Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Reinforcement Learning Applied To The Shoals Marine Laboratory Smart Grid, Daniel C. Mattson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Reinforcement learning (RL) techniques have been applied to smart grids with a variety of applications. The most common objective is to optimize profit for one actor in the system. The goal of this work is to apply different RL models to the smart grid at the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) located on Appledore Island, Maine in an effort to reduce costs and minimize the amount of nonrenewable energy consumed on the island. The RL models implemented resulted in more sustainable practices in simulations, with a linear spline model outperforming the naive policy the SML currently uses. Future work includes extending …

Generally Covariant Theory Of Multipole Moment Conserving Quasiparticles, Gavin Eric Riley

Honors Theses and Capstones

This report represents the creation of a field theory which is capable of describing quasiparticle excitations that preserve 2^k -pole moments. These quasiparticles exhibit certain ’semidynamic’ properties such as individual particle immobility but free movement of bound 2^L-tuples. We provide a review of work done on dipole conserving fractons and their dynamics [1] and expand upon it to describe higher moment conserving systems with global quadratic (and higher) phase symmetry. This requires the selection of the temporal and spatial directions. The selection of a temporal direction is done with a foliation defined by an anisotropic scaling of space and time, …

Development Of A Fluxgate Magnetometer Model, Eleonora Olsmats

Honors Theses and Capstones

As a part of the UNH SWFO-L1 mission to monitor space weather and the sun’s behavior, the fluxgate magnetometer is an important component to measure external magnetic fields. The basic principle of a fluxgate magnetometer is to detect changes in the ambient magnetic field by inducing a magnetic field in a ferromagnetic material via a drive winding. Each magnetometer is unique due to the ferromagnetic properties of the core material which can be seen in the hysteresis loop which is a relationship between the magnetic field strength (H) and the induced magnetic field (B). Measuring the hysteresis of a fluxgate …

Future Climate Streamflow Estimation In The Donnelly River Catchment, Justin Hughes, Bill Wang

Natural resources commissioned reports

The Donnelly River is located in the south-west of Western Australia. An irrigation development has been proposed in the catchment that would extract water from the Donnelly River and store this in an off stream reservoir for irrigation use. Given the known issues related to non-stationarity and hydrological prediction, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) contracted CSIRO to review the hydrological model that was used to estimate future climate streamflow in the Donnelly River. This model was owned and operated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). The CSIRO review of the model, which also …

A Pilot Course As A Step Towards New Academic Programs In Renewable Energies, Otilia Popescu, Orlando Ayala, Isaac Flory, Jose Fernandez, Vukica Jovanović

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The challenges arising from climate change have never before in human history been more pressing for solutions. Addressing pollution and the transition to clean energies are essential problems to solve in the upcoming decades. The process of transitioning to renewable energies has started already, with some states leading the process. As the development of industries sees a fast growth, the supply of qualified engineers and technicians to support these industries needs to keep up. At the community college level, some efforts have already started to introduce courses on renewable energies as well as boot camps or certifications to prepare the …

Framework For Sustainable Pastoral Management - Revised Edition, R Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This Framework for sustainable pastoral management, revised edition (the Framework) describes the contemporary risk-based approach that is now being used within Western Australia (WA) to ensure management of the State’s pastoral estate meets the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). Development of the Framework was undertaken as part of the Pastoral Lands Reform project initiated by the WA Government in response to the Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG 2017) report, Management of pastoral lands in Western Australia. The Framework was developed by DPIRD with input from the Interagency Steering Committee (ISC – which included senior representatives of the WA …

Framework For Sustainable Pastoral Management - Land Condition Version, R Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This document outlines the revised edition of the Framework for sustainable pastoral management, with a particular emphasis on the land condition components, including the monitoring, assessment and compliance processes. These processes are now being used to guide the management of land condition on all pastoral leases and stations within Western Australia (WA), which cover 860,000 km2 and represents over 40% of WA’s extensive rangeland area.

Status Of The Western Australian Pastoral Rangelands 2021, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

This report updates the 2020 Rangelands annual report, the 2020 report outlines the condition, trend and risk of vegetation condition decline of pastoral rangelands in WA, based on the information available to September 2020. This 2021 report summaries the findings of the 2020 report and provides updated information on seasonal conditions in 2021 and stocking rates in 2020.

DPIRD produces a full report on the condition, trend and risk status of the WA pastoral rangelands every five years and provides updates on an annual basis. It is expected that the monitoring and assessment protocols used to generate future annual condition …

Using Data Science Tools For Investigating Chat Logs From The Conti Ransomware Group, Boyan Kostadinov, Joseph Liu, Julio Rayme

Publications and Research

The main goal of this paper is to showcase some results from a comprehensive data analysis that we did on the cache of chat logs from the notorious ransomware group Conti. The chat logs were made publicly available on February 27, 2022. They were translated from Russian into English, and contain 393 json files with chat logs from the instant messaging service Jabber. We employ a variety of modern data science tools for text mining, natural language processing, network analysis and geospatial analysis to investigate the Conti chat logs so that we can understand the command and control structure of …

Leadership Strategies For Sustainability Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Swaziland, Lizzy Oluwatoyin Taiwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an essential role in national and global economic growth. Lack of leadership strategies can negatively impact the sustainability and growth of SMEs. Business owners who implement appropriate leadership strategies can ensure the sustainability of their SMEs. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and sustainability development theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies owners of SMEs use to ensure the sustainability of their organizations. The participants were four owners of SMEs within the four regions in Swaziland who successfully used leadership strategies to enhance the sustainability of their organizations. …

Digital Strategies To Improve The Performance Of Pharmaceutical Supply Chains, Manish Shashi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some supply chain managers at pharmaceutical companies lack strategies to digitalize integrated supply chain systems impacting their profitability. Digitalized supply chain management in a pharmaceutical company can help reduce operation costs, improve assets, enhance shareholders’ value, positively respond to customer demand, and generate profits. Guided by the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some pharmaceutical managers use to digitalize integrated supply chain systems to increase their profitability. The participants were five managers from four pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey with strategies to digitalize their integrated supply chain systems. Data collection included …

The Impact Of Funding On Organizational Sustainability Of Mental Health Nonprofits In The County Of Orange, California, Sophia E. Valdez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in literature regarding sustainment of mental health programs following budget reductions. Customarily, decreases in budgets have been presumed to be connected to decreases in sustainability. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to describe the impact that a decrease in Proposition 63 funding had on nonprofit sustainability in the County of Orange, California. In 2004, California lawmakers enacted Prop 63 to revitalize the public mental health system. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used as the conceptual framework for this study. This tool can be used to measure data in five categories; intervention, inner …

Social Media Analytics Use Among Small Business Owners, Melody White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of January 2018, small businesses created 47.5% of private jobs in the United States, but little is known about whether and why small business owners use social media analytics. This topic is important because social media analytics assist businesses in identifying social media effectiveness, gaining new customers, and staying connected with current customers. The purpose of this generic qualitative research study was to explore the use of social media analytics by small business owners, which can increase customer interaction and help monitor company perception and effectiveness. The conceptual foundation used in this study was the technology acceptance model. The …

Exploring Security Strategies To Protect Personally Identifiable Information In Small Businesses, Erin Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations that do not adequately protect sensitive data are at high risk of data breaches. Organization leaders must protect confidential information as failing to do so could result in irreparable reputation damage, severe financial implications, and legal consequences. This study used a multiple case study design to explore small businesses’ strategies for protecting their customers’ PII against phishing attacks. This study’s population comprised information technology (IT) managers in small businesses in Northern Virginia. The conceptual framework used in this study was the technology acceptance model. Data collection was performed using telephone interviews with IT managers (n = 6) as well …

Strategies To Secure A Voice Over Internet Protocol Telephone System, Sherese Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) provides cost-effective phone service over a broadband internet connection rather than analog telephone services. While VoIP is a fast-growing technology, there are issues with intercepting and misusing transmissions, which are security concerns within telecommunication organizations and for customers. Grounded in the routine activity theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) security managers used to secure VoIP telephone systems in telecommunication organizations. The participants consisted of nine IT security managers from three telecommunication organizations in New York who possessed the knowledge and expertise to secure a VoIP telephone …

Security Strategies Of Electronic Health Record Systems, Benjamin Gerke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Users of electronic health record (EHR) systems lack data security mechanisms and are at risk of patient data breaches. Grounded in routine activities theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies information technology security managers in the health care industry use to minimize electronic health record data breaches. The participants were nine information security managers of large, medium, and small health care organizations in the Midwest United States. Data collection included semistructured interviews and organizational documents. Through methodological triangulation, three themes emerged: (a) requirements based on government and organizational regulations, (b) implementation of best practice industry-standard …

Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Strategies In Small- And Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises, Tatianna Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The difficulty SME leaders of manufacturing firms experience in the executing of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems threatens the longevity of innovative change within firms seeking to adopt ERP systems. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to examine critical success factors used to successfully implement ERP systems. The participants were four ERP business leaders of small to medium size manufacturing firms based on the east and west coasts of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured online interviews and a review of company documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were …

Administrative Leaders’ Experiences With Information Communication Technology Platforms And Best Practices In Smart Schools, Byron B. Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrative leaders in traditional schools have failed to manage resources, implement best practices, and successfully integrate information communication technology (ICT) platforms into K-12 programs. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and discover the lived experiences of administrative leaders who have been successful in their integration of ICT platforms and best practices in K-12 smart schools. This study was framed by two concepts: (a) building digital capacity in smart schools and (b) ICT platforms integration in smart schools. Both concepts were theoretically grounded in social cognitive theory and system theory. Data were collected in semi structured …

Modernization Of Legacy Information Technology Systems, Rabie Khabouze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large enterprises spend a large portion of their Information Technology (IT) budget on maintaining their legacy systems. Legacy systems modernization projects are a catalyst for IT architects to save cost, provide new and efficient systems that increase profitability, and create value for their organization. Grounded in sociotechnical systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies IT architects use to modernize their legacy systems. The population included IT architects in large enterprises involved in legacy systems modernization projects, one in healthcare, and one in the financial services industry in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas metropolitan …

Strategies For Developing Sustainable Supply Chain Links With Local Producers, Edwin Che Ngwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to sustain agriculture supply chain links with local producers may lead to supply chain disruptions affecting the flow of products and materials. Successful strategies are essential for agribusiness supply chain managers to maintain profitability. Grounded in the value-based supply chain model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies agribusiness managers used to develop sustainable supply chain links with local producers to maintain profitability. Semistructured online interviews were conducted with six Cameroon agribusiness managers who developed sustainable supply chain links with local producers for more than 5 years. Data analysis of the interviews and administrative …

Stigma And Discrimination’S Effect On Hiv Testing Of Pregnant Women In Nigeria, Charles Echezona Nzelu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The utilization of HIV testing services among pregnant women in Nigeria has not been optimal. Although much is known about the determinants of HIV testing among pregnant women, there is a gap in knowledge on determinants for pregnant women infected with the virus, specifically whether stigma and discrimination are barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of stigmatizing attitudes and personal knowledge of discriminatory practices towards persons living with HIV/AIDS on the decision by pregnant Nigerian women aged 15-49 years to test for HIV during antenatal visits or childbirth. The health belief model served as the …

Strategies For Small-And Medium-Sized Business Growth And Survival, Abiodun Nestamanuel Ogunmuyiwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years (Small Business Administration, 2018b). Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) owners and managers would benefit from strategies to identify and mitigate constraints to sustain their business beyond the first five years of business operation. Grounded in the system theory framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies leaders of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Austin, Texas, used to grow and sustain their business’s operations beyond five years. The participants were five small and medium sized businesses owners in …

External Stakeholder Relationship Strategies For Increasing Nonprofit Organizations' Financial Viability, Henry Ayoola Olofinmoyin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA business leader’s ability to establish and sustain effective relationships with organizational stakeholders affects business competitiveness and sustainability. Some executives of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) lack strategies to build relationships with external stakeholders to achieve financial viability for their organizations. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies NPO executives use to build relationships with their organization's external stakeholders to achieve their organization's financial viability objectives. The participants were three senior executives of an NPO in Mississippi, United States, who have successfully managed financial viability objectives using external stakeholder relationship strategies for 3 …

Successful Information Technology Project Process Management Best Practices, Jude Oderaa Orazulike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, most information technology projects (ITPs) are reported as unsuccessful. Poor project management practices have consistently been identified as the leading cause of ITP failures. However, ITP practitioners manage project processes in diverse ways without clear guiding principles in terms of what does or does not work in practice for success. Process management practices in projects were explored in this grounded theory qualitative study from a systems theory perspective. The purpose was to understand from project practitioners' experiences what guiding principles potentially influenced ITPs to success. These experiences were then analyzed to develop a theory describing how to best use …

Strategies For Cryptocurrency Adoption In Contemporary Businesses, Jacqueline Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of Bitcoin transactions occur daily, worth nearly $2 billion annually. With the proliferation of cryptocurrency markets, the reluctance to adopt the currency as an alternate payment method could cause businesses to forgo growth opportunities within this expanding market. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies business leaders use to respond to the alternative payment concerns perpetuated by cryptocurrency markets. The participants comprised 6 business leaders who effectively employed cryptocurrency adoption strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, corporate documents, and other company social media resources. Thematic analysis of …

Strategies Business Leaders Use To Mitigate Online Credit Card Fraud, Clarissa Rosario-Tavarez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Online credit card fraud targeting banks, customers, and businesses costs millions of U.S. dollars annually. Online business leaders face challenges securing and regulating the online payment processing environment. Grounded in the situational crime prevention theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies online business leaders use to mitigate the loss of revenue caused by online credit card fraud. The participants comprised five online business leaders of an organization in the Southwest of the United States, who implemented strategies that successfully mitigated revenue losses due to online credit card fraud. The data were collected from semistructured …

Use Of Human–Computer Interaction Devices And Web 3.0 Skills Among Engineers, Dr. Robbie L. Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite massive company investments in human–computer interaction devices and software, such as Web 3.0 technologies, engineers are not demonstrating measurable performance and productivity increases. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding related to the motivation of engineers to use Web 3.0 technologies including the semantic web and cloud applications for increased performance. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate whether the use of human–computer interaction devices predict Web 3.0 skills among engineers. Solow’s information technology productivity paradox was the theoretical foundation for this study. Convenience sampling was used for a sample of 214 participants from metropolitan …

Relationship Between Vendor/Client Complementarity, Vendor Technology Maturity, Vendor Financial Stability, And It Outsourcing Project Outcomes, Everton A. Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business and IT leaders in financial services are concerned with the limited benefits they are reaping from information technology outsourcing (ITO) projects, despite continued heavy investments in ITO. Grounded in the transaction cost, agency, and resource-based view theories, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between vendor/client complementarity, vendor technology maturity, vendor financial stability, and ITO success. Participants were 65 business and IT leaders in financial institutions engaged in ITO projects. The result of the multiple linear regression was significant, F(3, 61) = 4.845, p = .004, R2 = .192. In the final analysis, vendor/client …

Grade K-5 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development That Supports Mathematics Instruction, Shannon Annette Manley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Grade K-5 teachers in the United States do not receive the mathematics support they need from the professional development (PD) activities offered by their school districts. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the perceptions of Grade K-5 teachers on the PD activities they received from their school district to support mathematics instruction. The conceptual framework that supported this study was andragogy, an adult learning theory that takes the learner’s needs into account and values the connection to real-world situations. The research question addressed how Grade K-5 teachers perceive the PD that they were offered by their …

Strategies For Attracting And Retaining Highly Skilled It Professionals For The High-Tech Workforce, Mia Gyjuan Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many information technology (IT) managers have experienced challenges retaining high-tech professionals. Organization leaders lose investments of time and money when essential personnel leave. Grounded in the task-technology fit theory and the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore technology-focused strategies IT managers use to attract and retain IT professionals. The participants included five IT managers from five high-tech organizations who implemented strategies to attract and retain IT professionals. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and online resources. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: (a) using high-tech tools and alternative methods, (b) employing talent management techniques, …