Digital Commons Network^™

Anomaly Detection Of Seasonal Vessel Activity, Travis Rybicki

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Monitoring maritime traffic is essential for ensuring the safety of vessels, safeguarding transported goods or persons, and preventing illicit or hazardous activity at sea. Increasingly, researchers have explored data-driven approaches to model expected vessel behaviour and detect deviations or anomalies. These anomalies—such as course deviations, unauthorised area entries, or unexpected operational patterns—can indicate emergencies, regulatory breaches, or unlawful intent. Data broadcast by vessels provides a valuable resource for such analyses; however, the inherent complexity and context-dependency of maritime behaviour present persistent modelling challenges. One critical yet underutilised factor in this context is seasonality. For certain vessel types, for example, fishing …

Estimating The Carbon Footprint Of Sheep Production In Western Australia, Tafesse Estifanos, Christophe D'Abbadie, Johnny Machon, Amir Abadi Abadi Ghadim, Gus Manatsa, Paul Mattingley, Ross Kingwell, Kevin Foster

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

Western Australia’s broadacre mixed farming systems combine cropping and sheep production and are the largest component of the state’s agricultural sector. The south west Western Australia (WA) agricultural area hosts about 98% of the state's sheep flock. The sheep industry contributed $1.5 billion to the state’s economy in 2021-22 and accounts for about a quarter of on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most sheep industry emissions (over 80%) come from methane produced by the sheep. Despite this environmental impact, only 9.9% of Australian sheep producers have estimated their emissions, which limits the industry's ability to monitor and manage carbon footprints effectively. …

The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Economic Convergence Between Developed And Developing Nations, Lucile Sabas, Williams Kwasi Peprah [email protected], Carmelita Troy, Quentin Sahly

Faculty Publications

This study investigates convergence between developed and developing countries’ GDP during the pre-COVID-19 era (1960-2019) and post-COVID-19 era (2020-2023) using World Bank data and the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test. For the pre-COVID period, results show no significant convergence, with an ADF statistic of −1.78 and a P = 0.39, likely due to disparities in industrialization and governance. Similarly, post-COVID results (ADF statistic −1.2, P = 0.67) also suggest no convergence, possibly exacerbated by pandemic-related challenges. The study highlights that structural barriers and the pandemic have hindered economic convergence.

A Brief Look At Authoritarianism And Totalitarianism Through A Perspective Of Jewish Law And Tradition, Samuel J. Levine

Scholarly Works

A view of authoritarianism and totalitarianism through a perspective of Jewish law and tradition might take various forms and draw upon different approaches, depending on a number of components, including definitions of terms, modes of analysis, and the scope of disciplines and materials to be incorporated. Rather than attempting to present a comprehensive or determinative presentation of historical and philosophical considerations of these issues, this essay will briefly explore conceptual lessons from narrative, political, and legal sources of Jewish tradition, suggesting that Jewish thought recognizes, at once, both the importance of unity and authority and the dangers of authoritarianism and …

Stream Response To A Dam Removal: Mill Creek, Davenport, Ca, Jessica J. Williamson

Master's Theses

Dams have many effects on stream morphology and ecology, including a loss of sediment supply downstream, reduced access to the entire stream for aquatic fauna, and a flooded area upstream of the dam. Dams are a hurdle for migrating organisms such as anadromous fish, which is a group of concern. An over 100-year-old dam on Mill Creek, a stream draining a coastal watershed in central California, was removed in the fall of 2021. The site is in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where endangered salmonids such as steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss, have historically lived. To study the change in the stream from …

Hymate: A Hybrid Mamba And Transformer Model For Ehr Representation Learning, Md Mozaharul Mottalib, Thao-Ly Phan, Rahmatollah Beheshti

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Electronic health Records (EHRs) have become a cornerstone in modern-day healthcare. They are a crucial part for analyzing the progression of patient health; however, their complexity, characterized by long, multivariate sequences, sparsity, and missing values-poses significant challenges in traditional deep learning modeling. While Transformer-based models have demonstrated success in modeling EHR data and predicting clinical outcomes, their quadratic computational complexity and limited context length hinder their efficiency and practical applications. On the other hand, State Space Models (SSMs) like Mamba present a promising alternative offering linear-time sequence modeling and improved efficiency for handling long sequences, but focus mostly on mixing …

Utilizing Technology To Support Collaborative Problem-Solving Of K-12 Students In Stem Education: A Multivariate Multi-Level Meta-Analysis, Marzieh Dehghan-Chaleshtori

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

As classrooms in the 21st -century increasingly incorporate digital tools, educators and researchers have turned their attention to the promising potential of technology in enhancing essential competencies such as collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills (OECD, 2017). CPS skills, including joint decision-making and coordinated problem resolution, are necessary for success in both academic and real-world contexts. While many studies have investigated individual problem-solving in technology-enhanced learning environments, the collaborative dimension remains underexplored (Graesser et al. 2018b). This dissertation addresses that gap by conducting a multivariate multi-level meta-analysis to examine the overall effects of technology use on K–12 students’ CPS skills in STEM …

A Strength-Based Approach To Understanding The Impact Of Experiences Of Discrimination Related To Identity-Based Stressors On Disordered Eating Among A Sample Of Sexual And Gender Diverse Individuals, Susana Cruz Garcia

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Empirical research investigating eating disorder (ED) behaviors among sexual and gender minorities has grown substantially in recent decades, though notable gaps call for further work to clarify mixed findings regarding the experiences of this heterogeneous population. This study sought to add to our understanding of disordered eating behaviors in LGBTQIA+ participants, with a specific focus on differences between lesbian and gay (LG) versus bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other identities (BTQIA+), with the latter group remaining especially underrepresented in the literature. Study aims were firstly, to quantify ED incidence and the frequency of experiences of identity-based discrimination in sexual …

Self-Preservation: Autobiography As A Form Of Archivization As Seen Through The Life And Poetic Works Of John Clare, Meghan J. Slaff

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This paper will look at how the processing efforts of an archivist mirror that of an autobiographer through the shared motivation of adding to the cultural memory or textual canon of a society. For archival purposes, the typical steps of ingesting, preparing, and presenting a collection are creation, capture, arrangement/description, and pluralization. To create an autobiography, writers take the memories that have been created and experienced due to events in their lives and capture those memories via recording in the literary form known as autobiography. These autobiographers then arrange and describe their memories in a way that shows vast similarities …

Two Computational Problems On String Rewriting Systems, Wei Du

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

String rewriting systems are widely used computational models in theoretical computer science research such as artificial intelligence, software and hardware verification, and symbolic cryptographic protocol analysis. In this dissertation, we investigate two interesting problems concerning these systems, namely the common left multiplier problem and the SYMBOL-ORDER problem.

First, we consider the common left multiplier problem for forward-closed convergent string rewriting systems. The task is to discover, given two distinct strings α and β, a target string W such that W α and W β will be equivalent with respect to the provided forward-closed convergent string rewriting system. We describe an …

Influence Of Cloud-Radiative Forcing On Tropical Cyclone Development In Moderate Vertical Wind Shear, Jannetta C. Richardson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This research seeks to better understand how cloud–radiative forcing (CRF) influences the structural evolution and intensity change of tropical cyclones (TCs) during the organizaional stage, with a particular focus on environments characterized by moderate vertical wind shear. While CRF has been shown to impact TC development during genesis and mature stages, its role during the transitional post-genesis phase—when TCs exhibit disorganized convection and are highly sensitive to environmental influences—remains poorly understood. Moreover, forecasting TC intensity in moderate shear environments continues to present substantial challenges, underscoring the need for focused investigation of TC development in the moderate-shear regime.

The Weather Research …

Deep Convection, Lightning, And Inertio-Gravity Waves: An Analysis Of Precipitation And Wave Dynamics In The Congo Basin, Stephen L. Solimine

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The lack of an extensive in situ observation network throughout equatorial Africa makes it difficult to monitor the Congo climate system. Model and reanalysis products have been used to fill informational gaps but often produce disparate results. To improve model representation of deep convection over the Congo, it’s important to first understand the influence of various thermodynamic and dynamic forces that may be underrepresented. Although satellite based remote sensing retrievals and reanalysis have their own set of limitations, they can offer a great deal of insight into the climate of regions otherwise lacking in observational networks.

The first section of …

Identifying The Impacts Of Land Use/Land Cover Changes On Ecosystem Services From A Geospatial Perspective In Albany County, Kyaw Khaung Thant Zin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Ecosystem services encompass the broad array of direct and indirect advantages that people derive from nature and its ecosystems. Considering accelerating environmental change and degradation, recognizing the importance of these services is more crucial than ever, as they illustrate the many ways in which healthy ecosystems sustain human life. However, these services are diminishing at a rapid and unprecedented rate, raising global concern over both the transformations taking place and their root causes. Among the leading threats, land-use change stands out as a particularly significant one, influenced by a variety of driving factors. Albany County, New York, characterized by its …

Studies On Convexity Of Dnf Formulae, Josue A. Ruiz

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In this dissertation, we investigate the problem of determining whether a Boolean formula given in disjunctive normal form (DNF) is convex. Although Boolean formulas have various applications, our research focuses on the practical application for rule-based access control policies, where policies are often expressed as a set of Boolean rules. Understanding the structural properties of such formulas is crucial for determining whether a policy can be efficiently represented within a specific access control model.

The main contribution of this research is the conception and analysis of convexity derived from the “gap problem.” In this context, convexity is characterized by the …

Issues And Challenges In Silicon Based Quantum Computing, Rafia Ayub

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Silicon-based quantum computing has emerged as a promising platform for scalable and fault-tolerant quantum information processing. This thesis investigates the use of silicon quantum dots as qubits, addressing a key limitation in their implementation—charge noise and decoherence. We explore the physical and electronic properties of silicon quantum dots, focusing on their coherence times, tunability, and compatibility with existing semiconductor fabrication technologies. Through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations, we examine the impact of material imperfections and propose strategies to mitigate decoherence effects, thereby enhancing qubit stability. Additionally, we discuss potential pathways for integrating silicon quantum dots into large-scale quantum architectures. Our …

Integrable Deformations, T-Dualities And Higher Order Corrections In String Theory, Parita Shah

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This thesis explores the interplay of hidden symmetries and dualities in string theory, with a particular emphasis on the role of T-duality. As a fundamental symmetry of string theory, T-duality offers a powerful lens through which one can study integrability, solution-generating techniques, and quantum corrections, all essential aspects of modern string theoretic frameworks.

A central focus of this work is the application of the duality covariant formalism of Double Field Theory (DFT) to address problems involving integrable deformations and higher-order quantum corrections. We examine how generalized integrable models can be embedded into DFT and how the formalism captures hidden symmetries …

Understanding The Dynamical Mechanisms Governing Northern Hemisphere Wintertime Persistent Flow Regimes And Their Associated Extreme Weather Events, Tyler Christopher Leicht

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Weather regimes are characterized as patterns of low-frequency variability in the middle to upper troposphere of the extratropics. Weather regimes can also be linked to variations in surface weather, making the study of weather regimes a bridge between traditional synoptic-dynamic meteorology and subseasonal-to-seasonal variability. This dissertation identifies and categorizes persistent flow regimes (PFRs), analyzes the dynamics underpinning PFR formation, identifies the linkages to atmospheric teleconnections, and examines the occurrence of surface weather extremes before and during PFRs.

PFRs are identified from 1979–2022 and grouped into five clusters using k-means clustering, which then allows for time-lag composite analysis to determine the …

Al(X)In(Y)Ga(1−X−Y)N-Based Monolithically Integrated Ir Detector-Visible Emitter Device, Alireza Lanjani

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

III-Nitride material system has been widely used in electronic, sensing, optoelectronic, and power device applications. Owing to the wide and tunable bandgap of this material system and the realization of relatively high conductivity p-type Mg-doped GaN films, considerable research over the past few decades has focused on applications based on wide bandgaps, such as blue and ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, visible-blind and solar-blind photodetectors. The other side of the spectrum, infrared (IR) has remained considerably less explored.

To exploit III-Nitrides for IR detection applications, the quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) design is employed. In the QWIP …

Misoscale Vortices In The Eyewall Boundary Layer Of A Tropical Cyclone In A Large Eddy Simulation, Emily A. Lucy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Since the late 1980s, there have been numerous observations of extreme updrafts, gusts, and small-scale rotation in the eyewall of tropical cyclones (TCs). Research aircraft, dropsondes, and, more recently, mobile radars have collected these observations, most often from within the boundary layer. Previous studies have documented dropsondes associated with extreme gusts and updrafts, while others have discussed specific incidents of misoscale features in tropical cyclones. Several high-resolution numerical simulations of TCs have documented similar features. This study uses one such simulation from Worsnop et al. (2017). A small but intense tropical cyclone in a quiescent environment is simulated.

This simulation …

Light-Driven Chemistry: Photoswitch In Rna Activity Control And Development Of Photoredox Catalysis, Juncheng Li

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation is structured into two principal segments. The initial segment elucidates a series of synthetic works involving artificial molecules, specifically featuring the photosensitive azobenzene. These molecules facilitate remote control over the structure and functionality of biomolecules, with subsequent applications in regulating biological processes. The latter segment concentrates on the design and enhancement of organic photocatalysts, utilizing traditional acridine ions as a foundation. This section details the development of diverse organic photocatalyst-promoted processes, including photo Lewis acid catalysis, photo Brønsted acid catalysis, and photoredox reactions.

Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis Of Single-Case Experimental Design Data: A Comparison Of Bayesian And Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimation, Yukang Xue

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Two-stage individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis can be used to synthesize intervention effects from single-case experimental design (SCED) studies with multilevel modeling. However, various challenges exist at both stages, including standardizing the intervention effect size, accounting for autocorrelation, and estimating the between-study and between-case variances. While both restricted maximum likelihood estimation (REML) and Bayesian estimation can be used to estimate model parameters, REML has been more commonly applied despite the potential advantages offered by Bayesian methods. Moreover, no methodological studies have focused on Bayesian estimation in the context of meta-analysis of SCED studies, let alone when IPD meta-analysis (often recommended …

Personal Characteristics, Goal Setting, And Academic Thriving, Hedayat Ghazali

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Abstract

This dissertation examines if pre-existing personal characteristics influence the effectiveness of a reflective goal-setting intervention on credits completed among first-year university students. Grounded in goal-setting theory and self-regulated learning frameworks, the study investigates the roles of self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, metacognitive strategies, and autonomy in shaping students’ academic outcomes. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, four distinct learner profiles were identified based on these personal characteristics. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to evaluate whether the intervention significantly affected students’ academic performance—measured in credits completed —over three time points (T0, T1, T2) across intervention and control groups.

The results revealed a …

Analysis Of Extreme Rainfall And Streamflow Events In The Catskill/Delaware Catchment Using The New York State Mesonet, Ada Ellingworth

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Extreme rainfall and streamflow often lead to increased turbidity in reservoirs in the Catskill/Delaware catchment, which is part of the New York City water supply system. To better understand extreme events that lead to increased turbidity, this study takes a dual approach: first, we identify hydrologic conditions during extremes to understand when and why extremes occur. Next, we evaluate an identified extreme case to evaluate mesoscale model skill in this region. Measurements from the New York State Mesonet and United States Geological Survey are used to identify hydrologic conditions from 2017-2024 associated with three extreme event types: rainfall, streamflow, and …

Complex Missing Data Problems In Education Surveys, Thomas Wesley Robertson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Missing data are a nearly universal problem in human subjects research, including in education. However, reporting and addressing missing data is an issue, despite guidelines from the APA style guide and the What Works Clearinghouse, as well as guidance from prominent statisticians on the best methods to use. Prior research conducted in 2004 and 2014 found that in the field of education, most studies do not report or address missing data. In addition, no study has looked specifically at how missing data are reported and addressed in complex surveys. The current study has two main objectives: first, to determine if …

"Assessment Of The Likelihood To Stay Below 2 Degree Celsius Warming: Combining Modeling And Scenario Uncertainty.", Peter M. Booker

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

ABSTRACT

Uncertainty in how much the Earth will warm in response to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations remains a major challenge for climate science and policy. In particular, estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) and transient climate response (TCR) directly affect projections of global mean surface temperature (GMST) and the allowable carbon budget for limiting warming to 2°C by 2100.

This study assesses the performance of a two-layer energy balance model (EBM) in reproducing TCR and ECS values under CMIP6 forcing scenarios, with a focus on SSP2-4.5. EBM outputs are compared against General Circulation Models (GCMs), and agreement is evaluated using …

Secured Communication And Coexistence For Efficient Spectrum Utilization, Xue Wei

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Over the years, the demand for wireless communications has grown exponentially, resulting in a scarcity of available spectrum. This scarcity leads to the need for efficient spectrum utilization, a key factor in ensuring reliable and uninterrupted communications. One of the key challenges in achieving reliable communication is ensuring secure transmissions to protect the privacy and integrity of data for active users. Wireless communications are vulnerable to eavesdropping, interception, and unauthorized access, which can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted data. The coexistence of multiple wireless communication systems is another challenge to be addressed for passiver users. In many cases, …

Food Rescue, Food Waste, And Policy In New York: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Food System Impacts, Mariana Torres Arroyo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation investigates how food donation policies in New York State influence the recovery, redistribution, and waste of surplus fresh produce, with a focus on fruits and vegetables. Using an interdisciplinary, systems-based approach that integrates system dynamics modeling with qualitative, community-engaged research, the study analyzes the effectiveness and unintended consequences of three major policies: Nourish New York, the Farm to Food Bank tax credit, and the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law.

Chapter 2 uses simulation modeling to examine how the tax credit and waste ban affect produce recovery and redistribution. Results show that while both policies can boost …

Comparison Of Methane Emission Quantification Methods At Landfills In New York State, Alexandra M. Catena

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission increases are a consequence of global population rise and economic growth. It is well known that carbon dioxide is the dominant GHG by mass, but methane has received increasing attention recently due to its high warming potential and relatively short lifetime of about a decade. Methane has several different types of both natural and anthropogenic sources including wetlands, waste management, energy, agriculture and farming, and wildfires, which makes tracking and reducing methane emissions a complex problem. The emission rates of each of these sources are highly uncertain due to differing emission estimation methods, which can be …

Safeguard Cyberspace In Ransomware Era: Risk Analysis & Cyber Insurance, Li Huang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The increasing frequency and severity of ransomware attacks pose significant challenges for organizational cybersecurity. Fragmentation across disciplines in cyber defense has created practical gaps in the development of the necessary capabilities needed to address rapidly evolving cyber threats. This study explores the impact of ransomware attacks and the evolving role of cyber insurance as a proactive cybersecurity partner. Bridging the gap between actuarial science and cyber risk management, it proposes an interdisciplinary framework that quantifies the impact of ransomware and integrates cyber insurance into cybersecurity strategies.

The primary contribution of this study is methodology. We present a framework that remains …

Development Of Group Iii-V Quantum Confinement-Enabled Detectors: Bias-Tunable Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (Qwip) And Quantum Dot Scintillation Detector (Qdsd), Gyana R. Biswal

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation discloses the physics, fabrication, characterization, and analysis of two novel types of group III-V semiconductor detectors relying on quantum confinement of carriers, namely voltage-tunable quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP) and a high-yield ultrafast quantum dot scintillation detector (QDSD). Both QWIP and QDSD heterostructures presented here were grown on 3” GaAs (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

A major part of the dissertation focuses on development of the voltage-tunable QWIPs targeting detection in the mid-wave infrared region (MWIR) (3μm -5μm) and long-wave infrared region (LWIR) (8μm -12μm) with control of sensitivity by the applied bias. The QWIPs utilize …