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Long-Time Stability For An Imex Discretization Of The 1d Fujita Equation, Victoria Luongo

Honors College Theses

We study an efficient time-stepping scheme for the 1D Fujita equation that is implicit for the linear terms but explicit for the nonlinear terms. We analyze the long-time stability of the scheme for varying parameter values, which reveal parameter value regimes in which the method is stable. We provide numerical results that illustrate the theory and show the analytically derived stability conditions are sufficient to achieve long-time stability results.

Class Of 2023 Commencement Program, State University Of New York College At Cortland

Commencement Programs

May Commencement, Graduate Ceremony

When Russia Gets Tired Of Them, They Sell Them To Us: The Russian Five, Us Russophobia, & Cold War Rhetoric After 1991, John Elam

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Through a case study of the Russian Five, the five Soviet-born hockey players who joined the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990s, this thesis offers insights into Russophobic beliefs and sentiment based upon historical memory of the Cold War. Through a loose chronological framework, this thesis considers the background of the Soviet hockey system for contextualization, and looks at the experiences of former Soviet hockey players from their arrival in north America in 1989 through the end of the twentieth century. An analysis of television broadcasts, newspapers, magazines, documentaries, and interviews, demonstrates that American citizens continued to promote Russophobic sentiment …

Exploring The Connections Between Craving, Depression, Sleep & Alcohol Use In Emerging Adults, Katie Moskal

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alcohol use among emerging adults is a public health concern as it has been associated with negative consequences, such as accidental injury (Hingson et al., 2009). Given the negative consequences experienced for emerging adults, there is a need to identify factors contributing to alcohol use to determine ways to reduce these consequences. Poor sleep has been associated with higher alcohol-related consequences (Miller et al., 2016), and alcohol use has been associated with poor sleep (Goodhines, Gellis, Kim, et al., 2019), however there may be other factors contributing to this relationship, such as alcohol craving and depression. Higher alcohol craving has …

Sexism's Effect On Female Suicide Ideation & Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Through Body Surveillance & Self-Esteem, Caitlin Gregory

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research has shown that women face an average of three sexist events per week (Fischer & Holz, 2010). These sexist experiences can present within domains of daily living, social media usage, workplace discrimination, psychological distress, and sexual objectification (Baires & Koch, 2020; Duggan, 2014; Oswald, et al. 2019; Perez, 2019; Rollero, 2013). Additionally, the literature has shown that types of sexist experiences can determine the severity of the impact on mental health outcomes, as benevolent sexism has showcased significant consequences on females’ self-esteem and body objectification and hostile sexism has been shown to impact selfevaluation and self-worth (Calogero & Jost, …

Impact Of Students' Off-Task Technology Use During Instruction On Teachers, David Lancaster

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The increase of technology in educational classrooms has changed the way instruction is delivered and received, positively and negatively. When technology is used for off-task purposes, negative effects on student learning are well-documented. However, little research has been conducted on the effect of student off-task technology use on teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of off-task technology use during instruction on K-12 teachers, while including more modern devices. Two hundred sixty-two Kentucky K-12 teachers completed online surveys in which their perceptions of multitasking, views of the impact of off-task technology use on students, and on …

Finding Our Gifted English Language Learners, Lois Stokes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explored teacher referrals of English Language Learners (ELL) also called Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students for gifted identification and services in a medium sized school district in the southern United States. Five educators who have successfully referred an ELL/CLD student were interviewed in this qualitative study. Discussion focused on teachers’ recognition of the characteristics of giftedness in these students, understanding teacher perceptions about ELL/CLD potentially gifted students, parent understanding and involvement, and training opportunities for finding gifted ELL/CLD students. Four main themes about how teachers find gifted ELL/CLD students for referral stemmed from the coded interviews: positive …

The Effects Of Attentional Focus Instructions On Approach Jump Performance, Hanwen Liu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Introduction: Attentional focus is a crucial factor that impacts motor learning and performance. Instructions that direct performers’ attention externally (i.e., toward the effects of movements) have been shown to enhance performance compared to those that direct attention internally (i.e., toward the body’s movements). Research has also demonstrated that novices perform better when they are instructed to focus externally on the process of skill execution versus the outcome. However, this effect has not been tested in complex jumping skills that are important in many sports.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the effects of internally and externally directed …

Psu/ Knea Event 05.23, Knea State Of Kansas

KNEA 50th Anniversary

Photos taken during the May 2023 event held for PSU/KNEA faculty members.

2023 Knight Of Honor Award Program, Lynn University

Knight of Honor Award Programs

Program for the annual Knight of Honor Awards, held in the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center. The Student Affairs Involvement Awards, the Dean's Awards for Excellence, Academic Affairs Awards, the Snyder Scholarship, and Lynn University Graduation Awards are awarded.

A Deep-Learning Framework For Spray Pattern Segmentation And Estimation In Agricultural Spraying Systems, Praneel Acharya, Travis Burgers, Kim-Doang Nguyen

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This work focuses on leveraging deep learning for agricultural applications, especially for spray pattern segmentation and spray cone angle estimation. These two characteristics are important to understanding the sprayer system such as nozzles used in agriculture. The core of this work includes three deep-learning convolution-based models. These models are trained and their performances are compared. After the best model is selected based on its performance, it is used for spray region segmentation and spray cone angle estimation. The output from the selected model provides a binary image representing the spray region. This binary image is further processed using image processing …

Hammer Throwing - Countering Dynamics, Andreas Maheras

Track and Field Faculty Publications

During a hammer throw, the athlete first rotates the hammer two or three times around his body while keeping both feet on the ground. Following, the athlete attempts to increase the speed of the hammer by turning three or four times together with it, as one system, while being in double and single support alternately. During the turns, as the throw progresses and the speed of the athlete+hammer system increases, the athlete will be "countering" the hammer to maintain an optimum balance of the system. He can do this by employing two methods, a) countering with the "hips" which involves …

The Effect Of Exercise Interventions On Cognitive Functions In Individuals With Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Emma Moreland

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Purpose: Previous research showed that exercise positively impacts cognition, specifically executive functioning. This systematic review aims to determine the impact of exercise on cognitive functions in people with Down Syndrome.

Method: A systematic review of the research literature related to the influence of exercise on cognition for individuals with Down syndrome was carried out. Included studies were evaluated for level of evidence and appraised for strength of study design. Post-intervention change score differences between groups were analyzed using effect sizes (Hedge’s g).

Results: Fifteen intervention studies met inclusionary criteria and were included in the systematic review. Levels of evidence for …

Faculty Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Traci Pooler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of college faculty experiences and perceptions of student learning outcomes during forced virtual instruction in the spring 2020 semester. The study was limited to faculty who taught at one of the 18 member institutions of the Association of Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU). Factors such as the discipline being taught were considered. Other factors considered were faculty experience with virtual instruction, the availability of technology for faculty and students, and the support provided to students and faculty amid the transition to virtual instruction. The survey reviewed responses from each AIKCU …

Effects Of Exercise When Transitioning From Free Choice Tall Fescue (Lolium Arundinaceum) Grass Diet In Late Summer To Free Choice Tall Fescue Hay Diet In Late Fall On Plasma Fructosamine Concentrations, Insulin Levels, Body Weight, And Body Condition Scores Of Stock Horse Mares And Gelding, Riley Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Equine exercise may influence a horse’s metabolic and physiological functions. Studies can help to prove this linkage, and to better understand the nutritional requirements of the horse. The parameters that are being evaluated are plasma-fructosamine concentrations, insulin levels, body weight (lbs.), and body condition score (BCS) as a measurement of obesity. Eight horses used in this study were split into two groups; Worked horses were exercised three times a week while the unworked horses were not exercised. All eight horses were fed an ad libitum diet of tall fescue grass and hay for 127 days.

Forage samples were collected to …

Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire

Dissertations

The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …

The Effects Of Personalized Learning On Student Achievement, Keile Phillips

Dissertations

Although many studies have been conducted on personalized learning strategies, teacher attitudes and perceptions, and student engagement, few studies have focused on personalized learning and its impact on student achievement when compared to the traditional classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine if personalized learning increased student achievement in three school districts by analyzing student assessments for three consecutive school years. The study utilized data from three school districts located in Western Kentucky for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. The data were collected from Renaissance Learning for math and reading. In addition to examining the students’ …

Concurrent Study Of The Impact Of An Institutionalized Diversity Plan On The Perceived Sense Of Academic Achievement, Sense Of Belonging, And Program Completion Among African American Students In A Midwest Community College, Tyianna Thompson

Dissertations

This dissertation explored how an institutionalized diversity plan impacts perceived academic achievement, sense of belonging, and program completion among African American students. The concurrent mixed-methods methodology followed a single case study design to explore the impact of an institutionalized diversity plan in a Midwest community college. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and analyzed. The results of this study revealed that although diversity and inclusion programs are somewhat effective in higher education, more needs to be done to satisfy the needs of minority students in higher education. According to the findings of this study, most students felt a sense …

An Improvement Science Approach To Understanding Adaptive Leadership As A Tool For Diabetes Educators To Teach Patient Self-Efficacy, Allie Carter

Dissertations

Background: Worldwide diabetes is estimated at 415 million, and that number is expected to increase to 642 million by 2040 (Roberts et al., 2017). Certified Diabetes Care and Educational Specialists (CDCES) and other health care providers strive to teach patients with diabetes skills that assist them in developing and maintaining self-efficacy. Current education methods are not always enough to help a patient navigate effects of their diabetes. Using the adaptive leadership principles can provide educators an interventional practice that facilitates patient self-management. This study explores the effectiveness of adaptive leadership when applied to the diabetes education delivery and confirms the …

"Can These Bones Live?": The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Church Revitalization, Gerald Gifford

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between Transformational Leadership Theory and church revitalization. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. (1) To what extent do pastors who led Kentucky Baptist Convention churches through a successful revitalization exhibit the characteristics of Transformational Leadership? (2) What, according to the pastors, were the primary causes of the revitalization? The MLQ survey by Mind Garden, Inc. was used to investigate the first question by comparing a target sample with a comparative group who did not lead a revitalization. Scoring on the MLQ confirmed that those in the target sample were transformational leaders. The comparative group, …

Qualitative Development Of Items For A Young Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder Screener, David Roehm

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits across multiple domains such as deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. The prevalence of ASD has increased over time, and while there are ample screeners and assessments for children, there is a distinct lack of screeners for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years. The present study focused on exploring the gap in screeners for ASD in young adults and assessing the insight of experts in the field toward the development of a screener for ASD in young adults. Participants (N = …

Administrative Leaders' Viewpoints About The Significance Of Art Education In Schools, Jennifer Luckett

Dissertations

The value of art education and people’s perspective of its value have been subjects of research throughout the years. Art programs are usually the first to be eliminated when there are budget cuts in the public-school systems. This study examines policy, history, and teachers’, parents’, and students’ viewpoints of the value of art education. It also analyzes the researched value that an art education provides. As there is little to no research on administrative leaders’ viewpoints, this research study utilized Q-methodology to determine administrators’ viewpoints on their personal value of art education. The main goal of this research was to …

Investigating The Effect Of Pancreatic Cancer Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles On Schwann Cell Activation, Isabel Powers

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest diseases because it is hard to identify in its early stages, has high chemoresistance, and early metastasis. Because of these traits, it is often associated with perineural invasion (PNI), where the cancer travels to the nervous system. Schwann cells (SC) are associated with both metastasis and PNI when activated. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how pancreatic tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TEVs) can activate SC in PNI. This experiment was performed by embedding Schwann cells in a hydrogel to model the tumor microenvironment and treating them with isolated extracellular vesicles …

The Impact Of Mentoring On Student Leadership Development At Université Chrétienne Bilingue Du Congo, Kizito Kakule Mayao

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of mentoring process at the Christian Bilingual University of the Congo (UCBC) and see how mentoring impacts current students’ life, alumni, staff, and faculty’s life experiences. Does mentoring help students become successful in their careers, as well as their professional and personal development? The key research question was, “What is the impact of mentoring on student leadership development at UCBC?” A qualitative methodology with a phenomenological case design allowed for interviewing four mixed focus groups of current students as well as two groups of alumni. Additional one-on-one interviews were held …

“Why Can’T I Get Over This?”: The Impact Of Vicarious Trauma On College Student Leader Mental Health, Sarah Hagelberger

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Many college student leaders get the opportunity to learn the stories of those they serve. Similar to people in other helping roles, a possible impact of this work is experiencing a negative emotional response developed in response to the trauma someone in close proximity is experiencing, or vicarious trauma. This research project attempted to understand the impact of vicarious trauma on college student leader mental health. Using a phenomenological approach, the study explored the experiences of nine past student leaders at a small, private, liberal arts college in the Midwest. Results indicate that vicarious trauma, inherently, has a negative impact …

The Effects Of Motivation, Loneliness, And Academic Productivity On College Students During The Pandemic, Alyssa Bates

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The 2020 pandemic and the stay-at-home-orders shifted the college experience for students and required students to complete their work off-campus. This research uses a convergent mixed methods design to examine how loneliness, motivation, and academic productivity interacted in the lives of students during the pandemic. This study explores the implications of the loneliness students experienced and the patterns or shifts in behavior that brought upon either success or struggle. The study shows that students were relatively lonely during this time, yet had varying measures of motivation, leading to a low positive correlation between loneliness and lack of motivation. Additionally, significant …

What Is My Role?: The Impact Of The Christian College Experience On Female Students’ Gender Role Beliefs, Emma Sachsenmaier

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Christianity in America offers multiple perspectives on gender roles for men and women. Often, these views are formed from an early age, through family units and church models. For many women, college is the first time in which they are exposed to a broad range of perspectives and have the opportunity to think through these perspectives on their own. This research explores the impact of the Christian college experience on female students’ gender role beliefs using a qualitative phenomenological design. The study showed that faith, community, and classroom experiences are also primary influences on how female students construct their gender …

Impact Of Marketing And Recruitment On The Expectations Of Incoming Students At A Faith-Based Institution, Aiden Reichard

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

During the college recruitment process, prospective students develop expectations of what college life will be like at an institution. They use information and messages provided by an institution’s admissions team to speculate what they will experience when they enroll. However, some students enter college with expectations that are not accurate to the experiences they have. These unmet expectations from students can lead to dissatisfaction with an institution and eventually retention issues. This study examines how the marketing and recruitment process may influence incoming student expectations related to sense of belonging, academics, and faith development prior to enrolling at a faith-based …

Career Related Stress And Faculty Work–Life Balance, Sarah Jo Chipka

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

College faculty have a range of demands on their time in both their personal and professional lives. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of career related stress on faculty members’ satisfaction with the balance between their personal and professional lives. This study focused on faculty at a small, faith-based, liberal arts institution in the Midwest. Data from the 2013–2014, 2016–2017, and 2019–2020 HERI Faculty Surveys were analyzed to determine if any of four independent variables—colleagues, students, research or publishing demands, or teaching load—significantly predicted the dependent variable, work–life balance. Gender was the only control variable …

Women’S Pornography Use And Sexuality Education In U.S. Public Schools, Julie Fraumeni-Mcbride

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The relationship between sexuality education and self-reported pornography use is not well understood in the context of public policy and education. Little is known about women’s pornography use and the effects such exposure could have on female sexuality and well-being; therefore, this study sought to fill that gap. This study broadly examined the relationship between sexuality education in U.S. public schools and women’s pornography use to provide recommendations for future research and public policy. To do this, quantitative methods (i.e., Welch’s t tests for hypothesis testing and ANCOVAs for covariate elimination) were used in a sample of women who attended …