Digital Commons Network^™

Radicals Transforming Organic Matter: Implications For Non-Pyrogenic Black Carbon And Nitrogen Formation, Molecular Dynamics In Tropical Soils, And Lignin Valorization, João Vitor Dos Santos

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Radicals drive the transformation of organic matter in natural and engineered systems, altering its structure, reactivity, and stability. Condensed aromatic carbon (ConAC) and condensed aromatic nitrogen (ConAN) are among the most persistent forms of organic matter in soils and are traditionally interpreted as products of biomass burning. This dissertation challenges the long-standing assumption that these materials are exclusively pyrogenic, showing that iron-mediated radical chemistry can generate condensed aromatic structures under ambient conditions.

Chapters II and III show that Fenton-like radical oxidation of lignin-rich biomass produces condensed aromatic structures compositionally similar to pyrogenic black carbon and black nitrogen when assessed with …

Student Perceptions Of The Community Of Inquiry In Online Human Anatomy And Physiology Discussion Boards Using 2-D And 3-D Anatomical Models, Timothy J. Mcguire

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Online human anatomy and physiology (HA&P) courses require students to learn complex anatomical content outside of a physical laboratory environment, a challenge that may be supported by enhancing students’ perceptions of collaborative learning (CL) through the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. This convergent parallel mixed-methods study examined participants’ perceptions of the CoI framework during two discussion board (DB) activities in an online, asynchronous, noncredit HA&P I study course at a midwestern community college.

Participants were recruited via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to one of two instructional sequence groups (2-D→3-D or 3-D→2-D) to complete two DB activities requiring annotation of …

Exploring System Wide Trust And Dependency Behavior Within An Aviation Environment, Austin Jackson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the theory of system-wide trust within the context of a multi-tasking aviation environment. Previous research suggested that unreliable automation can negatively affect a human operator’s trust in reliable automation within the same system (Rice & Geels-Blair, 2010). However, previous studies have not looked at how trust develops in the context of a multi-tasking environment, nor how different types of errors may affect trust in and the use behavior of automation. The current study employed a 2 x 2 mixed design with drone reliability (60% reliable vs 90% reliable) and error bias (false alarm vs. miss errors) …

Pushing High-Performance Private Inference Towards Resource-Constrained Edge Clients, Xiangrui Xu

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

The widespread adoption of Machine Learning as a Service (MLaaS) has enabled resource constrained edge clients, such as mobile and IoT devices, to leverage powerful deep learning mod els hosted on the cloud. However, this paradigm introduces critical privacy challenges regarding the client’s sensitive input data and the server’s proprietary model parameters. While cryptographic techniques like Homomorphic Encryption (HE) and Multi-Party Computation (MPC) enable Private Inference (PI), existing frameworks impose prohibitive computational and communication overheads that render them impractical for edge deployment. This dissertation introduces three novel frameworks—SPOT, LUTless, and PrivShap—to systematically address the efficiency bottlenecks of PI in edge …

Bridging Mission And Execution: Integrating Participatory Design In Early-Phase Mission Engineering For Stakeholder Alignment And Mission Clarity, Rafi Soule

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation develops and evaluates an integration-centered approach to early-phase Mission Engineering that improves mission clarity under ambiguity. Stakeholder interpretations diverge, and interoperability constraints are not surfaced early. These conditions reduce mission clarity and weaken mission-to-system mapping readiness. The dissertation proposes an integration-centered approach that strengthens early mission framing through two complementary mechanisms: (1) a participatory design-inspired, artifact-first workflow that surfaces and repairs interpretation divergence, and (2) closed-corpus, RAG-enabled retrieval that grounds mission-to-system mapping in traceable evidence. The study was organized around a construct spine linking shared understanding, stakeholder alignment, and interoperability feasibility to mission clarity. A three phase mixed-methods …

Early Parenting Stress And Later Abuse Risk: Dyadic Mediation By Maternal And Paternal Negative Attributions, Jewelian N. Fairchild

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Parenting stress and negative parental attributions are key contributors to child abuse risk. Early parenting stress may increase a parent’s risk of negatively appraising their child’s behaviors, which, in turn, may influence their likelihood of harsh or abusive parenting. Grounded in Social Information Processing (SIP) Theory, the present study explored how these processes evolve over time and differ between mothers and fathers. Specifically, this study investigated whether parental negative attributions mediated the relationship between early parenting stress and later abuse risk. A sample of 203 first-time mothers and 151 of their male partners were recruited prenatally as part of a …

Exploring The Physical Education Experiences Of Blind And Visually Impaired Hispanic Multilingual Learners In Integrated Settings, Sheyla G. Martinez-Rivera

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Although students with visual impairments (VI) are increasingly placed in integrated physical education (PE) classes (U.S. Department of Education, 2023), the embodied experiences of those who also identify as multilingual learners (MLs) and as Hispanics remain largely unexplored. This retrospective qualitative study examined how these students experience integrated PE during their K-12 education, focusing on how language and disability identities shaped their participation. Participants included seven Hispanic students, all MLs, and identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as blind or visually impaired. At the time of the study, participants were between 18 and 33 years old and …

Modeling Early Indicators For Success In An Associate Degree In Nursing Program, Joseph D. Moss

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Persistent nursing workforce shortages across the United States have increased the importance of Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs as primary entry points into the profession. Community colleges prepare a substantial portion of the nursing workforce; however, attrition within ADN programs limits the number of graduates entering practice. Understanding factors associated with academic performance and program completion is essential for strengthening nursing education pathways and supporting workforce development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine early academic and sociodemographic factors associated with successful completion of an ADN program at a suburban community college.

Guided by Becker’s Human Capital …

"On The Same Rope": An Exploratory Study Of Staff Experiences At The Mountain Seed Foundation's Healing Base Camp Program, Jill C. Kivikoski

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Since the escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians have faced significant social and public health challenges, particularly among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF), including disability, traumatic stress, and barriers to mental health care (Kostenko et al., 2024; Krasnodemska et al., 2023; O’Grady & Galouchka, 2023). Retreat based programs grounded in shared military identity may offer an accessible form of support (Barrett & Currin, 2024). Mountain Seed Foundation’s (MSF) Healing Base Camp (HBC) was developed to promote healing and resilience among Ukrainian SMVF (Mountain Seed Foundation, n.d.).

This qualitative dissertation used a single-case study design (Yin, …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The "Intervention Implementation Experience" With Department Chairs And Program Coordinators During A Performance Improvement, Courtney W. Schoolmaster

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Minimal research has been conducted on the experiences of department chairs and program coordinators with the implementation of performance improvement in learning outcome assessment. Focusing on a multidisciplinary college that offered associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates, located within the SACSCOC region, this transcendental phenomenology aims to understand the lived experiences of department chairs and program coordinators in a community college during the implementation/maintenance phases of a performance improvement initiative for the college’s program and general learning outcome assessment process.

This phenomenological study was conducted with eighteen department chairs and program coordinators, and two semi-structured interviews were conducted via Webex. …

Bug-In-Ear ECoaching To Enhance Parents' Use Of Embedded Learning Opportunities With Preschool-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aeshah Alturki

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has heightened the need for effective communication interventions. Parents are key partners in intervention and, with appropriate support, can serve as effective intervention agents. However, parents often require ongoing support to implement evidence-based practices. The purpose of this study was to experimentally evaluate the effects of online Bug-in-Ear (BIE) eCoaching on parents’ fidelity of embedded choice-making during family routines with their preschool-aged children with ASD. This study also examined the generalization and maintenance, children’s communicative responses, and parents’ perceptions of the intervention. A single-subject nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across two parent–child dyads …

The Physiology Of The Work: Chronic Stress, Allostatic Load, And Faculty Wellness In Counselor Education, Ajayla S. Evins

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor educators embody multifaceted professional roles across teaching, supervision, research, leadership, and service, exerting a profound influence on the formation of counselors and the ongoing development of the profession (CACREP, 2024; Calley & Hawley, 2008). While wellness is recognized as a core professional value in counseling (ACA, 2014), research has focused almost exclusively on emotional and psychological dimensions, leaving the physiological consequences of chronic stress largely underexplored (Bovee, 2024; Faheem et al., 2025; Lewis et al., 2022). In neighboring fields, such as public health and medicine, chronic stress has been linked to dysregulation in cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, immune inflammatory, and metabolic …

Education And Training In Water Operator Certification And Its Role In Water Utility System Performance, Heath A. Edelman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Access to safe and reliable drinking water is a foundational component of public health and environmental protection. The United States drinking water sector is highly regulated and increasingly challenged by workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and variability in operator training requirements across states. Despite the federal mandate for operator certification under the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of certification policies in improving regulatory compliance outcomes remains limited.

This study examined the relationship between operator certification policies and drinking water compliance outcomes under the Safe Drinking Water Act, with particular attention to differences across violation …

Development Of A Benchmark Building Condition Index Utilizing Discrete Facility Subsets For Use In Risk Prioritization Analysis, Christopher A. May

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Within the healthcare facilities management arena, key performance-based condition indices such as a calculated Building Condition Index (BCI) are currently utilized as a governing indicator of facility health and performance. However, BCI alone does not adequately support enterprise-level risk prioritization and fails to provide a validated facility-to-facility risk prioritization model. Assets within the same enterprise receiving similar sustainment funding experience different rates of degradation depending on asset type and construction age thus impairing the BCI rating scale. Statistical analysis of facility metrics indicates a strong correlation between facility degradation drivers and prediction of a subset-based benchmark BCI. The research validates …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Case Study On Principals’ Attitudes And Practices Toward The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Charlene Marie Briggs

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Despite decades of federal legislation mandating inclusion, many schools still struggle to serve students with disabilities effectively, resulting in persistent achievement gaps and limited postsecondary success. Research consistently identifies principals’ attitudes and practices as the most influential factor in inclusive school success, yet existing studies have examined these elements in isolation rather than as interconnected parts of a school system. This hermeneutic phenomenological case study explored how ten Virginia elementary school principals understood and enacted their attitudes and leadership practices toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in their schools. The study used van Manen’s (2014) hermeneutic phenomenology to understand …

The Leadership Lens: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Sensemaking Experiences Of School Leaders Implementing Virginia's New Standards Of Accreditation And Accountability, Paul M. Wilson Jr.

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study exposes the complex cognitive and organizational processes school leaders navigate as they translate high-stakes state mandates into localized action. By examining the implementation of Virginia’s revised Standards of Accreditation and Accountability (SOA), this study challenges the prevailing managerial paradigm that views policy implementation as a linear, mechanical execution of directives. Instead, grounded in sensemaking theory and SDT, this research conceptualizes implementation as a situated and interpretive act shaped by leaders’ prior experiences, beliefs, and psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Using a qualitative phenomenological design, data were collected through semi structured interviews with 12 school and …

Back Yard Lingo: Language As Cultural Identity In American Circus, Aíne Norris

English Theses & Dissertations

This project is an exploration of the deeply insider language of American circus and identifies meaningful patterns and connections between language, identity, and community. Drawing upon the theoretical lenses of cultural studies and community of practice, the study offers a thorough examination of how circus people use insider language for business, performance, and community purposes that enhance belonging, share knowledge, gatekeep, and protect their group identity.

The research employs a mixed-methods, scaffolded design that integrates both qualitative and quantitative data approaches, examining the cultural importance of circus language as written and spoken by the insider community. The design begins with …

A Theoretical Framework For Recursion In Complex System Governance, Gilbert Goddin

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to construct an original theoretical framework for understanding recursion in Complex System Governance (CSG), grounded in the propositions and axioms of systems theory and management cybernetics. This framework addresses a research gap for cybernetic recursion relating to the governance of complex systems. Leveraging the CSG framework (Keating & Katina, 2019; Keating, 2022), holonic principles (Koestler, 1970; Mella, 2009), management cybernetics (Beer, 1979; Beer, 1984; Beer, 1995), and metacybernetics (Yolles, 2021; Yolles & Fink, 2015c; Yolles & Frieden, 2021), recursion is theorized as a governable capability, whereby metasystemic governance anticipates emerging complexity and purposefully regulates …

The Lived Experiences Of Master's Level Counselors In Professional Counseling Association Leadership, Catalina R. Kraft

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Leadership and advocacy are essential for all counselors (Lewis, 2022; McKibben, 2016; Paradise et al., 2010; Sweeney, 2022). However, within research and professional counseling associations, there appears to be a bias in which counselor educators are the expected, default leaders within the counseling profession (Burns, 2015; Kleist, 2018; Speciale & Goodrich, 2020). While counselor educators may have experience as counselors, they primarily work in academia, so their experiences do not authentically represent the needs of professional counselors. Counseling leaders need to represent and understand the people they serve: counselors. Therefore, this study sought to understand the lived experiences of master’s …

Perceptions Of Virginia Dentists And Dental Hygienists Towards Emerging Alternative Dental Hygiene Workforce Provider Models, Lauren B. Mangum

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Background: A perceived shortage of dental hygienists in the United States has been linked to delays in preventive care and concerns about declining oral health outcomes. In response, some states have proposed alternative pathways permitting internationally trained dentists, dental students, and oral preventive assistants (OPAs) with limited or inconsistent education requirements to provide dental hygiene services. Limited evidence exists regarding whether these strategies would effectively address access to care and workforce challenges. Concerns have also been raised about the potential effects of expanding scope of practice for providers with limited education or training on patient safety and quality of care. …

Sensemaking By Rural Community College Mid-Level Academic Leaders During Localized Disruptions: A Critical Incident Technique Study, Donata Worrell

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Mid-level academic leaders in community colleges play a critical role in the success of community colleges. Beyond performing administrative tasks, they advocate for faculty, staff, and students as well as implement directives. Their work is affected by localized disruptions. However, limited research has examined how these leaders experience such disruptions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how mid-level community college leaders experience and make sense of those unexpected operational disruptions and their emotional responses to those events. Guided by Weick’s theory of sensemaking, this study used the critical incident technique (CIT) to collect detailed accounts of the …

Electromyography, Prosthetic Properties, And Running Biomechanics In Recreationally Active Persons With Lower Extremity Amputation, Paige M. Agnew

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Lower extremity loss affects nearly 150,000 individuals in the United States yearly yielding extreme health care costs annually. Typically, prosthetic devices are prescribed for 5-8 years despite known changes to an individual’s gait as time progresses. Patients can expect to undergo approximately 8-12 weeks of gait retraining to improve their comfort and efficiency. Biomechanical changes occur when running with a specific running prosthetic including considerable biomechanical and neuromuscular interlimb asymmetries and alterations in loading patterns. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the biomechanical demands for lower extremity prosthesis users during running. The first study synthesized peer reviewed evidence …

Behavioral, System, And Informational Cyberattacks: A Human-In-The-Loop Driving Simulator Experiment, Samuel Petkac

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Advanced technologies such as sensors and AI/ML algorithms have enabled increasing levels of automated driving system that detects, responds, and even predicts changes in a driving environment supported by wireless connectivity to nearby vehicles and infrastructure. Such connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) can be particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks targeting not only infotainment systems but also firmware and other applications, critically compromising driver safety. As we anticipate a “mixed” traffic where vehicles with various levels of automated technologies share the road for the foreseeable future, it is urgent to systematically examine types of possible cyberattacks and control human behaviors in such …

Microstructural And Thermal Studies Of Niobium On Copper Fabricated By Sputtering And Multicharged Ion Deposition, Md Obidul Islam

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Niobium-coated copper (Nb/Cu) superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities are a promising alternative to bulk niobium cavities for next-generation particle accelerators due to their reduced material cost and superior thermal conductivity of the copper substrate. However, cavity performance is fundamentally limited by the microstructural quality of sputtered Nb films and thermal transport across the Nb/Cu interface. Reduced thermal diffusivity in thin films and high interfacial thermal resistance contribute to localized heating and performance degradation under high RF fields. This dissertation addresses these challenges through a combined experimental and methodological investigation of thermal transport in Nb thin films, focusing on interface engineering using …

Considering Special Education Program Performance Analysis And Teacher And Student Involvement In Transition Planning: A Delphi Study To Prioritize Student Interests, Strengths, And Transition Assessment, Charles S. Thull

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Individualized education program (IEP) transition plans are required to be based on student interests and strengths, and use age-appropriate transition assessments, yet limited guidance exists on how to prioritize these elements. Despite decades of transition planning research and policy development, students with disabilities continue to experience poor postsecondary transition outcomes, special education teachers report limited readiness to support transition planning, university special education programs lack transition focused coursework, and transition plans are created for compliance and lack transition assessment information. Considering these concerns, this study used a modified Delphi method, informed by Human Performance Technology (HPT) and Ecological Systems Theory …

Social Capital As An Intervening Explanatory Mechanism Linking Socioeconomic Status And Deliberative Decision-Making In Citizen Advisory Boards In California Municipalities, Christopher Gerry

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Citizen advisory boards (CABs) are widely used in local government as institutional mechanisms for participatory governance and public input. While these bodies are intended to promote inclusive and deliberative decision-making, persistent socioeconomic inequalities raise concerns about whether CABs mitigate or reproduce disparities in participation and influence. This dissertation examines how socioeconomic status (SES) shapes deliberative decision-making within CABs and whether this relationship operates indirectly through board-level social capital.

Integrating perspectives from participatory governance, deliberative democracy, and social capital theory, the study conceptualizes deliberative decision-making as a collective, board-level process shaped by relational and institutional dynamics rather than individual attributes alone. …

Fabrication Of Flexible Laser-Induced Graphene-Based Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensor For Diabetes Management, Reagan Aviha

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This research focuses on developing a flexible non-enzymatic glucose sensor to address the issues of cost, stability, and limited sensitivity associated with enzymatic glucose sensors. Regular monitoring of glucose levels is required to manage the global health challenge of diabetes. The sensor is built on a cost-effective, durable, flexible, conductive, and high-surface-area substrate acting as a scaffold for modification with easily tunable and electroactive species to enhance glucose detection. The electroactive materials used are zinc oxide (ZnO), palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt). Laser-induced graphene (LIG) is created by laser engraving. ZnO, Pd and Pt are electrochemically deposited and optimized based …

How Women Community College Department Chairs Experience Leadership Work, Stephanie L. Goldenberg

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Women remain underrepresented in higher-level administrative roles in community colleges, a disparity shaped by systemic barriers, limited mentoring, and inconsistent pathways into leadership. Department chairs occupy a critical midlevel position that influences faculty, students, and the implementation of institutional priorities, yet little is known about how women experience this role or how their pathways into leadership take shape. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how women community college department chairs experience leadership work and what experiences influence their entry into leadership roles. Guided by feminist standpoint theory and grounded in narrative inquiry methodology, this study centers the …

Learning In Motion: How Small Groups Can Promote Self-Regulated Learning In Physical Therapy Students, Sara Mclaren

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a critical skill for success in rigorous graduate health professions programs, where students must independently manage complex academic demands. Despite its importance, limited research has examined SRL processes among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in the didactic phase of training. Guided by Zimmerman’s cyclical model of self-regulated learning, this study examined SRL behaviors among second-year DPT students and explored how small group learning contexts may influence engagement in SRL processes and academic performance.

This mixed-methods study included 39 DPT students enrolled in a physical therapy program at a public university in the southeastern United States. …

Identifying Professional Development Needs Of Deans At California Community Colleges, Matilda D. Chavez

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative, descriptive study examined the professional development needs of deans, associate deans, and directors in the California Community Colleges System. Using the American Association of Community Colleges leadership competencies, the study analyzed how mid-level leaders rated the importance of leadership tasks and their ability to perform them. It also compared results by gender, race or ethnicity, years in the role, district type, and preferred professional development methods.

Data were collected with a 47-item, fixed-format survey using Qualtrics. The sample was a nonprobability quota drawn from 17 California community colleges (N = 71). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including t-tests …