Monitoring Atom Traps for Neutral Atom Quantum Computing

To increase computing power for numerous practical advantages, scientists are actively researching the field of quantum computing. Neutral atom quantum computing is a promising avenue towards building a quantum computer that satisfies four of the five DiVincenzo criteria. This involves a magneto-optical trap to cool the atoms and move them to a cloud in the center of a vacuum chamber. Then laser light will be shone through an array of pinholes to trap the atoms in an array of dipole traps. In order to ensure the atoms are trapped, I have set up an imaging system that consists of a high speed camera and a photodiode. The imaging system is to be used to determine whether the atoms were successfully trapped, calculate how many were trapped, and measure the temperature of the trap, the trap lifetime, and the trap frequency. Details regarding the setup and programming of this imaging system are presented in this paper

Shannon Taylor in a Senior Soprano Recital

This is the program for the senior soprano recital of Shannon Taylor. Ms. Taylor was accompanied on the piano by Becky Moore. This recital took place on November 1, 1996, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

The effect of literature circles on the perceived writing self-efficacy of fourth grade students

This quasi-experimental research study purported to determine if fourth grade students who were exposed to the integration of literature circles in their classroom would have significantly different scores on a writing self-efficacy scale than students not exposed to this method of instruction. The sample was comprised of two heterogeneous classes of fourth grade students enrolled at an inner city elementary school in southern New Jersey for a total of 40 students. The nonequivalent control group design was the selected research method. The classes were randomly chosen for either the experimental or control conditions and pretested using the Writer Self-Perception Scale. The treatment was implemented for a period of five weeks, and students were then posttested using the same scale. Amount learned scores were calculated for five dimensions and the overall battery of perceived self-efficacy, and the resultant data was interpreted using the t-test for independent samples. At α =.05, the research hypothesis could not be confirmed. Therefore, no significant difference was found between students exposed to the use of literature circles in the classroom and those who did not engage in this form of instruction. Due to the limitations of this study, this hypothesis should be reexamined in the future

It\u27s All About Me: How Self-Brand Connection and Social Media Interactivity Influence Purchase Intent

Social media is ubiquitous and allows consumers to display identity by through possessions through posts, images, and interactions. The self is all the individual calls their own and is expressed outwardly through everything visible, including possessions, relationships, and interactions. They tell their story through the display of envy-inducing artifacts, and create a perfect, photoshopped life. Consumers seek a connection to positively viewed brands they feel are self-representative through interaction. This dissertation seeks to better understand consumer rationale for and gratification from online brand engagement and how that, in turn, impacts the brand. Three studies examined the effects of self-brand connection, narcissism, brand status, and interactivity to better understand their effect on purchase intent. Study 1 measured the effect of narcissism, self-brand connection, and likelihood to interact on Social media impact purchase intent. Results indicated narcissism, or concern public perception, positively moderated the relationships between self-brand connection and purchase intent, and likelihood to interact on purchase intent. Results showed self-brand connection mediated the relationship between Social value of a brand and likelihood to interact. Study 2 extended the results to examine the effect of brand status. As narcissists are concerned with others’ perceptions and desire to be associated with high status, Study 2 added the variable of status. Results showed a positive relationship between self-consciousness and self-brand connection, as moderated by brand Social value, with self-brand connection also mediating the relationship between Social value and likelihood to interact. Last, product status moderated the relationship between likelihood to interact and purchase intent. Based on those results, Study 3 added interactivity with a brand to better understand the effect on purchase intent. Interactivity and self-brand connection both positively mediated the relationship on status and purchase intent, but it depended on the level of Social value. Understanding the effect of consumer-brand interaction is critical to marketers spending key advertising dollars online, as it is a hallmark of identity. Online behavior helps shape the digital self, which partly depends on Social interactions. As consumers develop their relationship to a brand, they are more apt to purchase those products to continue incorporating them into their lives

Cold looks and hot tempers: individual-level effects of incivility in the workplace

The deleterious effects of workplace incivility have been widely decried by practitioners and the popular press, but empirical evidence in this regard has only recently begun to accrue in the academic literature. As such, the present study examines the empirical validity of theoretically relevant attitudinal, health-related, and performance outcomes affected by workplace incivility. Hypotheses were tested with data obtained from individuals employed in a diverse range of for-profit and not-for-profit industries, organizations, and occupations and their supervisors. Results demonstrate that experiences of workplace incivility adversely affect employee attitudes and well-being; that workplace incivility experiences may indirectly affect feelings of burnout and employee engagement levels through their influence on employee perceptions of trust and justice; and that employee responses to incivility differ depending on the source (i.e., supervisor or co-worker incivility). These findings broaden the focus of prior research by illustrating that the effects of workplace incivility experiences are more nuanced than previously believed

Could the Global Health Secuirty Agenda Actually Protect Americans From Emerging Diseases?

This senior project aims to challenge the traditional thinking of public health. My inspiration from this topic simply comes from my interest in bettering global health for all people. With an ever shifting political and social environment, this paper strives to seek the most successful strategies in combating infectious diseases. By using three prominent and global infectious diseases, Ebola, Zika and Influenza, this paper analyzes the failures and successes of international support and response teams. This paper also uses the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) as a foundation to analyze and support the claim that successful global health interventions are not successful by framing diseases as if they are security threats. Building from existing literature, this paper strives to answer the question, Could the Global Health Security Agenda Protect Americans from Emerging Diseases? The relationship between health and security is an ever complex and complicated topic, which involves all sectors of American policy. In order to further support this topic, and strive to seek better solutions for effective infectious disease response, there are key recommendations for the future of public health. In all cases, it was found that the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and securitizing the complicated issues of public health are expected to not be successful looking towards the future of public health. In order to fully support and positively affect the future of public health, governments should promote strong domestic health care systems, anti-corrupt administrations, women\u27s empowerment and literacy, local health initiatives and treat every disease intervention uniquely. International health workers and governments should also be aware and carefully face the obstacles of cultural differences, widespread fear, and the historical, political environments. By the end of this project, I hope the reader finds a strong and convincing argument explaining why the Global Health Security Agenda will not protect Americans, or help combat global emerging infectious diseases. While this project only skims the top of the debate of intertwining of health and security, it does provide a basic understanding for those looking to understand the complicated questions and answers of global health

Temporal trends in fish mercury in response to Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) removal in Little Moose Lake, Adirondacks, New York

Mercury contamination within aquatic ecosystems is a concern in the Adirondack Park of New York State due to mercury deposition from global and regional atmospheric sources coupled with watershed characteristics that drive biophysical processes which mobilize and transform mercury, increasing its bioavailability. Short-term internal biological forces also impact mercury bioaccumulation as fish communities and populations change due to species introductions and lake management practices causing alterations in food web structure and energy transfer. Little Moose Lake, located in the southwestern region of the Adirondacks, provides an opportunity to study how shifts in food web dynamics may impact biological cycling of mercury. To promote the native Lake Trout fishery in Little Moose Lake, large-scale annual removal of non-native Smallmouth Bass has been utilized as a management strategy for over 15 years. Utilizing archived tissue and otolith samples and historical data, changes in total mercury concentrations, stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes, diet, age and growth were evaluated over time for Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), the native top-predator in Little Moose Lake. Mercury concentrations in Lake Trout have increased over the 15-year period, while Smallmouth Bass mercury concentrations decreased over the same interval. Thus, changes in mercury deposition were likely not the main driver for these observations. Diets also changed over time, with Lake Trout consuming higher trophic level prey with higher concentrations of mercury and growth for both predator species increased. Changes in stable isotope signatures were also observed for both predator fish species and several lower trophic level organisms with a tendency for both δ13C and δ15N to be more depleted over time. The annual Smallmouth Bass removal resulted in shifts in trophic transfer mechanisms that influenced the temporal mercury trends in the two top-predator species. The knowledge gained from this in-depth study will allow better understanding of spatial patterns and temporal trends in sportfish mercury concentrations in the context of food web changes

An Integrated Approach to Teach Communication Skills Using Educational Technologies

The purpose of this pre-experimental pre-test/post-test design was to identify a group of agricultural education students’ knowledge and perceptions towards the use of integrated educational technologies in the classroom. The population was 17 agricultural education students enrolled in an agricultural communications course over a two-year period. A multimedia content development touch screen resource was integrated into the course as a capstone project. Pretest and posttest evaluations showed 6% to 57% changes in knowledge as a result of the digital capstone project. The most significant changes were seen in storyboarding, multimedia project development, and graphic design principles, indicating that students require additional education in these areas. The lowest percentage changes were seen in the same three competencies each year; revealing that students were most knowledgeable in interviewing, technical writing, and giving public presentations. The findings revealed that students gained the most knowledge in technology development, integration and application, rather than interpersonal skill building. This integrated course provides an example of how educators can design courses that not only increase students’ communications knowledge and skills, but also gain realistic experience by creating their own multimedia content for public communication

Shannon Taylor in a Senior Voice Recital

This is the program for the senior voice recital of Shannon Taylor, held on November 1, 1996, in the McBeth Recital Hall, Mabee Fine Arts Center. Becky Moore accompanied on piano