Digital Commons Network^™

Combining Submicron Spectroscopy Techniques (Afm-Ir And O-Ptir) To Detect And Quantify Nanoplastics In Snow From A Utah Ski Resort, Sara L. Belontz, Janice Brahney, Caroline E. Caplan, Eoghan Dillon, Ting Yan, Gerardo Dominguez

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy are cutting-edge techniques used for precise nanoscale chemical analysis, capable of detecting and characterizing particles smaller than 1 μm. In this study, we applied both techniques to analyze snow subsamples collected from Beaver Mountain, Utah. Quantification by AFM-IR identified a concentration of 1.50 × 10^–1 μg/mL of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), a copolyester known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility and that was the only polymer detected. Notably, 96% of particles had thicknesses below 1 μm, with the smallest particle recorded at 14 nm in height, demonstrating the advantage …

Directivity And Sound Radiation Of Percussion Instruments And Harmonic Analysis Of The Alto Saxophone, Hanna Michelle Pavill

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how musical instruments radiate sound, with a focus on directional behavior under realistic performance conditions. High-resolution measurements using a rotating microphone array were used to study percussion and woodwind instruments, providing new insight into how design, excitation, and frequency content shape acoustic output. The first set of experiments analyzed the directivity of the bass drum, triangle, and open snare. Each instrument exhibited unique radiation patterns reflecting its structure and playing method. The bass drum showed dipole-like behavior at low frequencies, transitioning to omnidirectional spreading at mid frequencies, and increasingly irregular patterns at higher frequencies. The triangle, due …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Automated Deception Detection For Mental Health Applications, Sayde Leya King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deception in mental health settings can undermine therapeutic relationships, compromise treatment efficacy, and impact patient outcomes. Yet, research shows that mental health clinicians often perform no better than chance at detecting deceptive behavior in therapy. Automated deception detection, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and multimodal behavioral cues—such as eye gaze, body gestures, and facial expressions—offers a promising alternative. However, most existing research focuses on high-stakes legal contexts, limiting its applicability to mental health settings.

This dissertation addresses this gap by pursuing three key research objectives using a mixed-methods approach. First, we investigate mental health clinicians’ perspectives on AI-assisted deception detection through …

Efficient Methods And Algorithms For Analyzing Stochastic Systems, Mohammad Ahmadi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenges of stochastic analysis of safety-critical systems with biological components, where unexpected behavior can lead to catastrophic events. Two fundamental challenges hinder the analysis of such systems: their typically large or infinite state spaces, and the extreme rarity of error states of interest. While Monte Carlo simulation can analyze biochemical systems without storing the state space, accurately estimating rare event probabilities becomes computationally prohibitive. Conversely, probabilistic model checking excels at analyzing extremely low probability events but becomes impractical for systems with large or infinite state spaces due to memory constraints.This work proposes two main contributions to …

The Myth Of The Bayesian Brain, Madhur Mangalam

Journal Articles

The Bayesian brain hypothesis—the idea that neural systems implement or approximate Bayesian inference—has become a dominant framework in cognitive neuroscience over the past two decades. While mathematically elegant and conceptually unifying, this paper argues that the hypothesis occupies an ambiguous territory between useful metaphor and testable, biologically plausible mechanistic explanation. We critically examine the key claims of the Bayesian brain hypothesis, highlighting issues of unfalsifiability, biological implausibility, and inconsistent empirical support. The framework’s remarkable flexibility in accommodating diverse findings raises concerns about its explanatory power, as models can often be adjusted post hoc to fit virtually any data pattern. We …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session Thursday June 26, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda
Approval of the Minutes (April 17, 2025 and April 23, 2025)
Remarks by the Chair of the Board
Remarks by the President
Updates by the Faculty Senate President
Updates by the Western Student Association President
Updates by the Graduate Student Association President
Western Michigan University Employee Graduates
Montgomery Essential Needs Program Presentation
Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Student Housing and Meal Rates 2025/26
• Fall 2025 Differential Tuition Rates
• Fall 2025 Tuition and Required Fee Rates
• General Fund Fiscal Year 2025/26 Operating Budget
• President Emeritus Status for Edward Montgomery

Consent Items …

Deliberately Queer Journal Editors' Note For Volume One, Sean Te Maulding, Mel Monier

Deliberately Queer Journal

No abstract provided.

Learning Analytics: An Innovative Technological Tool To Help Increase Student Retention And Graduation Rates In Us Higher Education Institutions, Fednold Thelisdort

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have embarked on a journey of innovation by adopting learning analytics (LA) in their operation, offering a more sustainable and innovative technological tool to increase student retention and graduation rates in US HEIs. LA, an emerging academic and technological tool, equips HEIs to gather, analyze, and interpret their students’ data. Since the publication of the first (conceptual) framework by Burke (2019), LA has matured into a research focus and practice, implemented in several institutional contexts at different scales and disciplinary/pedagogical contexts. This study explored the impact of the use of LA on student retention and graduation …

Technology Manufacturing Organizations’ Strategies For Achieving Sustainability, Kate Cheney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sustainability remains a challenge for technology manufacturers struggling to integrate environmental priorities into core operations. This issue is critical for technology manufacturing managers who must embed sustainability into organizational systems and decision-making processes to meet rising expectations from regulators, investors, and consumers. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study is to identify and explore effective strategies used by technology manufacturing managers in the western region of the United States. The data collected from seven semistructured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The five themes that emerged were (a) leadership and company culture, (b) collaboration, …

Non-Discriminatory Personalized Pricing, Philipp Strack, Kai Hao Yang

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

A monopolist offers personalized prices to consumers with unit demand. Consumers differ in their values, costs, and \emph{protected characteristics}---such as race or gender. The seller is subject to a non-discrimination constraint: consumers with the same cost, but different protected characteristics must face identical price distributions. Such regulations are present in markets like credit or insurance. We characterize the optimal pricing rule. Under this rule, surplus accrues to both protected groups, but only to those with intermediate values. Strengthening the constraint to cover transaction prices redistributes surplus, harming the low-value group and benefiting the high-value group. Meanwhile, prohibiting the use of …

Contents Volume 53 Issue 2, ศูนย์นวัตกรรมทางการศึกษา สื่อสิ่งพิมพ์ และสื่อออนไลน์ จุฬาฯ

Journal of Education Studies

No abstract provided.

Academic Achievement In Analytic Geometry And Calculus For Teachers About Limits And Continuity Using Teaching That Emphasizes Conceptualization With The Geogebra Program For Undergraduate Students, Suriyun Khatbanjong

Journal of Education Studies

The objectives of this research were to study the results of organize learning activities on the topic of Limit and Continuity in Analytic Geometry and Calculus for Teachers Course based on using a Concept Enhancement Teaching Method and GeoGebra Program. The sample consisted of 18 bachelor’s degree students at a university in Bangkok. A purposive sampling method was used. The research instrument were a 10-items learning achievement test with a reliability of 0.84 and a satisfaction survey. Regarding the statistical measure, t-test was employed. Findings indicate that: 1) the efficiency of the learning activity plan is 77.83/76.90, which meets …

Effects Of Teaching Mathematics On Decimals Using The Stad Cooperative Learning Technique Combined With Mathematics Board Games For Grade 7 Students, Korerawan Kamonkunakasem, Rattanaporn Chuangsoongnern, Tanawat Srisiriwat

Journal of Education Studies

The objectives of this research were to: 1) compare the mathematics learning achievement on the topic of decimals of grade 7 students after using the STAD cooperative learning technique combined with mathematics board games with the 70 percent criterion, and 2) evaluate the students’ satisfaction of the mathematics learning on decimals using the STAD cooperative learning technique combined with mathematics board games. The sample consisted of 40 grade 7 students who study in the first semester of the 2024 academic year, selected by random sampling. The research instruments included 1) lesson plans of 4 plans, 2 periods per plan, 2) …

Financial Literacy Of New-Generation Teachers, Pattharachai Ornnuam, Patcharaporn Thabmali

Journal of Education Studies

This study aimed to examine the level of financial literacy and classify the financial literacy levels among new-generation teachers. The sample consisted of 280 assistant teachers and level-one professional teachers in schools under the Bangkok Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC). A stratified random sampling method was employed. The research instrument was a financial literacy assessment adapted from the 2020 Thai Financial Literacy Survey and the 2022 draft questionnaire developed by the Bank of Thailand. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, skewness, and kurtosis. The results revealed that: 1) the overall financial …

Umn Morris Welcomes Distinguished Visiting Professor Todd Richardson, Communications And Marketing

Campus News Archive

No abstract provided.

Bahadur Representations For Canonical Quantile Regression: A Correction And Extension, Stephen Portnoy

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portnoy (2022) introduced a version of Canonical Correlation anal- ysis based on Regression Quantiles. The proof of the asymptotic convergence of the estimators contained some gaps. A new proof is developed using Bahadur representations to obtain asymptotic represen- tations for the Canonical Regression Quantile components with error uniformly O_p (n^-1/4 log n). These innovative representations justify approximations and automatically provide joint convergence in dis- tribution. This enables an inductive argument to obtain asymptotic results for all components. These novel Bahadur approximations may have more general application and interest.

Isotopic Fingerprints Of The Coastal Margins: Tracing Dissolved Iron Sources From Land To Sea, Hannah R. Hunt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dissolved iron (dFe) is an essential micronutrient for sustaining life in the surface ocean. Nearly four decades of research dedicated to understanding sources, cycling and biogeochemical modifications of Fe sources in the global oceans has generated a significant body of research supporting the idea that the concentration of Fe in the surface ocean exerts significant controls on primary production and carbon uptake in the surface ocean. Creation of the GEOTRACES program greatly increased the spatial and temporal resolution of high-quality trace element and trace element isotope data revealing new insights into the global Fe cycle, especially through the use of …

Applications Of Contracting Self-Similar Groups To Cryptography And Scale Groups, Arsalan Akram Malik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Given their peculiar properties, self-similar groups are of great interest both from applications and theoretical standpoints. In this work we study the scope of their applications in post-quantum cryptography and in constructing scale groups via lifting maps.

We propose self-similar contracting groups as a platform for cryptographic schemes based on simultaneous conjugacy search problem (SCSP). This class of groups admits fast polynomial-time algorithms for the word problem and element multiplication that can be used for effective encryption and decryption of messages. It contains extraordinary examples like the Grigorchuk group, which is known to be non-linear, thus making some of existing …

Strategies Minority Small Business Owners Use To Obtain Access To Capital, Marchelle Ronique Yearby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority small business owners (MSBOs) often experience significant challenges in securing business capital, which is critical for sustaining and growing their businesses. MSBOs are concerned with the lack of business capital because it restricts their ability to expand operations, innovate, and generate employment within their communities. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study, which was grounded in the financial inclusion theory, was to identify and explore strategies MSBOs employ to secure access to capital. The participants were nine MSBOs in the Southeastern United States, each of whom had successfully maintained and secured working capital to sustain a profitable business for …

Investigating The Retention And Persistence Of Black Undergraduate Students At Hbcus And Pwis: A Multiple Case Study, Tamika L. Lindsay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental, multiple-case study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by Black undergraduate students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I ultimately aimed to propose viable strategies to help close the retention and persistence gap for Black undergraduate students at PWIs. The theories guiding this study were Bourdieu’s Social Reproduction Theory and Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure as they examine the issues surrounding the retention and persistence of Black undergraduate students. The central research question was: How do the unique experiences and support …

Changes In Royal Air Force Aviation Technology, Tactics, And Strategy From World War I To World War Ii, Daniel J. Heiser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The changes in aviation technology, strategy, and tactics in the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed at the end of World War I and throughout the Second World War would later sculpt the future of the modern era. This dissertation aims to explore the changes the RAF made which would ultimately help the Allied Forces win the Second World War and fill in the gaps of history that has seemed to have forgotten. The research shows that with the advancement of radar systems in the interwar period and the focus on fighter plane production the RAF became an outstanding fighting force. …

Effective Method Of Encoding Data Into Images For Recovery After Dsc, Kellie Shaw

Defensive Publications Series

Systems and methods for embedding metadata within image content is provided. One of these methods comprises generating, by the computing device, an image frame that includes a plurality of pixels corresponding to multiple color channels defining color characteristics of an image. The generating includes assigning a common value to a pixel subset of the plurality of pixels located on a first row of the image frame. The pixel subset corresponds to the multiple color channels defining the color characteristics of the image. The method also includes converting, by the computing device, the image frame to a luminance chroma format.

Reinforcement Learning-Based Inventory Replenishment And Transshipment Planning In The Physical Internet Supply Chain, Simranjeet Singh Chadha, Uday Venkatadri

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

No abstract provided.

Graph-Based Foundation For Dels Specification, Leon Mcginnis

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

No abstract provided.

Multi-Door Cross-Dock Scheduling With Material Handling Resource Restrictions, William Ferrell, Nikhil Aditya Eti, Alison Gaddy, Vishal Badyal

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

No abstract provided.

Acting On Behalf Of An Endangered Species - A Student-Led Initiative To Protect The San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes Macrotis Mutica) On The Csub Campus, Antje Lauer, Sarah Alame, Brittney Beck, Lucas Hall

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

California State University Bakersfield (CSUB) is the only campus in the U.S. that has supported an endangered canine species on its campus grounds for many decades. Deprived of its prime habitat, open grassland, the San Joaquin kit fox (SJKF) (Vulpes macrotis mutica) was able to adapt to urban areas in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The presence of an endangered species on campus grounds comes with responsibilities and requires knowledge of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In the spring of 2023, students and faculty observed several violations of the ESA by CSUB Facilities Management due to ground disturbance and …

The Genesis Of Throughput Models For Automated Warehouse Systems - A Drama In Three Acts, Michael Walz, Timo Lehmann, Felix Rauscher, Christophe Senger, Kai Furmans, Michael Eder, Simon Schaffer, Philipp Trost, Maximilian Wagner, Georg Kartnig Prof.

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

No abstract provided.

Being Efficient Or Responsive In The Order Picking Process, Jelmer Pier Van Der Gaast

International Material Handling Research Colloquium

No abstract provided.

Navigating Reintegration: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Challenges And Success Factors For Women Offenders In Society, Arabella Grace Alegrid Velasquez, Beatrice Gabrielle Z. Dyquiangco, Vylet Xummer Eduardo Pimpinio, Tamachi Agnesia Varent, Lander James Luke Torres Villanueva

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

This study explores the different challenges and success factors women ex-offenders face during their reintegration into society after being incarcerated. With the help of 11 women on parole and probation in Baguio City from interviews, the researchers were able to examine their experiences and perspectives. Superordinate themes emerged, namely Reintegration Struggles and Societal Rejection, Resilience Through Support Systems, and Stigma and Social Exclusion. The results indicate the personal, societal, and structural barriers that women offenders face upon reintegration. Additionally, the successful reintegration of women offenders is influenced by both internal and external support systems, personal motivation, and spiritual guidance. A …

Water Quality In Estero De Balete Using Moringa Oleifera-Enhanced Bokashi Balls: Heavy Metals, Turbidity, And Acidity, Alliyah Kirstyn Banilla Rafols, Sheila Mae Empase De Leon, Marie Antoinette Villafañe Robles, John Albert Dupaya Gurtiza

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Water pollution threatens public health and the environment, particularly in developing counties. Estero de Balete in Manila, Philippines, a tributary of the Pasig River, is affected by heavy metal contamination, murky water, and highly acidic water. This study examines Moringa oleifera-enhanced Bokashi balls for bioremediation purposes. The Bokashi balls were prepared with effective microorganisms (EM-1), molasses, rice hulls, and garden clay soil, incorporating varying concentrations of Moringa oleifera seed powder and pods (0.10 g, 0.25 g, and 0.40 g) in comparison to a control setup. Water samples were tested for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), turbidity, and pH. The results …