Digital Commons Network^™

Research Experiences For Undergraduates, Various Presenters

Science Seminars

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) allow for first-hand exposure to research, other institutions and the scientists that work in them. For that reason, REUs are considered an integral part of undergraduate STEM education. There will be a discussion of the application process for REUs, how to write personal statements, and the benefits of participation. Hear a first-hand account of REU experience. In addition, there will be a Q&A session to address specific concerns and questions.

Using Social Media For Professional Development, Sean Griffin

Science Seminars

Sean Griffin is a social media marketer with a degree in marketing from Louisiana Tech University and a background in consumer behavior, sales & entrepreneurship and communications (business and interdepartmental).

Topics to be covered at this seminar include:

- Social media etiquette

- LinkedIn for beginners and intermediate users

- Personal branding and marketing

- How to use social media to find prospective employers, connections, and research

Come at 3:30pm for refreshments, speaker at 4:00pm

There And Back Again: A Chemist Tale & The Lord Of The Ring Stands, Benjamin Blass

Science Seminars

Students at universities and colleges are focused on achieving their degrees, but often wonder where their careers will take them once they leave the confines of the academic world. While some people’s careers are straight lines through to retirement, others are wandering paths that lead to unexpected outcomes and opportunities. In an effort to provide some insight into life after school. This lecture describes Dr. Blass’s career journey over his 25+ year career and highlights some of the lessons he learned along the way.

Network Analysis Of The Neuro-Cardio-Respiratory System In Epilepsy, Noah Hutson

Science Seminars

Epilepsy is a neurodegenerative disease that can impact critical bodily functions, including the brain, heart and lungs. Can we measure such functional impairments? In this talk, I will present my work employing network analysis of brain, cardiac and respiratory signals in mice and humans with epilepsy, seeking an answer to that question.

Photonic Crystallization Of 2d Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Transducers For Flexible 2d Molecular Sensors, Christopher Muratore

Science Seminars

The fabrication of devices based on 2D materials is described. Flexible molecular sensors are shown to detect vapor phase substances with sub-ppm sensitivity. 2D TMD sensor transducers are demonstrated for healthcare applications. Devices and circuits directly written from TMDs thin films, deposited on large area flexible substrates, are also presented.

College Report Fall 2019, Brandy Mcknight, Estevan Garcia

College of Engineering and Science Annual Reports

Dear COES Friends,

As we finish the 2019 Fall Quarter, I would like to express my appreciation to our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Our students provide leadership throughout campus, volunteering for projects that enhance the College and University, while faculty and staff continue to find increasingly effective ways to engage students. I am appreciative that you, our alumni and friends, continue to support our students by devoting time to industry boards and student organizations. I believe that, together, we are creating an environment built for success.

On that note, I am pleased to announce that students will begin …

Dual Purpose Tunable Vibration Isolator Energy Harvester: Design, Fabrication, Modeling And Characterization, S. M. Mahdi Mofidian

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is focused on design, fabrication, characterization, and modeling of a unique dual purpose vibration isolation energy harvesting system. The purpose of the system is to, simultaneously, attenuate unwanted vibrations and scavenge kinetic energy available in these vibrations. This study includes theoretical modeling and experimental work to fully characterize and understand the dynamic behavior of the fabricated dual purpose system. In the theoretical study, both numerical (Runge-Kutta) and analytical (Harmonic Balance Method, HBM) methods are used to obtain the dynamic behavior of the system. The system features a combination of mechanical and electromagnetic components to facilitate its dual functionality. …

Adaptive Feature Engineering Modeling For Ultrasound Image Classification For Decision Support, Hatwib Mugasa

Doctoral Dissertations

Ultrasonography is considered a relatively safe option for the diagnosis of benign and malignant cancer lesions due to the low-energy sound waves used. However, the visual interpretation of the ultrasound images is time-consuming and usually has high false alerts due to speckle noise. Improved methods of collection image-based data have been proposed to reduce noise in the images; however, this has proved not to solve the problem due to the complex nature of images and the exponential growth of biomedical datasets. Secondly, the target class in real-world biomedical datasets, that is the focus of interest of a biopsy, is usually …

Feature Space Modeling For Accurate And Efficient Learning From Non-Stationary Data, Ayesha Akter

Doctoral Dissertations

A non-stationary dataset is one whose statistical properties such as the mean, variance, correlation, probability distribution, etc. change over a specific interval of time. On the contrary, a stationary dataset is one whose statistical properties remain constant over time. Apart from the volatile statistical properties, non-stationary data poses other challenges such as time and memory management due to the limitation of computational resources mostly caused by the recent advancements in data collection technologies which generate a variety of data at an alarming pace and volume. Additionally, when the collected data is complex, managing data complexity, emerging from its dimensionality and …

Electrolytic Metallization Of Halloysite Nanotubes And Antimicrobial Applications, Ahmed Humayun

Doctoral Dissertations

Due to increased reports of infections and biofouling arising from the use of invasive medical devices, novel antimicrobial agents with suitable anti-biofouling properties are critically needed. Transition metals exhibit substantial antimicrobial activity; however, their use is limited because of their inherent toxicity to eukaryotic cells. In this regard, naturally occurring halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) show significant promise. HNTs possess a high surface area for adsorption while its hollow lumen can be used for loading different materials.

Herein, we demonstrate an electrolytic method for generating and depositing metal nanoparticles (NPs) on the HNTs outer surface and we propose an optimized method …

An Analysis Of Personality Characteristics, Emotional Intelligence, And Leadership Attributes Of Louisiana Community And Technical College Chancellors, Heather Spillers Poole

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the personality characteristics, emotional intelligence, and leadership attributes of twelve Louisiana community college chancellors in order to better understand leadership selection in community and technical colleges. Hogan’s Leadership Forecast Series and the self-reported Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire short-form were used to explore and describe the leadership qualities of chancellors. More specifically, the Hogan Leadership Forecast Series of assessments included the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MPVI), Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), and Hogan Development Survey (HDS). Assessments were administered in May 2018. Findings indicated that, in general, chancellors varied widely in their personality characteristics (including both potential “bright-side” and “dark-side” …

A Multicarrier Technique For Monte Carlo Simulation Of Electrothermal Transport In Nanoelectronics, Tyler J. Spence

Doctoral Dissertations

The field of microelectronics plays an important role in many areas of engineering and science, being ubiquitous in aerospace, industrial manufacturing, biotechnology, and many other fields. Today, many micro- and nanoscale electronic devices are integrated into one package. e capacity to simulate new devices accurately is critical to the engineering design process, as device engineers use simulations to predict performance characteristics and identify potential issues before fabrication. A problem of particular interest is the simulation of devices which exhibit exotic behaviors due to non-equilibrium thermodynamics and thermal effects such as self-heating. Frequently, it is desirable to predict the level of …

Development Of A Teacher Dispositions Framework, Traci Johnston Walker

Doctoral Dissertations

Evaluating a person’s dispositions is complex and problematic, considering the affective nature of these invisible traits (Diez, 2006; Wilkerson & Lang, 2007). Teacher preparation programs are responsible for developing critical dispositions in their candidates and ensuring candidates have acquired them before recommendation for certification. Furthermore, school administrators must ensure that the teachers they hire have the right dispositions before placing them in a classroom with students. Valid and reliable instruments must be used to measure teacher and teacher candidate dispositions.

The purpose of this study was to identify a finite set of dispositions critical for an effective teacher and to …

Application Of Halloysite Nanotubes In Bone Disease Remediation And Bone Regeneration, Yangyang Luo

Doctoral Dissertations

Customized patient therapy has been a major research focus in recent years. There are two research fields that have made a significant contribution to realizing individualized-based treatment: targeted drug delivery and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. With benefit from the advances in nanotechnology and biomaterial science, various drug delivery systems have been established to provide precise control of therapeutic agents release in time and space. The emergence of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology enables the fabrication of complicated structures that effectively mimic native tissues and makes it possible to print patient-specific implants. My dissertation research used a clay nanoparticle, halloysite, to develop …

An Examination Of Efficacy And Resilience In College Students: Influences On Socially Responsible Leadership, Paula Berry Atkins

Doctoral Dissertations

My study explored socially responsible leadership and its relationship to leader efficacy and resilience in college students. The investigation also examined the role of gender and race in these relationships. The study employed the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), which assesses student and educational outcomes relevant to the values underlying the Social Change Model of Student Leadership. The MSL utilizes the Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (Tyree, 1998) as a foundation but also includes measures of leader efficacy and resilience. Utilizing archival data from the 2015 administration of the MSL, my sample (N=840) included equal numbers of males and females equally …

Improving Paper-Based Microfluidic Mixing With The Incorporation Of Flow Disrupting Structures, Hannah C. Green

Master's Theses

Paper-based microfluidic devices provide a light-weight, cost effective platform for diagnostic and analytical testing. The goal of this project is to enhance paper-based microfluidic mixing by incorporating fluid flow disrupting structures (referred to here as rib bones) into the microdevice design to expand the analytical capabilities of paperbased microfluidic devices. The devices are fabricated on Whatman CHR-1 chromatography paper. The devices are designed in SolidWorks and printed using a solid ink printer (ColorQube 8580). The wax is penetrated into the paper to create hydrophobic barrier regions by heating in a convection oven until the wax is fully penetrated. The parameters …

From Experimental Studies To Coarse-Grained Modeling: Characterization Of Surface Area To Volume Ratio Effects On The Swelling Of Poly (Ethylene Glycol) Dimethacrylate Hydrogels, Gabriel Zahm

Master's Theses

Understanding the performance of widely applied nanoscale hydrogel biomaterials is an unmet need within the biomedical field. The objective of this master’s thesis project was to evaluate the effects size and surface area has on the in vivo behavior of nanoscale hydrogels. The hypothesis tested was that at the nanoscale, the increased surface area to volume effects of nanoscale hydrogels play and important role in the overall swelling of hydrogels, such that nanoscale hydrogels swell to a greater degree than their bulk counterparts. To investigate this, the bulk swelling behavior of a series of neutral poly (ethylene glycol) di-methacrylate (PEGDMA) …

Understanding Competing Climates: A Theoretical Framework For Examining Service And Ethical Climates, Cristopher T. Huynh

Doctoral Dissertations

The study of work climate has expanded our understanding of how context impacts individuals in the workplace. While most climate research has focused on single- or multi-faceted organizational climates and how they directly impact the individual employee, little has been done to understand the influence of multiple, competing work climates on employee behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the multiple, competing climates perspective (Schneider et al., 2013) to better understand the influence of context on an employee’s work-related attitudes. This dissertation begins with a brief review of the climate literature and its existing challenges, highlighting the importance …

Stress Analysis Of Operating Gas Pipeline Installed By Horizontal Directional Drilling And Pullback Force Prediction During Installation, Hongfang Lu

Doctoral Dissertations

With the development of the natural gas industry, the demand for pipeline construction has also increased. In the context of advocating green construction, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), as one of the most widely utilized trenchless methods for pipeline installation, has received extensive attention in industry and academia in recent years. The safety of natural gas pipeline is very important in the process of construction and operation. It is necessary to conduct in-depth study on the safety of the pipeline installed by HDD method.

In this dissertation, motivated by the following considerations, two aspects of HDD are studied. First, through the …

Monte Carlo Simulations Of Electrothermal Transport In Nanoelectronics, T. J. Spence

Science Seminars

The field of microelectronics plays an important role in many areas of engineering and science, being ubiquitous in aerospace, industrial manufacturing, biotechnology, and many other fields. The capacity to simulate new devices accurately is critical to the engineering design process, as device engineers use simulations to predict performance characteristics and identify potential issues before fabrication. In this talk, a Monte Carlo technique is presented for solving the classical Boltzmann Transport Equation, Poisson’s and Schrödinger’s equations for electrons and phonons.

Measurement Of The Radius Of The Neutron, Devaki Pathak

Science Seminars

PREX is an experiment at Jefferson National Accelerator Lab in Virginia. It was designed to measure neutron distribution in a lead nucleus; from this, the radius of the nucleus can be measured to 1% accuracy using the parity violating weak interaction. Such great precision has an impact on nuclear theory. This summer Mrs. Pathak had the opportunity to work at JLab with an expert team of scientists and researchers on this project. In this talk, she will discuss her experiences taking shifts, working with both hardware and software tools, and data analysis.

Design And Analysis Of A Traveling Wave Fault Locator, Gerald Austin Taylor

Master's Theses

The accuracy of fault location is an integral part of power system operations. Improved fault location can reduce maintenance time, increase efficiency, and save money. When a fault occurs, it sends a disturbance in the current and voltage in each direction at almost the speed of light. This disturbance is called a traveling wave, and can be used to locate faults. In efforts to increase accuracy, the use of traveling wave theory to locate faults has become more popular.

This thesis goes through the process of designing and testing a traveling wave fault locator. The design includes analog and digital …

Heat Activation Of Bacillus Anthracis Persists Over A Seven Day Period, Nathan T. Ross

Master's Theses

Bacteria of the Bacillus genera are capable of forming dormant and resilient cells called spores in response to starvation. Spores can break dormancy in the presence of nutrients in a process called germination. Historically, spores are exposed to sublethal heat treatments to increase the extent and rate of germination. This process is known as heat activation (HA). Previous studies on Bacillus species indicate the effects of HA are reversible after 72 hours. After this time period, the spores must be reactivated. However, spores of Bacillus anthracis, a member of the Bacillus family, have not been tested to see how long …

Metal Related Nanoparticles' Physical Behaviors In Different Physiologica Environments, Muhetaer Tuerhong

Master's Theses

In the past decades, the development of nanotechnology has had tremendous successes in material science. In this technology, the pertinent materials are used at the intermediate scale between individual molecules and their size in the nanometer region(1-100nm) compared to bulk materials. This nanoscale size provides a larger surface area; therefore, nanoparticles would be perfect essential components of nanotechnology. The reduced size of nanoparticles has a larger surface ratio to volume, which can modify their chemical, mechanical, structural, and electrical properties.

In this study, the main goal is to test different metal related nanoparticles, such as CuNPs (Copper nanoparticles), FeNPs (Iron …

A Study Of The Mono-Stable And Bi-Stable Magnetic Spring Based Vibration Energy Harvesters Subject To Harmonic Excitation, Hieu Tri Nguyen

Master's Theses

Continuous improvement in electronics manufacturing has led to the deployment of low-power sensors, which has resulted in an urgent need for developing energy harvesters capable of generating electric power using abundant and free energy sources such as ambient vibrations. The work presented here is motivated by the growing interest in targeting nonlinear energy harvesting through magnetic interactions, which are compatible with ambient vibration energy sources that are often characterized by a broadband frequency spectrum and can be particularly rich with low frequencies. In this work, experimental and theoretical studies were performed to investigate a magnetic- levitation-based vibration energy harvester that …

Decreasing Stress Through An Emotion Regulation And Non-Judging Based Intervention With Trauma-Exposed College Students, Megan Cherry

Doctoral Dissertations

Among college students, trauma and PTSD symptomatology are associated with negative consequences (e.g., poor academic performance, stress sensitivity, and negative coping). College is often a stressful time, and those who have experienced trauma, particularly those experiencing PTSD symptoms, are vulnerable to heightened stress sensitivity and negative outcomes. It is imperative to identify interventions that decrease stress for trauma-exposed college students to reduce the deleterious effects of related outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether emotion regulation and non-judgment could be enhanced in trauma-exposed college students through a short, mindfulnessbased intervention, and whether the intervention would lead to …

Developing A Model Of Sexism-Based Traumatic Stress, Marcus Cherry

Doctoral Dissertations

In contemporary society, women regularly endure sexist microaggressions—messages that convey aversive, demeaning sexist slights toward women. Sexist microaggressions have been associated with anger, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, job stress, increased risky health behavior and trauma. Additionally, sexist microaggressions effects are cumulative and can result in the internalization of sexist beliefs and undermine selfcompassion. Research suggests that these distortions of self-views and self-regard can in part contribute to the development of trauma symptoms. Notably, research has found that prolonged exposure to sexism, in general, has been associated with trauma symptoms. However, the traumatic effects of sexist microaggressions have remained largely theoretical. …

How Tempered Radicals Pursue Ideological Change Within Their Organization, Saleh M. Bajaba

Doctoral Dissertations

Organizations that are adaptive, diverse, and socially responsible are often built by employees who are able to implement change “under the radar” of those in the organization who would ordinarily fight significant change. These “tempered radicals” are insider activists who serve as the catalyst for incremental constructive changes which, over time, build better organizations. Unfortunately, little is known about what motivates tempered radicals to enact changes within their organizations. In order to better understand the motives of these internal change agents, I develop a measure of tempered radical motives (TRM). In Study 1, I develop a measure of TRM by …

Real-Time Neurotransmitter Monitoring Of Neuronal Networks In Epilepsy, Phillip Timothy Doughty

Doctoral Dissertations

Epilepsy affects almost 1% of the global population, and further study is necessary to reveal diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets [1]. Second-by-second quantification of neurotransmitter molecules like L-glutamate is expected to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy [2-4], and enzyme-based microelectrode probes offer improved temporal and spatial resolution over existing tools due to their smaller profiles and higher sampling frequencies [5, 6]. To that end, we tested a ceramic enzyme-based microelectrode array (MEA) probe in the hippocampi of Male Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo for the detection of L-glutamate during status epilepticus. Current induced by hydrogen peroxide, the reporter molecule resulting …

Three Essays On Information Security Breaches And Big Data Analytics: Accounting And Auditing Perspective, Shariful Islam

Doctoral Dissertations

The dissertation examines two separate yet significant Information Technology (IT) issues: one dealing with IT risk and the other involving the adoption of IT. The IT risks that the dissertation focuses are information security breaches and the adoption/outsourcing of big data analytics. Using competitive dynamics theory and the theory of information transfer, the dissertation examines whether there is a spillover effect from information security breaches of breached firms to those firms’ rivals. Market reaction from spillover effects is captured from market activity and information asymmetry. The results suggest that the market of rival firms react to the focal firm’s experience …