Digital Commons Network^™

A Novel Closed Monoidal Structure On The Nucleus Of A Profunctor, Samantha K. Jarvis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

We describe a novel closed monoidal structure on the nucleus of a profunctor enriched over a posetal category, a distinguished subcategory of the category of presheaves given by the invariant part of an adjunction induced by the profunctor. Our structure is motivated by a connection to a notion of type given by orthogonality. For specific examples, we consider the two-element enriching category {0,1} and the reals.

Computability Theoretic Aspects Of Profinite Groups And Models Of Presburger Arithmetic, Jason Block

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Profinite groups, which are exactly the Galois groups, are all either finite or uncountable. However, all second countable profinite groups can be presented as the set of paths through a countable tree. We use these tree presentations to find upper bounds on the complexity of the existential theories of profinite groups, as well as to prove sharpness for these bounds. These complexity results enable us to distinguish the class of profinite groups that are isomorphic to a direct product of finite groups, for which we find an upper bound on the complexity of the entire first order theory. Additionally, given …

How Argentina Won The 2022 Fifa Men's World Cup: A Data Story, Aniruddha Parthasarathy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project analyzes Argentina’s 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup win using open-source football (soccer) data. The project evaluates the team’s performance at a micro-level across three domains: without possessing the ball, possessing the ball and the team’s in-game management tactics. A statistical framework, i.e., multiple linear regression modeling, was used to identify the five key defensive actions influencing the Argentinian team’s intensity of pressure applied, and visualized by heatmaps and time-segmented plots. More specifically, an Expected Threat (xT) analysis quantified the threat or danger from passes and progressive carries (moving the ball at least 10 meters), revealing that Lionel Messi’s …

Streaming Instabilities In Class 0/I Disks, Shirin Gul Zaidi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

While it is clear that planets form in protoplanetary disks, fragmentation and the radial drift of pebbles inhibit the growth of grains to planetesimals. To overcome these barriers, effective localized dust clumping on a short enough time scale is required. One promising solution to this problem is the streaming instability. Streaming instability is only triggered with a large enough dust-to-gas ratio and grain size. Though it is unknown when and where those conditions are met in protoplanetary disks, recent studies have indicated that planetary cores likely require early formation to match detected exoplanet system masses, so that we need to …

Excitons And Polaritons In Two-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures - Applications As Qubits, Time Crystals, And Superfluids, Gabriel Pimenta Martins

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation is concerned with exploring the properties and applications of excitons and polaritons in two-dimensional (2D) materials and heterostructures. It focuses on their potential to form qubits, time crystals, and superfluids. The work is motivated by the unique electronic and optical properties of 2D materials—specifically, their ability to host strongly bound excitons and hybrid light-matter quasiparticles known as polaritons. By exploiting a combination of theoretical modeling and numerical simulations, this work examines the behavior of these quasiparticles under various physical conditions, including strain-induced pseudomagnetic fields, optical microcavities, and periodic external potentials.

The first part of this dissertation is devoted …

Fast Transients From Magnetic Disks Around Non-Spinning Collapsar Black Holes, Justin A. Bopp

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Most black holes (BHs) formed in collapsing stars have low spin, though some are expected to acquire a magnetic accretion disk during the collapse. While such BH disks can launch magnetically driven winds, their physics and observational signatures have remained unexplored. We present global 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of collapsing stars that form slowly spinning BHs with accretion disks. As the disk transitions to a magnetically arrested state, it drives mildly relativistic, wobbling, collimated magnetic outflows through two mechanisms: steady outflows along vertical magnetic field lines (“Blandford-Payne jets”) and magnetic flux eruptions. With isotropic-equivalent energy of E_iso ≈10 …

Unpacking The Orders, Leonard J. Santos

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

At the end of the first week of his presidency this year in 2025, Donald Trump signed a total of thirty-six executive orders. After only one month, that number had gone up to seventy-six. He is currently on track to sign the highest number of executive orders in his first year in office of any president in the last 50 years, and potentially even the last 100 years if he keeps moving at this rate. In the first 90 days of his term, Donald Trump has signed 159 executive orders, more than any other president in the history of the …

Tracing My Roots: An Exploratory Data Visualization And Analysis Of Jewish Immigration And Assimilation To New York City, Jamie E. Gelberg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As my Capstone, I explored the complex process of immigrant assimilation to New York City from the late 19th century and beyond through a personal lens, using my Ashkenazi Jewish family as a case study.

I outlined and analyzed relevant demographic data from the US Census Bureau, Berman Jewish DataBank, and other sources to understand New York City during this period and how Jewish immigrants fit into the story. I focused on my family history, immigration and settlement, social assimilation, and economic status. I also incorporated personal narratives from my family history from 3 generations. These narratives help provide context …

Fact-Checking As A Multi-Step Process: From Ambiguity Resolution To Claim Validation, Wenbo Wang

Dissertations

The spread of misinformation and disinformation has become a major concern, particularly with the rise of social media as a primary source of information for many people. Fact-checking—the process of verifying claims against credible evidence—has emerged as a critical safeguard against misinformation. Yet, the task is fraught with challenges: claims are often ambiguous, context-dependent, or composed of multiple intertwined assertions, while automated systems struggle to replicate the nuanced reasoning of human experts. This dissertation addresses these challenges by reimagining fact-checking as a multi-step, knowledge-guided process that systematically resolves ambiguity, decomposes complexity, and validates claims through structured reasoning. Additionally, the proposed …

Artificial Intelligence And Astronomy: Lab Manual For Generative Ai-Based Learning Activities, Vasiliy Znamenskiy

Open Educational Resources

This laboratory manual introduces an innovative approach to teaching astronomy by integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools into hands-on educational activities. Aimed at undergraduate and general education students, the manual guides learners through interactive exercises that involve evaluating AI-generated text responses, creating scientifically inspired images, and producing short educational videos about astronomical phenomena. By engaging with platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, DALL·E, and InVideo, students develop critical thinking skills, enhance their digital literacy, and deepen their understanding of space science. The method emphasizes inquiry-based learning, creativity, and scientific communication, preparing students to become thoughtful users of AI in academic and …

The Mckay-Navarro Conjecture For The Prime 2, L. Ruhstorfer, A. A. Schaeffer Fry

Mathematics: Faculty Scholarship

We complete the proof of the McKay-Navarro conjecture (also known as the Galois-McKay conjecture) for the prime 2, by completing the proof of the inductive McKay-Navarro conditions introduced by Navarro-Späth-Vallejo for this prime.

The Witten Deformation And Proper Cocompact Lie Group Actions, Hao Zhuang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

We study the interactions between the Witten deformation of the de Rham exterior differentiation and topological invariants in two scenarios of proper Lie group actions. In the first scenario, we work on a closed oriented manifold admitting an action by a compact connected Lie group. Using a special Morse-Bott function invariant under the group action, we deform the de Rham exterior derivative and get the associated Witten Laplacian. Applying asymptotic analysis, we localize the kernel of the Witten Laplacian around the critical components of the invariant Morse-Bott function. Finally, we build the chain isomorphism between the invariant Thom-Smale complex and …

Quantum-Enhanced Training Of Large Language Models: A Hybrid Approach, Nan Wu, Fangmin Song, Xiangdong Li

Publications and Research

The training of large language models (LLMs) presents significant computational challenges, particularly regarding efficient convergence. This paper presents a hybrid quantum-classical framework designed to address the significant computational challenges associated with training large language models (LLMs). By integrating quantum computing principles superposition, entanglement, and tunneling with classical deep learning methods, we propose an approach to accelerate convergence, enhance optimization efficiency, and improve model generalization. Specifically, quantum feature mapping is employed to project classical data into high-dimensional Hilbert spaces, facilitating more expressive data representations. Quantum-assisted optimization algorithms, such as Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), efficiently navigate …

Artificial Intelligence Use In Medical Education: Best Practices And Future Directions, Rasheed A. M. Thompson, Yash B. Shah, Francisco Aguirre, Courtney Stewart, Costas D. Lallas, Mihir S. Shah

Department of Urology Faculty Papers

PURPOSEOF REVIEW: This review examines the various ways artificial intelligence (AI) has been utilized in medical education (MedEd)and presents ideas that will ethically and effectively leverage AI in enhancing the learning experience of medical trainees.

RECENT FINDINGS: AI has improved accessibility to learning material in a manner that engages the wider population. It has utility as a reference tool and can assist academic writing by generating outlines, summaries and identifying relevant reference articles. As AI is increasingly integrated into MedEd and practice, its regulation should become a priority to prevent drawbacks to the education of trainees. By involving physicians in …

A Selective Discontinuous Galerkin Implicit Particle-In-Cell Method For Plasma Simulation With Improved Interpolation, Siyu Wu, Yang Li, Hongtao Liu, Xiaoming He, Yong Cao

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article dynamically incorporates multiple ideas into the existing direct implicit particle-in-cell (DIPIC) method for plasma simulation, in order to dramatically improve the DIPIC method for its local mesh refinement needs based on Cartesian meshes as well as its interpolation needs based on the locally refined meshes. One key tool is to utilize the selective discontinuous Galerkin method, which is based on the interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin formulation and the regular local finite element basis functions, as the electric field solver in the DIPIC simulation. This hybrid type finite element method combines the advantages of both continuous and discontinuous finite …

Large-Scale Groundwater System Characterization Using Pressure Responses To Barometric Perturbations Caused By The 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Volcanic Eruption, Anhua He, Yang Liu, Fan Zhang, Huamei Zhang, Ramesh P. Singh, Yanzhang Wang

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic erupted on 15 January 2022, causing Lamb waves to propagate throughout the global troposphere. However, reports on volcanic eruptions–pressure fluctuations and water level dynamics are lacking. We quantified the propagation processes of Lamb waves induced by the Tonga volcanic eruption. Barometric pressure data collected at 1-min intervals at 485 meteorological stations in China showed that the eruption induced an atmospheric pressure event with an amplitude of ∼2 hPa over an hour and a wave speed of 295 m/s. Concomitant groundwater levels were available at 338 wells to find the barometric response to the volcanic event. The …

Agent-Based Modeling: Introduction And Actuarial Applications, Rick Gorvett

Mathematics and Economics Faculty Working Papers

Agent-based modeling (ABM) has become an important and valued approach to modeling complex systems. In this paper, I advocate for actuaries to recognize the complex systems-nature of socioeconomic and risk processes and for ABM models to become a regular resource in our actuarial toolkits. These models allow for the observation of potential macro-behavior emerging from the underlying agent-level micro-activity and characteristics. Therefore, ABM models can provide significant insight into the quantification of risk and the identification of optimal strategies. This paper is an introduction and guide to ABM models, and it includes several case studies to illustrate their utility.

Protein Word Detection Using Text Segmentation Techniques, Ashish V. Tendulkar, Sutanu Chakraborti, Ganesh Devi

Journal of Global Awareness

Literature in Molecular Biology is abundant with linguistic metaphors. There has been works in the past that attempt to draw parallels between linguistics and biology, driven by the fundamental premise that proteins have a language of their own. Since word detection is crucial to the decipherment of any unknown language, we attempt to establish a problem mapping from natural language text to protein sequences at the level of words. Towards this end, we explore the use of an unsupervised text segmentation algorithm for the task of extracting "biological words” from protein sequences. We demonstrate the effectiveness of using domain knowledge …

The Nitrogen-Vacancy-Nitrogen Color Center: A Ubiquitous Visible And Near-Infrared-Ii Quantum Emitter In Nitrogen-Doped Diamond, Brett C. Johnson, Mitchell O. De Vries, Alexander J. Healey, Marco Capelli, Anjay Manian, Giannis Thalassinos, Amanda N. Abraham, Harini Hapuarachchi, Tingpeng Luo, Vadym N. Mochalin, Jan Jeske, Jared H. Cole, Salvy Russo

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Photoluminescent defects in diamond, such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center, are at the forefront of emerging optical quantum technologies. Most emit in the visible and near-infrared spectral region below 1000 nm (NIR-I), limiting their applications in photonics, fiber communications, and biology. Here, we show that the nitrogen-vacancy-nitrogen (N2V) center, which emits in the visible and near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm), is ubiquitous in as-synthesized and processed nitrogen-doped diamond, ranging from bulk samples to nanoparticles. We demonstrate that N2V is also present in commercially available state-of-the-art NV diamond sensing chips made via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) diamonds, …

Integrated Geochemical, Geoelectrical, And Uav-Based Methods For Analyzing The Güzelyalı Landslide (Çanakkale, Türkiye), Oya Erenoğlu, Emi̇n Ulugergerli̇, R. Cüneyt Erenoğlu, Abdullah Akbaş, Ahmet Evren Ergi̇nal

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The number of reactivations increased in the Güzelyalı-Erenköy landslide area after 2013 in Çanakkale, Türkiye, where historical landslide activity has been recorded since 1875. This area is home to numerous summer residences and experiences ongoing slow-moving landslide activity along a 400-m-long slope, extending from the heavily trafficked Çanakkale-İzmir highway to the coastline. In this study, the nature of the reactivations was evaluated by considering the conditioning and triggering factors that contributed to the landslide. The evaluation was based on geochemical analyses, field observations, geoelectric measurements, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. The results revealed that the sliding occurred along a …

The Quaternary Fluvial-Lacustrine System In The Akarçay Basin (Sw Anatolia): Depositional Environments And Paleoclimatic Interpretation, Koray Aktürk, Sevi̇nç Kapan

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The Akarçay Closed Basin, located in southwest Anatolia, contains deformed formations and the drying Akşehir and Eber lakes. This study aimed to interpret the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic conditions of the Akşehir and Eber lakes, which are reported to have been connected during the Pleistocene. Based on sedimentological and mineralogical data, three different depositional subenvironments were defined, corresponding to the formation and development stages of the lake. Sedimentary facies analysis of the Pleistocene deposits in the basin revealed the following facies associations, listed from bottom to top: 1) an alluvial fan and fluvial facies association, representing the formation stage of the …

Formation Of Holocene Paleosols In A Relict Sand Dune Sequence At Kıyıköy, Türkiye, Ahmet Evren Ergi̇nal, Mustafa Bozcu, Nuretti̇n Yakupoğlu, Abdullah Akbaş, Hakan Kaya, İsmai̇l Onur Tunç

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The paleoclimatic indicators from a relict dune and paleosol sequence observed south of Kıyıköy Port, NW Türkiye, provide insights into the variable paleoclimatic conditions in the western Black Sea coastal zone over the last 4700 yrs BP. The relict dune- paleosol sequence consists of reddish-brown coarse sands with abundant shells and overlying paleosol. Radiocarbon dating of Donax trunculus shells collected from the lowest part of the relict dune revealed the onset of sand deposition 4689 ± 123 yrs ago. The dark-colored paleosol layer, with an Rb/Sr ratio of 0.008, yielded an age of 287 ± 32 yrs cal BP. These …

Math 115: College Algebra Instructor Guide, Seth Lehman

Open Educational Resources

OER instructor guide for Math 115, College Algebra, Queens College

Mat 301 - Applied Statistics And Data Analysis, Eric Aragundi

Open Educational Resources

Data analysis using standard statistical methods and relevant computer software. Emphasis on real-world data, interpretation, and misinterpretation of computer output.

This syllabus contains open source notebook about data analysis content.

Historical Overview, Advancements, And Future Prospects Of Coalfield Structure Research In China, Cao Daiyong, Ju Yiwen, Xia Yucheng, Jiang Bo, Ning Shuzheng, Wei Yingchun, Wang Anmin, Li Xiaoming, Zhan Wenfeng, Li Huantong, Wang Lu, Cai Zhuocheng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Coalfield structures represent a basic aspect of coalfield geology. In China, research into this domain has a history of over a century, yielding numerous results after undergoing exploration, learning, and innovation. These results have played a positive role in the long-term, stable coal supply in China. Amidst the ongoing energy structure optimization and the transformation and upgrading of coalfield geology in China, it is both practically and historically significant to review the history of coalfield structure research, summarize relevant experience, and contemplate future directions of the research under emerging circumstances.Methods Based on literature analysis, as well as the …

Who Should Take Responsibility For Artificial Intelligence Actions And Outcomes? Perception Of Auditors As Users Of Ai Systems, Hanh Hoang Le

Doctoral Dissertations

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly embedded in auditing processes, questions arise regarding how professional auditors perceive and allocate responsibility for AI-assisted decisions. This study investigates the effects of AI explainability and auditors’ perceived autonomy on perceived responsibility in the context of audit decision-making. Drawing on theories of moral responsibility and professional judgment, the study employs a 2x2 experimental design using hypothetical audit scenarios to manipulate levels of AI explainability and auditors’ autonomy. Hierarchical regression analysis reveals that perceived autonomy statistically significantly increases auditors’ perception of responsibility for AI-assisted decisionmaking, whereas AI explainability is not a significant predictor. Additionally, …

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Dynamics Of Pyrazole-Litfsi Eutectic Solvents As Promising Electrolytes, Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss, Giselle De Araujo Lima E Souza, Muhammad Zulqarnain, Ramez Elgammal, Thomas Zawodzinski, Steven Greenbaum

Undergraduate Research

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have emerged as promising candidates to replace conventional organic solvents in various technological applications due to their low vapor pressure, non-flammability, and ease of preparation at low costs. In particular, Type IV DESs, which are composed of metal salts and hydrogen bond donors, are possible replacements for lithium-ion battery electrolytes due to their potential of having high lithium transference numbers. In this study, we investigated solvents of Pyrazole and LiTFSI at varying molar ratios using Fast Field Cycling (FFC) NMR Relaxometry. Notably, the 1:2 LiTFSI: Pyrazole sample shows distinct behavior, exhibiting enhanced relaxation rates for ^{1 …}

Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Replication And Transcription Complexes Via Structural And Evolutionary Approaches, Amelie Ghirardo, Ben Shabatian, Avishai Aghelian, Kyle Tau, Eleonora Gianti

Undergraduate Research

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused around 700M cases and over 7M COVID-19-related deaths recorded worldwide (World Health Organization, March 2025). Aiming to effectively combat this and other disease-causing Coronaviruses (CoV), unprecedented research efforts led to the development of new vaccines and antiviral therapies. Due to emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility, immune evasion from vaccination, and potential to resist the available treatments, SARS-CoV-2 continues to represent a major threat to global health. Hence, there is a pressing need to discover new antivirals with broad-spectrum efficacy against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and related CoVs. This project …

Helmholtz Cage: Software Development And Implementation For Cubesat Testing, Gustavo A. Cotom Lopez

University Honors Theses

This paper details the successful development and deployment of a Helmholtz cage system, designed to produce precisely controlled magnetic fields for testing and calibration purposes. The core focus was on creating a robust, modular software architecture enabling independent current modulation on each axis, comprehensive serial communication between multiple microcontrollers, and real-time data acquisition from the MR3 magnetometer. All software components, including the serial communication drivers, control algorithms, command line interface, and calibration routines, were developed from the ground up. The system was fully operational upon completion: all hardware components functioned as intended, serial communication with each subsystem was reliable, and …

Blockchain-Enabled Master Data Management, Shakhawat Hossain

Theses and Dissertations

Master Data Management (MDM) is essential for maintaining data quality, accuracy, consistency, and governance within organizations. However, traditional centralized MDM systems continue to face challenges related to data integrity, security, and scalability. This research presents a blockchain-enabled MDM framework designed to overcome these limitations by leveraging blockchain’s decentralized, immutable, and secure architecture. The study aims to identify and address the shortcomings of conventional MDM practices, examine the applicability of blockchain technology in enhancing these systems, and develop a functional prototype to validate the proposed model. The framework incorporates decentralized review mechanisms that improve auditability and ensure trusted data verification by …