ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.
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- Genre: Masters Thesis
- Genre: Fiction--17th century--History and criticism.
Description
Visual Question Answering (VQA) is an increasingly important multi-modal task where models must answer textual questions based on visual image inputs. Numerous VQA datasets have been proposed to train and evaluate models. However, existing benchmarks exhibit a unilateral focus on textual distribution shifts rather than joint shifts across modalities. This is suboptimal for properly assessing model robustness and generalization. To address this gap, a novel multi-modal VQA benchmark dataset is introduced for the first time. This dataset combines both visual and textual distribution shifts across training and test sets. Using this challenging benchmark exposes vulnerabilities in existing models relying on spurious correlations and overfitting to dataset biases. The novel dataset advances the field by enabling more robust model training and rigorous evaluation of multi-modal distribution shift generalization. In addition, a new few-shot multi-modal prompt fusion model is proposed to better adapt models for downstream VQA tasks. The model incorporates a prompt encoder module and dual-path design to align and fuse image and text prompts. This represents a novel prompt learning approach tailored for multi-modal learning across vision and language. Together, the introduced benchmark dataset and prompt fusion model address key limitations around evaluating and improving VQA model robustness. The work expands the methodology for training models resilient to multi-modal distribution shifts.
ContributorsJyothi Unni, Suraj (Author) / Liu, Huan (Thesis advisor) / Davalcu, Hasan (Committee member) / Bryan, Chris (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
This thesis explores the historical development of the criminal justice system across four eras. The system has been utilized to control and exploit Black people for economic gain. After the American Revolution, and the rise of the penitentiary, many argued that imprisoning individuals for labor was reminiscent of the institution of slavery itself, which highlights the criminal justice system's potential to target and control Black people. During the pre-Civil War era, white slave owners established slave patrols to prevent enslaved Black people from leaving their plantation, and to control the movement of Blacks more broadly. These early slave patrols provided an institutional foundation for the later development of the modern police force. During Reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan adopted the methods of slave patrols to maintain white supremacy and control over Blacks with lynching becoming everyday occurrences. During the Jim Crow era, Black communities faced widespread discrimination, and the system was used to enforce racial segregation and maintain white dominance. The Civil Rights Movement marked a turning point against Jim Crow. However, the post-Civil Rights era was met with the War on Drugs and the rise of mass incarceration, which disproportionately affected Black communities. To gain equality, Black people have consistently been met with backlash, often supported by the criminal justice system. While reforming the system is necessary, it is unlikely to eliminate racism and white supremacy. A more comprehensive approach is needed to address the root causes of these issues and ensure equality and justice for all.Keywords: white supremacy, racism, color-blind, police violence, slave patrol, slavery, convict leasing system
ContributorsMoore, Antonio Lamont (Author) / Keahey, Jennifer (Thesis advisor) / Kim, Linda (Committee member) / Hepner, Tricia R (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Quantifying ecological relationships by gathering and sifting through large stores of data and applying statistical models to them is a substantial first step in identifying
optimal habitat for the dispersal of threatened species, but the implementation of the
result requires coordination between political, economic, and environmental actors that
are further complicated by the margin of error in modeling a wildlife corridor. That is
why the partnership between Arizona State University (ASU), the Phoenix Zoo: Arizona
Center for Nature Conservation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) DEVELOP, and Osa Conservation needed a framework for identifying and
analyzing the forest patches that constituted the least cost path (LCP) modelled to
connect the Talamanca Mountains of La Amistad International Peace Park and the Osa
Peninsula of Corcovado National Park and allow for the dispersal of jaguars (Panthera
onca). A framework for selection of forest patches of adequate size was established in
ArcMap and data were extracted to further analyze their characteristics and select targets
to be ground-truthed. Forest patches were successfully identified and selected using data
used for the modelling of the LCP. Patches were selected by the desired size of three
hectares or greater, the home range of prey species paca (Cuniculus paca). Patches were
characterized by patch area, resistance value or cost, distance from LCP, and distance
from nearest neighbor across multiple forest density thresholds.
ContributorsSerna, Patrick Karey Samuel (Author) / Schipper, Jan (Thesis advisor) / Watanade-Sailor, Karen (Committee member) / Frazier, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most commonly transmitted STI and isresponsible for an estimated 5% of cancer cases worldwide. HPV infection is implicated
in 70% of cervical cancer incidence and is also responsible for a variety of oropharyngeal
and anogenital cancers. While vaccination has greatly reduced the cervical cancer
burden in developed countries, HPV infection remains high in developing countries due
to high cost and poor access to healthcare. Several studies have highlighted the
presence of anti-HPV antibodies following infection and their potential use as
biomarkers for developing novel screening methods. Progression from initial infection to
cancer is slow, thus presenting an opportunity for effective screening programs.
Biomarker screening is an important area of cancer detection and Lateral Flow Assays
(LFA) are a low cost, easy to use alternative to other screening methods that require
extensive training and laboratory space. Therefore, this project proposes as a hypothesis
that the development of an LFA screening for HPV specific IgG can provide clinically
relevant data for the early detection of cervical dysplasia. This project adapts an LFA in a
multiplexed format for fluorescence-based serologic detection of HPV specific IgG in
patient plasma.
ContributorsJohns, William (Author) / Anderson, Karen (Thesis advisor) / Lake, Douglas (Committee member) / Hogue, Brenda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Frameworks of Many into the Creation of One [FMOC] is a choreographic work that delves into the concept of identity: Who am I? Who are you? Who are we? What is the narrative that binds us? This piece offers an exploration of our interactions with the world around us as we navigate the ongoing process of self-discovery. FMCO illuminates the intersectionality of the individual within a community, examining the diverse ways in which we express ourselves in relation to our environment. IDENTITY: Individual Differences Expressed and Negotiated through Environmental Information. The work delves into the idea that identity is shaped by the transfer of information within one's environment. Through the mediums of storytelling, dance, and multimedia, FMCO offers the audience an immersive experience of frameworks and concepts that influence both their own identities and the identity of Alecea Housworth. The piece invites viewers to contemplate the dynamic interplay between individualism and the influences of one's surroundings. This paper delves into the intricate interplay between individuality and community, shedding light on the complexity inherent in the human experience. Exploring the frameworks being race, gender, religion, and gender, which impact experiences that shape the development of one's sense of self. Through the lens of dance, this study examines how individuals construct and embody their identities, offering a nuanced understanding of self-conception through communal engagement.
ContributorsHousworth, Alecea Raquel (Author) / Kaplan, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Barnes, LaTasha (Thesis advisor) / Bernard, Daniel R (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024