Digital Commons Network^™

Dem Simulations For Tractive Performance Of Rigid Wheel In Granular Media, Aidan Noah Dickerson

Theses and Dissertations

Accurately predicting vehicle mobility in granular media is essential for evaluating off-road mobility in agriculture, defense, and planetary exploration. Traditional empirical models often fail in capturing complex micromechanics of soil deformation, especially under dynamic conditions such as high slips and maneuvering. This study demonstrates the value of the discrete element method (DEM) in modeling wheel-soil interactions with higher fidelity. Using Altair EDEM and pre-calibrated GEMM materials, simulations were conducted for a range of forward (-5.9% to 54.8%) and side slip angles (3°, 6°, 12°) in dry sand. DEM enabled detailed analysis of sinkage, traction forces, and lateral loads, revealing trends …

Faculty Adoption Of The Canvas Learning Management System: An Application Of The Utaut2 Framework, Alyssa Hutcheson Mckinley

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine faculty adoption of the Canvas LMS at a public university through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework. Survey data were collected from faculty across multiple colleges within the university and were used to explore the predictive power of the UTAUT2 constructs including hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, habit and behavioral intention. In addition to this, disciplinary differences along with discipline-specific needs were also considered in order to better understand adoption patterns. The results of this study indicated habit, hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, and the …

How Are Teacher Leadership Characteristics Defined?: Investigating The Development Of Leadership Identity, Role Clarity, And Administrative Support, Anna C. Daher

Theses and Dissertations

The research study investigated how graduates of a teacher leadership preparation program perceived their development as teacher leaders, the factors that supported or hindered their leadership practices, and how their lived experiences aligned with the Teacher Leader Model Standards. The mixed method qualitative research study was designed to examine how teacher leaders make meaning of their growth and enactment of leadership while remaining in classroom roles. Eighteen graduates of a teacher leadership preparation program at a public university in Mississippi completed a survey on their leadership development and current roles. Of those, six participants representing diverse educational backgrounds, experience levels, …

Analysis Of Trends From Mass Concrete Case Studies, Bradford Songer

Theses and Dissertations

While conventional mass concrete is well understood, high strength and ultra high performance concrete present unique challenges when placed in large volumes. This thesis compiles and analyzes thermal data from mass high strength and ultra high performance concrete placements collected over the past eight years by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of military construction projects. The datasets span a wide range of material types and volumes. The analysis identifies trends in temperature development, temperature differentials, and the influence of mixture constituents on heat generation. This thesis contributes to the improved understanding of thermal behavior in mass concrete. …

Exploring The Impact Of Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Integrated Systems In The Workplace, Catherine Cruz Agosto Noda

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on assessing the impact of incorporating systems integrated with in the workplace by assessing the constructs of usability, cognitive load, and trust. The constructs are assessed by generation and experience level to determine which factors are relevant in a workplace setting. A workplace scenario was simulated by asking participants to complete tasks where they assumed the role of a warehouse manager assigned with assessing two scheduling systems – one with artificial intelligence and one without artificial intelligence. The participants were presented with three tasks of increasing difficulty for each prototype. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used …

Enhancing Leadership Development For Faculty And Staff At Community Colleges, Christopher L. Haralson

Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges serve as critical gateways to higher education and workforce advancement, yet many lack formal leadership development programs tailored to their unique missions and operational challenges. This capstone project explores the need for and proposes the design of a comprehensive leadership program for community colleges, addressing three guiding questions: (1) How can community colleges build institutional support for leadership development programs? (2) In what ways can leadership programs increase faculty and staff engagement to improve student success? (3) How can structured leadership programs serve as foundations for succession planning within college administration? A desk-based research methodology was employed, anchored …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Novice Teacher Retention Through Logistical And Administrative Support, Denise Fleurette Harrel

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the challenges novice teachers encounter and how structured support systems impact their job satisfaction, effectiveness, and retention. The review focuses on administrative and logistical support, highlighting gaps between teacher preparation and classroom realities that contribute to high attrition (Falk, 2017; Koca, 2016). Key challenges include insufficient time management training, inconsistent expectations, and limited district or school-level support (Fantilli & McDougall, 2009), all of which are intensified by the demands of navigating modern classroom technologies (Philipsen et al., 2019). The literature review centers on teacher perceptions to clarify what constitutes effective logistical and administrative support (Banerjee et al., …

Optimizing Military Fighter Jet Selection: A Decision Analysis Approach For Nuclear-Capable Aircraft, Eni Kelechi Ofong

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the strategic decision-making process involved in selecting a nuclear-capable fighter aircraft for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) nations in Europe. In adaptation to the continuously changing technology landscape and the necessity for enhanced deterrence capabilities, this study evaluates three potential aircraft: the legacy Panavia Tornado (PA-200), the widely deployed F-16 Fighting Falcon (F-16), and the advanced F-35 Lightning II (F-35). Each platform presents distinct advantages and limitations regarding operational performance, mission adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. To systematically assess these alternatives, the study employs various decision analysis frameworks, including Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), single dimensional value function …

Inductively Heated Platinum Electrodes, Jayamini Madumali Mudugamuwa Hewage

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the fabrication and application of a 150 micrometer platinum microelectrode for induction heating, with a copper coil generating the electromagnetic field and the heating process controlled using pulse width modulation technique (PWM) to regulate the duty cycle of a high-frequency signal. Electrochemical characterization, including resonance frequency determination, peak-to-peak potential optimization, and scan rate variation, is conducted using a 5 mM [Ru(NH3)6]2+/3+ solution in 0.1 M KNO3 to calibrate current variations with changing duty cycles, while the temperature increase (delta T) is estimated using the Seebeck coefficient of [Ru(NH3)6]2+/3+. The study further explores the application of induction heating …

Strategies To Streamline Patient Appointments In Specialty Outpatient Care, Adama Drammeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Outpatient addiction treatment centers face significant challenges from inefficient appointment scheduling systems that contribute to high no-show rates, delayed care, and weakened organizational performance. These barriers affect more than daily operations; they disrupt the flow of treatment, increase patient disengagement, and place additional strain on limited healthcare resources. For patients navigating substance use disorders, a missed appointment may jeopardize continuity of care and undermine recovery efforts. This integrative review explored strategies to improve scheduling efficiency and enhance patient engagement in outpatient addiction care. A systematic search of recent U.S. studies was conducted and appraised using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based …

Concerted Rattling-Induced Strong Anharmonicity And Phonon Coherence Lead To Ultralow Glasslike Thermal Conductivity In Tlagte, Shantanu Semwal, Yi Xia, Chris Wolverton, Koushik Pal

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ordered crystalline compounds exhibiting ultralow and glass-like thermal conductivity are both fundamentally and technologically important, where phonon quasi-particles dominate their heat transport. Understanding the microscopic mechanisms that govern such unusual transport behavior is necessary to unravel the complex interplay of crystal structure, phonons, and collective excitations of these quasi-particles. Here, we use state-of-the-art first-principles calculations based on quantum density functional theory to investigate the origin of experimentally measured unusually low and glassy thermal conductivity in semiconducting TlAgTe that possesses disconnected chains of Tl atoms within its three-dimensional crystalline framework made up of distorted AgTe4 tetrahedra. Utilizing a unifying framework of …

Understanding Outer Membrane Vesicle Biogenesis In Bacteroides Thetaiotaomicron, Evan J. Pardue

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are small proteoliposomes generated by active protrusion of the outer membrane (OM) in Gram-negative bacteria during growth. Over 60 years of experimentation has ascribed numerous functions to OMVs produced by different bacteria. However, the mechanism(s) by which OMVs are produced is poorly understood. Due to this, the field remains controversial because many regard OMVs as byproducts of cell lysis and question their physiological relevance. Previous studies in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and related species confirmed that these microbes undergo programmed cell death that results in the stochastic release of vesicles and cellular contents. On the contrary, Bacteroides spp. …

Study Of Isocyanate-Free Vegetable Oil-Based Polyurethane Coating With A Silicon-Based Compound For Coating Properties, Ajay Kumar

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The development of sustainable and environmentally friendly polyurethane coatings has garnered significant attention in recent years. This research focuses on the development of isocyanate-free coatings derived from carbonated soybean oil (CSBO) using a solvent- and catalyst-free approach. The coatings were synthesized by reacting CSBO with ethylenediamine (EDA) and varying weight percentages of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), which were added to enhance the coating property, as it contains silicon in it, to evaluate their mechanical and thermal properties. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful formation of urethane linkages, with a significant reduction in C=O peak intensity after 10 days of curing, …

The Diamond, December 12, 2025, Dordt University

Dordt Diamond

• Front Page: Dordt TPUSA Chapter Stuck in Approval Process; The Future of Christian Colleges in Light of Trinity's Closure; Hoyt Reinalda - A Life of Dedication and Improbability
• Feature: "Rivers in the Desert" - Dordt Student Releases Creation Care Podcast; The Dordt Barber Boom - Student Hair Cuts Surge; Dordt Places Second in Esteemed National Finance Competition; The Church and the Crescent - Understanding Islam; Student Visas - How Proposed Legislation May Affect International Students at Dordt; The Word Became Flesh - Music Department Presents "Historic" Choral Christmas Concert
• News: Celebrating the Retirement of Librarian Tricia Kok; …

Stakeholder Criteria For Trust In Artificial Intelligence-Based Computer Perception Tools In Health Care: Qualitative Interview Study, Ansh Rai, Meghan E Hurley, John Herrington, Eric A Storch, Casey J Zampella, Julia Parrish-Morris, Anika Sonig, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Kristin Kostick-Quenet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Computer perception (CP) technologies hold significant promise for advancing precision mental health care systems, given their ability to leverage algorithmic analysis of continuous, passive sensing data from wearables and smartphones (eg, behavioral activity, geolocation, vocal features, and ambient environmental data) to infer clinically meaningful behavioral and physiological states. However, successful implementation critically depends on cultivating well-founded stakeholder trust.

Objective: This study aims to investigate, across adolescents, caregivers, clinicians, and developers, the contingencies under which CP technologies are deemed trustworthy in health care.

Methods: We conducted 80 semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of adolescents (n=20) diagnosed with autism, Tourette …

End-To-End Differentiable Gnss Positioning With Neural Network-Derived Weights, Yu Liu, Duong Hoang, Ian Atkinson, Mohammed Tawashi, Saket Patkar, Anant Sahai

Defensive Publications Series

There is a fundamental limitation in accuracy and robustness of traditional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning techniques that rely on the Weighted Least Squares (WLS) algorithm. Traditional techniques use static heuristic functions for assigning weights to pseudorange measurements in the WLS algorithm. This disclosure addresses these limitations by replacing the static heuristic functions that are used for assigning weights to pseudorange measurements in the WLS algorithm with a trained Neural Network (NN). This NN acts as a dynamic Satellite Weight Prediction Model. Per the techniques described herein, the entire positioning pipeline—from satellite features to final positional error—is treated as …

Logic-Based Dynamic Resource Determination For Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Iain Foulds

Defensive Publications Series

Some retrieval-augmented generation systems can be limited by a reliance on static, predefined resource lists, which may become outdated, or by computationally expensive and potentially non-deterministic search queries. The disclosed technology describes a logic-based method for the dynamic determination and retrieval of supplemental information sources. A system, such as a client computing device or server, can parse an input to extract contextual identifiers and apply a configurable set of rules, patterns, and heuristics to infer the location of relevant resources. These resources may then be fetched to augment a large language model or other generative model. This approach can provide …

Unpacking Identity Work Mechanisms For A Person-Centered Approach To Business And Management Education, Carla Campana, Pablo Leao

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

We explore identity work among undergraduate business students who resist the identity prevailing in traditional business schools. The study investigates an educational program that fosters identity work, allowing students to add facets to their emergent identity. Through in-depth interviews, the researchers uncovered a process in which students resist the hegemonic identity of business administrators, seeking alternative experiences that redefine their identity. Our research contribution is two-fold. First, we extend the concept of identity workspaces by introducing three mechanisms: autonomy, a psychological safe space, and group embeddedness. These mechanisms enable students to engage in an identity work process and reidentify with …

2023u_Approved_Sm02_Pm_Minor-Chemistry-Curr-Update, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Sm03_Pm_Bs-Environmental-Science-Curr-Update, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Lac28_Nc_Art-3473-History-In-Practice, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2022u_Approved_Lac138_Nc_Digi-3133-Cybersecurity-Risk-Management, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2022u_Approved_Lac134_New-Emphasis_Bs-Digital-Tech-And-Design-Web-Development-Emphasis, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2022u_Approved_Lac133_New-Emphasis_Bs-Digital-Tech-And-Design-Software-Design-And-Development-Emphasis, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2022u_Approved_Lac131_New-Emphasis_Bs-Digital-Tech-And-Design-Artificial-Intelligence-Emphasis, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ecs17_Pm_Bs-Mechanical-Systems-Engineering, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ecs16_Pm_Bs-Industrial-Systems-Engineering, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ecs15_Pm_Bs-Electrical-Systems-Engineering, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ecs12_Cm_Me-3523-Introduction-To-Robotics, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

2023u_Approved_Ecs13_Cm_Me-4523-Intro-To-Finite-Element-Analysis, Undergraduate Curriculum Council

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.