Digital Commons Network^™

Translanguaging As Pedagogy And Culturally Relevant Science Instruction: Teaching In A Bilingual Science Classroom, Angelita J. Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

The continuous underrepresentation of the Latinx population in STEM fields and careers requires urgent attention. This study addresses this issue by designing and implementing a science curriculum based on culturally relevant and translanguaging pedagogies. Focusing on chemical and physical reactions, the curriculum was implemented in two 8th-grade science classes. Using an ethnographic case study methodology, this research employed classroom observations, field notes, student work analysis, and reflective interviews to gather data. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key patterns and themes. The analysis revealed how instructional strategies were designed to ensure the relevance of instruction to students' cultural and community …

Generating Bessel Beams With An Elastomeric Replica Of A Weevil Carapace, Paz Victoria T. Ramos, Michie Vianca D. De Vera, Raphael Guerrero

Physics Faculty Publications

We generate a zero-order Bessel beam with a laser beam focused onto an elastomeric replica of a weevil carapace scale. Carapace surface structures are imprinted on an elastomeric cast via soft lithography. The output Bessel beam exhibits the expected properties of non-diffraction over a propagation range of 30 cm. The width of the central spot at a propagation distance of 25 cm is 296:8 μm, corresponding to a replicated weevil scale with a diameter of 64.3 μm acting as an annular slit. Self-healing of the beam after encountering a wire obstruction is also observed.

Disrupting Niceness In Literacy Teacher Education: Non-Linear Trajectories Toward Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Amy Tondreau, Wendy L. Gardiner, Tierney B. Hinman, Tess M. Dussling, Elizabeth Y. Stevens, Kristin L. White, Nance L. Wilson

Journal Articles

Many teacher educators seek to implement culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in their courses. However, enactment is often mediated by our socialization into whiteness and niceness. This study investigates how our self-study community of practice (SSCoP) of eight White female literacy teacher educators at different institutions collaborated to narrow the gap between our aspirations for implementing CRP and enacted practice. Through analysis of collaborative journal entries, we interpret tensions between what niceness and whiteness demand of us and what enactment of CRP requires: (a) between centering equity in our courses and addressing equity on the margins, (b) between enactment of critical …

New Insights On Hybridization In Potamogeton Floridanus (The Florida Pondweed), Kaitlyn R. Sampson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most important and highest threatened habitats in the world, and aquatic plants play an important, but often-overlooked, role in maintaining them. Potamogeton is a diverse and ecologically important aquatic plant genus well known for taxonomic difficulty and rampant hybridization. lbis study aimed to 1) test the hypothesis that Potamogeton jloridanus (Florida pondweed) is a hybrid between P. oakesianus and P. pulcher, and 2) to investigate correlations in ecological conditions for the focal species. This study revealed the discovery of a new population of P. jloridanus in Big Coldwater Creek in Santa Rosa Co., FL, …

Large Monochromatic Components In Expansive Hypergraphs, Deepak Bal, Louis Debiasio

Department of Mathematics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A result of Gyárfás [12] exactly determines the size of a largest monochromatic component in an arbitrary r-colouring of the complete k-uniform hypergraph Kn^k when k ≥ 2 and k ∈ {r − 1, r}. We prove a result which says that if one replaces Kn^k in Gyárfás’ theorem by any ‘expansive’ k-uniform hypergraph on n vertices (that is, a k-uniform hypergraph G on n vertices in which e(V1, . . . , Vk) > 0 for all disjoint sets V1, . . . , Vk ⊆ V(G) with |Vi| > α for all i ∈ [k]), then one gets …

The Colorado Wolf Reintroduction Portrayal In News Media, Megan K. Mcarthur, Monica V. Ogra

Student Publications

The Colorado gray wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction began in December 2023 in the hope of restoring this once native population to the area, and it has received mixed responses from the media. By answering the research question of 'How has the wolf reintroduction in Colorado been framed in news media?', this research poster looks at the portrayal of the reintroduction in news articles from six months before and after the first wolves were released. Media is an influential factor in people's opinions and it is important to be aware of the information being shared and any bias within them.

Improvement Of Triboelectric Nanogenerator By As-Prepared Lithium Niobate For Energy Harvesting And Sensing Applications, Jahid Inam Chowdhury

Theses and Dissertations

One readily available green energy source that is used to address the small-scale energy requirement is mechanical energy. To harvest mechanical energy, supply energy for upcoming electronic devices, and enable flexible health monitoring, triboelectric nanogenerators composed of perovskite and lightweight polymers have garnered significant interest. A material named lithium niobate (LiNbO3) was produced in two different phases and used to make a flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). Furthermore, lightweight polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and LiNbO3 nanoparticles were used to produce a small triboelectric nanogenerator that successfully converts mechanical energy into electricity. LiNbO3 nanoparticles were first created and loaded into polydimethylsiloxane …

Mitigating The Greenhouse Gas Footprint Of Hydropower Via Floating Solar Photovoltaic Integration: A Modeling And Predictive Analysis Study, Areefin Ul Hassan Chowdhury

Theses and Dissertations

Hydropower is typically considered a low-carbon energy source; however, some hydropower facilities exhibit high greenhouse gas (GHG) intensities due to emissions from their reservoirs. This study evaluates the potential for offsetting GHG intensities by integrating floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) with reservoir-based hydropower. Our assessment indicates that technically feasible FPV–hydropower integrations could enable over 50% of the world’s GHG-intensive hydropower plants to achieve low-GHG energy benchmarks, with significant implications for both hydropower management and climate change mitigation. To support this analysis, we conducted clustering analysis to investigate the potential for reservoir segmentation. Following this, we applied various regression methods to predict …

The Social Influence Network Model Of Performance Expectations, Jingwen Zhong

Theses and Dissertations

Disagreement among group members on each other’s status and competence has been found to negatively impact group performance. However, in theories, it is oftentimes assumed that group members have common perceptions of each other’s competence, or in other words, have a consensus on performance expectations. Recognizing the importance of disagreement on performance expectations, in this dissertation I argue that individuals are subject to the self-serving bias and can develop different performance expectations based on the same status information. The results of an online experiment show that individuals tend to think highly of themselves in both status-homogeneous and status-heterogenous situations, and …

Calibration And Use Of The Transparency Tube As An Estimate Of Turbidity: An Analysis Of Factors Controlling Light Attenuation In Estuarine Waters, Makenna Leigh Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The transparency tube is low-cost, portable, and easy to use to measure the transparency or clarity of the water. Filling the tube with water creates a small-scale water column where water will be slowly drained out of the bottom until the Secchi disk at the bottom of the tube is visible from the top opening, and the depth of the remaining water in the tube is recorded in centimeters. Unlike traditional Secchi disk measurements, the advantage of this instrument is that sampling depth in highly turbid waters is possible with a centimeter scale resolution. Transparency tube measurement, through careful calibrations, …

Preregistration And Registration As A New Method For Transparency Of External Validation In Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Applications To Address Overfitting, Underspecification, And Shortcut Learning, Marilyn Elaine Gartley

Theses and Dissertations

Statistics has been defined as the study of how information should be employed to reflect on and give guidance for action in a practical situation involving uncertainty. The essence of uncertainty is that there is more than one possible outcome, and the actual outcome is unknown in advance; it is indeterminate. The goal of statistical methods is inference: namely, statistical inference—reaching conclusions about populations or deriving scientific insights from data which are collected from a representative sample of that population through providing a mathematical understanding of inference, quantifying the degree of support that data offer for assertions of knowledge, as …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Association Between Coronavirus Anxiety And Teacher Burnout, Lester A. C. Archer

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study was an exploration of COVID-19 anxiety and its relationship with teacher burnout. The study was a cross-sectional survey research design with a convenience sample drawn from a population of K-12 public school teachers. A non-parametric statistical test, Kruskal-Wallis, showed a statistically significant difference in teacher burnout across the three grade levels: χ² (2, N = 61) = 6.20, p = .045. Teacher burnout was lowest amongst elementary school teachers (M = 47.00) when compared to middle school (M = 74.00) and high school teachers (M = 71.00). Implications include a need for increased administrative …

“In My Blood”: External Factors For International Stem Postdoctoral Scholars’ Career Decisions, Kathryn J. Watson, Sylvia L. Mendez

Journal of Global Education and Research

This instrumental case study (Stake, 1995) explores the external factors that influence international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) postdoctoral scholars in the United States to pursue a career in STEM. Interviews with 20 international STEM postdoctoral scholars were analyzed deductively to shed light on their unique backgrounds and experiences. Three themes emerged: (a) parents were highly encouraging, (b) a love of science was nurtured in school, and (c) they were eager to engage in and promote scientific innovation. These findings illustrate the ways in which family, schools, and community influence the STEM career trajectories of international postdoctoral scholars.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity Level, Digital Game Addiction, And Academic Success Levels Of University Students, Aydin Ilhan

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study examined the relationship between physical activity, digital game addiction, and academic success among university students. Participants were university 704 students from Turkiye who did physical activity and played digital games. The sample group consisted of 704 university students (342 women and 362 men), selected through random sampling. Data were collected using demographic information forms, a digital game addiction scale, and an international short-form questionnaire about physical activity. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and post-hoc tests. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between academic success and both physical activity and digital game …

Quantifying Extreme Events: Applications Of Probabilistic Methods To Quantify Riverine And Coastal Flood Dynamics In South Carolina And Neighboring Coastal Communities, Ryne Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Extreme flood events have been persistent throughout history and have challenged human populations around the globe. Over time, scientists and engineers have developed tools and technology to support flood risk management. Most, if not all, of these tools rely on some form of the field of stochastic hydrology. Stochastic hydrology is a broad discipline, but the overarching principle is to use statistical and data-driven techniques to develop an understanding of one or more hydrologic variables (e.g., flood flow or peak storm tide). However, the need for large sample sizes of data that offer insight into all possible combinations of outcomes …

Heat Stress Changes The Bovine Methylome And Transcriptome And Investigation Of Two Novel Genetic Defects In Cattle, Rachel Renae Reith

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Heat stress is a major concern for livestock producers due to its negative impact on animal health and productivity. Heat stress does so by altering expression of genes through different regulatory mechanisms such as DNA methylation. Understanding how heat stress alters gene expression will help elucidate the genetic basis of physiological changes as well as identify targets for possible heat stress mitigation. The purpose of the first study was to understand how heat stress alters the adipose and skeletal muscle transcriptomes in zilpaterol-fed Brahman, as zilpaterol improves muscle growth and may mitigate the effects of heat stress. Differential expression and …

Hardening Interpretable Deep Learning Systems: Investigating Adversarial Threats And Defenses, Eldor Abdukhamidov, Mohammed Abuhamad, Simon S. Woo, Eric Chan-Tin, Tamer Abuhmed

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Deep learning methods have gained increasing attention in various applications due to their outstanding performance. For exploring how this high performance relates to the proper use of data artifacts and the accurate problem formulation of a given task, interpretation models have become a crucial component in developing deep learning-based systems. Interpretation models enable the understanding of the inner workings of deep learning models and offer a sense of security in detecting the misuse of artifacts in the input data. Similar to prediction models, interpretation models are also susceptible to adversarial inputs. This work introduces two attacks, AdvEdge and AdvEdge + …

Evidence Of Lactobacillus Strains Shared Between The Female Urinary And Vaginal Microbiota, Haley Atkins, Baani Sabharwal, Leah Boger, Natalie Stegman, Alexander Kula, Alan J. Wolfe, Swarnali Banerjee, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Lactobacillus species are common inhabitants of the ‘healthy’ female urinary and vaginal communities, often associated with a lack of symptoms in both anatomical sites. Given identification by prior studies of similar bacterial species in both communities, it has been hypothesized that the two microbiotas are in fact connected. Here, we carried out whole-genome sequencing of 49 Lactobacillus strains, including 16 paired urogenital samples from the same participant. These strains represent five different Lactobacillus species: L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. iners, L. jensenii, and L. paragasseri. Average nucleotide identity (ANI), alignment, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and CRISPR comparisons between strains from the …

Regularized Multivariate Functional Principal Component Analysis, Yue Zhao

Dissertations (1934 -)

Multivariate Functional Principal Component Analysis (MFPCA) is a valuable tool for exploring relationships and identifying shared patterns of variation in multivariate functional data. However, interpreting these functional principal components (PCs) can sometimes be challenging due to issues such as roughness and sparsity. In this dissertation, we establish the theoretical foundations of the penalized MFPCA problem within Hilbert space and propose three novel regularized MFPCA approaches. These approaches utilize eigen decomposition and singular value decomposition (SVD) techniques to enhance the performance of MFPCA by incorporating multiple penalty terms, such as roughness and sparsity penalties. In the first method, a roughness penalty …

Student Perceptions Of Integrated Stem Education In A High School Geometry Class, Alyssa Noland

Dissertations

Integrated Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education provides students with opportunities to solve integrated real-world problems. Integrated STEM instruction aims to develop 21^st-century skills in students and promote interest in STEM subjects through authentic real-world tasks. Student perceptions can help educators and administrators to understand the benefits and constraints of integrated STEM instruction. This qualitative case study was designed to understand student perceptions of integrated STEM instruction and student perceptions of the value or applications of mathematics. The situated STEM learning and social constructivism theoretical frameworks guided the design of the lessons and methods of the study. High …

Radio Propagation Through Density Irregularities In The Auroral Ionosphere, Pralay Raj Vaggu

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A radio wave propagating through a structured or turbulent ionosphere undergoes multiple effects, such as refraction, diffraction, etc., that distort the incident radio wave by inducing phase and amplitude fluctuations. These fluctuations are called ionospheric scintillation. Scintillation effects can be detrimental to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as Global Positioning System (GPS), but the observed effects can be used as a tool to study the underlying plasma process that causes scintillation. Scintillation is commonly seen in equatorial and high-latitude regions. This study centers around the scintillation and its causative plasma processes that dominantly happen in the high-latitude ionosphere …

Torus Surgery, Fibrations, Multisections, And Spun 4-Manifolds, Nicholas Paul Meyer

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

A compact n-manifold X is fibered if it is a fiber bundle where the fiber F and base space B are manifolds. Fibered manifolds are particularly nice, as they are essentially classified by their monodromy maps. Two common examples of 4-dimensional fibered manifolds are surface bundles over surfaces and 3-manifold bundles over the circle.

The main focus of this dissertation is to investigate fibered 4-manifolds whose boundaries are the 3-torus and how these manifolds glue together to give new closed, fibered 4-manifolds. In particular, suppose W is diffeomorphic to S¹ × E_Y (K) where Y …

A Case Study Of Mathematical Instructional Leadership, Theresa Haack

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation looks at the impact of instructional leadership in mathematics teaching on teachers at various stages in their careers. Using a case study methodology, the researcher explores the nuanced needs and effective strategies for beginning, mid-career, and established teachers. Peer instructional leaders provided data that involved a mix of qualitative methods, including surveys, interviews, and questionnaires, targeting five assistant principals selected randomly from diverse school environments. The study identifies common themes and differences in instructional approaches, highlighting how strategies vary and overlap across different career stages. Analysis gives insights into the practical application of leadership in educational settings, emphasizing …

A Study Of Electron- And Photon-Induced Dissociative Electron Attachment To Molecules And Within Anion-Molecule Clusters, Mahmudul Hasan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Dissociative electron attachment (DEA) is a resonant process in which a molecule captures a low-energy electron, forming a transient negative ion (TNI). Subsequently, this unstable TNI fragments into a stable anion and one or more neutral fragments. DEA is crucial in various phenomena, ranging from atmospheric and radiation chemistry to processes occurring in plasmas, and is particularly significant in the context of radiation-induced damage to biological molecules. This study uses different experimental methods to better understand the fragmentation in molecular anions forming through dissociative photoexcitation and electron attachment. We have developed an experimental apparatus for dissociative photoexcitation studies. This apparatus …

Business Model Choice For Heavy Equipment Manufacturer, Philippe Blaettchen, Niyazi Taneri, Sameer Hasija

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Technological advances enable new business models for heavy equipment manufacturers wherein customers access equipment without ownership. We seek to understand the profitability and environmental performance of different emerging business models in light of salient economic and operational factors. We develop a game-theoretic model to identify the optimal choice between a traditional ownership-based business model and two access-based models: servicization and peer-to-peer sharing. After-sales services, equipment characteristics, usage environments, and fuel prices affect this choice. We also provide a novel framework to analyze business models’ environmental impact, which incorporates trade-offs between economic value and environmental costs and shows that all models …

Semi-Analytical Solutions For Time-Fractional Fisher Equations Via New Iterative Method, Shivaji Ashok Tarate Tarate, A. P. Bhadane, S.B. Gaikwad, K.A. Kshirsagar

Baghdad Science Journal

An effective method for resolving non-linear partial differential equations with fractional derivatives is the New Sumudu Transform Iterative Method (NSTIM). It excels at solving difficult mathematical puzzles and offers insightful information about the behaviour of time-fractional Fisher equations. The method, which makes use of Caputo's sense derivatives and Wolfram in Mathematica, is reliable, simple to use, and gives a visual depiction of the solution. The analytical findings demonstrate that the proposed approach is effective and simple in generating precise solutions for the time-fractional Fisher equations. The results are made more reliable and applicable by including Caputo's sense derivatives. Mathematical modelling …

Check Out The Library, 2024 Summer Issue, Cal Poly Humboldt Library

Library Publications

Issue 18

Enhancing The Security In High-Speed Networks Using P4 Programmable Switches, Ali Alsabeh

Theses and Dissertations

Network security has become increasingly essential in today's networks due to the growth of various network applications, such as Machine Learning (ML) and Fifth-Generation (5G) Networks. One fundamental Internet protocol is the Domain Name System (DNS), which maps domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Despite its importance, DNS traffic is often forwarded without being analyzed, making it a center of ever-evolving attacks. Traditionally, defense strategies are implemented on fixed-function security middleboxes that are costly, proprietary, and hard to manage. Alternatively, defenses implemented in software use general-purpose servers (e.g., the control plane of a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) network) that cannot …

Influence Of Language Evolution And Compiler Advances On Program Creation: Implications To Electronics Engineering Education, Ralph Anthony Ramos Rafael, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The progression of programming languages, from machine and assembly languages to high-level and very high-level languages, and now towards natural language processing and artificial intelligence, has significantly influenced program creation and assembly. Each generation has brought notable advancements in abstraction, readability, and usability, making programming increasingly accessible and efficient. Early languages such as machine and assembly languages were hardware-dependent and low-level, concentrating on direct interaction with hardware. This paradigm shifted significantly with the emergence of high-level languages, which abstracted hardware specifics and emphasized logic and functionality. These shifts have had profound impacts, particularly in Engineering Education, by potentially reducing the …

University Of San Diego Magazine 75th Anniversary 2024, University Of San Diego

University of San Diego Magazine (1992- )

Forging Community; Celebrating Impact; Aesthetic Aspirations; From Grassroots to the Vatican; Lighting the Way Forward; Decade of Discovery; The Stories Within; Those at Our Core; Aiming for Excellence; Twice as Nice; A Simple Yet Grand Vision