Isolation, Identification, And Enzymatic Screening Of Fungi From Utah Dryland Soils For Industrial And Waste Valorization Applications, Jessica Lorena Silva Cuero

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Agricultural waste accumulation presents environmental challenges but also opportunities for biological valorization into value-added products. Fungi are particularly well-suited for this purpose due to their capacity to produce extracellular enzymes involved in the degradation of complex organic substrates. Dryland ecosystems represent a promising source for bioprospecting microbes capable of producing such enzymes. Drylands harbor a high diversity of extremophilic microorganisms that can withstand harsh conditions, extreme heat, UV, and low nutrients using unique adaptations. This suggests that these microbes are resilient and capable of surviving under varying conditions and still produce enzymes for biotransformation. The objective of this study was …

Asm And A Culture Of Sharing, Caring, And Fun In Education, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

One doesn't always equate a professional scientific society with sharing, caring, and fun, but in this age of public distrust, public engagement with science and active student learning are ways to regain trust. ASM holds a leadership position in promoting and recognizing the value of education in the future of our profession and is there to support your educational journey. From K12 outreach and public engagement, to professional development, to presenting and publishing scholarship of teaching and learning, ASM has been at the forefront of biology education. Under the leadership of visionary directors such as Amy Chang and now Irene …

Advancing Internationalization With Collaborative Online International Learning (Coil): A Systems Engineering Approach, Sharon Bommer, Olumuyiwa Asaolu, Paul Dagnall, Scott Segalewitz, Oluwatoyin Popoola, Esther Adeyemi

Journal of International Engineering Education

As globalization accelerates and engineering careers increasingly require international collaboration, engineering education programs must design courses and curricula to adequately prepare students for careers as engineers in modern industry. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a model of teaching and learning that supports the development of intercultural competence through a joint online learning environment. This paper presents a systems engineering approach of module development for an integrated COIL undergraduate course between a university in the United States and a university in Nigeria. The key objectives of this course are to increase students’ intercultural competence and to simulate global engineering management …

Constitutive Behaviour, Failure Mechanisms, And Life Cycle Assessment Of Internally Cured Fiber-Reinforced High-Strength Concrete, Kastro Kiran V, Dhanya Sathyan, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

High-strength concrete (HSC) with low water-to-cement ratios undergoes self-desiccation, resulting in incomplete hydration, capillary porosity, and autogenous shrinkage that can compromise long-term performance. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) functions as an internal curing agent by releasing stored water as internal relative humidity decreases, thereby sustaining hydration within the cement matrix. However, the combined influence of PEG grade, dosage, and fibre type on the constitutive response, fracture behaviour, and environmental performance of M65 HSC remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated twelve concrete mixes incorporating three curing regimes viz. Conventional curing, spray curing, and PEG-based internal curing (IC) using PEG 4000 (1.5%) and PEG …

Reinforcement Learning For Cathode Material Design Through Sequential Decision-Making Frameworks, Taimoor Muzaffar Gondal, Muhammad Qasim, Yasir Arafat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The cathode material design is a persistent challenge in the development of next-generation rechargeable batteries. The cathode performance is critically influenced by certain key parameters, i.e., composition, crystal structures, ion transport, and degradation behaviour. Moreover, techno-economic and sustainable considerations also play a pivotal role in the viable cathode material design. In recent years, the integration of static machine learning models with conventional experimental techniques has significantly enhanced the cathode material design. However, the sequential nature of cathode discovery has not been fully captured by these techniques as they do not update their decision strategy based on prior outcomes. In this …

Policy And Regulation In Virtual Power Plants Development, Hemlal Bhattarai, Aziz, Stefan Lachowicz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Electricity systems are changing due to the rapid deployment of distributed energy resources (DER), which also presents significant regulatory obstacles to their coordinated integration into energy markets and power grids. However, the majority of current material in publications concentrate on operational optimization and technical architectures, with little systematic synthesis of the legal and policy frameworks governing the deployment of VPP on a broad scale. To provide grid services, improve flexibility and support decarbonization objectives, virtual power plants (VPP) have become a crucial aggregation method. To close this gap, this research critically looks at the institutional roles, market structures, global policy …

Experimental Thermal-Hydraulic Performance Enhancement Of A Parabolic-Trough Solar Collector Using 3d-Printed Propeller-Shaped Turbulators, Shayan Pourhemmati, Barun Kumar Das, Majid Tolouei-Rad, Abdellah Shafieian

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This experimental study investigates the thermal-hydraulic performance of a parabolic trough collector (PTC) equipped with propeller-shaped turbulators, which were 3D printed and installed along the absorber tube to enhance convective heat-transfer by increasing flow mixing. Nine turbulator configurations were tested by varying the blade angle (β = 22.5° and 45°, and β = 67.5°) and the number of turbulators (Nt = 6, 12, and Nt = 18) over a Reynolds number range of 1000 to 6000. To ensure a rigorous and unbiased comparison, all experiments were conducted under identical operating conditions, including a constant inlet temperature and a constant Reynolds …

Evaluating Echo2 Biochar As Sustainable Bitumen Binder Modifier In Road Pavements: High-Temperature Performance Characterisation, Adeel Iqbal, Nuha S. Mashaan, Themelina Paraskeva, Mohamed A. Shahin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The incorporation of bio-derived modifiers in bitumen binders presents a practical pathway toward sustainable, carbon-sequestering road pavement infrastructure. This study evaluates commercially produced ECHO2 softwood biochar as a modifier for Australian viscosity-graded C170 bitumen, combining microstructural, thermal, physical, and rheological characterization to assess its suitability as a high-temperature reinforcing modifier. In this study, biochar was incorporated at 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% by weight, utilizing particles smaller than 75 µm to maximize interfacial interaction. Characterization via SEM-EDS, XRD, and TGA revealed a highly stable, carbon-rich, amorphous material with a rough, porous morphology, favourable for physical interlocking with the bitumen matrix. …

Validated Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Chemometric Modelling For Rapid Quantification Of Essential Oil Yield And Α/Β-Santalol In Santalum Album L., Muhammad Hassnain, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The sandalwood industry remains constrained by destructive, time-intensive assays for essential oil (EO) yield, composition, moisture content, and wood fraction, which limit real-time decision-making. We report a unified near-infrared spectroscopy-artificial intelligence (NIRS-AI) platform for non-destructive analytics across the Santalum album L. value chain. Reflectance and transmittance spectra from solid matrices (disks, logs, chips, and powders), oils, ethanol extracts, and CID-derived emulsions were acquired using benchtop (400–2500 nm) and portable (900–1700 nm) spectrometers and calibrated against hydrodistillation, gas chromatography, extraction, and moisture assays. Advanced chemometric modelling using AI-based machine learning techniques, including regularised regression, ensemble learning, boosting algorithms, and neural networks, …

Experimental And Molecular Dynamic Simulation Assessment Of H2/Brine/Cement Interfacial Interactions During Underground Hydrogen Storage, Nurudeen Yekeen, Sikiru, Ahmed Al-Yaseri, Berihun Mamo Negash

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cement is widely used as a structural and sealing material to ensure hydrogen containment in geological formations. However, the influence of H2–brine–cement wettability and H2–brine interfacial tension (IFT) on the integrity and sealing efficiency of cemented caprocks remains poorly understood. Furthermore, previous studies provide limited insights into hydrogen adsorption and sorption behavior under subsurface storage conditions. In this study, wettability and IFT of H2–brine–cement systems were experimentally measured at pressures of 500–1000 psi and temperatures of 25–50 °C to evaluate hydrogen migration, trapping, and the performance of cemented seals. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted at pressures of 500–3000 psi and …

Experimental And Numerical Investigation Of Flow Coefficients In Three-Way, T-Port, Ball Valve, Tyler A. Mindrum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many systems that move fluids, like water distribution networks and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, rely on valves to control flow. This study evaluates a three-way valve, which can direct flow in multiple directions, but has not been extensively researched. Testing included physical data collection and computer simulations to compare how the valves behaved under different valve openings and flow conditions. The results showed that computer simulations can predict the general flow behavior of three-way valves, but that physical testing is still important, especially for valves with complex internal geometries.

Evaluating Drug Concentration Profiles In Wastewater To Develop A Framework For Estimating Drug User Populations, Carl Michael E. Espinosa

All Theses

Chemical compounds, including licit and illicit drugs can be measured in wastewater and used to assess community drug consumption, providing valuable information for public health agencies, law enforcement, and local communities. While previous research primarily focused on estimating the per capita community drug consumption using back-calculation, this research focused on utilizing literature-derived parameters including drug dosage, renal excretion fraction, and sewer stability to develop a framework to estimate the user populations using Monte Carlo simulations. Samples were collected from two wastewater treatment facilities representing the Generostee Creek WWTP’s sewershed (GCS) and Mauldin Road WRRF’s sewershed (MRS). The target analytes included …

Investigating The Effects Of Draw Parameters On The Refractive Index Profiles Of Phosphosilicate Fibers, Brandi Baldus

All Theses

P₂O₅ is a common dopant core material in silica-based glass optical fibers, in part due to its ability to increase the refractive index of silica, required for the fiber to guide light. However, P₂O₅-doped fibers can show a significant decrease in the refractive index profile compared to that of the parent preform. The question arises as to whether the refractive index decreasing could be a direct result of the fiber draw process and, if so, what is it about the draw process that causing such changes in phosphosilicate fibers. More specifically, this Thesis explores the hypothesis that these draw-induced reductions …

Electrokinetic Flow Instabilities In Non-Newtonian Fluids With Conductivity Gradients, Md Mainul Islam

All Theses

Electrokinetic instabilities (EKI) arise in electrically driven flows because the applied electric field interacts with spatial variations in electrical conductivity, generating electric body forces that can destabilize fluid interfaces. EKI can be beneficial by enhancing mixing in microchannels where diffusion is slow, but it can also be detrimental by disrupting stable sample transport, focusing, and separation. EKI has been widely studied in Newtonian fluids, and the electric Rayleigh number is known to govern the onset of this instability. However, very few studies have examined its behavior in non-Newtonian fluids, despite their prevalence in biological, chemical, and industrial applications. 

This thesis …

Constructing Female High School Students’ Stem Self-Efficacy: The Role Of High School Stem Research Experiences, Hyunjin Son

Dissertations

In the U.S., nearly a quarter of the workforce is employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. However, the STEM workforce lacks diversity, limiting perspectives to address real-world problems facing society. While many factors influence decisions to pursue STEM majors in college and enter the STEM workforce, one factor commonly associated with performance and persistence in STEM is STEM self-efficacy. Independent research experiences have been shown to increase conceptual understanding and confidence in STEM, leading to STEM degrees and careers. As high school co-curricular STEM research opportunities become more common, the effects of such experiences on students’ STEM …

Review: Mechanics Of Mycelium Materials, Md Anwar Sadat Anik, Ehsanul Azim, Gerardo I. Zapata, Mohammad R. Islam

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The biological growth of fungal root structure, called mycelium, can be engineered to develop innovative fibrous and biocomposite materials. Mycelium materials have potential as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived materials for load-bearing applications. To realize this potential, there is an increasing effort dedicated to understanding the mechanics of mycelium materials. This work presents a systematic review of our current understanding of the mechanics of mycelium materials with a specific focus on structure–property relationships. The review first explores how the mycelium’s fiber network structure varies depending on whether it is grown as a two-dimensional (2D) membrane, a cellular foam, or as a …

Underground Mine Tunnel Fire Dynamics: Experimental Investigation And Ai-Driven Characterization Of Flame Behavior, Jingmin Xu, Rui Tian, Ashish Kakoria, Aamir Iqbal, Tao Yang, Lina Zheng, Guang Xu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground mine tunnel fires pose serious threats to personnel safety and infrastructure integrity, yet their detection and characterization remain challenging due to complex ventilation environments and limited visibility. This study combines full-scale fire experiments with advanced computer vision analysis to investigate the influence of fire size and ventilation on thermal, chemical, and visual signatures of mine fires. Six full-scall controlled experiments were conducted using two fire pan sizes under three ventilation conditions. Fuel mass loss, temperature distribution, and gas concentrations were systematically recorded using thermocouples, gas sensors, and visual/thermal imaging. Results show that mass loss rate is primarily governed by …

Synthesis Of Bea Zeolite From Coal Fly Ash Nano-Silica Extract: Application In Co2 Adsorption, Alechine E. Ameh, Shabnam Feyziyeva, Jean Luc Mukaba, Keagan Pokpas, Baylar Zarbaliyev, Ojo O. Fatoba, Benoit Louis, Leslie F. Petrik, Oluwaseun O. Oyekola

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study demonstrates a circular economy approach to carbon dioxide sorption by re-purposing coal fly ash (CFA) into BEA zeolite using CFA-derived nano-silica and aluminum precursors via hydrothermal synthesis. The XRD patterns, with characteristic peaks at 15° and 37° 2θ, and SEM images both confirmed the complete transformation of the spherical-shaped CFA particles into amorphous nano-silica materials with particle sizes less than 100 nm. The absence of amorphous phases and the formation of high-intensity peaks at 7.8° and 22.8° 2θ further indicated the production of a highly crystalline BEA zeolite, obtained after hydrothermal synthesis durations between 10 and 72 h. …

Emergency Risk Dispatch For Integrated Electricity-Heat Systems Under Typhoon Disasters, Tongchui Liu, Lian Tan, Dongxuan Bao, Lanting Zeng, Pengfei Hou, Ronghua Ling

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The spatiotemporal randomness of typhoon movement paths leads to uncertain operational risks for integrated electricity-heat systems (IEHS), making it difficult to balance system risk controllability and dispatch economy. To tackle this problem, an emergency risk dispatch (ERD) method for IEHS under typhoon disasters is proposed. An ERD model for IEHS under typhoon disasters is established within the model predictive control framework. Based on the uncertainty of typhoon wind speed prediction, a moment-based ambiguity set for uncertain equipment component failures is constructed, and a distributionally robust chance-constrained ERD model is formulated. An approximation method based on worst-case conditional value-at-risk (WC-CVaR) …

Bi-Level Coordinated Scheduling And Optimization Of Power Systems Based On Stackelberg-Gmo, Yuanxing Zhang, Jianfeng Li, Taoyong Li, Linjuan Zhang, Jincheng Liu, Bin Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: , To balance the interests of the power grid and the demand side, and achieve coordinated improvements in system economic efficiency, environmental friendliness, and renewable energy accommodation capacity, this paper proposes a bi-level coordinated scheduling model based on the Stackelberg game and the GMO. A leader-follower game model incorporating carbon emission constraints and multi-scenario stochastic constraints for photovoltaic generation is constructed, with the grid operator as the leader and EVs/V2G and energy storage as the followers, resolving the core contradiction between global optimization and individual rationality. The spatio-temporal stochastic characteristics of EV travel, the cycle life of energy storage …

Energy Management Method For Integrated Energy Driven By Users’ Social Attributes, Yankai Zhu, Yujing Huang, Qinghua Wang, Xiaoning Zhang, Fang Fang, Yuguang Niu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To explore a new interaction mechanism between an energy service provider (ESP) and multiple users, this paper proposes a complex modeling and energy management method for integrated energy systems driven by users' social attributes. A multi-agent interaction framework comprising an ESP and user clusters is established. To maximize the ESP's operational benefit and minimize users' energy costs, a leader-follower game-based energy management model is established within a reinforcement learning framework, and a distributed collaborative solution algorithm combining Q-learning and quadratic programming is proposed. Simulation results show that, compared with the traditional integrated demand response method, consideration of users' social …

Missing-Data-Tolerant Diffusion-Based Wind Power Scenario Forecasting Method, Yingying Shi, Xiaochong Dong, Guobin Fu, Miaomiao Ma, Yanhe Li, Xuebin Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the issue of error accumulation in traditional "imputation-then-forecasting" approaches, a missing data tolerant diffusion framework (MDTDF) is proposed. An XGBoost regression model is employed to map numerical weather prediction data into deterministic power forecasts. The encoder in the denoising network extracts temporal features, which are fused with the deterministic forecasts and fed into the decoder through a cross-attention mechanism to guide the denoising process. A historical constraint mechanism is introduced to directly utilize incomplete historical data and dynamically correct the denoising result at each step through sample gradient updates and noise injection guided by historical information. The …

Time-Step Relaxation Method For Simulation With Time-Sensitive Interactions, Zhaopeng Liu, Kaidi Jin, Xunyun Liu, Dongao Zhou, Xinhai Xu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In time-driven military simulation, time-step setting is a key technology for balancing operational efficiency and simulation accuracy. Based on the current research on time-step setting in military simulation, a trajectory spatiotemporal intersection calculation model is designed to address the performance bottleneck caused by the minimum time step, thus removing the constraints imposed on the minimum time step by interactions such as high-speed target detection and jamming. Experiments involving detection interaction scenarios are designed to verify the effectiveness of the model in preventing missed interactions and improving simulation efficiency.

A Review Of Spatial Indexing Technologies For Large-Scale Combat Simulation, Kaidi Jin, Xunyun Liu, Dongao Zhou, Yang Wang, Zhaopeng Liu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The real-time performance and scalability of large-scale combat simulations are constrained by performance bottlenecks in spatial queries caused by massive numbers of dynamic entities. Spatial indexing technology becomes the key to solving this problem by establishing an efficient mapping between locations and entities. This paper reviews spatial indexing technologies in large-scale combat simulations. Based on an analysis of the core requirements for index structures in combat simulations, various indexing technologies along three main lines are examined: static indexing, dynamic optimization, and distributed parallelism. The principles, evolution, and applicability boundaries of these technologies are also examined, and their query and …

Learning Evolution Modeling Of Multi-Cycle Nested Cloud Manufacturing Service Ecosystem, Fang Li, Deyu Zhou, Gang Wang, Guangjun Liu, Qi Hu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In view of the lack of comprehensive consideration of the individual adaptability changes of enterprises caused by the collaborative governance mechanism among multiple manufacturing units and the overall evolution trend of the system in existing learning evolution models, this proposed a learning evolution model of multi-cycle nested cloud manufacturing service ecosystem. At the micro level, the adaptive linkage decision-making among multiple manufacturing units within the enterprise was achieved in the individual layer through the nesting of planning-readiness-execution-assessment (PREA) loops and OODA loops; at the macro level, the closed-loop simulation of the individual layer, organizational layer, and social layer was …

Study On Transient Electric Field Of Insulated Rail Joints In High-Speed Railway Stations Based On Dissado-Hill Model, Junli Li, Youpeng Zhang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The transient electric field distribution of insulated rail joints in high-speed railway stations under lightning impulse voltages is critical to their normal operation. Under lightning impulse voltages, considering the relaxation polarization of the insulated rail joint material, a frequency-domain mathematical model of its transient electric field was established. Based on Dissado-Hill model, the measured frequency-domain dielectric spectra were fitted and analyzed to reveal the microstructural characteristics of insulated rail joints and the interaction characteristics between microscopic particles during the polarization process. The results indicate that the relative permittivity of insulated rail joints decreases with the increasing harmonic frequency of …

Intelligent Evaluation Method For Regional Air Superiority Based On Graph Convolutional Neural Network, Peng He, Yubo Tang, Jingde Liu, Yujia Tian

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the dual challenges of the lack of quantification standards and sparse air combat samples in the superiority evaluation of modern air combat, an intelligent evaluation method for regional air superiority based on a graph convolutional neural network was proposed. The spatial grid method was employed to encode the air situation of the entire battlefield airspace into a new data representation, namely the air superiority matrix. A novel air superiority quantification model was applied to quantify the air superiority label values of spatial grids, and four key operational capabilities closely related to air superiority contention were selected as …

Sensorless Control Of Pmsm Based On An Improved Super-Twisting Sliding-Mode Observer, Shiyu Chen, Xinmin Chen, Xionglong Hu, Heng Wang, Yepeng Han, Jiajie Chen

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the chattering in back electromotive force estimation and the gain mismatch across a wide speed range when using a conventional super-twisting sliding-mode observer in the sensorless control system of a permanent-magnet synchronous motor, this paper proposed an improved adaptive-gain super-twisting sliding-mode observer. A linear correction term was introduced into the super-twisting algorithm and integrated with a gain adaptation law based on speed feedback, enabling the system to achieve finite-time convergence and high-precision back electromotive force estimation over a wide speed range. A variable-gain adaptive complex-coefficient filter was constructed to effectively suppress the harmonic components in the observed …

Line Spectrum Enhancement Technology Based On Second-Order Vector Hydrophone, Zhengkai Wang, Yirong Yu, Qing Hu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In view of the problem of limited detection of line spectrum signals in low signal-to-noise ratio underwater environments, a spatial-temporal cooperative line spectrum enhancement technology based on a two-dimensional second-order vector hydrophone was proposed. A receiving signal model of the two-dimensional second-order vector hydrophone was established to clarify the spatial characteristics of its output signals. For spatial signal processing, the signals from each channel of the vector hydrophone were fused to suppress noise, and a channel combination method with high spatial directivity gain was proposed to achieve spatial processing gain. For temporal signal processing, an adaptive line spectrum enhancer …

Dodaf-Opm-Sd Cross-Layer Automated Mapping Method Based On A Unified Semantic Bridge, Lei Cheng, Gang Xiao, Binbin Wang, Siming Peng, Haozhe Liang, Xiangwu Gong

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the problems of the inability of DoDAF views to directly drive simulations and the insufficient cross-layer semantic alignment and consistency verification, a DoDAF-OPM-SD cross-layer semantic automated/semi-automated mapping and verification method was proposed in this paper. Targeting tactical/operational-level problems dominated by "conservation+feedback+time delay", the proposed method reduced manual mapping under expert adjudication based on a "minimal executable view set". The object-process methodology served as a semantic bridge to map architectural elements into the stock-flow-feedback structures of system dynamics; semantic embedding disambiguation, integer programming harmonization, and K-nearest neighbor parameter completion were integrated; end-to-end traceability was connected through traceability identifiers, …