The purpose of the present qualitative multiple case study was to identify and describe sustainability efforts and the perceptions of sustainability managers of selected higher education institutions (HEIs) in Texas. Through a Qualtrics survey and semi-structured interviews, sustainability managers shared their experiences regarding the implementation of sustainable initiatives on their campuses. The present study identified four broad themes including Organizational and Leadership Challenges and the Impact They Can Have on Sustainability, Facilities Challenges and Their Impact on Sustainability, Issues with Full Buy-In on the Part of Stakeholders, and Sustainability Personnel Knowledge and Experience. The results of the present study are considered, and recommendations are provided to help researchers identify challenges to implementing sustainability initiatives on HEI campuses.

Children of today are gaining exposure to electronic reading environments at earlier ages and in greater frequencies than prior generations, as evidenced by the ubiquity of modern technologies. Such technologies provide affordances beyond basic text by supporting the screen-based rendering of aural, visual, and gestural elements. This research investigates, by way of a fixed effects meta-analysis, the overall effect of electronic reading environments on the comprehension outcomes of children between the 4th and 8th grades. Findings yielded three published studies between 2016 and 2020. Results from a total population sample of 2,125 students across the United States, showed small but significant effects of reading technology on comprehension. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of their pedagogical applications and future research directions.

What are the relationships between strength of racial identification, anger, and the political behavior of white women? Building on the literature on white identity politics and anger in political behavior, I argue that white identity and anger have a conditional relationship that leads to changes in multiple aspects of white women's political behavior. This dissertation uses the 2016 American National Election Survey and the 2016 Comprehensive Multiracial Post-election Survey to explore these associations. The findings show that there is a relationship between white racial identity conditioned on anger or threat and the strength of white women's partisanship and their issue opinions. When there is no anger or threat measure included, the relationship with political participation is weaker than expected which supports the importance of anger and its predecessor threat in the political behavior of white women. Overall, this dissertation expands the areas of white political behavior that are associated with strength of racial identity and anger as well as finding these relationships specifically with white women.

This study examined the challenges companies encounter attempting to fill job vacancies with applicants having the requisite skills. Of the 115 journals evaluated as part of the literature review, 64% of the documents identified issues related to workplace skills development deficiencies in industry and academia. Additional findings related to vocational training programs, training for youth, training content issues, and investments in skills training are evaluated. The literature review suggests both industry and academia struggle with developing and training students and the workforce with the new technology skills demanded in today's workplace. A research study, conducted in an industrial manufacturing company, was performed based on two data sets (defect quantities and repair hours). Each of the data sets consisted of production performance data collected during three time periods (pre-treatment, proximal treatment, and distal post-treatment). The Treatment consisted of the development of a training course focused on the assembly and installation of electrical harness assemblies into electronic equipment cabinets. Specific industrial assembly requirements and process outcomes were addressed in the curriculum design. The statistical analysis of the quantitative data indicated there was a statistically significant outcome associated with the proximal treatment of the repair hours data set. However, the applied treatment did …

In Chinese musical history, piano works have played an important role in modern times. The flourishing of the instrument and its music have in fact greatly developed Chinese modern music. Zhao Zhang's masterpiece Pi Huang, with its elements of Peking Opera, is one representative of the latest Chinese classic solo piano works. By coincidence, the introduction of the first Western keyboard instrument to China and the rise of Peking Opera came almost at the same time, during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Therefore, the incorporation of Peking Opera into Pi Huang is a reasonable and creative combination. This dissertation conducts a pedagogical analysis of Pi Huang, showing how it was influenced by elements of Peking Opera. The three main chapters discuss the background of Peking Opera, the biography of Zhao Zhang, and the musical background and performing issues of Pi Huang.

Far from the frontlines, the destiny of armies and generals has been considerably influenced by anonymous public servants working long hours behind a desk. On many occasions, these bureaucrats were the actual organizers of victory or the root cause of defeat. Count Pierre-Antoine Bruno Daru (1767-1829), Intendant Général de la Grande Armée, was one such man. The research concerns the critical nature of logistics and military administration in the performance of modern armies. It challenges the conventional view that the military commissariat was primarily responsible for the defeats of the armies of the First French Republic during the Revolutionary Wars. A professional bureaucracy was the response deployed by the French government to cope with the need to enlist, train, arm, equip, feed, shelter, pay, and control ever larger military forces. The solutions designed and applied by Pierre Daru and his colleagues, tested and improved by trial and error, became the foundation of modern military administration and, eventually, a model that was extended to contemporary, multinational corporations. Most accounts of the exploits of the late eighteenth-century French armies are devoted to describing their élan, maneuverability, and operational innovations. Yet, the fundamental distinction between the Revolutionary forces and their predecessors was scale. …

The dissertation presents a female German composer Ellinor Valesby, who composed Chinese art songs in Chinese with classical Chinese poetry. For political reasons, she used her pseudonym rather than her given name Irmgard Heinrich (1894-1969). As a western composer, also the wife of a Chinese poet and composer Ching-chu, who lived in China for 25 years, Valesby's songs present various interpretive challenges stemming from the combination of traditional Chinese poetry, folk music vernacular, and Western music components. Because no documentation in English can be found about Valesby or her songs, there is a need to provide performers with a better understanding of her perspective in these increasingly multicultural times. In addition, the dissertation discusses the germination and development of the Chinese Art Song and introduces the school song, the predecessor of Chinese art songs. The focus is on examining the Chinese and Western influences that appear in Valesby's art songs, revealing through examination of text setting, form, musical texture, and the role of piano how this female Western composer who did not speak Chinese set Chinese poetry from her unique cross-cultural perspectives. Today the legacy of these Chinese art song pioneers remains incomplete, but Valesby and her husband Ching-chu's profound …

This document aims to add diversity to advanced violin repertoire being taught and performed. Specifically, this project revives late German Romantic composer Robert Kahn (1865-1951) and argues for his violin sonatas to be included in standard violin repertoire due to their immense pedagogical wealth. Kahn was a prolific composer and left behind a large collection of pieces including twenty-five chamber works, the majority involving string instruments. Yet Kahn is rarely performed and hardly known to modern violinists. His works embody the late Romantic style in their expression, harmony, form, and drama and deserve renewed recognition. This document narrows its focus to Kahn's Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 5 and provides an extensive pedagogical guide for violinists. The guide includes chapters on both collaborative and technical challenges that exist within this piece. The collaborative chapter offers guidance and suggested rehearsal techniques for both instruments regarding balance challenges throughout the first movement. The technical chapter provides exercises for violinists on how to approach several difficult passages within the first and third movements. This project includes an interview conducted by the author with Julia Bushkova and Arsentiy Kharitonov, the first artists to record all three Kahn Sonatas. The transcript of …

PM2.5 particle sensing has been done using surface acoustic wave based sensor for two different frequencies. Due to mass loading and elasticity loading on the sensor's surface, the center frequency of the sensor shifts. The particle concentration can be tracked based on that frequency shift. The fit factor test has been conducted using higher frequency SAW sensor. The consist results has been achieved for particle sensing and fit factor test with SAW based sensor.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive modeling are tools used to diagnose a disease, determine how much a home is worth, estimate insurance risks, and detect fraud. AI and predictive modeling are so ubiquitous that they can be why one gets spam and why spam is automatically deleted. Information science integrates interdisciplinary elements of data-driven, behavioral, design, interpretive, and analytical research methodologies to design and understand interactions between digital media, information systems, and humans. This research focuses on the interaction between humans, AI, and predictive models. This research proposes a theoretical framework and a conceptual research model to understand the antecedents to reliance on AI and predictive modeling. The dissertation follows a traditional format that includes three studies. Study 1 employed a deductive quantitative research approach as a survey to model the relationship between trust in science and reliance on formal news sources. Study 2 employed a deductive quantitative research approach as a survey to understand the impact of framing questions and consider an alternative method of measuring society's reliance on science using predictive models. Study 3 employed a deductive quantitative research approach in the form of a survey to posit a new model based on the first two studies. This …

Missile Combat Crew members are officers in the United States Air Force responsible for operating nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. They undergo on-the-job training as part of the curriculum necessary to progress in their careers and achieve higher levels of job responsibility. The curriculum they use is created and maintained by 20th Air Force Test and Training Section. This product is known as the Missile Combat Crew Commander Upgrade program, and it has received criticisms from stakeholders who use it for being out of date and failing to capture the necessary topics for ensuring adequate on the job training is being conducted. This project seeks to examine these critiques, break down the curriculum produced by 20th AF into stages (creation, implementation, and feedback) for evaluation, uses principles of user-oriented design drawing on design anthropology to suggest alternative methods for curriculum creation, and utilizes the results of a diagnostic survey to provide data-driven recommendations to 20th AF for future rewrites of their product based on feedback from the crew members who use their product in the field.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to define and describe the work of external instructional design consultants. Study participants included seven instructional designers with varied educational backgrounds and work experience who work in a variety of contexts supporting clients in the design and delivery of learning experiences. All seven participants completed an initial survey with demographic and background questions. Five participants then took part in semi-structured interviews. Collected data was coded using both deductive and inductive methods with each case considered individually before combining the data for analysis across cases. Study findings support previous research suggesting that the work of instructional designers is dependent on context. Results further indicated that external instructional design consultants regularly engage in project management, communication and collaboration, and the analysis and evaluation components of the instructional design process, all in keeping with existing literature. External instructional designers differed in that they do more sales-related work, and, in the analysis process, focus more on client needs than learner characteristics. Study participants were invested in creating high quality, engaging learning experiences, while also willing to accommodate the unique challenges facing any given client. The study findings suggested that prospective employees' instructional design knowledge is of …

In this dissertation, I report the results of my research on twisted moiré photonic crystals which can be formed through multi-beam holographic interference without a physical rotation and later fabricated by electron-beam lithography. Their optical properties, such as photonic bandgaps, multiple resonance modes, and quality factor are presented. Randomized moire photonic crystals in lattice are also studied. The applications of moire photonic crystals in improving light extraction efficiency are simulated and verified in light emitting devices. Furthermore, I simulated the light extraction efficiency in OLED when the Al layer is patterned with a triangular GPSC, square moiré PhC with defects in the uniform area, and random locations of the photonic lattice, and obtain light extraction efficiency of 78.9%, 79.9%, 81.7%, respectively. Also, the ratios of photoluminescence intensity of LED integrated with twisted moiré PhCs and random moiré PhCs over that without moiré PhCs are measured to be (1.3-1.9) and 1.74, respectively, in a good agreement with simulated ratios of 1.69 and 1.8.

As stay-at-home mandates were put in place to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the extent to which today's youth has been affected by such efforts has gone largely under examined. Through a collaborative qualitative study with Big Thought, a Dallas-based nonprofit geared towards empowering youth, we sought to answer how the social interactions and socioemotional wellbeing of their 2021 summer program participants were impacted, as well as how Big Thought was able to exhibit organizational resilience. Methods used for this study included digital and in-person ethnography, interviewing, and interactive media projects. Findings showcased noticeable adverse effects to the socioemotional wellbeing of youth (particularly among older cohorts), shifts in communication, gaps in learned practices of socialization, and coping through digital device use. Despite Big Thought's ability to display organization resilience, there is a clear need for additional concerted efforts to be practiced in reacclimating and guiding youth back into social environments and providing them with the resources and support to get there.

Antonio María Valencia (1902-1952) was one of the leading Colombian composers, pianists, and educators of his generation. His Dúo en forma de sonata (1926) for violin and piano serves as an early example of the composer's aesthetic. According to the programmatic description he sent to his mother, the Dúo depicts Valencia's "indelible impressions" of his homeland. Through structural and harmonic analysis, I examine the piece in relation to the composer's informal programmatic description. The analysis argues that the work poetically re-creates the landscape of Valencia's birthplace region through an international language, devoid of Colombian folk rhythms and melodies. Valencia proposes a different perspective on Colombian music as an alternative to the use of folk-based music elements that were predominant to Colombian music during his lifetime.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to further explore pedagogical balance using multidimensional scaling and epistemic network analysis. Teacher shortages and attrition remain a critical issue for the future, and simulated classroom environments like simSchool can provide teachers additional training to help improve teaching confidence and teaching experience. Two different data sets were analyzed at various time before and after simSchool use to see how pre-service teachers rate themselves in 8 areas of teaching as defined by the Survey of Teaching Skills. Multidimensional scaling was utilized to see how teaching confidence and teaching experience align with no simSchool use, 90 minutes of use, and 8 hours of use. Epistemic network analysis was utilized to look at the cognitive structures of different groups to determine any differences. The findings are discussed with future research directions provided.

Post-civil conflict nations have a strong incentive to attract foreign capital because it is vital for redevelopment and economic growth which in turn reduce the likelihood of conflict resumption. Although foreign investors tend to be risk averse and view states that have recently experienced conflict to be high risk environments, this paper argues that power-sharing mechanisms address the roots of civil dissent and therefore provide a positive signal to potential investors. By focusing on a particular peacebuilding mechanism this work is able to single out the impact of one strategy, namely power-sharing, and assess its effectiveness in attracting foreign direct investment.

Semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs) have been a topic of research and interest among voice specialists for over three decades. An SOVTE is "any exercise in which the vocal tract is made partially closed at or near the lips." When this kind of occlusion occurs there are numerous consequences that follow, but of primary interest is a beneficial change of impedance. These beneficial changes are still being studied, but efficiency in phonation, as well as a shift in the configuration of the vocal folds during phonation are two significant findings thus far. Efficiency in vocal production is paramount to a performer's vocal health. Therefore, a dissipating impedance or a hindering reactance would be undesirable. Research over the last three decades has largely addressed the degree of reactive inertance possible through such impedance and its health benefits on the speaking and singing voice. The performing arts health aspects of these benefits are increasingly relevant to professional voice users. Although research on SOVTEs has become plentiful and widely available to voice teachers, it is unknown how or if this population is digesting the current performing arts health research and implementing it within their vocal instruction. Understanding the extent to which SOVTE science …

My thesis focuses on the conservation consequences of the hybridization of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in Kansas. Specifically, examining how past land management practices altering the species ranges impact the distinctiveness of Lesser Prairie-Chickens. Each chapter is an individual publication that addresses if the Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chicken are distinct when applying the morphological and biological species concepts. Chapter 2 compares the evolutionary history and morphological construct of Lesser Prairie-Chickens and other Galliformes using morphometric analysis. Chapter 3 uses low-resolution microsatellite data to reflect recent changes at the population level. This study aims to observe the Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chicken using the morphological and biological species concepts, two of the many species concepts, to determine the distinctiveness and rate of hybridization for these closely related species.

Crude oil commonly enters freshwater aquatic ecosystems as thin sheens forming on the water surface. Oil contains mixtures of toxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are known to be photodynamic, increasing toxicity when combined with ultraviolet radiation. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities are commonly utilized as bioindicators, and as such rely on abundant data in literature concerning benthic macroinvertebrates' relative tolerances to a wide range of pollutants. A series of 10 plastic traps, half of which were filtered from UV radiation, were deployed in an urban pond for 27 days to determine colonization preferences of benthic macroinvertebrates to UV exposure. Results of this in situ experiment indicated that the majority of aquatic insects collected from traps inhabited the UV exposed treatment group, particularly the nonbiting midge, Chironomidae. A series of bioassays were then completed to investigate the sensitivities of a Chironomidae species to thin sheens of crude oil in the presence and absence of UV radiation. All bioassays were conducted using 10 day old Chironomus dilutus larvae cultured in the lab. The series of C. dilutus bioassays were all conducted under the same water quality parameters, temperatures, and oil sheen dosing methods, under a 16:8 photoperiod and exposed …

The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce and provide a pedagogical guide for two etude works by Lowell Liebermann (b. 1961): Four Etudes on Songs of Brahms, Op. 88 (2004) and Four Etudes on Songs of Robert Franz, Op. 91 (2005). It includes a brief biography and observations on the compositional style of the composer; a history and development of the etude from the eighteenth century to Liebermann's time; research on Liebermann's works based on songs of other composers; and a pedagogical guide on how to approach each piece, covering four types of technical issues: articulation, phrasing, voicing of the melodic lines, and fingerings.

In this study, I examine how an online cryptocurrency community discusses the issue of climate change. In particular, I examine distinctive themes present within discussions that occur on the r/CryptoCurrency forum hosted by reddit.com. Existing research has demonstrated that there are significant carbon emissions linked to cryptocurrency. However, cryptocurrency primarily exists as a peer-to-peer system, meaning that the individual perceptions of cryptocurrency adopters may provide insight into how to address the emissions problem. Using latent Dirichlet allocation and publicly available textual data from Reddit, I find that Reddit's cryptocurrency community engages in robust discussions pertaining to the energy needed to power cryptocurrency systems, most of which is generated from fossil fuels. Therefore, the discussions identified in this study suggest that the social aspect of cryptocurrency may be important when examining the links between cryptocurrency and climate change since they help identify what subjects related to climate change are important for this community.

This study was conducted to understand the motivations that drive participants to join user experience (UX) research studies at Red Hat (software company). Mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative nature were used to gather data and determine key insights that were supported by multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks. The findings were used to inform the client (Red Hat) on how to improve their UX research recruitment practices.

The relationship between France and Hollywood is rooted in a deep history that dates to the late 1800s. French Cultural elites and policymakers have regulated Hollywood to prevent the American ideals that are depicted in Hollywood movies from infringing on French culture, restricting free trade distribution practices to limit audiences' accessibility of imported, non-French media. These import regulations have strengthened French exceptionalism, which is an ideal that recognizes France as being superior to any other culture, region, or market. Yet, the impacts of globalization and the rise of technology have shifted media consumption habits and forced France to regulate new modes of distribution, like digital streaming platforms, to continue to protect the French culture, film industry, and commerce. In 2014, when Silicon Valley-based streaming platform Netflix, entered France, the principles of French exceptionalism impacted the reception of the Hollywood-focused platform. Policymakers imposed a tax system which requires internationally based streamers to invest in the French media industry. Netflix invested their tax into local language, teen productions to target a demographic whose ideals were less rooted in French exceptionalism. Additionally, Netflix utilized the affordances of Instagram to visually appeal to teen users when marketing the local language productions Mortel (2019-2021) and …