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About The Journal, Christopher Meindl

Florida Geographer

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Charting The Course : The Role Of Imo Within The Unclos Legal Framework In Tackling Challenges Of Contemporary Shipping, M. C. Romero, R. Beckman, T. Nguyen, J. Ong, G. Theocharidis

Reports

This report documents the proceedings of the two-day workshop, "Charting the Course: The role of IMO within the UNCLOS legal framework in tackling challenges of contemporary shipping," jointly organized by the World Maritime University (WMU) and the Centre for International Law (CIL) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). The event took place in Malmö, Sweden, from June 9 to 10, 2025.

The central theme was the complementary relationship between the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and IMO regulations, with an emphasis on the flag State’s duties under UNCLOS Article 94. The workshop’s core …

Psychedelic Medicine Exceptionalism, Mason Marks, I. Glenn Cohen

Scholarly Publications

Research on psychedelic medicines is experiencing a revival. Some clinicians, scientists, and ethicists believe that psychedelics are so different from other treatments that they warrant special consideration in how they are researched, regulated, commercialized, and administered. Others argue that psychedelic medicines show clinical potential, but they should be treated like other medical interventions. In other words, identical standards should apply. This article analyzes whether psychedelic medicines warrant special consideration from a regulatory and ethical perspective.

“Remember, You Are Not A Superhuman”: The Lived Experience Of Rest, Unrest, And Leadership In Special Operations, Trey Zoda

Dissertations

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were …

Exploring Leadership Through The Lenses Of Psychological Safety: Experiences From The Warehousing Industry, Francis V. Manigault

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how psychological safety is experienced and sustained in warehouse environments, particularly through leadership practices. The research focused on five central questions regarding how psychological safety is defined, the barriers to sustaining it, and the specific leadership behaviors that influence employee voice and workplace culture. Seven participants from warehousing operations across the southeastern United States were selected through purposive sampling. These individuals held leadership positions and had firsthand experience with efforts to promote psychological safety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed thematically using Colaizzi’s method. The study found that psychological safety in warehouse settings …

A Phenomenological Study Of Success Despite Barriers: How Leaders With Disabilities Experience Supervisory Leadership Through The Lens Of Adaptive Leadership, Ashley Oberlander Townsend

Dissertations

People with disabilities experience unemployment and underemployment more frequently than those without disabilities and encounter obstacles to becoming supervisory leaders (Harlan & Robert, 1998; Krzeminska et al., 2019; Roberson et al., 2021). The American workforce is significantly impacted by this problem, as more than one in four people have a disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). This hermeneutic phenomenological research utilized interviews to collect data from three participants to answer the research question to explore the problem: what are leaders with disabilities’ lived experiences in overcoming barriers to achieving supervisory roles using an adaptive leadership lens? The research …

Plasmonic Nanopore Sensing For The Characterization Of Viruses And Biomolecules, Scott Renkes

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

The rapid advancement of nanomedicine has enabled increasingly precise nanotherapeutic platforms, including targeted nanoparticles, monoclonal antibodies, and viral gene delivery vectors. As these technologies mature, quality control and analytical characterization have emerged as critical bottlenecks, particularly in systems where functional outcomes depend on one-to-one molecular or particle–biological interactions. Conventional ensemble-averaged techniques obscure heterogeneity that is often central to therapeutic efficacy, safety, and manufacturability. A prominent example is adeno-associated virus (AAV)–based gene therapy, where production yields heterogeneous populations of empty, partially loaded, and fully loaded capsids. Genome fill percentage and integrity directly influence therapeutic efficacy and dosing accuracy, while limited understanding …

The Effects Of Family Communication Patterns On Young Adults’ Healthcare Encounters, Victoria Esquivel

Communication Theses - Archive

Family communication through childhood is shown to affect young adults’ health decision-making over time. This study examined young adults’ (18-28 years) perceptions of family communication patterns and their effects on avoidance of healthcare encounters, communication self-efficacy, ratings of healthcare quality and trust with healthcare providers, through the lens of Family Communication Patterns Theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a large southern university (n=127). Results showed that young adults from families high in conversation orientation rating their healthcare encounters more positively. Implications are discussed with healthcare providers, educators, and family members in mind. Future research should examine these relationships qualitatively.

Predictive Model Development For User Behavior In Smart Parking Systems Adoption, Sai Sneha Channamallu

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Parking remains a challenge in urban and university settings, affecting traffic flow, emissions, and user satisfaction. Smart Parking Systems (SPS) offer real-time, data-driven solutions, but their success depends on user perception and behavior as much as technical deployment. This dissertation develops a predictive model for SPS adoption and satisfaction, bridging the gap between system performance and user experience.

The study aimed to: (1) assess satisfaction with traditional parking systems, (2) identify behavioral drivers of SPS adoption, (3) evaluate the impact of SPS on parking experience, and (4) develop predictive models of user satisfaction. Conducted at the University of Texas at …

Systems Evaluation Supporting Feeding Program Development, Marquetta Moore

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Prior to the development of a feeding therapy program, a system evaluation was completed in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. Changes were implemented to support the program, while planning and the initial phases of the feeding therapy program began.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to enhance daily clinic operations and initiate the development of a feeding therapy program, with a focus on establishing evidence-based, family-and child-centered care.

This capstone project addressed the following objectives:

1. Assess clinic systems to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as threats and opportunities while evaluating existing processes that may impact program …

Addressing Fine Motor Skills In Kindergarten Through Embedding Occupational Fine Motor Skills In Classrooms, Mary L. Hesterwerth

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Fine motor and visual–motor delays are becoming more common among young children, driven by the shift from traditional physical play to screen time and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues are particularly concerning for kindergarten students, whose academic demands for handwriting and classroom participation are increasing despite their limited prior school experience.

Purpose: This Capstone project aimed to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapist-led training workshop for kindergarten teachers, focusing on how it helps integrate fine motor activities into daily bellwork routines. The main research question was whether this Tier 1, classroom-based strategy could enhance students’ fine …

Addressing The Challenges Of A Catholic Parish Elementary School With Systemic Design Problem Solving, Alfred E. Bradley

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

For more than a decade the repeated use of conventional analytic thinking and linear strategic planning approaches produced little effective progress or solutions for the many ongoing and emerging problems of St. Laurentius Catholic School, a parish elementary school within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Indeed, many in the community believed that their distressing pathway characterized by continued differing perceptions among stakeholders, resource limitations and lack of autonomy were leading the school to closure. When a new clerical leader who was also a Doctor of Management in Strategic Leadership student was assigned, however, he suggested a novel approach. By reframing the …

Characterization Of Dc Arc Flash Events Generated By Electrochemical Energy Storage, Nicolaus E. Jennings

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The increasing rise in the use of electrochemical energy storage (ECES) like in the form of valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, electric double layer capacitors (EDLC), and metalized film, oil filled capacitors prompt new challenges concerning electric worker safety. The primary safety hazards associated with ECES are electric shock and arc flash. The electric shock hazard is well understood to the extent where it is known what potential and exposure duration will cause levels of pain and ultimately fatality. Various personal protective equipment (PPE) like insulating gloves allow electric workers to perform maintenance with sufficient protection …

Gc-Ms, Gc-Fid, And Icp-Oes Analysis Of Produced Water: Characterization, Method Comparison And Environmental Implications, Anush Pabley

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

This thesis presents a comprehensive analytical investigation of produced water samples from various oil and gas extraction sites using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Produced water, a significant byproduct of hydrocarbon extraction, contains complex mixtures of organic and inorganic compounds that present analytical challenges and environmental concerns. This research focuses on comparing analytical methodologies, identifying chemical constituents, and evaluating the performance of these techniques against established reference data.

The study analyzed multiple produced water samples for organic compounds using EPA Methods 8260 and 8270, and for elemental composition …

It’S Hard To Say: From Customer Opinion Dispersion To Management Voluntary Disclosure Frequency, Xin Zhou

Accounting Dissertations - Archive

This paper examines the relation between the dispersion of customer opinions and the frequency of management’s voluntary disclosures. Analyzing customer review ratings from companies’ mobile applications, I find that a higher standard deviation in customer ratings correlates with lower likelihood of and less frequent management EPS forecasts. This negative association is more pronounced when mobile apps play a more central role in a firm’s business and during the early years following their app launches. The results remain robust across a series of endogeneity tests.

Enhanced Load Detection With Data-Driven Appliance Signatures Using Mixed Integer Linear Programming In Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring, Marina Materikina

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Despite the numerous research studies and interest in the non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) area to improve energy efficiency, the problem of accurate and precise disaggregation of electrical devices has not been solved yet. The goal of our research is to build a method with a focus on higher accuracy on complex state-based appliances, which most approaches struggle to detect due to their power signal complexity and low consumption. Our approach is NILM with data-driven signatures (DS), with the ability to potentially predict power usage over time that would work great for suitable applications such as demand response, anomaly detection, and …

Balancing Burnout, Quiet Quitting, And Cognitive Turnover: The Quiet Revolution Of Gen Z Workers, Mohammed M. Nour

Information Systems & Operations Management Dissertations - Archive

This study investigates the phenomenon of quiet quitting and turnover intention among working Generation Z students in the U.S. and Taiwan. Using the cross-sectional study design, data were collected from over 500 participants from the U.S. and 69 from Taiwan. This study uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and multiple regression to examine the predictive power of key workplace factors— emotional exhaustion, supervisory support, incentives, job satisfaction, and workplace environment—on both employee disengagement and turnover intention.

The results show that emotional exhaustion has a notable mediating effect in the relationship between job satisfaction and quiet quitting, and between supervisor support and …

Firm Managerial Capability And It Infrastructure Investment: The Moderating Roles Of Supplier's It Infrastructure Investment And Knowledge Intensiveness Of Buyer Firm's Industry, Jaehoon Kim, Saurabh Ambulkar, Mahmut Yasar, Edmund Prater

Information Systems & Operations Management Dissertations - Archive

In recent decades, firms have increasingly invested in information technology (IT) to create new opportunities for business value creation and operational efficiency. This dissertation explores the implications of IT investments, specifically by investigating the effect of a buyer firm’s investment in IT infrastructure on its managerial ability. The econometric analyses using a dyadic panel dataset of buyer-supplier relationships reveal a J-shaped relationship between IT infrastructure investment and firm managerial ability. Initial levels of IT investments are associated with decreases in managerial efficiency due to implementation challenges, but higher levels of investments yield significant improvements in decision-making and strategic alignment.

Moreover, …

A Multi-Method Geophysical Approach For Complex Shallow Landslide Characterization, Mohammadyar Rahimi, Clinton Wood, Meersad Fathizadeh, Salman Rahimi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study demonstrates the value of combining multiple non-invasive geophysical methods to characterize a landslide along Highway 7 near Jasper, Arkansas, USA. Geophysical testing was conducted using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), supplemented by select soil borings. The geophysical investigation aimed to provide a high-resolution, near-continuous view of subsurface conditions, including bedrock depth and the location of the groundwater table or highly saturated zones within the slide area. These factors are important contributors to slope instability. The MASW results revealed a highly variable depth to weathered bedrock …

Schizophrenia: Breaking The Myths, Peighton Hunt

A with Honors Projects

Throughout the years, schizophrenia has been commonly misunderstood and misrepresented within the media. Film, television, news outlets, and even social media frequently fail to do research before involving mental health, both intentionally and unintentionally creating turmoil for innocent people. Most of the depictions created are completely false and fail to properly reflect the reality of the disorder. Mental health is a hot topic, especially with young adults and college students. However, to this day schizophrenia still continues to be one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized mental disorders. By being educated on the reality of schizophrenia, we can help eliminate …

The Evolution Of Heritage: How Three Iconic American Jewelry Houses Have Navigated Their Legacy, Emily Vanderford

MA Theses

This thesis explores the evolution and preservation of heritage of three iconic American jewelry houses: David Webb, Harry Winston, and Tiffany & Co. Through a detailed examination of their foundational design philosophies, the impact of ownership changes, and responses to modern trends and cultural shifts, this study investigates how each house has navigated the balance of tradition and innovation. Archival research, published materials, and analysis of design practices have revealed the influence of each house’s foundational principles as well as the challenges posed by evolving markets and ownership. This research highlights the strategies that have allowed each house to remain …

Take Shrigley’S Word For It, Mary Gurley

MA Theses

This essay investigates the complexities of text-based art and contemporary conceptualism by focusing on David Shrigley’s work. By exploring the origins, evolution, and function of language-based practices, Take Shrigley’s Word for It emphasizes the artist’s use of text across various mediums, all of which occupy textual fields, blurring the line between commercial and fine art. Despite Shrigley’s extensive career, limited scholarship exists on his eccentric pairing of words and visuals, as well as his abundant spaces dedicated to sales. This paper also considers how Shrigley transformed the practice of text-based art by making it accessible and relatable to wide ranging …

Artistic Interventions In The Public Sphere: Keith Haring & Jenny Holzer, Matilde Sirolli

MA Theses

This thesis investigates the intersection of art and the public sphere in late 1970s and 1980s New York, a period characterised by significant socio-political and cultural transformations. Grounded in Jürgen Habermas’ conception of the public sphere, the study examines how the unique historical phenomena of the period yielded unprecedented opportunities for artists to intervene in the public sphere. The research provides a comprehensive analysis of the period’s political, economic, cultural and sociological landscapes. It then delves into case studies of Keith Haring and Jenny Holzer, exploring their distinct approach to public engagement: Haring’s blend of art, commerce and populism, and …

Nft And The Future Of Art, Ying Kang

MA Theses

This thesis focuses on exploring the history of NFT, the effects of NFT on art and the future of art. There are many factors affecting NFT, including human subjective factors, such as the pursuit of economic interests and the psychology of blindly following the trend, as well as objective factors, such as macroeconomic policy changes, technological developments, COVID-19 pandemic, cultural advocacy for diversity and democratization, Russia-Ukraine conflict, collapse of major cryptocurrency entities, financial regulation, and endogenous flaws. These economic, political, technological, social, cultural and other factors are complicated and mutually influential, leading to NFT ups and downs in the past. …

Auction Houses As Architects Of Emerging Art Markets: African Modern & Contemporary Art In The Global Auction Market, Simrin Vaswani

MA Theses

This research explores the evolution of the art market and the position of auction houses as market agents driving this transformation through their investment in emerging art categories. It will investigate the case study of African Modern & Contemporary Art, considering how the category has grown over the past several decades through the involvement of commercial and non-commerical actors, with a particular focus on how auction houses specifically have contributed to this development.

Private Spaces, Public Personas: Elsie De Wolfe’S Interiors For Henry Clay Frick, Boston Armstrong Johnson

MA Theses

"We cannot do better than to accept the standards of other times, and to adapt them to our uses."- Elsie de Wolfe

In 1914, pioneering interior decorator Elsie de Wolfe was hired by industrialist Henry Clay Frick to design and furnish most of the private rooms on the second floor of his newly constructed mansion in New York City. Through biographical research and consultation of archival sources, this work examines the relationships between de Wolfe, Frick, and others involved in the decoration and acquisition of furnishings for his home. Also considered is the influence of de Wolfe on the Frick …

How Social Media Is Reshaping The Art Market: Catalyzing The Rise Of The Art Agency Model In The United States, Leo Braudy

MA Theses

The art world is undergoing a fundamental transformation, marked by a shift from the traditional gallery-centric model to a talent agency model akin to those in the entertainment and music industries. This evolution is driven by the increasing influence of social media platforms, which empower artists to directly engage with audiences, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers of galleries and auction houses. Drawing on insights from industry reports, social media analytics, and case studies, this thesis explores how social media has catalyzed this shift and examines its implications for artists, collectors, and the broader art market. It argues that the rise of …

The Impact Of Social Media Influencers On Contemporary Art Trends - A Comprehensive Analysis, Babette Meng

MA Theses

Social media have revolutionized the contemporary art market, how artists promote their work, how collectors initially find pieces, and how art is valued and sold. This study investigates the effects of social media on the art industry using a mixed methods approach consisting of qualitative case studies enabled by thematic analysis and quantitative survey with statistical correlation analysis. Key findings from this paper show that with social media, the artist's visibility is vastly increased, direct-to-collector sales are promoted, and dependence on traditional galleries is reduced. The study considers the position of art influencers in the process of art promotion, which …

Student Behavior In The Special Education Setting, Ashley Ila Gilbertson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of positive reinforcement in special education settings plays a crucial role in shaping and modifying student behavior. This approach involves rewarding desired behaviors, thereby increasing the likelihood of their recurrence. Research indicates that positive reinforcement not only enhances academic performance but also fosters social skills and emotional well-being among students with diverse needs. By providing immediate, specific feedback and rewards, educators can create a supportive environment that encourages engagement and participation. Furthermore, positive reinforcement helps build self-esteem, as students experience success through consistent acknowledgment of their achievements. Overall, the strategic use of positive reinforcement proves to be an …

Beyond Homogeneity: Exploring Causal Heterogeneity In Psychopathology, Philip B. Vinh

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional models in psychiatric research often impose assumptions of causal homogeneity, treating population-level associations as reflective of uniform underlying mechanisms. This dissertation challenges that assumption by introducing statistical and machine learning frameworks designed to detect and model causal heterogeneity in the development of psychopathology. Central to this approach is the advancement of finite mixture structural equation modeling (FM-SEM) to identify latent subgroups characterized by distinct, and sometimes opposing, causal pathways.

The dissertation comprises three integrated empirical studies. The first introduces mixDoC, a finite mixture extension of the classical Direction of Causation (DoC) model applied to twin data, enabling the detection …