Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Matlab Simulation For Quantum Wells And Absorption Modelling, Mohamed Nur

Electrical Engineering Theses

The Quantum-Well User Entered Simulation Tool (QUEST), originally developed at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2005, is a simulation program built in MATLAB for computing energy eigenvalues and wavefunctions in user-defined semiconductor quantum well structures. This thesis presents a new revision and extension of QUEST with three primary contributions: compatibility updates to the existing MATLAB codebase, intersubband absorption modelling, and a redesigned graphical user interface for ease-of-use in testing.

The modernization effort for this program addresses incompatibilities introduced by changes to the MATLAB runtime environment since QUEST’s original release in 2005, including corrections to the self-consistent Schrödinger-Poisson solver …

Seeing The Invisible Load: Xr+ Multimodal Sensing For Cognitive Ergonomics In Industrial Training, Jessica M. Johnson, Andwele Grant

Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) Faculty Publications

Extended reality (XR) technologies are increasingly positioned as disruptive Industry 5.0 tools for human-centric industrial training and intelligent human–system integration. Coupled with multimodal sensing (eye tracking, EEG, HRV, GSR, and other physiological signals), XR environments promise to make otherwise invisible cognitive demands observable, especially for novice trainees entering complex industrial settings. Yet the evidence base is fragmented: (1) there is no quantitative synthesis of the cognitive ergonomics benefits of XR plus sensing; (2) little is known about which XR–sensor configurations yield the strongest effects; (3) prior reviews rarely focus on industrial and manufacturing tasks; (4) multimodal signals are used predominantly …

Make It Maritime: A Simulation-Based Engineering Design Challenge Using Multimodal Technologies, Jessica M. Johnson, Jennifer Renne, Jason Dudley

Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) Faculty Publications

This paper presents The Incredible Bulk, a multimodal, simulation-based engineering challenge that introduces Grades 4–12 to maritime careers and digital transformation. Students assume the roles of different maritime careers to assemble aircraft carrier bulkhead systems using: VR for spatial orientation and task preview; a 3D model as visual work instruction; paper blueprints for part identification and dimensioning; 3D-printed components for hands-on assembly; and an AR app for quality assurance/inspection. Grounded in constructionism and cognitive apprenticeship, the plan–build–inspect loop externalizes thinking and situates coached, authentic practice that advances engineering design, systems thinking, and technological literacy.

Ontological Runtime Monitoring For Mission Engineering, Alexander R. Will

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept will bring low-altitude aviation to civilians through passenger and cargo transport. However, the prospective vehicles in UAM studies are predominantly autonomous, raising questions about their efficacy and stability in densely populated urban areas. At the same time, extensive work has been performed to define a new branch of systems engineering that focuses on runtime behavior, synchronization, communication, and task allocation.This field is known as "mission engineering". Mission engineering has been deployed in military scenarios to model human-autonomy cooperation. By applying the concepts from this field to UAM, full systems-of-systems can be …

Proof Of Recovery: A Model To Enhance Data Integrity In Data Management Systems, Gustaf Barkstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Businesses lose millions of dollars every year when they can’t restore data from backups. Research shows that Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing is not conducted frequently enough, nor are records maintained that demonstrate full data recovery from backups. This work introduces a design science artifact called PRTOK that aims to increase DRP testing. The design science artifact is a software solution that integrates with Data Management Systems (DMS)

such as iRODS and DSpace, and can work with formats such as HDF5 and BagIt. Proof-of- recovery records, or tokens, are recorded in a replicated, resilient, and indelible proof-of- authority blockchain data …

Nanomagnet Based Straintronic Devices For Unconventional Computing: Simulation And Performance Analysis, Rahnuma Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Nanomagnetic devices are of great interest in digital hardware because of their non-volatility and dynamic ability to change magnetization but suffer from high switching error rates and temperature sensitivity. Magnetostrictive nanomagnets that utilize strain to switch between stable magnetization states encoding bit information are of interest since they are extremely energy efficient as piezoelectric layers can be used to rotate magnetization that have switching energies in the range of attojoules. Their stochasticity can also be useful in probabilistic, analog, neuromorphic, and collective computing systems, where occasional switching errors are not devastating. The dissertation extends spintronics beyond conventional computing schemes by …

Fused Filament Fabrication Additive Manufacturing Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel: Process–Structure–Property Relationships In Magnetic Materials, Maanav Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the fabrication of complex metallic components through layer-by-layer processing directly from digital models. Among AM techniques, material extrusion–based processes such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) provide an accessible method for producing metal parts using filament feedstocks composed of metal powders and polymer binders. When applied to precipitation-hardening stainless steels such as 17-4 PH, the processing route and heat treatments can influence the resulting microstructure and functional properties. This work investigates the magnetic behavior of 17-4 PH stainless steel fabricated using FFF and evaluates how heat treatment conditions influence measured magnetic properties. Samples were produced and analyzed …

Multi-Level Energy Optimization For Connected And Automated Vehicles: From Cooperative Multi-Vehicle Control To Individual Powertrain Management, Pruthwiraj Santhosh

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The transportation sector currently accounts for nearly 30% of global energy consumption, necessitating urgent advancements in vehicle efficiency to meet Net Zero targets. Leveraging connectivity and automation, this dissertation proposes and validates methodologies to reduce the energy consumption of light-duty vehicles at both fleet and individual levels.

First, a validation framework is developed to bridge the “simulation-to-real world” gap in Cooperative Automated Vehicle (CAV) research. Moving beyond virtual simulations, the study establishes a methodology for physically validating centralized control architectures via a custom Cellular V2X network. By synchronizing vehicle-powertrain models with physical test vehicles, the framework successfully orchestrates complex arterial …

Minimizing Snow Loss On Fixed Tilt Solar Pv Installations Through Frame Material Selection And Installation Layout, David B. Wallis

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis investigates the effects of frame material selection, module orientation and module gaps on photovoltaic energy production in a snowy environment. These factors are easily implemented in new PV installations at minimal or no extra cost. These experiments are installed as fixed tilt arrays at 35° with DC current, DC voltage, and meteorological monitoring. The frame material and module gap experiments both produced actionable results. In the frame material experiment, consistent event level energy production gains resulted in seasonal production gains favoring aluminum framed modules. In the module gap experiment energy gains are independent of atmospheric conditions. The orientation …

Potential Of Stamp Sands As Cemented Tailings, Samuel Sukaria

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Worldwide mine tailings ponds and reservoirs occupy some 534 billion m³ of space with the volume expected to increase as economic demand for minerals increases over the next decades. These reservoirs produce adverse effects on local communities and ecosystems through structural failure resulting in mass flooding events, drainage of pollutants into water supply and emissions of airborne particulate matter. Methods developed to find use for tailings include extraction of residual minerals and aggregates in construction materials. The latter method has already been used in mining operations to stabilize mining reservoirs and stopes, and as placement for temporary road work …

Modeling And Testing Chain Trencher Excavator And Cone Penetrometer Robotic Prospecting Systems For Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization, Marcello C. Guadagno

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Artemis Missions aim to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon, requiring In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of water-ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions. Two critical capabilities must be developed to enable ISRU at scale: prospecting instruments that can characterize the spatial distribution and geotechnical properties of icy regolith in situ, and excavation systems that can extract hardened icy regolith efficiently. This dissertation addresses both needs through the development and testing of a Percussive Heated Cone Penetrometer (PHCP) for geotechnical prospecting and a chain trencher excavator for icy regolith mining.

The PHCP was developed across eight design iterations and …

Performance Analysis Of Sparse Neural Networks In Brain Abnormality Detection, Megan Danh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Neuroimages have held the capability of revealing to medical professionals patterns for brain abnormalities since their development. However, more recently, these professionals and researchers are looking to use neural networks to identify these brain abnormalities through neuroimages for early detection that would allow more effective treatment. Neuroimage datasets, specifically functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are extremely large in size. This would result in their processing and training to be computationally expensive, even with smaller neural networks. Fortunately, recent pruning methods have recently emerged, where network weights and neurons are pruned to reduce computational cost without compromising too much accuracy. By …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Glass-Ceramic Nanoparticles And Nanobubbles For Integration Into Bone Regenerative Biomaterials, Sun Latt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Osteoporosis affects over 200 million individuals worldwide and is characterized by an imbalance between osteoclastic bone resorption and osteoblastic bone formation, leading to fragility fractures that significantly diminish quality of life. Current clinical bone cements, such as poly(methyl methacrylate), are limited by poor osseointegration, toxic monomers, and an inability to address the underlying pathophysiology of osteoporosis. This work presents the synthesis, characterization, and systematic in vitro evaluation of a sol-gel-derived, magnesium-incorporated glass-ceramic (GC) nanoparticle within the CaO-MgO-SiO₂ system for incorporation into a novel hydrogel bone cement and bioresorbable magnesium implants. XRD confirmed a biphasic amorphous-crystalline diopside composition, and TEM …

Texels: A Programmable Textile Interface For Replicating Textures, Maya E. Eusebio

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Self-moving fabric interfaces have massive potential for applications in fields ranging from art to haptic feedback to deployable space structures. However, current systems of implementation face the impracticalities of bulkiness, burnout, and energy consumption on top of limiting designs that can only contract uniformly or create one pre-programmed shape. For this technology to bring the change that it promises, we must break the barriers of usability and sustainability to make it a practical choice. This thesis aims to develop a scalable model of fabric that designers, programmers, and anyone else can acquire or create with accessible materials, integrate into design …

Effects Of Hydrogen Enrichment And Premixing On Flame Stability In A High-Pressure Axial-Stage Combustor, Alexandre Fernandes C. Santiago Filho

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The addition of hydrogen to conventional fuels enhances reactivity and can increase the risk of flashback in premixed gas turbine combustors. This study investigates the effects of premixing length and hydrogen concentration on flame stability in a high-pressure axial-stage combustor. Experiments were conducted at the UCF Propulsion and Energy Research Laboratory using a two-stage configuration, where the primary stage provided a high-temperature vitiated crossflow using a hydrogen-piloted, premixed methane–air mixture, and hydrogen-enriched methane–air mixtures were injected through a concentric fuel-tube injector in the axial stage. Premixing length was varied for pure hydrogen flames, and hydrogen concentration was varied at a …

Vibration-Based Control Of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems, Ossyris N. Bury

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis investigates vibration-based stability as a mechanism for achieving self-stabilizing nonlinear dynamic motion in engineered systems. Inspired by biological hovering flight, in which periodic wing motion can passively enhance stability, the study explores how controlled oscillations can be used to stabilize otherwise unstable mechanical configurations. The research centers on a simplified dynamic model based on the Kapitza pendulum, an inverted pendulum with a vertically oscillating base, which serves as a foundation for understanding vibration-induced stabilization. Analytical modeling using Lagrangian mechanics is employed to derive the governing equations of motion and identify the excitation conditions required for stable inverted behavior. …

The Design And Analysis Of Robust Mems Devices For Extreme Space Environments, Joshua Taggart

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze aluminum nitride (AlN) micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators designed for extreme-environment applications. The devices of study are Lamb wave, piezoelectric resonators designed and fabricated using conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes and operating around various frequencies in the megahertz range. The purpose of this study is to advance understanding of MEMS devices in extreme-temperature and radiated environments for outer-space applications.

Devices were tested under vacuum at temperatures ranging from room temperature (~21°C) to 800°C. Under these conditions, the device was measured both as a resonator and in an oscillator circuit. Results show that the resonant …

Evaluation Of The Long-Term Sealability Performance Of Aramid Fiber Nitrile-Based Gaskets, Salome Ramirez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The reliability of sealed, oil-filled containers is critical for maintaining the operation of high-voltage energy systems, in which the sensitive electronics need to be isolated from the cyclic conditions associated with outdoor environments. New materials bring the possibility of extending service lifetimes and maintenance intervals. Aramid fiber nitrile-based gaskets are an attractive alternative to conventional gasket choices due to their long-term stability in various environments and compatibility with porcelain, metals, and plastics. For newly designed porcelain-to-metal fittings, understanding the behavior of the candidate gasket material under realistic loading conditions is essential to ensure long-term seal integrity and equipment safety. Traditional …

Investigation Of The Impact Of The Shape Of The Wings On Formula E Racing Car Performance: Enhancements For Optimal Aerodynamics, Ednie Marthe Adlaikah Jozil

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The aerodynamic performance of a Formula E chassis significantly dictates its overall race efficiency, directly impacting crucial parameters such as battery range and thermal management. This thesis investigates the external aerodynamics of the baseline Gen 2 Formula E car and evaluates the performance gains of two novel aerodynamic packages: a "Fully Modified" configuration and a "Flat Rear Wing" design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze drag coefficients (Cd), downforce generation, and vehicle wake structures at race-relevant free-stream velocities (e.g., 37 m/s and 89 m/s). To ensure numerical robustness, the computational setup was validated using a smooth sphere …

Course Improvement Strategies For Effective Learning, Omar Ahmed Raheem Al-Shebeeb

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Manufacturing processes Lab (IENG 302L) is one of the courses that is taught in the Industrial Engineering Department. The students perform several manufacturing processes in this course and for every one of these manufacturing processes, the students need to submit a project report. One of these manufacturing processes is a CNC turning process. The turning project of this course has historically had extensive average time for completion. As such, it was deemed necessary that a way to improve the quality of a turning project be generated. Industrial Quality Control (IENG 316) is also taught as part of the industrial engineering …

Teaching Strategies In The First-Year Engineering Seminar Course, Akua Oppong-Anane, Wen Juan Mo, Marshal Miezah, Gia Huy Pham, Susie Huggins, Lizzie Santiago

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

This poster highlights the teaching strategies that are implemented in the First-Year Engineering Seminar Course at West Virginia University (WVU). The teaching team incorporated active learning techniques into the course to enhance student engagement, promote critical thinking, support the development of engineering identity, and encourage major and career exploration.

A Rapid, Accessible Active Learning Framework For Stem At Wvu Tech, Somenath Chakraborty, Zahmeeth Sayed Sakkaff

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Many undergraduates find it difficult to move from listening to doing—especially in STEM courses that require sustained practice, timely feedback, and confidence. This poster describes a rapid, low-cost active-learning routine that can be added to existing lectures at WVU Tech with minimal redesign. Instructors insert brief engagement micro-cycles every 10–15 minutes: a concept question or mini-problem, a one-minute individual attempt, a short pair discussion, and a concise explanation that targets common misconceptions.

Towards Increasing The Retention Of Freshman Engineering Students: Implementing A New Course, Ee 101 Introduction To Electrical And Computer Engineering, Omer Lateef, Mingyu Lu, Waseem Alaqqad, Charan Litchfield, Kenan Hatipoglu

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

To assist with improving student retention in the undergraduate electrical and computer engineering program, a course was developed and implemented at the freshman level in the Spring of 2021.  This course was named EE 101: Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering and served to give freshman students an opportunity to meet the professors of the ECE department and experience live sessions dedicated to presenting “upcoming” topics and research endeavors of their expertise.  Students typically will not be attending the electrical or computer engineering subjects until their sophomore year and this course, set in second semester for a freshman, attempts to …

A Study Of Lost Pla Investment Casting For A356 Aluminum In Resource Constrained Manufacturing Environments, Maverick Beckmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lost PLA investment casting offers a low tooling route for producing complex aluminum parts, but repeatability depends on material use, burnout behavior, geometric process limits, and dimensional response. This thesis evaluated Lost PLA casting as a resource efficient manufacturing method for complex A356 aluminum components in resource constrained settings through four linked objectives: metal reusability, burnout and PLA selection, process limitations, and feature based dimensional shrinkage. A metal mass balance was performed on six casting trials using salvaged A356. Ash residual behavior was studied through a single tray screening test of eight commercial filaments and three invested mold burnout trials …

Seeing Feedback Differently: Enhancing Learning Through Individualized Video Feedback, Makenzie Khristine Keepers

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

Students often seek feedback that goes beyond rubric scores, especially for complex assignments like project reports where expectations are nuanced. Transitioning from lengthy written comments to personalized video responses has proven to be an effective alternative. These videos provide students with clear explanations of strengths and areas for growth, while walking them through their work in detail. Feedback from learners suggest that video feedback feels more comprehensive and accessible, helping them better understand mistakes and apply corrections. Importantly, producing video feedback requires comparable effort to traditional written comments, yet offers greater impact for formative assessments that shape performance on summative …

Rubric Enhanced Assessment Of Coursework And Teaching (React): Using Portfolios And Rubrics In An Engineering Classroom To Refocus From Grades To Learning, Nathan Lee Galinsky

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

The goal of using rubrics in an engineering classroom is to make grading clearer for students and to enhance the learning efforts. Point based grading of work leaves students looking for the correct numerical solution or choice without thinking about their assumptions, process, or approximations. A rubric dissects grading to include the entire solution procedure emphasizing key steps in a solution procedure. Students also don’t have to wonder where partial credit will be focused or what emphasis a solution will be graded on when using rubrics. By combining the rubric assessment techniques with portfolios, students will be empowered to feel …

Numerical Analysis And Simulation Of Enhanced Performance In Nanowire Cds/Cdte Solar Cells: A Pathway To Greater Than 25% Efficient Cdte Solar Cell, Riasad Badhan

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

This Thesis finds a pathway to a significantly high-efficient CdTe based solar cell by demonstrating and harvesting the advantages of a nano-structure configuration in CdTe based solar cells. Nanowire CdS window layer and the “control”, planar CdS window layer films were fabricated in the laboratory and compared for their optical transmission and other characteristics affecting the performance of the CdS-CdTe solar cell. Numerical simulations were performed for a comparative evaluation of the embedded nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cell device and the traditional planar CdS-CdTe solar cell device. Experimentally measured spectral transmission of nanowire CdS film was used in the simulation environment. …

Robotizing Complex Welding Processes Through Imitation Learning And Generative Models From Human Demonstration, Yue Cao

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Arc welding processes demand real-time adaptive control that current robotic systems cannot achieve autonomously. This dissertation develops a systematic framework to robotize complex welding by learning from human demonstration, integrating generative modeling, physics-informed reconstruction, and model-based imitation learning. First, human--robot collaboration systems are established for both Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding, combining robotic teleoperation with virtual reality interfaces to capture high-quality operator demonstrations. Second, a physics-informed neural network framework reconstructs complete molten pool flow fields from high-speed imaging, enriching process understanding beyond direct sensor observation. Third, generative models, including a hybrid latent variational autoencoder …

Strain-Induced Nonvolatile Domain Switching And Tunable Elastic Modulus In Ba1-Xsrxtio3 Membrane By Phase-Field Simulation., Laveeza Ahmad

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations

Ferroelectrics underpin a broad spectrum of technological applications due to its switchable ferroelectric polarization and the associated electro-mechanical responses under electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical stimuli. Recent advancement in membrane technology offers new opportunities to tune ferroelectric polarizations via mechanical strains at relatively large magnitude and scale. However, its influence on the tunability of mechanical responses of the membrane remains underexplored. Herein, we developed a phase-field model for free-standing Ba_1-xSr_xTiO₃ ferroelectric membranes with stress-free boundary conditions on top/bottom surfaces and achieved strain-induced nonvolatile ferroelectric domain switching in the membrane. It is discovered that a …

Design Of Energy-Efficient, Scalable, And Flexible Tensor Processing Architectures With Electro-Photonic Integrated Circuits, Oluwaseun Alo

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

In recent years, artificial intelligence has achieved remarkable success across domains such as computer vision, natural language processing, and scientific computing. This progress has been driven largely by advances in deep learning, particularly deep neural networks (DNNs), including convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer-based models. While these models deliver unprecedented accuracy, often surpassing human performance, their computational complexity continues to grow rapidly due to multibillion- and trillion-parameter designs. As model sizes and deployment scales expand, the demand for energy-efficient and high-throughput hardware accelerators has intensified. Conventional electronic platforms based on CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, and FPGAs are increasingly constrained by the …