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The Arch And The Looking Glass: Umbli Cu Cioara Vopsitǎ, Ana Popescu

Masters Theses

The Arch and The Looking Glass: Umbli Cu Cioara Vopsită (You Are Walking Around with a Painted Crow)

A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics in the Department of Ceramics of the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island.

By Ana Popescu, 2025

Approved by Master’s Examination Committee:

Lesley Baker, Shoji Satake (Chair), Heather Bhandari, Tucker Houlihan

Date: May 17th, 2025

Location: Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island

To be opened for self-reflection in 10 years, on May 17th, 2035:

I’ve been mulling over how to make …

Highlighting The Benefits Of Community-Based Public Art Practices: Narrating A Year Of Living And Working Amongst The Creative Communities Of Providence, Rhode Island., Keara Mchaffie

Masters Theses

This thesis investigation explores the benefits of publicly

accessible arts programming and considers the significance of art

education experiences outside the traditional classroom setting.

The social and emotional benefits of these spaces are specifically

considered as a means to build confidence, and foster meaningful,

supportive connections beyond traditional academic measures.

Embracing a qualitative, mini-case study approach, the study

details hands-on experiences collaborating with different

organizations across Providence, Rhode Island during a year-long

graduate program. The data highlights how access to public

programs in community-based settings, such as libraries, play a

pivotal role in strengthening creative ideologies and community

relations.

Mfa Confidential, Julius Cavira, Julius Cavira

Masters Theses

What happens when the studio meets the classroom? This thrilling deep-dive uncovers the untold story of artists-turned-educators, balancing creation with instruction in the high-stakes world of higher education. Packed with real voices and raw insight, it reveals how teaching isn't just a job—it's the next evolution of artistic practice.

This study offers key insights for graduate-level visual artists considering careers in higher education as art educators. It examines the dual roles of artist and faculty by outlining the foundations of an art practice and exploring the varied experiences within academic environments. Drawing on a wide range of testimonies, articles, and …

Resonance, Jess D. Skyleson

Masters Theses

Resonance is a digital media installation intended to facilitate a deeper understanding of inter-connection within and between ourselves and others, and to depict how our voices live both within and beyond us. The exhibit is divided into two intertwining halves:

Externally, the piece involves creative communication between people, art mediums, and life experiences. This aspect includes the contributions of thirty patients, doctors, and caregivers who responded to one another’s artwork in a series of workshops led by the artist. Starting with the creative writing of patients, this was provided to a group of unrelated medical providers, who responded with visual …

Hunting, Feiyang Zhuang

Masters Theses

This writing is about fragility and revelation of technological systems. It considers how brokenness, delay, and opacity are not flaws but openings—opportunities to reimagine our relationship to technology as something grounded, sensory, and continuous with the natural and material world.

,, Yujia Gong

Masters Theses

I am still learning how to understand the world.

As I moved through different countries, cultures, and communities, I often found myself unlearning and rebuilding what I thought I knew. At times I felt unanchored, floating without a sense of safety or belonging. So I began to walk.

Walking became my way of reconnecting. With each step, I used my senses to notice the details around me: shadows cast by sunlight; life growing from soil; the presence of buildings and objects as quiet evidence of human existence. These elements — scent, light, sound, size, temperature — shape our perception of …

Returning Into The Deep Forest--A Methodological Practice Around Memory, Asianness, And Speech, Yu Ye

Masters Theses

">">The title of this thesis is borrowed from the Tang dynasty poem Deer Enclosure by Wang Wei: “Empty mountain, no one in sight—only the echo of voices. Returning sunlight slips into the deep forest, shining once more on moss.” I feel like my essay is responding to this kind of sensation: light does not shine head-on, but folds back, glancing sideways through dense branches, illuminating what is often overlooked. In that gesture of return—quiet, angled, persistent. This thesis unfolds in three chapters, each following a distinct path—image (Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes), movement (The Rings of Saturn by …

Swing Landscape, Yingwen Lin

Masters Theses

The text will consist of my self-introduction and short articles. Roughly speaking, the narrative is built upon my background and personal transformation. Geographically, I was born in Shenzhen (largest migrant city in China), lived in Shanghai (China’s largest economic center and a major international financial hub), and now reside on the East Coast of the United States, as a particle moving between different cultures, global commodities, and online media. I engage subjectively in these objective changes, with objects and events shaping who I am. I consider myself an outsider, an observer, an economic enthusiast, and a newspaper reader, participating in …

Breath, Void, Ground, Huichun Yang

Masters Theses

Before the sound, there is breath. Before the explosion, there is a threshold. Before the noise, there is silence.

Inspired by the physicality of balloons, this thesis explores breath as sonic material that carries memory, moves through bodies, and resonates across spaces. The balloon becomes a skin that holds breath: a force inhaling trauma, ritual, and intimacy. When released through mouth and latex, breath conjures alien, untranslatable voices that hiss and hum.

It begins with a balloon and expands with endless breath. The balloon becomes a site where the history, body, and voice disintegrate and reform. The pressure and tension …

Colloidal Quantum Dots: A Path Toward Making Mid-Wave Infrared Sensing A Ubiquitous Technology, Mohammad Mostafa Al Mahfuz

Dissertations

Reducing the size, weight, power consumption, and cost (SWaP-C) of infrared detectors could make infrared sensing more widely accessible. In the critical mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral range of 3-5 gm, commercially available detectors are limited by the high costs associated with epitaxial growth and hybridization, as well as the need for cryogenic cooling. These factors restrict their use to defense and space applications.

Colloidal quantum dots present a promising material for overcoming these challenges, with wafer-scale monolithic integration and Auger suppression being the key material capabilities to minimize the sensor's SWaP-C. Infrared sensors based on colloidal quantum dots have been …

Childhood Neuroanatomical Markers Of Familial And Nonfamilial Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Rahman Baboli

Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Children with family history of ADHD are at an elevated risk of having ADHD as well as a higher risk of persistent ADHD into adulthood, reflecting a source of etiological heterogeneity in ADHD. This heterogeneity in terms of both biological and environmental risk factors may explain differences in neural correlates, outcomes, cognitive, behavioral as well as developmental trajectories. It is therefore critical to understand the influence of having, or not having positive family risk factors on the neuroanatomical structures of the …

On The Design Of A Framework For Large-Scale Exploratory Graph Analytics, Oliver Andres Alvarado Rodriguez

Dissertations

Large-scale exploratory graph analytics merges data science with high-performance computing to extract critical insights from network-representable data. Data scientists routinely analyze data from the natural, social, and computing sciences by representing it as networks, or graphs, where objects become vertices and their relationships become edges. This representation allows data scientists to add graph analytics to their toolbox. However, designing tools for large-scale exploratory graph analytics is challenging due to the complexities of graph algorithms, such as high communication in distributed systems and large memory demands. These challenges can lead to overly complex software, which limits usability and development to a …

Machine Learning And Optimization For Intelligent Decision-Making, Elson Cibaku

Dissertations

This dissertation presents a series of innovative machine learning and optimization model designs that address complex operational challenges across logistics and power systems. By integrating advanced neural architectures with robust optimization techniques, the work delivers scalable solutions designed to improve efficiency, reliability, and decision-making in dynamic and real-world environments. The first study introduces a two-stage approach to effective vaccine distribution. This framework tackles the capacitated vehicle routing problem by combining adaptive clustering techniques with reinforcement learning and a simulated annealing pickup policy. Through extensive computational experiments, the approach demonstrates substantial improvements in routing efficiency, reducing both computational time and logistical …

Model-Based Reinforcement Learning And Deep Learning For Power Converter Circuit Design Automation, Shaoze Fan

Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive automated framework for power converter design, leveraging reinforcement learning (RL) and graph-transformer networks (GTN) to address critical inefficiencies in traditional manual topology optimization. Motivated by the combinatorial increase of circuit design spaces and the computational cost of iterative simulations, this work develops a robust framework for generating energy-efficient topologies requiring rapid and reliable circuit design.

The framework integrates three key components: (1) an upper-confidence-bound-tree-based (UCT-based) RL model for circuit topology space exploration, (2) parallelized UCT algorithms to accelerate exploration processes, (3) a Graph-Transformer-based Network enabling fast circuit performance evaluation. Experimental validation demonstrates the whole framework …

Adversarial Robustness In Advanced Machine Learning Models Integrating Graph Neural Networks And Large Language Models, Mahmoud Nazzal

Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) has achieved remarkable performances across various domains. In most real-world applications, data often takes relational forms, such as graphs and networks, or sequential forms, such as text and time series. As AI evolves, specialized models have emerged to handle these structures; Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for relational mining and Large Language Models (LLMs) for sequential understanding. Despite their success, these models face challenges in security, robustness, and interpretability. GNNs excel in relational reasoning but are vulnerable to adversarial manipulation and lack interpretability, while LLMs are strong in linguistic reasoning and generalization yet struggle with relational data and …

An Inquiry Into The Physics Of Mixing And Floc Filtration, Andrew P. Pennock

Dissertations

Flocculation and clarification are two essential processes to deliver safe water at a reasonable cost to consumers. There are two major thrusts to the research presented in this dissertation. The first is to better characterize the physics and mixing parameters used for the design of hydraulic flocculators in the context of drinking water treatment plants. The second major thrust is to investigate floc filtration as a mechanism for the removal of primary particles during floc blanket clarification.

The intensity of mixing in environmental and chemical engineering applications is often characterized by the Camp and Stein velocity gradient. This parameter has …

Fact-Checking As A Multi-Step Process: From Ambiguity Resolution To Claim Validation, Wenbo Wang

Dissertations

The spread of misinformation and disinformation has become a major concern, particularly with the rise of social media as a primary source of information for many people. Fact-checking—the process of verifying claims against credible evidence—has emerged as a critical safeguard against misinformation. Yet, the task is fraught with challenges: claims are often ambiguous, context-dependent, or composed of multiple intertwined assertions, while automated systems struggle to replicate the nuanced reasoning of human experts. This dissertation addresses these challenges by reimagining fact-checking as a multi-step, knowledge-guided process that systematically resolves ambiguity, decomposes complexity, and validates claims through structured reasoning. Additionally, the proposed …

Next-Generation Extended Reality Systems With Real-Time Edge Artificial Intelligence And Mobile Computing, Pedro H. Regalado

Dissertations

Mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR) systems are reshaping digital experiences by seamlessly integrating physical and virtual environments. This dissertation presents a comprehensive framework for next-generation immersive systems, combining advances in real-time data processing, multi-user synchronization, and secure communication. The core contributions are structured around three interconnected systems: MediVerse, TeleAvatar, and MultiAvatarLink, each addressing critical challenges in mobile MR.

MediVerse is a secure and scalable framework for real-time health and performance monitoring, integrating intelligent IoT sensors, wearable technologies, and MR interfaces. It supports multi-camera fusion, adaptive compression, and real-time three-dimensional (3D) point cloud generation, enhancing data accuracy and responsiveness …

Enriching Vision Representation By Deep Neural Networks And Self-Supervised Learning, Yucong Shen

Dissertations

Nowadays, more and more interesting computer vision tasks are tackled by deep learning approaches. However, the increasing model complexity imposes significant computational and storage costs. To address this challenge, this dissertation explores efficient deep learning techniques, proposing morphological layer, an efficient feature extraction layer. It achieves competitive image classification accuracy with significantly decreased model parameters. Another attempt at efficient deep learning is a proposed channel pruning approach that compresses deep neural networks by identifying and removing redundant channels using optimal transport theory. This approach achieves significant reductions in model size and computational cost while maintaining or even improving performance across …

From Neural Networks To Large Language Models: Innovations In Financial Ai, Mathematical Reasoning, And Structured Data Representation, Junyi Ye

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the evolution and application of artificial intelligence techniques across three critical domains: financial modeling, mathematical reasoning, and structured data analysis. The dissertation presents seven research projects that chart a progression from specialized neural architectures to sophisticated large language models (LLMs), contributing novel methodologies and frameworks at each stage.

In the financial domain, the research first introduces TS-Mixer, a MLP-based architecture for time-series forecasting that captures both feature relationships and temporal dependencies through a simple yet effective design, outperforming more complex models in S&P500 index prediction. The dissertation then presents DySTAGE, a dynamic graph representation learning framework that …

Towards Explainable Ai On Graph Neural Networks: Xaig, Jiaxing Zhang

Dissertations

In the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have garnered growing prominence for their adeptness in processing graph-structured data. Despite this, the interpretability of their predictions often remains elusive. The demand for transparency and explainability in complex prediction models has reached unprecedented levels. To address this, post-hoc instance-level explanation techniques have emerged, aiming to unveil the rationale behind GNN predictions. These techniques endeavor to unearth substructures that elucidate the predictive behavior of trained GNNs.

This dissertation embarks on an exploration of Explainable AI (XAI) technologies within the realm of GNNs. Amid the challenges posed by the …

Rooted In Learning: Eco-Art Pedagogy And Place-Based Learning, Emily Van Heusen

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the integration of eco-art pedagogy and place-based learning (PBL) in secondary art education, investigating how these approaches help develop artistic practices and deepen environmental awareness among high school students. The study focuses on the implementation of a 4-week curriculum at Mount Pleasant High School in Providence, Rhode Island. This research examines how art making and place-specific learning contribute to local environmental investment, personal connection and environmental engagement. Using a mixed-method approach grounded in arts-based research (ABR) and teacher-research methodology, this study analyzes teen-created artworks, sketchbook and journal reflections, and researcher personal reflections and field notes. The research …

Bookmaking With Young Children Rooted In Care And Choice, Xiao Guo

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates book arts as a dynamic, interdisciplinary learning tool for young children. It examines how educators can design bookmaking lessons that foster creative storytelling and self-expression through the interplay of form, content, materiality, and process. The research explores choice- and inquiry-based teaching practices in bookmaking that center care and collaboration with young children.

Rapid Riparian Ecosystem Decline In Rocky Mountain National Park, David J. Cooper, E William Schweiger, Jeremy R. Shaw, Cherie J. Westbrook, Kristen Kaczynski, Hanem Abouelezz, Scott M. Esser, Koren Nydick, Isabel De Silva, Rodney Chimner

Michigan Tech Publications

Understanding the drivers of ecosystem collapse is critical for resource management, particularly for protected areas mandated to preserve biodiversity. In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, tall willows (Salix spp.) dominated riparian vegetation, and a beaver-willow state was the natural ecosystem type in the Colorado River headwaters. However, willows comprise a portion of elk diets and are a preferred food for recently introduced moose, and the vegetation structure has changed dramatically since the early 2000s. To assess ecosystem changes, we analyzed time-series data on willow height from 1997 to 2021 inside and outside 3 exclosures built to exclude ungulates, area of …

Playing With Ideas: A Museum-Based Inquiry, Claire Meagher

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the ways that alternative arts approaches such as

Teaching for Artistic Behavior, creative inquiry, and play based learning can

be incorporated into a contemporary arts based curriculum in the museum

setting. In addition to this, it looks closely at the significance of the museum

space and community in these learning encounters. The methodology included a

preliminary case study and teacher based research, which were completed with

the School & Teacher programs at the RISD museum. The qualitative data from

this research consisted of observations, teaching experiences, and reflections in

a visual journal. These findings supported the creation …

Untitled, Seung Ho Jeon

Masters Theses

We are, by our very own nature, confined within our own lived experiences. To transcend our inherent loneliness, we seek ways to fulfill a fundamental sense of belonging through symbolic interactions. The external world we navigate is a subjective framework constructed through repetitive, mundane interaction, and as actors, we participate in such monotonous performances as a means to create shared meaning.

Such performance manifests as a collective entity - an intangible force that is not bound by institutionalized systems, emerging organically from grassroots beliefs and practices. Throughout the performance, there are symbols - artifacts, space, and interactions. And these transformative …

The Stream Of Life, Yitao Yuan

Masters Theses

The repetitive engagement with technological objects erases the depth of emotion by creating habits that bypass embodied and erotic pleasures and lead to a de-sexualized form of technology fetishism. The stimuli produced by machines that humans engage with are not able to convey the strength of intimacy between humans. Such virtual stimuli as the words and images produced and mediated through modern machines continuously shape conscious perception. This thesis book is split into two sections: a theoretical text and a series of images and explanations about my installation practice and process. They both seek to investigate the intersection of human …

Echoes Of Longing, Mahalexmi Mohan

Masters Theses

Loss lingers like a shadow, a weight no time can lift. Longing becomes a silent scream, echoing within, unanswered. Internal pain festers in the quiet, where unhealed wounds weave themselves into the fabric of being. Each breath is both survival and surrender, a fragile balance between hope and the hollow ache of what was, what will never be, yet could be.

Abstract

My work is deeply influenced by my experiences within a dysfunctional family structure and is explored through the relationship of emotional vulnerability and its effect on self-worth. Layered into the work is a confrontation with the scars, conflict …

Body Choice Of Women-507, Yilin Sun

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the struggle for bodily autonomy through the lens of contemporary art, focusing on 507, a kinetic installation by Yilin (Rebecca) Sun. At the heart of this work lies a powerful meditation on the emotional and political dimensions of reproductive responsibility. In a world where women’s rights over their own bodies are frequently contested, 507 becomes both a vessel of remembrance and a visual act of resistance. It channels the often-silenced experiences of women into a shared space of reflection, mourning, and confrontation.

Rather than offering straightforward answers, 507 presents an enigmatic title and a symbolic language …

Of Primal Substance, Yueting Wu

Masters Theses

This collection of writings arises from encounters with intensity and embodied practice — moments that reveal the body’s capacity for transformation.

Last year, I experienced ego death The intensity of the vibration and movement evoked deconstruction, reconstruction, and liberation. It felt like a vibrational reorganization of my physical body and all surrounding matter. During this past summer, I started embodied practices. One day, I held hands with a group of people and slowly walked from the beach into the ocean. It took us one hour. One evening, I was alone in the studio with a huge window facing the jungle. …