bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Quantitative Approach to Understand Cyberbullying
Authors:   , Stegmair Juergen Georg
Published: January 2025

After more than two decades, bullying and cyberbullying is still negatively impacting the lives of many of our youth and their families. The prevalence of the phenomenon is widespread and part of the everyday life activities. The impact of cyber aggression and violation can have severe consequences, up to the destruction of lives. While cyberbullying prevention programs exist, not much progress seems to have been made in the effort to combat the phenomenon. This research provides new insights into how to extract information by using existing research and online news articles, with the aim to create new or improve existing cyberbullying prevention efforts. The intent is to inform prevention programs.
Perdóname, Madre, ¿he pecado? An Investigation of Hispanic Catholics in the United States and Their Attitudes toward Women being Allowed to Enter the Priesthood
Authors:   , Kilgore William S
Published: January 2025

Hispanic American Catholics are a growing immigrant population in the United States, with Hispanic cultures and Catholicism woven together in unique ways. This situation presents a window through which can be examined the dynamic between individualism and religiosity. Four logistic regression models were estimated utilizing data from the Pew Research Center 2013 Survey of U.S. Latinos, in order to investigate the correlates of Hispanic American Catholic support for women in the Catholic priesthood. Religious individualism (self-determination) was measured in two dimensions, while cultural individualism (acculturation) was measured in one dimension. The first three regression models test three hypotheses related to religious and cultural individualism, while the fourth model factors in all of the variables used. Findings generally supported the saliency of religious individualism over against the hierarchal dogma of the Catholic Church, but not the saliency of cultural individualism. However, findings also exposed the complexities inherent in both Catholic religiosity and acculturation among Hispanic American Catholics.
Flipping Scripts: Mentoring for Secondary Readers
Authors:   , Cross Terry
Published: January 2025

Researchers have reported that a variety of socio-cultural interventions can be used to increase positive attitudes toward reading for secondary students. A socially constructed reading intervention could add learning growth for a reluctant reading population. This study examines whether secondary students experience a measurable increase in positive attitudes toward reading after engaging in modeling and mentoring sessions with a much younger student and whether there is a perceivable difference in the secondary students' attitude following this mentoring activity. A variation of the one-way ANOVA, the Mann-Whitney U test, was completed to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between these groups of students after participating in the reading intervention plan. It was determined that a small increase was found in one of the domains. The measurement survey is divided into four measured components that align with Albert Bandura's model for self- efficacy. The results from this study indicated growth in only one of the measures, however, some of the outcomes in the other measures suggested potential growth in attitudes with a relaxation of these necessary experimental strictures. A limitation of this research was the change from face-to-face tutoring completed by the secondary student with elementary students in an afterschool program to the secondary student tutoring a younger member of their family who would be contactable during the stay-at-home orders in spring, 2021. The changes to the original experiment design were to accommodate for subject safety during the current worldwide pandemic of COVID-19.
Exploring the Impacts of Social Media Use on Young Adults' Self-Esteem and Perceived Impact on Psychological Diagnoses or Emotional Disturbance Eligibility
Authors:   , Atkinson Rebecca Lynn
Published: January 2025

The impacts of emerging adults' social media use have been shown as generally negative, especially in decreasing their self-esteem and self-concept and increasing anxiety, depression, and more. Although there is research on social media's impact on various communities of adolescents and young adults, limited research has focused on this effect for young adults with mental health diagnoses or served under IDEA's emotional disturbance eligibility criteria. Additionally, no research has studied this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to examine how various types of social media use impact young adults' self-esteem, including those who are psychologically vulnerable. Participants included 119 individuals, 18 to 19-years of age, with and without mental health diagnoses or Emotional Disturbance special education eligibility recruited utilizing social media pages and social media hashtags. Participating individuals answered demographic and social media use questions and completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to provide information about self-esteem. Additionally, participants responded to questions regarding what role they feel social media use has had on their mental health, including contribution to or exacerbating their symptoms. Univariate statistics were run to control demographic factors and determine the percentage of participants who believe social media has negatively affected their mental health. Multiple regression analyzed if time spent on social media or specific social media platform or activities were predictive of participant self-esteem. Limitations and implications are discussed.
What Does It Mean to Go Super Saiyan: Gender Identity and Fandom in the Toonami Release of Dragon Ball Z (1998-2003)
Authors:   , Liverett Nicholas
Published: January 2025

The intention of this thesis is to analyze the representations of masculinity in the anime series Dragon Ball Z as it aired on Cartoon Network's programming block Toonami, specifically the nature in which they were framed and how oppositional interpretations in the fandom became prevalent as a result. The series emphasizes the evolution of its central characters Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan into performing a sensitive masculinity, but there are a prevalence of images in the series that discredit this. Similarly, the way the series was advertised on Toonami placed emphasis on images of superficial violence and reinforced the masculinity that the series was attempting to move beyond. Understanding the ways fans have interpreted Dragon Ball Z on Toonami helps reveal that there is much more to a media text's influence than its themes and representations of gender.
The Influence of Adolf von Henselt on Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Comparative Analysis of Henselt's Piano Concerto Op. 16 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto Op. 18
Authors:   , Kim Meenha
Published: January 2025

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto is one of the most frequently performed and beloved works. It is ironic that, however, despite its huge popularity, there are not many in-depth studies of this concerto, offering pianists few opportunities to examine the work from an analytical perspective. The detailed analysis presented in this study reveals that the main structure of this concerto is directly related to a motto comprising three-notes, designated the 6-5-1 motto. In his use of this motto in the Second Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff was profoundly influenced by the German-born composer Adolf von Henselt. Indeed, while von Henselt's importance for Russian music has been generally recognized, his impact, especially upon Rachmaninoff, has received insufficient attention in the scholarly literature. This study also examines Henselt's Piano Concerto Op. 16 in depth in order to demonstrate how Rachmaninoff's masterwork relates to its precursor. Additional studies of the 6-5-1 motto in European compositions from the nineteenth century trace the motto's origins.
Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy: How Society of Spectacle Bred the Mockingjay
Authors:   , Trotter Olivia Royce
Published: January 2025

Using spectacle to alienate people from each other and life, President Snow's Panem from Collins' Hunger Games trilogy is Guy Debord's Society of Spectacle. As Debord predicts, the spectacle of the Annual Hunger Games causes a degradation of life for citizens in the Districts and the Capitol, leading to a society where nobody truly lives and citizens accept the narrative that President Snow and his regime promote about the Games. Using Luis Althusser to understand how President Snow links his power to that of the Games, we understand how the dictator brainwashed his citizens into compliance through his narrative, and also, how this narrative is constantly delivered through the various ISAs and SAs in Panem to degrade life into false unity and false consciousness, socially coercing citizens to fall in line with the narrative around spectacle. Katniss Everdeen is unique as she is too authentic to use her celebrity status in promotion of the Games; instead, she accidentally performs Debord's true critiques, sparking a rebellion through love. Katniss' acts of love translate into true critiques of the spectacle that is Panem and the Games, and because Snow has spent decades brainwashing his populace into a blind acceptance of celebrity and social similarities, Katniss is successful as the Mockingjay through rebellious love. Through Katniss, we see how spectacle can be as self-defeating as it is self-perpetuating.
Theory and Practice in Book 2 of Ugolino's (c. 1380-1457) "Declaratio musicae disciplinae"
Authors:   , Turner Joseph
Published: January 2025

Ugolino (c. 1380-1457) wrote one of the largest treatises on music theory in the first half of the fifteenth century. This work, the "Declaratio musicae disciplinae," is comprised of five books that cover everything a musician of the era would need to know, from plainchant to harmonic proportions, from musica practica to musica speculativa. However, the treatise has received contradictory interpretations by modern scholars, some viewing it as mainly practical, others as mainly theoretical. I argue that in Book 2, which deals with counterpoint, Ugolino crystallizes the relationship between theory and practice, while offering distinctive contrapuntal practices. Ugolino presents a unique view music's place in the structure of knowledge, one which is highly dependent on Aristotelian philosophy. He posits that music is a science and that it is a branch not of mathematics, as it had traditionally been categorized, but of natural philosophy. This viewpoint shapes the entire treatise and is evident in the book on counterpoint. There, he presents an Italian tradition of teaching counterpoint known as the "regola del grado." Ugolino is the first author to present this tradition entirely in Latin. In addition, he offers an unusual description of musica ficta. In it, he presents a diagram, the "duplex manus," that mixes together both musica recta and musica ficta. Ugolino's work suggests that theory and practice, although arranged hierarchically, need not be in conflict, and that a treatise such as his can be both eminently practical and highly theoretical.
Using a Slopes Difference Test to Probe Longitudinal Multilevel Interactions in an Aptitude-Treatment or Skill-by-Treatment Context: A Simulation
Authors:   , DeJong Trey L.
Published: January 2025

In order to determine which interventions work best for which students, precision education researchers have examined aptitude-treatment interactions (ATI) or skill-by-treatment interactions (STI) by using multiple regression analysis. In recent years, technological innovation and greater accessibility to more advanced statistical techniques have allowed researchers to examine ATI or STI using longitudinal mixed modeling. Probing techniques for interaction effects like slopes difference tests fit well with an ATI or STI framework, but the power of using a slopes difference test in longitudinal mixed models is unknown. The current study used the simulation method to determine which factors influence the power of a slopes difference test in a longitudinal mixed model. Specifically, the study examined design conditions such as number of waves, number of clusters and participants per cluster, effect size, intraclass correlation, variances and covariance of the random effects, and proportion of treatment to non-treatment participants. These were examined in order to help ATI and STI researchers understand whether the slopes difference test in a longitudinal mixed model is sufficiently powered for their sample and study. Effect size, number of waves, number of clusters, and participants per cluster were found to be strong determinants of power and significantly impacted model convergence and rates of singularity. The slopes difference test was also found to have greater power in a longitudinal mixed model than was discovered for a cross-sectional multiple regression context.
A Well Dressed Menagerie: Defining and Teaching Courtliness with Animals and Clothing in the Lais of Marie de France
Authors:   , Clark C. Natalie Massie
Published: January 2025

In this dissertation, I explore how the twelfth-century poet Marie de France combines animals and clothing to define and teach noble conduct in her Lais collection. I suggest that the nexus she creates between animals, dress, and virtue is chimeric but consistent, appearing differently in each narrative situation but recurring as a means of demonstrating moral conduct. My chapters explore three of her lais that combine beasts and attire to address the unique way Marie features the animal-clothing combination in each to teach distinctive lessons in virtuous behavior. My chapter on Guigemar argues that Marie uses the magical hind and the exchange of a knotted shirt and a belt to rework Ovidian anti-love themes to teach the value of being tightly bound in loyal love. Chapter 3 analyzes the eponymous knight's removal of his clothing as the mechanism that triggers his appearance as a werewolf in Marie's lai Bisclavret. I show that Bisclavret's werewolf form is like a sartorial skin under which his selfhood remains unaltered rather than a true transformation, and I argue that Marie uses the knight's appearance as a wolf so that the loyalty he demonstrates to his king and his homosocial community becomes voluntary and therefore serves as a model of noble conduct to the reader. Chapter 4 discusses Marie's use of the characters' relationships to animals and dress in her lai Lanval to assert the importance of a feminine contribution to leadership in society.
Synergistic Effects of Lattice Instability and Chemical Ordering on FCC Based Complex Concentrated Alloys
Authors:   , Dasari Sriswaroop
Published: January 2025

The current work investigates how the interactions among constituent elements in high entropy alloys or complex concentrated alloys (HEA/CCAs) can lead to lattice instability and local chemical ordering which in turn affects the microstructure and properties of these alloys. Using binary enthalpies of mixing, the degree of ordering in concentrated multi-component solid solutions was successfully tailored by introducing Cr, Al and Ti in a CoFeNi HEA/CCA. CoFeNi was selected as the base alloy to achieve a close to random solid solution as indicated by the near-zero binary enthalpies in CoFeNi alloy system. The room temperature tensile properties of these alloys with varied degree of ordering follow a consistent trend where yield stress increased with degree of ordering. This novel approach provides a new alloy design strategy to obtain controlled ordering tendencies and consequently targeted mechanical properties. Further studies on specific alloys have been conducted to utilize this ordering tendency in attaining precipitation strengthening. For this purpose, Al, Ti and Ni were selected to promote ordering and Co, Fe, and Cr were chosen to strengthen the solid solution matrix. In Al0.25CoFeNi HEA/CCA, the ordering tendency between Al and Ni results in a competition between two long-range ordered phases, L12 and B2. While homogenous L12 precipitation takes place at an annealing temperature of 500oC, heterogeneous B2 precipitation occurs at 700oC. At 600oC, this competition between L12 and B2 phases results in a novel nano-lamellar microstructure. The alternating lamellae are mainly FCC and BCC based whose morphology is similar to pearlite in steels. However, the FCC lamella is made up of FCC and L12 phases and the BCC lamella is made up of BCC and B2 phases. A different thermomechanical processing route can be used to obtain the same phase composition but distributed in a nano-grained fashion. This nano-grained microstructure exhibits the best strength-ductility combination in this alloy. Thermomechanical processing can also be used to engineer the transformation pathway of L12 from homogenous to discontinuous precipitation. The homogenous and discontinuous L12 precipitation has been investigated in two different alloys namely, Al0.2Ti0.3Co1.5CrFeNi1.5 and Al0.3Ti0.2Co0.7CrFeNi1.7. While discontinuous precipitation (DP) is generally considered deleterious to mechanical properties, the results from this study suggests that microstructures with DP perform better compared to homogenous L12 up to 500oC. However, beyond 500oC, microstructures with homogenous L12 appears to perform better than discontinuously precipitated FCC+L12 microstructure.
In the Way of Family
Authors:   , Bernard Rebecca
Published: January 2025

A novel about intergenerational sexual violence.
Building Resiliency: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in the Trauma-Affected Community of Santa Fe, Texas
Authors:   , Jordan Mandy M
Published: January 2025

On May 18, 2018, a shooter entered Santa Fe High School, killing eight students and two teachers. Using ethnographic methods, this research examines the role of faith, rituals, language, and symbols in the trauma-affected community during the response, recovery, and resiliency efforts as perceived by the Santa Fe community and those impacted by the tragedy. Qualitative data collected from 100 individuals ages of 17-84 illustrated how historical trauma, community culture, and faith-based organizations impact community resiliency and how illusions of a homogenous view of the community left many feeling shocked, divided, forgotten or muted.
The Electrochemical Etching Process of a Tungsten Wire
Authors:   , Richardson Aaron Michael
Published: January 2025

This study produced and analyzed shaped tungsten wire tips formed through electrochemical etching. Specifically, the cone length and the radius of curvature of the tip were analyzed. Having the tips move dynamically through an electrolytic solution, such as potassium hydroxide, and tuning the initial starting depth of the tungsten wire along with the dynamic speed of the tungsten wire as it passed throughout the solution allowed various types of tip profiles to be produced. The tip's radius of curvature was able to be reproduced with an accuracy between 88 - 92 %. The method provided would be applicable for the production of various styles of liquid-metal ion source (LMIS) probes and scanning probe microscope (SPM) tips.
Investigating the Role of Parenting in the Link between Social Anxiety and Coping-Related Drinking Motives among Adolescents
Authors:   , Ramadan Banan
Published: January 2025

Elevated social anxiety is a well-documented risk factor for developing problematic alcohol use behaviors. Adolescents with high social anxiety often report drinking for coping-related reasons, and drinking to cope has been linked to both acute and chronic alcohol use problems. Research further suggests that parenting is a primary socialization domain in terms of adolescent alcohol use onset and trajectory; however, no work has yet examined the role of parenting factors in the relation between social anxiety and coping motives for drinking. The current study investigated the role of two parenting dimensions, rejection/warmth and psychological control, on the link between social anxiety and problematic drinking motives. Drawing from an ongoing assessment of an inpatient program, the sample consisted of 94 girls and boys (ages 11-17 years). Regression analyses evaluated main effects of social anxiety, rejection, psychological control, the interactive effects of the parenting dimensions, and the three-way interaction of both parenting dimensions with social anxiety on coping motives for alcohol use. As expected, social anxiety was positively and statistically significantly related to coping motives when examined via raw scores, proportional values, and in the final model. Further, zero-order correlations indicated a positive, statistically significant relation between proportional coping motives and both rejection and psychological control; however, no other hypothesis was supported. Collectively, this body of work underscores the potential benefit of integrating social stress and anxiety management in problematic alcohol use intervention efforts, as well as drinking motive education in efforts targeting social anxiety.
Identifying the Needs of Precollegiate Anthropology Teachers
Authors:   , Hoffmann Michael P
Published: January 2025

Anthropology is an underrepresented subject in precollegiate education. Despite concerted institutional efforts through organizations such as the American Anthropological Association (AAA), there has not been significant growth in the field. Although the field of anthropology has not shown significant growth at the precollegiate level, there does exist a presence of precollegiate anthropology, especially through the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) and standalone courses at schools at the elementary through high school level. Many of these standalone courses were created by an individual teacher. This applied thesis used anthropological methods to identify if a social network exists among precollegiate anthropology teachers while also examining how the AAA can create and/or facilitate a stronger community of precollegiate anthropology teachers. Linking to institutions such as the Advanced Placement program in addition to IB may create the critical mass to encourage a positive feedback loop which produces more anthropology students at the college level and more individuals who create standalone courses. With a growth in precollegiate programs, the existing social networks within and outside the AAA will grow.
Classical Simulations of the Drift of Magnetobound States of Positronium
Authors:   , Aguirre Farro Franz
Published: January 2025

The production and control of antihydrogen at very low temperatures provided a key tool to test the validity for the antimaterial of the fundamental principles of the interactions of nature such as the weak principle of equivalence (WEP), and CPT symmetry (Charge, Parity, and Time reversal). The work presented in this dissertation studies the collisions of electrons and positrons in strong magnetic fields that generate magnetobound positronium (positron-electron system temporarily bound due to the presence of a magnetic field) and its possible role in the generation of antihydrogen.
Romanticism or Baroque? A Comparative Study of Approaches to the Ciaccona Attributed to Tomaso Antonio Vitali
Authors:   , Dang Ha Viet
Published: January 2025

Like numerous other Baroque pieces, the Ciaccona attributed to Tomaso Antonio Vitali (1663-1745) was transformed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The German violinist and composer Ferdinand David (1810-1873) was the first to edit and publish the piece. The composition became popular after being included in the second volume of his Die Hohe Schule des Violinspiels [The Advanced Method of Violin Playing] (c.1867). Since then, Vitali Ciaccona became an essential work in the violin repertoire and is often heard in concert halls. However, what many audiences hear in concerts is essentially an arrangement of the Ciaccona. Acknowledging the "double life" of the piece as both Baroque and Romantic, this dissertation examines the advantages and disadvantages of playing the Ciaccona attributed to Vitali on both the Baroque and modern violins.
Formation Control and Path Planning Strategies for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Swarms
Authors:   , Mukherjee Srijita
Published: January 2025

This dissertation focuses on the path planning of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms under distributed and hybrid control scenarios. It presents two such models and analyzes them both from theory and practice. In the first method, a distributed formation control strategy for UAV swarm based on consensus law is presented. This model makes use of the fundamental concepts of leader-follower structure, social potential functions, and algebraic graph theory to jointly address flocking and de-confliction in the formation control problem. The impact of network topology on formation control is analyzed. It is shown that the degree distribution of the network representing the multi-agent system defines the rate at which formation is attained. Conditions for convergence and stability are derived. In the second method, a hybrid framework for path planning and coverage area by UAV swarms is presented. This strategy significantly improves the current labor-intensive and resource-constraint operations in aquaculture farms. To monitor the farms periodically, an optimized back-and-forth flight path based on the Shamos algorithm is utilized. A trajectory tracking strategy for UAV swarms under uncertain wind conditions is presented.
Manuel de Falla's "Siete Canciones populares Españolas" (1914): Study and Transcription for Horn and Piano
Authors:   , Pérez Alonso Rubén
Published: January 2025

This survey presents a transcription for horn and piano of Siete Canciones populares Españolas (Seven Popular Spanish Songs) by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946). Siete Canciones populares was written originally for voice and piano and previous transcriptions with different instrumentation have been published after the original work. In order to provide a faithful representation in my version, my study explores three main subjects: the style of Manuel de Falla; the significance of Siete Canciones; and the composer's horn writing in his orchestral work The Three-Cornered Hat. The solo horn repertoire originates in the central European countries and remains a product of their traditions until the second half of the twentieth century, when it was broadened by composers worldwide. My transcription helps to fill a gap in the repertoire for horn and piano by Spanish composers before 1950. It will serve as both a resource for horn players and a valuable contribution to horn recital repertoire.
Where Bach Meets Jazz: A Critical Edition of Anthony Plog's (b. 1947) Concerto for Flute and Wind Ensemble with Commentary, Revisions, and Additions by the Composer
Authors:   , Flum Kathryn
Published: January 2025

Anthony Plog's Concerto for Flute and Wind Ensemble is a substantial but relatively unknown work from the composer's early compositional period. It deserves wider exposure and recognition in the repertoire for solo flute and wind ensemble, given its accessibility for both the soloist and the ensemble.
A Multi-Proxy Approach to Identifying Marine Overwash Sedimentation and Terrestrial Flood Sedimentation in a Coastal Lake in Southeastern Texas
Authors:   , Beaubouef Chelsea E.
Published: January 2025

This research project focuses on using a multiproxy approach to discriminate between overwash and non-hurricane marsh sediments within the bed of a coastal lake. 3 marsh cores were collected in an area of McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge just south of Clam Lake that are known to contain 4 hurricane overwash deposits, Ike, Rita, Carla, and Audrey. LOI and XRF analysis were used to determine the signature of the hurricane overwash layers. 3 more cores were collected from Clam Lake where there are no visible sand layers. The elemental signature of the overwash layers found in the marsh cores was used to run a hierarchical cluster analysis on the lake cores. This was able to determine the effectiveness of XRF's ability to distinguish between hurricane overwash and marsh sediments. The combination of cluster analysis, LOI, and XRF can tentatively identify hurricane overwash deposits in a coastal lake, however, it is more successful in the marsh cores. Results in the lake cores are somewhat inconsistent and uncertain, possibly because there may have not been enough overwash deposits to identity or that the XRF analysis needs more distinct sand layers to distinguish between overwash and marsh.
Design of Low-Power Front End Compressive Sensing Circuitry and Energy Harvesting Transducer Modeling for Self-Powered Motion Sensor
Authors:   , Kakaraparty Karthikeya Anil Kumar
Published: January 2025

Compressed sensing (CS) is an innovative approach of signal processing that facilitates sub-Nyquist processing of bio-signals, such as a neural signal, electrocardiogram (ECG), and electroencephalogram (EEG). This strategy can be used to lower the data rate to realize ultra-low-power performance, As the count of recording channels increases, data volume is increased resulting in impermissible transmitting power. This thesis work presents the implementation of a CMOS-based front-end design with the CS in the standard 180 nm CMOS process. A novel pseudo-random sequence generator is proposed, which consists of two different types of D flip-flops that are used for obtaining a completely random sequence. This thesis work also includes the (reverse electrowetting-on-dielectric) REWOD based energy harvesting model for self-powered bio-sensor which utilizes the electrical energy generated through the process of conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. This REWOD based energy harvesting model can be a good alternative to battery usage, particularly for the bio-wearable applications. The comparative analysis of the results generated for voltage, current and capacitance of the rough surface model is compared to that of results of planar surface REWOD.
A Combined Mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning School Counselor Consultation Approach with Teachers
Authors:   , Molina Citlali E
Published: January 2025

The demands on teachers have been further amplified both personal and professional in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of stress teachers face is unsustainable. Stress can have negative outcomes for the teacher student relationship. Increasing teachers' social-emotional competence can lead to a more supportive classroom environment and improved teacher and student outcomes. Researchers have determined mindfulness-based interventions are conducive to increasing teachers' social-emotional competence. School counselors can assist and equip teachers with these vital skills through consultation services. To date, there are no studies that investigate the effects of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning-based school counselor consultation approach. In this study, I sought to explore the results of that approach. Teacher participants reported their racial identity as 22% Black (n = 7), 46% Caucasian (n = 15), 25% Hispanic (n = 8), 3% multi-racial (n = 1), and 3% Asian (n = 1) and self-reported gender as follows 38% male (n = 12) and 62% female (n = 20). Participants received 5 weeks of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning school counselor consultation. Results of hierarchical linear regressions revealed statistically significant improvement in the mindfulness disposition of acting with awareness, and practical significance of decreased perceived stress and conflict in the teacher student relationship. Results of this study illustrate the possible benefits of utilizing school counselor consultation to increase the socio-emotional competence of teachers through mindfulness.
Franz Liszt as Transcriber and Editor: A Historical Overview and Analytical Study of His Three Versions of Franz Schubert's "Wanderer Fantasy," D.760
Authors:   , Kwon Jin Ah
Published: January 2025

This dissertation is divided into six chapters. The first chapter explains the purpose and significance of the study. The second chapter presents an analysis about Wanderer Fantasy, D.760 composed by Schubert, employing Schenker analysis to elucidate important motives. Chapter 3 provides an analysis of Schubert-Liszt, Wanderer Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, S. 366 and shows how Liszt transcribed the original to emphasize certain motives, and further, describes the development of the piano history. Chapter 4 delves into an analysis of Schubert-Liszt, Wanderer Fantasy for Two Pianos, S. 653a transcribed by Franz Liszt and further explains the historic development of piano, in particular Érard's grand piano. Chapter 5 explains the analysis of Schubert-Liszt, Wanderer Fantasy for Piano Solo, S.565a and expands upon Érard's grand piano. Finally, Chapter 6 leads to this paper's summary and conclusion.
Former Wards of the State: Characteristics of Enrollment and Persistence in Undergraduate Education
Authors:   , McWilliams Victoria C
Published: January 2025

Foster care alumni are a unique subset of college students who enter post-secondary education having faced significant socio-economic challenges and emotional trauma. These students often understand how attending post-secondary education can help create a more stable life. However, the graduation of this population is extremely low. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand formerly fostered youths' perspectives of the needs and stressors students face while attending post-secondary education. Specifically, the researcher wanted to understand what characteristics influence former foster care youth to enroll in college and what characteristics help former foster care youth persist in higher education until graduation. The study utilized both student departure theory and resilience theory to frame each research question conceptually. The results illuminated the resilience of former fostered youth attending post-secondary education and their characteristics for continued enrollment.
Expanding Modern Cello Technique: A Survey of the Technical Innovations in Paul Tortelier's "How I Play, How I Teach" and Their Application Within the Repertoire
Authors:   , Csikós Zoltán
Published: January 2025

Paul Tortelier's How I Play, How I Teach (1975) is an invaluable addition to the limited amount of comprehensive cello methods written during the second half of the 20th century. Although Tortelier's influence on cello performance is still being felt today, the application of his method has not been sufficiently explored. An exceptional performer and devoted pedagogue, Paul Tortelier (1914-1990) can undoubtedly be ranked among the greatest cellists of the 20th century. Influenced by Pablo Casals' (1876-1973) approach to cello playing, How I Play, How I Teach develops his views on intonation, sound production, shifting, and articulation. However, Tortelier also introduces numerous daring inventions of his own into his method. These include playing with a flattened last joint of the finger for a more expressive vibrato, "rolling the stick of the bow" while playing for a wider palette of tone colors, new pizzicato and thumb position techniques, new legato fingerings for double stops, and the "pianistic passing of the thumb," among others. Due to their highly unorthodox nature and often condensed, minimalistic explanations, many of Tortelier's ideas have failed to gain acceptance since their publication and are regularly considered to be types of extended technique, mostly applicable to contemporary music performance. By examining Tortelier's innovations and by employing them in selected excerpts from the cello literature, this research proves that even his most radical ideas are applicable within the standard repertoire. If paired with the other methods, the visionary contents of How I Play, How I Teach serve as a useful resource of technical ideas to any aspiring cellist and pedagogue.
Group Testing with Greedy Algorithm
Authors:   , Mathapati Venkata Sai Pavan Vineeth
Published: January 2025

Group testing is all about identifying properties of a set of elements by testing them.
Sociality in Harris's Hawks Revisited: Patterns of Reproductive Output and Delayed Dispersal
Authors:   , Gibbons Andrea L
Published: January 2025

In the lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, more than half the nesting groups of Harris's hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) include at least one auxiliary group member in addition to a breeding pair. To provide further insight into cooperatively breeding raptors, I evaluated sociality in Harris's hawks through the dual benefits framework. I explored the formation, structure, and stability of cooperative group formation across a spatially variable study area, which includes high levels of urbanization and development as well as remote, undisturbed native habitats with low anthropogenic impact. I used color banding, regular censuses of active territories, and a microsatellite relatedness analysis to examine patterns of sociality, including delayed dispersal, the effect of auxiliary group members on reproductive output, parentage of broods, and the relatedness of auxiliaries compared to the nestlings in their territories. I confirmed cooperative polygamy with genetic techniques for the first time in Harris's hawks and found 58% of juvenile hawks delayed dispersal for at least 6 mo. Using the dual benefits framework, I found social associations that formed through delayed dispersal followed predictions for resource-defense benefits, but sociality among mature non-related hawks more closely followed predictions associated with collective action benefits, specifically reproductive output was significantly reduced in undeveloped habitats, presumably due to a less predictable prey-base.
Secondary Administrators' Experiences Hiring Alternative Certified Teachers in Texas
Authors:   , Bonner Erikk
Published: January 2025

As administrators start to hire more alternative certified teachers in Texas who pursue a career in K–12 education, it becomes important to understand the impact this experience has on teacher quality. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore administrators' beliefs and experiences when hiring alternative certified teachers. The primary research question was: What are alternative certified teachers' strengths? The additional questions of the study were: What are alternative certified teachers' weaknesses? Are administrators satisfied with the alternative certified teachers' performance? This study was conceptually framed within the theory of instruction. Participants in the study were seven secondary administrators in a Texas urban school district. Data were collected through seven qualitative surveys, semi-structured interviews, and short narrative inquiry responses. Data were analyzed through a thematic analysis. The results of this study provide insights into the experiences secondary administrators face when hiring alternative certified teachers. This study contributes to the growing research in the area of alternative certified teachers, specifically by secondary administrators who hire them to be a high-quality teacher in the field of education.
Sustaining Multilinguality: Case Studies of Two Multilingual Digital Libraries
Authors:   , Wu Anping
Published: January 2025

Digital libraries have become valuable learning resources for information users. However, language barriers have greatly limited information access for many digital libraries, as users do not understand those languages. This study explored technical and operational challenges digital libraries faced in sustaining multilinguality. Using the multiple-case method, the study investigated two digital libraries that have sustained multilinguality for over a decade: the World Digital Library and the Digital Library of the Caribbean. On-site interviews were conducted at both digital libraries and the related documents were analyzed. The findings of the study showed that the two multilingual digital libraries faced many technical and operational challenges and employed various approaches to find solutions. A model of challenges and approaches in sustaining multilinguality was presented. As the first such case study, this research enriches the existing literature, and has theoretical, practical, and methodological implications for the research of multilingual digital libraries. The findings of the study provide useful guidelines and insights for the digital library community in sustaining multilingual services.
Estimation of Drone Location Using Received Signal Strength Indicator
Authors:   , Jagini Varun Kumar
Published: January 2025

The main objective of this thesis is to propose a UAV (also called as drones) location estimation system based on LoRaWAN using received signal strength indicator in a GPS denied environment. The drones are finding new applications in areas such as surveillance, search, rescue missions, package delivery, and precision agriculture. Nearly all applications require the localization of UAV during flight. Localization is the method of determining a UAVs physical position using a real or virtual coordinate system. This thesis proposes a LoRaWAN-based UAV location method and presents experimental findings from a prototype. The thesis mainly consists of two different sections: one is the distance estimation and the other is the location estimation. First, the distance is estimated based on the mean RSSI values which are recorded at the ground stations using the path loss model. Later using the slant distance estimation technique, the path loss model parameters L and C are estimated whose values are unknown at the beginning. These values completely depend on the environment. Finally, the trilateration system architecture is employed to find the 3-D location of the UAV.
Impact of Instructional Technology on Student Motivation and Vocabulary Knowledge
Authors:   , Perez Araceli
Published: January 2025

This study examined the influence of instructional technology on Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) vocabulary acquisition and the intrinsic motivation language learners present while learning vocabulary in a second language. A quasi-experimental design helped determine the impact of the instructional technology intervention using Quia and Quizlet to learn vocabulary over direct instruction. A nonrandom convenience sample of (N = 47) participants was divided into the experimental group (n = 25) and control group (n = 22). Data was collected from face-to-face interactions. Participants were secondary Spanish two students, ages 14–17, and from a north Texas public school. I taught 10 lessons over 10 days during a 30–45-minute instructional technology or direct instruction activity independently. The findings revealed whether the strategies, (a) instructional technology or (b) direct instruction, have a significant impact on Spanish vocabulary acquisition and student intrinsic motivation. The study's findings were derived from independent t-tests, which indicated that using instructional technology did not impact vocabulary acquisition over participants learning through a direct instruction method. Student intrinsic motivation was also not impacted. The analysis determined no significant impact between instructional strategies or the student's intrinsic motivation while learning vocabulary in a second language. While this study provides practical methods to implement in a classroom for language learners, the recommendations are intended for all educators to guide and teach language development and implement instructional lessons that influence students' vocabulary acquisition using motivating strategies.
Bodies in Motion for Life: A Long-Term Qualitative Evaluation of an ED Prevention Program with Retired Female Athletes
Authors:   , Barrett Stephanie Leigh
Published: January 2025

Female collegiate athletes have been identified as a group at risk of developing eating disorders (EDs) and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Interventions grounded in cognitive dissonance theory and those that incorporate mindfulness-based interventions have shown improved body image and reductions in internalization and ED symptomatology over time in female non-athletes. However, few studies have examined the efficacy of intervention programs among female athletes, and, despite early promising results, previous research has been limited in several ways (e.g., methodology, small sample size). The purpose of this study was to conduct a long-term (i.e., three years) qualitative follow-up evaluation of Bodies in Motion (BIM), an ED prevention program developed specifically to acknowledge the unique experience and needs of female athletes with respect to their bodies as women and athletes. Results indicate that, similar to their initial experiences, now-retired athletes reported increased awareness of sport and societal messages and their impact on body image, shifted perspectives in their view of themselves and their bodies, and ongoing use of skills to manage body image in their lives. Further, with the passage of time, athletes continued to report a positive experience in the program and the utility of Bodies in Motion as they navigated challenging life transitions. These results indicate that the Bodies in Motion program has long-term benefits for female collegiate athletes consistent with program aims, even as athletes transition out of their sports.
It's Not Me, It's You: An Exploration of Why Teachers Leave
Authors:   , Neighbors Rose Inez
Published: January 2025

What causes a teacher to leave and move to another district or campus? Many times, teachers leave because they are unsatisfied, overwhelmed, or unprepared for the demands of the job. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the contextual factors that may explain why teachers decide to transfer to another campus or leave their current district to pursue a position at another district. The following factors, as told from the teachers' perspective, were examined: (a) campus culture, (b) campus leadership, (c) working conditions, and (d) other contributing factors. This study focused on the types of experiences teachers reported encountering, whether positive or negative, that contributed to teacher turnover. Data for this qualitative study included a survey and focus group. Participants selected to participate in this study were teachers who either exited from a public-school district or transferred from one campus to another campus within the same school district. An analysis of the qualitative responses from the teacher survey and a focus group interview provided answers and insight into the research questions. The data were collected and analyzed to further understand the types of experiences or factors that contribute to teacher turnover within one school district. The findings from this study confirm that the literature about factors that influence teacher turnover DO matter to teachers. Based on the research literature, this study and my own experiences, the campus principal holds the major responsibility for building and sustaining positive relationships with teachers. Recommendations for future research and implications for future practice as it relates to school principals and district administration are discussed.