Association Between Ddt Exposure And Parkinson’S Disease, Hodges Mccathern

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, was an organochlorine pesticide widely used in the mid-20th century. It is highly stable and resistant to degradation, leading to its long-term presence in the environment. This chemical bioaccumulates in ecosystems and in human tissue, particularly adipose tissue, raising concerns about chronic exposure. Emerging research links DDT exposure to adverse neurological outcomes, including increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. Mechanistically, DDT and its metabolites may disrupt dopaminergic neurons, induce oxidative stress, and interfere with mitochondrial function, contributing to neurotoxicity. Understanding the environmental fate of DDT and its bioaccumulative properties is essential for …

A Formative Assessment Of Traditional Undergraduate Students’ Use Of An Ai Learning Platform In Stem Courses, Dane C. Joseph, Rick Muthiah

Faculty Publications - College of Education

A small to midsized university supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by partnering with a reputable online learning company to provide students and faculty access to artificial intelligence powered textbook problem sets and chatbots. An in-house formative assessment study was conducted in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 to understand how traditional undergraduate students engaged with the platform. Quantitative results suggests that the general population did not utilize it as much as initially expected. Qualitative findings imply that students might have preferred alternative platforms like ChatGPT, though this may have had nothing to do with the company itself. Overall, …

When Words Flow Like Water: How The Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement Failed To Prevent Hydrogeologic Harm In Minnesota, Carly Gutzmann

Journal of Earth and Life Science

For the aquifers of Minnesota, the environmental impact statement (EIS) was a promise of protection that never left the page. An environmental impact statement is meant to be an aid in the decision making process in order to ensure that projects consider potential environmental harms that may occur. However, they are often used instead as another regulatory box to check, rather than as active considerations when planning. As such, a project plan can be flawed from the start—if project developers only consider environmental impacts after they have already put considerable time, effort, and funding into their project as-is, they may …

Largemouth Bass Diet Changes Through The Summer In Central Minnesota, Ethan Kunz

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans is one of the most widespread fish species in the world, due in part to human introduction for angling. Largemouth Bass are opportunistic predators that will consume the largest prey they can often find; however, it has been shown that their diet mainly consists of invertebrates such as crayfish, with less focus on other fish species. This research aimed to determine what the Largemouth Bass diets in Central Minnesota consist of, and how they may change from the beginning of summer through the beginning of fall. A total of 174 Largemouth Bass were sampled from late …

Virtual Reality In Education: A Thematic Literature Review, Aleksandra Mbuyi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This literature review combines findings from approximately 40 academic papers on virtual reality in education for readers to gain a broad, structured, and organized understanding of the topic without having to read each of the 40 papers. While researchers define VR in slightly different ways, most definitions focus on VR's ability to create digital simulations of real or imagined environments (Makransky & Lilleholt, 2018). The review is organized around nine themes: conceptualization of VR, pedagogical foundations, instructional design, learning outcomes, learner experience, disciplinary applications, technological constraints, ethics and inclusion, and emerging trends. The findings suggest that VR shows the most …

Captive Model Test For Hydrodynamic Derivatives Of Ship Maneuvering In Regular Head Waves, Pin-Yuan Huang, Zih-Yao Lin, Tsung-Yueh Lin, Fu-En Lee, Yan-Wei Lai

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The motion of ship in wave can be discussed in seakeeping and maneuvering. In model tests, the former is found by the motion response of waves while the latter requires captive model test to acquire hydrodynamic derivatives. The hydrodynamic derivatives in waves are discovered to be different from those in calm water. To understand better the behavior of maneuverability in waves, maneuvering tests in a wide range of waves are performed in this study. This study presents an experimental investigation into the maneuvering behavior of a container ship in regular waves, covering a wide range of wavelengths from half to …

Exploring Mesoproterozoic Marine Redox States In A Young Banded Iron Formation From The Needle Mountains, Jaya Sharma, Brenhin Keller

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

Banded iron formations (BIF), as redox-dependent chemical sedimentary rocks, have served as proxies for marine and atmospheric oxygen and iron conditions throughout Earth history. While abundant in the Archean and early Proterozoic, the widespread deposition of BIFs declined following the Great Oxidation Event, as oxygenated surface waters prevented the accumulation of ferrous iron. However, the Needle Mountains, located in southwestern Colorado, houses an anomalously young BIFs deposited between 1.786±10 - 1.801±6 Ga given existing geochronology. Here, we use rare earth element (REE) systematics, bulk chemistry, and petrographic analysis to determine the depositional conditions under which this BIF was formed. We …

Probing Feni Alloys With Atomic Precision, Scipio Han, Kaushik Rajkumar Jayaprabha, Xin Qi

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

We compared EAM and MEAM atomic potentials for modeling FeNi (tetrataenite), a rare 50/50 alloy found in meteorites. Picking 4 potentials, we calculated minimum lattice constants and order-disorder transition temperatures. MEAM potentials accurately predicted the experimental transition temperature, confirming that MEAM better captures FeNi's directional bonding.

Risky Decision-Making Under Uncertainty, Suyoung Yoo, Jae Hyung Woo

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

This research project aims to discover how a person’s brain continuously learns about its changing environment and how those memories dynamically alter their subsequent willingness to take risks. By testing 73 participants on a two-stage computer module, the study evaluates whether humans evaluate risk absolutely or relatively to their historical surroundings. In Stage 1, participants use reinforcement learning to track a hidden, shifting "lucky room" context. In contrast, in Stage 2, they face explicit two-option gamble cards in which they must weigh different point amounts and win percentages. Computational maximum likelihood estimation proved that a Subjective Utility (SU) model, which …

Carbon Storage In Headwaters Can Respond Rapidly To Climate Change, Maddie Benello, Carl Renshaw, Joshua Landis

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

Headwater streams play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, serving as significant sites of carbon storage. While there have been recent efforts to quantify carbon storage in headwater streams in the western United States, there remains limited understanding of both the volume and timescale of carbon storage in northeastern forests which often have extensive logging and agricultural histories. Here, we quantify the carbon stock, residence time, and flux of a zero-to-first order headwater stream in Charles Downer State Forest (DF), VT using novel fallout radionuclide (FRN) chronometry. We find DF headwaters have a carbon stock of 66.2 Mg …

Magnetic Anisotropy Engineering In Rare-Earth-Free Iron-Based Magnetic Materials, Pramanand Joshi

Physics Dissertations - Archive

The development of high-performance, rare-earth-free hard magnetic materials is critical for next-generation energy, information, and spin-based technologies. This dissertation investigates structure-property relationships in iron-based magnetic systems, including iron carbides, Fe-Co-B boride alloys, hexaferrites, and FeCo nanostructures, synthesized via chemical and metallurgical routes. Through controlled synthesis and comprehensive structural and magnetic characterization, this work demonstrates that magnetic anisotropy, coercivity, and thermal stability can be systematically controlled through morphology design, compositional tuning, microstructural refinement, and interparticle interaction modulation.

Morphology-driven enhancement of magnetic properties, particularly coercivity and blocking temperature, is established in phase-pure Fe₅C₂ nanostructures. By precisely controlling particle geometry, …

Applications Of Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy For The Characterization Of The Surface And Near Surface Of Two-Dimensional Heterostructures, Hany M. Mahdy

Physics Dissertations

This dissertation describes experiments and the analysis of Doppler broadening spectroscopy applied to metal surfaces (Cu, Ag, Au), graphene/Cu heterostructures, and SiGe heterostructures, with particular emphasis on the development of new approaches for extracting quantitative information from annihilation spectra.

The first part establishes the capability of Doppler broadening spectroscopy, particularly coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB), as a surface-sensitive technique. Measurements on clean and adsorbate-covered Cu, Ag, and Au surfaces demonstrate that Doppler-broadened annihilation spectra retain element-specific signatures from the topmost atomic layer. New analysis methods based on ratio-curve modeling enable identification and quantification of sub-monolayer adsorbates, including sulfur, oxygen, selenium, and …

A Coupled Thermo-Hydraulic Transfer Model For Soil Freezing, Antai Dong, Xiong Zhang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Frost heave is a common challenge in cold regions, threatening infrastructure stability. Despite decades of research, numerical simulation remains difficult due to the complex nature of coupled processes. This study presents a coupled thermo-hydraulic model for soil freezing, developed within the framework of unsaturated soil mechanics. The model uses suction and temperature as primary variables and incorporates a method to estimate ice content. It employs a soil freezing characteristic surface (SFCS), previously developed in related work, to calculate unfrozen water content as a function of both suction and temperature in partially frozen soils. The model is implemented in COMSOL for …

Timing, Orbital Pacing, And Provenance Of Late Paleogene Loess In The Western United States, Xiangwei Guo

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

This project examines the timing of loess emergence, the nature of the fluvial–eolian transition, orbital forcing on dust accumulation, and sediment recycling in the late Paleogene White River Formation (Group) of Wyoming and Nebraska, western United States. By integrating traditional sedimentology with machine learning–enhanced grain-size analysis, this research shows that loess accumulation at Flagstaff Rim in central Wyoming began during active fluvial deposition at approximately 35.8 Ma, indicating a gradual transition from fluvial to eolian conditions. Machine learning complements field sedimentology and granulometric interpretation while enabling the development of new, testable hypotheses. Extending this framework eastward to Toadstool Geologic Park …

Occurrence Of Microplastics In The Urban Air And Water Systems And Associated Exposure Risks, Jenny K. Nguyen

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses - Archive

Microplastics (MP) pollution is an emerging health concern that affects humans and the environment. Urban areas are high exposure zones due to consistent anthropogenic and industrial activity. With air and water as important MP transport and exposure pathways, monitoring and estimating their human exposures are necessary. Air samples were collected from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Houston in Texas and Cusco, Peru and water samples were from Tarrant County (DFW), Texas. The samples were analyzed using the pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) and the EDI (estimated daily intake) of inhalation and ingestion (normal and high exposures) were calculated. PS, PP, PE, PVC, …

Sink Or Swim: Standard Swim Lessons As A Novel Intervention For Reducing Generalized Anxiety In Children, Joseph S. Brier

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in children ages 6–18, with an estimated worldwide prevalence of 6.5% (Rapee et al., 2023; Polanczyk et al., 2015). Although psychological interventions are highly effective, only about 60% of children with anxiety receive professional help within 12 months of symptom onset (Ghandour et al., 2019). Swimming lessons may represent a widely available, low-cost, and naturally motivating alternative intervention for anxiety. Learning to swim targets mechanisms responsible for the development and maintenance of anxiety, including avoidance and maladaptive cognitions (Mowrer, 1951; Dymond & Roche, 2009), and emerging evidence suggests that treating one …