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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Financial Market Conditions, Sector Price Movements: 2002-2012
Financial Market Conditions, Sector Price Movements: 2002-2012
Stander Symposium Projects
In this study I want to examine the relationship between market financial conditions and sector prices. The basis for the study is the 2008 financial crisis that started in the housing sector and spread to the banking system, culminating in a bank bailout by the U.S government. At the same time, the stock market experienced a major downswing in 2008 running through the 1st quarter, 2009. I plan to use the Chicago Federal Reserve’s National Financial Conditions Index (NFCI) as a proxy for financial conditions in the U.S. economy. NFCI is a weighted average of 100 financial and economic indicators. …
Exploring Data-Driven Electricity Feedback On Energy Conservation Behavior In The University Of Dayton Student Neighborhood
Stander Symposium Projects
In general, homeowners do not have a concrete idea of how much energy their houses are using at any given moment. This energy “invisibility” is thought to be a barrier toward people adopting more sustainable behaviors. This study involves installing energy monitors in houses in the University of Dayton student neighborhood to analyze two important questions: whether the monitors teach students about the relationship between their activities and energy consumption, and whether the monitors influence students to adjust their household behaviors. Ideally, conclusions will be drawn from quantitative data collected from the monitors and the university’s energy provider as well …
Research Exercise: Identification Of English Language Learners As Gifted Students
Research Exercise: Identification Of English Language Learners As Gifted Students
Stander Symposium Projects
The United States educational system has faced several challenges and reforms regarding assessment and identification in the past fifty years which continue to change as the nation develops new goals and needs (Giuliani & Pierangelo 2012). In recent years, schools have included a large population of immigrant students from families with native languages other than English (Carter 2005). The need for educating students in English as a second language has led to new policies and programs developed specifically for ELL or English Language Learners (Elizalde-Utnick 2008). Another current topic of educational policy concerns the emphasis on assessment and high-stakes testing. …
Research Exercise: Google/Multi-National Corporations, International Surveillance, And Human Rights
Research Exercise: Google/Multi-National Corporations, International Surveillance, And Human Rights
Stander Symposium Projects
The many news reports on cyber security, identity theft, Wikileaks, and NSA intelligence gathering programs over the past few years have shown the international community that the World Wide Web is anything but a safe place to store sensitive information, or any information for that matter. This study will examine how closely multi-national corporations in the information technology sector, such as Google, are involved with national governments on these issues. The study will analyze events in the U.S. and China and attempt to uncover whether or not these have directly infringed upon peoples’ basic human rights.
Research Exercise: Human Rights Violations, Genocide, And Other Current Issues In Africa: Un Involvement Then And Now
Stander Symposium Projects
Throughout the last century, African nations have struggled to become fully independent and successful countries. Their development has been inhibited by the lack of democracy and governmental guidance within these nations. The United Nations has played an integral role in the development of these nations. This paper will take an in depth look at the actions of the UN in these situations and how they have changed or stayed the same over the past several decades. The paper will focus on two specific African nations that have struggled through human rights violations and genocide over the last twenty years. The …
First Year Chinese Student Engagement In Residence Halls: A Mixed Methods Study
First Year Chinese Student Engagement In Residence Halls: A Mixed Methods Study
Stander Symposium Projects
Social adjustment is tumultuous for first year international students, especially for those living in residence halls. Yet, research focused specifically on international residents in this environment is lacking (Paltridge et al., 2010). This mixed methods study assessed first year Chinese students perception of racial climate in the residence halls at a mid-sized, Midwestern private institution. The quantitative results indicated that the students’ perceptions of a positive racial climate directly impacted their personal and social learning outcomes. Students’ first impression of the hall environment impacted how they subsequently perceived the sense of community. The qualitative analysis revealed aspects of the social …
Investigation And Optimization Of A Mechanical Regenerative Braking Launch Assist Device
Investigation And Optimization Of A Mechanical Regenerative Braking Launch Assist Device
Stander Symposium Projects
Fuel efficiency has become a major concern in the automotive industry. A mechanically-based, Regenerative Braking Launch Assist (RBLA) is a kinetic energy recovery system that helps us to improve fuel efficiency in vehicles. A prototype of one concept has been previously created. In the existing RBLA prototype, an extension spring is used as strain energy storage component. The effectiveness of prototype will be evaluated with the extension spring along with a torsion spring and spiral spring. The desired configuration is one where a large amount of energy can be stored with a low weight and low volume spring.
Investigating Survival Strategies Of A Radioresistant Bacterium: Deinococcus Radiodurans
Investigating Survival Strategies Of A Radioresistant Bacterium: Deinococcus Radiodurans
Stander Symposium Projects
DNA replication is a process that is vital to cell survival. When double stranded DNA goes through the replication process, it splits into two separate strands with the help of a helicase. When a cell in the process of replicating its DNA encounters DNA damage, the replication proteins fall off the DNA strand and DNA replication stops; in other instances cells can utilize the replication restart pathway. This pathway allows certain cells to overlook damaged DNA strands, reload replication proteins back on the replication strand, and proceed with replication. Deinococcus radiodurans is one organism that is able to utilize this …
Nonlinear Image Enhancement And Super Resolution For Enhanced Object Tracking
Nonlinear Image Enhancement And Super Resolution For Enhanced Object Tracking
Stander Symposium Projects
Tracking objects, such as vehicles and humans, in wide area motion imagery (WAMI) is a challenging problem because of the limited pixel area and the low contrast/visibility of the target objects. We propose an approach to make automatic tracking algorithms more effective by incorporating image enhancement and super resolution as preprocessing algorithms. The enhancement process includes the stages of dynamic range compression and contrast enhancement. Dynamic range compression is performed by a neighborhood based nonlinear intensity transformation process, which utilizes a locally tuned inverse sine nonlinear function to generate various nonlinear curves based on pixel’s neighborhood information. These nonlinear curves …
Research Exercise: Madison County Equestrian Facility Renovation
Research Exercise: Madison County Equestrian Facility Renovation
Stander Symposium Projects
The Madison County Fairgrounds Equine Center is in need of repair in order to provide a more safe and enjoyable experience for its patrons. The Equine Facility can gain aesthetic value and functionality by improving the conditions and characteristics of the show arena. The improvement of the Equine Facilities will not only increase the aesthetic value, but will also help to enrich the Equine experience of the youth and citizens of Madison County. To assist Madison County Fairgrounds with this endeavor, the team will provide technical information to Madison County Fairgrounds in order to improve the quality and functionality of …
Preparatory And Performance Self-Efficacy In Athletes
Preparatory And Performance Self-Efficacy In Athletes
Stander Symposium Projects
Self-efficacy establishes a relationship between people and their goal-directed behavior. The relationship helps determine whether people will initiate the behavior and how long they will persist in performing the behavior. Specific types of self-efficacy are preparatory self-efficacy in relation to a certain task, (i.e., that is, self-perception of anticipated ability in successfully completing a task) and performance self-efficacy regarding that task. Specifically, the present study examined these two types of self-efficacy in response to the performance on spatial tasks that assessed the ability to take different perspectives and picture the movement of objects in space. Participants were given preparatory, performance, …
Research Exercise: Research On Aspects Of The Classroom Environment In P-12 Schools On Student Learning
Stander Symposium Projects
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to explore different learning environments that affect student learning.
Quasi-Plagiarism Vs. Human Universality In The Dystopian Genre
Quasi-Plagiarism Vs. Human Universality In The Dystopian Genre
Stander Symposium Projects
Dystopian literature characteristically addresses the plight of the “everyman” as he copes with the oppression imposed by a totalitarian regime. Touchstone writers of the genre known for novels including Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World and Anthem have, however, been scrutinized for creating uncannily similar plots. While scholars have linked the writers’ ideas back to a Russian predecessor, the novel We, this research explores how a charge of quasi-plagiarism is a shallow explanation. The great question being explored in any dystopian novel is whether government can save mankind from itself by eradicating individual will. The commonalities among that individual will dictate …
Research Exercise: Research On Single Gender Environments
Research Exercise: Research On Single Gender Environments
Stander Symposium Projects
Standards for the teaching profession emphasize the importance of awareness, understanding, and integration into practice of current research in education. The goal of the EDT 110H1 class project was to present syntheses of related literature on pertinent topics to p - 12 education, specifically the benefits of single gender environments on student achievement.
Rejection Sensitivity As A Mediator Of The Effects Of Parental Support On Friendship Alienation
Rejection Sensitivity As A Mediator Of The Effects Of Parental Support On Friendship Alienation
Stander Symposium Projects
Previous research has shown an association between parental relationship and friendship quality, so that with higher quality relationships with parents, there is an increased probability of higher friendship quality. However, the process by which these variables are related remains unclear. The present study tested rejection sensitivity, or the tendency to readily perceive and expect social humiliation or rejection, as a possible mediator of the relationship between parental relationship quality and friend alienation. The current study hypothesized that parental relationship quality would be inversely associated with friendship alienation; and that the association between parental relationship quality and friendship alienation would be …
Supporting A Local Thrift Shop To Help The Tenants Of Good Shepherd Ministries
Supporting A Local Thrift Shop To Help The Tenants Of Good Shepherd Ministries
Stander Symposium Projects
The Good Shepard Ministries is a Miami Valley organization that assists in the recovery of former drug addicts and their successful re-entry into society. The ministry is funded by community donations of gently-used items and food. As members of the Social Justice Service Club, our service project is organizing a UD community donation drive to assist this ministry. Our plan is to set up donation bins in the Kettering Union, the RecPlex, and the freshman and sophomore dorms. Donated items will be collected and sorted through on a weekly basis and then transported to The Good Shepard Ministries for distribution …
Singularity-Free Synthesis Of Coupler-Drivers For Actuating Single Degree-Of-Freedom Mechanisms
Singularity-Free Synthesis Of Coupler-Drivers For Actuating Single Degree-Of-Freedom Mechanisms
Stander Symposium Projects
The goal of this research is to advance the synthesis methodology for designing coupler-drivers for actuating single degree of freedom mechanisms. A planar coupler-driver is a chain consisting of a fixed revolute joint, an actuated prismatic joint, and a moving revolute joint connected to an ideal location on a previously synthesized planar mechanism. Although such a chain may be connected between any fixed point and any moving point on the mechanism, the synthesis challenge is determining the locations of these points such that the mechanism moves over its desired range of motion without reaching a singularity. A singularity is a …
Serial Chains Of Spherical Four-Bar Mechanisms To Achieve Design Helices
Serial Chains Of Spherical Four-Bar Mechanisms To Achieve Design Helices
Stander Symposium Projects
This research presents a methodology for designing mechanical chains comprised of a large number of identical spherical four-bar mechanisms. Such a mechanical chain can achieve up to five prescribed helices. A spherical four-bar mechanism is a single degree of freedom device consisting of four revolute (R) joints whose rotational axes intersect at a common point. The mechanical chains are created by connecting the coupler of the prior spherical mechanism to the base link of the subsequent spherical mechanism. An extension on each mechanism will lie along the prescribed helices as the device moves. The methodology introduces a companion helix to …
Research Exercise: The Future Of Humanitarian Aid In Afghanistan: An Analysis Of United Nations Humanitarian Aid From March, 2002 Until March, 2014, And A Projection Of Afghanistan's Future Humanitarian Climate
Stander Symposium Projects
At the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for an injection of 10 billion dollars of aid, over a ten-year period, into Afghanistan. Since March of 2002, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has facilitated the development and coordination of sustainable humanitarian initiatives in the country. This project will explore the extent, type, and effectiveness of international aid in Afghanistan since the arrival of UNAMA. The project intends to use the identified patterns and traits of this 12 year period to project the potential humanitarian landscape of Afghanistan moving forward.
The Acute Effects Of Aerobic And Resistance Exercise On Cardiovascular Function And Arterial Stiffness
Stander Symposium Projects
This study investigated how long the cardiovascular effects of aerobic and resistance exercise propagate after completion of exercise in healthy males. Cardiovascular function was closely monitored to observe changes in arterial stiffness before exercise and during recovery. Parameters used to monitor vascular function include central and peripheral blood pressure, heart rate, velocity of blood flow, and blood biomarkers of vascular function. The study required participants to complete an aerobic, resistance and control exposure. Measures of the parameters were taken at rest and at specified intervals after completion of each protocol. These measurements were analyzed to determine the acute effects of …
The Acute Effect Of A Sensory Integration Therapy Intervention On Postural Stability And Gaze Patterns Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Feasibility Trial
Stander Symposium Projects
The research of objective of this feasibility study is to determine whether posturography and gaze tracking could be used to measure the effect of a common SI intervention. The hypothesis tested is that subjects will demonstrate changes in postural stability and socially relevant gaze fixations post-intervention.
Writing About My Adamantium Skeleton: Media Self-Assimilation Bolsters Grip Strength When Embodying A Personal Ideal
Stander Symposium Projects
Body image research focuses on how ideal physical dimensions, purported by media and culture, may not be attainable for the average person. For men, that includes evolutionary indicators of physical prowess, such as heavy musculature and physical strength. Findings often indicate deleterious effects of such media on positive regard toward the self following comparison between self and ideal other. However, considerably less research concerns itself with men feeling part of the muscular ideal, thus buffering themselves from feelings of inadequacy. The current study addresses this concern through media self-assimilation (MSA), a process of imbuing oneself with characteristics of a media …
The Glass Walls Project: Sharing Science And Engineering In 3d
The Glass Walls Project: Sharing Science And Engineering In 3d
Stander Symposium Projects
The Glass Walls Project is the brainchild of Dr. Peter Powers. It is a computer application for visualizing scientific and engineering laboratories, logging experiments, and networking the process. This presentation is a demo program focused on the 3-dimensional visualization and exploration of laboratories.
Research Exercise: United Nations Reform: Inefficiencies Of The Responsibility To Protect
Research Exercise: United Nations Reform: Inefficiencies Of The Responsibility To Protect
Stander Symposium Projects
The infant nation state of Timor Leste has faced many roadblocks in their short history of sovereignty, and the introduction of higher efficiency wood burning stoves can help reverse these trends. Timorese satisfy 95% of their energy needs by burning wood in personal stoves and generators, a trend that is leading to high rates of air pollution related health conditions and rapid deforestation. High efficiency stoves can reduce family energy costs by 40%, while greatly limiting carbon emissions in the home and dense urban areas. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has taken up the challenge of implementing these …
Upper Grade Level Literacy: Instructional Strategies For Struggling Readers
Upper Grade Level Literacy: Instructional Strategies For Struggling Readers
Stander Symposium Projects
Education research has shown that a quarter of eighth-grade students perform below basic reading proficiency. Despite this, reading instruction often ceases after eighth grade while text structure and content area language become more difficult. This research project focuses on studying strategies used for struggling readers in seventh through twelfth grade and includes a case study of a struggling reader in order to identify some of the characteristics and needs of struggling readers. This research synthesizes ideas from previous studies, analyzes teacher interviews for literacy instruction strategies, and, in the case study, uses observation, primary source study, and reading assessments.
When Are Positive Views Of Myself Harmful? An Experimental Test Of Interactive Effects Of Self-Enhancement, Stress Severity, And Context Controllability On Mental Health
Stander Symposium Projects
A wide array of research has shown that people tend to view themselves in a positively biased manner, known as self-enhancement. Some findings show that self-enhancement promotes positive mental health, while others reveal that self-enhancement can be harmful to mental health. Recent research suggests that self-enhancement’s impact on mental health during negative experiences depends on context controllability and stress severity. It also suggests that one’s motivation to address the negative experience affects the mental outcomes manifested from self-enhancement. The main objectives of the present study are to a) experimentally examine how self-enhancement, stress severity, and context controllability interact to affect …
Research Exercise: Understanding The Common Core State Standards And Their Role In Catholic Education
Stander Symposium Projects
In 2009, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) revolutionized academic standards, providing a format adopted by states across America that focused on raising Math and English Language Arts standards as preparation for colleges and careers. In conjunction with the adoption and implementation of the CCSS across the United States, Catholic schools have worked towards the strengthening and advancement of their own educational systems. This thesis first examines the background of the CCSS, including implementation and professional development, as well as the opposition regarding the standards. The paper presents an overview of the history of academic standards in Catholic education and …
Truncation Error For A Finite Difference Scheme For The Black-Scholes Model
Truncation Error For A Finite Difference Scheme For The Black-Scholes Model
Stander Symposium Projects
Finite difference methods are simplest and oldest methods among all the numerical techniques to approximate the solution of partial differential equations (PDEs). The derivatives in the partial differential equation are approximated by finite difference formulas. The error between the numerical solution and the exact solution is determined by the error between a differential operator to a difference operator. This error is called the discretization error or truncation error. The term truncation error reflects the fact that a finite part of a Taylor series is used in the approximation. In this work we will analyze the truncation error for a finite …
The Reverse Mission: A Service Immersion In El Salvador
The Reverse Mission: A Service Immersion In El Salvador
Stander Symposium Projects
The organization Christians for Peace in El Salvador, or CRISPAZ, hosted myself and ten other University of Dayton students for one week in January. Throughout this week my peers and I experienced the daily routines of those living in the fast-paced atmosphere of San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador, as well as the town of San Jose Los Flores, a small agricultural village with dirt roads and one large church at the center. Representatives from CRISPAZ sat down with us on the first night in El Salvador to discuss the purpose of the mission trip. They explained that …
A Geometric Study Of The Discharge Port Used In Scroll Compressors
A Geometric Study Of The Discharge Port Used In Scroll Compressors
Stander Symposium Projects
A scroll compression has become the prevalent technology used air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The compression chamber consists of two spiral shaped vanes that form pairs of chambers. A crankshaft imposes an orbital translation on one of the vanes, which reduces the volume of the chambers, thereby compressing the gas trapped within the chamber. A hole is placed at the center of the fixed spiral. The moving spiral will uncover the hole, which serves as an exhaust port. This project studies the exhaust flow area as a function of crank angle. Additionally, the project assesses the sensitivity of the exhaust flow …