Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Racism In Our Backyards, Elizabeth Sanchez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper aims to investigate the connection between environmental racism and marginalized groups in Monterey County, California.

The Chilling Effects Of Dobbs, Jonathon W. Penney, Danielle Keats Citron, Alexis Shore Ingber

Articles & Book Chapters

The Supreme Court’s evisceration of the federal constitutional right to abortion has raised the specter of criminal and civil liability for abortion providers and patients. Police and prosecutors have easy access to commercial reservoirs of intimate data. As individual accounts made clear in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, corporate surveillance of intimate life chilled expressive activities, such as searching for information about reproductive health and using period tracking apps. Health professionals did not feel safe to speak out about the impact of new abortion laws. Harassment and threats directed at abortion clinics and at …

Posttrauma Risky Behaviors, Perceived Ability To Cope With Trauma, And Student Life Satisfaction Mediate The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And College Student Adjustment, Katherine G. Viebrooks

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study investigated the mediating role of posttrauma risky behavior engagement, perceived ability to utilize adaptive posttraumatic coping strategies, and levels of student life satisfaction on the relationship between the retrospective report of encountering four or more types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and levels of college student adjustment. College students participating in the data collection website Prolific (n = 470) completed online questionnaires. Results revealed that ACEs were highly prevalent, with 99.8% of participants reporting at least one ACE and 78.9% reporting four or more. Retrospective reports of encountering four or more types of childhood adversities were significantly …

Self-Compassion Mediates The Relationship Between Childhood Adversity In The Prediction Of Later Health Outcomes Among U.S. Adults, Emily Bunch

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, that occur before 18 years old. ACEs are strong predictors of negative health outcomes, such as poor physical health and risky health behaviors (Felitti et al., 1998; Merrick et al., 2017; Hughes et al., 2017). Previous research has proposed self- compassion may serve as a robust protective factor against childhood adversity (Hazzard et al., 2021) and may help explain the negative consequences of ACEs. The present study investigated the relationship between retrospectively reported ACEs and health outcomes in the context of self-compassion. 458 U.S. adults …

Toward Robust Semantic Segmentation In Levee Infrastructure Monitoring: Enhancing Accuracy With High-Fidelity Synthetic Data And Ensemble Learning, Padam Jung Thapa

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: Levees serve as critical flood protection structures, but failures due to inadequate maintenance and extreme water pressures have led to devastating events such as Hurricane Katrina. Manual inspections are slow, labor-intensive, and prone to human error, necessitating the development of automated solutions. This study proposes an AI-driven framework for levee inspection utilizing deep learning-based semantic segmentation to detect rutting and enhance the identification of sand boils. To address dataset limitations, high-fidelity synthetic images are generated using DreamBooth for fine-tuning, while ControlNet adds structural constraints to enhance realism and consistency. A semi-automatic convex hull annotation technique enhances labeling efficiency, and …

Precooling Ventilation Air For Hospital Operating Rooms And The Affects On Terminal Box Reheat, Joel F. Luke Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the impact of climate on the energy performance of two HVAC system configurations—AL1, a conventional air handling system, and AL2, which incorporates a pre-cooling coil and discharge air temperature (DAT) reset strategy. Using EnergyPlus simulations, each system was modeled across multiple U.S. cities representing a wide range of climate zones. Results show that AL2 significantly reduces plant energy consumption, with an average energy savings of 66.61\% compared to AL1. These savings were nearly evenly split between reductions in heating and cooling demands.

A weather normalization analysis using cooling and heating degree days (CDD65 and HDD65) revealed a …

Collective Drip: Transformation, Hybridity, And Queer Ecologies, Vee Adams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In my recent body of work, Collective Drip, I investigate the queer and trans body as a site for transformation. Through the lens of queer theory, ecology, and myth, I explore what it means to be becoming, always in process. Looking at hybrid bodies and symbiotic life forms, I’m interested in investigating what it means when the body is seen as a dynamic landscape? What happens when the community is reinvisioned as an ecosystem? Facing the current transphobic political landscape, this body of work offers queer and trans visions of pleasure and abundance.

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement, May 2025, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University

One Hundred and Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement

May 2025

Crossing The Mediterranean: The Italian Response To The Migration Situation (2014-2024), Avery F. Van Scoy

World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Undergraduate Honors Theses

As Europe increasingly mirrors aspects of its sociopolitical landscape from the first half of the 20th century, a critical examination of historical biases and identity has become imperative. The enduring myth of Italiani, brava gente, or Italians, good people, continues to shape national identity and inform attitudes toward irregular migration, contributing to a growing number of fatalities in the Mediterranean. These deaths are caused, in part, by migration policies that prioritize keeping irregular migrants from reaching Italy by outsourcing border enforcement and restricting access to resources for organizations that seek to aid vulnerable migrants. The endurance of Italiani, brava gente …

Voxel-Based Physically Simulated Particle System For Realistic Smoke Effects With Responsive Interaction To Dynamic Objects, Qixuan Liang

Programming Theses and Dissertations

The Voxel-Based Physically Simulated Particle System is designed to provide a high-performance, interactive, and visually realistic smoke simulation for real-time applications. This system replicates the dynamic smoke effects seen in Counter-Strike 2, ensuring high visual fidelity and interactivity through advanced rendering and simulation techniques.

The system leverages compute shader-based ray marching for volumetric rendering, enabling physically-based lighting simulation with realistic shading and soft shadowing effects. To achieve efficient and scalable smoke propagation, it employs Intel SIMD-optimized flood fill algorithm, significantly accelerating the expansion calculations. With over 10,000+ dynamically interacting particles, the system maintains a stable 60FPS across a …

Path Tracing And Physically-Based Rendering With Directx Raytracing, Jiabin Wang

Programming Theses and Dissertations

This artifact is designed to simulate global illumination by using DirectX raytracing pipeline. Physically-based Rendering (PBR) and path tracing were integrated to achieve photo realistic rendering effect.

The 1991 California 'Miracle March': Precipitation Myth Or Miracle?, Cody D. Poulsen, Rachel E.S. Clemesha, Ian M. Howard, Alexander Gershunov, Michael D. Dettinger, Zhenhai Zhang, Rosa Luna-Nino, David W. Stahle, Ralph F. Martin

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The term 'Miracle March' is colloquially used in California to describe an anomalously wet spring that alleviates drought conditions caused by a winter precipitation deficit. This study centers on the influential water year 1991, which is the standard reference point for this phenomenon. The spring precipitation impact on water year totals and the geographic extent of the spring precipitation anomaly during the 1991 'Miracle March' (MM91) is without equal in the observational record. This exceptional precipitation episode was initiated by a week-long sequence of extreme atmospheric rivers that started landfalling on February 27th. To this day, MM91 is routinely referenced …

Design And Implementation Of Asynchronous Communication In Multi-Chiplet Systems: A Comparative Study Of Pseudo-Crossbar And Bus Architectures, Matthew Clemence

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

System-on-Chip (SoC) complexity continues to present challenges in global clock distribution and power management. The Globally Asynchronous Locally Synchronous (GALS) approach addresses these issues by enabling asynchronous communication between locally synchronous chiplets. This thesis details the design and implementation of two GALS architectures employing asynchronous handshaking protocols through Multi-Threshold CMOS NULL Convention Logic (MTNCL). The first architecture, a pseudo-crossbar, uses arbiters and multiplexers/demultiplexers (MUX/DEMUX) for prioritized and dynamic communication between chiplets. The second, a bus-based approach, employs D-latches to manage communication sequentially with predetermined interrupts. This research explores the detailed implementation, functional distinctions, scalability, and integration trade-offs inherent to each …

Solving Real-World Optimization Problems Using Near-Term Quantum Computing With Applications In Vehicle Routing And Drone Delivery, James Bradley Holliday

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quantum computing (QC) stands at the cusp of revolutionizing computation, yet its near-term potential, constrained by Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices, remains underexplored. This dissertation investigates how hybrid quantum-classical algorithms can address combinatorial optimization challenges in logistics, focusing on vehicle routing and drone delivery—NP-hard problems with exponential solution spaces that defy classical exhaustive methods. Amidst NISQ limitations like limited qubits and high noise, we confront key challenges: encoding complex constraints, e.g., time windows, battery capacity, into quantum models, balancing quantum and classical components for scalability, and accessing scarce quantum resources. By integrating quantum annealing (QA) and the Quantum Approximate Optimization …

Constraining Neutron Star Kicks Through Gravitational Wave Detection, James Phillips

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neutron stars have, on average, much higher proper motions than those of hot and bright O and B type main sequence stars. Thus, it is widely suspected that asymmetries in core-collapse supernovae provide a substantial kick to these compact objects at birth. Gen- eral Relativity predicts that such supernova asymmetries will generate bursts of gravitational radiation, though no such burst has been yet detected. Here we argue that the polarization amplitudes of those gravitational waves can be used to calculate the kicks imparted on that nascent neutron star. We begin by reviewing the evidence for natal kicks, then we describe …

Synthesis And X-Ray Characterization Of Nickel Phosphide Nanostructures For Water Oxidation, David Thompson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The pursuit of earth-abundant 3d transition metal catalysts for alkaline water electrolysis remains an active area of research. While NiFe layered double hydroxides (LDH) are currently the most active catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), doping Ni-based catalysts with phosphorus to form Ni metal phosphides has emerged as a promising alternative. However, the complex crystalline and amorphous phases of NiP_x have hindered their characterization, and the OER mechanism and origin of activity remain unclear. This dissertation aims to elucidate the synthesis, OER performance, and in situ reconstruction of amorphous NiP_x-based nanomaterials, with a focus on in …

Insights From Automated Mineralogic Analysis Of Modern Sand, Quinten Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Methods for determining and categorizing the modal compositions of sand and sandstone have long been a subject of debate in the field of sedimentary geology. Point counting is the most commonly used technique for determining modal compositions from petrographic slides, which are then categorized based on relative proportions of quartz, feldspar, and rock (or lithic) fragments. However, this approach fails to adequately preserve relevant textural data, such as grain size and sorting, which play an important role in diagenesis and in influencing reservoir quality. Additionally, the categorical nature of point counting results in a lack of specificity and loss of …

Sibling Groups And Family Adaptability And Cohesion Among Emerging Adult Women, Julianne M. Post

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how sibling group size is related to family adaptability, cohesion, and individual resiliency outcomes during emerging adulthood. Using Bowen's Family Systems Theory and Olson's Circumplex Model, the research investigates sibling subsystems as sites where systemic imbalances are first experienced within families. Data from 124 college students revealed that larger sibling groups were associated with marginally higher disengagement and chaos resulting in decreased perceived social support, suggesting resiliency implications for youth growing up within larger families. While sibling size didn't directly predict mental health, family dynamics significantly mediated the relationship between sibling composition and resiliency outcomes. Demographic factors …

Effects Of Cholesterol Concentration On Liposome And Proteoliposome Behavior, Ehsaneh Khodadadi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cholesterol is crucial in modulating the behavior and characteristics of biological membranes, liposomes, and proteoliposomes, for instance in drug delivery applications. Cholesterol regulates membrane stability by influencing lipid density, phase separation, and protein-membrane interactions. In planar bilayers, cholesterol enhances membrane thickness, reduces permeability, and promotes lipid ordering, adding rigidity and fluidity. Cholesterol also modulates membrane curvature in curved bilayers and vesicles, stabilizing low-curvature regions. In this work, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to examine how varying cholesterol concentrations influence the structure and dynamics of membranes, focusing on planar and curved geometries. Bilayers with cholesterol molar ratios of 0%, …

Exploring 2slgbtqia+ Parenting In Northwest Arkansas, Bailey Mason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the U.S. Census Bureau first published data on “same-sex” households in 2011, research has repeatedly indicated the majority of 2SLGBTQIA+ parents (here on referred to as “queer parents”) reside outside of major cities in heavily populated regions of the country. However, due to widespread metronormative narratives about the queer experience, the experiences of queer parents in less-populated regions are rarely studied. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of queer parents in Northwest Arkansas, a region of the politically and religiously conservative Southern U.S. with areas both urban and rural. Applying grounded theory and drawing from queer theory to …

Using Deep Learning And Two-Photon Excitation Fluorescence Microscopy To Predict Breast Cancer Recurrence And Response To Chemotherapy, Nicholas Powell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Accurate prediction of breast cancer recurrence plays a critical role in guiding treatment decisions, particularly regarding the use of systemic therapy for patients. While genomic assays such as the Oncotype DX Recurrence Score offer valuable prognostic information, they are limited in accessibility and application. The work presented in this thesis explores an imaging-based approach for the prediction of breast cancer recurrence that combines multiphoton microscopy (MPM) with deep learning to classify individual breast cancer biopsy samples by risk of recurrence. Genomic differences in tumors with different recurrence potentials may translate to distinct optical and structural information that can be captured …

We're In It Together: The Influence Of Social Connection On Distress Tolerance, Hannah M. Henderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many factors are associated with heightened psychopathology, including difficulties tolerating distress and having low social support. Emotional support has been argued as the most vital facet to the construct of social support. Through emotional support, people can feel more connected to another person and thus feel more cared for and valued. It is important to understand whether interpersonal closeness can cause increased momentary distress tolerance. The current study (n = 165) involved an experimental manipulation of perceived interpersonal closeness, where participants experienced either induction of perceived interpersonal closeness, a control condition, or an interpersonal disconnection induction. Interpersonal closeness was …

The Duality Of Perception: Unveiling The Hidden Through Visible Forms, Sharmeen Uqaili

Art Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis, The Duality of Perception: Unveiling the Hidden through Visible Form, involves layering paints on shaped wood panels and paper, using the traditional technique of tezhib (gold illumination) and geometric art. Through these layers, I aim to challenge the viewers’ perceptions by simultaneously revealing and concealing elements within the work. Symbols drawn from Islamic traditions such as pomegranates, birds, and ribbons are incorporated in the paintings to carry both cultural and personal significance, evoking my connections to spiritual and physical realms.

Rooted in the principles of Islamic art and informed by spiritual themes such as paradise, divine …

Recollections Of A Tejana Life, Carolina Yáñez

Art Theses and Dissertations

This thesis encompasses the life of a young woman navigating life in Texas through various political and social barriers. My interdisciplinary practice analyzes the historical context of Mexicans in Texas from its Revolutionary period into current injustices. Through fiber, printmaking, and photography I create a visual diary to illustrate what the political has made personal. These works display the beauty of Tejano culture, but also the power struggles that threaten communities I care for, as well as my own existence that persists against far-right wing agendas.

Current politics and government leadership in Texas have inspired me to make artwork calling …

Exploring Hybrid Cohort-Based Doctoral Program Features That Support Nontraditional Doctoral Students’ Persistence: A Preregistered Case Study., Glenda Winborn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rise of hybrid learning models, non-traditional learners have greater access to doctoral education. However, attrition rates from doctoral programs remain high, ranging from 40% to 50% across all doctoral programs and exceeding these levels in online non-traditional programs. Numerous causes of attrition or persistence in doctoral studies have been researched and can affect the student, the academic institution, and the broader academic society. This qualitative case study will explore adult and lifelong learning doctoral students' perceptions of the programmatic and instructional support resources that have helped improve persistence in their program. Two of the important programmatic features of …

Leveraging Machine Learning Models For Enhanced Landslide Prediction In Western North Carolina, Andrew Edmonds

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Landslides pose significant hazards to human safety, infrastructure, and the environment, particularly in regions of high elevation that experience extended periods of heavy rainfall. This research focuses on preparing and evaluating landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) for the Blue Ridge Mountains, a portion of the Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina, utilizing three machine learning algorithms: Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting Regression. Sixteen landslide conditioning factors, reflecting topographic, geological, environmental, and anthropogenic influences, were identified for model input. The landslide inventory database, comprising 7,350 locations, was randomly divided into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. The performance of each …

Towards Multimodal Scene Graph Generation Approaches To Video Understanding, Trong-Thuan Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis advances video understanding by enhancing Video Scene Graph Generation (VidSGG) through improved temporal modeling, the integration of long-range temporal dependencies via continuous updates to interaction histories, and the utilization of Large Language Models (LLMs) for scene graph reasoning. To this end, three novel datasets and corresponding approaches are introduced. First, the ASPIRe dataset incorporates interactivity annotations and leverages the Hierarchical Interlacement Graph (HIG) for hierarchical temporal modeling, providing deep insights into scene changes and effectively capturing intricate interactions. Next, the AeroEye dataset, focusing on drone videos, is paired with the Cyclic Graph Transformer (CYCLO), which establishes circular connectivity …

Polyphenol-Protein Interactions In Pigmented Cereals – A Clean-Label Approach To Tailor Starch Viscosity, Annegret Jannasch

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Viscosity plays an important role in the food industry as it affects the quality, processing stability, and shelf-life of food and impacts physiological responses such as satiation and satiety. Greater viscosity reduces food intake by increasing the perception of satiety, primarily by delaying gastric emptying and increasing tactile stimulation. Starch is commonly added to food products as a viscosifying ingredient, which often involves chemically modifying the starch via cross-linking, to enhance its resistance to high shear, temperature and acidity. However, chemically modified starches are not “clean-label” ingredients due to the use of toxic chemicals. Therefore, further exploration is needed to …

Administering Grant-Subsidized Workforce Training: A Critical Case Study, Kaleb Preston Futch

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Grant monies are distributed for the purpose of funding workforce training programs aimed at affecting the skills gap in the United States. While research has shown that these grants are being awarded, there is not a well-established standard for designing and implementing the programs they fund. This study focuses on recording and classifying the lived experiences of grant staff working on a state funded workforce training program in the United States. This study will employ a qualitative case study approach designed to capture and codify, in the words of those most familiar with it, the aspects of the grant program …

Quantifying The Effects Of Urbanization On Stream Nutrient Loads And Decomposition, Caroline Anscombe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urban stream syndrome (USS) refers to the common symptoms of degradation in urban streams globally. Two symptoms of USS are increased nutrient and salt concentrations in streams, affecting ecosystem structure and function. Excess nutrients negatively impact freshwater ecosystems, placing downstream habitats at risk of eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. Excess salt runoff, derived from road salt application, is toxic to freshwater organisms and affects leaf litter decomposition, the base of aquatic food webs. Here, I aimed to quantify the effects of nutrient pollution and salinization on urban water quality and ecosystem function. Despite the widespread consequences of nutrient pollution, most …