Digital Commons Network^™

Rituals Of Belonging, Trecha G. Jheneall

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This ensemble is a (geo)autobiographical affirmation of the activities of water bodies, fiberboard drum barrel containers, and sound as well as their attendant rituals of belonging amongst People of Sub-Saharan African descent, particularly those belonging to the Caribbean diaspora.

Water as an ever-present life source serves as a dynamic metaphor for Caribbean people’s instinctive travel in and outside of the region’s soluble boundaries. The barrel container, often in transit analogizes the apprehension of displacement, congregation, arrival, or destination towards the desired feeling of security or place.

Elements of ritualistic practices located in migratory movement, music and labor are means of …

Video Games, Grief, And The Character Link System, Nam Nguyen

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Grief can encompass more than just the loss of real-life people. It can be felt with the loss of a pet, changes in daily structure, and even the loss of video game characters. The topic of grief related to video games and video game characters comes at a time when games as a service (GaaS) continue to increase in popularity and the phenomenon where these games also inevitably terminate service. To combat this unique form of grief, the Character LINK System was created as a tool that uses simple natural language processing (NLP) techniques to offer support to the bereaved …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Germanium Telluride Nanowires, Shaikha Saeed Alketbi

Theses

Random access memories (RAMs) made from phase change materials (PCMs) are a promising alternative for flash memory technology currently dominating the memory market owing to its many appealing traits such as non-volatility, fast read/write performance, excellent scalability, and compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) architectures. In fact, the scalability of PCMs is driving this class of materials to be the successor in the memory industry in the near future, and germanium telluride (GeTe) is one of the most viable PCMs in this context. In this study the phase change material GeTe nanowires, is fabricated using the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth method. GeTe …

Russia, Europe And Central Asia Energy Security And Pipeline Politics, Mehmet Kınacı

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Energy Security will continue to remain as one of the top security concerns for Europe. Depleting reserves and growing energy demand have increased European dependence on external energy resources. Today, Russia is by far the largest supplier of oil, coal and the natural gas to Europe. Oil and natural gas revenues have played a vital role to rebound the Russian economy and have supported Putin’s ambitions to reestablish Russia as a great power, increasing its influence over the former Soviet space. This complex energy relationship has increasingly been a cause of concern.

The main question this study seeks to answer …

Modeling Metastasis In Breast Cancer Patients Using Ehr Data, The Area Deprivation Index (Adi), And Machine Learning Models, Vishesh Patel

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Applying machine learning and statistical analysis on traditionally informatics problems is a growing area of research that can result in clinicians being better-able to predict disease outcomes and create more personalized levels of care. In this study, several machine learning models are used to model the likelihood of metastasis in breast cancer patients using a mix of data from the electronic health record and socioeconomic information derived from the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Metastasis is a late-stage disease progression in a cancer diagnosis where a tumor spreads from its initial development point to another part of the body. In breast …

Electrochromic Windows: Return On Investment Analysis, Thomas Michael Caprio

Construction Management

In recent years, sustainability in construction has become a topic of undeniable interest. With sustainability certifications becoming more prominent and desirable, members of the construction industry have begun to seek alternatives for standard systems to keep up with market trends. One of the main issues that the construction industry faces is accessibility of technology. While there are new products and technologies being released frequently, members of the construction industry lack knowledge on the specific details and implications of working with newer systems. One piece of technology that was recently introduced is electrochromic glass, or smart glass. Electrochromic windows analyze sunlight …

Evaluation Of Mealsense©: A Sensory Integration-Based Feeding Support Program For Parents., Audrey Trewin, Zoe Mailloux, Roseann C Schaaf

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience feeding challenges related to difficulties with sensory integration.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the content, acceptability, and usefulness of MealSense©, an online parent education program for children with ASD who have feeding challenges related to poor sensory integration.

DESIGN: A descriptive study in which experts reviewed and rated MealSense content for consistency with Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI) principles and evidence-based practices in feeding.

PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of expert reviewers (n = 5) and parents of children with ASD and feeding challenges (n = 5).

RESULTS: Expert ratings (n = 5) met criteria …

Design & Analysis Of Mixed-Mode Integrated Circuit For Pulse-Shape Discrimination, Bryan Orabutt

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

In nuclear science experiments it is usually necessary to determine the type of radiation, its energy and direction with considerable accuracy. The detection of neutrons and discriminating them from gamma rays is particularly difficult. A popular method of doing so is to measure characteristics intrinsic to the pulse shape of each radiation type in order to perform pulse-shape discrimination (PSD).

Historically, PSD capable systems have been designed with two approaches in mind: specialized analog circuitry, or digital signal processing (DSP). In this work we propose a PSD capable circuit topology using techniques from both the analog and DSP domains. We …

Increasing High School Students Awareness Of Teen Dating Violence, Desiree Acosta

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Nowadays, most adolescents are involved in more romantic relationships. However, many teens may not realize the risks that are associated with dating. Some risks may include physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. To spread awareness, I created a two day session curriculum about dating violence and delivered the content to a sophomore English class at Reedley High in Reedley California.

Increasing Social Development For 5th Graders, Akito Aromin

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Elementary school kids in 5th grade had social development being enhanced before the year 2020. The pandemic hit in 2020, causing the social development of children to falter. There have been more negative effects on social development in children, impacting their regulation of emotions, respect, and even forming friendships to have troubling effects. This is expressed because of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), ceasing any real-life events or schools to halt for a bit and moving to remote learning for the time being. This paper outlines how social development in 5th graders was impacted, providing research needed on how you can increase …

Increasing Social-Emotional Skills In The First-Grade Students At Olson Elementary School, Krsteen Bebawy

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Some elementary children may have problems forming and maintaining positive relationships with their friends. Without these kinds of social-emotional learning and self-regulation skills, children may not form strong relationships with their peers and experience poor academic and social performance. Therefore, I created a three-day lesson on multiple ways of enacting kindness for a group of Kindergarten, first grade, and second-grade students in the Afterschool Academy (Expanded Learning Opportunity) Program at Olson Elementary School in Marina, California.

Intellectual And Developmental Disability Awareness Video, Rocio Barron

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Hope Services, a non-profit organization in Monterey County, has experienced a decrease in the number of clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) participating or engaging in the services provided. This community has to work against the restrictions and barriers established by the current global pandemic while also working to debunk the stigma surrounding their capabilities. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are being dismissed from employment and community engagement opportunities by the misinformation surrounding their disability. To address this issue, a video highlighting clients within the Employment, Media and Community Connections program was created for use with staff, potential …

Have You Heard?: Increasing College Access And Success For Students With Disabilities, Michelle Trujillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on increasing college access and self-advocacy for students with disabilities in higher education and the resources available for them. This is important because students with disabilities deserve to attend college and obtain the support they need in order to be successful once in the institution and once they graduate. It is argued that there needs to be an increase in enrollment for students with disabilities in higher education. Considerations of the issue include the perspectives of a staff member from the community college who is in the disability resources department and a student …

Parent Volunteers And Covid-19: Balancing Necessity, Enthusiasm, And Caution, Jarrod Myers

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is how the pandemic disrupted parent volunteering in schools. Parent volunteering is an essential issue for schools because parent involvement is essential for student success. An evidence-based argument is offered that schools struggled to staff the void left by parent volunteers. The three primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were parents, school leadership, and teachers. Parents make up the volunteer pool; teachers know what kind of assistance classrooms need, and school leadership creates policies. Three themes emerged from analyzing the data and explored ways to reintroduce parents to a school campus. Parent volunteers make …

Self-Care Workshop For Residents At Mariposa House, Cynthia Ocampo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monarch Services is a nonprofit organization that primarily serves survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking, in the Santa Cruz County. The agency mission statement is to live free from violence and abuse. The macro-level problem is survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking have an increased risk of trauma symptoms. The micro-level problem is survivors of these traumatic experiences who live at the Mariposa House lack self-care. The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum and deliver an educational intervention for the Mariposa House residents to increase an awareness and ability to practice …

Benefits Of Co-Constructing Latinx Consciousness Within Schools, Elizabeth Cruz Reyes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Within the Latinx community, there are arguments about identity labels, who can speak better Spanish, who is a better Latinx, and how Latinx culture should be maintained. Latinx consciousness originates from Gloria Anzaldúa’s (1987) concept of mestiza consciousness and the respective work that Gloria Anzaldúa has inspired. Latinx consciousness involves the complex: spiritual, personal, social, political, economic, and historic factors that influence the lives of Latinx students. This senior capstone defines Latinx consciousness and examines the benefits of co-constructing Latinx consciousness. The benefits are framed within the context of education, Latinx attitudes, language use, language loss, and cultural longevity. The …

The Consequences Of Cutting Music Programs In K-12 Public Schools, Jami Jeres

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper focuses on the consequences of cutting music programs in K-12 public schools. Music programs in K-12 public schools are one of the first things talked about when talking about cuts in the district. There are positive effects to cutting music programs which are: budgeting and funding, the decision makers not understanding the effect it has on students, and the lack of teachers. The decision makers have to look at how much money they have and how to distribute it. In some school district offices, administrators don’t go into the schools to see how the students are doing in …

Promoting Positive Body Image In Youth, Nancy Yaneli Fragosa Birruete

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many adolescents may have a hard time maintaining a positive body image during the transition of puberty and early adolescence. When adolescents do not have a healthy body image, they tend to compare unrealistic ideals such as a thin ideal or an athletic ideal to their own size, shape, or appearance. A poor body image may also lead to developing low self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression. When they develop a positive body image, adolescents are more accepting of their bodies and are able to practice healthier behaviors, experience body satisfaction, and are more likely to practice self-care. To address the …

Diversity Awareness In Kindergarten Curriculum, Alondra Aranda Aguayo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Kindergarten curriculum often does not include diversity awareness. Diversity awareness involves learning about the different aspects that make each person unique such as physical characteristics and cultural traditions. Without diversity content, children are at risk for developing prejudices in the future or feeling excluded by others. Children may become accepting and empathetic to people from diverse cultures and backgrounds when diversity awareness is integrated in their learning. To address the lack of education on diversity, I have created a 3-day lesson for Kindergarteners at Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary School in Salinas, California.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Healthcare Competency Training Delivery Methods, Vanessa Jennings

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Decades of research express the need to strengthen the trust between minority groups and the healthcare system through addressing and reducing cross-cultural miscommunication. Though Central Coast VNA and Hospice is a well-established organization, the rate at which underrepresented individuals (i.e., LatinX, Asian, African American, Pacific Islander) access their services is low. Issues contributing to the low number of underrepresented individuals include language barriers, a poorly structured system, and a lack of cultural competency training among the staff. The result is an underserved population, a failure to meet the agency’s mission, and a perpetuation of systemic racism. To address this problem, …

Cheers For A Cause: Raising Funds For Homeless Youth In Need, Clara Gonzalez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thousands of homeless individuals in the United States do not have their basic hygiene and nutrition needs met. The Youth Homeless Response Team (YHRT) is a non-profit organization that works to connect homeless youth to wrap around services they need to thrive. YHRT works with unaccompanied at-risk youth in Santa Cruz between the ages of 15-24 who are either literally homeless, at risk of homelessness, or fleeing a domestic violence situation. Unfortunately, YHRT does not have sufficient funding to provide client assistance. This capstone project consisted of implementing “Cheers for a Cause”, a one-day online fundraising event that highlights the …

A Comparison Of Changing Music Mediums And The Impact On Social Listening, Amanda Liberotti

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Recorded music is a significant part of daily life for most people and has been for about one hundred years. In this time there have been many advancements in how the average person has access to music. Changes in physical mediums have only added to the overall experience of listening. From extremely tangible mediums, such as vinyl that cumulates into large physical collections, to streaming which arguably allows for larger collections without the limitations of physical space, music will always fundamentally be the same. That is not to say that the experience of listening to music does not change. Each …

Preventing Behavior Problems Among Elementary School Students, Carena Wills

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Behavior problems among elementary school students has become the leading disruption in classrooms today. Behavior is a key factor in the functionality and tone of a classroom, which, in turn, affects the learning atmosphere for all students. Behavior problems also have increased the probability of high school dropout and students forming other behavior disorders. With the proper preventive measures taken, the decrease and improvement of student behavior can impact a student's life. This capstone project investigates the key causes of behavior problems and the kinds of measures that would help prevent these problems. This project further examines the importance and …

Intervention Program To Ease The Transition Out Of High School, Marissa Sareñana

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

“At-risk” youth are more likely to drop out of school and less likely to pursue higher education than their counterparts, hindering their economic future. This project was implemented at Learning for Life Charter School (LFLCS), an alternative 7th-12th grade school for at-risk youth. The project included conducting various readiness assessments and an education intervention designed to increase seniors’ level of preparedness for life after graduation. Seniors met individually with social work interns to identify a post-graduation plan, formulating short and long term goals. Once students formulated their post-graduation plans, they were guided on the necessary requirements to transition into their …

Parental Engagement To Influence Child Nutrition Habits, Mariah Van Ardenne

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Brighter Bites Salinas is a non-profit agency whose mission is to create healthy communities through fresh food. They do this by providing nutrition education to children and delivering free, fresh produce to parents. In the United States, obesity and food insecurity are common, intertwined issues among children. The contributing factors to these entangled issues are associated with living in poverty, acculturation of minority groups, and negative parental influence. The consequences of this include increased risk of chronic diseases, high-cost treatments, and mental health issues. This capstone project was created to positively engage parents in nutrition education to influence their children’s …

Veterans Transition Center Self-Care Guide For Case Managers, Camille Quiroz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Veterans Transition Center provides transitional housing for homeless veterans in Monterey County and assists veterans in increasing their self-sufficiency. This project was completed within the Permanent Supportive Housing Program, which provides housing for up to two years. At the macro level, case managers and social workers experience work burnout earlier in their careers due to a lack of mental health support. The VTC currently has no established mental health support system for case managers. This project is an educational intervention designed to increase the case managers’ awareness of mental health and the importance of self-care by providing resources in …

Increasing Awareness Among Parents Of Young Children About Technology, Danna Gonzalez Calderon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Nowadays, many parents allow their young children to have access to technology and may not know the impact of technology use in children. For example, technology use can have an impact on the child’s conversational skills, social development, attention span, and relationship skills. When parents learn more about the benefits and detriments of technology use for young children, they will be able to set goals and make a plan for when their children do use technology. To increase parents’ awareness of the impact of technology use, I have designed a one-day session that will cover the benefits and detriments of …

Improving 5th Grade Students' Stress Management Skills, Daniela Cortes Gomez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Some children may not have yet learned how to manage stress and regulate their emotions. Stress during childhood may affect children’s physical and mental health. It may impact their learning, and may cause them to develop certain problems in their behavior. When children develop stress coping strategies, they will be better prepared to deal with future stressors. In order to address this issue, I created a two-day lesson on stress management techniques for a 5th grade class at Sherwood Elementary School in Salinas, California.

Increasing Elementary School Student's Awareness Of Invisible Learning Disabilities, Jacquelyn Porter

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many young children may not have learned about invisible learning disabilities. Children who are unaware of unseen learning disabilities may not understand the complexities behind them and how to support their peers in being part of the classroom. When children learn about invisible disabilities, they can build their empathy and be more inclusive with their peers. To help spread awareness of learning disabilities, I have created a two-day lesson about disabilities for third graders at Spreckels Elementary School in Spreckels, California.

Increasing Awareness And Allyship For Peers With Nonvisible Disabilities(Nvd), Yeran M. Attallah

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Non-Visible Disabilities (NVD), also known as hidden disabilities, vary across a range of categories, both physical and mental. Lack of awareness and understanding for individuals with NVD, especially from college peers, can have a major effect on students with NVD’s sense of identity and belonging, participation in class and social activities, and ultimately, can influence their decision to limit or stop accessing disability services and accommodations. To increase their awareness and encourage empathy and allyship, I intend to provide a two-hour workshop for college students affiliated with TRIO at CSUMB to engage with and learn from their colleagues with Non-Visible …