Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Application Of Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (Dfos) For Monitoring Asphalt Pavement Strains Under Accelerated Loading Conditions, Sebastian Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents a study on the application of Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (DFOS) technology for detecting pavement's strain response with high spatial resolution. Using a Rayleigh-based optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system, DFOS sensors were calibrated and embedded in full-scale asphalt slabs subjected to accelerated loading using a Model Mobile Load Simulator 3 (MMLS3). Calibration of the DFOS sensors was conducted using a three-point bending flexural test with known load conditions and reference strain gauges to validate theoretical and numerical models. The results demonstrate DFOS's capability to detect pavement response under static and dynamic loading, as well as changes …

Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Parenting Styles Of African American Fathers, Tatianna P. Johnson

Dissertations

African American fathers may be more susceptible than fathers of other races to having a negative parenting style due to their high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are traumatic experiences during childhood that can affect a person’s mental and physical health, income and adult parenting style. African American adults tend to have experienced multiple levels of ACEs at a higher rate than White and Asian adults (Maguire-Jack et al., 2021). ACEs can lead to adults experiencing higher levels of alcoholism, depression, health-related issues, mental illness, substance use, and academic problems. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to …

Technoscientific Imaging And The Territorialization Of Ocean Depth, João Afonso Baptista, Pedro Figueiredo Neto, Irus Braverman, Philip Steinberg, Gabriella Palermo, Stefan Helmreich, Melody Jue, John Childs

Journal Articles

Once the last unclaimed solid expanse on Earth, the ocean floor has become one of the most contested spaces in contemporary geopolitics. The data-imagery produced by technoscience serves as the ultimate tool for nations asserting sovereignty in this territorial race. This symposium gathers diverse perspectives on the ongoing expansionist drive on the seabed, drawing inspiration from Abissal——a film-article featuring the Portuguese modern odyssey on the ocean floor that serves as the symposium’s centerpiece. Aligned with modern ocean law, technoscience strives to render ocean depth visible to politics and territorializable for coastal states. However, the submerged prolongations and divisions it proffers …

Draining Development: The Changing Nature Of Corruption In Post-Independence India, Chandra Tiwari

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The economic growth of emerging economies, particularly India’s, stands at a crossroads as the fight against corruption intensifies. Corruption poses a significant threat to the overall development of a country, necessitating the convergence of technological advances with national and global initiatives to combat the issue. Despite several ongoing efforts taken by international bodies to enforce regulations, challenges persist in curbing this issue due to the fundamental behavioral and structural factors at play. This dissertation investigates the dynamic evolution of corruption within a cash-based economy, a period of trade openness, and the contemporary digitalized age in India through a comparative case …

The Aid Impact Theory: A Theoretical Framework For Maximizing The Impact And Sustainability Of Foreign Education Aid In Ghana, Jonas Bensah

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Foreign aid plays a critical role in supporting education systems in developing countries, yet its effectiveness varies depending on the presence and interaction of key implementation components. This study applies the Aid Impact Theory (AIT) to comparatively analyze the USAID Partnership for Education: Learning and the World Bank-funded Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP) in Ghana, assessing their effectiveness and sustainability. Using a structured framework, the research examines six essential components: stakeholder consultation, donor coordination and local implementer collaboration, awareness of cultural, political, and institutional contexts, community involvement, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation. The findings indicate that the USAID Learning …

Georgia Library Spotlight: Poetry Spotlight: A Collaborative Effort, Tarmaria Chenta Davis

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

My Own Private Library, Colette Drouillard

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Hurricane Helene And Impacts On Georgia Libraries, Wilhelmina Randtke, Melissa Johnson, Kathy Davies, Erin Prentiss, Brad Warren, Emily Rogers, Emily Harris, Will Petty

Georgia Library Quarterly

In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene moved from Florida up the east coast of the United States. The hurricane struck land in the Florida panhandle, and moved north up through North Carolina. It passed over much of Georgia. The hurricane made landfall at around 11pm in Perry, Florida on Thursday, September 26. That night, it moved up through Georgia, and through to North Carolina. Governor Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency for Georgia, and later a state of emergency for 41 counties in Georgia. This article shares the experiences of librarians in Georgia in responding to and living through …

News Briefs Summer 2025, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

A Flag Of Honor: How A Library Project United A Community Through Service And Story, Timothy Cole Hale

Georgia Library Quarterly

A community project at the Cobb County Public Library’s Georgia Room honors veterans through a large American flag made of dog tags, each representing a loved one’s military service. Created in partnership with the Fielding Lewis Chapter of the DAR, the flag became a living archive of remembrance and storytelling. Hundreds contributed, turning the display into a mosaic of memory and a testament to the role of public libraries in building community.

Book Review: Heroes And Other Mortals: Stories Of Our Better Angels, Olivia Chapman

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Unpalatable: Stories Of Pain And Pleasure In Southern Cookbooks, Tomeka Jackson

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Zombie Memes Of Dixie, Alyshia K. Bagley

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Sabin Cdc Affordable Infill Initiative, Andrew Lindstrom, Casey Dobbert, Josh Miller, Laura Fleming, Menodora Roos-Lemaster, Nick Flowers

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Grounded Growth Planning Cooperative partnered with Sabin Community Development Corporation (CDC), a non-profit affordable housing developer in North/Northeast Portland. The project goal was to examine 11 sites in their Scattered Sites Portfolio for the possibility of infill development to increase the portfolio’s financial performance and to provide additional housing to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) were the primary focus of the evaluation, as they can be constructed without modifying the existing housing and displacing existing tenants. The report identifies opportunities for Sabin CDC to take advantage of Portland zoning code changes that allow increased …

Exploring Variability Of The Cg18562578 Methylquant Assay For The Forensic Discrimination Of Monozygotic Twins, Sydney E. Arnold

Student Theses

Monozygotic (MZ) twins possess identical DNA sequences, posing a problem for forensic scientists, as they are incapable of distinguishing MZ twins from each other using traditional DNA identification methods. However, the epigenomes of MZ twins will differ and might be used for their forensic discrimination. Here, we explored the variability of an assay previously developed by our laboratory that showed high discrimination potential for MZ twins using buccal swab DNA, cg18562578 MethylQuant. We measured precision at each step: bisulfite conversion, nested PCR, and qPCR, reproducibility, and repeatability. DNA methylation ratios were compared between two analysts carrying each step using the …

Further Investigation Of Environmental Factors On Rapid Shear In Fibers Of A Polyester-Cotton Blend, Daniel K. Oh

Student Theses

Rapid shear is a process that occurs in thermoplastic materials when they interact with a high-velocity impact. In forensics, these interactions would typically be from a bullet interacting with clothing that consisted of synthetic fibers. When the interaction occurs, bulb-like shapes appear on damaged fiber ends, distinguishing them from other kinds of damage. The reason why these shapes occur is varied, but one prevailing factor seems to be the heat generated by the impact.

In prior experiments, the factor of temperature being important to the formation of the phenomenon, different environmental simulations that affected the sample’s temperature were done on …

Honoring Childhood Agency In Developmental Research: Best Practices, Applications, And Insights, Amanda N. Howery, Olivia J. Lashley, Hanna R. Wright, Julia L. Williams, Olivia K. Nomura, Eline Lenne, Elizabeth K. Wood, Hanna C. Gustafsson, Elinor L. Sullivan

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pediatric research requires caregivers to provide informed consent on behalf of their children. While not a formal requirement for children under the age of seven, it is important to involve child participants in the assent and decision-making processes in developmentally appropriate ways. This is especially important in longitudinal research, where the extent to which a developing child understands study tasks evolves over time. Although there is consensus that assent procedures are important and necessary, limited resources synthesizing strategies for pediatric researchers to encourage positive and respectful research experiences for young children exist. We describe methods used in an ongoing longitudinal …

Immersive Consulting On The Ground: Learning Od By Doing It, Mendiola Teng-Calleja, Jaimee Felice Caringal-Go, Maria Regina Hechanova-Alampay, Nicasio A. Pimentel Iii, Christina Marie Ysabel Cruz, Allen Joyce Flaviano

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Step out of the ODLAB conference venue and into the real world of Organizational Development with Live Client Consulting, ODLAB 2025’s most immersive learning experience. Participants will be grouped and deployed to actual partner organizations in Zamboanga City—ranging from SMEs, community institutions, and business organizations—where they will engage with leaders and staff to conduct real-time diagnosis, facilitation, and consultation. This rare opportunity allows learners to apply OD tools and frameworks in a dynamic and unscripted environment, gaining insights that no simulation can match. Under the guidance of senior OD mentors, each team will be expected to observe organizational realities, conduct …

Assessing Coastal Vulnerability And Climate-Driven Migration Risk In West Africa, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study presents a GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making framework to assess climate-induced migration risk along the West African coast. We developed a comprehensive risk index that integrates environmental hazards such as flood frequency and socio-economic vulnerability indicators, including poverty levels, population density, and adaptive capacity. By utilizing datasets such as the Geocoded Disasters (GDIS) dataset, Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), Poverty and Adaptive Capacity Index (PACI), and the Population Exposure Index (PEI), the study identifies regions most susceptible to displacement. Results reveal that areas like Benin’s Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, and Akpo-Misserete are especially vulnerable due to high disaster frequency, substantial population exposure, and …

Exploring The Mediating Role Of Individual Performance In The Relationship Between Work-Life Balance And Attrition, Grace O. Leasure

Research Psychology Theses

Extensive research has established a relationship between work-life balance and employee attrition. However, limited attention has been given to the potential mediating role of individual performance within this dynamic. The present study aims to address this gap by examining whether individual performance mediates the relationship between work-life balance and attrition. It is hypothesized that higher work-life balance will be associated with lower attrition rates, partially explained by improved individual performance. Data will be collected via employee surveys and analyzed using mediation analysis. Anticipated results may provide organizations with a quantifiable, performance-based justification for investing in work-life balance initiatives.

A Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Emotion Regulationand Aggression In Justice-Involved Adolescents: Preliminary Outcomes From A Non-Randomized Trial In Short-Term Juvenile Detention, Cassidy L. Tennity

Dissertations

Justice-involved youth are at risk for a variety of psychosocial difficulties, including anger, aggression, and emotion regulation challenges. Short-term juvenile detention settings offer a unique opportunity to provide psychological interventions to youth before they are returned to the community or sentenced to long-term placements. However, implementation barriers within these settings often hinder the delivery of evidence-based care. This study developed and tested a brief, two-session anger management intervention for adolescents detained in a short-term juvenile detention center in the Southeastern United States, drawing on evidence-based practices from prior work with justice-involved youth. The present study examined implementation outcomes (i.e., feasibility, …

Test Driving Proximity Distances For Teacher Implementation Of Effective Instruction Delivery, Kenneth Joseph Ross Ii

Dissertations

Student noncompliance can disrupt teacher instruction and affect students’ ability to learn in the classroom. Interventions can be provided to teachers within the PBIS tiered system to address noncompliance. One intervention that addresses noncompliance, Effective Instruction Delivery (EID), has been demonstrated to increase levels of compliance above baseline levels. Despite the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions such as EID, there are significant concerns with ensuring the feasibility of evidence-based interventions to match the needs of teachers in the classroom to reduce teacher burn-out. A possible strategy to promote high levels of fidelity is to allow teachers to test drive interventions before …

"Legitimacy, War, And The State: A Framework For Understanding Legitimation Strategies In Us Foreign Policy", Daniel Jose Palomino

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Do social norms play a role in policy maker’s foreign policy choices? What methods or strategies are effective in generating sustainable public support? In contrast to certain theories that conceive of international relations as purely divorced from social norms – be they international or domestic - I argue that the characteristic of legitimacy is critical to understanding how states construct and pursue their foreign policy. Using a methodology of historical review I examine four primary qualities of legitimation theory: Concern, Audience, Effort, and Reception; using the test case of the Americanization of the Vietnam War (1961-1965) this study will …

Peace Engagement And Non-Negotiable Commitment Through An In-Depth Lens [Pencil Theory]: A Film Perspective On Un’S Conflict Resolution, Edward Moses Sam Selvaraj

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The research addresses the effectiveness of the United Nations concerning conflict resolution and peacekeeping, seen from the perspective of film culture. Applying the "PENCIL Theory" (Peace Engagement through an in-depth lens), the UN study along with its structural dynamics would be considered herein: a pencil comprising the Security Council as its lead, world as the eraser, and filmmakers as the ferrule that is representative of that significant link between public awareness and policy impact, and the UN General Assembly and Secretariat as its body in support of the decision-making processes. It brings to the fore the critical impacts on the …

Journal Of Communication Pedagogy, Complete Volume, 2025

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

A Mother And Social Worker Is Born, Gabrielle Jorns

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Narrative describing the social work competencies that helped shape a social worker with an interest in maternal health.

Job Satisfaction And Vocational Services In Persons With Acquired Brain Injury, Claudia Eliza Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

The incidence of acquired brain injuries continues to rise world-wide resulting in increased disability status and national costs related to these injuries (Ahonle et al., 2020; BIAA, 2024; CDC, 2003; CDC, 2015; CDC, 2023; Grigorovich, et al., 2017; Tyerman et al., 2017). Long-term health effects associated with acquired brain injuries have social and environmental impacts that influence the individual with the injury beyond acute treatment and rehabilitation (Ahonle et al., 2020; CDC, 2023; Frieden et al., 2015; Grigorovich, et al., 2017; Tyerman et al., 2017). This, in turn, affects employment as many individuals with brain injuries are unable to return …

Social Participation And Health-Related Quality Of Life For Adults With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Capabilities Mediation And Employment Status And Social Security Disability Insurance Moderation, Kayi Ntinda

Theses and Dissertations

Social participation is a key determinant of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs), yet how individuals with NDDs engage socially to support their HRQoL remains poorly understood. Furthermore, the influences of personal capabilities, employment status, and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) as social factors for well-being are underexplored with this population.

This cross-sectional study investigated the direct and indirect effects of social participation on HRQoL, examining capabilities as a mediator and employment status and SSDI receipt as moderators. The study sample comprised 304 adults with NDDs (females = 83.3%; age range 18 to 60 years …

The Impact Of Positive Psychology Use Upon Gls Outcomes For People With Chronic Pain Syndromes, Timothy Michael Curtis

Theses and Dissertations

The essence of being human is realized by our discovery of meaningful purpose throughout each important stage of our lives. If we perceive that we lack this meaningful purpose in our lives, it could become a distressful source of suffering to our sense of well-being emotionally, cognitively and perhaps, spiritually. A strong indicator of well-being comes from a good evaluation we ascertain as to how well we believe outcomes in our lives are consistent with our goals and values, which is also known as satisfaction with life. Research findings indicate that the more someone experiences repeated negative life events, the …

Examining The Lived Experiences Of International Students At East Tennessee State University, John The Baptist Anodjo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the lived experiences of international students at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), specifically examining how they navigate social, academic, and structural challenges. Through in-depth interviews with 20 international students from a variety of nationalities, I analyzed issues related to legal status, housing, food insecurity, healthcare, and social integration. I found that students encounter barriers due to immigration policies, financial constraints, and limited access to essential resources. Additionally, international students benefit significantly from support provided by campus services, community organizations, and their social networks, which play a vital role in their adjustment process. While institutional resources are beneficial …