Ideally an athlete would continue to improve performance indefinitely over time, however improvement slows as the athlete approaches their genetic limits. Measuring performance is complex—performance may be temporarily depressed following aggressive training for multiple reasons, physiological and psychosocial. This reality may be vexing to the strength and conditioning coach, who, as a service provider, must answer to sport coaches about an athlete’s progress. Re-cently an evaluation mechanism for strength and conditioning coaches was proposed, in part to help coaches establish their effectiveness within the organization. Without formal guidance and realistic expectations, if an athlete is not bigger, leaner, stronger, etc. as a result of training within a specified timeframe, blame is often placed upon the strength and conditioning coach. The purpose of this article is to explore possible causes of what may be perceived as athlete non-responses to training and to provide guidance for the coach on how to handle those issues within their domain. A process of investigation is recommended, along with resources to assist coaches as they consider a broad range of issues, including enhancing existing testing methods, improving athlete behaviors, and adjusting processes designed to bring about performance improvement.

In this essay I explore the importance of beef consumption in performing a traditional masculinity that defies the supposed effeminization embodied in the image of the metrosexual. Research on perceptions of men and women eating demonstrates cultural visions of eating as a masculine activity. Furthermore, cultural analysis bears out the link between meat consumption and masculine identity. The recent popularization of metrosexual masculinity has challenged the harsh dichotomies between masculine and feminine gender performances. Against such a trend, burger franchise advertising portrays burger consumption as men's symbolic return to their supposed essence, namely, personal and relational independence, nonfemininity, and virile heterosexuality. In all, I demonstrate the relationship between men and food as productive of a masculinity that perpetuates a male-dominant ideology in juxtaposition to women and metrosexual masculinity.

L'acquisition de connaissances sur l'espace fascine les humains depuis l'antiquité. Depuis quelques décennies, il y a augmentation significative des programmes spatiaux concernant Mars, des missions d'exploration lunaire et des projets d'exploration spatiale de plus en plus complexes, impliquant plusieurs nœuds de communication: satellites, robots (Rovers, Landers) ou "aerorobots" (ie capteurs atmosphériques). Dans ce cadre, des efforts ont été faits par les organismes de normalisation pour l'espace comme le Comité consultatif pour les systèmes de données spatiales (CCSDS) et le Delay Tolérant Networking groupe de travail au sein del’ Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) pour élaborer une architecture de protocoles efficace pour des missions spatiales. Dans cette thèse, nous avons analysé quelques unes de ces propositions : (les piles de protocole CCSDS, et DTN) pour leurs performances sur la surface de Mars (une sous-section de Interplanetary Network) et obtenu les paramètres qui affectent les performances du système, comme la mémoire tampon, les limitations de puissance. Également exploré divers problèmes de réseau de routage, Transport & couches de l'application de la pile de protocole, qui doit être abordée. Pour qui s'étendent, dans cette thèse nous avons proposé un nouvel algorithme de routage prenant en compte les ressources disponibles, qui prend en considération les limitations des ressources du réseau pour le routage et transmet les décisions permettant une politique efficace de gestion des tampons. Comme il existe différentes piles de protocoles d'interopérabilité proposées par l’agence spatiale, dans nos travaux, nous avons développé un framework de QoS qui est joint à chaque application, et peut sélectionner la pile de protocoles sous-jacents adéquate, selon les exigences de qualité de service des applications, qui sont les mieux adaptés pour améliorer les performances globales de ce réseau. Comme l'analyse révèle que les performances du protocole de remise de fichiers CCSDS lequel est le plus couramment utilisé le protocole d'application dans la mission spatiale. Pour améliorer les performances du protocole, nous avons proposé un algorithme dynamique du timer qui fixe la valeur du time-out en fonction de l’état du réseau pour tous les timers du protocole, afin de réduire les retransmissions inutiles de données d'UFC, accroissant ainsi les performances de débit. / Acquiring knowledge about space has fascinated humans since the antiquity. Since a few decades, there is a significant increase in space mission programs like Mars and Lunar Exploration Missions, and Spatial exploration projects become more and more complex, involving several different communicating nodes: satellites, robots (Rovers, Landers) or "aerorobots" (i.e. atmospheric sensors). To this extend, efforts have been made by the space standardization bodies such as the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and the Delay Tolerant Networking working group within the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) to develop effective protocol architecture for space missions. In this dissertation, we have analyzed various newly proposed protocol stack (CCSDS, DTN) for their performance over Interplanetary Network and derived the parameters which affect the performance of the system, like buffer storage, power limitation, also explored various networking issues in routing, transport & application layers of the protocol stack, which is to be addressed. To that extend, in this thesis we have proposed a Resource Aware routing protocol, which uses knowledge about the connectivity, resource consumption of the nodes and buffer management policy to make an effective routing decision to route all kind of traffic in interplanetary network, where communicating entities are of different natures. Since there are various interoperable protocols proposed by space agencies, we then developed a QoS framework, which help the interplanetary applications to choose optimum underlying protocols (Transport), suitably measured in term of ability to achieve the application QoS requirements with the environmental, constrains. As the analysis shows that the performance CCSDS File delivery protocol which is most commonly used application protocol in space mission, depends on the preset timeout value of its timer due to varying propagation delay. To improve the performance of the protocol, in out thesis we have developed a dynamic timer algorithm which sets the timeout values according to network condition for all the timers in the protocol, in a way that reduces unnecessary retransmission of data PDUs, thereby increasing the throughput performance.

L'enjeu de cette thèse est de définir ce que veut dire un suicide dans le monde militaire, de comprendre comment c'est un fait de gestion dans les armées et pourquoi il vaut mieux dire les choses afin de pouvoir mettre en place une véritable politique de prévention. Le tabou du non-dit de cette question dans les armées s’explique inconsciemment par le fait que chaque suicide d’un militaire vient contredire la fraternité d’arme que revendique l’armée comme étant son socle. / The aim of this thesis is to define what suicide means in the military world, to understand how it is a management fact in the armed forces and why it is better to express a matter in order to be able to implement a genuine prevention policy. The taboo of this unspoken issue in the armed forces is unconsciously explained by the fact that each suicide of a soldier is in contradiction with the arms’ brotherhood claimed by the army as its base.

Les systèmes de production et de sûreté de fonctionnement sont d'une importance majeure dans l'industrie des procédés. Leurs performances impactent directement les intérêts de l'industrie. Ces systèmes ont des comportements similaires. Ces comportements peuvent être conceptualisés dans des modèles via des patterns de modélisation. La réutilisation de ces patterns permet de rendre le processus de modélisation à la fois simplifiée et plus efficace.Dans cette thèse, nous proposons un ensemble varié de patterns de modélisation. Ils sont classés en fonction de leur usage, ce qui reflète le fonctionnement d'un pattern de modélisation. Les patterns sont présentés sous forme d’un catalogue. Sur la base de l'étude de nombreux systèmes de production et de sécurité, vingt-quatre (24) patterns de modélisation sont introduits. Chaque pattern est représenté par un ensemble d'éléments structurés. Nous proposons une méthodologie basée sur les patterns pour l'analyse des performances des systèmes de production et de sûreté de fonctionnement.Pour tester la pertinence des patterns de modélisation suggérés, nous avons mené des études expérimentales sur un ensemble de systèmes de production et de sûreté. Tous les systèmes de validation sont extraits de la littérature. Ces systèmes traitent la majorité des difficultés de modélisation détectées auparavant. Une comparaison est effectuée entre les résultats obtenus en utilisant la modélisation basée sur les patterns et ceux rapportés dans la littérature. / Production and safety systems are crucial in the process industry. Their performances affect significantly the industry interests. These systems have common behaviors. Such behaviors can be captured in models via modeling patterns. By reusing modeling patterns, the modeling process can be simplified and made more efficient.In this thesis, we propose a versatile set of modeling patterns. They are classified according to their purpose, which reflects what a modeling pattern works for. Modeling patterns are exhibited as a catalog. Based on reviewing numerous production and safety systems, twenty-four (24) modeling patterns are introduced. Each pattern is illustrated with a set of structured items. We propose a pattern-based methodology for performance analysis of production and safety systems.To test the applicability of proposed modeling patterns, we conducted experimental studies on a set of production and safety systems. All systems are extracted from the literature. These systems are declared to cover most of modeling difficulties. Comparisons are performed between the results obtained using modeling patterns and those reported in the literature.

I designed the lighting for William Shakespeare's complex piece, The Merchant of Venice, which was produced by the UMass Amherst Theater Department. In this thesis paper, I will discuss the creative process from start to finish, including relevant lighting paperwork and production photographs.

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In this dissertation I explore a group of interventionist performances to identify and examine the politics of addressing issues of gender, sexuality, and trauma in performance contexts. Using performance as a mode of inquiry, I analyze my experiences as a performer, director, and audience member of performances that attempt to intervene in oppressive power structures related to sexism, heterosexism, and a culture of gender violence. I reflect on performer's choices in specific moments in an effort to theorize their potential effects on audience meaning-making and performance efficacy; comparing these choices among a group of performances, I posit applications for interventionist performers moving through similar decision-making processes. I engage three areas of complexity in interventionist performances addressing issues of gender, sexuality, and trauma. First, I explore how performers may encounter creative double binds as they attempt to deconstruct binaries, offer alternatives to master narratives, and initiate paradigm shifts regarding gender and sexual identity, sexual behavior, and victimization. I posit that the choices performers make may influence the immediate effects produced for audience members, creating a risk that performer's intentions may not always be met with a desired audience response. Second, I propose interventionist performance as a potential site for therapeutic affect that may be experienced by performers and/or audience members. By applying the therapist-patient relationship model in psychological mental health settings to audience-performer relationships on stage, I theorize how performers and audience members can approach performances that include disclosures about trauma with an understanding of the risks involved and the care for self and other such disclosures invite. Third, I analyze the potential power dynamics that may be produced through interactive performance strategies that centralize dialogue in sexual violence education programs. Drawing upon critical pedagogy praxis, I explore performers' negotiations of spectatorship, authority, and audience agency to identify several risks involved in this particular area of interventionist performance. I draw this dissertation to a close by suggesting several applications for performer-scholars interested in interventionist performance. I consider efficacy in the midst of negotiating its politics, power dynamics in audience-performer relationships, and interventionist performance as a response to trauma. I suggest that performers might consider a balance of openness and responsibility as they attempt to make efficacious choices in the midst of these complexities. Performers may benefit from acknowledging the needs of both self (the performer) and other (the audience) through self-reflexive praxis that boldly embraces the opportunities available through various interventionist strategies while taking care to acknowledge the potential impact of these choices. Finally, I provide personal reflection on the self-transformation I have experienced from engaging performance as a mode of inquiry in this dissertation project.

This dissertation explores experimentation--across experimental music, experimental theatre, and experimental film, in addition to the term's etymology, scientific usage, and colloquial deployment--in order to derive a deeper understanding of what we mean when we say an artwork is experimental, and how this term can help us understand current artistic praxes and products emerging from performance studies contexts. In this document, I advocate for the term experimental performance as both an umbrella term and as a specific genre name for the artistic activity of contemporary artists working between experimental theatre and performance art, often within performance studies contexts. Ultimately, citing the historical richness of experimental art and its long-standing relationship to the academy as evidence, I advocate for the further academic acknowledgement of experimental performance.

The aim of this thesis was to better understand how music performance anxiety can be dealt with to not negatively affect my playing when performing solo piano music by heart in concerts. Another aim was that I would feel a lot more secure and confident on those occasions and that I would be able to focus more on the interpretation and expressing my emotions after this project. The field of MPA has been studied quite a lot but not broadly within the framework of artistic research. This thesis addresses two research questions: How might physical exercises decrease my experience of music performance anxiety? How might mental training decrease my experience of music performance anxiety? The methods used were preparing for three concerts with discovered strategies, keeping a video diary from two days before the concert until the concert day, taking video recordings of the concerts and analyzing the performance videos and video diaries using open coding and observing instimulated recall sessions. I then reflected on how the strategies helped me with the anxiety. As a result of this project, I have found a lot of strategies that help me with MPA. Physical exercises that I have found helpful are e.g., yoga, Zen meditation, deep relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, regular aerobic exercise, short physical warm-up before the concert, focusing on breathing and releasing muscular tension when practicing and performing. The mental strategies included mental practicing, positive self-talk, identifying and eliminating catastrophic thinking, reinforcing themeaning in performing, having precise goals for the concert, practicing memorization and focusing on musical values when practicing and performing.