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Coupling K-12 Music Education With Science, Technology, Engineering And Math (Stem) Curricula: Implementation Of A Stemusic Outreach Program, Mallory Maestri

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many studies have investigated the effects of music on evoking human emotions and diverse types of brain responses. One study by Juslin and Vastfjall indicates that hearing music can stimulate brain stem reflexes, create emotional contagion, recall episodic memories and provoke visual imagery. Due to the influence music has on human brain waves, researchers have been studying the effect of music on enhancing the spatial abilities of young students. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) professions rely heavily on spatial skills. Research on the connection of music with spatial skills proposes that when the brain processes rhythm a “mental rotation” …

Pltw Female High-School Students' Supports And Barriers In Choosing A College Degree, Lisa Lubin Rubin

Dissertations

Purpose:The purpose of this mixed-methods research study is to identify and describe the barriers and supports that PLTW female students encounter when pursuing a non-traditional female STEM degree upon graduation from high school.

Methodology:A mixed-method (qualitative-quantitative) research design was chosen for this study to explore barriers and supports of female high-school seniors in PLTW. The qualitative portion of the study was phenomenology. This study explored the supports and barriers of female high-school seniors in PLTW courses when choosing a college degree. The quantitative portion of the study was conducted via a hard-copy survey containing closed-ended five-point Likert scale …

Cross Case Study Of An Elementary Engineering Task, John Heffernan

Doctoral Dissertations

Designerly play has been identified as a fundamental component of childhood learning (Baynes, 1994; Petroski, 2003). However, as students enter grade one and beyond, the increasing academic focus has resulted in the loss of opportunities for designerly play (Zhao, 2012). At the same time, there are increasing calls to increase the number, skill, and diversity of STEM workers (Brophy, Portsmore, Klein, & Rogers, 2008). The robotics based Elementary Engineering Curriculum (Heffernan, 2013) - used by students in this study - and other similar projects have the potential to increase the STEM pipeline but elementary engineering is not well-understood. Research is …

Wax Bee Gone: A Safe, Effective Solution To Ear Wax Removal, Robert G. Shenon, Shanvir S. Dhinsa

Electrical Engineering

This project sought to combine conventional methods such as scraping and water pressure to removal ear wax, but with electronic automation to removal the potential for human error as much as possible. Through the use of a 9V battery, and Arduino microcontroller, DC motors, and other circuitry, this project has developed a prototype for a device that can properly remove ear wax without any discomfort or risk to the user. Much of this project involved learning how to properly manipulate and provide the necessary power requirements DC motors from an Arduino and a 9V battery. Additionally, creating a 3D printed …

Operating Temperature Of A Solar Thermal Stirling Engine, Spencer Beck

Senior Theses

This paper explores the relationship between the operating temperature and electricity production of a simple heat engine. A Stirling engine was designed and constructed which runs on solar thermal energy collected by a Fresnel lens. The surface area of the solar collector was varied. This manipulated the operating temperature of the Stirling engine in order to measure power output. The mechanical energy from the engine was converted to electricity using a DC motor running in reverse, acting like a generator, in conjunction with an Arduino for data collection. Although adjustments must be made in order to improve the efficiency of …

Ut Lineman Chute, Benjamin D. Jacob, Logan T. Sissom, Stephen E. Brennan, Thomas B. Mcdavid

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Neutron Generator Driven Subcritical Fast Neutron Source Facility, Zachary Bingham, Duncan Brocklehurst, Will Cureton, Daniel Peffley, Colton Oldham, James Ghawaly

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

High Accessibility Cabinet Insert, Matthew Leal

All Undergraduate Projects

Watching grandparents and parents get older, the struggle of day-to-day activities generally increases. One of the most recurring issues the older generation experiences nearly daily is their inability to reach dishes, glassware, and other things on the topmost shelves of a kitchen. Not only is it difficult for them to use things such as stepstools, it also becomes increasingly dangerous. With age, a fall from any height could be catastrophic. With this scenario in mind, a user-friendly cabinet insert would be a very effective way to combat this issue. However, many existing models of cabinet designed to fit these requirements …

Effect Of Convection Associated With Cross-Section Change During Directional Solidification Of Binary Alloys On Dendritic Array Morphology And Macrosegregation, Masoud Ghods

ETD Archive

This dissertation explores the role of different types of convection on macrosegregation and on dendritic array morphology of two aluminum alloys directionally solidified through cylindrical graphite molds having both cross-section decrease and increase. Al- 19 wt. % Cu and Al-7 wt. % Si alloys were directionally solidified at two growth speed of 10 and 29.1 µm s-1 and examined for longitudinal and radial macrosegregation, and for primary dendrite spacing and dendrite trunk diameter.

Directional solidification of these alloys through constant cross-section showed clustering of primary dendrites and parabolic-shaped radial macrosegregation profile, indicative of “steepling convection” in the mushy-zone. The degree …

Design And Control Of A Powered Rowing Machine With Programmable Impedance, Jose Humberto De La Casas Zolezzi

ETD Archive

Due to the rise of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, research in human performance and physical activity has received increased attention. Rowing machines are used for performance improvements through concentric exercises, however a combination of concentric and eccentric actions is known to improve the effectiveness of training. In this work, a conventional rowing machine was modified to include an electric motor and a robust impedance control system, enabling programmable impedance with concentric and eccentric capabilities. Eccentric exercises are known to contribute significantly to the efficacy of training and to diminish the detrimental effects of humans operating in microgravity for long …

Investigation Of Extremum Seeking Control For Adaptive Exercise Machines, Brahm T. Powell

ETD Archive

Many muscle rehabilitation regimens are non-adaptive and recommended subjectively by physicians. While there are advantages to having the feedback of a qualified physician, utilizing real-time muscle performance feedback could be beneficial. An extremum seeking control design is proposed to fulfill the need for an automated, load-varying exercise machine that can optimize muscle performance.

Several steps are outlined to contribute to the realization of this goal. First, the extremum seeking control scheme is discussed. Second, the Hill muscle model will be described. Theoretical muscle effort extrema will be derived for selected optimization cases, namely maximizing average squared power by varying load …

Electrochemical And Electroflotation Processes For Milk Waste Water Treatment, Alahmand Suleiman Mohammed

ETD Archive

The dairy industry generates abundant milk waste waters characterized by high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations that can be very harmful to the environment, if left untreated. Electrocoagulation (EC) has been in use for waste water treatment. The treatment application uses aluminum electrodes and iron or the combined hybrid Al/Fe electrodes. Milk waste water contains high concentration organic pollutants and the main constituents of those organics are carbohydrates, proteins and fats, originating from the milk. The process of separating the flocculated sludge from waste water that has been treated using the electrocoagulation process can be …

The Visual And Performing Arts In The Technical Communication Classroom: Reinforcing The University's Internal Community Literacy Via Service-Learning, Richard L. Ward

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This report details a class taught that was an exploration into the value of STEAM or science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics within the confines of Technical Communication as it applies to the business and industry of theatre. It was an experiment in service learning as it could be tied into the Arts via differing technai, as described by John Wild in “Plato’s Theory of Texnh a Phenomenological Interpretation,” demonstrating a necessity for Arts as they pertain to STEM-centric universities. This report discusses a section of Technical and Professional Communication taught at Michigan technological University that consisted of twenty-five students …

Impedance Biosensors And Deep Crater Salivary Gland Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering, Robert Arthur Schramm

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The salivary gland is a complex, branching organ whose primary biological function is the production of the fluid critical to alimentary function and the lubrication and maintenance of the oral cavity, saliva. The most frequent disruption of the salivary organ system is one in which the rate of supply of saliva into the oral cavity is diminished, and this may vary from a minor reduction, to near cessation. Regenerative medicine is a field which seeks to find ways to overcome the symptoms of organ malfunction or damage by inducing regrowth, repair and replacement of partial or whole organ function. Historically, …

Band Gap Engineering Of Titania Systems Purposed For Photocatalytic Activity, Cameron Robert Thurston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ab initio computer aided design drastically increases candidate population for highly specified material discovery and selection. These simulations, carried out through a first-principles computational approach, accurately extrapolate material properties and behavior. Titanium dioxide (tio2) is one such material that stands to gain a great deal from the use of these simulations. In its anatase form, titania (tio2) has been found to exhibit a band gap nearing 3.2 ev. If titania is to become a viable alternative to other contemporary photoactive materials exhibiting band gaps better suited for the solar spectrum, then the band gap must be subsequently reduced. To lower …

Processing Of Ultra-Thin Film Of Un Modified C60 Fullerene Using The Langmuir-Blodgett Technique. Effect Of Structure On Stiffness And Optoelectric Properties, Hasanain Basim Altalebi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Monolayer films of C60 fullerene were for the first time produced successfully by using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The processing parameters were optimized and the structure of these films has been investigated using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Film stiffness was measured to be in the range of 15 MPa to 32 MPa depending on the nature of the solvent used to process the films. Optical transparency and electrical performance have been measured and correlated to the film structure. While 100% transparent, the film measured conductivity was in the range of 1013 S/m, that is orders of …

Decision Support For Literal And Non-Literal Imaging Sensors, Holly K. Zelnio

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The key contribution of this research was to characterize decision support system (DSS) performance as a function of sensor types ranging from a very literal electrooptical (EO) sensor to a very non-literal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor. The specific DSS used in this research was developed based on the Applied Cognitive Task Analysis (ACTA), human performance modeling process, and a comprehensive literature search. The subject and DSS combined performance was characterized by objective interpretation accuracy and decision time and, in addition, the subject's trust, confidence, heuristics, and possible cognitive biases were elicited and analyzed. The measures of accuracy, time, and …

System For Workout Information Management, Mark Archual, Ethan E. Schweinsberg

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Power racks are a weight machine used by swimmers to provide resistance while they swim away from a wall toward the center of the pool. The objective of this project is to build a modular data system that can be added to these machines to record and log quantitative information during their use. This information will be stored on a web server, and made available to the user for analysis and visualization through a web application. Workout data can also be downloaded and interpreted at a later time, independent of the web application. The data system should be water resistant, …

Instruction Pamphlet Insertion Machine, Jim Griggs, Scott Miller, Michael Kubala

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Weaver Industries in Akron, Ohio provided us with our senior design project. Weaver Industries seeks individuals with disabilities and provides them with job opportunities. One of their products is a “Kong” dog toy. As of now, the instruction pamphlet that comes with this dog toy is placed into each piece of packaging individually by hand. We are tasked with automating this process. Two years ago, a group of students worked on this project, but the reliability of their prototype was only around 60-70%. Then last year, another group of students worked on this project, but again, the reliability of their …

Electrospinning Novel Aligned Polymer Fiber Structures For Use In Neural Tissue Engineering, Rachel Martin

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A suitable tissue scaffold to support and assist in the repair of damaged tissues or cells is important for success in clinical trials and for injury recovery. Electrospinning can create a variety of polymer nanofibers and microfibers, and is being widely used to produce experimental tissue scaffolds for neural applications. This dissertation examines various approaches by which electrospinning is being used for neural tissue engineering applications for the repair of injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Due to the poor regeneration of neural tissues in the event of injury, tissue scaffolds are being …