bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing Cultural Competence for Latinx Cultural Engagement
Authors:   , Cajas Jonathan
Published: June 2024

Immigration of Latinx people into the United States has grown in recent decades, with immigrants from Mexico making up about a quarter of the immigrant population. Similar trends are observed in Texas higher education institutions. This expansion of racial-ethnic diversity calls attention to the importance of understanding how social dynamics and personal beliefs may play a salient role in intercultural encounters within academia. Guided by contact theory and anxiety/uncertainty management theory, the current study adopted a multidimensional approach to understand pre-existing attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs that may influence an individual's willingness to interact with an outgroup member. Undergraduate participants (N = 302) from an Hispanic serving institution (HSI) completed a survey that included measures of culture and interaction that may precede intercultural contact. Findings suggest that (a) willingness to interact interculturally was inversely associated with ethnocentrism and negative attitudes toward immigrants, (b) negative attitudes were positively impacted by ethnocentrism, and (c) intergroup anxiety was an important predictor in the study of willingness to interact interculturally. Discussion includes applied and future research implications.
Identification and Functional Characterization of Genomic Islands: Application to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1
Authors:   , De Ronika
Published: June 2024

Bacterial evolution has been shaped by the acquisition of clusters of genes called genomic islands through means other than vertical inheritance. These gene clusters provide beneficial traits to the recipient bacteria such as virulence, resistance and the ability to utilize different metabolites, thereby facilitating bacterial adaptation to diverse environments and leading to the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens. As identification of genomic islands are of immense biomedical importance, we have developed a novel genomic island detection method, DICEP, to robustly identify genomic islands in bacterial genomes. Once genomic islands were identified, we focused on functional characterization of genes harbored by these islands as an essential step towards understanding their role in providing fitness to the recipient bacterium. We have used a gene co-expression network-based approach to gain insights into the functional association of genes within an island. The network analysis revealed novel pathogenicity associated genes and helped in functional characterization of island genes.
Schrödinger's Extension Center: Examining Institutional Characteristics Affecting the Closure of Off-Site Locations
Authors:   , Wear Adam Nicholas
Published: June 2024

The primary purpose of this research was to examine institutional characteristics of four-year, public colleges and universities that closed off-site locations between 2012 and 2019 through the lens of resource dependence theory. As institutions attempt to maximize their available resources and make the best use of existing resources, there will inevitably be moments where an off-site location will come into question. Over the eight years of the study, the US Department of Education recorded the closure of 7,508 educational locations across all types of educational institutions. This study examined the closure trends that existed for public colleges and universities across the period and looked for institutional characteristics associated with a heightened risk of closing off-site locations. The results of the study indicate that most of the public closures came from a small number of institutions, with 62% of the closed off-site locations coming from 18 of the 365 institutions in the study. After examining the overall trend, data was analyzed from 365 institutions across ten self-reported variables. These research findings indicate two primary variables that significantly affected the closure of off-site locations and suggest the struggle between the access mission of public universities and prestige-maximizing behavior can drive institutional decision making. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.
Saudi Arabia Teachers' Use of Formative Assessment in 8th Grade Mathematics and Its Impact on Female Students' Attitudes
Authors:   , Almalki Shorouq Mohammed A
Published: June 2024

This dissertation aims to understand the female Saudi mathematics teachers' formative assessment practices after coming back to in-person instruction and the impact of such practices on female student attitudes toward learning mathematics. The study was conducted in two middle schools located in the North and South districts of a large city in Saudi Arabia, using a sequential mixed study design methodology . The study's sample included 4 female mathematics teachers and 104 8th grade mathematics female students. For the qualitative research design, I conducted four interviews and used the NVivo program to thematically analyze my results. Additionally, I used AssessToday observational protocol to conduct 12 observations (three per teacher) and triangulated to analyze the data, including my filled notes, lessons audio recordings, and photos. For my quantitative design, I administered the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) Scale to 104 8th-grade mathematics female students in a pre- and post-survey and I performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the internal structure of my data. Overall, the study revealed that despite teachers' claims of practicing formative activities, their actual practices may not reflect it. The study confirmed the literature that using AssessToday is applicable regardless of the location, culture, language, and education system. The study contributes to short-cycle formative assessment literature by showing a positive and linear relationship (although not statistically significant) between teacher's use of formative assessment and students' attitudes toward learning mathematics.
Stabilization Studies and Applications of Luminescent Carbon Dioxide/Acidity/Oxygen Sensors
Authors:   , Konanur Shankar Sindhu Shankar
Published: June 2024

Neutral red (NR), a eurhodin dye, is often used for staining living cells, but we demonstrated for the first time that NR can also serve as a CO2 sensor, because of NR's unique pH dependent optical properties, which change with dissolved carbon dioxide (dCO2) concentrations. In the present study, the optical sensitivity of NR was quantified as a function of changes in absorption and emission spectra to dCO2 in a pH 7.3 buffer medium at eight different dCO2 concentrations. NR exhibited a response time of two minutes for equilibration under pure N2 to 100% CO2 with an ~200% percent change (%∆) in emission intensity and >400%∆ in absorbance, both with full reversibility. Important to its application to biological systems, NR exhibited zero sensitivity to dissolved oxygen, which has routinely caused interference with CO2 measurements. NR exhibited pH sensitive emission and excitation energies with dual excitation maxima at 455 nm and 540 nm, and a single emission maximum at 640 nm. The CO2 sensing properties of NR were benchmarked by a comparison to pyranine = 8-hydroxypyrene-1, 3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt) = HPTS. Future studies will evaluate the feasibility of NR as an intracellular in vivo pCO2 sensor in aquatic organisms critically impacted by increasing global CO2 levels. Stabilization of a well-known green emission phosphor, Pt-POP = diplatinum(II) tetrakispyrophosphite, was carried out using various protocols including polymerization, encapsulation within a polymer matrix and by varying other parameters, such as the solvent, pH, and concentration of the phosphor. A slight modification to the novel microwaveassisted synthesis protocol that our group has pioneered vs conventional reflux heating has yielded stabilized Pt-POP with a simultaneous doubling of the synthetic yield obtained. Heating to 260 °C produced a different form of PtPOP (exhibiting red/663 nm instead of green/515 nm phosphorescence and red-shifted spin-forbidden excitation maximum of 556 nm instead of 450 nm in both the solid-state and solution). This finding gives rise to additional broadening of the technological applications of this phosphor in terms of sensing under variable temperature, gaseous environment, pH and solvent.
Integrated Console for Automated Maskless Micropatterning of Biomaterials
Authors:   , Monroy Natanael F.
Published: June 2024

The ability to control the physical environment at subcellular scales is critical to understanding cell and tissue behaviors regulated by extracellular interactions. However, open platform technology that allows one to create combinatorial physical environments is not readily available. This thesis describes the development of a low-cost system for creating complex hydrogel and ligand patterns using maskless lithography. Specifically, it incorporates light paths with interchangeable wavelengths to facilitate a broad range of chemistries. In addition, it also includes a motorized stage with an adaptable platform that can hold different conventional cell culture vessels. Finally, I have developed a LabVIEW interface that allows one to create repeating patterns across different wells quickly and easily. Taken together, this technology will enable more rapid probing of mechanobiological regulation for applications in tissue engineering, drug discovery, and developmental biology.
"I was in a horror movie": Exploring the Lived Experience of HIV Stigma
Authors:   , Torres Mitchell Brynn
Published: June 2024

This thesis explores the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV in Tarrant County through an ethnographic research design. This study highlights four emergent themes: the beginning of one's healthcare journey, stigma within a medical care setting, the lasting provider-patient relationships that can form, and shifting relationship dynamics. Participants' experiences reveal their challenges, from discomfort in a healthcare setting to disclosing their status to their support system. Insights from these individuals informed feasible strategies to combat HIV-related stigma.
Using Macroinvertebrates to Assess Aquatic Macrophyte Restoration in Austin, Texas, Reservoirs after Hydrilla Invasion
Authors:   , Vasquez Katie Lee
Published: June 2024

Lady Bird Lake and Lake Austin are adjacent reservoirs in Austin, Texas, with the primary functions of electrical power generation, flood control, and recreation. In 1999, the invasive submerged aquatic macrophyte (SAV), Hydrilla verticillata, was observed in Lake Austin where it established over the span of the lake, though never establishing in Lady Bird Lake. Management strategies to eradicate hydrilla included the stocking of sterile Asian grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella. This practice nearly eliminated hydrilla and resulted in the decline of native aquatic vegetation and increased shoreline erosion. Conservation efforts to reestablish the vegetation are underway. SAV, in addition to facilitating nutrient uptake and retention, enhancing water clarity, stabilizing substrate, and attenuating wave energy, provides food and refugia for aquatic fauna. My research aims to understand the biological implications of the restoration of various SAV assemblages by analyzing the macroinvertebrate communities present within bare, mixed, and monocultured habitat regimes. The data suggests that mixed-cultured SAVs, site disturbance, substrate composition, and macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution are the primary determinants of macroinvertebrate richness, abundance, and diversity.
Parental Attachment, Bicultural Identity Integration, Language Brokering, and Psychological Well-Being in Young Adult Children of Immigrants: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors:   , Hwang Hannah Youngmi
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to explore the indirect effect of parental attachment on psychological well-being via bicultural identity integration (BII) in a sample of bicultural young adult children of immigrant caregivers, as well as the moderator effect of language brokering on the relation between parental attachment and BII. The final sample included 107 participants who were recruited through various psychology listservs, social media advertisements, undergraduate psychological courses, and snowball sampling methods to complete an online survey via Qualtrics. Preliminary analyses revealed that age and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with some variables of interest. Results of primary analyses revealed a significant relation between parental attachment and psychological distress, but not with life satisfaction. Bivariate correlations revealed a significantly positive relation between BII blendedness and life satisfaction but no significant relation with psychological distress. However, BII harmony was not significantly correlated with either psychological well-being outcome. There were no significant findings when examining the indirect-effect, moderation, and moderated mediational effects. Findings derived from this study contribute to a greater understanding of the cognitive and affective processes that contribute to the integration of bicultural identities. Relevant literature, conceptual reasoning and empirical evidence for the research methods, and counseling implications of the findings, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
A Pedagogical Analysis and Practice Method of the Piano Suite "Long and Short" (1984) by Quan Ji-Hao
Authors:   , Chen Mengyiyi
Published: June 2024

Quan Ji-Hao is a Chinese contemporary composer who has created significant musical works of different genres. His work includes symphonies, chamber music, and piano pieces. His style combines Chinese ethnic music with Western composition techniques, with unique results. This thesis aims to give a pedagogical perspective by analyzing the musical and technical challenges of Quan Ji-Hao's piano suite Long and Short (1984), offering a practical practice method and introducing the fusion of Eastern and Western musical elements. This piece offers pianists an opportunity to explore diverse cultures and deepen musical understanding. Chapter 2 provides a brief biography of the composer, his music style, and the origin of the title of the piano suite Long and Short (1984). Chapter 3 offers a structural analysis of the suite to give an overall impression to the reader. Chapter 4 explains the musical challenges of contemporary harmonies in this suite, comparing them to similar ideas in works of Western composers and offering suggestions for teaching them. Chapter 5 analyses the technical challenges in the work as well as offering teaching suggestions. Chapter 6 includes practice methods to improve accuracy in performance and maintain a stable tempo.
Annual Survivorship and Movement Ecology of Migrant American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) Overwintering in North Texas
Authors:   , Kaleta Madeleine Grace
Published: June 2024

American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) are a small falcon with an expansive range across North America. However, kestrels have been reported to be declining since the 1960s, with the primary cause of decline unknown. With previous research focusing on the summer breeding season, researchers have called for additional investigation in understudied wintering and migratory periods. In Chapter 2, I quantified annual survivorship against five covariates of migrant kestrels wintering in north Texas to contribute to population level analyses across the kestrel's expansive range. Notably, I found that juvenile survival is similar to that of adults once on the wintering grounds, and that aspects of urbanization may increase survival in wintering kestrels. In Chapter 3, I outlined kestrel movement ecology by quantifying migration phenology, performance, and patterns. Additionally, I identified breeding and stopover sites and analyzed both winter and summer home ranges. In this analysis, I contributed three additional migration tracks to the five currently published. Further, I reported the first loop and indirect migration patterns to our knowledge. Overall, this research highlights understudied aspects of the kestrel full annual cycle in the winter and migratory periods, providing insight into possible causes for kestrel declines.
"Few and Far Between": Digital Musical Instrument Design based on Machine Vision and Neural Deep Learning Algorithms
Authors:   , Yaşarlar Okan
Published: June 2024

Few and Far Between is a music composition for violoncello and live electronics. The project consists of software that uses video data from a webcam to control interactive audio in real time to manipulate audio processing and multichannel diffusion.
The Use of Latin American Bolero as a Tool for the Teaching Bel Canto Techniques to an Undergraduate Mezzo Soprano
Authors:   , González-Cobos Fabiana Beatriz
Published: June 2024

As it was established in its origins, the compositional form of the bolero consists of 32 measures divided into two sections of 16 measures. The melodies incorporate sequences of melodic lines that are usually 4 measures long and are easily accessible, helping students to practice musical memory and stimulating their ear-training development. The poetry in Spanish gives the student the opportunity to be trained to sing pure vowels that are essential for the unification of the registers and the development of a healthy singing technique. This dissertation discusses the teaching the Latin American bolero genre to undergraduate mezzo-sopranos, combining it with the bel canto approach, as found in four elements from the method of the famous pedagogue, Manuel Garcia (1805-1906). These four elements are the clean onset or coup de la glotte, the unification of the registers, legato, and expressive devices or bel canto idioms like timbre and tempo rubato. The guidelines used to choose the repertoire are range, tessitura, simple meter and rhythm, tonal melodic lines, and piece duration. The boleros chosen for this study are "Solamente una vez" by Agustín Lara (1897-1970), "La gloria eres tú" by José Antonio Méndez (1927-1989), "Bésame mucho" by Consuelo Velázquez (1916-2005), "Aquellos ojos verdes" by Nilo Menéndez (1902-1987), "La mentira" by Álvaro Carrillo (1921-1969), "Tú me acostumbraste" by Frank Domínguez (1927-2014), "Alma mía," and "Así" by María Grever (1885-1951).
Modeling Computational Thinking Using Multidimensional Item Response Theory: Investigation into Model Fit and Measurement Invariance
Authors:   , Brown Emily A.
Published: June 2024

Previous research has been limited regarding the measurement of computational thinking, particularly as a learning progression in K-12. This study proposes to apply a multidimensional item response theory (IRT) model to a newly developed measure of computational thinking utilizing both selected response and open-ended polytomous items to establish the factorial structure of the construct, apply the recently introduced composite and structured constructs models, and to investigate the measurement invariance of the assessment between males and females using the means and covariance structures (MACS) approach.
The Relationship among Translation Self-Efficacy, Metacognitive Regulation, and Machine Translation Post-Editing Performance in the Context of English-Chinese Translation
Authors:   , Li Qing
Published: June 2024

This study investigates how translation self-efficacy and metacognitive regulation may predict performance in the emerging translation practice of machine translation post-editing (MTPE) by determining the existence and degree of relationships between self-efficacy, metacognitive regulation strategies, and MTPE performance among translation learners in EFL contexts (Chinese speakers who learn English as a foreign language), as well as how they contextualize the condition and state of mind of student translators completing MTPE tasks. Examining these key variables provides theoretical insights into the cognitive processes involved in MTPE and practical implications for developing skilled translation post-editors. This study's conceptual framework is grounded in Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), a causal model where self-efficacy directly and indirectly impacts human behavior through mediating processes like outcome expectations, social support, and self-regulation. Multi-item scales consisting of translation self-efficacy and metacognitive regulation as well as an MTPE test were employed to examine the relationships between the predictor variables and the criterion variable. Multiple linear regression was adopted for data analysis to assess the fit of adapted scales and determine how much variance in MTPE performance was accounted for by individual and combination of predictor variables. Results indicated that metacognitive regulation plays a statistically significant role in MTPE performance, even though the overall predictive power of the model remains moderate. The findings provide implications for improving student performance in MTPE training and contribute to the relatively new body of emerging literature regarding translator self-efficacy, metacognitive abilities, and their development.
Exploring the Software Quality Maze: Detecting Scattered and Tangled Crosscutting Quality Concerns in Source Code in Support of Maintenance Tasks
Authors:   , Krasniqi Rrezarta
Published: June 2024

Software quality attributes, such as reliability, security, and usability, are often well-defined and understood at the requirement level. They lay the ground foundation necessary to achieve high-quality, robust, user-friendly, and trustworthy software systems. However, when addressing these attributes at the code level, two significant challenges emerge. First, they tend to scatter across the codebase due to improper encapsulation of object-oriented classes, hampering the visibility of quality-related components across the codebase. Second, they become tangled within a single module due to intricate interdependencies with functional aspects of the code. Addressing quality concerns in the presence of scattered and tangled code can lead to unforeseen issues. For example, software developers may inadvertently introduce new and latent bugs or incorrectly implement code components deviating from the original system-wide requirements. To tackle these pressing issues, this dissertation proposes a series of state-of-the-art solutions integrating ML-based techniques and NLP-based techniques, including static program analysis techniques, to automatically and effectively detect and repair quality concerns present at the code level, even when scattered across the codebase. Additionally, we introduce program structural analysis and change impact analysis, complemented by other unsupervised ML-based techniques, to disentangle quality-related changes from functional ones, to gain a holistic understanding of a particular maintenance task. From a practical stance, our techniques can be integrated for quality risk assessment purposes and incorporated into safety-critical continuous integration systems to monitor the evolving nature of quality concerns. Furthermore, they can enhance bidirectional traceability across evolving software artifacts, such as bug reports, commit messages, and source code, and facilitate bug triaging systems for prioritizing the resolution of highly impacted quality-related bugs.
The Role of Campus Leaders in Building Mathematics Teachers' Self-Efficacy
Authors:   , Corley Marcy Marie
Published: June 2024

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study explores elementary mathematics teachers' perceptions regarding their mathematical self-efficacy, how teachers describe their perceptions about their prior mathematical learning experiences and their impact on their instructional practice in the elementary mathematics classroom. In support of this purpose, it is essential also to examine school leaders' role in developing elementary teachers' mathematics self-efficacy. The quantitative data was collected using the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MTMSE) online survey. A total of 60 elementary teachers in Grades 3, 4, and 5 were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlations. A focus group of 6 elementary teachers was conducted, and analysis was explored to provide a more in-depth understanding of the quantitative results about teachers' prior experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels around elementary mathematics. The last part of qualitative data collection and analysis was from eight individual campus administrator interviews. These interviews explored how support by campus administrators can increase elementary mathematics teachers' self-efficacy. From the teacher focus group and administrator individual interviews, it is clear that with experience and the correct level of support, teachers' levels of self-efficacy are increased. Experience and available support were shown to positively impact the self-efficacy of elementary mathematics teachers, according to the findings. The data indicated that as elementary mathematics teachers accumulate experience and utilize collaborative support to expand their knowledge of mathematical concepts and ideas, they experience a gradual surge in self-confidence and a heightened sense of assurance when instructing mathematics to their students.
Generous Visionaries, Balanced Benefactors, & Lean Supporters: Exploring Foundation Giving in the Field of Higher Education Philanthropy in Texas
Authors:   , Martin Brittany Causey
Published: June 2024

This study explored foundation giving in the field of higher education philanthropy in Texas. Utilizing Fligstein and McAdam's conceptual framework, I found that a field-level analysis at the state level uncovered distinct profiles or groups of foundations hidden in the observed data over time. Texas was an interesting case because of its legal history preserving the state's wealth within its borders and its continuous economic growth sustaining philanthropic giving. Using latent profile analysis (LPA), I analyzed philanthropic giving data to reveal three distinct profiles of private foundations. In the four periods, generous visionaries was the smallest profile, lean supporters was the second largest, and balanced benefactors was the largest. Most foundations maintained their profile over time; only a few migrated through other profiles. Despite occasional shifts, the strategic action field of higher education philanthropy in Texas remained relatively stable, indicating persistence and endurance within the field. This study highlighted the importance of understanding foundation profiles for higher education administrators and foundation leaders by offering insights for strategic relationship-building and informed fundraising strategies. Furthermore, the study provided information for Texas policymakers to align state funding with philanthropic trends. Recommendations for future research included exploring foundation giving across different geographies, causes, and periods and conducting mixed-methods studies to delve deeper into foundation behaviors and impacts.
Music to My Ears: The Influence of Music Genres on Consumer Choice
Authors:   , Plunk Zachary Ren
Published: June 2024

My research examines how music genres influence consumer psychology, particularly focusing on uncovering the underlying mechanism between music genres and consumer behaviors. Toward this goal, Essay 1 identifies the links between specific music genres and product/brand choice, while Essay 2 explores the positive repercussions that listening to sad music has on prosocial decisions, as well as, higher quality personal consumer choices. In Essay 1, I take a wider look at the influence of music genres, as broad categories of music, and examine how specific genres inform consumer "music mindsets" (elicited through learned associations) that ultimately influence product/brand preference. Specifically, I look at the influence of a competitive mindset, informed by listening to hiphop music, and a down-to-earth mindset, informed by listening to country music, on product and brand choice. Three experiments and one field study demonstrate that listening to hiphop music gives consumers the desire for performance brands and products, as a result of their competitive mindset, while listening to country music gives consumers the desire for products and brands that are focused on the simple comforts in life, as a result of their down-to-earth mindset. The second essay focuses on the positive outcomes of listening to sad music. I hypothesize that sad music moves listeners into a state of positive longing which increases the desire to make prosocial decisions and higher quality personal decisions such as healthy food choices. Two experiments, one lab study, and one field study support the proposed framework and find that listening to sad music can enhance an individual's desire to make positive choices, mediated by a positive longing state. This essay makes important contributions to understanding the impact sad music has in marketing, especially as advertising campaigns (e.g., ASPCA) continue to utilize sad music as a common tactic in their efforts.
Foreign News Coverage in Conservative and Liberal U.S. Newspapers: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia from 1932 to 2023
Authors:   , Huraysi Mohammed
Published: June 2024

This study investigated the historical coverage of foreign issues in U.S. newspapers. The study mainly focused on four primary areas: coverage of wars, leaders, human rights, and economic issues in foreign countries. I qualitatively analyzed data to find if there are any other common topics discussed during the time frame. Then, these topics were analyzed by applying the framing theory to news stories about Saudi Arabia, used as a case study from September 1923 to December 2023. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and the New York Times (NYT) were investigated and representative of two distinct newspaper orientations, which are conservative and liberal ideological orientations. Finally, sentiment analysis was used to find the dominant tone for each frame. This study found that the topics discussed were leaders, wars, human rights, economics, sports, Islamic culture, terrorism, education, and natural phenomena. In the NYT, the focus of topics was on leaders, economics, and wars; in the WSJ, the focus was on leaders, economics, and Islamic culture. In terms of applied frames, NYT mostly applied responsibility, cooperation, and consequences frames, while WSJ mostly applied consequences and cooperation frames. The sentiment analysis of data showed that NYT mostly used negative tones, while WSJ mostly used positive tones. This study provided a comprehensive view of the coverage of U.S. newspapers from past to present, leading to predicting a model for each newspaper to understand how these newspapers were covering Saudi issues in the past, explaining the present, and formulating future expectations.
"It takes a lot for people to come forward": An Investigative Analysis of OSHA's Certification Expansion into the U Nonimmigrant Visa
Authors:   , Marsh Fallon Christine
Published: June 2024

Occurring across all professions and industries, noncitizen workers experience unfair and dangerous working conditions and are discouraged from seeking legal aid because of the fear of retaliation and deportation. In addressing these concerns, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new certification expansion in support of U nonimmigrant status and T nonimmigrant status visa applications for noncitizen workers who comply with OSHA investigations. This research project sought to holistically understand the potential obstacles noncitizen-serving nonprofit organizations could face in response to the OSHA U-visa certification expansion. Being a new option for noncitizen workers and service providers alike, this research utilizes the perspective of several expert service providers regarding the implementation of the certification expansion and where hardships in its application could occur. Through the use of a national survey and audio-visual online semi-structured interviews, service providers described their trepidations with the OSHA U-visa expansion. The research findings showcased how the implementation of the certification expansion has affected the immigration sector in terms of its possible challenges in viability, networking-building, and capacity of those involved in the application process across all social and political levels. Based on feedback offered by participating service providers, recommendations and deliverables have been developed with the intention to address these challenges and seek betterment for noncitizen workers.
Developing an Innovation Configuration Map for the Implementation of Competency-Based Learning: Guidance for School Leaders
Authors:   , Gaschen Catherine Lauren
Published: June 2024

Educational leaders today are well versed in the complex and often overwhelming nature of their respective roles. The difficulty of educational leadership increases exponentially when implementing innovative practices like competency-based learning that challenge every aspect of the traditional structure and function of schools, thereby requiring a strategic change framework to ensure fidelity and sustainability of the implementation. The transformative autoethnography research design guided this study, for the purpose of uniquely highlighting one administrator's reflections and perspective when creating an innovation configuration map draft that could be used to support implementation of competency-based learning. The map draft was shared with current and former educators who provided feedback on their perspectives of the elements within the map and the usability of the map. The data reveal the importance of educational leaders using a reflexive process and aligning experience and expertise with the change leadership process. Findings also demonstrate how important it is for educational leaders, particularly campus administrators, to access, understand, and use research-based tools to support strategic change implementation. Themes that emerged were (1) the importance of clarity of purpose and audience in the creation of the map, and (2) the importance of honoring a collaborative process when creating a map. Future researchers could use this transformative autoethnographic research design and additional components of the concerns-based adoption model to study or implement a similar and a different innovation, as well as benefit from the personal and professional growth this method offers.
Wars and Rumors of Wars: Mobilizing the United States Army and National Guard, 1939-1941
Authors:   , Emmert John
Published: June 2024

The United States Army of the Second World War faced a shortage of manpower after two decades of budgetary and organizational neglect following the post-First World. According to the Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, this period of mobilization, between 1939 and 1941, was the most crucial of the entire war. In this period, the United States Army pursued large-scale peacetime mobilization, breaking from eighty years of traditional policy. As such, the effort to increase allocations for armaments, industrial expansion, tactical reorganization of the ground forces, mobilizing the National Guard, and the implementation of a peacetime draft all faced an uphill political battle to accomplish, reflecting the complicated political factionalism of the late New-Deal United States. Between the outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1939 and December 1941, the United States Army grew from less than 150,000 men to more than 1 million personnel, incorporating the National Guard and inductees while also adopting many of the weapon systems it would use throughout the conflict. By mobilizing a usable core for a wartime army and vetting its general tactics and doctrine in peacetime, the Army leadership provided a cadre capable of responding to some of the Allied powers' strategic requirements during the critical year of 1942.
Preparation, Characterization and Structural Study of Silane Functionalized Organic and Inorganic Intercalated Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxides and Their Polymeric Coatings
Authors:   , Aminifazl Alireza
Published: June 2024

Adding layered double hydroxides (LDHs) to polymer compounds has been shown to make them more resistant to corrosion and improve their physical and chemical properties. However, the main challenge lies in the compatibility between inorganic LDH fillers and organic polymer matrices. The incompatibility between these two is due to differences in polarity and surface properties, which makes dispersion of LDHs within the polymer very difficult, negatively affecting the final material's performance and characteristics. In this work, Zn-Al-NO3 LDH particles were synthesized through co-precipitation method and then modified by decavanadate via the anion exchange process. Then, a silane coupling agent was used to functionalize intercalated LDH particles to make them more hydrophobic; this helped the particles to disperse well inside epoxy coating, which ultimately resulted in better corrosion inhibition performance for the coating. The concentration effect of silane coupling agent on LDHs' surface grafting was also studied using various concentrations of 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APTES). Compositional and structural characterization study on revealed more insight into how the surface treatments worked. Finally, to modify LDHs, sodium dodecyl sulfate was inserted in LDH structure, then APTES molecules were grafted on the dodecyl sulfate intercalated LDHs' surface. These organic intercalation and grafting steps made LDHs more suitable with acrylic resin to form uniform composite mixture through solvent solution mixing. The thermal stability of acrylic coating improved by adding modified hybrid LDH fillers and elevation in decomposition temperature was confirmed using thermogravimetric analysis.
Ex-situ Inspection and Ultrasonic Metamaterial Lens Enabled Noncontact In-situ Monitoring of Solid-state Additive Manufacturing Process for Aluminum Alloy 6061
Authors:   , Yang Teng
Published: June 2024

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) is an innovative solid-state manufacturing process capable of producing parts with fine, equiaxed grains. However, due to the complexity of extensive plastic deformation and the viscoplastic behavior of metallic materials at elevated temperatures, the analysis of material flow and stress evolution during AFSD remains at a rudimentary stage. As a developing technology, gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying physical behaviors behind the processing is appreciable. This study comprises three objectives: investigating microstructure and stress-induced acoustic wave propagation behaviors, implementing non-contact in-situ monitoring in AFSD of aluminum alloy 6061 using a far-collimation acoustic metamaterial lens, and ex-situ analysis of parameter-dependent mechanics influences in AFSD of aluminum alloys 6061. To achieve this, a novel ultrasound in-situ monitoring method, along with ex-situ residual stress measurements, is facilitated by MD and FEA simulations and been experimentally verified. Real-time asymmetric property distribution and abnormal parameter-dependence acoustic wave phase change during the AFSD of aluminum alloy 6061 were identified through the in-situ monitoring and further investigated in detail through ex-situ inspection. A key parameter, effective viscosity, was introduced to the parameter windows selections, which can affect the thermo-fluidic mechanics during the process, thereby altering the physical aspects, mechanical properties, and microstructures.
Discovery of New UGT71G1 Substrates and Construction of Novel Transcriptional Regulator Genes
Authors:   , Lethe Mary Caroline Lynette
Published: June 2024

This thesis shows advancements towards the development of engineered bacteria for sensing and responding to environmental pollutants by exploring the use of UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) for their metabolism of toxins, along with the use of engineered tetracycline repressor protein (TetR) based transcriptional regulators as sensors for environmental toxins. The importance and applicability of UGTs as well as the adaptability of TetR systems for future developments are shown through a function-based review of UGTs, the development of high-throughput fluorescent UGT assay technique, and the creation of novel TetR transcription regulatory sequences. The assays effectively measured UGT71G1 activity based on the presence of reaction byproducts, leading to the identification of several new substrates including the toxin bisphenol A. Next, hybrid TetRs were assembled from complementary DNA-binding and ligand-binding domains of TetR homologs. The ability to interchange these domains while retaining their function multiplies the unique TetR systems available for use in cellular systems. In future, novel TetR and UGT71G1 systems may be developed to detect and respond to substrates like bisphenol A.
Pious Patron He Was: Economy, War, and Society in Norman Sicily
Authors:   , Morrel Joseph Robert
Published: June 2024

The famous wealth of Norman Sicily was due to the careful managing of regal resources and property rights. The loose hand with which the Normans governed their economy allowed the island and its inhabitants to flourish, which in turn increased the wealth of the Norman kings.
Understanding Undergraduate STEM Identity through Structural Equation Modeling: The Significance of Informal STEM Experiences and the Interplay between STEM Identity and Graphical Literacy
Authors:   , Thennakoon Mudalige Silva Supuni Dhameera Gangani
Published: June 2024

STEM identity, a disciplinary identity that reflects an individual's self-understanding in connection with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), impacts students ' integration into and retention within STEM fields. This study aimed to develop a STEM identity model, called the BioCheM-ID, to measure STEM identity across biology, chemistry, and mathematics among students enrolled in an introductory-level biology course at a large post-secondary public institution in Texas, United States. The study explored how student-centered factors, such as gender, race, student major, and pre-college informal STEM learning experiences, influence STEM identity. Additionally, the study investigated the relationships between students' educational aspirations, expectations, and STEM identity, and the connections between STEM identity and how undergraduates process, use, and interpret the slope-intercept concept of a simple linear graph (y = mx + b). The BioCheM-ID model comprised five latent factors: biology perceived competence and interest, chemistry perceived competence and interest, mathematics perceived competence and interest, biology and chemistry beliefs, and mathematics beliefs. Students' major and pre-college informal STEM learning experiences, particularly mentoring and tutoring, were significant factors of STEM identity. Positive correlations were observed between educational aspirations, expectations, and STEM identity. Students with high STEM identities demonstrated proficiency in providing productive responses regarding the slope-intercept concept of a simple linear graph, showcasing high graphical literacy.
University-Community Learning Spaces as Empathy Case Study: An Applied Analysis of Methods and Student Success
Authors:   , Fleck Micah J.
Published: June 2024

Through both a theoretical analysis of the framework itself, as well as ethnographic research of one particular university-community engagement project underway in Provo, UT, this thesis explores both the process of training students for this type of community engagement as well as the malleability of the program format for potential application across other schools and communities. The research findings highlight how the program itself, taking the form of an offered undergraduate course at a liberal arts college in Provo, offers unique opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in applied anthropological work for a client, as well as how the local community center partnered with the university benefits from (and in some cases, resists) the findings of the community engagement made possible through the program.
"Pictures of Percy: Suite for Soprano Saxophone & Piano" (2023), An Original Composition in the Style of Percy Grainger
Authors:   , Pich Dylan Thomas
Published: June 2024

Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961) was a prolific Australian-American composer whose cutting-edge musical works ushered performers, conductors, and audiences into the modern era with little regard for their comfort zones. Some of his most important work was the research, collection, and arranging of folk songs, particularly British folk songs. Grainger often set these folk songs for wind band, an ensemble for which he was a strong proponent. His works for band were some of the earliest to include prominent saxophone parts and solos. He was a vocal proponent of the saxophone family and is an important figure in the history of the instrument. Despite Grainger's outspoken love for the saxophone, he never composed any original solo repertoire for the instrument. The new, original composition Pictures of Percy: Suite for Soprano Saxophone and Piano (2023) was crafted in an effort to remediate this void within the saxophone repertory. The work includes new arrangements of Grainger's compositions as well original music. The work is intended to add some semblance of Grainger's compositional voice to the saxophone literature while also paying homage to his passion for the saxophone family and his influence on its history.
The Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis and Alcohol Use Disorder in Adolescents Transitioning into Adulthood
Authors:   , Sandoval Hernandez Pablo
Published: June 2024

Research on adolescent drinking shows that younger people are at greater risk of developing behavioral deficiencies that can be detrimental to their social relationships and health over time. Recent research has shown that changes within the microbiome-gut-brain axis (MGB) can affect social behavior. These changes involve microbiota populations that influence addictive behaviors after prolonged substance intake through neurochemical shifts that extend through the nervous, circulatory, and immune system. Using Massey's biosocial model, I aim to expand on the relationship between the MGB axis, social behavior, and adolescent alcohol use disorder through a meta-theoretical approach. I explore the strengths and shortcomings of Massey's biosocial model of segregation and stratification and its use of the allostatic load model, telomere length, and gene exposure to develop a stronger theoretical concept using the micro-gut-brain axis as a conceptual foundation. Can the MGB-axis model be used to identify potential pathways in which alcohol use disorder (AUD) persists from adolescence to adulthood? I find that adolescent drinking leads to changes in microbiota populations that are known to influence AUDs and increases the development of diseases such as liver disease and its effects on social behavior. The MGB axis can help us understand the effects of substance and dietary habits on disease and illness by connecting life science knowledge and sociological perspectives. With this modern application of cognitive sociology, I have shown that future research on addictive behaviors should consider the application of biomarker data to further expand on new theoretical and methodological approaches in the study of disease and addiction.