Dissertations from the School of Arts and Sciences

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Executive Functions in Young Adults: The Role of Information Processing Speed and Short-Term Memory
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Psychology. The Catholic University of America, Executive functions (EF) continue to be one of the more difficult processes to understand, yet researchers agree that they are critical to our ability to successfully negotiate the complex tasks of day-to-day living. Current models of EF exist in the fields of cognitive psychology, development psychology, and neuropsychology, though these models often contradict each other and raise more questions than answers. The current study expands on existing knowledge by investigating the role of the underlying cognitive processes of EF. Specifically, this study examined the influence of short-term memory (STM) and information processing speed (IPS) on inhibition, switching, and planning abilities. Both STM and IPS have been linked to higher-level EF but have not been investigated in a comprehensive study of EF with a non-clinical population. Using hierarchical regression, STM did not predict EF performance above and beyond working memory (WM). Additional analyses were conducted to determine if STM affected EF indirectly by way of WM. Tests of the indirect effect of STM on each EF through WM, supported this claim. These results question the role of a storage system distinct from that which is included in the WM system. Additional hierarchical regressions found that IPS did not significantly predict either inhibition or switching when controlling for WM. However, IPS was a significant predictor of planning ability. This result supports a developmental understanding of EF whereby functions are related to each other in line with their developmental trajectory. Implications of these findings are discussed along with limitations and opportunities for future research., Made available in DSpace on 2012-06-01T16:44:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VanWinkle_cua_0043A_10336display.pdf: 5554916 bytes, checksum: 2ca6aaff3c23cbe20d7b405300386b12 (MD5)
The Experience of Law: Uncovering Elements of the Modern Rule of Law Idea in Late Medieval England
The rule of law’s existence as a political symbol is hardly more than a century old. The term first found its use as a political symbol in A.V. Dicey’s Introduction to the Study of the Laws of the Constitution, first published in 1885, and did not frequently appear in presidential proclamations or popular political rhetoric until the mid-20th century. However, the rule of law is often cited as a core American value. Discovering the lineage of this political idea, especially in the earliest English vernacular political theory, requires an approach that neither relies on explicit discussion of the rule of law, nor imposes modern assumptions on past political thought. This study tackles this challenge by exploring the rule of law as a contemporary political idea. It discovers fifteen elements of the modern rule of law idea that have a basis in political experience. It then examines the political experience of fifteenth century England, outlining interactions with the law in both the peasantry and the aristocracy, key political challenges and assumptions, and the underpinning political assumptions of this time. It then turns to the political writings of Sir John Fortescue. Fortescue was Chief Justice of the King’s Bench under Henry VI, a partisan for the Lancastrian house during the Wars of the Roses, and provides some of the earliest English vernacular political theory. Fortescue’s political thought centers around the function of law in society, the relationship of the monarch and the kingdom to the law, and the differences between the legal systems of England and the European continent. This study finds that many of the elements of the modern rule of law are present in Fortescue’s writing, with an emphasis on cultural orientation to natural justice., Political science, Law, Philosophy, american political origins, fortescue, late medieval english political thought, rule of law, Politics, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Politics. The Catholic University of America
Experience Sampling Assessment of a Brief Text-Message Enhanced Self-Compassion Intervention
College counseling centers are struggling to meet the growing psychological demands of undergraduates. Research has demonstrated that self-compassion-based interventions can improve psychological well-being, and that such benefits may be especially fitting for students adjusting to the strains of college life. Mobile technology, now nearly ubiquitous among undergraduates, presents a unique opportunity to reach students in the course of their daily life, and thus, to help augment outcomes associated with psychological interventions. In this randomized controlled trial of a novel self-compassion intervention, participants were assigned to one of three conditions: 1) ESC, a 3-week self-compassion workshop supplemented with text messages related to self-compassion (n = 27); 2) NSC, an identical self-compassion workshop without supplemental text messages (n = 28), and; 3) WC, waitlist control (n = 25). All participants received a link on their smartphone each day to a 14-item internet-based questionnaire assessing Mood, Positive Affect, Negative Affect, Self-Criticism, Sleep Quality, Sleep Quantity, and Exercise Quantity. Data were analyzed using Multilevel Modeling. Contrary to study hypotheses, there were no significant differences between conditions in the trajectories of any outcome variables. However, ancillary analyses revealed that participants in the self-compassion interventions experienced significant improvements in Mood, Positive Affect, and Negative Affect, while participants in the Waitlist Control group only experienced increases in Sleep Quantity. Results highlight the potential utility of brief self-compassion interventions to improve day- to-day mood and affect in college students. More research is necessary to determine how to successfully augment brief interventions through mobile technology., Clinical psychology, college students, compassion, esm, experience sampling, mindfulness, self-compassion, Psychology, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Psychology. The Catholic University of America
Exploring Hadron Structure Through Exclusive Kaon Electroproduction
The kaon electroproduction cross section was extracted from data from the E93-018 and the E01-004 (FPI-2) experiments taken at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in the p(e,eK+)Lambda channel. The cross section was fully separated into longitudinal, transverse, and two interference components at four-momentum transfers Q2 of 1.0 GeV2 (with center of mass energy W=1.81 GeV), 1.36 and 2.07 GeV2 (W=2.31 GeV). The kaon form factor (FK) was extracted from the longitudinal cross section in these kinematics using the Regge model by Vanderhaeghen, Guidal, and Laget. Results show FK to be systematically lower than the empirical monopole form, although still compatible with this form within the estimated uncertainties. The resulting kaon form factor values were combined with the world pion and kaon form factor data to extract the transverse change densities of the pion and kaon. These were compared to that of the proton, showing a possible experimental glimpse of the transition between the proton core and the meson cloud in terms of transverse densities., Physics, Nuclear physics and radiation, Electroproduction, Form factor, Hadronic structure, Jefferson Laboratory, Kaon, Meson, Physics, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Physics. The Catholic University of America
Factors Affecting Seminarian Perceptions of Catholic Schools
Research has identified the attitudes and opinions of priests regarding the value, effectiveness, financial support, and future structure of Catholic schools. While clergy members generally have positive perceptions of Catholic schools, the results of previous research of priest perceptions is mixed. For example, O’Brien (1987) and Convey (1999) found that pastors of parishes with schools held them in high regard and pastors of parishes without schools were less supportive. Nuzzi, Frabutt, and Holter (2008) found that pastors who attended Catholic schools for three or more years reported higher agreement regarding Catholic school value and quality than pastors who did not attend Catholic schools.The purpose of Catholic schools is to provide a quality Catholic education (Sullivan, 1981); and the purpose of a Catholic seminary is to form priests to be of service to the Church (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006). A renewed focus on priestly leadership is needed to help strengthen Catholic schools for the foreseeable future. Less attention has been paid to the impact that supportive and involved seminarians could have in revitalizing Catholic schools. This study identified and analyzed the perceptions of diocesan seminarians regarding the value, effectiveness, financial support, and future structure of Catholic schools in the United States. Surveys were received from 361 diocesan seminarians, approximately 10% of the United States seminarian population. There are three major findings of this study. The first major finding is that seminarians have positive perceptions of the value of Catholic schools, their financial support and their future structure. The second major finding is that seminarians are uncertain about the effectiveness of Catholic schools, especially related to religious outcomes. The third major finding is that seminarians have a strong desire for Catholic schools to become more distinctly Catholic. The majority of seminarians who responded to this survey are millennials. Not only are younger men interested in the Catholic priesthood again, this study also found a resurgence of religiosity among seminarians. Most seminarians in the study do not have firsthand experience with Catholic schools, which is particularly salient because this study also found that Catholic School Attendance was a strong predictor of a positive relationship with Catholic schools. Hispanic seminarians more than non-Hispanic seminarians have positive perceptions of Catholic schools, supporting previous research by Gautier (2011) and Huchting, et al. (2014). These findings are important considerations for Catholic educators when collaborating and building relationships with the future clergy.Clergy leadership is critical to the success and future of Catholic schools. The data generated by this study helps inform seminaries, dioceses, Catholic universities, and Catholic educators about the perceptions of diocesan seminarians who are the clergy of tomorrow. Additionally, the findings of this study continue the work of Simonds, et al. (2017) and provide critical data that supports the view that “there is work that needs to be done in the area of training priests for their roles in Catholic schools” (Boyle & Dosen, 2017. p. 122)., Educational leadership, Education, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America
Factors Impacting Catholic School Teacher Turnover Including Alternative Teacher Certification
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America, Factors Impacting Catholic School Teacher Turnover Including Alternative Teacher CertificationbyElizabeth Youngs, SCLStatement of the Problem Effective teachers are the key determinant among school variables of student success (Convey, 1992; Darling-Hammond, 2007; U.S. Department of Education, 2002; Carroll et al, 2003; USCCB, 2005). Teacher effectiveness is often measured by state certification (U. S. Department of Education, 2002, 2004) and by years of experience in the profession (Allen, 2005; Ingersoll, 2001). Teacher turnover is costly to the school organization and results in teachers of limited experience to be in a classroom, which is detrimental to student learning (Ingersoll, 2001). A shortage of qualified teachers may be caused by high attrition rather than too few available candidates. Alternative routes for teacher preparation and certification have become popular for addressing the perceived scarcity of teacher candidates (Feistritzer, 2005). Teacher turnover is higher in Catholic schools than in public schools (Ingersoll, 2001; Yeager, Benson, Guerra & Manno, 1985) and may be attributed to teacher and school characteristics, working conditions in the school, or the route to certification followed by the teacher (Allen, 2005; Darling-Hammond & Youngs, 2002; Hanushek et al, 2004; Ingersoll, 2001, 2003). The National Center of Educational Statistics (NCES) has regularly surveyed practicing teachers every three or four years since 1987 through the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) to determine trends in teacher turnover. Catholic School teachers are included in the population of those surveyed. Catholic school teacher attrition trends have been studied based on these data (SASS; TFS; Ingersoll, 2001) but have not been studied in depth with relation to the route to certification. This study will focus on route to certification as a factor that impacts teacher turnover.Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors that affect Catholic School teacher turnover, and to compare the reasons for turnover among traditionally and alternatively certified Catholic School teachers. The questions of this study are as follows:1. What factors are important predictors that Archdiocese of Denver Catholic School teachers will remain in teaching (stayers) or leave the teaching profession (leavers)?2. How do these factors differ for teacher stayers and teacher leavers?3. How does the attrition rate of traditionally certified teachers in Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools compare to the attrition rate of alternatively certified teachers in Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools?4. How does the national rate of attrition for all teachers between the 2001-02 school year and the 2006-07 school year compare to the attrition rate of teachers in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools during this same time period?The hypotheses for my study are as follows: 1. A lower percent of alternatively licensed teachers hired in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools between 2001 and 2006 left teaching than the percent of traditionally licensed teachers hired in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools that left teaching in that same period.2. A lower percent of alternatively licensed teachers hired in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools between 2001 and 2006 left teaching than the percent of all teachers nation-wide that left teaching during those years.Methodology Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools has an annual attrition rate of nearly ten percent. Schools interview and hire teachers prepared through both traditional undergraduate higher education programs and those prepared through an alternative licensure program certified by the Colorado Department of Education and delivered through the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools in partnership with Regis Jesuit University of Denver. There is research about teacher turnover (Allen, 2005; Carroll, 2003; Cochran-Smith, 2006; Convey, 1992; Darling-Hammond, 2004; Hanushek, Kain & Rivkin, 2003; Ingersoll, 2001; NCES, 1992) but none of the research focuses in depth on teachers in Catholic Schools or places particular attention on the method of teacher preparation. This study will address that gap in the research. The participants in this study will be all the teachers newly hired in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools from the 2001-02 school year through the 2006-07 school year. The total pool of newly hired teachers for those years is about 850 with approximately 300 of them being alternatively licensed. They will be invited to respond to a mailed questionnaire modeled on the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS). Teacher turnover will be compared for the first four years of service within each cohort. For example, the patterns for teachers hired in 2001 will be studied through 2004, for teachers hired in 2002 patterns will be studied through 2005. This allows for tracking of a four-year trend for beginning teachers from each of six cohort years (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006). These four-year trends for each of the six cohorts will be compared and aggregated to determine patterns of attrition and retention for beginning teachers in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic schools. In addition to comparing the first four years of service of each cohort year, this study will analyze the number and percent of alternatively licensed and traditionally licensed teacher leavers and teacher stayers across the total number of years from their initial hire until the study year. For example, teachers hired in 2001 will have 10 years of data available between their first year of teaching and 2011 when the data are gathered, and those hired in 2006 will have 5 years of data available. Patterns from these data will be compared to determine retention and attrition patterns over longer periods of time. The 55-item questionnaire will collect demographic data about gender, age, family circumstance, number of years teaching in the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools, current teaching status, commitment to Catholic mission, route to certification, and for the leavers, the reason for leaving the school or the profession. Data will be collected about the grade and/or subject taught by each teacher as well as the data about other factors that are important indicators of a teacher's decision to stay in teaching or to leave the profession. The analysis will evaluate and assess the importance of each factor and test if it predicts teacher stability or attrition. Analysis of the data will be accomplished by use of a 2 x 2 Chi-Square contingency table analysis and a multiple regression analysis will be used to determine predictive value of the characteristics studied.To determine the factors that influence teachers to leave or stay in the profession, the number and percentage distribution of teacher stayers and teacher leavers in the sample will be determined. The number and percentage distribution of responses to each of the survey items related to teacher and school characteristics, working conditions and route to licensure will be determined. Any difference in the responses of the teacher stayers compared to the teacher leavers will be identified and compared to national data.Significance of the Study The proposed study will make a significant contribution to the literature about teacher turnover as Catholic parochial school teachers' retention patterns have been minimally studied. The data on Catholic school teachers' patterns of retention in the profession will identify characteristics of stayers and leavers. There is a gap in the literature with specific focus on newly hired Catholic school teachers with particular attention to their route to certification. This study will provide data about the impact of route to certification on Catholic school teacher retention. This study will also identify some of the personal and demographic characteristics of teacher stayers and leavers in order to assist diocesan leaders in the identification, recruitment and hiring of teachers who will remain in Catholic schools.Human Subjects Protection This study falls under Exemption 45 CFR 46.101(b)(2) because the research involved uses only survey procedures , does not involve children, and the data obtained are recorded in a manner that prevents subjects from being directly or individually identified., Made available in DSpace on 2013-02-08T16:06:09Z (GMT). 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Factors That Influence Latino Parents' Selection of Schools
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America, Factors That Influence Latino Parents' Selection of SchoolsBarbara L. Monsegur, Ph.D.Director: Merylann J. Schuttloffel, Ph.D.This study investigated the relationships between Latino American Catholic, societal and educational experiences, and school selection, and how they differ for Latino parents who have their children in a Catholic school, and those who do not. The historical context of the Latino experience places their current Catholic, societal and educational experience within its cultural context. Data for this study were obtained from 748 Latino parents from the four Diocese of Tucson metropolitan vicariates, with children enrolled in either a parish religious education program, a Catholic school or both. Participants responded anonymously to 57 items on the Parental Selection of Schools. The survey measured Latino American Catholic, societal and educational experiences. Through examination of 11 predictor variables on school selection, the analysis indicates a positive relationship between Latino American Catholic, societal and educational experience and school selection. The greatest difference between Latino parents with children in Catholic schools, and those with children not in Catholic schools was in income, followed by liturgical cultural sensitivity and Spanish language preference. Compared with Latino parents who did not have children in a Catholic school, the Latino parents with children in a Catholic school were more likely not to have a high preference for the use of Spanish in the Catholic liturgy, nor in everyday speaking, thinking and praying. On the other hand, Latino parents who did not have children in a Catholic school were more likely to have a higher preference for the use of Spanish in the Catholic liturgy, everyday speaking, thinking and praying. The importance of the Spanish language in Latinos' experiences of American Catholicism, American society, and American education and its relationship to school selection must be taken into account by Church leadership if it is to continue its educational mission to the Latino community, while ensuring a future for the American Catholic Church. The findings from this study provide information that gives support to Catholic Church leadership in meeting its pressing responsibility to embrace the growing Latino population; a community that has such an important role to play in the future of the Catholic Church in the United States., Made available in DSpace on 2011-06-24T17:12:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monsegur_cua_0043A_10245display.pdf: 578969 bytes, checksum: d59e0c76b8494d882e90642beb8bb8a1 (MD5)
Factors that Influence the Development of Professional Community in Catholic Middle Schools
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America, This study of Catholic middle schools examined the human, environmental, and cultural aspects of school climate; the development of professional community; the implementation of national middle school recommendations; and identified correlations between these variables. General school climate was conceptualized through Tagiuri's (1968) elements of climate, which have demonstrated an enduring quality within research literature. The work of Hoy and Sabo (1998) helped further conceptualize middle school climate. Professional community was conceptualized through the work of DuFour and Eaker (1998) and conceptualization of the components of professional community was based on the work of Bryk, Camburn, and Louis (1999). Middle school practices were conceptualized from the most recent national report on middle-level education (National Middle School Association, 2010).Data for this study came from the survey responses of principals and teachers in Catholic schools in the state of Wisconsin that educate early adolescents. The final sample included 73 schools, representative of all five (arch)dioceses. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and stepwise regression. The results of these analyses indicate that the norms of professional community were further developed than professional community practices. The major finding of this study is that principal leadership and total school size were predictors of the overall measure of professional community. Further analysis revealed that principal leadership, particularly supportive leadership, is a consistent and significant predictor of all six subscale measures of professional community. This study found no correlations between climate factors and the implementation of nationally recommended middle school practices.This study provides a comprehensive look at teachers, environments, and culture in Catholic schools serving early adolescents. It also measures the development of professional community and the implementation of middle school recommendations in these schools. Finally, this study helps leaders of Catholic education better understand the importance of supportive principal leadership in the promotion of higher levels of professional community. This finding gives important insight to diocesan superintendents, pastoral leaders, and school principals in fostering Catholic school improvement., Made available in DSpace on 2012-06-01T16:44:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nelson_cua_0043A_10302display.pdf: 3489764 bytes, checksum: 64b744530b4274885c5636c1e3bfacab (MD5)
Faculty Perceptions Regarding Practice of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Charism in United States Community-Owned and Sponsored Secondary Schools
For nearly three centuries, a vast majority of Catholic schools in the United States were founded and operated by religious orders, each with their own unique charism but with the singular goal of teaching in the Catholic faith. Since 1965, however, a vast majority of religious orders have seen a continual decline in their membership. There are currently 61,036 vowed religious in the United States, a 71.6% decline from the number of vowed religious in 1965 (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate [CARA], 2017). The continual decrease in the number of vowed religious jeopardizes the continuation of the order’s charism, and now religious orders face the task of preserving their charism in their community-owned and sponsored schools, especially those without the physical presence of a religious member. This study determined faculty perceptions regarding the practice of the distinctive elements of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart charism in its United States Province community-owned and sponsored secondary schools. Surveys were received from 193 faculty, administration, and staff members from eight Brothers of the Sacred Heart schools in the United States Province. There were three major findings of this study. The first major finding is that faculty “frequently” perceive the practice of the seven elements of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart charism in the community’s owned and sponsored secondary schools in the United States Province. This finding supports previous research about faculty perceptions of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart charism conducted by Brandao (1993). The second major finding is that continual physical presence of at least one member of a religious order on a school’s campus has a positive effect on the faculty’s perception of the practices of the order’s charism on the school’s campus. The third major finding is that members of a religious order more frequently perceive the practice of the order’s charism than laypersons. This finding supports previous research about the formation programs of religious congregations. This study found that despite a decline in Brothers of the Sacred Heart members, the seven distinct elements of their charism are alive within the community spirit within their schools., Educational leadership, Educational administration, Organizational behavior, Brothers of the Sacred Heart, charism, charism transmission, faculty perceptions, laity, religious orders, Education, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America
Faculty Understandings of Doctoral Student Attrition: A Heuristics and Biases Approach
Despite the existence of an established and growing body of literature examining the causes of and the possible cures for doctoral attrition, a remarkably small amount of attention has been paid to faculty beliefs and attitudes regarding this phenomenon. Comprehensive survey data regarding the content and nature of these beliefs do not exist, and questions regarding the origins of these beliefs have neither been asked nor answered. This study documents faculty beliefs regarding student attrition from doctoral programs in a systematic and quantitative fashion, and situates these beliefs within a heuristics and biases approach in order to explore certain aspects of this belief structure (Gilovich, Griffin, & Kahneman, 2002; Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). This study was conducted at two separate research universities with high research activity located on the East Coast of the United States. All full-time faculty members directly involved in teaching and advising doctoral students were invited to complete the researcher designed Doctoral Attrition Survey and 233 responded (20.67%). Quantitative data analysis of survey results included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, t-tests, repeated measures analysis of variance, the Bayesian parameter estimation test (Kruschke, 2013), maximum likelihood factor analysis, and principal axis factor analysis. A number of conclusions can be drawn from the findings of this study. First, this study establishes that faculty members systematically underestimate the amount of attrition which occurs in doctoral program in general as well as the amount which occurs within their own  programs. Faculty who participated in this study estimated an overall doctoral attrition rate of 24% when the true rate has been established at 43% (Council of Graduate Schools, 2008). Faculty similarly underestimate the rate of doctoral attrition within their own programs. Second, this study suggests that faculty perceptions of the amount of attrition which occurs and the timing of that attrition may be influenced by the availability heuristic. With one exception, faculty members estimated significantly higher levels of attrition for phases of study where they spent more time with doctoral students, and significantly lower levels of attrition for phases of study where they spent less time with doctoral students. Third, this study indicates that faculty members use the representativeness heuristic when assessing the chances that individual students will complete a course of doctoral study. Fourth, this study establishes that while faculty understandings of the parameters of doctoral attrition are influenced by cognitive heuristics, faculty conceptualize the underlying causes and factors which influence attrition in a manner consistent with both the theory and the literature on the topic. Finally, this study extends the generalizability of the heuristics and biases approach in general and the representativeness heuristic in particular to a highly educated segment of society: university professors., Educational psychology, Education, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Education. The Catholic University of America
Faith and Revolution in the Latin American Nueva Cancion Movement
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Spanish. The Catholic University of America, Nueva Cancion, Made available in DSpace on 2012-02-15T20:52:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bello_cua_0043A_10279display.pdf: 1159294 bytes, checksum: 6df58cd0d4c83dc857ac6066afab2245 (MD5)
Ferromagnetic Fe-Si and Fe-Ge Intermetallic Alloys for Nanoscale Device Applications
The possibilities for spin-based electronic devices comprise an entirely new class of devices. From quantitative improvements like substantially improved efficiency to the practical utilization of entirely new physical effects, such devices promise to be the most substantive answer to the challenge of the diminishing returns currently being seen in traditional semiconductor technology.While the promise of such devices is clear, the practical integration of such effects into everyday devices depends on a thorough understanding of the materials and physical mechanisms involved. To approach this problem, this work focuses on the material properties of the intermetallics Fe2GexSi1-x where 0< x<1, which are a promising example of ferromagnetic half-metals. High quality thin films of these materials are grown in a ultra-high vacuum environment using electron beam physical vapor deposition. The crystallographic and magnetic properties of these films are compared to the results of previous studies of the bulk material. To lay the groundwork for device applications, a deeper investigation of the electrical properties of these materials is performed, and the transport mechanisms described in detail.Based on this material understanding, I further describe the integration of these materials in a spin-valve like device, demonstrating the working principle of their spintronic properties. Much like how maximizing the benefits of semiconductor properties depend on a thorough understanding of carrier injection and the electron hole recombination rate, spintronic devices depend on an analogous but distinct set of physical phenomena, including spin injection and spin-flip scatter length.The end result is the ability to couple electronic effects with magnetic ones. Traditional field-effect transistors depend on the application of the electric field to shift the population of charge transport from electrons to holes or vice versa, whereas spintronic devices can shift the population of charge transport from spin up to spin down electrons or vice versa using magnetic fields or spin-transfer torque., Nanoscience, Condensed matter physics, Inorganic chemistry, Fe2Ge, Fe2Si, Hall effect, Spin valves, Thin films, Xray diffraction, Physics, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Physics. The Catholic University of America
Ferromagnetic Nanostructures for Magnetocaloric Applications
Ferromagnetic Nanostructures for Magnetocaloric ApplicationsAbstract RAGHAD. S. H. SAQAT, PhD Director: John Philip, PhDThe magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is the change in temperature or entropy of a magnetic material subjected to a variable magnetic field. From the definition, it is a thermodynamic process where an isothermal magnetic entropy changes (ΔSM) due to a change in magnetic state as well as a structural rearrangement, driven by an external magnetic field yields an adiabatic change in the temperature (ΔTad) of a material. This phenomenon was first discovered by Emil Warburg in pure iron in 1881. It was observed by a change in temperature of the sample. While, the latter explanation was given by Debye and Giauque, independently by describing low temperature cooling using an adiabatic demagnetization of the paramagnetic salts. However, The first magnetic device working at room temperature was not demonstrated till the middle of 1970.The MCE phenomenon can be exploited in cooling devices that are environmental friendly and have higher energy efficient when compared to current gas compression-based refrigeration systems. The magnetic cooling efficiency usually is evaluated by the relative cooling power (RCP) which quantifies of the magnitude of heat extracted in a thermodynamic cycle. The MCE is an intrinsic characteristic of magnetic materials. In the last decade, there has been a rapidly growing interest from the scientific community in applications involving the use of magnetic bulk and nanoparticles. In this context, many studies have investigated the magnetocaloric effect in rare-earth-based compounds since they show giant ∆SM value and high ∆Tad near room temperature. Rare earth elements, however, are very expensive, environmentally unfriendly, and not earth-abundant. These disadvantages have led to intense research activities in search for materials with no rare-earth elements with large MCE like FeNiMo (Fe-Ni) based on transition metal, NiMnIn, and NiCoMnIn are (Ni-Mn) based Heusler alloys. While the promise of magnetocaloric materials is clear, the practical experiments of such systems was focused on bulk and nanoparticles systems. Therefore, I have investigated these materials depending on understanding their magnetic properties at the nanoscale. In my dissertation research, I have grown nanofilms of three different systems – FeNiMo, NiMnIn, and NiCoMnIn, of which are examples of magnetocaloric materials. For the first time, high-quality thin films for FeNiMo, NiMnIn, and NiCoMnIn have been grown using the ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy method. I have shown that these systems can be grown on silicon substrates and can be used for the magnetocaloric applications. I have systematically investigated the magnetic properties of these systems to understand the magnetocaloric physics near the transition temperature (room temperature) where the magnetic spins undergo an order ↔ disorder phase transition. High ΔSM around the transition temperature is due to the aligned spins with the directions of applied magnetic field. Not only these are new systems extremely important for our understanding of magneto-thermodynamic phenomenon, But, also they exhibit large change in adiabatic temperature compared with ordinary materials resulting in high RCP. These open up undeniably new possibilities for thermal management systems and applications including magnetic refrigeration near room temperature., Nanotechnology, Nanoscience, Magnetocaloric Effect, Physics, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Physics. The Catholic University of America
Figurative Language in the Philosophy of Plotinus
Plotinus’ first editor, Porphyry, expressed scholarly reserve about Plotinus’ style: it is terse and his Greek ill reflects the coherence of his thought. In fact, key sections of the Vita Plotini are an apology for Plotinus the writer, and so the disjunction between his way of writing and line of thinking has, in some quarters, become an established position: one is to access Plotinus’ thought despite his confused presentation. Building upon recent connections made between the philosophy of the Enneads and its articulation (Schwyzer, Schroeder, and Clark), a philological perusal may help answer whether, instead of obscuring his ideas, Plotinus’ language, at least sometimes, elucidates them. In order to describe Plotinus’ figurative language and its function, Aristotle’s description of metaphor and its uses are surprisingly helpful. In the Poetics and the Rhetoric, one learns that a metaphor (or simile) may analogize, name, stir interest, or “set something before one’s eyes.” Plotinus’ metaphors do these things, and moreover Plotinus uses the same phrasing in Greek for “set before one’s eyes” that Aristotle does (omitting the article). Plotinus’ metaphorical language performs exactly as Aristotle describes it, and the coincidence of phrasing sparks curiosity (did he know the Poetics and the Rhetoric?). An inquiry into figurative language along Aristotelian parameters necessarily provokes a debate about the relative value of metaphor versus simile. Aristotle indicates that a metaphor is better than simile for philosophy, and Ricoeur develops this position persuasively. However, simile has a precedent in the philosophical tradition as a potent vehicle for analogizing. The question of which figure Plotinus prefers is therefore worth asking; his preference may bolster (or nuance) Aristotle’s and Ricoeur’s stance on metaphor. Thus, an empirical study follows, in which Plotinus’ application of metaphor and simile in sample Enneads comes under scrutiny. As it turns out, per this study of sample Enneads, metaphor’s presence is quantitatively greater in Plotinus’ philosophically more complex treatises versus its presence in his less philosophically complex treatises, which is possibly indicative of Plotinus’ valuation of metaphor as a figure especially suited to a high level of philosophy. Moreover, a close reading of Plotinus’ figures uncovers his preference for the particle οἷον in making figurative language. One may follow this interest further, noting a peculiar construction in his writing, which is to group instances of οἷον together when expressing an idea that is peculiarly his own. The “οἷον clusters” are some of the firmest evidence that Plotinus’ figurative language, at least sometimes, serves his philosophical purpose. Nonetheless, figurative language most often serves Plotinus outside the core sections of a treatise. He prefers univocal prose to articulate the essential principles of a given Ennead – as a rule. The exception to his use of non-figurative language in philosophically complex passages occurs when he explains participation: figures seem indispensable in these passages. , Classical studies, Figurative Language, Metaphor, Philosophy, Plotinus, Simile, Greek and Latin, Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Greek and Latin. The Catholic University of America
Filicide in Medieval Narrative
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Comparative Literature. The Catholic University of America, The majority of children who appear in the narrative literatures of the Middle Ages garner attention because they mature into kings, queens, warriors, knights, or lovers. An oft ignored but significant type of literary child is the one who dies - sometimes at the hand of a parent - during the tale. This dissertation explores the purpose of such filicides featured in medieval narratives. While shocking to audiences even today, these killings have received little scholarly attention, and extant studies, though valuable, are hampered by their narrowness of scope.This study widens the field with a multilingual approach that permits the consideration of works based upon Celtic and Germanic mythology and heroic tales alongside their more famous and frequently studied continental and British counterparts. Primary texts identified through consultation of tale-type indices and reviews of secondary literature were grouped for evaluation by content: medieval adaptations of classical narratives, feudal narratives, Celtic narratives, and Germanic narratives. Historical and legal materials aid in the contextualization of these tales.These filicide episodes, regardless of origin, serve a dual purpose within their narratives, to captivate with gripping material and to educate through example. Patterns regarding victims and perpetrators transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries. Few females become victims, and all those are adolescents; male victims range in age from infancy to adulthood. All these deaths, even those where the child's characterization is minimal, highlight social anxieties, including concerns about preserving one's lineage and promoting social order. These narratives further demonstrate a sacrificial ability of mothers that was previously ascribed only to fathers., Made available in DSpace on 2012-02-15T20:54:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 McKenzie_cua_0043A_10265display.pdf: 1122825 bytes, checksum: 9fa40a0aa43f794b5e0d41793f392a74 (MD5)
Finding God, Finding Me: Catholic Moral Development and Catholic High School Service-Learning
Degree awarded: Ph.D. Early Christian Studies. The Catholic University of America, Finding God; Finding Me: Catholic Moral Development and Catholic High School Service Learning.Cristiana Ritchie-Carter, Doctor of Philosophy, 2012Dissertation Director: Professor, Merylynn Schuttloffel, Ph.D Catholic Educational Leadership The primary goals of my study were: 1) to provide an understanding of the processes through which the socio-cultural tools provided by Catholic high-school service-learning pedagogy, mediate moral action. 2) to explore the experiences of Catholic service-learner exemplars and the processes, tools, language and symbols used to describe their experiences and subsequent moral action, and 3) to seek the possible connections between moral action and religious identity as it develops within a particular socio-cultural context. This study is qualitative and uses a multiple-case study design. I choose this methodology as it provides rich descriptions and deeply explores the phenomenon of continued moral action of young adults after participation in Catholic high school service-learning. The findings of my study determined that Catholic high school service-learning programs are a means for forming young persons who are not only committed to service, but are committed to living their faith in a way that is consistent with their moral identity. Furthermore, these young people demonstrate a distinctly Catholic moral identity that is consistent with the Catholic socio-cultural context of their high school programs. Implications for practice are presented., Made available in DSpace on 2012-02-15T20:54:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RitchieCarter_cua_0043A_10284display.pdf: 865569 bytes, checksum: 29624533fc9b362600e12ce29e4e7605 (MD5)
Food and Lay Piety in Late Antiquity
Degree Awarded: Ph.D. Early Christian Studies. The Catholic University of America, This dissertation examines food as a vehicle of lay Christian piety, both imaginative and experiential, in late antiquity as depicted in the Greek homilies of John Chrysostom and the Coptic homilies of Shenoute of Atripe. It addresses two primary questions. First, how is food language deployed by preachers of the fourth and fifth centuries in the context of lay ascesis? Second, how do food practices shape the moral opportunities and identity maintenance of lay Christians? I take an anthropological approach to food as embodied material culture and employ cognitive metaphor, performance, and space/place theories, in order to bring homiletic texts into dialogue with documentary papyri, triclinia mosaics and domestic architecture, archaeology and urban space. In answer to the first question, I argue that food metaphors are particularly compelling imaginative models for lay piety because they are deeply embedded in lived experience. Chrysostom's metaphor of the "true fast" defines virtue as spiritual health and moderation, a model which depends for its coherence on Aristotelian virtue ethics and Galenic principles of health and dietary regimen. However, his ascetic definition of moderation remains in tension with the views of his wealthy audience, which I explore by analyzing household food expenditures in the papyrological archive of Theophanes. Shenoute elaborates a metaphorical system of virtue as fruit, the product of spiritual agriculture, which reflects Theophrastus' work on plants and raises deep-seated problems of moral agency. Here I draw upon botanical treatises and agricultural manuals to illuminate the extent to which these metaphors create powerful naturalizing discourses by mirroring the perceived realities and paradoxes of the natural world. To the second question, I observe that both homilists articulate their theological and moral concerns in the guise of regulating contested food behavior among their audiences. Through a study of the theatricality of Antiochene banquets, I argue that, for Chrysostom, the performance of virtue in the "domestic church" meets sharply localized resistance in the elite dining room. For Shenoute, a fundamentally monastic ideology of Christian meals helps to explain his often obscure and critical remarks on social dining, charitable hospitality, martyr festivals, and eucharistic practices in the lay community. In both studies, a picture of lay piety emerges in which food practices produce active networks of circulation, where a range of pious motivations and social values track along with the movements of food and people, linking personal ascesis with social obligation in the varied local landscapes of late antique Christian communities.
The Formation of the Rituale in León: Evidence for the Care of Souls in the Twelfth Century (León, Biblioteca de la Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, cod. 12: Study and Annotated Edition
The rituale was a liturgical book that guided priests in celebrating the sacraments of the Church, apart from the Mass. In Spain, this liturgical book first begins to appear in the twelfth century as part of an on-going movement of Romanization of the native Spanish liturgical practices. Its earliest forms, both in and beyond Spain, are to be found in monastic or canonical communities. The manuscript León, Archivo de la Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, cod. 12 contains one of these “monastic rituals.” Composed in 1187, this manuscript continued in use at San Isidoro in León through the fifteenth century.The Ritual of San Isidoro contains rites for the preparation of holy water, the blessing of the rooms of the monastic enclosure, infant baptism, baptism of the sick, matrimony, anointing of the sick, preparation for death, and burial. Close analysis of the text of these formularies reveals that the Ritual of San Isidoro drew on a wide array of sources in compiling and arranging its sacramental rites. These sources included the books of the native Old Spanish Liturgy (although it had been officially proscribed in León in 1080), Gallo-Roman sacramentaries of the Carolingian liturgical reform, the tenth-century Romano-Germanic Pontifical, customs from the reforming canonical community of Saint-Ruf in Avignon, and southern French local traditions going back to the eighth century; there are also some instances of what may be original euchological composition at San Isidoro. The composition of these sacramental rites in the Ritual of San Isidoro displays great creativity, as exemplified in its rite of matrimony, which contains the earliest known consent dialogue expressing the consent of both bride and groom.This manuscript also affords precious evidence for the care of souls in twelfth-century León and Spain overall. In these sacramental rites, we see both a sensitivity to the traditional local practices as well as a forward-looking assertion of late-twelfth-century initiatives for the reform of sacramental life., Degree awarded: Ph.D. Medieval and Byzantine Studies. The Catholic University of America

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