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Seasonal Wastewater Monitoring And Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Of Escherichia Coli In A University Wastewater System, Pathum Thani, Central Thailand, Natsima Tokhun, Natagarn Tongphanpharn, Weerawat Ounsaneha, Montip Jankeaw, Wiriyabhorn Klomsungcharoen, Patsara Wongsudi, Yawanart Ngamnon, Cheerawit Rattanapan, Kwang Mo Yang

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the physicochemical properties of wastewater were characterized, and a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of E. coli was conducted in the wastewater treatment system of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University, under the Royal Patronage, Pathum Thani, Thailand (VRU-SciTech). This study was conducted because the current water-quality assessment does not include the QMRA or evaluate the occupa-tional and incidental public risk of infection. Over a one-year monitoring period, this study quantified wastewater generation (~6.09 L person-1 day-1; ~3.21 × 103 m3 year-1) and analyzed its physicochemical parameters and E. coli concentrations. High concentrations …

Climate And Environmental Controls On Forest Soil Organic Matter Cycling, Genevieve Goebel

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Climate change factors act on the soil environment in complex ways, known to disturb soil organic carbon (C). Rising global temperatures and alterations to regional precipitation and nitrogen deposition regimes may contribute to the intensification of global change by accelerating the rate of biological decomposition and CO2 efflux to the atmosphere. The magnitude and endurance of the disturbance to soil organic C across landscapes and throughout time that climate change factors may pose to soil C cycling are not comprehensively understood. These knowledge gaps in our field make it challenging to anticipate how soil environments and the vast ecosystems that …

Seasonal Variations In Co2 Emission From Poultry Manure-Amended Soils In Two Contrasting Tropical Agroecosystems, Gladys M. Akande, Adebayo J. Adeyemo, Chidozie J. Oraegbunam, Iduh J.J. Otene, Ezekiel C. Are, Babatunde S. Ewulo, Chioma M. Ahukaemere, Samuel O. Kolawole, Sunday E. Obalum

Applied Environmental Research

The soil remains the largest carbon sink, the capacity of which varies spatiotemporally and with anthropogenic activities, with implications for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and associated global warming. Despite the increasing popularity of organic amendments in the ecologically and anthropoculturally diverse farming systems of tropical Africa, manure-induced CO2 emissions in this region with high soil-carbon-sequestration potential are poorly documented. This study assessed seasonal CO2 emissions from poultry manure-amended sandy-clay-loam and sandy-loam soils in the Rainforest-Savannah and Southern Guinea Savannah zones, respectively, of Nigeria. Following manure application at 3 rates (0, 10, and 15 t ha-1), soil samples were collected during …

Fabrication Of Acid-Modified Corn Plant By-Product-Based Biochar For Efficient Adsorption Of Sulfamethoxazole From Aqueous Solutions, Thi An Hang Nguyen, Thi Duyen Le, Thi Hang Bui

Applied Environmental Research

Antibiotic pollution is of great interest owing to growing concerns about antibiotic resistance worldwide. This study aims to fabricate acid-modified biochar (CBM-A) from corn plant byproducts (CRs) for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) adsorption in aqueous solutions. CBM-A was synthesized via pyrolysis at 700 °C and modified with 14% H3PO4. Kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics were investigated in combination with material characterization to elucidate the adsorption behaviors and mechanisms. The results showed that pyrolysis and acid modification effectively enhanced SMX adsorption by CR because of the increased number of binding groups, specific surface area, and porosity. SMX adsorption on CBM-A was optimized at a …

Bioremediation Potential Of Indigenous Stutzerimonas Stutzeri 08tbb Isolated From Mercury-Contaminated Gold Mining Sites In Indonesia, Uun Rohmawati, Juanita Hibatullah, Achmad Rodiansyah, Yunita Messe, Dwi Nur Aini Fajriah

Applied Environmental Research

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) widely uses mercury (Hg) in the amalgamation process, and the resulting waste is often discharged directly into the environment, posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health because of the high toxicity of Hg. This study aimed to isolate and screen indigenous Hg-tolerant bacteria from contaminated gold mining sites in Indonesia; characterize the most effective isolate using morphological, biochemical, and molecular approaches; evaluate Hg(II) degradation performance using ICP‒OES, FTIR, and SEM analyses; and identify key metabolites involved in Hg detoxification through untargeted LC–HRMS metabolomics. A total of 51 bacterial isolates were obtained from Hg-contaminated …

Exploring Consumers’ Intention And Behavior In The Circular Economy : Evidence From Vietnam, Tuan Hoang Nguyen, Vo Minh Thang Phan

Applied Environmental Research

This study aims to address the key gaps in understanding the factors influencing the intention–behavior relationship of consumers in the context of the circular economy (CE). Grounded in the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this research extends the framework by integrating social pressure, attitudes toward green consumption, and the availability of CE products as crucial components that shape intention and behavior. Data were collected from 603 Vietnamese consumers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results confirm the core TPB constructs, with perceived behavioral control emerging as the most influential factor. Notably, attitude toward green consumption …

Sustainable Approach For The Removal Of Cu(Ii) From Aqueous Solutions Using Lotus Seedpod-Alginate Composite Biosorbents, Lan Tran-Nguyen, Hue Tran Nguyen-Le, Hong T Hi Anh Nguyen, Tran Nguyen-Phuong-Dung, Ly Kim-Phung, Huynh Quoc-Khanh, Nguyen Minh-Nhut, Phuong Lan Tran-Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

Turning waste or agricultural byproducts into valuable products has recently become a concern of scientists. In this study, the facile and cost-effective synthesis of a biocomposite derived from lotus seedpod (LS) and alginate (AG) was further applied for Cu2+ ion uptake from aqueous solutions. SEM images revealed the layered structures of the composites, which were thin and irregularly stacked sheets of a complex 3D network. The abundant functional groups on the surface of the LS-based material and its negative zeta potential value of -37.50 mV also facilitated efficient Cu2+ removal. Adsorption results revealed a Cu2+ adsorption efficiency (AE) and experimental …

Metal–Organic Frameworks : Opportunities And Challenges In Nutrient Recovery, Suchana Amnuaychaichana, Chi-Wang Li, Pongsak (Lek) Noophan, Sumeth Wongkiew

Applied Environmental Research

Nutrient recovery from waste streams is a critical strategy for promoting sustainable agriculture and mitigating environmental degradation. Essential nutrients commonly present in organic waste and wastewater, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can be reclaimed and reintegrated into agricultural systems. Metal‒organic frameworks (MOFs), which are composed of metal clusters coordinated with organic ligands, have emerged as promising materials for adsorption and have the potential for nutrient recovery and pollutant removal because of their high porosity, large surface area, and tunable physicochemical properties. These attributes enable MOFs to serve in diverse applications, including heavy metal adsorption, organic pollutant degradation, and nutrient transformations. …

Advancing Food Equity Through Explainable Ai (Xai): Identifying Place-Based Factors And Conditions Of Food Security, Leslie Hoglund, Hyoshin Park

Health Behavior, Policy & Management Faculty Publications

Food behaviors, food security, and their association with socioeconomic factors constitute a critical area of study with implications for public health, economic stability, and social equity. Understanding these relationships are essential for developing effective policies and interventions that promote sustainable, healthy food systems and greater food equity. This paper employs explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods to identify key features influencing household food behaviors. The insights gained from the XAI analysis are further utilized in conjunction with inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) to examine expert behaviors related to eating habits satisfaction. The XAI results reveal that household health conditions, spending patterns, and …

Assessment Of The Influence Of Human Activities On The Occurrence Of Forest Fires In Thailand Via Multiple Linear Regression (Mlr), Sittipong Ruktamatakul, Jirarat Insuk, Benjaporn Pinwongpet, Sarisa Ruktametakul, Pornpis Yimprayoon

Applied Environmental Research

Forest fires represent one of the most critical environmental challenges in Thailand, with impacts varying depending on forest type, fuel characteristics, terrain conditions, fire intensity, and the frequency of fire occurrence on the same landscape. While forest fires can contribute to ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss, and the depletion of natural resources, such effects are not uniformly severe across all forest ecosystems. Understanding the human-induced factors contributing to forest fire occurrence is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies and promoting sustainable forest management. This study aimed to identify the anthropogenic factors influencing forest fire areas in Thailand via multiple linear regression …

The Link Fantastic: Detecting And Linking Simulated, Nongravitationally-Accelerating Objects With The Rubin Observatory Pipeline, Ellie White

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Solar System. After only a few months of regular operations, Rubin has already discovered over 11,000 new Solar System bodies, and is projected to discover millions more. With discoveries pouring in, and with the development of moving object detection pipelines for routine observing, one key question is: how effectively can Rubin detect and identify objects with anomalous trajectories? The answer is of interest not only for natural bodies in our Solar System, but also in the search for technosignatures, which could be identified …

A Data-Driven Framework For Automation Readiness In Minnesota State University, Mankato Course Scheduling, Prisca Bongu Payanzo Maba

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

University course scheduling is one of the most complex optimization problems in higher education institutions. With universities growing in size and offering a broad spectrum of majors and disciplines, the number of possible course scheduling combinations increases exponentially, rendering traditional ways of scheduling ineffective.

Although operations research has extensively studied automated scheduling algorithms, there has been limited investigations into the organization readiness of academic departments to implement such systems. This paper offers a hybrid data science framework that assesses departmental readiness for scheduling automation.

The study combines qualitative Zoom interview data from 19 academic departments with institutional scheduling rules from …

Development Of The Core Lit Apparatus For Seaweed Hatcheries (Clash) Bioreactor Using A Germplasm Approach, Phillip O. Tahimic

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In comparison to the Asian aquaculture industry, the United States has minimal seaweed production. There are several drivers of the limited industry in the US, such as regulatory constraints and limited market demand, but the ability to scale is a considerable barrier to commercialization. One possible solution is the development of land-based systems that integrate bioreactors, which utilize fewer resources and do not wholly rely on an oceanic flow-through system. This study assessed the application of a modular bioreactor, known as Core Lit Apparatus for Seaweed Hatcheries (CLASH), as a nursery system and open-source project designed to expand land-based seaweed …

Investigating The Effects Of Atg3 On Autophagosome Size And Number, Keeran R. Senthil Kumar

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Macroautophagy, or autophagy, is a highly conserved catabolic process in all eukaryotes which allows for the degradation of large cytosolic contents. It occurs in two forms: bulk autophagy, which is induced by nutrient deprivation and targets nonspecific cargo, and selective autophagy, which is induced by cellular stress and sequesters specific substrates. The process of autophagosome formation is carried out by a group of Atg (autophagy-related) proteins, one of which is Atg3. Atg3 functions as an E2-like enzyme by conjugating Atg8 — a ubiquitin-like protein — to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), a step required for autophagosome membrane formation. This lipidation process is catalyzed …

Detecting And Repairing Conflicting Constraints In Co-Trained Physics-Informed Neural Networks For Composite Curing Processes, Cooper J. Evans

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Composite materials have become a critical component of modern manufacturing, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries. The curing process for these composites has been modeled using a variety of partial differential equations representing the heat transfer and composite curing kinetics. Optimizing the applied temperature profile is critical for maximizing the efficiency and capacity of composite part manufacturers. Constraints must be placed on the inputs and outputs of the model, including but not limited to, the applied temperature profile, part temperature, and final degree of cure. Conflicting sets of constraints are easy to unknowingly impose due to the highly coupled …

Designing An Approach To Developing Students' Symbol Sense For The Derivative In Calculus, Laura E. Weinstein

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Students often struggle to connect the conceptual meaning of the derivative with the symbolic structures of Leibniz (dy/dx) notation. Although symbol sense has been described as the coordination of mathematical concepts, signs, and objects, little is known about how instruction can purposefully support students in developing symbol sense for the derivative. This study addresses this gap by designing and examining a learning approach aimed at helping students construct the relational structures underlying derivative notation. Using design research methodology, the study engaged intact algebra, precalculus and calculus classes in a suburban New Jersey high school across iterative cycles of design, implementation, …

Superelectrophile Promoted Synthesis Of Heterospirocycles, Mariam A. Adegbenro

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Spirocycles are important scaffolds with a wide range of applications in material science as well as in medicine. The introduction of a heteroatom into the spirocyclic framework can improve its electronic, photophysical, and structural properties. Various reports have been published on the incorporation of atoms other than carbon into the spirocycle. The work outlined in this dissertation involves the development of synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of hetero-spirocycles via superacid-promoted cyclization reactions. These concepts are summarized in Chapter 1.

Chapter 2: Aromatic imines were prepared from 9-fluorenone and azafluorenones, and these substrates were reacted in the Brønsted superacid, triflic acid, …

Characterization And Antimicrobial Activity Of Lignin-Derived Compounds In Ground Hurd Tissue Of Cannabis Sativa L. (Hemp) Cultivars, Jourdan E. Lakes, Anjam Sadik, Robert C. Pearce, Barbara L. Knutson, Stephen E. Rankin, Bert C. Lynn, Michael D. Flythe

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Objectives: Characterize lignin-derived compounds from the hurd of 10 fiber/grain Cannabis sativa L. cultivars and investigate the antimicrobial activity of select compounds on the wasteful ruminant bacterium, Acetoanaerobium sticklandii SR.   Methods: Hurd was processed using an aqueous ethanol solvent system and analyzed via GC-MS to identify and characterize lignin derivatives. Antimicrobial activity of the hurd and three monomers was assessed using solid (hurd) and liquid medium (monomers) bioassays against SR.   Results: 27 compounds were identified, most as monomers but a few were dimers, ethylated derivatives, and organic acids. There were approximately equal G- and S-units with substantially fewer H-units. Several …

Operationalizing Cyber-Routine Activities Theory For Senior Cybercrime Prevention: An Evaluation Of The Shield Training-The-Trainer Program, Kyung-Shick Choi, Insun Park, Mijin Kim, Ji Yae Bong

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Older adults face growing risks of cyber-enabled fraud, yet scalable, evidence-based prevention programs remain limited. Guided by Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT), this study evaluates the pilot implementation of the Seniors Harnessing Internet Education for Lasting Defense (SHIELD) Training-the-Trainer program, designed to prepare law enforcement officers and community leaders to deliver cybercrime prevention education to older adults. A key innovation of SHIELD is its integration of interactive game-based simulations, which allow participants to practice verification, refusal, and reporting behaviors in realistic cybercrime scenarios. Following the December 2025 pilot session in Boston, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants from law enforcement, …

From Authorization To Loss: A Blockchain Forensic Analysis Of Transaction-Level Mechanisms In Cryptocurrency Airdrop Scams, Chanwoo Shin, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cryptocurrency airdrop scams have emerged as a rapidly growing form of cyber-enabled financial crime, yet remain underexplored in empirical research. This study examines how transaction-level mechanisms and offender strategies influence variation in monetary loss in airdrop scam incidents. Grounded in Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT), the study conceptualizes financial harm as occurring within decentralized environments where users’ online behaviors, particularly transaction authorization, intersect with limited digital capable guardianship. Data were drawn from 112 validated airdrop scam cases reported on Chainabuse.com between January and December 2025. Blockchain forensic analysis using Breadcrumbs was conducted to reconstruct transaction pathways, identify exchange interactions, and detect …

Unsafe2safe: Controllable Image Anonymization For Downstream Utility, Minh Dinh

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Large-scale image datasets frequently contain identifiable or sensitive content, raising privacy risks when training models that may memorize and leak such information. We present Unsafe2Safe, a fully automated pipeline that detects privacy-prone images and rewrites only their sensitive regions using multimodally guided diffusion editing. Unsafe2Safe operates in two stages. Stage 1 uses a vision--language model to (i) inspect images for privacy risks, (ii) generate paired private and public captions that respectively include and omit sensitive attributes, and (iii) prompt a large language model to produce structured, identity-neutral edit instructions conditioned on the public caption. Stage 2 employs instruction-driven diffusion editors …

From Physical Correlation To Emotional Connection: The Role Of Passive Haptics On Empathy In Virtual Reality, Jemely Robles

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Virtual reality is increasingly explored as a tool for cultivating empathy, and haptic feedback as a tool for enhancing immersion. This paper investigates the effects of combining the two.  Fifty-two participants experienced a custom-built VR scene in which a character was shown packing up a room. Participants were assigned to either a haptic condition, receiving passive haptic feedback corresponding to the character's actions, or a non-haptic control condition that did not receive any haptic input. Trait empathy was measured beforehand, and state empathy and engagement were measured after the experience. Thematic analysis was conducted on post-study interviews, and headset recordings …

Shaping The Future: Emerging Technologies And Their Role In Industry 4.0 And Beyond, Liuliu Qin

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper provides a comprehensive review of emerging technologies driving the transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0. It examines the foundational concepts and pillars of Industry 4.0 and explores the transformative roles of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (XR), Collaborative Cobots (Cobots), Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs), quantum technologies, and next-generation connectivity (5G/6G). By integrating technological, human-centric, and sustainability perspectives, the study outlines how these emerging technologies reshape industrial systems and enable intelligent, adaptive, and inclusive futures.

Modeling French Language Preservation: An Optimal Control Problem, Charlotte Blasi

Scripps Senior Theses

The French language is one of the most globally spoken languages, with over 300 million speakers and designated the official language of 29 nations. French continues to prosper as a result of its titular nations' imperialist history that emphasized linguistic diffusion as well as the support of international organizations dedicated to promoting both the language and the culture of French-speaking nations. In this thesis, we explore the nuanced history of French-speaking countries and one institution dedicated  to promoting the French language, the OIF. We further examine the media mechanism of the OIF and construct a system of Ordinary Differential Equations …

Holistic Stormwater Management In The Bound Brook River Basin, New Jersey, Sana Mirza

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This dissertation presents a holistic framework for stormwater management in the Bound Brook River Basin, an urban watershed in central New Jersey that faces chronic nutrient enrichment and climate-driven hydrologic changes. The research integrates water-quality trend analysis, hydrologic modeling, and low-impact development (LID) optimization to assess current and projected watershed responses. By combining empirical monitoring data with downscaled climate simulations and spatial prioritization, the study utilizes a holistic approach for stormwater management planning. The first objective was to characterize nutrient dynamics and hydrologic transport pathways for nitrogen, phosphorus, and total suspended solids (TSS) from 2004 to 2019. Using bi-monthly monitoring …

Hierarchy And Ideology Antagonism: Artificial Intelligence In Ridley Scott's Alien, Grace Anastasia Pula

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis examines the objectively threatening structure of artificial intelligence (AI) in the narrative plot of Alien and how it exerts control over the humans. Using a structuralist approach with Louis Althusser's Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs), I will examine the character relationships and how an android, Ash, enforces a patriarchal, hierarchical system. Drawing on Mark Coeckelbergh’s AI Ethics and Jacques Ellul’s The Technological Society, I will outline broader fears that technology will surpass human intellect and serve a destructive function within an oppressive system. Analyzing two examples of AI characters, the film showcases capitalist ambitions through technological identities and their …

Developing Collaboration And Community Through An Online Virtual Modality: Participatory Action Research, Jennifer Reed

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This action research study examined educators’ perceptions of collaboration and community within a virtual professional learning community and investigated how participation influenced collaborative actions over time. The study also compared the needs and goals of secondary and postsecondary educators participating in a shared VPLC model. Grounded in the Community of Inquiry and Online Collaborative Learning theoretical frameworks, this study addressed a growing need for effective, flexible professional learning structures that support collaboration across educational contexts. Data were collected from six educators, including three secondary and three postsecondary instructors, through pre- and post-administration of the Professional Learning Community Assessment–Revised, recorded virtual …

Artificial Intelligence Adoption In The Workplace. An Exploration Of Augmentation, Oyinkansola O. Sodiya

Management Dissertations

As collaborative work with artificial intelligence (AI augmentation) gains interest, it is crucial to investigate factors that affect how employees perceive and use AI tools at work. Drawing on task-technology fit and technology adoption theories, this dissertation examines the ways in which task dimensions, organizational contexts, and individual differences affect the perceived usefulness of working with AI tools. This dissertation demonstrates that task-technology fit is fundamental. Employees in jobs with high information processing demands are likely to positively perceive the usefulness of AI augmentation relative to employees in jobs with high interpersonal demands. Employees with more proactive personalities perceive greater …

An Investigation On Downwind Impacts Of The Keweenaw Peninsula On Lake-Effect Snow Events, Thomas M. Pavell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lake-effect snow (LES) produces copious amounts of snow across the Great Lakes region. While mechanisms and impacts are well-understood, they remain difficult to observe and study over Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan due to a large gap in radar coverage and sparse in-situ measurements. The goal of this project aimed to characterize variables present across Lake Superior and counties on and downstream of the Keweenaw Peninsula that contribute to the formation and evolution of lake-effect snowbands. Nine different lake-effect snow events were analyzed in this project, identifying structures and features resulting from upstream passage over the Keweenaw …

Plastic Waste Imports & Coastal Litter: Evidence From Citizen Science Data, Rebecca L.C. Taylor, Hebe Williams, Shan Zhang

Economics Faculty Publications

Plastic waste is an internationally traded commodity, where importing countries recycle plastic waste into usable materials. However, there are concerns that the importation process creates plastic litter - a negative externality - in importing countries. While this concern has received much media and policy attention, quantifying the magnitude of this externality has been hindered by a lack of data on plastic litter across countries and over time. To this end, we use unconventional citizen science data on litter from Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup, together with the United Nations Comtrade Database, to estimate the correlation between traded plastic waste and …