Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Ecological And Social Implications Of Parklets And Plazas Across Multiple Urban Scales, Joshua L. Muller

Master's Theses

Faced with population increases but stagnant capital improvements and impacts from global warming, cities around the world are experimenting with smaller-scale and cheaper strategies in order to accommodate the new influx of residents. New York City has led the way in converting low-efficiency intersection space into public plazas with a limited range of permanently installed elements and San Francisco has pioneered the concept of the parklet, which converts two to four street parking spaces into a modular and flexible pedestrian space. I seek to answer two questions about these spaces: What are common factors influencing the viability and successful implementation …

A Power System-Based Iot Network For Remote Sensing Applications, Dominic Gaiero

Master's Theses

Cities around the world are facing increasingly significant challenges, including rapid urbanization, resource management, and environmental threats. In California for example, wildfires present an ever-growing threat that gravely harms people, destroys communities, and causes billions of dollars in damages. The task of addressing these environmental threats and many other challenges is greatly aided with widespread data collection and real-time inference. However, as IoT networks scale and require more energy for near-data analytics, the IoT endpoints require more power and complexity, limiting their deployment. Additionally, deploying endpoints in remote locations creates further challenges with higher reliability and communication constraints. In this …

Perishable Food Waste Reduction Through Technological Implementation At The Retail Level Of The Food Supply Chain, Cassandra Harriman

Master's Theses

Food waste has become a disaster of global proportion that the world can no longer turn a blind eye to. This paper aims to reduce food waste at the retail level of the food supply chain by recommending and quantifying the effects of current technology that can be implemented in traditional supermarkets. This research recommends that retailers implement electronic shelf labels in stores and employ dynamic pricing of perishable products, leading to reduction of food waste. No prior research had considered the primary goal of reducing food waste while preserving retailer profit through technological implementation. This paper quantifies the effects …

A Performance Survey Of Text-Based Sentiment Analysis Methods For Automating Usability Evaluations, Kelsi Van Damme

Master's Theses

Usability testing, or user experience (UX) testing, is increasingly recognized as an important part of the user interface design process. However, evaluating usability tests can be expensive in terms of time and resources and can lack consistency between human evaluators. This makes automation an appealing expansion or alternative to conventional usability techniques.

Early usability automation focused on evaluating human behavior through quantitative metrics but the explosion of opinion mining and sentiment analysis applications in recent decades has led to exciting new possibilities for usability evaluation methods.

This paper presents a survey of modern, open-source sentiment analyzers’ usefulness in extracting and …

An Artificial Neural Network For Bankruptcy Prediction, Walter D. Magdefrau

Master's Theses

Assessing the financial health of organizations remains a topic of great interest to economists, financial institutions, and invested stakeholders. For more than a century, research into financial distress has focused primarily on traditional applications of statistical analysis; however, modern advances in computational efficiency have created a significant opportunity for more sophisticated approaches. This thesis investigates the application of artificial intelligence on company bankruptcy prediction. The proposed neural network model is evaluated using the Polish Companies Bankruptcy dataset and yields a 5-year prediction accuracy of 96.5% and an AUC (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) measure of 92.4%.

Hands-Free Electric Skateboard, Blaise M. Bibolet

Electrical Engineering

An electric skateboard functions as a skateboard propelled by electric motors. It is usually controlled with a handheld controller. This project describes an electric skateboard controlled via weight distribution. To accelerate, the rider leans forward, and to decelerate, the rider leans backward. It can travel 17 miles per hour and has regenerative braking to recharge the battery.

The Impact Of Myoblast Transplantation On Collateral Capillary Arteriogenesis And Macrophage Phenotype, Christine Hue Do

Biomedical Engineering

Gangrene, pain, loss of limb function, amputation, and death are only few of the grievous consequences associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a vascular disease caused by an obstruction that narrows the blood vessels. Since some patients have collateral vessels that can re-route blood to its downstream destination, much focus has been spotlighted upon discovering the mechanism of this process, termed arteriogenesis, as well as cell therapies to increase arterial diameter of collateral vessels. Since some patients do not have native pre-existing collateral vessels, another method to re-route blood is through arterialized collateral capillaries (ACC), which is the conversion of …

Prioritizing Mental Health Awareness In The Construction Industry, Molly E. Pryde

Construction Management

The construction industry is known as one of the most demanding industries for employees, both physically and mentally. Due to various factors associated with the working conditions and lifestyles of construction workers, the likelihood of mental health challenges amongst this demographic is quite high. Furthermore, industry culture surrounding masculinity poses a barrier to properly addressing the issue. Because of the dynamic and fast-paced work environment, assessing potential risks to protect workers is an integral part of each day on the job site. As a key component in company success and individual well-being, safety has become ingrained in construction culture. However, …

Adapting To California Wildfires: Keys To Rebuilding In High Fire Risk Locations, Sebastian Dante Froman

Construction Management

A rise in California wildfires has led to a significant increase in the number of acres and structures destroyed annually. The Tubbs Fire, known as one of California’s most destructive fires, affected parts of Northern California in October 2017. In an effort to reduce the damage caused by wildfires, it is vital that houses are constructed so that they are more fire resistant, specifically in areas that are at high risk of wildfires. This paper will look at the reconstruction of Santa Rosa after the Tubbs Fire to see what building methods are being used by contractors. This was investigated …

Difficulties Building Low-Income Housing And The View Of One Company: A Case Study, Kyle Henriken

Construction Management

This case study investigates low-income housing and why it can be more difficult to build compared to other construction projects. Five individuals of PREMIER Design + Build Group were interviewed and gave their opinions on the subject. Each person interviewed has a different role in the company a market leader, project manager, superintendent, and a project engineer to gain a more diverse view on low-income housing. These interviews were semi-structured and open ended to create dialogue about their experiences in affordable housing. This paper investigates a single project called The Cottages located in Lake Elsinore CA. This process found that …

Development Plan For A Multi-Family Residential Building In San Luis Obispo, Shelby L. Wineman

Construction Management

Real estate development is often regarded as a daunting effort that requires a large sum of time and money. However, a greater supply of multi-family housing will protect cities from this homelessness, lack of availability to education, along with poor mental and physical health conditions. This paper addresses methods in which any new developer can efficiently approach developing small-scale, multi-family housing in San Luis Obispo and see overall profitability. The initial research set forth provides interested parties with a generalized basis of the analysis of value, design considerations, and methods of savings involved in development. The research is then directly …

The Benefits And Challenges Of Automation In The Modular Construction Industry, Allen Le

Construction Management

Modular construction combined with automation technology such as robotics presents benefits and challenges associated with it. Modular construction takes on the traditional building methods and has streamlined the production of modules making it safer, efficient, and productive. Along with innovation and cutting-edge technology such as automation, it offers an alternative building method to the modular construction industry that enhances productivity, worker safety, and efficiency. This research presents an investigation on factors that may be benefited from the adoption of automation but also addresses the challenges in modular construction. Qualitative interviews with designers and consultants in the modular industry were conducted …

Analyzing The Causes Of Labor Shortage In The Commercial Carpentry Trades In The San Francisco Bay Area, Jack Crayne

Construction Management

Skilled labor is vital to the success of any construction project, and no contractor would be able to operate without the skilled laborers that they employ. The construction industry has been subject to a shortage of skilled labor for the last two decades for many reasons, including the poor image of construction workers among the public, inadequate training measures, and an aging workforce. Reviewing the literature on the matter shows that the leading cause of shortage is low pay and increasing age of the workforce overall, while the demand for labor grows at a faster rate than the supply of …

Sustainability In Residential Construction: Homeowner Input On Sustainable Features, Samuel Bina

Construction Management

Recently, sustainability has become extremely popular in construction, and in particular residential construction. Regulations for sustainable construction have increased over the years and have begun to increase in popularity amongst homeowners. This report dives further into the importance of sustainability in residential construction, in particular working with homeowners to identify the best methods of increasing sustainability in their homes. Currently, little information has been published regarding homeowners’ perspectives on sustainability and the types of features they would be likely to incorporate into their homes that are not mandated by codes. This report serves to provide information to both the construction …

Addressing Mep Labor Shortages And Methods To Attract Young Adults Into The Trades, Hernan Garcia Alonso

Construction Management

The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) fields require a large skilled workforce. In recent years, companies have experienced shortages of skilled employees. These shortages arise from many causes, a root cause identified is the decrease of young adults pursuing MEP careers. This project focuses on the reasons young adults are reluctant to enter these careers, such as misconceptions or lack of knowledge on MEP careers. A pool of twelve MEP companies was surveyed regarding their experiences with the causes of labor shortages and the short-term mitigation methods used. They were also asked about their perspective on the lack of young …

The Relationships Between Personality Types And Project Management Team Satisfaction, Patrick Moran

Construction Management

This research studies the relationships between personality types in Project Managers and Project Engineers and how they relate to project team satisfaction. Goals this research set out to accomplish include: finding relationships between personality types and team satisfaction, determining if heterogeneous or homogeneous team compositions yield greater levels of satisfaction, and determining if certain personality types influence team satisfaction more than others. In order to answer these goals, a specific study was conducted comparing two project teams composed of PMs and PEs. These teams were instructed to complete the NERIS Type Explorer® along with a Likert Scale questionnaire to self-assess …

Learn By Giving: Non-Profit Information For Future Senior Projects, Ryan H. Proctor

Construction Management

This report details the processes, deliverables, and partnerships between various non-profit construction organizations to provide students with accessible information about non-profit construction companies for future senior projects. The information and deliverables of this senior project also to be found in the portal for the construction management preliminary senior project class (CM 460). One of the main goals of this senior project is to encourage students to sharpen construction skills while helping communities in need. This project consists of interviewing local, national, and international non-profit companies to compile information so students understand the different opportunities they have. The first deliverable that …

Second Language Advantages To The Construction Industry, Heilam Wu

Construction Management

The university is well known for its prowess in construction management. It is essential for construction management students to learn additional skills. The current trend in construction management predicts its expansion across international borders. A construction manager will have an added advantage working abroad if they can communicate using different languages. Knowledge of foreign languages is advantageous as it increases the chance of securing job opportunities and sharing effectively with others. However, this can only be attained by encouraging more students to learn to integrate their skills with at least one or two foreign languages. It is, therefore, essential to …

Do Development Department Standards Deter Potential Affordable Housing In Los Angeles Areas? A Case Study, Adam Gonzalez

Construction Management

Development department standards for constructing new buildings are put in place for the general well being of the community and its buildings. Using a case study of a recent Santa Monica Mixed-Use project, the paper can analyze the building standards, programs, and other requirements put in place. The purpose of the case study was to highlight challenges and issues to project start-up created by the city’s standards to gain insight as to how standards may deter construction containing affordable housing units in the Los Angeles Area. Qualitative research was conducted through e-mail correspondence with the VP and development partner of …

Analyzing The Impact Of The Women In Construction Club, Reagan Milligan

Construction Management

The Women in Construction (WIC) club at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo provides a support network for all students, but specifically serves women pursuing an undergraduate degree in construction management. The club’s mission statement is to ‘recognize and empower all students in construction through change, collaboration, and leadership development by leveraging connections.’ This study was conducted to determine the types and levels of impact the Women in Construction club has had on undergraduate students at the professional, academic, and personal levels. The study evaluates the different types of events held by the club, networking opportunities provided for both …

A Case Study On The Ucsf Transplant Center Renovation: Mitigating Covid-19 Risks And Tracking Cost Impact, Alec Steven Woodyatt

Construction Management

At the beginning of 2020, the world was turned upside down at the hands of the global coronavirus pandemic. Today, economies and business are counting the costs and wondering what recovery will look like – how to navigate and adapt to a new style of life after returning from government-mandated lockdowns. The question on everyone’s minds is, “how do we continue to work while keeping people safe?” This question is extremely relevant in the construction industry where, for most people, working from home is not an option. This case study will delve into how Dome Construction, along with their client, …

Resequencing To Make Up Lost Time During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Case Study, Enzo Av Rienzi

Construction Management

Construction schedules are typically built by organizing activities according to trades as a whole. The entire foundation is poured, then the entire superstructure is erected, followed by interior framing, etc. However, for projects with an unchangeable finish date such as a school, other scheduling methods must be considered when the project is faced with uncontrollable, force majeure events which threaten to delay the project deadline. In order to examine the efficacy of alternative scheduling techniques, analysis of a $50 million school project will provide insight into how tasks can be safely overlapped to gain lost time in a schedule. This …

Development Of Bluebeam Curriculum For Construction Management Department In Virtual And In-Class Transmissions, Jacob K. Clark

Construction Management

This paper discusses the development of two new learning modules for the California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo Construction Management department on Bluebeam practices and usage that reflect industry and technological changes. Adapting to and maintaining practices in distance learning, this curriculum allows for optimal online education and further advancement and clarity in in-person transmissions. With step-by-step videos for optional distance learning, students and faculty can choose to engage in alternative modes of education delivery. Building on traditional roles of construction technology education, teaching instructions are provided for faculty. This project based senior project positively impacts the body of knowledge …

Proposal For Purchase Of In-House Drone For Cal Poly’S Construction Management Department, Angel Sanchez

Construction Management

Over the years, the construction industry has been steadily seeing an influx of new technology and innovation that has potential to improve the industry in many ways. One form of technology that has been introduced into the construction industry is Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). UAS technology includes drones, photogrammetry capabilities, and the software that links field data to analytic tools. In the past decade, drones in construction have seen a considerable amount of growth and the uses for drones in construction, therefore new job opportunities in construction have been created that require knowledge of UAS technology. As the construction industry …

The Zero Waste Concept In The California Commercial Construction Industry: A Case Study, Maureen Moreno

Construction Management

In 2018, the United States generated 600 million tons of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) which was more than twice the amount of municipal solid waste produced. Excessive CDW puts a burden on already scarce landfills as well as the environment and the health of its inhabitants. Implementing waste management practices has historically been a challenge. The zero waste concept emerged as an innovative solution to CDW and refers to the elimination of waste throughout construction activity. It is the process of eliminating waste where possible, minimizing waste where feasible, and reusing materials which otherwise might become waste. Fully adopting …

The Leed Decision-Making Processes For Northern California Commercial Construction, Shannon Marie Coyle

Construction Management

The purpose of this project was to establish a common decision-making process behind selections on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) scorecard. This report describes the similar and dissimilar motives and processes that lead construction project teams to choose the LEED credits to be implemented. By interviewing experienced project executives, architects, project managers, and LEED accredited professionals at industry-leading companies in the Bay Area, a summarization of the motives behind credit selection have been reported and commonalities and differences in the process have been noted. Through these interviews, time, cost, efficiency, and sensibility have all been considered prioritizing …

San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Concrete Benches, Anthony N. Masarweh

Construction Management

The purpose of this project is to build a total of 10, 8-foot-long concrete benches. These benches will be stationed at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden located at 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo. The design consists of a large block style bench with composite Trex boards layered on top for comfort upon sitting. The structure consists of a rebar cage made of #3, 12”x18” stirrups at 16” O.C. There is a foam core in the middle of the rebar cage to allow for lighter weight benches and also to minimize the cubic yards of concrete used per …

Public Health Campaigns And The Covid-19 Vaccine: An Analysis Of The Role Marketing And Public Relations Play In Combating Vaccine Hesitancy And The Spread Of Misinformation On Social Media, Emily Mahoney

Journalism

This study is intended to determine the role social media has as a messaging platform for information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and the persuasiveness misinformation on these platforms has on people’s perceptions. Researching how the impact of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and falsehoods can affect perceptions of our society will show how important marketing, PR, and other professional communicators roles are during a time like this.

Cementing Precedence Amid Volatility: Updating The Kcpr Operations Manual, Francisco A. Martinez

Journalism

This paper examines and outlines the reasons needed for solidifying concrete methods in updating an operations manual for an FM radio station; in this case: KCPR. Amid a desire for increased integration with Mustang Media Group, changing media trends within the radio industry and volatility with the accuracy of guiding documents, a student at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo believed it fit to update the Operations Manual and establish further precedent in updating the operations manual. This paper addresses the steps taken to update the Operations Manual and includes specific industry research findings and commentaries …

Victoria's Secret, Rachel M. Granger

Journalism

Founded on June 12th, 1977 in San Francisco, CA by husband Roy Raymond and wife Gaye, Victoria's Secret has grown to become a renowned company in the fashion industry with a cult following for its lingerie, loungewear, activewear, and beauty products (Victoria's Secret, 2021).

Victoria's Secret aims to develop customer loyalty and an exceptional consumer experience through their high quality, sophisticated, and sexy products that appeal to every consumer's taste and budget with a variety of price points: bras from $19-$150, loungewear $29-$200, activewear from $20-100, and beauty products from $10- $21 (Victoria's Secret, 2021). Their products are designed "by …