Digital Commons Network^™

Soil Microbial Responses To Artifical Light At Night, Randall L. Walker

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Global change, driven by both natural processes and human activities, has significantly transformed ecosystems. Urbanization and artificial light at night (ALAN) are key contributors, disrupting natural light cycles and influencing biological rhythms, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions. Thus far, there remains a gap in knowledge of how soil ecosystems are impacted by ALAN. This study uses a laboratory incubation to investigate the effects of ALAN on soil microbial communities and functions across urban and natural ecosystems. Briefly, soil was collected from eight sites around El Paso, Texas and neighboring New Mexico representing urban and rural light exposure. Soil was then subjected …

Overcoming Glioblastoma Resistance To Temozolomide With New Derivatives: Design, Synthesis, And Mechanistic Studies, Hualin Zhang

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with rapid progression and poor prognosis. Although temozolomide (TMZ) remains a central component of standard therapy, its clinical benefit is limited and resistance frequently emerges through DNA repair pathways, particularly O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Because DNA cross-links are generally more difficult to repair than monoalkylated lesions, we hypothesized that TMZ derivatives bearing protein-reactive functionality might generate damage that is less susceptible to MGMT-mediated resistance. Guided by this rationale, we designed a new class of N3-modified TMZ derivatives containing covalent warheads, developed a synthetic route compatible with the chemical instability of the TMZ scaffold, …

Riemannian Manifold-Coupled Joint Sparse Graphical Models For Spatially Structured Precision Matrix Estimation, Abdul Rahman Adam

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis introduces a novel geometry-aware framework for joint precision matrix estimation in spatially structured data. Unlike existing joint Gaussian graphical model estimators that rely on Euclidean coupling mechanisms such as fused or group graphical lasso, our approach incorporates intrinsic Riemannian geometry through geodesic distance penalties on the symmetric positive definite manifold.

The method measures similarity between precision matrices of adjacent spatial regions using the affine-invariant Riemannian distance, capturing deformations of concentration ellipsoids rather than entrywise differences. This is particularly suited for spatial transcriptomics, where regions may share dependence structures despite differences in scale or composition.

An efficient Alternating Direction …

Environmental Movements In El Paso And Ciudad Juarez: Possibilities And Limitations Of Cross-Border Organization At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Vanessa Maria Almada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

At the U.S.-Mexico border, the anthropogenic and nationalistic construction of the landscape has accelerated urbanization and unequal development without establishing effective binational institutions for governance over a shared commons. Borderlanders, then, contest unsustainable development with the added complexity of navigating a barrier which creates diverse socioeconomic and political realities that challenge cross-border cooperation. This qualitative research analyzes environmental organizations in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. Through ethnographic study of mobilization in response to environmental legislation and administrative action in each city, the immediate barriers to cross-border cooperation and limitations of nationalistic institutions in the borderlands can be better understood.

What Are You Doing In My Classroom? -- Elementary Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Coaches, Maria Erika Avalos-Fernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study uses a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore elementary teachers' perspectives as they work with instructional coaches on their campuses. The primary purpose of the study is to examine teachers' perspectives and gain insight into how these interactions influence their professional practice. Participants included elementary teachers from a single campus in El Paso, Texas, all of whom have had experience working and collaborating with instructional coaches. The constructivist grounded theory provides a lens for examining participating teachers' lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Convenience sampling was used, allowing flexibility in selecting participants for the …

Exhumation Of The Pelona-Orocopia-Rand Schist And Fault Kinematic Constraints On Evolution Of The Eastern California Shear Zone, James Boyette Barker

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Southeastern California has experienced a complex recent geologic history as it continues to evolve from a convergent boundary to a period of NE-directed extension and evolution of the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ). This transition is recorded in exhumed bodies of Pelona-Orocopia-Rand (POR) schist and in changing styles of fault deformation. This thesis has two interrelated goals. First, I aim to refine the timing of transition from NE extension to NS contraction in the ECSZ of southeastern California by integrating (U-Th)/He thermochronology with field-based structural analysis. The second prong of this study is to constrain broader patterns of POR schist …

Bayesian Deep Learning For Photovoltaic Power Forecasting: A Probabilistic Framework For Uncertainty Quantification And Grid Reliability Optimization, Pablo Abraham Bustamante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the urgent need to decarbonize power systems, enhance energy security, and meet growing electricity demands. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power has emerged as a critical component of future energy infrastructure due to its abundance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, PV generation is inherently variable and weather-dependent, introducing significant uncertainty into grid operations and complicating the task of balancing supply and demand. Accurate forecasting of PV power generation-particularly on day-ahead and hour-ahead horizons-has become a strategic necessity for grid stability, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability. PV output is influenced by numerous factors, …

From Infiltration Pathways To Aquifer Recharge: An Electrical Resistivity And Vadose-Zone Isotope Study In Pecan Agroforestry Systems, Jose Josue Cabral

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Groundwater in arid or semi-arid regions is critical for agricultural production, yet the contribution of irrigation return flow to regional aquifer recharge remains poorly constrained. As is the case beneath flood-irrigated pecan orchards in the Rio Grande floodplain of Far West Texas. This study integrates time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with stable water isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) in vadose-zone soil-pore water to evaluate how irrigation water infiltrates. This study tracks how irrigation return is stored and may contribute to recharge of the Hueco Bolson aquifer. The objectives are to (1) relate observed resistivity variations to stratigraphic heterogeneity influencing infiltration, (2) characterize …

Bridging Industry And Academia In Engineering Leadership Education: Using Q Methodology To Identify The Viewpoints Of Engineering Professionals On Effective Engineering Leadership, Pamela Edith Campos Valles

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Engineering leadership has been recognized as a key professional skill by the U.S National Academy of Engineering, leading to increased attention and integration in engineering education research and development. The perception and recognition of leadership within the engineering field remains limited by the widespread definitions of leadership and limited characterization of engineering leaders. The Contextual Engineering Leadership Development framework is grounded on a discipline specific definition of engineering leadership and approaches to leadership development derived from engineering undergraduate programs. The use of this framework provides the opportunity to describe what engineering leaders prioritize, enabling the identification and characterization of …

Exploring Connectivity And Element Distribution In The Critical Zone Using Deep Cores Below Agricultural And Natural Drylands In The American Southwest, Angie Lynette Cano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Water movement controls how solutes are transported and stored in arid Critical Zone (CZ) systems. In natural drylands, low precipitation and high evapotranspiration lead to long term salt accumulation in the CZ, whereas irrigation increases water input and increases downward solute transport. This study investigates how agricultural practices alter subsurface hydrology and geochemistry by comparing two deep CZ cores from the southwestern United States: a 50 m deep core beneath a flood irrigated pecan farm named 5R farm, in the Rio Grande Valley in Tornillo, Texas, and a 97.5 m deep core from the Red Lake Playa in the Jornada …

Timing And Synchronization: Software And Hardware Approaches For Precision Maximizing, Christina Alicia Alejandra Carreon Jimenez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the design of synchronization mechanisms that allow multiple FPGA boards to operate as if they were a single coherent timing domain. The solutions span three layers: a software PLL for E1 telecommunication links, a PCIe-based timestamp exchange protocol, and a hardware-level multi-FPGA mesh architecture. Across these layers, the work demonstrates that practical, low-cost synchronization can achieve sub-microsecond accuracy without the burden of specialized hardware such as GPSDOs or White Rabbit infrastructure. Experiments show stable alignment within the nanosecond-microsecond range, validating the feasibility of the proposed methods for SDR and telecom applications.

Exploring Servingness Through Pedagogy: A Critical Case Study Of An Hispanic Serving Institution, Yemin Sánchez

Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic case study advances current understandings of what it means to teach at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and how faculty enact servingness within an HSI enrolling high indices of Latin@/Hispanic students. Drawing on decolonial, culturally sustaining and liberatory pedagogical frameworks, this study interrogates how constructs such as Hispanic, Latin@/Latinx, or coloniality shape the pedagogical conditions under which faculty operate. Using pláticas with ten faculty members, this research study demonstrates servingness is not a technique or an institutional designation, instead, it is a fluid and deeply humanizing ecology with five mutually reinforcing dimensions: Servingness as Relational Praxis, Servingness …

2024 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report 2024 Bres Annual Summary Report For Work Completed In Quadrant 4, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final Annual Operations And Maintenance (O&M) Report: Butte Treatment Lagoon (Btl) System – 2025, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final 2026 Interim Site-Wide Groundwater Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Revised Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Construction Quality Assurance Plan (Cqap), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Geothermal Gradient And Lithium Co-Generation Power Potential In Lafayette County, Arkansas, Juan Agustin Falquez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Smackover formation in south Arkansas is a known reservoir for brines with high temperature and salinity. Recently, Smackover formation brines in Lafayette County, Arkansas are a target for lithium extraction. A county-wide dataset of Bottomhole Temperatures (BHT) is used to estimate a lower bound geothermal gradient of 36 C/km and a reservoir temperature of 116 C at an approximate depth of 2725 m. The high temperatures make the brines a candidate for geothermal power co-generation. Geothermal power co-generation can be achieved by implementing an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plant. The Southwest Arkansas Lithium project anticipates a total of …

Of Dunes And Ice: A Surface-Atmosphere Investigation Of Mars Co2 Sublimation Features And Titan Aeolian Fields, Racine D. Cleveland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates a central question: How do planetary boundary layer processes manifest in observable surface geomorphology, and how can planetary imagery be used to quantify those effects? The planetary boundary layer (PBL) governs near-surface exchanges of momentum, heat, and volatiles, yet direct atmospheric measurements remain spatially and temporally limited on most planetary bodies. By analyzing geomorphic features preserved in high-resolution imagery, this work quantifies how boundary-layer processes leave measurable signatures on planetary surfaces. For Mars, high-resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) HiRISE instrument were used to map CO2 sublimation features, or Swiss Cheese Features (SCFs), on the …

Advancing Apparel Education Through 3d Simulation In Vstitcher: Confidence, Competence, And Career Readiness In Higher Education, Jonah Diniakos Graham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rapid adoption of 3D garment simulation in the apparel industry has created new demands of higher education to better prepare students with both technical proficiency and confidence within digital design platforms to better enable them for many career avenues. This study examines the integration of Browzwear’s VStitcher in an undergraduate apparel production course, addressing the need to assess both competence and self-confidence in digital garment construction while also fostering broader career readiness competencies. Guided by a combination of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT), the study emphasizes the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the shaping …

Geospatial Analysis Of The Influence Of Wastewater Disposal On The Induced Seismicity In Oklahoma, Usa, Kristine Nagy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seismic records over the past decade and a half have indicated a significant increase of earthquakes in the state of Oklahoma and the evidence has strongly suggested the rise is likely caused by substantial wastewater disposal operations, a subsequent process of oil and natural gas extraction. This study investigated the relationship between wastewater disposal via injection wells, and its influence on inducing earthquakes in Oklahoma by employing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools for geospatial data integration and spatial analysis using United States Geological Survey (USGS) earthquake data and Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II well data sourced from the Oklahoma …

Quantifying The Short-Term Hydrogeologic Responses Of Highway Construction In Hot Springs, Arkansas, Billy Jack Summerford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In late 2020, excavation for the Highway 5 Bypass in Hot Springs, Arkansas exposed seepage faces along roadcut walls. Groundwater levels at nearby wells decreased by up to 20.9 ft and have remained ~20 ft below pre-construction values on average. This study quantifies changes in storage in the unconfined aquifer within the Hot Springs thermal recharge zone associated with the seepage faces using a numerical groundwater model calibrated to pre-construction head at well ARb4. Model scenarios are used to evaluate whether construction-induced seepage or drought best explains the decrease from late 2020 to early 2021. The numerical groundwater simulation represented …

Impacts Of Climate-Smart Agriculture On Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Southeast Arkansas Cotton, Cassandra Seuferling

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing concerns of climate change have led to the evaluation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [i.e., carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)] from agroecosystems, particularly cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) production. Technology improvement and conservation agriculture methods [i.e., reduced-tillage (RT) instead of conventional tillage (CT) and the use of cover crops (CC)] require further evaluation regarding GHG emissions from Arkansas cotton production. The first objective of the study was to evaluate four gas-flux-determination methods [i.e., linear or exponential regression models, with negative fluxes (WNF) included in the dataset or replacing negative fluxes (RNF)] on CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes …

Toward Causal Generative Modeling: From Representation Learning To Controllable Generation, Aneesh Komanduri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The hallmark of human intelligence is causal reasoning, the ability to infer relationships between causes and effects through observation and intervention. While modern deep learning has excelled at identifying statistical patterns, current generative models often struggle to capture the underlying structural causal mechanisms of the data-generating process, leaving them vulnerable to shortcut learning and spurious associations. To achieve true generalizability and interpretability, artificial intelligence must transition from simple association to higher-level causal reasoning to be capable of scheduling and planning in the real world. This dissertation develops fundamental methodologies for causal generative modeling by integrating Pearl’s Structural Causal Model (SCM) …

Mitigating Inertial Measurement Unit Drift In Quadcopter Trajectory Tracking Using Kalman Filter Sensor Fusion With Global Positioning Measurements, Juan Sandro Caballero Aguilar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) like quadcopters are widely used in civilian and military applications such as farming, photography, search and rescue missions, and autonomous navigation and motion. The performance and stability of these systems depend on accurate state estimation, which provides real-time information about the vehicle’s position, velocity, and orientation. However, achieving reliable state estimation is challenging due to sensor noise, measurement uncertainty, and inaccurate modeling. Common navigation sensors such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) exhibit complementary characteristics. GPS provides absolute position measurements but suffers from noise, multipath effects, and low update rates, while …

The Impact Of Quantum Computing On Ransomware, Byron Denham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ransomware is one of the most pervasive and dangerous threats to cybersecurity today. Attacks involving ransomware have been responsible for the disruption of critical services in many fields including healthcare, education, and government. In the current paradigm, crypto ransomware relies on asymmetric cryptography to perform its operations in a way that ensure the victim’s only chance for file recovery is by paying the attacker’s requested ransom payment. However, advancements in quantum computing threaten the asymmetric cryptography that ransomware relies on. It has been shown that, once developed, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer will have the ability to break asymmetric cryptography …

Groundwater Responses To Tidal Restoration At Pelican Marsh And Sea-Level Rise In Elkhorn Slough, California, Julie E. Nelson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal wetlands represent a dynamic but vulnerable terrestrial-aquatic interface with future resilience controlled by historic hydrologic alterations, sea-level rise, and groundwater extraction. In diked coastal settings, poor tidal connectivity can degrade habitat from the impoundment of freshwater or hypersaline surface waters. Restoring tidal connectivity could foster marsh revitalization, but altering the surface hydrologic system could lead to unwanted salinity intrusion in shallow aquifers. Saline groundwater intrusion degrades freshwater quality and, while inevitable with sea-level rise, could be accelerated with tidal marsh restoration. To investigate this, I developed a steady-state groundwater flow model of Pelican Marsh, a diked, muted tidal marsh …

The Use And Implications Of Visual Production Choices: Evidence From Presidential Debates And Political Interview, Emma Lorraine Rasmussen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Live television production has long been a powerful tool for broadcasting media to curate what an audience sees and understands about aired material. Production techniques used by broadcasting companies have the power to influence how audiences perceive and interpret political candidates. In Study One, the two 2024 presidential debates were analyzed for a variety of different trends including: who was on screen, the different camera shots used, and camera movement. Video formats of the 2024 CNN and ABC debates were coded using Observer XT, a content analysis software and were examined for the frequency and duration of each behavior. Patterns …

Unpacking The Tension: A Study Of Teacher Experiences With School District Data Use Processes, Mindi Gates

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand why data conversations and processes at Wildcat School District (WSD) created discomfort for teachers. The research utilized both survey and interview data to understand teachers’ experiences as they engage in data use conversations. Participants of this study included certified teachers at WSD who participated in monthly collaborative team meetings. Grade and content level meetings are commonplace at WSD. In many cases, teachers are given time at least once per week to engage in collaborative conversations about their work (DuFour & Fullan, 2013). However, as a principal at WSD I have …

Mind The Gap: Exploring Sociocultural And Educational Factors Contributing To The Gender-Based Achievement Gap In Early Elementary Ela, William Matthew Mcgee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the sociocultural and educational factors contributing to the gender-based achievement gap in early elementary English Language Arts (ELA). While research has examined the gender-based achievement gap related to female-identifying students in STEM disciplines, there is less emphasis on the underperformance of male-identifying students in ELA. Earlier research often emphasized biological explanations rather than the influence of environment and instructional practices. This study was guided by the Expectancy-Value Theory and Social Role Theory to better understand how home environments, gender norms, instructional practices, and student perception of literacy influence student engagement and performance in Kindergarten through third grade. …

Collective Dissipative Charging And Energy Extraction In Quantum Batteries, Sagar Pokhrel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we investigate the charging and discharging dynamics of a quantum battery composed of a collectively driven ensemble of $N$ identical two level systems coupled to a structured electromagnetic environment. The system is described using collective angular momentum operators in the Dicke basis, which provides a compact and physically transparent framework for analyzing collective light-matter interactions. Rather than treating dissipation as an unwanted source of loss, we explicitly use it as a mechanism for energy storage and work extraction. Starting from a coherently driven ensemble coupled to common reservoirs, we derive a master equation in Lindblad form under …