The self-help literature is full of texts on both self-compassion and postpartum depression. However, there has been minimal scientific exploration of the literature on these topics. As such, mental health researchers and practitioners have little sense of the psycholinguistic discourse contained in this literature. This study aimed to fill this...
Forests are some of the most ecologically diverse and dense habitats on the planet. Research shows that the endophyte community, or the fungi, bacteria, and viruses within a forest ecosystem is highly diverse. Fungal endophytes are defined as fungi that live within the tissues of host plants. Relationships between fungal...
Many older reinforced concrete bridges and buildings in the United States are considered deficient due to past design codes that are not conservative, increased loading, and deterioration of structural components. Deterioration is most commonly caused by corrosion, which reduces the steel cross sectional area and damages the concrete cross section....
The intent of this thesis is to develop three creative non-fiction essays exploring the experience of being an undergraduate woman in a STEM field. The essays will all take on variations in form, humor, and perspectives. The purpose is to explore the position of women in STEM and the different...
Pile caps are structural elements used to transfer loads from columns to a group of piles, which transfer them to stronger soil layers. Pile cap with horizontal distance between the column and piles less than twice its effective depth is categorized as "deep," where significant nonlinear strain distribution occurs through...
Preparing successful engineering undergraduate students for the workforce is imperative and requires students to apply their conceptual understanding of engineering fundamentals to engineering design work. Conceptual understanding is assessed through the use of concept inventories. Learning theories may help explain differences in concept inventory performance. Expert novice theory suggests that...
For mid-rise and high rise buildings, slender reinforced concrete (RC) structural walls are commonly used as the main structural elements to resist lateral applied loads in high seismically areas around the globe. These RC structural walls can provide substantial deformation capacity, stiffness, and lateral strength through the contribution of their...
This work analyzes the numerical curvature of buckling braces. An existing brace modeling learning tool, which in its current state allows users to change the inputs within a simulated model of a braced element, was modified to display the curvature diagram. The curvature diagram was verified through comparison to existing...
Community colleges are changing to meet the needs and demands of the 21st century and these changes are also a driving force behind the shifts that are happening to the essential functions of the presidents who lead the community colleges. In order to navigate the complex systems and lead colleges...
Research on grief has been studied for nearly a century to understand its many facets, expressiveness, and timing. In the field of counseling, many changes in theories, models, and the lenses through which loss is responded to have been accomplished. However, one constant in the U.S. culture is that definitions...