Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Smit, AJ, Thesis advisor (ths): Wang, Xiaoying, Degree committee member (dgc): Wang, Xiaoying, Degree committee member (dgc): Pollanen, Marco, Degree committee member (dgc): Kong, Jude, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>This thesis is focused on studying the population dynamics of a predator-prey system in a patchy environment, taking anti-predation responses into consideration. Firstly, we conduct mathematical analysis on the equilibrium solutions of the system. Using techniques from calculus we show that particular steady state solutions exist when the parameters of the system meet certain criteria.… more
Year: 2022, 2022
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Medication used to treat human illness is one of the greatest developments in human history. In Canada, prescription drugs have been developed and made available to treat a wide variety of illnesses, from infections to heart disease and so on. Records of prescription drug fulfillment at coarse Canadian geographic scales were obtained from Health Canada in order to track the use of these… more
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Shamess, Dean Skinner, Thesis advisor (ths): Cater, Bruce, Degree committee member (dgc): Lew, Byron, Degree committee member (dgc): Parker, James, Degree committee member (dgc): Pollanen, Marco, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Universities produce a significant and increasing share of basic research that is later commercialized by firms. We argue that the university's prominence as a producer of basic research is the result of a differential efficiency in research production that cannot be replicated by firms or individual agents - teaching. By using research accomplishments to signal knowledge and… more
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Higher education is important. It enhances both individual and social welfare by improving productivity, life satisfaction, and health outcomes, and by reducing rates of crime. Universities play a critical role in providing that education. Because academic institutions face resource constraints, it is thus important that they deploy resources in support of student success in the most… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The digital typesetting of mathematics can present many challenges to users, especially those of novice to intermediate experience levels. Through a series of experiments, we show that two models used to represent mathematical structure in these typesetting applications, the 1-dimensional structure based model and the 2-dimensional freeform model, cause interference with users'… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The spectrum of a given time series is a characteristic function describing its frequency properties. Spectrum estimation methods require time series data to be contiguous in order for robust estimators to retain their performance. This poses a fundamental challenge, especially when considering real-world scientific data that is often plagued by missing values, and/or irregularly… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Little is actually known about how people cognitively process and integrate information when solving complex mathematical problems. In this thesis, eye-tracking was used to examine how people read and integrate information from mathematical symbols and complex formula, with eye fixations being used as a measure of their current focus of attention. Each participant in the studies was… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii Equation, describing the movement of parti-</p><p>cles in quantum mechanics, may not be solved analytically due to its inherent non-</p><p>linearity. Hence numerical methods are of importance to approximate the solution.</p><p>This study develops a discrete scheme in time and space to simulate the solution</p>… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Research and development activities conducted at universities and firms fuel economic growth</p><p>and play a key role in the process of innovation. Specifically, prior research has investigated the</p><p>widespread university-to-firm research development path and concluded that universities are</p><p>better suited for early stage of research while… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Databases containing information such as location points, web searches and fi- nancial transactions are becoming the new normal as technology advances. Conse- quentially, searches and cross-referencing in big data are becoming a common prob- lem as computing and statistical analysis increasingly allow for the contents of such databases to be analyzed and dredged for data. Searches… more
Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In this thesis, a new sinc-collocation method based upon derivative interpolation is developed for solving linear and nonlinear boundary value problems involving differential as well as integro-differential equations. The sinc-collocation method is chosen for its ease of implementation, exponential convergence of error, and ability to handle to singularities in the BVP. We present a… more
Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Using data drawn from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board's (WSIB) Survey of Workers with Permanent Impairments, this thesis explores if and how the human capital associated with education mitigates the realized work-disabling effects of permanent physical injury. Using Cater's (2000) model of post-injury adaptive behaviour and employment dynamics as the structural,… more
Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Volatility modelling is an important task in the financial markets. This paper first evaluates the range-based DCC-CARR model of Chou et al. (2009) in modelling larger systems of assets, vis-à-vis the traditional return-based DCC-GARCH. Extending Colacito, Engle and Ghysels (2011), range-based volatility specifications are then employed in the first-stage of DCC-MIDAS conditional… more
Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis is intended to support dependent-on-crops farmers to hedge the price risks of their crops. Firstly, we applied one-factor model, which incorporated a deterministic function and a stochastic process, to predict the future prices of crops (soybean). A discrete form was employed for one-month-ahead prediction. For general prediction, de-trending and de-cyclicality were used to… more
Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>We propose a stochastic weather model based on temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind speed for Qatar, as a representative arid region, in order to obtain simulated values for a drought index. As a drought index, the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) is commonly accepted in agriculture and is used to measure drought severity. It can be used to price weather derivatives to help… more
Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In the context of Real-Time Bidding (RTB) the machine learning problems of</p><p>imbalanced classes and model selection are investigated. Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) is commonly used to combat imbalanced classes but a shortcoming is identified. Use of a distance threshold is identified as a solution and testing in a live RTB environment shows significant… more
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This paper investigates the effect of listing a stock on the S&P 500 Index on the stock's volatility, using various econometrics models: GARCH and EGARCH. The study mainly addresses three issues; firstly, it analyzes stock volatility in two sub-periods, secondly, it determines whether the announcement can account for the fluctuations in the price of the stock, and finally, it… more
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Population aging has become a worldwide concern since the nineteenth century. The decrease in birth rate and the increase in life expectancy will make China's population age rapidly. If the growth rate of the number of workers is less than that of the number of retirees, in the long run, there will be fewer workers per retiree. This will apply great pressure to China's public… more
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Health literature has long noted a positive correlation between health and levels of education. Two competing theories have been advanced to explain this phenomenon: (1) education "causes" health by allowing individuals to process complex information and act on it; and, (2) education and health are merely correlated through some third underlying characteristic.</p><p… more
Year: 2013, 2013
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Mohseniahouei, Yasaman, Thesis advisor (ths): Abdella, Kenzu, Thesis advisor (ths): Pollanen, Marco, Degree committee member (dgc): Abdella, Kenzu, Degree committee member (dgc): Pollanen, Marco, Degree committee member (dgc): Cater, Bruce, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>In this thesis, we explore the application of the Sinc-Collocation method to an oceanography model. The model of interest describes a wind-driven current with depth-dependent eddy viscosity and is formulated in two different systems; a complex-velocity system and a real-value coupled system. In general, the Sinc-based methods excel over other traditional numerical methods due to their… more