Digital Commons Network^™

Conditions Of Coherent-Phonon Excitation In Srmnsb2 Films And Crystals, Manita Rai, Sujan Subedi, Hannah E. Aguirre, Hans A. Bechtel, Renee Chapla, Javier Garcia De Castro, Dennis D. Klug, Jinyu Liu, Madison G. Masten, Trung Hieu Nguyen, Thomas J. Rehaag, Yiyi Wang, Zhiqiang Mao, Gavin R. Bell, Darius H. Torchinsky, Christopher Weber

Physics

Excitation of coherent phonons has the potential to dramatically alter the electronic structure of Dirac and Weyl semimetals, enabling sub-picosecond control of their optical and electronic properties. The Dirac semimetal SrMnSb is a candidate for such control, with a coherent-phonon mode that is predicted to close and reopen a gap at the Dirac node. Here, through a series of ultrafast pump-probe experiments, we establish suitable samples and conditions for driving the coherent phonon to high amplitude and attempting to observe the gap’s closure. Films of SrMnSb grown by molecular-beam epitaxy are shown to have phononic properties matching those of bulk …

Energy Input-Output Meta-Analysis Reveals Algal Diesel Struggles To Break Even (Supplemental Information), Michelle Arnold

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1. Algal biofuels have been investigated as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels for transportation in the United States since the 1970s. Yet after five decades of development, scalability and implementation remain limited. To evaluate the state of progress, this study harmonized energy inputs and outputs across 39 papers, encompassing 508 observations on the production of algal biofuel energy return on energy investment (EROEI) in the United States. The analysis produced a mean EROEI of 1.01—essentially the break-even point—irrespective of system boundaries. This is lower than bioethanol (2.8) and far below oil (8.7). Life-cycle analysis results showed that hydrothermal liquefaction in …

Increasing Complexity Leads To Declining Productivity Of Innovation In The Algal Biofuel Industry (Supplemental Information), Michelle Arnold

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Liquid biofuels are widely promoted as renewable, lower-emission alternatives to fossil fuels. Yet despite their promise, this sector faces a critical constraint: a long-term decline in the productivity of innovation. This decline—measured by a decreasing number of patents per inventor—suggests that generating technological breakthroughs is becoming more difficult, expensive, and uncertain. As innovation becomes more resource-intensive, the feasibility of replacing petroleum with liquid biofuels grows more tenuous. This is especially problematic given the pre-existing technical disadvantages of biofuels, including their relatively low energy return on energy investment (EROEI) and energy density compared to fossil fuels. Our findings show that the …

Engaging With Ai In A Technical Writing Course: A Collaboration Between A Writing Instructor And A Librarian, Isabel Baca, Joy Urbina

HIIT 2025

After describing our collaboration (a Technical Writing Instructor and a Librarian) on teaching students how to use artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen their writing, we will engage attendees by having them reflect and practice with AI. For our workshop presentation, attendees will:

• Learn how a librarian and a writing instructor collaborated to teach students to use AI effectively and ethically in their writing.
• Reflect on how they can incorporate AI in their classroom or workplace.
• Learn how a librarian can help them incorporate AI into their courses.
• Practice using AI and developing their prompt engineering skills.

Our workshop presentation will …

Computational Data Analysis, Kathryn S. Biles

LSU Master's Theses

Data science has emerged as a cornerstone of innovation, shaping an ever-expanding range

of professional careers. As technology advances and the volume of data expands expo-

nentially, the ability to extract meaningful insights from data has become indispensable

across industries. Far from representing a single career path, data science enables profes-

sionals in nearly every domain to make informed decisions, optimize systems, and drive

innovation. Yet, many high school students and incoming college freshmen have limited

exposure to data science fundamentals or the career opportunities they unlock. This is

the gap that Computational Data Analysis, a high school-level curriculum I …

Data Accompanying "Landscape Composition Surrounding Restoration Projects Modulates Use By Wildlife: A Case Study Of Mule Deer In Utah", Jaylin Solberg

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With mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), hereafter, deer, populations in decline, wildlife managers have increased their efforts to improve factors that limit population growth. In the State of Utah (hereafter, Utah), these efforts have included habitat restoration which is expected to improve environmental conditions for deer. Some of these efforts include pinon-juniper removal, prescribed burning, and spraying of invasive plant species. Although previous work has demonstrated the local impacts of restoration on deer populations, it is unknown how the environmental conditions in the landscape surrounding restoration treatments may modify local restoration impacts. Identifying how both local and landscape-scale conditions influence deer …

Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Ofmultiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Shaji J. Kumar, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Evidence for an association between insulin-like growth factors (IGF) and multiple myeloma (MM) is inconsistent. We examined total IGF-I concentrations and risk of MM by combining baseline serological data among UK Biobank participants (n = 444 187; 732 incident MM) with a two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis using identified genetic variants associated with circulating total IGF-I and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in the InterLymph consortium (2434 MM and their 2567 controls). Finally, additional lymphoid neoplasm (LN) subtypes were included for comparison with the main hypothesis. Circulating IGF-I level was positively associated with MM risk Hazard ratio-HR-per one standard deviation-SD-increase …

The State Of Our Streams: A Land Trust's Approach To Monitoring The Health Of Three Headwater Streams, Lauren Mcgrath

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Lauren McGrath, Director of Watershed Protection Program, Willistown Conservation Trust, presents "The State of Our Streams: a land trust's approach to monitoring the health of three headwater streams."

Elucidating The Effects Of Water Activity On The Hydration Kinetics And Thermodynamics Of Ye’Elimite–Calcium Sulfate Hydrate Systems, Godwin I. Ogbuehi, Rupack R. Halder, Aditya Kumar, Gaurav Sant, Monday U. Okoronkwo

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Relative humidity and water activity (aH) reductions have been known to suppress the hydration of anhydrous cement clinker phases. However, the relationship between ye'elimite (C4A3$) hydration kinetics and water activity remain unclear. This study employs experimental and thermodynamic modeling approaches to investigate the influence of water activity on ye'elimite hydration in the "C4A3$ + water", and "C4A3$ + gypsum + water" systems. Experimental findings indicate that as water activity decreases, C4A3$ hydration diminishes until the reaction is brought to a halt at a threshold aH. The critical aHand corresponding solubility constant of C4A3$ (KC4A3S¯) estimated from thermodynamic analysis are 0.46 …

Meet Your New Math 155: A Focus On Assessment, Gabriel Tapia

Excellence in Education: Teaching Faculty Symposium

No abstract provided.

A Generalized Lehmer Conjecture For The Trace Of T ₃, Liubomir Chiriac, Erin Williams

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The expectation that Ramanujan’s tau function does not vanish, commonly known as Lehmer’s Conjecture, has inspired several extensions to broader settings. In this paper, we focus on one such direction, proposed by Rouse, concerning the non-vanishing of traces of Hecke operators Tn. We refine an algorithm originally introduced by Rouse to resolve the case n = 2, and, together with tools from our earlier work on the case n = 3 in level one, we settle the conjecture for T₃ in full generality. We also discuss an implication of our result for the non-vanishing of all coefficients of the …

Instructional Modality Matters: Predicting General Chemistry Ii Success From Online And In-Person General Chemistry I Experiences, Dave Mersing, Oluwatobi O. Odeleye

Excellence in Education: Teaching Faculty Symposium

We explore here whether the instructional modality of the first-semester General Chemistry I (GC1) course influences student learning outcomes in the subsequent General Chemistry II (GC2) course. This question has become increasingly important as institutions expand online and hybrid offerings for foundational science courses.

Bipolar-Valued Fuzzy Subgroups, Normal Subgroups, And Homomorphisms On Dib’S Fuzzy Space, Fadi Al-Zu’Bi, Abd Ghafur Ahmad, Abd Ulazeez Alkouri, Maslina Darus, Sadeq Damrah

All Works

Fuzzy group theory has evolved beyond single-valued memberships to account for dual polarity and uncertainty. Building on Dib’s fuzzy space and bipolar-valued fuzzy sets, we develop a unified algebraic theory of bipolar-valued fuzzy (BVF) subgroups, including BVF normal subgroups and BVF homomorphisms, via a BVF binary operation (BVFBO) on a BVF-space. We establish necessary and sufficient subgroup criteria, characterize normality through coset symmetry in BVF-space, and prove homomorphism properties that align BVF structures with their classical counterparts through correspondence theorems. The framework clarifies when associativity holds between subgroup elements and ambient BVF-group elements and provides constructive examples. This generalization resolves …

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators In Agricultural Fields Of Western Kentucky, Kassidi D. Metcalf, Elizabeth J. Hiter, Sean J. Walters, Anna C. Griggs

Scholars Week

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators in Agricultural Fields of Western Kentucky

Kassidi Metcalf, Elizabeth Hiter, Sean Walters, & Anna Claire Griggs

Mentor Dr. I.P. Handayani

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA

Abstract

Improving soil quality in Western Kentucky has been highlighted as a way to help mitigate the effects of modern agricultural practices and climatic effects. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different cropping and management practices on soil quality indicators for sustainability. The indicators of soil quality focused on in this experiment were soil water holding capacity (SWHC), soil water content …

Shaping The Soil: A Comparison Of Equine, Bovine, And Ungrazed Hay Fields, Brody Ellis Higgs, Taylor Madison Wynn, Scottie Craig Berry

Scholars Week

Shaping the Soil: A Comparison of Equine, Bovine, and Ungrazed Hay Fields

Brody Higgs, Taylor Wynn, and Scottie Berry

Mentor: Dr. Iin. P. Handayani, PhD.

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA

ABSTRACT

Kentucky raises grazing species for multiple reasons, including food, recreation, and show. The most common of them are equine and bovine. These animals graze many acres across the state of Kentucky and impact soil properties in their pastures. This study was conducted on three pasturelands across Caldwell and Calloway counties in Kentucky. The pastures consisted of a cow pasture, a horse pasture, and a …

A Remote Sensing Assessment Of Illegal Gold Mining And Its Impact On Forests In Amansie West District, Ghana, Mina Poku Agyemang

Scholars Week

Forest degradation, driven primarily by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and mining, leads to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In Ghana, illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey,’ poses significant threats to land and forest resources, damaging ecosystems and affecting public health (Aboka et al., 2018). Despite mining's contribution to Ghana's GDP, the negative impacts of illegal mining may outweigh its economic benefits. Between 2018 and 2023, Ghana lost approximately 5.9% of its forest cover while mining areas expanded by 1,917.6% (Abugre et al., 2025). This alarming situation necessitates an investigation into the changes in land use …

Uas Vs. In-Situ Measurement Techniques For Stream Substrates, Nathan Watson

Scholars Week

UAS vs. In-situ Measurement Techniques for Stream Substrates

Key words: Geomorphic, Fluvial, ArcGIS Pro, UAS

Traditionally, geomorphic assessments of streams and fluvial structures have been conducted using in-situ field techniques. These techniques include taking Wolman (D50) pebble counts to characterize substrate, measurements of stream dimensions with tape, meter sticks, and Jacob staff. We studied the efficacy of using an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to measure the substrate composition of a section of stream along the east fork of the Clarks River in Calloway County, Kentucky. The section consists of a 30-meter riffle-pool-run sequence, with variation in substrate size to test …

Importance Of S-Doped Porous Carbon Acidity And Visible Light Photoactivity For Its Antibacterial Activity, Danela Sadikaj, Abanob Fekri, Isabelle Bautista, Nafisatu Davis, Tasnim Agha Alkla, Muhammad Moueed Haider Mirza, Jiaying Wang, Phillip Stallworth, Natalie Hudson-Smith, Teresa J. Bandosz, Xiaojun Yu, Steven Greenbaum, Wanlu Li

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Bactericidal activity of sulfur-doped carbon has been investigated against a common Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli K-12 (E. coli), in aqueous solution. Under dark conditions, 1 h contact of carbon with bacteria resulted in a 3–4 log decrease from the initial concentration of 7 log. When exposed to visible light, a 6–7 log decrease in E. coli was observed. The bactericidal activity under dark conditions was linked to the effects of functional groups, particularly sulfonic groups, which released protons that contributed to bacterial death. Even though under visible light no reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected in electron paramagnetic …

Witnessing A Wounded World: A Theology Of Ecological Trauma, Timothy A. Middleton

Theology

A crucial intervention at the intersection of ecotheology and trauma theology

We are in the midst of a global ecological crisis. At times, the scale of the suffering involved can be hard to fully comprehend. The whole planetary ecosystem feels out of kilter. Meanwhile, trauma theorists, and society at large, have become increasingly aware of the incidence of trauma in a growing variety of contexts. In Witnessing a Wounded World, Timothy Middleton asks what might be gained by viewing ecological suffering through the lens of trauma.

By bringing concepts and methodologies from trauma theology to bear on questions that …

Exploiting Chloride Conservative Tendencies As Contaminant Surrogates In Groundwater Transport Modeling In A Typical Hydrogeological Environment Of Northern New Jersey, Toritseju Oyen, Duke Ophori

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study investigates the transport of chloride, a conservative tracer and surrogate for contaminants, in the fractured Brunswick aquifer of northern New Jersey using a dual-porosity MODFLOW-MT3DMS model. Focusing on the First Watchung Mountain region—a microcosm of northern New Jersey’s hydrogeological environment encompassing Montclair State University and adjoining communities, the numerical model simulates groundwater flow and solute transport in a hydrogeologically complex, urbanized setting. Results indicate that chloride migrates through the fractured aquifer via both local flow systems (e.g., Third River) and regional flow systems (Passaic River) within decades. Chloride concentrations exceeded the EPA’s 250 mg/L threshold much faster in …

Preparing Tomorrow’S Professionals: Industry-Informed Ai Integration, Brent A. Terwilliger Ph.D, John Faraca

Publications

As AI reshapes operations across aviation and aerospace, organizations are investing in ways to preserve data integrity, safeguard proprietary knowledge, and uphold critical professional competencies. This presentation shares emerging findings from a study that surveys and interviews industry professionals about their use of AI tools, their concerns about misuse, and the importance of secure, enterprise-controlled “walled garden” environments. The work explores how employers define appropriate, effective, and innovative AI adoption, particularly in roles requiring high-stakes decision-making, compliance, and technical acumen.

By analyzing organizational expectations around AI-related knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), this research offers practical guidance for academic programs seeking …

Student Perspectives On Ai-Enabled Tools For Adaptive Learning, John Faraca

Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing the delivery of higher education, especially in aviation technical disciplines. From AI-assisted gimbals and video production tools to generative AI platforms, these technologies are helping learners to engage with course material, accomplish objectives, and connect academic concepts with professional applications. By offering pathways for personalization, streamlining resource access, and supporting interactive instruction, AI tools expand opportunities for effective learning. This work builds on a current collaborative research project with a faculty researcher to explore the student perspective in the active review and application of these tools to highlight their potential to improve usability, address …

Network Construction Using Sparse Gaussian Graphical Model Based On Gwas Summary Statistics, Megh Subedi, Xuewei Cao, Byung-Jun Kim, Qiuying Sha

Michigan Tech Publications

In genome-wide association studies (GWAS), thousands of genetic variants are tested to identify their associations with a phenotype. GWAS have identified many strongly associated genetic variants with phenotypes and have greatly enhanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of complex phenotypes and diseases. Joint analysis of multiple phenotypes can increase the overall statistical power to detect genetic associations and allows for the identification of pleiotropic loci. A phenotype-phenotype network (PPN) represents phenotypes as nodes and the relationships between them as edges, which allows for the visualization of complex relationships between phenotypes, making it easier to identify clusters and helps us …

Control And Thermodynamics Of Superconducting Qubits With Non-Hermitian Dynamics, Serra Erdamar

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

As quantum systems are understood better from a fundamental physics perspective, we are gaining more insight and ideas for their many applications. Among them are quantum computation, sensing, and materials. Some difficulties that have been encountered are short lifetimes and coupling to unwanted modes while attempting to control these systems, resulting in error propagation. Previously, physicists have pursued Hermitian descriptions of systems to preserve unitary evolution and real-valued measurements. However, non-Hermitian systems not only provide a realistic description of physical systems within larger environments, but also a rich topological landscape from their complex energy spectrum. In this thesis, we will …

The Science And Economics Of 3d-Printed Filament Recycling, Michael Domingo, Dane Freund, John Mcswiggin, Adam Meadows

Sustainability Conference

In recent years, 3D printing has grown rapidly, both in homes and commercially. This has led to increased demand for plastic filaments, many of which contribute to plastic waste. This project explores the potential of recycling household plastics into 3D printing filament, promoting sustainability and creating a circular economy. Materials like PLA, PETG, ABS, and polypropylene can be recycled or even composted. Existing research has shown that recycled filaments can maintain comparable tensile strength to their virgin counterparts, depending on the recycling process. Furthermore, implementing circular economy practices for plastics could save billions annually by mitigating pollution and reducing landfill …

Localized Nuclear Utility For Erau Environmental Improvement, Timothy Schroeder, Jacob Blanton, Christopher Anderson

Sustainability Conference

The reliance of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) on energy supplied by Florida Power & Light (FPL), which currently draws large amounts of power from fossil fuel sources, is continuously suboptimal both environmentally and financially. This study proposes assessing the feasibility of deploying a campus scale nuclear reactor tailored to ERAU’s power consumption profile. This serves as a path toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting dependence on external fossil fuel generation. The methods used are primarily literature review(s), and numerical analysis on comparable use cases. The literature reviews focused on design theory and yield of nuclear reactors on a …

Advancing Environmental Monitoring At Verde River Headwaters State Park Through Integrated Remote Sensing Technologies, Ronny Schroeder, Noah Morales, Colton Weeks, Reiner Zimmermann, Erika Podest, Hank Vincent

Sustainability Conference

The establishment of Verde River Headwaters State Park in Chino Valley, Arizona, marks a significant conservation milestone with the acquisition of 734 acres of the historic Del Rio Springs Ranch by the Trust for Public Land in March 2024. Now under the stewardship of Arizona State Parks & Trails (ASPT), this site encompasses Sullivan Lake, Del Rio Springs, critical riparian habitats, and historically significant landmarks including the 1863 Arizona territorial capital and 1920s Fred Harvey Farm structures. This initiative yields substantial benefits, including annual water savings within the Prescott Active Management Area, the extension of the Peavine National Recreation Trail, …

Elucidating The Relationship Between Water Quality And Antibiotic Resistance Of Rainwater Microbes Across Western Humboldt County, Theo P. Murphy, Eve Wendley, Justice Laskowski, Tyler Paredes

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

Limited studies have been conducted regarding the fecal contamination and microbial dispersal through rainwater, with no known studies investigating the potential connection between antibiotic resistant microbes and water quality in rainwater. This study seeks to identify the presence of a correlation between water quality and incidence of antibiotic resistance in rainwater microbes. We hypothesize that there will be a correlation between these two variables. We additionally anticipate a high incidence of fecal contamination across rural and urban collection sites alike, with fecal contamination being more prevalent in rural areas than urban locals. To determine water quality, we measured the concentration …

Building Resilience Against Coastal Climate Risks, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Brenda Castruita, Marius Van Dongen, Brandi Upshaw

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The South Carlsbad Climate Adaptation Project (Project) is an initiative led by the City of Carlsbad (City) designed to address the growing risks of coastal erosion and sea level rise within the city. The Project focuses on a one mile segment of South Carlsbad Boulevard that runs directly along the coast and has experienced decades of coastal erosion, shoreline retreat, and recurring flooding–all of which are expected to intensify due to climate change. In an effort to protect critical infrastructure, natural resources, and public safety, the City has been evaluating the long-term viability of the current roadway and exploring various …

Validation Of A Risk Score For Cancer-Associated Thrombosis Using Nationwide Ehr Data, Ang Li, Omid Jafari, Barbara D Lam, Jun Y Jiang, Rock Bum Kim, Shengling Ma, Emily Zhou, Joyce W Tiong, Elizabeth C Chiang, Justine Ryu, Christopher I Amos, Jennifer La, Nathanael R Fillmore

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity in patients with cancer. Existing risk prediction models are typically validated within individual sites, a fragmented approach that limits clinical adoption.

Objective: To validate the electronic health record cancer-associated thrombosis (EHR-CAT) score compared with the benchmark Khorana score in a contemporary cohort of patients with cancer across the nation, before and after treatment, excluding those at high risk of bleeding.

Design, setting, and participants: This prognostic study included patients in a nationwide longitudinal EHR database from January 2018 to December 2023 with follow-up continuing to April 2025. Patients with …