Digital Commons Network^™

Solar Powered Single-Axis Heliostat Active Solar Tracking Device, Mason Kyle Roberts

Physics

As a means of cooking food, the burning of biomass accounts for over 4 million premature deaths in third world countries (“Household Air Pollution and Health”). The focus of this project was to explore an alternative that could utilize focused sunlight to cook food. A solar tracker was designed to be affixed to a parabolic, reflective, tilted single axis heliostat to follow the sun throughout the day and focus the reflected light to the bottom of a cooking surface. This surface became hot enough to for the preparation of food or boiling/sterilization of water.

A goal for each project was …

Identifying And Reducing Variability, Improving Scaffold Morphology, And Investigating Alternative Materials For The Blood Vessel Mimic Lab Electrospinning Process, Evan M. Dowey

Master's Theses

The work of the Cal Poly Tissue Engineering Lab is primarily focused on the fabrication, characterization, and improvement of “Blood Vessel Mimics” (BVMs), tissue engineered constructs used to evaluate cellular response to vascular medical devices. Currently, cells are grown onto fibrous, porous tubes made using an in-house electrospinning process from PLGA, a biocompatible co-polymer. The adhesion and proliferation of cells in a BVM is reliant on the micro-scale structure of the PLGA scaffold, and as such it is of great importance for the electrospinning process to consistently produce scaffolds of similar morphologies. Additionally, it has been shown that cell proliferation …

Potential Of Ozone And Hydroxyl Radicals To Degrade Emerging Organic Contaminants, Lisa Elaine Vance

Master's Theses

Advanced water treatment processes are necessary for the treatment of emerging organic contaminants. Traditional treatment processes do not filter or treat these contaminants causing humans and animals to come into contact and ingest them, both causing illness. Advanced oxidation processes are a good alternative method, but are cost and time intensive.

Previous research on ozone and hydroxyl radicals leads to the conclusion that they might be a vial option for advanced water treatment processes. To test the effects of ozone and hydroxyl radicals on the destruction of algae, ozonated phosphate buffer was mixed with Anabaena and modified BG11 culture media …

Investigation Of Ammonia And Nitrate Removal From Municipal Wastewater Using Biowish, Emily Holland

Master's Theses

This research entails investigation of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite removal from wastewater using a proprietary blend of bacteria known as BiOWiSH^TM. The degradation rates of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite for Aqua were determined using wastewater at the San Luis Obispo Water Resource Recovery Facility (SLO WRRF). Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to test how Aqua compared with natural bacteria for removal of nitrogen compounds. Preliminary data suggested that Aqua performed nitrate removal best in SLO WRRF wastewater at the secondary clarifier. Aqua could perform anoxic and aerobic denitrification in secondary clarifier wastewater. In mineral media, Aqua removed …

Multi-Scale Assembly Methodologies Of Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Derivative Systems For Enhanced Optoelectronic Anisotropy, David William Bilger

Master's Theses

Conjugated polymers represent a class of semi-conducting materials with numerous applications in optoelectronic devices, including organic light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, and photovoltaics. Because of the numerous advantages of macromolecular systems, including solution processing and mechanical flexibility, conjugated polymers have become a burgeoning field of research with the hopes of producing cost-effective solution-based electronics. Importantly, optoelectronic device performance is heavily influenced by conjugated polymer backbone orientation and overall thin film morphology. As such, the processing conditions of these systems are important to the construction of high- performance optoelectronics. Polythiophenes are model conjugated polymers that have been studied extensively in halogenated organic …

Removal Of Nitrates From Stormwater Using Nanoclays, Rubia Siddiqi

Master's Theses

Creeks and rivers are often polluted as a result of stormwater runoff that carries various contaminants in to open water bodies, causing adverse environmental and health effects. Low impact development (LID) techniques are currently employed to treat this runoff prior to discharge. Nitrate, however, is not consistently removed by these LID techniques. This study analyzed the ability of several nanoclays to remove nitrate in runoff and determined the feasibility of using them as a soil supplement for LID implementation. Six different nanoclays and HCl-treated clays were compared (pre-modified trimethyl stearyl ammonium nanoclay, pre-modified dimethyl dialkyl amine nanoclay, unmodified hydrophilic bentonite, …

Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo’S New Dream Center: Bringing Awareness And Increasing Student And Staff Outreach Through Social Media, Brenda Itzel Garcia

Journalism

The following study investigates how using social media as a platform for Cal Poly’s new Dream Center will increase the percentage of outreach and promote awareness among students and staff.

The number of undocumented students on campus continues to grow every year since 2012 when former President, Barak Obama, first introduced introduced DACA. However out of 65,000 undocumented students who graduate high school in the United States, only 10% continue to pursue a higher education, and only 8% of those students actually complete and undergraduate degree.

The purpose of having a dream center is to increase the graduation rates, have …

Intuition: Role, Biases, Cognitive Basis, And A Hypothetical Synergistic Explanation Of Intuitive Brain Operations, Jens G. Pohl

Collaborative Agent Design (CAD) Research Center

This paper explores the characteristics of the intuitive responses that are generated by our brain continuously in an automatic and effortless manner. However, while intuition is a very powerful mechanism, it is also subject to many biasing influences. The author discusses the role of intuition, examines representative examples of biasing influences, compares cognitive theories of intuition advanced by Simon (2002), Klein (2003 and 1999), and Kahneman (2011), and then advances a hypothetical explanation of the neurological operations underlying intuition based on Hebbian rules (Hebb 1949) of plasticity in combination with synergetic principles.

Uhf Rfid Antenna Impedance Matching Techniques, Kamron Sockolov, Dean Arakaki

Electrical Engineering

The modified T-match network uses planar inductive strips for conjugate matching Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Integrated Circuits (RFICs). Narrow and broadband matching techniques and electromagnetic simulations are applied in [1] for specific designs. This paper extends these efforts through antenna element parameterization and design trade-off analysis. Narrow and broadband designs are fabricated; antenna input impedance and tag range tests confirm predictions.

Reflections On Tom Regan And The Animal Rights Movement That Once Was, Gary L. Francione

Between the Species

No abstract provided.

Appeal To Bystander Interventions: A Normative Approach To Health And Risk Messaging, Shawn M. Burn

Psychology and Child Development

Bystander intervention is a form of helping that occurs when onlookers intercede to provide direct or indirect aid to a victim. When bystanders step in to prevent or reduce harm to others, they act as agents of primary and secondary health prevention. But theory and research suggest the bystander intervention process is complex and multiple social-psychological and situational barriers imperil bystander action. Bystanders are often ill-prepared to intervene when others are at risk for emotional or physical harm. They may not notice that someone needs help due to distraction from self-focus, engagement in social interaction, intoxication, or aspects of the …

Holistic Interdisciplinary Design - Everyone Does Everything (Engineering Students As Sculptors), Craig Baltimore, Allen C. Estes

Architectural Engineering

The ability to offer students an interdisciplinary experience under a team work setting is invaluable in preparation for a career in the built environment. A hands-on approach coupled with a real project presents unique opportunities in student learning. Learning in regards to the dynamics of team personalities, deadlines, approval procedures, and deliverables. One such hands-on based real project was to design, build, and install an 800 lb., 20 ft. long, and 10 ft. tall sculpture. The sculpture was to be built of recycled steel of a mustang in 10 weeks for the University’s library Spring 2016 exhibit. The project gave …

Enhancing Regional Ocean Modeling Simulation Performance With The Xeon Phi Architecture, Chris Lupo, Maria Pantoja, Paul Choboter

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Ocean studies are crucial to many scientific disciplines. Due to the difficulty in probing the deep layers of the ocean and the scarcity of data in some of the oceans, the scientific community relies heavily on ocean simulation models. Ocean modeling is complex and computationally intensive, and improving the performance of these models will greatly advance and improve the work of ocean scientists. This paper presents a detailed exploration of the acceleration of the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS) software with the latest Intel Xeon Phi x200 architectures. Both shared-memory and distributed-memory parallel computing models are evaluated. Results show run …

Inclusive Lectern Ii, Pedro Mogollon, Joanna Moraza

Baker/Koob Endowments Awarded Projects

The Inclusive Lectern fills a need at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for American with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint lecterns, which accommodate presenters who use wheelchairs. While a prototype of the Inclusive Lectern was completed in 2015 there are inherent and vital flaws. This year's engineering team shall address these flaws by improving the actuation system (electrical-linear actuator) that enables adjustment of the lectern height. In addition, a retracting system will be incorporated, consisting of force transducers and micro-controllers for collision prevention between the work surface and the legs of the user when lowering the lectern. The new system will …

Colorado’S Budding Economy: A Comparative Analysis Of Selected Marijuana Tourism Businesses In The Centennial State, Connor D. King

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Since the 2014 legalization of recreational marijuana in the state of Colorado, pioneering entrepreneurs have been getting in on the ground level of a fledgling industry—marijuana tourism. Through interviews with six Colorado-based marijuana tourism business owners, this qualitative study identified current challenges and opportunities faced by those who are blazing the trail into this new form of alternative tourism. The results indicate that continued stigmatization of marijuana in society, along with restrictive and changing regulations, pose significant legal and financial challenges. The results also include a summary of opportunities and recommendations which include educating the public about the benefits of …

Learn By Leaving: An Analysis Of Recruitment And Retention Rates Among Faculty/Staff Of Color, Erica Noelle Claybrook-Cookman

Ethnic Studies

Learn by Leaving is as an analysis of recruitment and retention rates among faculty/staff of color at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), specifically, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) in San Luis Obispo, California. This project aims to answer the following: How does the presence, or lack thereof, of faculty/staff of color impact the success of students of color at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo? Additionally, how has the presence, or lack thereof, of faculty/staff of color shaped the overall college experience for students of color at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo? In the context of this research, …

Deconstructing Medicine: The Intersections Of Racism And Health Disparities Within Pre-Medical Education, Allison F. Dormanesh

Ethnic Studies

The purpose of this project is to evaluate ways in which historical racism and lack of it in pre- medical curriculum shapes future health professionals and results in negative medical treatment of under-represented groups. Research found in the literature review reveals a strong history of racism within medical practice and medical research, as well as unconscious bias that follows knowledge taught during undergraduate education and onwards. An intersectionality approach is used to show the affect of race and class on health disparities and unethical abuse. This research includes data analyzing the pre-medical curriculums of the ten pre-medical universities that produce …

Consumer Agricultural Education: Starting At The High School Level Health Class, Cecilia Teresa Acosta

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project is to analyze and understand the communication gap between the farmer and consumer in order to create a dialogue about misconceptions in the media. Often rumors in the media worry or mislead the consumer in his or her buying choices. In order for consumers to understand what they are buying, and critically analyze media information, it is necessary to teach agricultural education at the high school level health class. This project will showcase how to start this education in order to bridge the communication gap starting with five crucial and common food-packaging labels. These labels …

Influence Of Silver Nanoparticle Surface Charge On Cytotoxic Efficacy Against Cancer Cells, Elliot Christian Frey

Materials Engineering

Silver and silver-based products are known to cause cytotoxic effects to both microbes and eukaryotic cells. Because of this property, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are being studied for their potential in targeted tumor treatments. Previous studies with microbes suggest that AgNPs with cationic capping agents possess enhanced cytotoxicity by virtue of Coulombic attraction between the nanoparticle and the negatively-charged cell wall. Since animal cells possess similar negatively-charged plasma membranes, this research hypothesized that human cells would be more susceptible to positively-charged AgNPs than to negatively-charged AgNPs. To investigate this theory, cancerous cervical cells (HeLa) and healthy fibroblast cells (3T3) were subjected …

Inkjet Printing Of Nano-Silver Conductive Ink On Pet Substrate, Skyler Jiang

Materials Engineering

Printing of conductive ink traditionally uses copper-based ink and was used on high temperature metal substrates due to the high curing and sintering temperature of copper. In this experiment, however, Metalon JS-B25P nano-silver conductive ink was printed using an Epson Stylus C88+ inkjet printer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based Novele printing media made for low temperature applications. With silver’s lower sintering temperature, the nano-silver particles in this ink are desired to be able to sinter at a low enough temperature to be used on the PET substrate. The printed ink traces were cured with a temperature-controlled hotplate at 100℃, 120℃, …

Blend It Applications And Server, Rebecca Mckinley, Cory Mayer, Tyler Fox, Alex Bartlett, Aly Chapman

Computer Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Baseball Data With R, Claudia Sison

Statistics

No abstract provided.

Design Of A Finger Lime Loading System, Joel Jameson Hitchen

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Automation for post harvest processing of finger limes is required to meet demand for the new citrus fruit being introduced to United States of America food and agriculture market. As labor wages rise, and demand climbs for finger lime product a creative solution is needed to eliminate human labor and reduce the manual input needed to process finger limes. Building on an already successful processing tool, a semi-­automated loading system was designed and implemented to overcome the problem.

Tensile Properties Of High-Strength Connecting Rod Bolts, Leland K. Lam

Materials Engineering

Oliver Racing Parts (ORP) is looking to optimize the manufacturing process for high-strength connecting rod bolts. A high yield strength is desired for the bolts because deformation would result in a loss of engine performance. A high tensile strength is also necessary to prevent catastrophic failure if deformation occurs. A high ductility as a proxy for toughness is attractive for resisting crack nucleation and growth during cyclic loading. Bolts were made of MP35N, a nickel-cobalt multiphase alloy; MLX-17, a precipitation hardenable stainless steel; 8740, a low alloy steel; and H11, a chromium hot-work tool steel. The temperature of the most …

A Survey Of Addictive Software Design, Chauncey J. Neyman

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The average smartphone owner checks their phone more than 150 times per day. As of 2015, 62% of smartphone users had used their phone to look up information about a health condition, while 57% had used their phone to do online banking. Mobile platforms have become the dominant medium of human-computer interaction. So how have these devices established themselves as our go to connection to the Internet? The answer lies in addictive design. Software designers have become well versed in creating software that captivates us at a primal level. In this article, we survey addictive software design strategies, their bases …

On-Sight Shifting At The Cryogenic Underground Observatory For Rare Events, Aaron C. Wong

Physics

During the summer of 2016, four Cal Poly students traveled to Assergi, Italy to contribute to the CUORE collaboration which is in search of a rare process called neutrinoless double beta decay. If detected, neutrinoless double beta decay will make break throughs in particle and nuclear physics, and will be the first observation of lepton number violation. The Cal Poly students provided on-sight shifting support during the installation phase of the project. This is a breakdown of the physics behind CUORE and Cal Poly's contribution.

Solar Roller - Solar Powered Usb Charging Station, Aaron Bartfeld, Tanner Mjelde, Kaylan Naicker

Electrical Engineering

As the necessity for renewable energy increases, solar power becomes more and more prevalent. At the same time, as technology increases, the necessity for charging one’s electronic devices also increases. The Solar Roller merges solar energy with the ability to charge one's electronic device in one compact cart. The Solar Roller is a solar-powered USB charging station that allows people of all backgrounds to develop a better understanding of alternative fuels, while charging their USB device. It has a touch screen display that provides voltage levels of the battery as well as a TV that displays solar powered information. The …

Solid State Drive, Shaun A. Steele

Electrical Engineering

This project documents the design and implementation of a solid state drive (SSD). SSDs are a non-volatile memory storage device that competes with hard disk drives. SSDs rely on flash memory, a type of non-volatile memory that is electrically erased and programmed. The appeal of SSDs lies in the fact that they allow a fast, reliable, and durable memory storage device. The goal of this project is to have a working external SSD built from scratch.

Light Sensing Automated Blinds, Andrew B. Hodges, Ryan C. Flick

Electrical Engineering

This project is solving the problem of wasted energy within buildings and homes, because currently the lights turned on inside building do not utilize natural, ambient light from the sun. Rather than having unnecessary light from a light source, the automated light sensing smart blinds can sense the amount of light outside the window and in the room, and then adjust the angle of the blinds to save energy by utilizing the available outdoor light. This way, the light source will not be running at maximum power output while there is excess light coming through the window. This project aims …

Taco Bell "Live Bién" Campaign, Briana Rubalcava

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.