Digital Commons Network^™

Horned Lark Management For The Protection Of Lettuce Sprouts, Taylor Wetzel, Eduardo Morales, Kyle Suguitan

Mechanical Engineering

The following document is the Final Project Report. Following the Critical Design Report, the top idea was taken and modified once again to suit the needs of the sponsor. Details regarding the changes are outlined throughout Chapter 3.

The provided background section explains why there is a need for a new device at Tanimura and Antle that will suit the customer's needs better than current methods and existing products. The top ideas picked for the Conceptual Design Review are the presented to reiterate the problems that were depicted in them and why they were not selected as part of the …

Mini-High Temperature Hepa Filter Test Unit, Mario Trinchero, Juan Miguel Nagengast, Andrew Wood

Mechanical Engineering

There is a need for better HEPA filter materials, especially those able to withstand higher temperatures as experienced in fire conditions. In order to test these materials our team built a Mini High Temperature Testing Unit (MHTTU) that can rapidly, efficiently, and inexpensively test a large number of new and innovative materials for HEPA filter components. MHTTU test results will be used to down select the most promising materials for HEPA filter components (e.g., media, sealants, gaskets) for full scale testing in the HTTU. There are already some pieces of equipment that exist in other parts of the country that …

Design, Construction, And Evaluation Of An Rc Vehicle Dynamometer, Christian Marron

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Smart Weights, Luke W. Rafla-Yuan, Austin C. Fox

Electrical Engineering

The goal of this project is to design and implement weights which can record and analyze work out patterns. Motivation for this project stems from the high cost of personal training. The hope is that this device will provide many of the benefits a user receives from personal training at only a fraction of the cost. The Smart Weight is designed with an on-board Inertial Measurement Unit providing acceleration, gyroscope, and magnetometer data. A microcontroller records and analyzes changes in motion, feeding this data into Multiplicative Recurrent Neural Network (MRNN) for exercise classification. A Raspberry Pi was chosen as the …

Characterizing The Reproducibility Of The Properties Of Electrospun Poly(D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Scaffolds For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics, Toni M. Pipes

Master's Theses

“Blood vessel mimics” (BVMs) are tissue-engineered constructs that serve as in vitro preclinical testing models for intravascular devices. The Cal Poly Tissue Engineering lab specifically uses BVMs to test the cellular response to stent implantation. PLGA scaffolds are electrospun in-house using the current “Standard Protocol” and used as the framework for these constructs. The performance of BVMs greatly depends on material and mechanical properties of the scaffolds. It is desirable to create BVMs with reproducible properties so that they can be consistent models that ultimately generate more reliable results for intravascular device testing. Reproducibility stems from the consistency of the …

Effectively Sending Messages To Different Target Audiences Through Social Media, Julie Famular

Graphic Communication

The objective of this research was to determine how to effectively send messages to different audiences using social media. More specifically, how can the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department social media team effectively use social media to send messages to their three target audiences of prospective students, current students, and alumni.

The methods used to conduct this research included interviews, a survey and researching Facebook Insights of the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Facebook page. Interviews were conducted with nine people, three people from each target audience group. The survey was conducted through Survey Monkey and had a sample size of …

Designing An E-Commerce Website For Summit Outdoor Supply (S.O.S.), Eliott Kentaro Mason

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to design an appealing and easy to use e-commerce website for a startup company called Summit Outdoor Supply (S.O.S.) in order for them to expand their customer base and continue to grow. This new website will provide customers with a convenient online store to order S.O.S.’s unique survival gear products at the click of a button.

This study investigated the requirements to design a successful e-commerce website along with increasing visibility of the company through search engine optimization techniques. A usability testing questionnaire was sent out to students, faculty, and personal friends through e-mail …

Pismo Beach Public Art Program, Garrett Tyler Norman

Master's Theses

Public art plays a significant role in communities around the world. It embodies a close relationship between the artist, the space in which it’s being exhibited, and the public. The development of this project examined various literary sources that demonstrated the importance of public art and how cities, artists, and community members may benefit from the incorporation of public art. This project included the framework for development of a Public Art Program for the City of Pismo Beach, California, which outlined the critical steps of a planning process and implementation of the program.

Optimization Of Growth Parameters For Algal Regrowth Potential Experiments, Chadwick D. Boggess

Master's Theses

Water cost is one of the key deterrents in making algal biofuels a feasible alternative to traditional petroleum fuels. Research into recycling of algal media was conducted in a laboratory setting at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. A growth assay was created to allow for algal cultures, specifically Ward’s Chlorella sp., to proliferate in sealed culture vessels. Bold’s Basal Medium (BBM) was selected as the media due to its extensive use with freshwater algal strains. However, this medium can limit algal growth through nutrient limitation and it became necessary to augment the original recipe. 50mM …

The Effect Of Pretreatment Methods On Methane Yield And Nutrient Solubilization During Anaerobic Digestion Of Microalgae, Alexander Scott Hill

Master's Theses

Microalgal biomass is a candidate feedstock for biofuel production. To improve the sustainability of algae biofuel production, following biofuel recovery, the biomass nutrients should be recycled for additional algae growth. Anaerobic digestion of algae or oil-extracted algae is a means of recovering carbon and other nutrients, while offsetting algae production electricity demand. The major limiting factor in microalgae digestion is the low biodegradability of the cell walls. In the present study, various pretreatment technologies were tested at bench scale for their ability to improve raw, non-lipid-extracted algae biodegradability, which was assessed in terms of methane yield, volatile solids destruction, and …

Design Practices In Mobile User Interface Design, William Hunt Robbins

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to determine optimal user interface design practices for differing age demographics and mobile operating systems. Specifically, users at three different age groups were administered a test to gauge their preference of mobile app icons. The style of the first set of icons, commonly known as flat design, was minimal and simple, with few colors, bevels or gradients. The second style of icons was a more realistic and detailed style known as skeuomorphic design. Users selected the preferred icons, and then took a brief survey to gauge their opinion. After the data was collected, it …

Virtual Brand Communities And Brand Loyalty: A Case Study Of Mindbody Inc.'S Virtual Brand Community, Dillon Katz

Communication Studies

This case study explores how the fast-growing software company MINDBODY, Inc. utilizes their virtual brand community on Facebook in order to build brand loyalty. My research primarily explores how Communication Studies researchers have come to understand the effects of virtual communities on brand loyalty from the perspective of Social Capital, Attribution, and Social Identity theories. It discusses what virtual brand communities are, how they are formed, and how marketers and consumers utilize them. Furthermore, I discuss how virtual brand communities facilitate the growth of social capital among users and why this is a key step in their sustainability. I divulge …

Where Does It Hurt? A Cultivation Theory’S Perspective On Domestic Violence, Kendra Grace White

Communication Studies

This study investigated Cultivation Theory and its role in the issue of domestic violence. I hypothesized that people who are exposed to larger quantities of pop culture mediums will have less negative attitudes towards the issue of domestic violence. My study also posed research questions about the relationship between the attitudes towards domestic violence with both basic domestic violence knowledge and personal experience with the issue. I gathered my data through a thirty-question survey and distributed it online, using convenience and snowball samples. My results did not support my hypothesis; however, I did find statistical significance for a negative correlation …

Brave: A Feminist Perspective On The Disney Princess Movie, Danielle Morrison

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Aged 539 Graduate Project, Clint C. Cowden

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship report contains documented evidence required in meeting the quality criteria used to evaluate Community College Programs. These criteria were established by the Agriculture/Natural Resources Advisory Committee and are used to evaluate Community Colleges throughout California. In addition to documented evidence, the internship report also includes a special project on Program Effectiveness. The project created a degree qualification profile for the Agriculture Science and Technology degree at West Hills College, Coalinga which was approved by the DQPP committee at West Hills College, Coalinga. The DQP describes five basic areas of learning: Broad, Integrative Knowledge; Specialized Knowledge; Intellectual Skills; Applied …

Characterization Of Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Biovar Equi Isolates Obtained From Cal Poly Horses And Review Of Application Of Transposons To Better Prevent Pigeon Fever In Horses, Irene Hasen

Animal Science

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Different Cryopreservation Techniques On The Survival Rate Of In Vitro Produced (Ivp) And Biopsied Bovine Blastocysts, Diana J. Gumber

Animal Science

This study’s objectives were to determine if the biopsy of expanded blastocysts prior to cryopreservation affected the survival rates and determine if there is a difference between slow-freezing in 10% glycerol, slow freezing in ethylene glycol, and vitrification in terms of survival rate of the embryos. Blastocoeles were reduced prior to cryopreservation by means of biopsy. Embryos for slow freezing were exposed to ethylene glycol (SynGRO Ethylene Glycol with Sucrose, BIONICHE, Pullman, WA, USA) or 10% glycerol (SynGRO 10% Glycerol, BIONICHE, Pullman, WA, USA) as cryoprotectants. Vitrified embryos were exposed to 10% and 40% ethylene glycol. Survival rate of biopsied …

Investigation Of Chromosome Size Effect On The Rate Of Crossovers In The Meiotic Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Lanie Maria Galland

Master's Theses

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division characterized by a single round of DNA replication and two rounds of chromosome segregation, ultimately resulting in four haploid cells. During meiosis I, chromosomes align and reciprocal recombination results in the formation of a crossover, creating the tension required to properly segregate homologs during the first round of meiosis.

Two mechanisms involved in regulating the occurrence of crossing over are assurance and interference. Crossover assurance describes the phenomenon that at least one crossover will form between each pair of homologous chromosomes during prophase I. Crossover interference, on the other hand, describes the …

Development And Implementation Of Assessment Methods For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics, Tanner Stevenson

Biomedical Engineering

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), the most prevalent form of heart disease, is the result of clogged or damaged coronary arteries and claims around 380,000 Americans annually. A common treatment for CAD involves placing a stent into the artery in order to open the lumen and support the native tissue—a procedure that drastically reduces patient recovery times in comparison to heart bypass surgery. However, stents do not always interact well with the body and require additions such as surface coatings or drug elution in order for additional biocompatibility. These additions necessitate extensive in vitro and in vivo testing which are expensive …

An Attempt To Unify: A Rhetorical Analysis On Abraham Lincoln’S First Inaugural Address, Chanel E. Garcia

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

From Superhero To Human: A Genealogical Criticism Of Depictions Of Police Officers In Media From The 1970s To The Present, Samantha Wendy Ann Neher

Communication Studies

This senior project suggests that media depictions of law enforcement encourage viewers to adopt certain viewpoints towards police officers. In addition, the more realistic and humanizing that these presentations become, the more positive that the general public’s perceptions of police officers become. By utilizing a genealogical criticism of eight different law enforcement movies, and with support from public opinion polls and the communication theory of Cultivation, this paper will exemplify how the above statement is true.

From Print Culture To Digital Culture: Effects On Communication, Culture, And Technology, Brent Weber

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

How Can An Outdoor Company’S Public Relations Campaign Be Taken From The Local To National Level?, Devon Swanson

Journalism

The following study researches the most effective way for the outdoor startup company, Summit Outdoor Supply (S.O.S.), to take an already established local public relations campaign to the national level. This study will investigate what factors have helped other campaigns succeed for outdoor companies and what changes should be made to see S.O.S. reach that success. My goal for this project is to educate outdoor companies on how to use the most effective communication channels to reach their target audiences. The data, to support these recommendations, will come from my own experience working with a startup company paired with the …

A Feminist Exploration Of Gender And Communication In The Professional Sales Workplace, Chelsea Heil

Communication Studies

For many years, the sales profession has been largely male-dominated, however recently there has been more and more women are taking on this career choice (Dawson, 1997). In order to better understand the implications of this change, I propose to conduct a critical analysis that addresses the roles of women in the sales profession. Primarily, I will engage in a feminist exploration of gender and communication in the professional workplace with regards to the sales profession.

El Renacimiento Chicano Y La Hija De La Tierra Del Encanto, Ma Genoveva Emma Martinez Navarro

World Languages and Cultures

No abstract provided.

Latino Rhythms In Downtown Los Angeles: A Case Study Of The Social, Physical, And Economic Environment Of "La Broadway", Ulises Antonio Gonzalez

Master's Theses

In an attempt to practice inclusive planning, this research project explores whether Broadway Avenue functions as an ethnic commercial strip and identifies social, physical, and economic components that contribute to the Latino neighborhood/ barrio. Using pilot studies Loukaitou-Sideris (2000), Loukaitou-Sideris (2002), Rojas (1993), Manzumdar et al. (2000), Main (2007), and Fernando (2007) as a foundation, this research uses a single case study in addition to several research methods: 42 random surveys, literature review and analysis, site observations/pictures, and land use survey.

Various scholars write that barrios have unique physical, social, economic, and political attributes. A new aesthetic, art, symbols, …

Cooperative Construction In Schools In California, John Mauck Donley

Master's Theses

Cooperative Construction in Schools in California

John M. Donley

The construction industry has lost efficiency since 1964, while becoming increasingly more litigious. Schools in California can ill afford the time to allow the construction industry time to fully evolve. It may take years or decades to fully improve the efficiency of, and reduce the conflict within the construction industry.

At the same time, the construction industry has developed new processes to improve efficiency and reduce conflict. These processes are beginning to be broadly embraced by the industry. They all contain cooperative elements. Taken together they represent a new organizing principle …

Integrating Solar Energy And Local Government Resilience Planning, Stephan Wayne Schmidt

Master's Theses

Resilience and solar energy are separately growing in popularity for urban planners and similar professionals. This project links the two discrete terms together and examines the extent to which solar energy can improve local government resilience efforts. It includes a detailed literature review of both topics, as well as the methodology and findings related to a survey and interviews of local government officials and key stakeholders across the country related to hazard mitigation and energy assurance planning.

This research finds that integrating the use of solar energy can improve local government resilience efforts related to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery …

Water For Santa Cruz County: Nonprofit Advocacy And Public Policy, Matthew Alexander Orbach

Master's Theses

This professional Masters project involved turning the Sustainable Water Coalition (SWC), an unincorporated group of Santa Cruz residents advocating the work of the two local water agencies, into a California Nonprofit Corporation and an IRS recognized 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. This paper examines the biophysical, human, and institutional systems surrounding water use in Santa Cruz County, California, and the roles that a nonprofit advocacy organization can play within that framework. These roles are illustrated through an exploration of citizen involvement and advocacy in the comparative cases of the scwd² Desalination Program in Santa Cruz, California, and a proposed wastewater …

Decafs: A Modular Distributed File System To Facilitate Distributed Systems Education, Halli Elaine Meth

Master's Theses

Data quantity, speed requirements, reliability constraints, and other factors encourage industry developers to build distributed systems and use distributed services. Software engineers are therefore exposed to distributed systems and services daily in the workplace. However, distributed computing is hard to teach in Computer Science courses due to the complexity distribution brings to all problem spaces. This presents a gap in education where students may not fully understand the challenges introduced with distributed systems. Teaching students distributed concepts would help better prepare them for industry development work.

DecaFS, Distributed Educational Component Adaptable File System, is a modular distributed file system designed …