Digital Commons Network^™

Reimagining Math Instruction: An Improvement Science Study On Student Choice And Teacher Support Systems In 5th Grade, Nikki G. Gilmore

Theses and Dissertations

This improvement study investigates the potential impact of implementing choice-based assignments on student performance in fifth-grade mathematics. Recognizing that traditional, one-size-fits-all instructional models often limit student engagement and ownership, this study explores how offering students meaningful choices in their learning tasks can improve academic outcomes. Grounded in the principles of improvement science, the study began with an examination of student data, empathy interviews, and root cause analysis using tools such as the Five Whys, fishbone diagram, and driver diagram to better understand the problem of practice. This process positioned choice not as a luxury but as a strategic lever for …

Increasing Equity In Technology Integration, Whitney Anne Colley

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice focuses on unequal integration of technology across the district. This action research study aimed to understand teachers’ experiences and promote equitable use of technology in classrooms by implementing a coaching cycle centered on co-teaching and collaboration, which supports teachers beyond simply substituting traditional tools with technology, toward more meaningful integration that improves learning. Teachers often use technology as a direct substitute due to limited time and rushed professional development, which can affect their confidence and effectiveness. The study took place in a public elementary school serving 700 students, in which all students from second to fifth …

The Effect Of Ionic Components On The Performance Of A Model Direct Seawater Electrolyzers, Fethi Mustafa Cimen

Theses and Dissertations

Direct seawater electrolysis (DSE) has gained increasing attention as a sustainable method for hydrogen production that does not require purified water resources. The ionic composition of seawater, especially the concentrations of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions, plays a critical role in determining the electrochemical behavior, membrane transport properties, and overall system performance. This thesis presents a numerical investigation of a model direct seawater electrolyzer with a focus on understanding how changes in seawater ionic strength influence device operation.

A three-dimensional multiphysics Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed in STAR-CCM+ to simultaneously solve heat and mass transport, charge transport, …

I Fina’Nå’Guen I Famagu’On Put I Tåsi: The Impact Of Phenomena-Based Learning On Explaining And Conceptualizing Ocean Acidification In The Pacific, Angelia Jean Blas-Lizama

Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed methods study examined the impact of a new phenomena-based (PhBL) lesson plan—grounded by social constructivism and the NGSS framework—on 1) student ability to explain and contextualize a phenomenon, and 2) assess student perceptions of PhBL compared to traditional science instruction. This addressed the shift towards science education reform that better prepares K-12 students for the STEM pipeline and creates student agency surrounding human impact on the environment. Ocean acidification was the selected phenomenon for this study as it was culturally and locally relevant to the participants—sixth-grade science students at a Pacific Island public middle school. Findings revealed …

Perception Is Reality: Co-Teachers’ Perceptions On Co-Teaching, Tabitha Stewart Strickland

Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching is a service delivery option that high schools use to assist in meeting the needs of students with high-incidence disabilities in general education classrooms. This quantitative study investigates the effectiveness of co-teaching in South Carolina high schools by examining co-teacher perceptions related to fidelity implementation, the descriptions of current co-teaching classrooms, student outcomes, specially designed instruction in the co-taught classroom, teacher preferences, and barriers to effective implementation. The results reveal co-teachers (n = 117) agree that 58% of the implementation practices are occurring; co-taught classrooms are described as having 31 to 40% of students with special needs in classes …

Simulating K-Distributed Sea Clutter For Improvement Of X- Band Radar Littoral Object Detection Performance, Hudson Richard Dye

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a statistically based method of simulating K- distributed sea clutter for littoral X-band radar object detection. Littoral radar systems must detect small objects in cluttered environments dominated by return from the sea surface. Accurate modeling of sea clutter is fundamental for improving radar detection performance. The clutter synthesizer presented here is an effort to enable computer modeling of realistic sea clutter even with restricted knowledge of sea clutter behavior.

The K-distribution is widely used to model sea clutter in X-band radar systems. Its parameters 𝜈 and 𝑏 are closely tied to third and fourth statistical moments and …

Advanced Modeling Techniques And Crosstalk Mitigation Methodology For High-Speed Interconnects In Modern Communication Systems, Yingcong Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for higher data rates, greater computational performance, and continued PCB miniaturization has rendered interconnects a critical bottleneck in modern communication and computing systems. High-density routing, while enabling compact designs, significantly exacerbates signal integrity (SI) challenges such as impedance mismatch, far-end crosstalk (FEXT), and propagation delay. Despite advances in design practices, efficient closed-form analytical models capable of accurately characterizing complex, high-frequency interconnect geometries remain limited, necessitating reliance on computationally intensive numerical simulations. This dissertation addresses these limitations by developing analytical modeling methodologies and proposing novel interconnect structures to ensure robust SI in high-speed PCB systems.

The first part …

Development And Optimization Of Aluminum-Water Reactors For Efficient And Sustainable Hydrogen Production, Guru Prasad Dhungel

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen is a promising clean energy carrier; however, safe, controllable, and on- demand hydrogen generation remains a significant engineering challenge. Aluminum– water reactions offer high theoretical hydrogen yield, but practical implementation is limited by oxide passivation and difficulty in maintaining stable thermal and pressure conditions.

This study investigates hydrogen generation from aluminum foam–steam reactions under controlled temperature and pressure using engineered reactor configurations. Three reactor designs, horizontal, vertical, and cylindrical—were experimentally optimized, developed and evaluated to enhance hydrogen production rate and pressure stability without chemical additives. The experiments focused on heat transfer behavior, steam management, pressure buildup, and reaction stability. …

Strain-Induced Oxygen Vacancy Effect On Thermoelectric Properties In Oxide Thin Films, Ebenezer Seesi

Theses and Dissertations

The development of highly efficient and cost-effective thermoelectric (TE) materials is critical for converting waste heat into electricity in advanced power generators. For high-temperature TE applications, transition metal oxides (TMOs) have attracted significant interest because they are comparatively safe, earth-abundant, and stable under oxidizing conditions where many conventional heavy-metal and chalcogenide TE materials degrade. However, the TE performance of TMOs is limited by the intrinsic trade-off between the Seebeck coefficient (S) and electrical conductivity (σ), both of which depend inversely on charge carrier concentration. This constraint limits the achievable power factor (PF = S²∙σ) and remains a central obstacle for …

Plasma Dynamics And Chemistry In Atmospheric Pressure, Ayoub Al Wahaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Atmospheric-pressure plasmas are attractive for practical chemical and energy applications because they can be generated without vacuum systems and can produce reactive environments under relatively mild bulk conditions. However, these discharges are often non-uniform and highly sensitive to operating conditions, especially when water or multiphase flows are introduced. This dissertation investigates how atmospheric- pressure plasma behavior and plasma-driven chemistry change in three challenging but application-relevant regimes: water-mist dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs), multiphase plasma-assisted fuel reforming, and striated AC glow discharges. The work combines optical and electrical diagnostics, imaging, chemical analysis, and time-dependent analysis to connect discharge characteristics with measurable chemical …

A Pcb-Based Three-Level Active-Neutral-Point-Clamp Converter With Gan Devices, Mohammad Hassan Adeli

Theses and Dissertations

Modern microgrids, EV chargers, and renewable energy systems require power converters that are efficient, compact, and capable of high-frequency, high-power operation. However, in tightly packaged high-power designs, parasitic inductances and capacitances become significant, leading to voltage overshoot and elevated electromagnetic interference (EMI) under rapid dv/dt transitions. To address these challenges, this work presents a PCB-based 25kW, 480V, 200kHz grid-connected three-level active neutral-point-clamped (3L-ANPC) converter employing GaN devices. The PCB design emphasizes the optimization of parasitic inductances and capacitances to enhance high-voltage safety and reliability. A multilayer PCB busbar structure is implemented to minimize parasitic loops, enabling fast switching with minimal …

Deep Learning Models For Anomaly Detection In Industrial Inspection, Jiawei Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Anomaly detection plays a pivotal role in ensuring the longevity and safety of engineered systems, particularly in domains where defects can have significant operational or economic consequences. From internal damage in structural parts to subtle visual defects in manufactured components, identifying abnormal patterns requires models that are both computationally efficient and suitable for real-world deployment. This dissertation explores deep learning-based solutions designed to address these challenges, with a focus on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and industrial defect inspection under real-world scenarios.

This dissertation first addresses the problem of efficient and reliable component- level perception with limited supervision and strict hardware …

Laser-Based Wideband Guided Ultrasonic Wave Inspection Of Isotropic And Anisotropic Materials, Andrew Philip Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) have experienced significant growth in both capability and utility as material evaluation and damage detection methods for structural components throughout various industries over the past two decades. Evaluating a structure throughout its life cycle or on demand as needed can identify critical weaknesses that impact safe operation and may prevent failures. Various NDE/SHM methods have been shown to be effective; among them, guided ultrasonic waves (GUW), particularly Lamb wave-based methods, have been intensively studied due to their capability to interrogate internal defects and their relatively larger coverage. With the advancements in new …

The Importance Of Being Present: Presence Over Performance, De'on Turner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the development of presence as the foundational element of the actor’s craft through a sustained analysis of four major roles performed during the Master of Fine Arts Acting program at the University of South Carolina: Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun (Spring 2024), Kesi/the Astronaut in Moon Man Walk (Fall 2024), Dennis in Mauritius (Spring 2025), and Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest (Fall 2025).

The central argument of this thesis is that the actor does not bring the character to life — at full depth; it is the character who brings …

An Agile-Informed Job Demands-Resources Framework In Hospitality: A Dual-Pathway Structural Model Of Employee Satisfaction, Burnout, And Turnover Intentions, Albaraa Mesawi

Theses and Dissertations

Persistent labor shortages and elevated voluntary turnover define the hospitality industry. High-intensity service interactions increase workload, emotional labor, and time pressure for non-management employees. The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model predicts engagement and retention when job resources offset job demands. Existing research has not specified which operational conditions reliably predict this balance in dynamic service work. This study evaluates whether adapted Agile philosophy serves as a heuristic framework for specifying JD-R constructs in hospitality. The study maps Agile values and principles to validated psychological constructs through Psychological State Matching: Self-Organization to Psychological Empowerment (PE), Regular Reflection to Perceived Team Learning Behavior …

The Legacy Of Hosting Sport Mega-Events On Local Consumers’ Consumption Behavior: The Case Of The Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup, Saad Alshamari

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the legacy of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup on domestic soccer consumption in Qatar, with emphasis on long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes two years post-event. Although sport mega-events (SMEs) are often justified by projected economic and infrastructural benefits, less empirical attention has been devoted to their enduring influence on domestic sport consumption, particularly in small host nations. This study investigated whether engagement with the World Cup, operationalized as attendance, media viewership, event-related spending, and participation in pre-game activities predicted subsequent attitudes, subjective norms, and PBC toward consuming soccer at local, regional, and global levels. The moderating …

Acoustics Of The Kettle Drum: A Scientific Approach To Timpani Performance, Yuesen Yang

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation bridges the gap between scientific and performance approaches in timpani pedagogy. While the timpani have long been a member of various ensembles, its pedagogy often relies on experiential knowledge of the performers. This study synthesizes findings from acoustical research with traditional teaching sources to establish a coherent framework for timpani pedagogy.

Chapter one introduces the study’s purpose, states the problem, and presents the methodology. It also clarifies the scope of this dissertation. It identifies the lack of consistency between acoustic research and current pedagogical approach, proposing a comparative analysis of scientific literature and established pedagogical texts.

Chapter two …

A Compositional Analysis For Selected Works Featuring Saxophone By Braxton Blake, Matthew Allen Floeter

Theses and Dissertations

During the 2025-2026 school year, I have had the pleasure of working with Braxton “Brad” Blake to analyze and present on his theoretical approach to composition. As part of this project, I have learned and performed all of the music in this document. I firmly believe that one’s understanding of compositional technique is more fully realized through the preparation and performance of it. This document will provide insight into the compositional method in Seven Places (1998), Partita (2018), Three Dances (2022), and a Four Pieces for Baritone Saxophone and Piano (2026), presented in chronological order. Additionally, I have conducted several …

Deep Learning Algorithms For Generative Materials Design And Composition Based Property Prediction, Rongzhi Dong

Theses and Dissertations

The accelerated discovery of novel functional materials is critical for advancing trans- formative technologies in energy storage, electronics, and catalysis. Current discovery strategies, whether experimental trial-and-error or DFT-based computational screen- ing, are fundamentally constrained by the limited size and diversity of existing materials databases and the difculty of building predictive models that generalize beyond known compounds. Despite signifcant progress in both experimental and computational approaches, two central challenges persist in modern materials science: generating large numbers of realistic, stable, and synthesizable materials outside existing databases, and developing machine learning models capable of accurately inferring structures and predicting properties under realistic …

The Practice Of Being Human: Reflections On The Evolution Of My Acting Process, Elaine Christine Werren

Theses and Dissertations

An actor’s work is defined by process. Growth occurs not only through performance, but through examination and reflection on how this work is made. This thesis explores the evolution of my acting process as I created a variety of characters in shows performed on the mainstage at the University of South Carolina. Each role tested previous approaches, led to new ideas, challenged assumptions, and shaped my opinions about this craft. With the passage of time and new roles explored, my reflections have revealed that my process is not purely a technical pursuit, but a human one. Through sustained efforts and …

Revitalization: The Nature Of Viet Cuong’S Wind Band Trilogy, Benjamin Allen Pouncey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to present analyses of Viet Cuong’s three concerti grossi for chamber ensemble and wind band. Cuong (b. 1990) is an internationally acclaimed Vietnamese-American composer whose music has been performed by world-renowned ensembles. Cuong’s dedication to furthering the wind band repertoire is evident in the recognition his works receive. With a catalog featuring pieces for a variety of instrumental settings, Cuong is highly sought-after as a composer of contemporary chamber music. The three concerti, Re(new)al, Vital Sines, and Second Nature, represent a fusion of these two worlds for which Cuong so passionately composes. Cuong considers …

Assessing The Impacts Of Wastewater In Occupational Health Risks And Monitoring Infectious Diseases Within Communities, Sarah Catherine Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater and wastewater treatment plants can both positively and negatively influence public health, due to their central role in socio-ecological systems in many communities. This dissertation aimed to fill key gaps in understanding their roles: as possible sources of occupational exposure and as tools for community disease monitoring and control. The three projects in this work examined these roles, focusing on how WWTPs can impact and inform public health at both occupational and community levels. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of chronic low-dose exposure to ARGs on WWTP workers' resistomes, evaluated the potential of WBE for building-level surveillance as …

Machine Learning Toward Materials Discovery: From Crystal Mapping And Out-Of-Distribution Property Prediction To Radiation Detection And Emerging Foundation Models., Qinyang Li

Theses and Dissertations

The discovery and optimization of advanced materials are central to addressing global challenges in energy, healthcare, and sustainability. This dissertation develops representation-aware and distribution-aware machine learning frameworks to improve robustness, generalization, and interpretability in materials informatics and radiation detection. The work spans crystal structure mapping, adversarial learning for out-of- distribution prediction, foundation-model-based property prediction, and deep neural classifcation of photon interactions.

A global mapping framework is frst introduced to analyze the inorganic materials space using compositional, structural, physical, and neural descriptors derived from the Materials Project database. By embedding materials into low-dimensional mani- folds, the framework reveals clustering behavior and …

Between Traditions And Techniques: The Growth Of An Actor Across Styles And Cultures, Didem Ruhi Karci

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reflects on my artistic development during the Master of Fine Arts in Acting program at the University of South Carolina through an analysis of several performance processes, including The Visit, the Commedia dell’arte devised piece Mad Love, Antigone, Twelfth Night, and The Importance of Being Earnest. Drawing from rehearsal experiences, performance practices, and classroom training, the thesis examines how different acting techniques and theatrical traditions shaped my approach to character creation and performance. Throughout these productions, I explored the relationship between voice, body, and emotional truth while applying tools such as the Alexander Technique, Lessac voice work, Michael …

Exploring Genetic Causes And Perspectives Of Uninformative Snp- Based Cell-Free Dna Prenatal Screening Results, Teeya Mercer

Theses and Dissertations

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based cell-free DNA (cfDNA) prenatal screening can yield uninformative results, including “atypical finding” and low fetal fraction results which can present challenges for clinical management. Limited data exists regarding the underlying causes, pregnancy outcomes, and patient experiences associated with these results. The purpose of this study was to explore the different potential underlying causes of these uninformative results while also exploring the pregnancy outcomes and the perspectives of patients who have received one. A mixed methods study was conducted consisting of a retrospective chart review on patients who had a documented appointment with a genetic counselor for …

The Effects Of Whole-Body Vibration On Countermovement Jump Kinetics And Performance, Garrett Reese Evans

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: Whole-body vibration (WBV) is reported to be an effective training modality for increasing vertical jump height. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear because limited studies have examined the effects of WBV on kinetic variables underling jump height. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of WBV on jump height (JH), modified reactive strength index (RSImod), and eccentric rate of force development (eRFD) during the countermovement jumps (CMJ) in recreationally-active young adults.

METHODS: Fifteen participants (13 male, 2 female, 21.5±1.89yr, 1.78±0.10m, 80.2±15.0kg) completed three randomly-ordered WBV exposures (0s, 30s, or 60s: 35Hz, 2mm amplitude). Three CMJ were …

Sex Differences In Cardiac Autonomic Response To Physical Exertion Following Concussion In Adolescents, Kiersten Isabella Mangold

Theses and Dissertations

Concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries, are common amongst adolescent populations. Despite the qualifier of “mild”, these injuries can have a lasting impact on quality of life and school function. It has long been suggested that females experience poorer outcomes following concussion compared to their male counterparts, yet much research focuses primarily on male populations. Various theories have been proposed to explain these reported sex differences in concussion outcomes, ranging from socio-cultural differences in symptom reporting to neuroanatomical differences and the influence of sex hormones. Cardiac autonomic function (C-ANS) has emerged as a potential contributing mechanism to post-concussive symptoms. Although …

Learning To Stop Being Clever, Dominic Delong-Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the actors process for four productions in the University of South Carolina’s Theatre and Dance Department spanning from Winter of 2024 to Fall of 2025 and taking place as part of the MFA program in acting. These four productions – The Visit by Frederich Durrenmatt, directed by Craig Miller; Antigone by Sophocles, directed by Lauren Wilson; Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck, directed by Erica Tobolski; and The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, directed by Dustin Whitehead – form critical points in the MFA program of study, allowing for the practical application of techniques and approaches learned …

From Experience To Reasoning: Offline Rl Subroutines And Llm-Based Grounding For Sample-Efficient Reinforcement Learning, Jianhai Su

Theses and Dissertations

Improving the learning efficiency of reinforcement learning (RL) agents remains a fundamental challenge, particularly in environments characterized by sparse rewards, long horizons, or partial observability. This dissertation investigates how RL agents can learn more efficiently through two complementary forms of guidance: mechanisms derived purely from an agent’s own experience and mechanisms that leverage reasoning priors from pretrained large language models (LLMs).

On the experience-driven side, the frst study develops a general framework for incorporating ofine RL algorithms as subroutines within an online RL process. In this framework, an agent periodically repurposes its replay bufer as an ofine dataset and applies …

Guilt’S Role In Sustainable Fashion Adoption: Bridging The Attitude-Behavioral Intention Gap And Moral Influences On Consumer Choices, Lauren Mckenzie Cole

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial increase in consumer awareness within the fashion industry. Despite increased consumer consciousness and a growing interest in adopting sustainable fashion habits, a notable gap exists between consumer attitudes, intentions, and actual behavior. This is referred to as the attitude-behavior gap. Although many consumers express a desire to adopt sustainable fashion consumption habits, various psychological factors and barriers hinder their ability to do so. This Study addresses these challenges, focusing specifically on the role of guilt as a motivating factor in bridging the attitude-behavior gap. Using a survey with Generation Z consumers, this study …