Digital Commons Network^™

Materials Data Science Using Cradle: A Distributed, Data-Centric Approach, Thomas G. Ciardi, Arafath Nihar, Rounak Chawla, Olatunde Akanbi, Pawan K. Tripathi, Yinghui Wu, Vipin Chaudhary, Roger H. French

Faculty Scholarship

There is a paradigm shift towards data-centric AI, where model efficacy relies on quality, unified data. The common research analytics and data lifecycle environment (CRADLE™) is an infrastructure and framework that supports a data-centric paradigm and materials data science at scale through heterogeneous data management, elastic scaling, and accessible interfaces. We demonstrate CRADLE’s capabilities through five materials science studies: phase identification in X-ray diffraction, defect segmentation in X-ray computed tomography, polymer crystallization analysis in atomic force microscopy, feature extraction from additive manufacturing, and geospatial data fusion. CRADLE catalyzes scalable, reproducible insights to transform how data is captured, stored, and analyzed.

Empirical Algorithms For Estimating Downwelling Light Attenuation At Λ=490 Nm From Sentinel-2 In A Narrow Optically Complex Bay, Plymouth Sound, United Kingdom, Louis J. Thornton

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This study investigates the potential of reflectance band ratios, modelled on Sentinel-2’s MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) bands 10m resolution to estimate the downwelling attenuation coefficient for planar irradiance, Kd(λ), at 490nm (Kd(490)) in Plymouth Sound. Kd(λ) is vital for characterising subsurface light climate, strongly influencing physical and biogeochemical processes in coastal and oceanic waters. In temperate shelf seas, human activities have led to loss in vitality and spatial extent of structurally complex seabed, emphasizing the need for enhanced monitoring. Satellite-based remote sensing (RS) offers spatial and temporal advantages to conventional in situ methods. There are, however two main inadequacies that persist …

Advances In Electrocatalytic Dehydrogenation Of Ethylamine To Acetonitrile, Yanlin Zhu, Dezhen Wu, Jinyao Tang, Dakota Braaten, Bin Liu, Zhenmeng Peng

Faculty Publications

The electrocatalytic dehydrogenation of ethylamine (EDH), owing to its high hydrogen content, holds broad prospects in electrochemical hydrogen (H2) production, H2 storage, and addressing energy issues, thus deserving wide attention. In this feature article, we first summarized the fundamentals of thermocatalytic and electrocatalytic EDH and reviewed the recent state-of-the-art advances in catalyst research, specifically platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts and non-PGM catalysts. We systematically discussed the potential applications of electrocatalytic EDH in energy storage and conversion. Finally, we provide our perspective on the key challenges and future developments in this field. We believe this feature article will offer helpful guidance …

Improving Biomimetic Passive Dynamics Of A Quadruped Robot Hind Leg Hip Joint With A 3d Printed Torsion Spring, Haonan Zheng

Dissertations and Theses

The Agile and Adaptive Robotics Lab is interested in researching the neuromuscular control network of legged animal locomotion. To validate the lab's understanding of biological neural control, synthetic neural networks are developed and applied to biologically inspired legged robots. For a synthetic neural network to operate in the same manner as a biological neural network and produce the same locomotor behavior, the robot that the synthetic neural network is controlling must also mimic its biological counterpart. Previous research produced a quadruped robot hind leg designed with biomimetic passive dynamics by installing spring and damper pairs at each joint, however, an …

Enrichment Of Turkish Question Answering Systems Using Knowledge Graphs, Okan Çi̇ftçi̇, Fati̇h Soygazi̇, Selma Teki̇r

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Recent capabilities of large language models (LLMs) have transformed many tasks in Natural Language Processing (NLP), including question answering. The state-of-the-art systems do an excellent job of responding in a relevant, persuasive way but cannot guarantee factuality. Knowledge graphs, representing facts as triplets, can be valuable for avoiding errors and inconsistencies with real-world facts. This work introduces a knowledge graph-based approach to Turkish question answering. The proposed approach aims to develop a methodology capable of drawing inferences from a knowledge graph to answer complex multihop questions. We construct the Beyazperde Movie Knowledge Graph (BPMovieKG) and the Turkish Movie Question Answering …

Rational Design Of Lignin-First Biorefineries Through Lignin Analysis And Deconstruction Modeling Tools, Aditya Ponukumati

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Lignocellulosic biomass is produced photosynthetically from atmospheric CO2 and is one of the few sources of renewable, reduced carbon that is generated on a scale comparable to demand for chemical commodities. For a sense of scale, the U.S. Energy Security and Independence Act targets the production of approximately 16 billion gallons per year of second-generation lignocellulosic biofuels by 2025. That production would generate approximately 62 million tons per year of dry lignin byproducts. The focus of this dissertation is on the valorization of these lignin components of biomass. Currently, lignin is either discarded or burned for local heat or electricity …

Modeling Powder Spreadability In Powder-Based Processes Using The Discrete Element Method, Austin T. Sutton, M. Hossein Sehhat, Ming C. Leu, Joseph W. Newkirk

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Powder-bed fusion (PBF) processes refer to a subset of Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques where powder is spread on the build-plate before melting (by a laser or electron beam). While PBF processes are attractive due to their ability for realizing complex structures that are either difficult or impossible to create through conventional means, the parts fabricated with these techniques can exhibit defects such as pores, inclusions, and excessive surface roughness. To minimize these defects, much research has been dedicated towards process maturation by optimizing laser or electron beam parameters. However, these developmental efforts typically do not address the recoating process where …

Experimental Investigation Of Heat Transfer And Pressure Drop In Copper Manifold Microchannel Heat Sinks, Yue Qiu, Huigang Wang, Jennifer Carter, James Mcguffin-Cawley, Chirag R. Kharangate

Faculty Scholarship

Over the past decade, various two-phase cooling solutions have been implemented to dissipate power in high heat flux electronic components. The manifold microchannel heat sink is an efficient thermal management solution that reduces heat resistance while also limiting the pumping power. However, there is limited work available on small form factor manifold microchannels with traditional heat sinking materials like copper. In this study, an experimental investigation is conducted to evaluate the heat transfer and pressure drop performance of copper manifold microchannel heat sinks using an environmentally friendly refrigerant, R1233zd(E), as the working fluid. A microchannel plate and a manifold plate, …

Distributed Energy Trading Models Utilizing Reinforcement Learning And Game-Theoretic Based Approaches In Smart Grids, Nicholas Kemp

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Community-driven energy initiatives have become crucial for effective energy management, particularly in trading and management. The rise of Distributed Energy Resources in smart grids demands a redesign of traditional Demand Response Management (DRM) models to account for prosumers' dynamic behavior in energy markets. Decentralization, including peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading, is vital for resilience and sustainability. This thesis introduces two coalitional DRM models: one based on hedonic community formation games, and the other combining matching theory with coalition games. These models empower prosumers to autonomously select energy trading communities using partially available data. To optimize energy consumption, two additional models are …

Sofast Cad Layout Tool, Felicia Brimigion

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Concentrating solar mirrors need to have correct geometry to accurately focus sunlight onto a receiver. SOFAST is a tool created at Sandia National Laboratories which measures a mirror’s surface normal at a dense sampling of points, enabling evaluation of a given mirror’s expected performance. SOFAST supports general mirrors, including concentrating solar heliostats, troughs, and dishes. The examples presented in this report predominantly focus on heliostats.

There are generally four major components of a SOFAST system – the mirror, camera, projector, and screen. For SOFAST to properly measure a mirror, the following geometric constraints must be satisfied:

1. The reflection of …

Protecting The Cosmos: Defining Celestial Bodies In The Outer Space Treaty, David Epstein

Space and Defense

Lack of a clear definition of the term “celestial bodies” as used in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty risks exporting legal and political conflict into the cosmos. *This essay is updated from a previously published version and appears here by permission of the Journal of Space Law at Ole Miss.

Effect Of Local Chain Stiffness On Oligomer Crystallization From A Melt, Pierre Kawak, Christopher Akiki, Douglas R. Tree

Faculty Publications

While the process by which a polymer crystal nucleates from the melt has been extensively studied via molecular simulation, differences in polymer models and simulated crystallization conditions have led to seemingly contradictory results. We make steps to resolve this controversy by computing low-temperature phase diagrams of oligomer melts using Wang-Landau Monte Carlo simulations. Two qualitatively different crystallization mechanisms are possible depending on the local bending stiffness potential. Polymers with a discrete bending potential crystallize via a single-step mechanism, whereas polymers with a continuous bending potential can crystallize via a two-step mechanism that includes an intermediate nematic phase. Other model differences …

Soft Electronics And Systems For Display And Healthcare Applications, Junyi Zhao

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Soft electronics are emerging as a revolutionary platform, signifying a pivotal shift from performance-centric priorities to human-centered principles that emphasize accessibility, sustainability, and user experience. As conventional electronics technology approaches its performance ceiling, further improvements in performance metrics have slowed, prompting consumers to place greater importance on user experience and eco-friendliness. Compared to traditional rigid electronics, soft electronics offer the potential to seamlessly integrate biological systems with soft electronic frameworks. Motivated by these demands, this dissertation has been dedicated to bridging fundamental material studies, advanced manufacturing, novel electronic devices, system-level integrations, and practical applications. This interdisciplinary endeavor aims to establish …

Machine Learning Boiling Prediction: From Autonomous Vision Of Flow Visualization Data To Performance Parameter Theoretical Modeling, Cho Ning Huang, Issam Mudawar, Chirag R. Kharangate

Faculty Scholarship

Flow boiling is a highly efficient configuration for meeting the high heat dissipation demands of thermal management systems. However, the complex physics of two-phase flow has hindered its broader application, especially in terms of quantifying visual information. Recent advancements in machine learning vision tools have revolutionized the analysis of phase change phenomena by enabling the digitalization of physically meaningful features such as void fraction, vapor-liquid interfacial behaviors, and liquid-solid wall wetting front areas en masse. In this study, we systematically investigate two-phase models that compute void fractions, heat transfer coefficients, and critical heat flux using live bubble data streams under …

Enterprise Systems: Installing And Configuring Erpnext On Macos, Yazan Abbasi

Senior Honors Theses

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems integrate business processes across organizations onto unified digital platforms through data and workflow consolidation. However, high licensing costs of proprietary ERP solutions like SAP and Oracle limit adoption for small and medium enterprises. This led to the emergence of open-source ERP alternatives like ERPNext which provide sophisticated capabilities at much lower total cost of ownership. However, ERPNext faces documentation gaps that hamper onboarding, customization, and widespread adoption. Accelerating ERPNext implementation by developing a comprehensive installation and configuration guide tailored for developers using Mac environments will be examined furthermore.

The background on ERP systems explores critical …

Introduction To Computer Technology: Build Your Own Computer, Michael Deredita, Orit D. Gruber

Open Educational Resources

The students will work on a project to specify, shop, and build a desktop computer (using a budget ~ $1,750), according to their needs and applications. Students will use Newegg (https://www.newegg.com) and/or Microcenter (https://www.microcenter.com/) to browse and select (parts), and will record the specifications of the selected components; including the make/model/item number of each part.

Ready, Set, Grow: From Micelles To Giant Vesicles Via Biocatalytic Activation, Nicholas P. Bair, Qinyu Zhu, Bryon A. Staynings, Douglas R. Tree, Walter F. Paxton

Faculty Publications

Controlling physicochemical processes that drive changes in supramolecular aggregates is an important objective toward creating artificial soft micro- and nanomachines. Previous research explored the morphology control of membrane-based materials subjected to externally imposed chemical stimuli. Here, we modulate the microscale morphology of pH-responsive assemblies by using biocatalysis to internally generate changes in global pH. Catalytic reactions offer flexibility in the mechanism and rate at which stimuli are introduced to responsive assemblies, ultimately enabling precision and control over size and morphology. We observed, by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence microscopy, substantial microscale differences between assemblies subjected to manually titrated pH changes …

Insight Into Complexity: Novel Information Theoretic Analysis Of Spatiotemporal Interactions, Humayra Tasnim

Computer Science ETDs

Complex systems are comprised of different components. Interactions and associations among these components define the functionality of the system. For example, T cells must directly interact with virally infected cells to kill them. This research characterizes the most relevant components of complex systems by analyzing interacting relationships using information theoretic measures. It emphasizes the importance of spatial and temporal dynamics, which occur when components share spatial proximities or temporal sequences. Novel information theoretic analyses are proposed for quantifying the degree of association among system components, which is key to defining the spatiotemporal dynamics. One focus of this work is the …

Experimental Investigations On The Flow Boiling And Heat Transfer Characteristics During Chilldown Process In A Closed Loop Chilldown Test Section, Jayachandran K. Narayanan, Jason W. Hartwig, Mohammad Kassemi, Chirag R. Kharangate

Faculty Scholarship

In this study, closed loop chilldown experiments are performed on a 0.009525 m outer diameter SS-316 tube of length 0.6 m and thickness 0.001651 m in a horizontal flow configuration with PF-5060 as the working fluid. The challenges associated with the development of a closed loop chilldown test section in comparison with conventional open loop cryogenic chilldown experiments are discussed and the methods to overcome this are presented. The test section tube is heated to around 246–249 °C to perform the chilldown tests and the film, transition and nucleate boiling regimes along with the single phase liquid convective regimes are …

Effect Of Air Filtration On Water Quality During Atmospheric Water Harvest In The Southwest United States, A.J. Barney

Civil Engineering ETDs

Access to sustainable drinking water is a concern across the globe. Atmospheric water harvest (AWH) offers a potential supplemental drinking water source. However, the sources and processes affecting AWH water quality are not well understood and must be thoroughly studied to consistently utilize AWH for drinking water. The objective of this research is to assess how removing particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and PM10 in the air used to produce AWH with air-filters affects the water quality of AWH. AWH samples were collected simultaneously with three identical dehumidifiers, utilizing three different air-filter configurations (no-filter, MERV8, and MERV12) in Albuquerque, NM from …

Building A Trusted Relationship Among Project Participants In Construction Projects On Tribal Land, Dominica J. Bennett

Civil Engineering ETDs

There are 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States, and these tribal communities differ by culture, language, history, and self-governance. Performing a tribal construction project is different than a non-tribal project due to tribal sovereignty, tribes are both legally and regulatory independent. The United States has recognized its trust with Indigenous tribes through treaties, statutes, and historical relations, however treaties and statutes have been broken over time. This paper aims to qualitatively and quantitatively identify relationships and trust built between contractors, designers, and owners on construction projects while identifying challenges. The methodology involves survey distribution to rank the level …

Examining The Oxidation States Of Metals In Aerosols Emitted By Electronic Cigarettes, Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba, Stephen Yaw Owusu, Yangtao Wu, Yue-Wern Huang, Yi Jiang, Yang Wang

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electronic cigarettes (ECs) emit many toxic substances, including metals, that can pose a threat to users and the environment. The toxicity of the emitted metals depends on their oxidation states. Hence, this study examines the oxidation states of metals observed in EC aerosols. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the filters that collected EC aerosols identified the oxidation states of five primary metals (based on surface sample analysis), including chromium(III) (close to 100%) under low power setting while a noticeable amount of chromium(VI) (15%) at higher power settings of the EC, and copper(II) (100%), zinc(II) (100%), nickel(II) (100%), lead(II) (65%), and …

3d Printing Of Local New Mexican Soil Material: Improving Durability Properties By Assessing Traditional Methods Towards Alternative Sustainable Construction, Daiquiri Devon Zozaya

Civil Engineering ETDs

3D printing (3DP), or additive manufacturing, represents a dynamic and swiftly advancing manufacturing method in which diverse materials are deposited layer by layer through computer-controlled processes, creating intricate geometries. This technology has demonstrated success in various construction applications, including the construction of bridges, bus stop stations, and even residential homes. Nonetheless, the predominant application of 3DP in construction relies heavily on cement due to its robustness, convenience, and ease of use. Regrettably, the cement sector is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for approximately 8% of worldwide CO₂ emissions. Investigating all facets of carbon emissions reduction is …

Exploration Of Semiconductor Gain Medium, Resonator, Pump, And Frequency Stabilization For Laser Guide Star Applications, Mingyang Zhang

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Laser Guide Star (LGS) systems are essential for adaptive optics in ground-based astronomical observation. This dissertation demonstrates the feasibility of semiconductor-based LGS systems using the membrane external-cavity surface-emitting laser (MECSEL) platform, employing multiple quantum wells. Various laser cavity configurations were analyzed through simulations and experiments. The in-well pumping method was explored to reduce the quantum defect and address thermal limitations. Multi-pass pumping schemes were designed with Zemax modeling and demonstrated experimentally. To simplify multi-pass pumping, the hybrid-MECSEL (H-MECSEL) design was introduced. COMSOL modeling studied thermal management and thermal lensing effect.

The H-MECSEL achieved approximately 30 W of output power at …

Coupled Monte Carlo And Adjoint Depletion Sensitivity Coefficient Methods, Benjamin R. Murphy

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Recent advances in adjoint-based, continuous-energy Monte Carlo generalized perturbation theory (GPT) sensitivity coefficients are combined with adjoint-based depletion perturbation theory (DPT) sensitivities to obtain fully coupled depletion sensitivity coefficients in OpenMC. These depletion sensitivity coefficients are compared with direct perturbation results and found to have generally good agreement, though discrepancies exist. Some shortfalls of the DPT method include the inefficient initial numeric integration scheme for calculating the DPT sensitivities and the lack of stochastic uncertainty estimates for the DPT sensitivities. However, despite these shortcomings, the methodology provides the means to obtain high fidelity depletion sensitivity coefficients. With refinements to the …

Evaluation Of The Built Environment Performance In Light Of Sustainable And Universal Design: Criteria And Methods, N.A.Mohamed E. A. Morghany, M. E. Khalil

Journal of Engineering Research

Egypt's Vision 2030 for Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) emphasizes social inclusion and accessibility. The concept of Universal Design (UD) is crucial in achieving the goals of SDS by facilitating utilization and access to the built environment for all.

Hybrid Mechanism Of Electrical Breakdown In Ferroelectric Materials Under High-Pressure Shock Loading, Sergey I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, Vladimir G. Antipov, Jay B. Chase, Christopher S. Lynch

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The unique ability of ferroelectrics to generate high voltage under shock loading is limited by electrical breakdown within the shock-compressed ferroelectric material. Breakdown is a hybrid process of initiation and growth. The possible mechanisms of electrical breakdown in ferroelectric films and bulk ceramics subjected to high-pressure shock loading are discussed and experiments designed to elucidate which mechanisms govern breakdown. Gigapascal shock loading experiments were performed on poled Pb_0.99(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)_0.98Nb_0.02O₃ ferroelectric film specimens in the range of 32-156 μm thickness to determine the dependence of the breakdown field on thickness and …

Engineered Cementitious Composites: The Good, The Bad, And The Possibilities, Michele M. Anderson, Michele M. Anderson

Civil Engineering ETDs

Construction materials require testing in the laboratory and field to be accepted as viable tools. Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are a new material in the class of ultra-high-performance concrete studied and tested in the lab but not in the field. This research aimed to answer questions about ECC's ability to be a viable and cost-efficient construction material. The cost of ECC continues to be a factor in the acceptance of the material. Cost savings in construction and labor have not been identified until now, and it is good. Field condition testing of ECC in a desert climate known for extreme …

A Stable Isotope Study To Investigate Water Movement In The Los Lagos Region Of Southern Chile, Kritan Subedi

Civil Engineering ETDs

The Los Lagos region in southern Chile, located in northwest Patagonia, features rain-fed agricultural lands, glacial lakes, forests, farmlands, and volcanic soils. This study investigates water movement within a micro-basin using stable isotope analysis and hydrological modeling over eight weeks. It aims to develop a conceptual model of water movement by elucidating interactions between precipitation, soil water, and streamflow. Findings highlight the critical role of deeper soil layers in sustaining streamflow during dry spells and indicate that soil acts as a buffer, maintaining hydrological continuity despite variable precipitation. Improved understanding of these dynamics can inform watershed management and water resource …

Optical Responses Of Hybrid Electromagnetic Nanostructures, Dominic Bosomtwi

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Fano resonances result from the interference between a broad background and a narrow state, producing asymmetric scattering profiles. Under specific conditions, destructive interference collapses the Fano resonance width, leading to bound states in the continuum (BICs) that localize light within a nanostructure while maintaining an infinitely high-quality factor (Q-factor).

This dissertation explores the design of nanostructures with multilayer hybrid plasmonic-dielectric metasurfaces using full-wave numerical simulations, facilitating multiple Fano resonances and BICs. By adjusting nanoantenna dimensions, multiple modes are excited at plasmonic-dielectric interfaces, leading to strong interactions and hybridization of energy levels, manifested as Rabi splitting.

These findings enable advancements in …