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UNB Scholar is an institutional repository initiative of UNB Libraries intended to collect, preserve, showcase, and promote the open access scholarly output of the UNB community. Use UNB Scholar to explore specific collections, or search all content in the repository. Material submitted to the repository will also be freely discoverable online through Google and other major search engines.
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Recent Submissions
Zero-day attack detection framework for Network Intrusion Detection Systems
(University of New Brunswick, 2024-12) Aisida, Akinwale Mayomi; Hakak, Saqib
This study addresses the critical challenge of detecting zero-day attacks in Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) using machine learning (ML). With the NIDS market projected to reach US$5.93 billion by the year 2028 and cyber threats costing US$4.35 million per breach, improved detection is vital. A robust ML framework was developed, utilizing extensive feature engineering to reduce feature sets by 50-70% without performance loss. Zero-day scenarios were simulated using systematic attack-type exclusion, with training, validation, and testing split 60-20-20. Random Forest and XGBoost achieved high F1-scores (> 0.98) and Zero-Day Detection Rates (Z-DR). On UNSW-NB15, Random Forest achieved 100% Z-DR for seven of nine attack types; XGBoost excelled on NF-UNSW-NB15-v2. CNN and Voting Classifiers underperformed on Z-DR despite high accuracy. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests confirmed key features’ importance. This research advances NIDS by enhancing zero-day detection and improving network security.
Making a shelter a home: Insights from service providers, emergency shelter users, and supported housing residents
(University of New Brunswick, 2024-12) Kabbash, Laura; Ronis, Scott
Homelessness is a critical and pervasive issue in Canada, with at least 22,000 Canadians estimated to access emergency shelters daily and as many as 300,000 persons a year unsheltered at some time (Statistics Canada, 2019; Strobel et al., 2021). Although previous research has highlighted social and structural factors associated with homelessness (Anderson & Christian, 2003; Liu et al., 2021; Philipps, 2012; Stafford & Wood, 2017), including low income, lack of affordable or subsidized housing, limited housing and support services (Schiff et al., 2015), mental illness, addictions, gender politics and prior experiences of homelessness and poverty (Abramovich & Pang, 2020; Weissman, 2012), considerably less research has examined factors that impact relevant service utilization. The aim of the current dissertation was to build upon research (e.g., Cheng et al., 2007; Kirst et al., 2015; Macnaughton et al., 2017) which generally demonstrates that adequate service use helps individuals enter and retain stable, long-term housing by improving our understanding of how these individuals determine their needs, seek support, and navigate services.
A series of three qualitative interview studies were conducted with: (1) housing and support service providers (N = 11), (2) service users of an emergency housing shelter (N = 15), and (3) residents of a peer supportive housing unit (N = 10). Based on Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), interviews garnered insights about preferred housing types and service use, substance use, mental health, client/staff interaction, rule enforcement, policing implications, social stigma, political policy, funding, housing acquisition and successful tenancy. Participants from the three study groups highlighted the need for affordable housing, a preference for the supportive housing environment over emergency shelter and identified numerous practical barriers to service engagement. The current dissertation centered the lived experience of individuals experiencing homelessness and identified tangible targets for change at governmental policy and individual agency levels, with the hope of maximizing service use and successful long-term tenancy.
Literacy instruction in Nunavut
(University of New Brunswick, 2024-12) Bartlett, A. Katharine; Kristmanson, Paula Lee; Flaherty, Louise
Concern has been raised about the quality of education Nunavut students receive, particularly in the area of literacy instruction (T. R. Berger, 2006; National Committee on Inuit Education, 2011; Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, 2021; Skutnabb-Kangas et al., 2019). Perhaps in acknowledgement of this issue, in the spring of 2014 the Nunavut Department of Education announced the adoption of a new literacy framework intended “to improve the current education system” (Department of Education, 2014e, p. 1). The aim of this research study was to collect the experiences of Nunavut educators about literacy instruction and bilingualism to provide insights into the implementation of this literacy framework. A methodology of constructivist grounded theory combined with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit traditional knowledge and worldview) was employed because it provided space for Inuit societal values to be used as sensitizing concepts alongside a lens of appreciation. Data were collected through interviews as well as a questionnaire that was distributed to all Nunavut educators. The stories they related were combined with an exploration of grey literature to understand how the literacy framework evolved—helping to provide context to their experiences. The collected data revealed that the problem Nunavut educators grapple with is how to effectively provide literacy instruction. A theory emerged to explain how they resolve to provide literacy instruction. This theory reveals issues that educators encounter that impede the efforts of some educators, as well as covariance variables which may be able to be leveraged to influence the actions educators take. From this theory a series of twenty-three promising suggestions in seven areas and five overarching recommendations provide ideas that could allow educational leaders to strengthen the ongoing implementation of the literacy framework. The results of this study will also help to inform the implementation of future educational initiatives in Nunavut.
Spherically symmetric space-times in effective LQG
(University of New Brunswick, 2024-12) Kelly, Jarod; Seahra, Sanjeev; Wilson-Ewing, Edward
Black holes are among the most enigmatic objects in our universe. Although many decades have been dedicated to their study, illuminating several of their key features, there is still very little understood about what happens at their center. At this location general relativity leads to a singularity and it is widely believed that a theory of quantum gravity is necessary to understand the structure of space-time in the vicinity of this point.
In this thesis, we discuss the application of a candidate theory of quantum gravity, namely loop quantum gravity (LQG), to study spherically symmetric black holes. We start in Chapter 2 by developing a framework for an effective LQG description of spherically symmetric black holes in vacuum and analyze the structure of this space-time in depth. In Chapters 3 and 4, we extend this framework by including matter and study black holes that form due to gravitational collapse. We study the dynamics and causal structure of these space-times in depth to uncover new black hole properties that are not captured by the classical theory including: a space-time that is free from strong singularities (although weak singularities in the form of shell-crossings can and do form quite generically) and the formation of shockwaves that will eventually move beyond the outer horizon, marking the “death” of the black hole. Further, we estimate the black hole lifetime to be on the order of M2, where M is the black hole mass.
Seasonal thermal plasticity of cardiac function in temperate and Arctic fishes with different overwintering strategies
(University of New Brunswick, 2024-12) Williams, Emily; Speers-Roesch, Ben
Fishes can experience large thermal variation over rapid and prolonged time scales, which challenges critical physiological functions. I investigated the seasonal thermal plasticity of acute temperature responses of heart rate and cardiac adrenaline regulation in temperate and Arctic fishes with different overwintering strategies. Though their distinct overwintering strategies impose different cardiac demands, the winter-dormant cunner and winter-active brook char showed a relatively similar ability to acclimate heart rate and adrenergic sensitivity to three seasonally relevant temperatures in the laboratory. In contrast, wild winter-active lake trout from the central Canadian Arctic showed largely consistent thermal performance of heart rates between seasons; however, seasonal changes in the cardiac cycle were apparent in winter. Overall, my studies indicate the potential influence of overwintering strategy on the thermal limits of cardiac function and highlights the wide diversity of cardiac thermal plasticity among fishes along with the importance of conducting physiological research in the field.