Digital Commons Network^™

Hollers, Hills, And Buckshot : Anthologies Of Appalachia, Jessica Codell Mcclanahan

Theses - ALL

The works and thesis I present are in the spirit of reclaiming what it means to be a Hillbilly. Within this thesis I examine and demonstrate how decades of stereotypes play a role into how people and environments of Appalachia are devalued for the benefit of extractive industries. Showcasing that these industries are in direct opposition to the traditions of life in the area. Appalachia, being traditionally a land based economy and way of living, presents unique folkways demonstrated with worldviews that correlate life and land treatment. Crafts, folkways, and folk arts of the area highlight these views and history. …

Non-Compressible Grade 4 Hemorrhagic Liver Injury Model For Assessment Of Shape Memory Polymers As A Hemostatic Agent, Shi S. Dong

Theses - ALL

Uncontrolled hemorrhage is a leading cause of trauma-related deaths, particularly in combat situations. The most administered treatment is gauze and tourniquets, which are shown to be ineffective for up to 80% of wounds, including non-compressible hemorrhage sites, such as those in the torso region. Shape memory polymer (SMP) foams have been shown to be an effective hemostatic dressing for traumatic wounds due to the tunability of their rapid clotting, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and drug-loading abilities. The SMP foam design can be characterized with animal models, and a porcine liver injury is the current ‘gold standard’ animal model. To address …

“We Are Men”: Constituting The Prisoners’ Rights Movement Through Prison Writing, Emily Kathryn Iknayan

Theses - ALL

In this thesis, I investigate how the discourse of incarcerated writers responds to the Attica Prison Uprising across time and geography in prison newspapers and poetry. I first argue that the rhetorical responses of incarcerated writers in the first six months after the uprising construct Attica as an Event, a moment characterized by intense difference where everything becomes possible. A scrutiny of the Event requires dwelling in the moment before clear meanings have been solidified, so conceptualizing Attica as an Event in the writings that are temporally and geographically close to Attica requires speculation. By the time the first-year anniversary …

Consumer Spaces, Objects, And Bodies, Olivia Dovorany

Theses - ALL

Consumer Spaces, Objects, and Bodies is an exploration of consumerism and a study of objects, delving into the different marketplaces and products designed to influence our behavior. Using methods of collecting and image making, I question the relationship to my own consumption and challenge how I am programmed to respond as a consumer.

Performance As Preservation: Constructing Queer Love In Public Memory, Aevyn Barnett

Theses - ALL

Abstract This thesis explores the intersections of queer vernacular photography, queer history, and performance as a means of preservation. The artifacts that are analyzed include a selection of vintage, queer, vernacular photographs (VQVPs) that come from three published collections, as well as The Gay Gala, a performance installation that took place on February 13, 2024, at Syracuse University. The Gay Gala offered a gallery style installation with original photographs and recreated photographs, as well as costume pieces and an area for attendees to recreate their own photographs. Anonymous, written feedback was gathered from attendees during the Gala, which is used …

Diplomacy And The Dead: Authenticating The Sacred In Early Modern Spain, Caroline Barraco

Theses - ALL

This thesis considers two case studies from the transnational Spanish relic trade at the turn of the seventeenth century. The first study is that of Don Guillén de San Clemente y Centellas, a Spanish ambassador active at the end of the sixteenth century who was a conduit for antique and medieval relics for elite collectors within Spain. The second is of Luisa de Carvajal y Mendoza, was a Spanish noblewoman who traveled to England at the beginning of the seventeenth century and retrieved, prepared, and transported the bodies of Catholic martyrs back to Spain as new relics. These case studies …

The Unmasking Journey Of A Neurodivergent Art Therapy Student Using The El Duende One-Canvas Process Painting: An Art-Based Heuristic Self-Inquiry, Celena Moulton

Theses - ALL

This study examines the unmasking journey of a neurodivergent art therapy student through an art-based heuristic self-inquiry. The rationale lies in understanding the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals and exploring the process of unmasking within the context of neurodiversity and art therapy. Participants consisted of the researcher, a neurodivergent art therapy student, who utilized a qualitative approach. The art-based heuristic methodology involved the engagement in response art, the El Duende Process Painting, and journal reflections to document the author’s unmasking journey. Data analysis involved thematic analysis, with key findings underscoring the significance of safety, belonging, and authenticity in the unmasking …

The Girls: Queering The Family Archive, Kathleen Warren

Theses - ALL

My research and artistic practice explore how queerness can offer a liberatory framework for confronting intergenerational cycles of grief that reinforce the dual closets of emotional and sexual repression. Rooted in my own family’s history of traumatic loss, I explore the dialectics of memory and identity in my project The Girls. I explore how closeting operates in families and archives through several theoretical frameworks, with perspectives from Marianne Hirsch, bell hooks, and Michael Foucault’s History of Sexuality. By investigating the gendered roles imposed by the traditional family gaze, religion, and shame, the text examines how photography, archives, and performance can …

The New Negro Myth, Jaleel Blanchard

Theses - ALL

The New Negro Myth explores the ways minstrel entertainment has influenced the creation and building of the animation and comics industry. My practice explores worldbuilding and character creation that pays homage to the aforementioned industries while interrogating already existing narratives. These characters are created with the vestigial minstrel (a character that is reminiscent of the minstrel) and vaudeville acts in mind. I also discuss the theme of the “other”, which plays a big role in limiting black representation as it creates an opposing force to white hegemony. Characters have consequently fallen prey to the “other” and the minstrel tradition, making …

Dead Woman Walking: Articulating Historical Violence Toward The Femme Through Visual Art And Cultural Experience, Angelica Elizabeth Starcovic

Theses - ALL

Individual identity formation is a crucial tool in my artistic practice. I rely on articulating my experiences as femme to reclaim and denounce the signifiers of femininity invented and perverted by patriarchy. Using historical survey of instances and explorations of fear and violence through art and visual culture, my works reckon with how archaic gender beliefs still entrench themselves in our contemporary worldviews and their psychological results. The deconstructions of these facades uncover the violence and fear ingrained in feminine identity inflicted through bodily control in culture. Here I argue for her humanity against the abject violence culture and media …

A Thematic Analysis Of The Experiences Of Black Participants And Their Life Satisfaction In Relation To Living In Syracuse, Shalyce Wilson

Theses - ALL

Syracuse, NY has a long history of poverty, crime, and low academic performance, especially in communities that Black residents call home. A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Black Participants and Their Life Satisfaction in Relation to Living in Syracuse is an exploratory study that examines the life satisfaction of Black residents of Syracuse, NY, as well as what aspects of their lives most affect--and are most affected by--their overall life satisfaction. The theory that guided this research is the bottom-up life satisfaction theory, which states that overall life satisfaction is dependent upon how an individual weighs their own satisfaction …

Does Increased Productivity Ensure Food Security And Food Sovereignty? Case Study: Productivity, Food Security, And Gender Participation Within The Framework Of The “Sustenta” Project In Nampula Province, Mozambique., Arcenia Notilija Vilanculo

Theses - ALL

When food security and sovereignty are viewed from a gendered lens, critical questions arise concerning inclusive participation in food systems. While policymaking is pivotal in ensuring gender parity in these systems, the lack of stakeholder engagement and buy-in during the policy design process hinders governmental efforts to create and implement policies that effectively ensure food and nutritional security for all. This research examines agricultural productivity, food security, land tenure, and stakeholder engagement in the context of SUSTENTA project in Nampula. The methodology adopts a qualitative approach, incorporating data from semi-structured interviews, featuring predefined questions and topics and a thorough literature …

Examining The Effects Of Writing Interventions On Third-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension, Monique Antoine

Theses - ALL

Writing interventions have proven to be effective in improving students’ reading skills (Graham & Herbert, 2011) but are generally underacknowledged. In the current study, data from a randomized controlled trial examined whether there were differences in third-grade students’ reading comprehension based on whether they received a Performance Feedback + Cover, Copy, Compare intervention (n = 47) or a Performance Feedback intervention (n = 48). Results indicated that students assigned to the Performance Feedback + Cover, Copy, Compare intervention did not improve their reading comprehension to a greater extent than the Performance Feedback intervention. No statistically significant differences were observed in …

Not Quite, But Not Quite Not, Markus Denil

Theses - ALL

Through this MFA thesis I embark on an exploratory voyage, not to find solid ground, but rather an exploration at sea, where the tides and currents of masculinity, transmasculinity, place finding, and self-identification ebb and flow. This expedition is less a search for answers and more an odyssey of asking questions that inevitably beget even more questions. Through a series of multimedia works, including sculptures, installations, and drawings, I begin to tease out the dissonant relationship between the trans narrative and conventional understandings of time and space. Time moves differently here.

Causes, Effects And Amelioration Of Mob Justice In Liberia: A Case Study Of Paynesville Joe Bar In Monrovia, Kronyan Nawin Jappah

Theses - ALL

Mob justice refers to acts of violence meted out against an individual or individuals alleged to have committed a crime. Studies suggest that the inability of states to ensure equity, fairness, and impartiality within judicial proceedings facilitate mob justice. This study aims to explore causes, effects, and amelioration of mob justice in Joe Bar Community, Paynesville, Liberia. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire, focus groups and interviews from 300 community residents and legal practitioners in the Joe Bar Community. The causes of mob justice in Liberia are multi-faceted. In addition to a weak judiciary, the country has a history …

Oral Health Education And Dental Care Access Of Families Of Children With Down Syndrome In New Mexico, Alayna Marissa Holcomb

Dental Hygiene ETDs

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the oral health education and dental care access of families of children with Down syndrome in New Mexico.

Methods: The data were gathered from a survey available to members of the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network for 14 days containing 13 questions.

Results: The most reported age range for the individuals in care were 0-14 years at 41.6%. Most individuals with Down syndrome receive dental services every six months (62.5%) at a regular dental office (54.2%). Caregivers reported the individuals are taking 1-2 prescription medications (54.2%) and not aware of …

Wearing Endangered Species, Kylie Perry

Honors Theses

The biodiversity of our ecosystems is under constant threat every day; this makes public awareness of environmental issues incredibly important. Since this is such a time sensitive issue it is necessary to increase public awareness immediately. The constant threat was caused by humanity so we should be the ones to help save the endangered species before they are gone. My thesis focuses on how art can bring awareness to environmental issues and more specifically endangered species. This project involves linocuts printed on recycled paper on the topic of five species of endangered animals. Through the medium of printmaking, this project …

Explaining Geographic Disparities In Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: The Roles Of Physical Environment, Industry Structures, And State Policies, Yue Sun

Dissertations - ALL

Geographic disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in the United States are significant and have grown over time. The overarching objective of this dissertation is to explain geographic disparities in CVD mortality from air pollution, counties’ industry structures, and states’ environmental policies. Understanding the associations between these physical environments and CVD mortality is important because it can help to inform strategies for reducing geographic disparities in CVD mortality and promoting population health. In the first empirical chapter, I examine the associations between air pollution and county-level CVD mortality for the years 2016 to 2018 and how these associations vary across …

Comparing Equivalent Face-To-Face [F2f] And Online [Ol] Delivery Formats: Observations Of Learner Interactions To Determine Instructional Quality, Garmondyu D. Whorway

Dissertations - ALL

Instruction, designed to impact learning, accentuates the quantity and quality of learner interactions. Theoretically, the higher the level or quantity of learner interaction within instruction, the higher the quality of instruction. Learner interactions are fostered through learner-to-learner (L2L), learner-to-instructor (L2I), and learner-to-content (L2C) experiences. Higher education graduate programs have advanced over the last few decades to enhance learner interactions by providing quality instructional experiences using technologies in multiple delivery options, ranging from traditional face-to-face (F2F) or residency options to various newer formats in a variety of online (OL) versions. Today, learners are often faced with the choice to enroll in …

Generating And Detecting Adversarial Examples For Increased Security And Privacy, Weiheng Chai

Dissertations - ALL

With the advancement of hardware and algorithms, Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have become ubiquitous in various real-world applications, some of which are highly sensitive to security and privacy issues. These applications include perception systems in autonomous vehicles, indoor surveillance systems, and medical image processing. Recent years have seen an increased focus on understanding the vulnerabilities of DNNs and the development of various adversarial attack and defense methods. This thesis delves into the detection of adversarial examples and the utilization of these adversarial examples for data privacy protection. Adversarial examples pose significant risks to the deployment of DNN applications, encouraging researchers …

Ace Invisibilities: Asexual Social Identity Through Podcasting And Digital Media, Kyle Kreye Webster

Dissertations - ALL

Asexuality is a growing topic of sexuality and media scholarship as representations and expressions of asexual identity have seen a small but significant rise in traditional and digital media throughout the 21st century. However, much of the existing media and scholarship has focused on the definition and self-identification of asexuality. This emphasis has lead to a research gap in the consideration of asexual social identity and its expression in media spaces. To address this gap, this textual analysis study examined the content and social media fan reception of the asexual conversation and interview podcast Sounds Fake But Okay through the …

Path Planning And Cyber-Physical System Integration In Unmanned Aerial Vehicles For Wireless Communication, Mohamad Hani Sulieman

Dissertations - ALL

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become indispensable in a variety of fields, including surveillance, emergency response, packet delivery, and data collection for the Internet of Things (IoT). These systems are also critical in enhancing connectivity within cellular networks. This dissertation focuses on improving UAV operational efficiency and security by advancing trajectory optimization techniques, enhancing trajectory design through antenna radiation patterns, and increasing resilience against cyber-physical attacks, particularly GPS sensor faults. The first part of the study addresses UAV trajectory optimization in wireless communications, highlighting the significance of trajectory planning in improving the efficiency and reliability of UAV operations. Effective trajectory …

Development And Progress Towards Functional Photoresponsive Systems, Jasmine Gomez

Dissertations - ALL

Chapter 2: Surface Functionalization of Thermally-Expandable Microspheres with Gold Nanoparticles The advancement of methods for controlling motion on a variety of scales is significant in order to develop finely tuned next-generation devices. Here, we’ve created a micron-scale actuator system triggered via photothermal activation and capable of powering macro-scale movement in an elastomer matrix. This system fundamentally relies on thermally-expandable microspheres (TEMs) – a core-shell complex containing a polymeric shell and liquid core that expands dramatically upon heating. To improve the ability of TEMs as soft-actuators controlled via light, we grafted a secondary silicate-silane copolymer shell to attach gold nanoparticles. The …

A Molecular Toolbox To Study Dopamine And Serotonin Receptors For The Development Of Improved Therapeutics, Emma Joanna Doukmak

Dissertations - ALL

Dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling pathways are involved in numerous biological processes including behavior, mood regulation, and cognition. Dysfunction in these pathways can lead to neurological and mental health disorders, which are often treated with drugs targeting the dopamine and serotonin receptors. However, many of these drugs, along with those targeting other G protein couple receptors (GPCRs), suffer a lack of target specificity, leading to nonspecific binding and therefore side effects. In recent years, new advances in chemical biological techniques, including affinity-based protein profiling (ABPP) and optogenetics, have further elucidated the structure and function of GPCRs, which can in turn aid …

Making Hybridity Happen: Hybrid Entrepreneurship Motivations And Practices Among Docpreneurs In Ghana, Charis Asante-Agyei

Dissertations - ALL

A rising number of professionals around the world are engaging in hybrid entrepreneurship, the phenomenon in which employees simultaneously start a venture while maintaining a full-time wage job. Motivations for hybrid entrepreneurship include income supplementation, non-monetary benefits, and a means by which to transition to full-time entrepreneurship, however little else is known about the nuanced motivations and practices of hybrid entrepreneurs. This dissertation addresses this gap in understanding via a multi-method qualitative study of docpreneurs, i.e. medical doctors who engage in hybrid entrepreneurship, in Ghana. Data was collected using surveys, semi-structured interviews, and vignettes from 40 participants. Through an inductive …

Explaining Authoritarian Populist Behavior During Episodes Of Democratic Backsliding, Samantha Call

Dissertations - ALL

The world has seen an increase in backsliding states in the past 15 years, with authoritarian populist leaders concentrating power through executive aggrandizement and limitations on civil liberties (Bermeo 2016). Democratic institutions are often targeted by an authoritarian populist during episodes of democratic backsliding either directly through taking away powers from the institutions or indirectly through using rhetoric to weaken public trust in the institutions. Scholars have identified patterns that suggest targeting the court and legislature first is the most common strategy of backsliders, while other institutions are targeted later. However, there is variation among these cases, with not all …

Initiated Reading: Occult Hermeneutics In Helena Blavatsky's Isis Unveiled, Diana Brown

Dissertations - ALL

In this dissertation, I argue that Theosophical Society co-founder Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s first major work, Isis Unveiled (1877), describes an occult hermeneutic of myth based on the privileging of intuition, theorized especially in Neoplatonic terms, and premised on a tripartite spirit-soul-body constitution of the human being. Her hermeneutic also privileges initiation, construed as experiential gnosis often produced by ritual, and she opposes both intuition and initiation to reason and empiricism. Theorizing global myths as allegories revealing elements of a universal religion, or secret doctrine, traceable to India, she brings together an esotericism premised on a combination of Indian religion and …

Urban Latinx Community Engagement In Activism And Advocacy: Community Members Interrogating Educational Systems, Policies, & Practices, Jermaine Soto

Dissertations - ALL

This critical qualitative research study (Denzin, 2017) explores how Latinx community members within the Near Westside neighborhood in Syracuse, NY serve as activists and advocates in interrogating educational systems, policies, and practices. By focusing on a specific neighborhood that houses a significant and diverse Latinx community within a smaller U.S. city, this study adds to the scholarship that oftentimes focus on Latinx communities within larger metropolises. This study also allows for a deep sociohistorical understanding of the ways in which Latinx community members engage educational inequities and injustices. This study utilizes a Lat Crit Constructivist Grounded methodology, influenced by Malagon, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Deaf Entrepreneurs In China And The United States, Wei Wu

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This paper compares the challenges that Deaf business people face in the US and China. The goal is to understand the experience of Deaf people in each country and to see what each country can learn from the other. To understand the experience of Deaf people in these countries, I will first look at the history of disability in each country and the challenges Deaf people face with gaining employment or becoming entrepreneurs. Then, I compare the cultural attitudes of each country towards Deaf people and the policy frameworks each country uses to create opportunities for Deaf people. Finally, this …

Proctor & Gamble’S Irreverent Wartime Marketing Campaign, Mary Gifford

History & Classics Student Scholarship

In the early twentieth century, Ivory Soap was renowned in America as a “dependable, old fashioned house-hold soap,” but by mid-century they began to face struggles with the rise of competition from similar soap companies and needed to differentiate themselves. The market was at capacity, with the “sales of soap to consumers rapidly reaching the saturation point and synthetic detergents coming into wider use, soap manufacturers face the ‘keenest competition in years.’” This saturation coincided with economic challenges stemming from World War II. During this turbulent period, marketing for non-essential products declined, prompting Procter & Gamble, Ivory Soap’s parent company, …