Music binder's volumes, or collections of sheet music typically bound by women in the nineteenth century, constitute an informative and underutilized set of historical artifacts. Each binder's volume can be viewed as a Spotify playlist frozen in time. An individual volume contains more than just the volume's individual pieces; it also holds the marginalia, the choices women made on what to include in a binder, and information on where and how music was produced. This dissertation examines music binder's volumes quantitatively, processing information found in binder's volumes by using the MARC and other cataloguing data to construct a relational database. I engage with broad questions of music publishing and consumption and provide a method to contextualize qualitative results on a larger scale. In doing so, I make two distinct contributions to music research and the digital humanities. First, this project offers a clear path for engaging with music binder's volumes and material history of nineteenth-century America in ways that scholars have rarely engaged in prior to this point. I highlight how data analysis provides new framings for binder's volumes and for sheet music consumption both at the song-level and at larger levels of the data. Second, and more broadly, this …

The intersection of race and space in one neighborhood in Denton, Texas, a college town situated within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, reflects the lack of economic opportunities caused by a legacy of racial spatialization. SED, formally known as Solomon Hill, was once a predominately Black enclave; however, the city's population growth has fueled the expansion of the downtown area into neighborhood, transforming it into a hotspot for new investment. As the city rebrands itself in the name of urban entrepreneurialism, SED has become part of revitalization plans that include portraying the neighborhood as part of a cultural district, a tech hub, and an arts district. In order to understand the neighborhood today, we need to first examine its history; therefore, I provide a brief history of racial segregation in SED and examine the power structures that reinforced its marginalization. I then explain how the aforesaid transformation of SED as a cultural district, tech hub, and arts district and the expansion of downtown area into SED is a byproduct of the city's urban entrepreneurialism. Lastly, I discuss the function of the MLK Jr. Recreation Center, and their goals for connecting with the community through program evaluation and development centered around …

Christian Wolff's alternatively notated scores grant the performer several interpretive choices. These pieces feature symbols (known as "coordination neumes") that instruct performers when to begin and end a sound event in relation to the sounds being made around them, thereby generating a reactive improvisation between the musicians. Among these scores are five compositions that form the basis of this project: For 5 or 10 People (1962), In Between Pieces (1963), For 1, 2, or 3 People (1964), Septet (1964), and Edges (1968). Focusing on these pieces specifically, this dissertation explores the unique performance practices required by Wolff's indeterminate music and contextualizes that music within his career in classics and comparative literature, particularly with regard to the concept of translation, and within his creative communities. These creative communities include his fellow New York School composers, New York's wider downtown artistic scenes in the 1950s and 60s, and the experimental music scenes at Cologne and Darmstadt. While scholars such as David Behrman, Thomas DeLio, and Mark Nelson have addressed the interactive quality of Wolff's notation and the technical skills needed to execute his pieces, I argue that there are deeper processes at work in these compositions that go beyond typical discussions of …

The role of Odierno's III Corps as MNC-I has failed to receive sufficient attention from studies of the 2007-2008 surge of U.S. forces in Iraq. However, was Odierno's employment of military force in time, space, and purpose based on the logic of conventional military operations that laid the groundwork for the successes gained in 2007 and 2008. III Corps's achievements as an operational headquarters were rooted in the successful application of operational art. Operational art is a way to conceptualize how to fight wars using campaigns of multiple, simultaneous, and successive operations across a theater of operations to achieve a unifying goal. While neither downplaying nor minimizing the importance of Army COIN principles, a study of MNC-I's December 2006-February 2008 campaign in Iraq through the neglected prism of operational art suggests that the campaign's success was due to the successful application of already established operational principles rather than from a revolution in the profession of arms.

Video of the Fall 2022 Doctoral/Masters I commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas' Coliseum. The video begins with a series of clips featuring: a narrator describing the founding history of the university, two students explaining why others should attend the university, and a compilation of graduates expressing gratitude for the university and celebrating their accomplishments. Natasha Becker, a doctoral student, sang the national anthem after the graduates and faculty marched into the auditorium. Dr. Victor Prybuthok, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School, gave opening remarks for the ceremony while congratulating the graduates on their degree. Dr. Neal Smatresk, president of the university, gave a speech encouraging the students to make a difference in the world. Dr. Michael Williams, chancellor of the North Texas system, gave his congratulations to the graduates. Dr. Cathy Bryce, a past chair of the Alumni Association, gave closing remarks before a doctoral student sung the Alma Mater as students and faculty exit the auditorium.

Video of the Fall 2022 College of Health & Public Service, College of Information, and New College commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas' Coliseum. The video begins with a series of clips featuring: a narrator explaining the founding history of the university, two students explaining why others should attend the college, and a compilations of students expressing their gratitude for the university and celebrating their degrees. A doctoral student begins the ceremony by singing the national anthem. Dr. Wesley Randall, Dean of New College, opened the ceremony by congratulating the graduates and giving thanks to those who have helped along their journey. Dr. Michael McPherson, the UNT Provost, recognized the academic accomplishments of the graduates in a speech explaining the significance of their formal robes. Dr. Yunfei Du, Associate Dean of Academics in the College of Information, gave a speech recognizing the highest achieving graduates. Dr. Nicole Dash, Dean of the College of Health and Public Service, gave the closing remarks before a doctoral student sang the Alma Mater as the graduates and faculty exit the auditorium.

Article asserts that Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands include some of the world’s most extreme and pristine terrestrial habitats. The authors studied the habitat preferences and the life history of P. steinenii in Lake Kitiesh, Fildes Peninsula, King George Island over the austral summer seasons from 2014 to 2019, during short (several weeks) field expeditions.

Carl A. Helmecke, like many German Americans marginalized by the anti-Germanism of the First World War and interwar period, believed that democracy had failed him. A professor with a doctoral degree in social philosophy, he regularly wrote newsletter columns declaring that the emphasis on individualism in the United States had allowed antidemocratic forces to corrupt the government, oppress citizens, and politicize schools and institutions for propaganda purposes. Moreover, widespread hunger and unemployment during the Great Depression added to the long list of failures attributable to democracy. What the United States needed, Helmecke thought, was political change, and he believed that the Nazi regime in his homeland, albeit flawed, had much to offer. In 1937, he went on a teaching sabbatical to Nazi Germany to study the Third Reich's education and social programs. When he returned to the United States, he began promoting Nazi ideals about education and labor camps. Although Hitler's 1939 invasion of Poland, followed by the United States entry into World War II, brought his fascist illusions for political change in the United States to an abrupt end, his belief in the correctness of an autocratic system of governance for Germany rather than that of the western democracies …

Video of the Fall 2022 Doctoral and Masters commencement ceremony that honors graduates from the College of Music, College of Information Science, College of Business, College of Science, and the College of Visual Arts and Design. The video begins with a series of clips featuring: a narrator explaining the history and accomplishments of the University of North Texas; two students explain why UNT is an excellent school; and other students share their stories regarding their college journeys and the struggles they faced in obtaining a degree. The ceremony begins with Natasha Beckford, a doctoral student, singing the Star-Spangled Banner after the graduates and faculty walk into the Coliseum. Victor Prybutok, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School and Vice Provost for graduate education, and Neat Smatresk, UNT's President, open the ceremony with speeches congratulating the graduates on their accomplishments and explaining the history of the hood ceremony. Brandon Buzbee, vice president of university advancement, closes the ceremony with words of encouragement and the singing of the alma malter by Natasha Beckford.

Video of the Fall 2022 G. Brint Ryan College of Business commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas' Coliseum. The beginning of video contains clips featuring: a narrator explaining the history and accomplishments of the university; two students explaining why others should attend UNT; a compilation of graduating students and their family's expressing gratitude for the university; and a final compilation of photo taken by graduates. The ceremony begins with a band welcoming in the graduates and faculty members into the auditorium. Carole Libby, a doctoral student, sung the national anthem. Marilyn Wiley, Dean of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business opens the ceremony by congratulating the graduates on their accomplishments. Dr. Neal Smatresk, president of the university, gave a speech encouraging the graduates to make a difference in the world with their newfound knowledge and explains the significance of the graduates' ceremonial attire. Sarah Wagner. chair of the UNT alumni association board of directors, closes the ceremony with a speech, followed by the singing of the alma malter by Carole Libby.

Video of the Fall 2022 College of Engineering & College of Science commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas in the Coliseum. The video starts with clips featuring: a narrator telling the history of the university's founding, two students explaining why students should attend the university, and a compilation of graduates expressing gratitude for the university. A doctoral student sung the national anthem as the students and faculty marched into the auditorium. Dr. Shengli Fu, Dean of the College of Engineering, opens the ceremony by congratulating the graduates. Dr. Neal Smatresk, president of the university, gave a speech urging the students to make the most of their degrees and explains the significance of their ceremonial robes. Dr. John Quintanilla, Dean of the College of Science, gave a speech acknowledging the academic accomplishments of the graduates. Daniel Suda, director of infinity programing with the UNT alumni association, gave closing remarks before joining the rest of the faculty and a doctoral student in singing the alma mater.

Video of the Fall 2022 College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences II commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas in the Coliseum. The video begins with a series of clips featuring: a narrator telling the history of the founding of the university, two students explaining why students should attend the college, and a compilation of graduates expressing gratitude for the university. A doctoral student sung the national anthem after the students and faculty entered the auditorium. Dr. James Meernik, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, opens the ceremony by congratulating the graduates on achieving their degree. Dr. Neal Smatresk, president of the university, gave a speech explaining the significance of their ceremonial robes. Dr. Steven Cobb, Associate Dean of Administrative Affairs, gave a speech acknowledging the academic accomplishments of the students. Sarah Wagner, chair of the Alumni Association, gave the closing remarks before the same doctoral student sung the Alma Mater at the end of the ceremony.

Video of the Fall 2022 College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences I commencement ceremony at the University of North Texas held in the Coliseum. The video begins with clips featuring: a compilations of clips showcasing UNT as a diverse school, graduates expressing their gratitude for the university, and graduates celebrating their accomplishments. Dr. James Meernik, executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, opens the ceremony by congratulating the graduates on their accomplishments, after Carole Libby, a doctoral student, sung the national anthem. Dr. Neal Smatresk, president of the university, gave a speech explaining the significance of their ceremonial robes. Dr. Steven Cobb, Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs for CLASS, recognized the academic acknowledgements of the graduates. Daniel Suda, Director of Affinity Programming with the Alumni Association, gave closing remarks welcoming the graduates to the alumni family followed by the singing of the Alma Malter.

Video of the Fall 2022 College of Education, College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism, and the College of Visual Arts & Design, commencement ceremony held at the University of North Texas' Coliseum. The national anthem was sung by Carole Libby, a doctoral student. Dr. Jana Hawley, Dean of the College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism, opens the ceremony by congratulating the graduates. Randy Bomer, Dean of the College of Education, gives acknowledgements of the students who are graduating with honors. Dr. Michael McPherson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, gives an uplifting speech for the graduates. Daniel Suda, director of infinity programming with the alumni association, gives closing remarks followed by the singing of the alma malter by Carole Libby.

Identity is a powerful concept that influences behavior and health. For over thirty years, researchers in sport psychology have been using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) as a research instrument providing insights into the relationships between athletic identity and health variables. While musician identity is recognized as an important factor to be investigated in relation to occupational health, there are no known robust instruments like the AIMS in music psychology research. The current study aimed to adapt and validate the athletic identity measurement scale for use with musicians. The AIMS history includes episodes of modifications for performance enhancement of the instrument that resulted in five different models. The validation process includes evaluating the psychometrical properties across all five models. The sample included student musicians and non-student musicians (N = 1040). The traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation method were used. The exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and robust weighted least squares (WLS) was utilized to explore a new method of estimation that was known to resolve issues consistent with the CFA and ML method. The goodness-of-fit indices of CFA and ESEM were compared. The results showed that the MIMS is a reliable and valid …

Tinnitus, or the perception of sound in the absence of external acoustic stimuli, is a common condition that impacts approximately 10-15% of the United States population, with similar prevalence rates reported in other countries. Current diagnosis of tinnitus relies on case history and audiometric testing, which depend on responses provided by the patient. To date, there is no objective test that can be used for tinnitus diagnosis, despite the high prevalence and significant financial impacts of this condition. Cortical auditory evoked potentials have shown promise in their ability to assess not only the integrity of the auditory system, but also higher level preattentional and cognitive processing. For this study, the pitch-matched tinnitus frequency was used to evoke an auditory late response. Double oddball paradigms with the tinnitus frequency as the deviant stimuli were also used to evoke a mismatch negativity and P300 to determine where along the auditory pathway biomarkers of tinnitus may exist. The results of this study suggest that when the tinnitus frequency is incorporated into paradigms designed to produce cortical auditory evoked potentials, differences exist between participants with tinnitus and matched controls without tinnitus. Individuals with tinnitus exhibit smaller MMN amplitudes and area under the curve and …

Box turtle (Terrapene carolina) populations are steadily declining due their unique natural history, effects of climate change, and anthropogenic land use change. There is a need for updated information on box turtle space and micro and macro-habitat use to inform conservation efforts. This study used VHF radiotelemetry and GPS data loggers to examine box turtle space and habitat use in North Texas. Box turtle home range sizes averaged 6.6ha (range = 0.79 - 18.08, n = 23), and males (n = 9) had larger home ranges than females (n = 14; W = 31.5, P = 0.05). Home range size was best explained by a combination of variables including sex and body size, but overall, home ranges that consisted of higher percentages of suitable box turtle habitat were smaller. Box turtles used deciduous forest more than expected and wetlands less than expected by chance (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.0001). The most informative variable for box turtle macrohabitat selection was NDVI. Box turtles selected microhabitats with a higher percent litter (t = -2.16, P < 0.05) and understory cover (t = -5.03, P < 0.05). The results of CART analysis showed the nested importance of macro- and microhabitat and identified …

This narrative inquiry study sought the voices of bilingual teachers through their lived experiences in relation to the success of Hispanic emergent bilinguals in schools. Two research questions guided the study: (1) What practices do bilingual educators consider important in helping Hispanic emergent bilingual students succeed in schools? and (2) How do bilingual teachers negotiate the curriculum and school structures to support Hispanic bilingual students' success in their classrooms? Two theoretical frameworks were used. Constructivism provided the structure for honoring the lived experiences of these teachers and culturally relevant pedagogy provided the lenses of culture, funds of knowledge, and deep sociolinguistic awareness. The use of narrative inquiry as a methodology affirmed the bilingual teachers' voices as important and authoritative sources of knowledge. Semi-structured interviews and classroom observations allowed the participants to engage as storytellers about their history and experiences that contributed to answering the questions. Three resonant reverberations emerged from the analysis: (a) the emerging rhythms of the classroom; (b) the realms of instructional and learning design; and (c) the orientation towards a culturally relevant pedagogy. These major findings revealed that teachers were student-oriented while also being content-oriented. They designed a positive learning environment by tapping into their students' funds …

Optical control of coherent quantum systems has many methods and applications. In this defense we will discuss the effects of an electric field interacting with molecules with dipole moments. The theoretical study of such molecules will consist of two-level atom and a three-level atom in the λ configuration. The methods that will be discussed are population trapping using both bright and dark starts obtained by both STIRAP and CHIRAP pulses. The application to be discussed is how to create a room temperature maser.

In this thesis, I explore strategies used by the local timber industry to influence forest policy on the Black Hills National Forest. These strategies include leveraging political pressure, proposing alternative interpretations of existing laws, and first requesting and then rejecting scientific data. Discursive strategies used by the timber industry to influence US Forest Service policy are compared and contrasted with those used by the environmental movement. The paper explores when and why stakeholders use different discursive strategies to influence forest policy.

Joe Phillips, born in London to two American psychologists, worked for almost a decade as a solo motorcycle response unit in London before making the life-altering decision to change his path. Joe sold all of his belongings and purchased a traditional Red Routemaster double-decker bus to live and travel on in the United States. After the year-long bus journey, Joe chose to stay in the United States and purchased 22 acres of land in Coldspring, Texas where he is building his eco-paradise.

The purpose of this study was to examine the intersection of preservice teachers' personal identities as queer individuals with their emerging professional identities as educators. Political and social environments contribute to a separation of these identities, which can further the marginalization of these individuals to the detriment of both their identities as people as well as their professional practice. Guided by a theoretical framework of figured worlds, interviews with students in teacher education programs that identify as queer explore the ways in which unique confluences of contextualizing factors play a role in the lived experiences of these individuals. The study additionally examined the nature of teacher education programs as experienced by these participants in order to discuss the ways in which these programs serve to challenge or reinforce the heteronormativity pervasive in educational spaces.

With the emergence and development of Chinese opera market, a large number of excellent composers and original Chinese operas have emerged. Responding to the market demand for opera singers, many jobs came into being. The dissertation is used for western male singer who wants to get job opportunities to perform in China. The dissertation discusses three original Chinese operas, each of which features one tenor aria and one baritone aria. The research results in a performance guide for these six Chinese opera arias, in addition to providing detailed pronunciation rules of the Chinese alphabet along with an IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) guide, a word-for-word translation of each aria, an analysis of vocal skills and difficulties, and some of the physical requirements of the staging.

Computer vision technologies are rapidly improving and becoming more important in disaster response. The majority of disaster description techniques now focus either on identify objects or categorize disasters. In this study, we trained multiple deep neural networks on low-altitude imagery with highly imbalanced and noisy labels. We utilize labeled images from the LADI dataset to formulate a solution for general problem in disaster classification and object detection. Our research integrated and developed multiple deep learning models that does the object detection task as well as the disaster scene classification task. Our solution is competitive in the TRECVID Disaster Scene Description and Indexing (DSDI) task, demonstrating that it is comparable to other suggested approaches in retrieving disaster-related video clips.