Aluminum alloys strengthened with coherent (L1<sub>2</sub>), nanosize Al<sub>3</sub>Sc precipitates may be used as structural materials at elevated temperatures. They are creep resistant at 300°C and exhibit a threshold stress, below which creep is not measurable. Introducing ternary alloying additions, such as rare-earth elements (RE=Y, Dy, Er), that segregate within Al<sub>3</sub>Sc...
The macroscale mechanical and physical properties of materials are inherently linked to the underlying microstructure. Traditional continuum mechanics theories have focused on approximating the heterogeneous microstructure as a continuum, which is conducive to a partial differential equation mathematical description. Although this makes large scale simulation of material much more efficient...
This thesis presents results and analysis on a series of donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) charge transfer systems in which we use time-resolved spectroscopy and magnetic resonance techniques to study the relationship of molecular structure to energy, charge, and spin transfer dynamics. We find that the sequence of events following the initial charge...
Although non-viral gene therapy has great potential for use in the lung, several problems including inefficient gene transfer and expression and the relative lack of cell-specific targeting have limited its applications. The two approaches that have been used to target genes to desired cell types are through specific ligand-receptor interactions...
Middle childhood is an important but often overlooked developmental period. Similarly, a large literature examines the importance of child care as a developmental context, focusing almost exclusively on pre-school child care experiences. Through three related empirical studies, this dissertation aims to address these two gaps in the extant literature. These...
In this dissertation I examine the relationship between voter turnout and legislative representation in the United States Congress. My main contention is that political elites react to electoral participation in formulating public policies. I posit that the institutional advantages of incumbency in the House of Representative reduces turnout in congressional...
This thesis concerns the development of robust algorithms for large-scale nonlinear programming. Despite recent advancements in high-performance computing power, classes of problems exist that continue to challenge the practical limits of contemporary optimization methods. The focus of this dissertation is the design and analysis of algorithms intended to achieve economy...
Affective science has long been interested in the coherence between different emotion response systems (e.g., subjective emotional experience, behavior, physiology). Although evolutionary functionalist accounts of emotion hold that emotional coherence should be related to greater adaptation, few studies have analyzed links between emotional coherence and wellbeing. Thus, in this laboratory-based...
Once widespread throughout southern Wisconsin, Quercus savannas are now one of the most endangered communities due to fire suppression and increasing landscape fragmentation. These plant communities are also highly susceptible to invasions by nonnative, exotic species. Understanding the mechanisms of exotic species invasion has been the focus of numerous studies....