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BRAIN SIGNAL-BASED ENCRYPTION METHOD FOR IOT DEVICES
Full text linkThe Internet of Things (IoT) is the name given to physical devices capable of processing and sharing data with their own or public networks. IoT devices can be developed with sensors or other elements depending on their processing capacity. IoT devices are increasingly being used in many areas such as police departments, power generation plants, education, finance, and living spaces. As IoT devices become more widely used, it is natural for them to become targets. Exploiting the security vulnerabilities of IoT devices can cause critical damage.
The use of encryption methods to ensure the security of IoT devices is one of the first solutions that come to mind. However, IoT devices do not have the processing capacity to perform the complex mathematical operations used in traditional encryption methods. Encryption methods derived to overcome the processing capacity limitation still cannot provide complete security. This dissertation develops a different perspective on encryption methods. Instead of traditional encryption methods, it proposes the use of brain frequencies to guarantee uniqueness and security. Brain frequencies can replace the costly methods that traditional encryption methods rely on, such as the complex mathematical processing of numerical values.
Brain frequencies have properties that are physically unobservable, cannot be forged in a short period of time, are personalized, and can be translated into thousands of numerical values at any given moment. While traditional encryption methods require very costly processes to access these properties, the brain does it all instantaneously. This remarkable property of brain frequencies was the main motivation for the dissertation. During the stages of the dissertation, existing IoT encryption techniques will be replaced with the details of the frequencies produced by the human brain. This dissertation includes highlights such as existing IoT encryption techniques, resistance levels of encryption techniques used in IoT devices, details of the frequencies produced by the human brain, examination of existing brain frequency processing techniques, imposed recall strategy, experiments with subjects, examination of subject data with unsupervised machine learning, and detection of specific electrode combinations. The study proves that a pre-recording of 30 seconds of brain frequency will be sufficient enough to secure IoT devices
Exploring the Relationship between Ambiguous Loss, Hope, and Resilience in Affected Family Members of Individuals with Severe Substance Use Disorders
Full text linkThis dissertation explored the intricate dynamics of ambiguous loss (AL) outcomes experienced by family members affected by the substance use disorders (SUDs) of their loved ones, delving into the predictive roles of hope and resilience for coping with AL and how demographic factors may moderate these effects. Through a quantitative approach utilizing a multiple regression analysis, this study drew upon Pauline Boss’s ambiguous loss theory, and the research aims to address the dearth of literature by providing empirical insights into the coping mechanisms and experiences of affected family members (AFMs) facing the uncertainty of “losing” a loved one to addiction. Recruitment efforts leveraged Qualtrics to ensure a large, diverse, and representative sample of adult AFMs. The findings contribute to the advancement of counseling practices, intervention strategies, and addiction counseling ethical codes, fostering greater understanding and support for families grappling with the complexities of their loved one’s addiction
NO OTHER MOTHER: EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH CHOICE AND COMMUNITY
Full text linkMary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre each have narratives which expose how people in the nineteenth century responded to the changes happening in both the political and social arenas. As nineteenth century society categorized women as a type of racialized other, the gothic novel allowed authors to pit women’s agency, community building, and mothering against a terrifying outsider that threatened the very fabric of society. Yet each of the female characters in the novels is denied her subjecthood not by the ‘Othered’ character, but by the men who oppress both. Canonical texts also consistently find themselves being refashioned by writers attempting to draw comparisons between past and present circumstances. The instinct to re-contextualize the women characters in ways which lead to the fostering of community, the reclamation of choice, and the regaining of agency by allowing women to relate with people who are marginalized is the focus of this work.
Our Hideous Progeny and Reluctant Immortals refashion and expand the narrative of the three canonical texts to create avenues for establishing female characters with agency. Chapter one examines the ways in which Mary is able to avoid Victor's fate because of her ability to recognize the importance of choice and community in relation to marginalized communities. This comparison of Frankenstein to Our Hideous Progeny builds on the continued scholarly conversation around Frankenstein adaptations by looking at how a female creator figure alters the original Frankenstein mythos. The second and third chapters deal with Dracula and Jane Eyre respectively and the expansion of the narrative as told in Reluctant Immortals. In the contemporary novel, Bertha and Lucy are the main protagonists, and they each must deal with Rochester and Dracula haunting their modern lives. My analysis focuses on the ways in which choice and community are at the core of both women being able to overcome the oppressive force of the men. This thesis draws heavily on Feminist Studies to argue that the contemporary expansion of nineteenth-century era stories highlights elements that are vital to fostering women-centered stories
Organelle Regulation by Polycystin-1 in Cardiomyocytes
Full text linkPolycystin-1 (PC1) is a large transmembrane protein that functions as a mechanosensor in the primary cilia of most cells. Mutations in PKD1, the gene that encodes for PC1, cause most autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) cases. This disease is the most common genetic renal disease that also manifests with multiple severe cardiovascular alterations. PC1 actions have been extensively characterized in the kidney; however, PC1 is ubiquitously expressed in most cell types and its function in cardiac cells remains poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that PC1 regulates organelle function and preliminary data obtained in the Altamirano lab showed that PC1 regulates gene expression of various regulators of the Golgi and microtubule network. Because emerging evidence indicates that alterations in this organelle are associated with disease progression, we sought to investigate whether PC1 regulates Golgi morphology and function in cardiomyocytes. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the loss of polycystin-1 causes Golgi dysfunction to impair cardiomyocyte function. Using confocal microscopy and immunofluorescence against the Golgi markers GM130 and TGN46, we reconstructed Golgi morphology. We investigated if PC1 regulates Golgi function by studying protein trafficking to the plasma membrane and glycosylation through a membrane biotinylation assay and glycoprotein fluorescent staining. Our data shows that loss of PC1 affects the cis- and trans-Golgi morphology in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, PC1 regulates the expression of various genes involved in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi secretory pathway. Looking at the functional consequences of PC1 ablation on Golgi function, we did not find alterations in membrane proteins or overall protein glycosylation. Since Golgi plays essential roles within the cell, future studies are needed to unveil the role of PC1 in this organelle function
We Might Bite, But Only If You Beg for It: Vampiric Transgressions of Gender and Sexuality Boundaries in the Gothic Novel
Full text linkThis thesis traces the evolution of the Gothic vampire from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first, arguing that the figure functions as both a mirror of cultural anxieties and a mechanism of repression through which queerness and otherness are negotiated.Through close readings of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla (1872), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic (2020), this project examines how the vampire’s shifting form reflects changing intersections of sexuality and power.
In Le Fanu’s Carmilla, queer desire emerges through gesture, language, and
mimicry. Carmilla’s transgressive intimacy with Laura mimics a heteronormative relationship thus destabilizing Victorian gender roles and threatening the heteronormative structure. Stoker’s novel Dracula takes historical and social anxieties of queer desire and allows them to weave their way through the text. Through the characters of Mina, Jonathan, Lucy, and Dracula the queer cyclical motion of repression and expression is
emphasized within the piece through their sexualities and gender expression. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novel Mexican Gothic focuses on the horrors of colonialism through the vampirism of the Doyles. Their monstrousness is in their human actions, not within the confines of a true monster. Moreno-Garcia uses the queerness as a beacon of hope and survival, unlike the previous novels, by allowing her indigenous queer character to save those she loves and her culture from the grasp of the vampiric Doyles.
Across these texts, the Gothic vampire evolves from a figure of repression to one of reclamation. What begins as a metaphor for forbidden desire becomes an emblem of survival, hybridity, and transformation. By focusing on the characters and vampirism within Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, this thesis analyzes how the vampire is used as a literary device, specifically how the vampire is used to vilify queer individuals and their sexualities and yet also offer a possibility of transformation
A PRE- AND POST-PANDEMIC ANALYSIS OF THE COLLEGE, CAREER, AND MILITARY READINESS OF TEXAS GRADUATING STUDENTS BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: A TEXAS MULTIYEAR ANALYSIS
Full text linkPurpose
The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to
which disparities might be present in College, Career, and Military Readiness among
Texas high school graduate students, specifically concerning student gender,
ethnicity/race, and economic status. The intent was to provide a detailed understanding of
how these demographic factors influence student preparedness for postsecondary
education, careers, and military service. By investigating student demographic
characteristics of gender, ethnicity/race, and economic status, the intent was to identify
areas where substantial gaps exist in CCMR rates.
Method
A multiyear statewide causal comparative research design was present as
archival data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency. Data were analyzed for
eight school years (i.e., 2016-2024) to capture trends before, during, and after the
pandemic.
Findings
Revealed in this analysis were statistically significant disparities in both CCMR
and TSI attainment across gender, race/ethnicity, and economic status. Higher
percentages of girls met CCMR and TSI attainment rates than boys across all six school
years.. Statistically significantly lower percentages of students in poverty met CCMR and
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TSI attainment rates than their peers who were not economically disadvantaged..
Findings from the racial/ethnic comparisons were that African American students had the
lowest CCMR and TSI attainment rates, followed by Hispanic students. Asian and White
students had the highest CCMR and TSI attainment rates across the six school years.
Disparities remained statistically and practically significant throughout the six school
years. Effect sizes were moderate to large, with the largest differences observed in
comparisons between African American and Asian students. Pandemic-related declines in
readiness were evident; however, inequities were consistent during and after the recovery
period. These results underscore the systemic and persistent nature of disparities in
postsecondary readiness within Texas public education
Celestial Barriers: Gendered Capital and Social Reproduction in Astronomy
Full text linkDespite gains in STEM, women remain underrepresented and marginalized in astronomy, especially relative to women-majority STEM+ fields. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus, capital, doxa, and hysteresis, together with Goffman, Hochschild, and West and Zimmerman on stigma, emotional labor, and doing gender, this thesis examines how work organization, informal expectations, and social reproduction influence participation and careers in astronomy. The analysis triangulates historical, statistical, and institutional records with narrative accounts from astronomers at different career stages, women in women-majority STEM+ fields, and films about astronomy.
Across these materials, three patterns emerge: a gap between collaborative, care intensive labor and narrow prestige metrics; stigma, motherhood penalties, and credibility work that fall disproportionately on women; and slower institutional change in astronomy than in women-majority STEM+ fields, where mentoring, coordination, and communal labor are more consistently rewarded. Together these patterns produce field level hysteresis, as reliance on citation counts and telescope time and the undervaluing of mentoring, outreach, and data stewardship, which altogether keep the field functioning, reproduce underrepresentation even as official statements endorse inclusion. The thesis argues that valuing emotional labor and communal work and aligning policies and supports could make astronomy more equitable and sustainable
Transforming Teaching: Faculty Perceptions and the Integration of Active Learning Spaces
Full text linkThis study explores the factors influencing faculty adoption of active learning spaces (ALS) at a four-year public university in the South-Central United States. With substantial institutional investment in flexible classroom designs, understanding what drivers or barriers to faculty utilization of these spaces is important. The purpose of this study is to examine what influences faculty decisions to adopt ALS and how these decisions impact instructional practices and classroom engagement.
A convergent mixed-methods research design was utilized, integrating quantitative and qualitative data. A survey, framed by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, measured faculty perceptions of ALS across five constructs: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. Simultaneously, interviews with faculty experienced in redesigned classrooms provided insights into their instructional adaptations, perceived benefits and challenges, and support needs.
The findings will inform institutional stakeholders, including academic leadership and teaching and learning centers, on strategies to enhance the effectiveness of ALS. Results can guide improvements in professional development, faculty incentives, and classroom design to align with instructional goals. This study also highlights conditions under which ALS most effectively influences teaching and student engagement. Ultimately, this research encourages institutions to assess the alignment between infrastructure investments and faculty readiness, contributing to ongoing discussions about innovation, pedagogical change, and classroom effectiveness in higher education
Mapping El Camino: Understanding how Gender Socialization and Intersectional Identities Shape Latino Men’s Post-Secondary Educational or Career Choices
Full text linkThis narrative inquiry explored how Latino men’s intersecting identities, cultural
expectations, and lived experiences shaped their educational and career pathways. The study addressed how gender socialization, family obligations, and systemic barriers intersect to create critical decision points that determine Latino men’s futures. Four Latino men aged 29-39 participated in this qualitative study using three data collection methods: life maps where participants visually documented their journeys from childhood to present, photo-elicitation using images representing significant experiences, and semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed through utilizing a narrative analysis approach
which focused on each participant's story and then compared cases for thematic
commonalities. Three themes emerged from cross-case analysis. Judgment Time captured predictable crossroads occurring between ages 14-17 when survival needs, cultural expectations about manhood, and educational possibilities collided, forcing participants to make adult decisions while still adolescents. Proving Them Wrong revealed how participants transformed deficit narratives and low expectations into motivation, and disapproved stereotypes about all Latino men. Buying Myself Out exposed the literal costs participants paid in money, time, safety, and identity to access education or escape
constrained pathways. Findings demonstrated that participants succeeded by leveraging community cultural wealth (aspirational, familial, and resistant capital) despite systems built without them in mind. The results of this study should prompt educational leaders and institutions to move beyond deficit-based frameworks and design interventions that begin early, address cultural and economic realities, and build on familial and aspirational strengths. Policy leaders should reimagine support for working learners, undocumented
students, and first-generation men through accessible options of financial aid, flexible or customized programming, and inclusive campus cultures. This study calls for educational systems that do not just celebrate survival but create a sense of belonging and opportunity for all Latino men across the various pathways they may take
DISTRICT LEADER PERCEPTIONS OF PAID TEACHER RESIDENCIES
Full text linkTeacher residency programs have gained national attention as a promising strategy to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality educators. These programs provide intensive clinical experiences that align educator preparation with school district instructional and staffing needs while also reducing financial barriers for teacher residents. There remains limited research of how district leaders perceive the value, challenges, and sustainability of paid teacher residencies. The purpose of this comparative case study was to explore district leader perceptions of paid teacher residencies in Texas. The study findings indicated that paid teacher residency programs in Texas offered an innovative approach to educator preparation and were viewed as successful program models for recruiting, hiring, and retaining certified educators, many of whom fill high demand positions. Findings aligned with areas of prior research, further supporting the success of these programs. Results and recommendations from the study can help other residency partnership stakeholders understand challenges and opportunities related to paid teacher residencies. District leaders perceived that residency programs were premier pipelines to fill teacher vacancies and that residency pipelines produced teachers who remained in the district longer compared to teachers prepared through traditional and alternative pathways. Finally, district leaders stressed the importance of adequate funding to sustain these valuable teacher pipelines. Scaling and sustaining paid teacher residency programs were contingent on aggressive recruitment, strong program design, stakeholder buy-in, and adequate funding for residents, mentors, and district personnel. Amidst challenges associated with maintaining and sustaining these programs, all five district leaders in this study advocated for sustaining these district programs as “premier pipelines” for recruitment. District leaders perceived paid teacher residency programs in Texas as a worthwhile return on investment for the district, the EPP, and ultimately the K-12 students in the classroom