Open Theses and Dissertations
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This collection is the result of a joint project between the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Libraries and Cultural Resources which provides Graduate students with the opportunity to archive their thesis with University Archives in our digital repository.
If you are a Graduate student submitting your final thesis to PRISM, please ensure you have read and submitted all required documents: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis
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The electronic theses and dissertations on this site are for the personal use of students, scholars and the public. Any commercial use, publication or lending of them in libraries is strictly prohibited.
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- ItemOpen AccessDetecting Melt Pond Onset on Landfast Arctic Sea Ice Using a Dual C-Band Satellite Approach(2024-06-13) Maknun, Syeda Shahida; Yackel, John James; Nandan, Vishnu; Hugenholtz, Christopher Herman; Rangelova, Elena VeselinovaThe presence of melt ponds on the surface of Arctic sea ice affects its albedo, thermal properties, and overall melting rate, and thus, the detection of melt pond onset is of significant importance for understanding the Arctic's changing climate. This study investigates the utility of a novel method for detecting the onset of melt ponds on sea ice using a satellite-based, dual-sensor C-band approach, whereby Sentinel-1 provides horizontally polarized (HH) data and Advanced SCATterometer (ASCAT) provides vertically polarized (VV) data. The co-polarized ratio (VV/HH) is used to detect the presence of melt ponds on landfast sea ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in 2017 and 2018. ERA-5 air temperature, and wind speed reanalysis datasets are used to establish the VV/HH threshold for pond onset detection which have been further validated by Landsat-8 reflectance. Co-polarized ratio threshold of 3 standard deviations from late winter season (April) acquisitions is used for assessing pond onset detection associated with the air temperature and wind speed data along with visual observation from Sentinel-1 and cloud-free Sentinel-2 imagery. In 2017, the pond onset detection rate percentages were 70.59% for FYI and 92.3% for MYI. Results suggest that this method, because of its dual-platform application, has potential for providing large-area coverage estimation of sea ice melt pond onset timing using different earth observation satellites.
- ItemOpen AccessDevelopment of an Artificial Pancreas: Control of Glucose in Type 1 Diabetics Using Model Predictive Control with a Low Order Model(2024-06-13) Frayne, Mark Christopher Hill; Pieper, Jeff; Westwick, David; Bisheban, MahdisType one diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that causes people to not produce hormones that govern glucose control, which can lead to many health issues. The current treatment for this disorder is the injection of insulin either manually or with a preprogramed pump. An artificial pancreas is a device that aims to improve this treatment by connecting the pump to a glucose sensor and feedback controller to automatically adjust the injection rate. This project proposes the use of Model Predictive Control (MPC) to close this loop. MPC was implemented using a low-order linear model of the human glucose system and applied to simple human kinetic models as well as a higher-order complex plant. In both cases the controller was able to significantly reduce the maximum glucose levels along with time-integrated excursion measures. In realistic simulations modelling human physiology, maximum hyperglycemia was reduced from 174 mg/dL to 120 mg/dL when a disturbance of 100g of carbohydrates was applied.
- ItemOpen AccessEquity-Deserving Groups, Sport, and Recreation in Calgary: An Analysis of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility-Related Policies(2024-06-10) To, Andy; Bridel, William; Din, Cari Susanne Read; Barrick, Simon John; Clark, Marty; Stowe, Lisa RoxanneEquity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) policies play a crucial role in addressing the many reported barriers equity-deserving groups experience in relation to Canadian sport and recreation. Recognizing this, I examined the publicly available EDIA-related policies and statements of 76 multi-sport facilities across Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Drawing on Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality, an intersectional anti-oppression framework, and relevant empirical literature, I conducted a critical discourse analysis on the statements and policies found. My analysis led to the creation of three themes for statements: (1) all are welcome, (2) some are welcome, and (3) land acknowledgements, and four themes for policies: (1) codes of conducts, (2) zero tolerance policies, (3) targeted policies, and (4) bylaws. Most statements and policies fell far short of being effective or impactful for equity-deserving groups, particularly (but not only) because they were often absent of specificity and actionable items while also failing to address intersecting systems of oppression. My findings underscore the need for more comprehensive and intersectional anti-oppression EDIA policies in sport and recreational facilities to address systemic inequities and foster true inclusivity.
- ItemOpen AccessComputing Class Groups of Cubic Orders Using Kleinjung’s Sieving Method(2024-06-13) Luo, Qinglong; Scheidler, Renate; Jacobson, Michael J., Jr.; Bauer, Mark; Tran, HaWe introduce two techniques to generate relations in the computation of class groups of orders of number fields using Buchmann’s index calculus method. In particular, we focus on primitive cubic orders. The first is an adaptation of the homogeneous method from the number field sieve to compute the class groups of a special class of orders known as rationally monogenic orders, which includes primitive cubic orders. The second is a generalisation of recent work by Kleinjung on the quadratic sieve to arbitrarily high degrees. We combine the two into one algorithm, implemented it, and test its performance against MAGMA. The results indicate that our method outperforms MAGMA if the given defining form is skew, and essentially tying MAGMA if the given form is flat.
- ItemOpen AccessCase study of informal online mental health communities on Reddit(2024-06-12) Boettcher, Nick; Lashewicz, Bonnie; Haines-Saah, Rebecca; Dimitropoulos, Gina; Lock, JenniferThe rise of massive informal, user-driven mental health communities on social media presents a novel context for mental health support and promotion offering both transformative opportunities and challenges. The opportunities are especially vital for some individuals given the gaps in mental health services due to provider shortages, system fragmentation, and persistent stigma surrounding serious mental illness. Informal communities endure despite varying expert opinions, even as expert evidence has gathered in support of digital mental health and peer support as viable options for promoting population mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of informal online mental health communities through a case study of mental health communities on the discussion platform Reddit. A qualitative instrumental multicase study design was used to examine three Reddit communities organized around general mental health, depression, and anxiety. The case study methodology encompassed three methods: (1) a scoping review of 54 academic studies of depression and anxiety using data collected from Reddit, (2) a qualitative content analysis of 233 user posts containing the term “medical” posted in selected communities over a one-month period, and (3) a reflexive thematic analysis of 8 in-depth interviews with volunteer moderators of selected communities. Findings were synthesized across each analysis to examine the relationality between informal knowledge of informal online mental health communities, academic knowledge generated by researchers, and the expert knowledge associated with population health science and public health practice. Implications of the case study are discussed in terms of policy and research related to digital population and public health in Canada, as well as community-centered methodologies in mental health research that engages with perspectives of Reddit moderators and users.