The portrayal of Russia in Western popular culture has served various purposes, particularly between 1945 and 1991. With a few exceptions, Soviet citizens, particularly Russians, have been shown as, alternatingly, backwards peasants and cunning enemies. In the post-1991 period, this tradition of showing Russia as the enemy continued in film and television, but tapered off in favor of more seemingly relevant foes on the world stage. While film analyses focusing on the portrayal of Russia and Russians have been done, the renewal of focus on Cold War imagery in reference to Russia and the West has not been commented on. Because of the so-called Illegals Program uncovered in 2010, the attempted "reset" between the United States and the Russian Federation, increased Western media coverage of human rights issues in Russia, and many other types of exposure, including the annexation of Crimea and the conflict with Russia-backed anti-Kiev militias in eastern Ukraine, Russia has taken center-stage and is subject not only to international scrutiny, but also to rehashed prejudices and outdated knowledge of the country that stems from old antagonisms. The television programs The Americans, Archer, and Doctor Who all look at Russia and the relationship of Russia with the West through a Cold War lens. I argue that this resurgence is in response to both Cold War nostalgia and a renewal of Russia's relevance on the world stage. By analyzing these programs, it will be shown that the types of information and impressions that are being promoted by popular culture of late at once serve to provide nuance to an ordinarily one-sided and limited portrayal of Russia and its people, and at the same time reinforce old, stale images of the "Evil Empire" that only serve to prevent understanding and cooperation between the citizens of the West and of Russia. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 16, 2015. / Archer, Cold War, Doctor Who, Television, The Americans / Includes bibliographical references. / Lisa Wakamiya, Professor Directing Thesis; Robert Romanchuk, Committee Member; Leigh Edwards, Committee Member.

This treatise was written to support the composition of an original arrangement of Tosca for violin and piano. There are currently no published transcriptions or arrangements of the opera for this instrument pairing. Tosca, for Violin and Piano is ultimately intended to serve the performing violinist. All of the written aspects of this treatise work to support the composition. This includes a brief discussion of the chosen title, including the use of transcription, arrangement, and paraphrase as specific references to very particular types of composition versus their use as general references to a more encompassing collection of similar works; a brief history of transcriptions; the importance of operatic transcriptions in the violin repertoire and influences in establishing transcription as a musical genre; and, finally, a discussion of operatic transcriptions for violin specifically -- their place in history, trends, and concerns. An analysis of motifs used in the original composition is included, along with thoughts on composing Tosca for violin and piano. Furthermore, a plot synopsis from the opera marked with measure numbers relates specific events to their portrayal in the original arrangement. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 13, 2015. / arrangement, operatic transcription, Tosca, violin / Includes bibliographical references. / Benjamin Sung, Professor Directing Treatise; James Mathes, University Representative; Alexander Jiménez, Committee Member; Gregory Sauer, Committee Member.

With the rapid development of social media in the last decade, consumers are able to share their purchase and use experiences online with other users (Henning-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh, & Gremler, 2004). Research about the significance of user-generated content (UGC) increased; however, analysis about UGC on YouTube and how it influenced consumers future purchase intention were scarce. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between attitudes toward UGC on YouTube, the perceived credibility of UGC, and the factors that influence purchase intention of products being reviewed. This study aimed to answer the question whether differences existed between active and passive YouTube users' attitudes toward UGC and their purchase intentions. One hundred and seventy YouTube users completed the online survey, but the final sample size was decreased to 131, because the lie item test removed the respondents who did not read the questions carefully. The results showed that positive correlations between each variable were significant at alpha = .05 level. Active users and passive users not only held different attitudes toward UGC and different purchase intentions for the products being reviewed, but also the predictive power was varied. For active users, parasocial interaction explained the most variance of purchase intentions; however, user activity had the most predictive power for passive users' on their future buying behavior. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2015. / March 18, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Brian Parker, Professor Directing Thesis; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member; Felecia Jordan, Committee Member.

After nearly seven years of research effort since the discovery of iron-based superconductors, wires and tapes of K-doped BaFe2As2 have finally been developed by the inexpensive and scalable powder-in-tube technique with critical current densities reaching over 0.1 MAcm-2 at 4.2 K. Such progress relies heavily on the development of synthesis techniques that eliminate cracks and secondary phases. High energy ball milling, during which mechanochemical reactions take place, proves to be effective in producing high quality bulk material. The consolidation of high quality powders under high pressure produces bulk material with a fine grain microstructure and surprising high intergranular current density. We explore the dependence of doped Ba2Fe2As2 superconducting properties on sintering temperature in bulks, wires, and tapes to further optimize these materials and find that grain boundaries continue to act as weak-links, effectively blocking current, and limiting the intergranular critical current density in these materials. However, evidence for composition variation and impurity segregation across grain-boundaries suggests that the weak-linked behavior may still be of an extrinsic nature. Despite the current limiting effects of these weak-links, transport current is high enough in our fine grain material to demonstrate the first > 1 T magnet made out of an iron-based superconductor. These results provide a positive outlook for the potential future use of these materials to produce high field magnets. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 9, 2015. / Ba122, ferropnictide, mechanochemical, superconductivity, superconductor / Includes bibliographical references. / Eric Hellstrom, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gregory Boebinger, University Representative; David Larbalestier, Committee Member; Theo Siegrist, Committee Member; Per Arne Rikvold, Committee Member.

The need for actuators that are adaptable for use in a wide array of applications has been the motivation behind actuator development research over the past few years. Recent developments at the Advanced Aero-Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) at Florida State University have produced a microactuator that uses the unsteadiness of a small-scale impinging jet to produce pulsed, supersonic microjets - this is referred to as the Resonance-Enhanced Microjet (REM) actuator. Prior studies on these actuators at AAPL have been been somewhat limited in that the actuator response has only been characterized through pressure/acoustic measurements and qualitative flow visualizations. Highly-magnified particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were performed to measure the velocity fields of both a 1 mm underexpanded jet and an REM actuator. The results demonstrate that this type of microactuator is capable of producing pulsed, supersonic microjets that have velocities of approximately 400 m/s that are sustained for significant portions of their cycles (> 60 %). These are the first direct velocity measurements of these flowfields, and they allow for a greater understanding of the flow physics associated with this microactuator. The previous studies on the REM actuators have shown that the microactuator volume is among the principal parameters in determining the actuator's maximum-amplitude frequency component. In order to use this actuator in a closed-loop, feedback control system, a modified design that incorporates smart materials is studied. The smart materials (specifically piezoelectric ceramic stack actuators) have been implemented into the microactuator to actively change its geometry, thus permitting controllable changes in the microactuator's resonant frequency. The distinct feature of this design is that the smart materials are not used to produce the primary perturbation or flow from the actuator (which has in the past limited the control authority of other designs) but to change its dynamic properties. Various static and dynamic control inputs to the piezo-stacks illustrate that the actuator's resonant frequency can be modulated by a few hundred Hertz at very fast rates (up to 1 kHz or more). These frequency modulation capabilities allow for off-design frequencies to be present in the actuator's output, thereby increasing its range of potential flow control applications. A series of closed-loop control demonstrations clearly show the ability of this actuator to track and produce outputs at specified frequencies. The robustness of this control technique was also demonstrated. By combining the REM actuator concept with the precision and control authority of smart materials, the new actuator system (known as the SmartREM actuator) is shown to produce supersonic, pulsing microjets whose frequency can be controlled actively in a closed-loop manner. Three different design possibilities are developed and characterized in this study. An optimal configuration was identified for cavity flow control experiments in both sub- and supersonic freestream conditions (M = 0.4 - 0.7 and M = 1.5). The actuator was designed such that its frequency would lie within the range of the predicted cavity oscillations. The actuator's performance was evaluated in its three modes of operations: pulsed (REM mode), active pulsed (SmartREM mode), and steady. It was found that when the actuator operates in its pulsed modes, the amplitude of the dominant peak is reduced by as much as 6 dB. The high-frequency broadband levels and overall sound pressure levels (OASPLs) are reduced with control as well (by about 3 dB). Operating the actuator in its steady mode at very high pressures provides the most effective results. The dominant peaks were completely eliminated (amplitudes reduced by over 25 dB), and the reductions in the OASPLs exceeded 10 dB. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 30, 2015. / Actuators, Cavity Flow, Flow Control / Includes bibliographical references. / Farrukh Alvi, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Locke, University Representative; Chiang Shih, Committee Member; William Oates, Committee Member.

Workplace environments are continuing to evolve as user needs and work modes change. The wellbeing and success of an organization, and those working within it, is strongly related to its built environment (Becker, 2004). Grounded in research that included the history of workplace design, issues inherent in organizations, and matters associated with individual productivity within the workplace environment, the purpose of this study was to better understand how the built environment can facilitate both collaborative and individual work modes in a creative office environment. Open office plans are popular in workplace design due to the ability to increase collaboration among employees and the decrease in building costs (Duffy, 2008; Saval, 2014). Recent research, however, has shed light on the apparent distractions and lack of privacy seen in the open office. Additionally, recent research shows that many workers desire an office design that accommodates more opportunities for focused individual work. Collaboration, in fact, is most successful when supported by effective individual work, and workplace environments should be designed to support those modes of work (Gensler, 2013; Hua, Loftness, Heerwagen, & Powell, 2011). To explore how the spatial characteristics of the creative workplace environment might facilitate collaborative and individual work modes, the researcher conducted a case study at an interior design office followed by a survey of four design firms. The case study utilized a mixed-methods approach including visual documentation, behavioral mapping, and interviews. Photos were taken, and behavioral mapping with field notes were used to document how the employees utilized their spaces, with specific attention to where collaborative and individual work occurred. Next, the researcher interviewed employees on their use of the space and how its design facilitates their collaborative and individual work productivity. The information collected during the interviews told not just how but why the employees used their workspace as they did. Following the case study, a survey was developed to confirm the findings from the case study and to gain further knowledge to answer the research question. From the case study, findings indicated that the data supported previous research claims that collaboration and individual work must be supported by workplace design. While collaboration was high among employees and meeting rooms were utilized, the expectation of distraction in the open office space limited the fluidity and frequency of collaboration. Not all collaborative design features were used as intended, and the need to use secluded spaces for individual work was apparent. Those with private offices were not as affected by distractions and privacy issues than those in the open office. The responses to the survey that followed confirmed that the potential for distraction and privacy issues in the open office had the potential to hinder productivity. This study confirmed that fluidity and frequency of collaboration was, at times, deterred in the open office environment, due to the expectation that collaboration would be a distraction to others. Distractions and the absence of privacy in the open office environment led employees to seek secluded spaces in the office, away from their workstations. Private meeting rooms were integral solutions in facilitating both collaborative and individual modes of work, as these spaces could host groups or individuals as required. The research findings of this case study were used to program and develop a prototype design solution for a hypothetical interior design firm's workplace. This research and subsequent workplace design solution adds to the body of knowledge, which may inform future design researchers and practitioners on the effective design of workplace environments – to design beyond adequacy. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 22, 2015. / Creative, Design, Interior Design, Interior Environment, Office, Workplace / Includes bibliographical references. / Lisa Waxman, Professor Directing Thesis; Amy Huber, Committee Member; Steven Webber, Committee Member.

In astrophysical hydrodynamical objects, multiple physical processes take place on a wide variety of spatial and temporal scales simultaneously, making direct numerical simulation of such objects dicult computationally. Our work focuses on developing and testing reduced-order models of such physical processes and objects in order to mitigate this diculty. We use the singular value decomposition on snapshot data the systems generated by a high-delity model in order to generate a singular eigenvalue spectrum as well as a orthogonal eigenfunction basis. The original equations of the system are then projected onto this basis via a Galerkin or discontinuous Galerkin projection, giving rise to a system of ordinary dierential equations that serve as the reduced order model. These models are then propagated forward in time, and their accuracy and computational cost are compared with our high-delity models. We nd that for the systems of interest (quasi-steady systems), high accuracy reduced order models can be created with only a small number of basis functions at a cost of an order of magnitude less computational time. We further propose methods to increase the savings for these systems even further. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Scientific Computing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 25, 2015. / Galerkin Projection, Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, Reduced Order Model / Includes bibliographical references. / Tomasz Plewa, Professor Directing Thesis; Ming Ye, Committee Member; Gordon Erlebacher, Committee Member; Ionel Michael Navon, Committee Member.

The access and sharing of research data have been emphasized by the government, funding agencies, and scholarly communities. The increased access to research data increases the impact, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness, of scientific activities and funding. The access, however, is facilitated not just by appropriate policies but also by the employment of effective infrastructure mechanisms, including enhancing data with effective metadata (Simmhan, Plale, & Gannon, 2005). Identifiers are important metadata that traditionally have been used for entity identification, linking, and referencing in various domains (Altman & King, 2007). To enable effective metadata creation support for research data, it is essential to gain a better understanding of the current uses of identifier systems with research data. As many research institutions plan to provide some types of research data services (Tenopir, Birch, & Allard, 2012), it is important to study the current practices of data curation in IRs. In particular to develop effective data management infrastructure configuration templates, it is essential to understand user needs and related activities for data curation in IRs, including different roles played by IR staff and role-specific differences in needs for skills and infrastructure support (Foster, Jennings, & Kesselman, 2004). Furthermore, it is important to investigate both the current practices of identifier use and the requirements for quality and functionalities for identifier schemas in order to design effective metadata support for research data curation in IRs. Studying the practices of research data curation requires multifaceted contextual analysis (Borgman, Wallis, & Enyedy, 2007). Hence this study, too, required a research design that could help examine and capture various sociotechnical and cultural factors that may affect data curation, including the selection and uses of identifier schemas for data. The study used Activity Theory (Engeström, 1987; Leontiev, 1978) and Information Quality Assessment Framework (Stvilia, Gasser, Twidale, & Smith, 2007) to guide the design of a protocol for semi-structured interviews. This study reports on data collected from fifteen participants from thirteen different universities in the US. The selection of participants was guided by two criteria. To be eligible for participation in the study, participants had to work for an IR that stored and curated research data objects and housed by one of the 108 institutions classified as RU/VH (very high research activity) in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The study identified data curation activities and contexts (i.e., tools, norms, rules, and division of labor), perceived roles played by IR staff (e.g., data curator, IR manager, and metadata specialist), role-specific sets of activities and skills, and perception of quality identifiers in IRs. The findings of this study can inform the development of best practices and effective infrastructure support for data curation in the context of IRs, as well as teaching data curation in LIS schools. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 22, 2015. / Data curation, Data identifiers, Institutional repositories, Research data / Includes bibliographical references. / Besiki Stvilia, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anke Meyer-Baese, University Representative; Corinne Jörgensen, Committee Member; Richard J. Urban, Committee Member.

The objective of this research is to elicit and analyze the use of visual response created by art therapists and its implications for their resiliency. As part of the mental health community, art therapists are exposed to trauma histories and traumatic events, their empathetic nature making them susceptible to the negative effects stress, which over time can accumulate and lead to clinician burnout. Although there is ample literature on the detrimental effects of the burnout syndrome on the helping professions, the literature is limited when it comes to art therapists and their distinct needs and resources. The current study used mixed methods to better understand the role of visual response art as it was used by participating art therapists in building and maintaining resilient and restorative self-care practices. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Art Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / . / June 29, 2015. / art therapy, burnout, mental health, resilience, response art, self-care / Includes bibliographical references. / David Gussak, Professor Directing Dissertation; Carolyn Henne, University Representative; Sara Scott Shields, Committee Member; Marcia Rosal, Committee Member.

Self-efficacy is defined as "one's perceived capabilities for learning or performing actions at designated levels" (Schunk & Mullen, 2012, p. 220), and has been shown to account for up to 25 percent of the variance in academic achievement (Multon et al., 1991; Schunk & Pajares, 2009). The development and influence of self-efficacy on the academic achievement of first-generation college students has received relatively little attention in the literature. Implementing a case study approach, this study intended to understand how self-efficacy has developed and influenced the academic success of high-achieving first-generation college students. Data for this study came from two separate in-depth interviews with 16 high-achieving college seniors enrolled in the honors program at a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Findings from the study were consistent with the core tenets of self-efficacy. In the study, participants' self-efficacy development was largely driven by positive mastery/lived experiences before and during college. Vicarious/modeled experiences and social/verbal persuasion also played a role in forming participants' sense of capability, albeit not as consistently as lived/mastery experiences. In terms of influence, the lived/mastery experiences participants identified were largely positive and more consistently influential than positive or negative vicarious/modeled experiences and/or social/verbal persuasion. Based on findings from the study, implications for practice and directions for future research are offered. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Education. / Spring Semester 2015. / April 29, 2015. / College motivation, First generation college students, Hispanic college students, Honors college students, Latino college students, Self-efficacy / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathy Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kathryn Tillman, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member.