Digital Commons Network^™

Pegasus: Vfs 2025-2026 Dbvf, A'Zhae Turay, Elisabeth Canjar, Jack Carpenter, Cheng-Ju Wu, Xander Fruin, Sophia Bennett

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

Pegasus is an autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft developed for the Vertical Flight Society Design-Build-Vertical Flight competition and designed around the operational needs of early-stage wildfire response. The system was developed to provide rapid aerial situational awareness, stable hover capability, modular payload deployment, and autonomous mission execution in environments where conventional reconnaissance methods may be limited by terrain, visibility, response time, or personnel risk. The final aircraft uses a hexacopter configuration with six electric propulsion units, a modular aluminum airframe, independent propulsion and avionics power systems, a Cube Orange+ flight controller, adaptive landing gear, and a bottom-mounted payload …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Consumer Behavior In Circular Fashion: Cognitive, Normative, And Behavioral Pathways Shaping Purchase And Participation Intentions, Mahmudul Hasan Sabuj

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The increasing environmental impact of the fashion industry has intensified the need for a systemic transition from linear to circular production and consumption models. Despite growing interest in circular fashion, there remains a limited understanding of the underlying behavioral dimensions that drive consumer engagement in sustainable practices. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Norm Activation Theory (NAT), this study examines consumer behavior through an integrated framework capturing cognitive, social, and normative influences.

Using data collected from a structured online survey (N = 575), the study employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), reliability analysis, and multiple regression techniques to …

Evaluation Of An Affordable Prosthetic Liner In Resource Limited Settings, Samerial Brown

Posters - 2026

The lower limb prosthesis is an important assistive technology for persons with limb amputations and differences. The interface (prosthetic liner) between the rigid prosthetic socket and the residual limb is often made of silicone, urethane or thermoplastic elastomer gel. This material provides cushioning and support as well as suspension for the transtibial (below knee) prosthetic leg. Unfortunately the cost of liners range from $3-$600. This cost precludes its use in resource limited settings such as Sri Lanka. As a result patients are fit with a foam liner which has less cushioning and suspension capabilities than a gel type liner. This …

Aiw26s: Machine Learning Of Structured Data, Moumita Saha

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This workshop introduces the fundamentals of machine learning for structured data, focusing on tabular datasets and real-world applications. Participants explore key concepts such as data types, data preprocessing, feature engineering, and supervised learning methods. The session covers commonly used models, including linear regression, logistic regression, decision trees, and neural networks, along with evaluation metrics such as RMSE, accuracy, and confusion matrices. By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained a practical understanding of how to build, interpret, and evaluate machine learning models for structured data.

Effect Of Curing Duration On Bridge Deck Concrete Performance, Zhaniya Omarova

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study evaluates the influence of curing duration on the performance of bridge deck concrete and investigates the feasibility of reducing curing periods without compromising structural and durability properties. Two concrete mixtures, a standard Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) bridge deck mix (47BD) and an optimized reduced-cement-content mix (O47BD-R100), were evaluated under multiple curing durations Fresh, early-age, mechanical, durability, and shrinkage properties were assessed to characterize the effect of curing on concrete behavior. Internal relative humidity and temperature were monitored using embedded sensors to investigate moisture diffusion and its role in shrinkage development for lab specimens and full-scale slabs.

Results …

Aisc/Asce 2026 Student Steel Bridge Competition, Gabriel Barrantes, Matthew Beltran, Vance Debrabander, Robert Miller, Wyatt Nipp

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

This report documents the design, fabrication, and construction of a 1:10 scale steel truss bridge developed by Santa Clara University’s Steel Bridge Team for the 2026 ASCE/AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition. Marking SCU’s first participation in the competition since 2013, the project was completed over a six and a half (6.5) month period from October 2025 to April 2026, with financial support from McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. The bridge design is a modular truss structure spanning 23 feet six and one quarter inches (6.25) inches, constructed entirely of low carbon steel in compliance with SSBC rulebook requirements. Primary structural members …

How Do Social Network Models Compare To All-To-All Models For Forecasting Tuberculosis Epidemics? A Mathematical Modeling Study, Masabho Peter Milali, Hae-Young Kim, George Corliss, Anna Bershteyn

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background. Mathematical models guide tuberculosis (TB) target-setting, yet most assume homogeneous “all-to-all” mixing. We compared projected intervention impacts between an all-to-all compartmental model and a Barabási–Albert (BA) scale‑free social network model under otherwise identical disease assumptions.

Methods. We calibrated transmission parameters so both models produced similar baseline trends, then introduced vaccination (coverage 30–70%; efficacy 80–95%) and treatment (20–50% increases in recovery) after a 400‑day burn‑in. Outcomes were assessed 300 days post‑intervention.

Results. Under 60% coverage, increasing vaccine efficacy from 80% to 95% yielded smaller projected reductions in active TB with the network model than with all‑to‑all mixing. Treatment improvements showed …

Electromyography, Prosthetic Properties, And Running Biomechanics In Recreationally Active Persons With Lower Extremity Amputation, Paige M. Agnew

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Lower extremity loss affects nearly 150,000 individuals in the United States yearly yielding extreme health care costs annually. Typically, prosthetic devices are prescribed for 5-8 years despite known changes to an individual’s gait as time progresses. Patients can expect to undergo approximately 8-12 weeks of gait retraining to improve their comfort and efficiency. Biomechanical changes occur when running with a specific running prosthetic including considerable biomechanical and neuromuscular interlimb asymmetries and alterations in loading patterns. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the biomechanical demands for lower extremity prosthesis users during running. The first study synthesized peer reviewed evidence …

Development And Acceptability Of A Patient Decision Aid For People With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: An International Mixed-Methods Study, Andrew R. Gamble, David B. Anderson, Marnee J. Mckay, Benjamin M. Davies, Sophie Macpherson, James Van Gelder, Tammy Hoffmann, Kirsten Mccaffery, Samuel X. Stevens, Carlo Ammendolia, Rohil V. Chauhan, Carl M. Zipser, Timothy F. Boerger, Lindsay A. Tetreault, Michael G. Fehlings, Elanor Dustan, Carolyn Nugent, Helen Holmgren, Andreas K. Demetriades, Justin M. Lantz, Rana Dhillon, Chris G. Maher, Joshua R. Zadro

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives To develop and user-test a patient decision aid for people diagnosed with degenerative cervical myelopathy and who are considering surgery.

Design Mixed-methods study describing the development of a patient decision aid.

Setting A draft decision aid was developed by a multidisciplinary steering group (including study authors with degenerative cervical myelopathy, health professionals and researchers) informed by the best available evidence, authorship consensus and existing patient decision aids.

Participants Patient-participants and health professional-participants who manage people with degenerative cervical myelopathy were recruited through social media and the steering group’s research and practice network. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather baseline …

Evaluating Human Rod Photoreceptor Function Using Pixelwise Intensity-Based Optoretinography, Gao Yang, Mina Gaffney, Robert F. Cooper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: More than 50 inherited retinal diseases are known, with rod photoreceptor functional loss serving as an early indicator in nearly half of them. The “optoretinogram” is a relatively new assay that detects optical changes in cells in response to stimuli. This tool has excellent potential for providing insights into the earliest functional changes of rod photoreceptors, with the potential to assist in the early detection, monitoring, and treatment of retinal diseases.

Methods: In this work, we obtained intensity-based optoretinograms (iORGs) from rod photoreceptors using an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. We explore the necessity of both individual rod identification …

Condition Monitoring Of Induction Motor Using Motor Current Signature Analysis, Francis Ikechukwu Obianke, Joseph Okhaifoh, Benjamin Akinloye

Al-Bahir

Induction machines serve as the cornerstone and driving force of modern manufacturing and production systems. This research aims to monitor and analyse the operating performance of induction motors using motor current signature analysis (MCSA). MCSA is employed to process the current signal of a motor into a frequency spectrum, known as the current signature by applying the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. The underlying principle is that vibration generated in a motor is closely related to the changes of the magnetic field density, and the induced voltage varies with the stator current.

A simulation model replicating the behaviour of an …

Recombinant Gelonin: Purification And Functional Validation For Electroporation-Assisted Delivery, Eleni Zivla, Giedrė Šilkūnienė, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Mantas Šilkūnas, Olga N. Pakhomova

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Type I ribosome-inactivating proteins, such as gelonin, are enzymatically potent toxins but are effectively non-toxic under physiological conditions because they are unable to cross the plasma membrane[1]. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) overcome this delivery barrier by transiently permeabilizing the plasma membrane, allowing direct cytosolic entry. This enhances gelonin cytotoxicity by several thousand-fold, highlighting gelonin’s potential as an electrochemotherapy candidate[2]. Here, we present a recombinant gelonin (rGel) expression platform in E. coli with HPLC-based purification that enables reproducible protein production and structure-guided engineering.

The mature gelonin sequence (residues 47–297) was cloned into pET-32a(+) with an N-terminally fused Trx-6×His tag and TEV …

Requirements Of The Elderly In Interior Design Based On A Survey As A First Stage Of Smart Interior Design, Girges Sidhom, Christine Ezzat Danial

HBRC Journal

As the number of the aged in the world is expected to rise dramatically, the built environment should be adjusted to accommodate aging in place, and most of the facilities currently available are inadequate in terms of interior design requirements to support the functional and psychological needs of the aged. The purpose of this study is to establish the design needs of the aged by incorporating smart technology in interior architecture to make them safer and self-reliant. The methodology will apply a descriptive methodology by use of literature review and an analytical approach by use of a questionnaire of 153 …

Design And Construction Of Prestressed Concrete Balanced Cantilever Bridges, Ahmed S. Elareshy, Ashraf M. Osman, Ismail. M. Kamal, Amr A. Abdelrahman

HBRC Journal

Balanced cantilever concrete bridges have recently been widely used in mid and long-span bridges. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the development and design of prestressed concrete balanced cantilever (PCBC) bridges, focusing on research related to real case studies of both precast and cast-in-place box-girder bridges investigated through finite element modeling (FEM) or field measurements. The research strategy targeted peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports published over the last two decades in major engineering databases. Construction methods, design methodology, and structural behavior of this type of bridge are discussed, alongside key findings on long-term response, dynamic performance, …

Efficiency Comparison Of Reduced Graphene Oxide (Rgo) Composite-Incorporated Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibrous Filters For Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust And Coal Dust, Mahsa Moradi, Ashish Kakoria, Lina Zheng, Guang Xu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The health of miners working in underground mines is greatly threatened by their exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) found in coal dust. While coal dust includes RCS, it is important to know the specific filtration efficiency for RCS particles compared to coal dust to improve protective measures. This study compares the filtration efficiency of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite-incorporated Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous filters at four different concentrations of rGO (0, 2, 6, and 10 wt.%) for RCS particles and coal dust. The filters were made using the electrospinning method. They were tested separately with RCS particles and coal dust …

Deep Learning-Based Structural Displacement Identification And Quantification Under Target Feature Loss, Lishuai Zhu, Guangcai Zhang, Qun Xie, Zhen Peng, Li Ai, Ruijun Liang, Taochun Taochun Yang

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Structural displacement monitoring faces significant challenges under complex environmental conditions due to the loss or degradation of target features, making it difficult for traditional methods to ensure high accuracy and robustness. Therefore, this study proposes a structural displacement identification and quantification method that integrates YOLOv8n with an improved edge-orientation gradient-based template matching algorithm. By combining deep learning techniques with traditional template matching methods, the accuracy and robustness of monitoring are enhanced under adverse conditions such as noise and extremely low illumination. Specifically, in the edge-orientation gradient matching stage, the Canny-Devernay sub-pixel edge detection technique and an improved ellipse-fitting method are …

Neutrosophic Probability With Dynamic Temporal Uncertainty (Nptu), Bhimraj Basumatary, Ashoke Kumar Brahma

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

This paper introduces Neutrosophic Probability with Dynamic Temporal Uncertainty (NPTU), an extension of classical neutrosophic probability that incorporates the dimension of time. In classical neutrosophic probability, the degrees of truth, indeterminacy, and falsity are considered static. However, real-world uncertainties evolve, and their degrees change as new information becomes available. NPTU models these uncertainties dynamically, allowing for more accurate decision-making in time-varying environments. The paper explores key mathematical properties of NPTU, including entropy, distance measures, similarity measures, and Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence, to quantify and compare temporal uncertainty states. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a case study on stock price prediction, …

Application Of Microbial Fuel Cells For Leachate Bioremediation: The Effects Of Nutrient Nourishment, Umi Sholikah, Fidela Chosta, Tegar Palyus Fiqar, Eka Masrifatus Anifah, Riza Hudayarizka, Tadashi Hibino

Makara Journal of Science

Leachate contains a high organic content, which can cause environmental pollution. The organic content in leachate can be removed through bioremediation using microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems to remediate pollutants and generate bioelectricity. Organic matter is important to the MFC process as both a substrate and a nutrient source. This study investigated the effects of glucose and sodium phosphate buffer nourishment on BOD, COD, and TSS removal and bioelectricity generation. This study used leachate as a substrate and a graphite rod with a surface area of about 32.98 cm² as an electrode. The reactor uses plastic blocks with a …

Geospatial Analysis Of Primary Healthcare Accessibility And Qualitative Assessment Of Affordability In Rural Communities Of Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District, Ghana, Peter Ansah Boakye, Daniel Buor, Francis Tei-Nartey

Michigan Tech Publications

Regardless of the efforts of the government and the private sector to improve health facilities in Ghana, a significant number of rural communities still experience inadequate access to primary healthcare. This study used the mixed-methods approach to provide an overview of the geographic distribution of healthcare facilities and the accessibility and affordability of primary healthcare within the Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District. Accessibility was assessed using Euclidean buffer analysis around primary healthcare facilities, while affordability was examined qualitatively using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with community members, community leaders and health workers. Focus group discussions and interviews were conducted using the …

Wearable Sensor System Used To Measure Linear And Angular Acceleration Of The Head Of American Football Players, David A. Emerson

LSU Master's Theses

American football players are repeatedly subject to high-velocity impacts; collisions can exceed 100 g in the NFL [1]. Rotational accelerations of the head caused by high-velocity collisions have been proven to be extremely damaging to the highly organized brain fibers at the brain-skull interface [2]. The sensor system (SS) measures the nonplanar acceleration at four locations on a chin strap using ADXL314 accelerometers and utilizes rigid-body kinematics to estimate the head rotational state from the measured acceleration of the SS [3]. The SS was validated through progressive testing, including steady-state, linear impact, and rotational impact testing. The ADLX314 sensor exhibited …

Virtual Humans In Virtual Reality: A Scoping Review On Sociability, Fidelity, And Expression, J K Sangeeth Chandran, Marisa Llorens Salvador, Cathy Ennis

Articles

Introduction:

Virtual reality (VR) systems have evolved significantly over the past decade, enabling immersive experiences with enhanced realism and interactivity. This has motivated an interest in socially oriented applications. As user proxies, Virtual Humans (VHs) play essential roles in such applications. However, despite technological advancements, achieving realistic, expressive, and socially responsive VHs continues to present design and implementation challenges. In this scoping review, we present the state-of-the-art of VR VHs, examining the impact of VHs on the user experience.

Methodology:

We reviewed 59 papers retrieved from five databases across three core themes: the implementation and impact of VH facial expressions, …

Deep Learning Based Control System For Multi-Zone Hvac Residential Buildings, Mohammad H. Z. Alghalayeeni

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are major contributors to residential energy consumption. However, most homes continue to rely on single zone thermostat control, which regulates temperature based on a single sensor and cannot account for thermal variations across multiple rooms. This often leads to uneven thermal conditions and inefficient energy use in multi-zone residential buildings. This thesis presents a deep reinforcement learning based approach for improving HVAC zoning control through dynamic airflow distribution. A physics based multi zone thermal model of a residential house was developed to simulate heat transfer processes including conduction, convection, solar and internal heat …

Impacts Of Biochar And Fe/Zn-Doped Biochar On The Degradation And Transformation Of Pfas In Wastewater Biosolids Compost, Chase Fry, R. Ryan Dupont, Joan Mclean

Spring Runoff Conference

Background

• >5.8 million dry metric tons of biosolids were produced in 2018.
• It is difficult & expensive to landfill all biosolids produced.
• Biosolids are increasingly used as an agricultural fertilizer and soil amendment.

Influence Of Gender-Specific Data Imbalance On Scgpt Fine-Tuning For Single-Cell Genomics, Mohammad Aman Ullah Al Amin, Daniil Filienko, Hong Qin

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

The transformer-based foundation model scGPT has demonstrated strong capabilities in analyzing high-dimensional single-cell RNA sequencing data. However, the impact of demographic factors, particularly gender, on model performance remains insufficiently understood. Gender is known to influence cell-type compositions in the immune system. Here, using the gender-sensitive cell-type composition in immune system, we comprehensively evaluated how the gender-sensitive imbalance of training data influences the performance of scGPT in cell-type predictions. We fine-tuned scGPT on male-only, female-only, and mixed-gender subsets from two large-scale datasets containing immune cells. We used a logit difference to measure the confidence gap between the true label and the …

Water Needs And Recovery Pathways For The Great Salt Lake, David Tarboton, Sarah Null, Bethany Neilson

Spring Runoff Conference

Main Points 

• Levels of GSL inherently fluctuate because of variability in precipitation and temperature that drive inflow and evaporation 
• Reductions in inflows due to water use are superimposed on this variability 
• Consistent delivery of conserved water offers the opportunity to shift the range of lake levels upwards reducing the occurrence of serious adverse effects and increasing the potential for healthy lake levels 
• Adding 250 thousand-acre ft/year reduces the occurrence of serious adverse effects from 61% to 28% over the long term 
• Adding 800 thousand-acre ft/year shifts the mean of variable lake levels to the lower end of the healthy lake …

Microplastics As Physical Hubs Amplifying Antiobiotic Resistance Under Mixed-Contaminant Selection In Wastewater Systems, Liyuan Hou

Spring Runoff Conference

Microplastics (MPs) are tiny plastic particles within the range of (0.1 mm to 5 mm) in size

Characteristics And Mechanisms Of The Adsorption Of Shales For Ba2+ In Fracturing Fluids, Xie Chenyang, Liu Bo, Zhang Yuting, Zhu Fang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objectives and Methods Large-scale hydraulic fracturing represents a key technology for shale gas exploitation. However, engineering practices indicate that the flowback rates of fracturing fluids are low and vary significantly across different blocks. Furthermore, some components in fracturing fluids may cause groundwater contamination. To explore the adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of Ba²⁺ within fracturing fluids in shale reservoirs, this study investigated four typical types of samples, including shale and three shale samples with different compositions, from the Longmaxi Formation in the Changning Block, southern Sichuan Basin. Systematic experiments were conducted on the adsorption of shales with different mineral …

Recent Advances In Graphene-Based Field-Effect Transistor Biosensors For Disease Biomarker Detection And Clinical Prospects, Deeksha Nagpal, Anup Singh, John Link, Abijeet Mehta, Ashok Kumar, Vinay Bhudhraja

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors using graphene have become one of the most promising biosensing platforms for the early diagnosis of diseases with features such as high sensitivity, label-free detection and application compatibility with point-of-care systems. Herein, we critically discuss recent advances in graphene FET (GFET) biosensor development toward clinically relevant biomarkers associated with representative diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disease, infectious disease, and inflammatory conditions. Recent progress was reviewed to evaluate GFET architectures, surface functionalization methods, and detection quality. The biomarkers explored were clusterin in Alzheimer’s disease, thrombin in coagulopathy, estrogen receptor α (ER-α) in breast cancer, Carcinoembryonic antigen in lung …

Mould Risk Prevention In Healthcare Facilities In Hot And Humid Climates Through Acmv Air Supply Parameter Optimisation: Development And Validation Of A Multi-Objective Optimisation Framework, Jiang Kaiyun

Student Works (2020-2029)

Air conditioning mechanical ventilation (ACMV) supply parameters—such as airflow rate, temperature, and humidity—significantly influence indoor thermal and hygrometric conditions, influencing airflow patterns and mould proliferation. In healthcare facilities, mould poses significant health risks, particularly for immunocompromised patients, contributing to respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and infections. While ACMV systems are central to infection control and indoor air quality, conventional designs often fall short in hot and humid climates. Existing practices typically prioritise high air change rates (ACH) without sufficient dehumidification, underestimate humidity control, and assume spatial homogeneity, overlooking microclimates conducive to localised mould growth. To address these limitations, this research develops …

Multi-Modal Tensor Fusion For Alzheimer’S Disease Recognition, Mason Li, Tiffany Le, Jiajing Huang, Yuxin Wen

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Accurate and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is critical for effective intervention, disease monitoring, and patient care. Traditional diagnostic approaches rely on a single modality, such as clinical assessments, neuroimaging, or genetic markers, which may fail to capture the complex, multifaceted nature of AD. Multimodal learning has therefore been explored to integrate complementary information across data sources. However, conventional fusion strategies, including early feature concatenation and late decision-level fusion, often model modalities independently and fail to capture high-order cross-modal interactions. To address these limitations, we propose a multimodal tensor fusion network (MTFN) that integrates heterogeneous data sources, including visual …