The emergence of connected vehicles paradigm has made secure communication a key concern amongst the connected vehicles. Communication between the vehicles and Road Side Units (RSUs) is critical to disseminate message among the vehicles. We focus on secure message transmission in connected vehicles using multi-hop social networks environment to deliver the message with varying trustworthiness. We proposed a Geographic Social Trust Routing (GSTR) approach; messages are propagated using multiple hops and by considering the various available users in the vehicular network. GSTR is proposed in an application perspective with an assumption that the users are socially connected. The users are selected based on trustworthiness as defined by social connectivity. The route to send a message is calculated based on the highest trust level of each node by using the node's social network connections along the path in the network. GSTR determines the shortest route using the trusted nodes along the route for message dissemination. GSTR is made delay tolerant by introducing message storage in the cloud if a trustworthy node is unavailable to deliver the message. We compared the proposed approach with Geographic and Traffic Load based Routing (GTLR), Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR), Trust-based GPSR (T-GPSR). The performance results obtained show that GSTR ensures efficient resource utilization, lower packet losses at high vehicle densities.

The purpose of this study is to augment the existing literature concerning the relationship between marital status, gender, social networks, and cohort effect on dimensions of subjective well-being for women. Multiple dimensions of subjective well-being are examined. Multiple regression and logistic regression are employed to examine the effects of marital status, social networks, and cohort effects on the dependent variables that tap the dimensions of subjective well-being. The analysis controls for age, race, education, income, religious attendance and region of residence. The findings report some inconsistency in regards to the current literature. Social networks and support are found to be the most constant independent predictor of subjective well-being. While the effects of being divorced and separated, as well as cohort membership, are not as consistent, the findings are notable and should be addressed in future research addressing subjective well-being.

Since at least the 1950s, researchers interested in studying the dynamics of small groups have struggled with how best to measure interaction processes. Although team process measurement issues are not particularly unique in terms of content, measuring multilevel phenomena presents an interesting problem because structural aspects are integral components of emergence. The elemental content of multilevel phenomena is wholly unique and distinguishable from the elemental content of composite units, and emerges as individual behaviors compile to higher levels of analyses. Analogous to chemical structures, behavioral phenomena manifest at higher levels in different structural patterns as members connect to one another through dynamic interactions. Subsequently, multilevel phenomena are more appropriately characterized in terms of pattern in addition to the traditionally measured intensity. The vast majority of teams research conceptualizes and operationalizes multilevel phenomena based on compositional (i.e., additive) models. This approach impedes the further advancement of the science of team effectiveness by capturing content and intensity, but not structure. This dissertation argues that compilational models better capture content, intensity, and structure, and therefore represent a preferred alternative for conceptualizing and operationalizing team processes. This dissertation details measurement issues associated with compositional models in teams research, and provides concepts helpful for reconceptualizing team processes as compilational forms.

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Thesis advisor: Rebecca Lowenhaupt / Disrupting systemic racism and moving towards true diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates committed leadership. As a school district’s foremost educational leader, the superintendent has an influential role in ensuring equity. A superintendent may effectively address the systemic inequities present in public education through critically conscious behaviors. To engage in this work effectively, a superintendent needs support. Research has demonstrated that formal or informal networks can positively influence a superintendent. However, there is a gap in the literature explaining how critical consciousness reveals itself in a superintendent’s work and less research about how network participation can advance a superintendent’s critically conscious practices. (Daly Finnigan, 2012; deLima, 2010; Froehlich et al., 2020; Liou & Daly, 2014; Meier & O’Toole, 2003; Moolenaar et al., 2010). In response, this study explored how superintendents understood the tenets of critical consciousness in practice. Additionally, this study examined how social networks influenced a superintendent’s practice and contributed to critically conscious practices. Therefore, the research questions that guided this study are how, if at all, does a superintendent understand the tenets of critical consciousness? And secondly, what role, if any, does a superintendent’s participation in formal or informal networks have on developing critical consciousness and leadership? For the purpose of this study, the tenets of critical consciousness formed the conceptual framework and included critical reflection, critical self-efficacy, and critical action. In addition to this, the literature review of informal and formal networks provided the lens to examine what influence, if any, participation had on superintendents' critical consciousness development. This investigation employed a qualitative case study of six superintendents identified as equity-based leaders and utilized a semi-structured interview process and document review. Findings revealed that superintendents did not use the formal language of critical consciousness. Despite this, evidence showed that the superintendents exhibited the tenets associated with critical consciousness. Additionally, results suggested that both formal and informal networks played a significant role in supporting superintendents, especially during times of challenge. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

In keeping abreast of current gang phenomena, this study seeks to comparatively examine structural processes and characteristics of gangs in chronic gang city, San Antonio, and an emerging gang city that would be more likely to have "hybrid" gangs, Orlando. Hybrid gangs have been identified as having organizational processes that differ from traditional gangs; thus, this work will examine these processes that consist of a range of non-traditional phenomena, including cooperation between gangs, members switching gang affiliations, as well as gang initiations, and members leaving gangs. Additional characteristics uniquely associated with hybrid gangs consist of the notable presence of white, middle-class, and female gang members. Evidence suggests that the hybrid gang is more of a socially constructed moral panic than a reality. A limited number of recent studies have indicated that some gangs may better fit into a social network framework rather than a solid organizational analysis. Whe

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