Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Aerospace System Robustness Integration Of Singular Value Decomposition And Network Centrality, Ricardo S. Contreras

Master's Theses

This thesis presents an approach to understanding and enhancing the robustness of aerospace systems through the integration of network analysis, Design Structure Matrix (DSM), Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), and robustness simulation techniques. This methodology called the Importance Hierarchy method, provides a comprehensive framework for decomposing the interactions of aerospace systems, focusing on identifying and evaluating critical components and interactions.

The Importance Hierarchy method was used to study the Autonomous Flight Termination Unit (AFTU) by analyzing its components and interdependencies. The AFTU was selected because it recently completed a Preliminary Design Review (PDR), and its design and operational functions were well-known. …

Prosthetic Forearm Controller, Claire Tylutki, Kevin Lopatka, Sofia Zaletel, Hardit Singh

Electrical Engineering

The EMG controlled prosthetic arm project represents a significant advancement in upper limb prosthetics, leveraging cutting-edge technology to address critical user needs. With over two million individuals in the United States living with limb loss, a substantial portion being upper limb amputees, the demand for accessible and functional prosthetic solutions is pressing. This project focuses largely on refining prosthetic limb control through the integration of electromyography (EMG) signal processing and control. Using surface electrodes, this project employs non-invasive means of data collection combined with modern digital signal processing methods to implement faster and more accurate control. The control system also …

Echoes Of Nature: Using Biodata Sonification To Model Electrical Communication In Plants, Penelope Anna Alioshin

Electrical Engineering

The use of biodata sonification as a tool to visualize biological data is a response to recent developments in the intersection of art and technology. This project explores the intersection by converting the electrical impulses given off by plants into audio signals. By processing and amplifying the voltage difference between two electrodes on a plant, its communication is quantified. The goal is to use this communication model as a tool to increase ecological awareness as well as improve machine learning models. A deeper understanding of non-human communication systems, specifically those that employ superposition decision matrices, could help to drastically increase …

Matrix Approximation And Image Compression, Isabella R. Padavana

Master's Theses

This thesis concerns the mathematics and application of various methods for approximating matrices, with a particular eye towards the role that such methods play in image compression. An image is stored as a matrix of values with each entry containing a value recording the intensity of a corresponding pixel, so image compression is essentially equivalent to matrix approximation. First, we look at the singular value decomposition, one of the central tools for analyzing a matrix. We show that, in a sense, the singular value decomposition is the best low-rank approximation of any matrix. However, the singular value decomposition has some …

In Pipe Biofilm Removal System, Caroline White, Abe Muldrow, Jack Catalano, Brendan Thomas Palmer

Mechanical Engineering

In many drinking water systems, biological build-up can accumulate over time and create contamination resistant to traditional chemical flushing techniques, thus creating systems that must be flushed constantly to be considered safe. The team analyzed how this biological build up occurs, the current methods of removal, and thought about different ways to remove this ENGR 459-03 7 biological buildup without further damaging the health of the water system. To do this, we preformed extensive academic research about how biofilm builds up in water systems, examined any existing products that remove containments from water systems, and developed a solution capable of …

A User-Centric Continuous Authentication Modality Evaluation And Selection Scheme, Bharath R. Senthilkumar

Master's Theses

One of one-time authentication’s most prominent vulnerabilities is the possibility of lunchtime attacks. In such scenarios, an adversary could exploit an unattended device with an active session and no measures are taken to prevent them from committing malicious acts. To address this issue, continuous authentication is utilized by continuously verifying whether an individual is a device’s rightful owner through various modalities, with data sourced from sensors. In the current body of research within this rising domain, various single-modal and multi-modal continuous authentication systems exist, that focus on employing unique combinations of modalities and improving existing supervised learning models used to …

Modeling The Effectiveness Of Bioremediation On Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether In Groundwater, Logan Bundy

Master's Theses

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and its degraded form tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA) are both known carcinogens that have contaminated groundwater aquifers across the United States. MTBE is a synthesized compound, once widely used as an additive in gasoline to increase oxygenation. Because of its popularity, MTBE was released into the environment primarily through fuel combustion and leaking underground storage tanks. These two compounds are known to be recalcitrant to most conventional physico-chemical treatment methods. Previous studies have suggested that bioremediation is effective at degrading MTBE and TBA in contaminated groundwater. Bioremediation involves the injection of oxygen, nutrients, and pre-adapted bacterial cultures …

Graduate Internship Report Aged 539, Kylin Costa

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship and project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The contents of this project are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Santa Ynez High School, the agriculture program and the community.

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Nipomo High School, Russell A. Zimmerman

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This report documents the implementation and outcomes of a comprehensive agricultural education program at Nipomo High School, aligning with California Career Technical Education (CTE) standards. The project focuses on enhancing student engagement through curriculum development, leadership activities, Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), and career readiness initiatives. Key components include expanding pathway offerings in horticulture, mechanics, and agricultural sciences, integrating field experiences, and hosting guest speakers to connect students with industry professionals.

Santa Maria Climate Action Plan Recommendations: Building Energy And Transportation, Thomas Zimmerman, Elena Blewett

City and Regional Planning

The Santa Maria Climate Action Plan Recommendations addresses GHG emissions reduction for the largest sectors in the City of Santa Maria- Building Energy and Transportation. The project includes GHG forecasts and reduction targets from the City’s Draft 2020 Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. The reduction targets are met through a series of actionable measures to help the City meet aggressive reduction targets by 2030 and 2045.

Examining The Impact Of Journalism On The Comprehensibility And Accessibility Of Scientific Literature, Izabella L. Slosberg

Journalism

This study investigates the comprehensibility and accessibility of scientific papers compared to scientific journalism articles. Fifty articles were tested in pairs of two (one scientific journal article and one corresponding scientific journalism article), and ChatGPT 4.0 was used to create a comprehensibility scale ranging from 0-100%, designed to assess the percentage of people in California over the age of 18 who could understand each article. Each article was evaluated three times using the curated scale, and the results were thoroughly evaluated. The differences in comprehensibility between scientific journalism articles and scientific journalism articles along with the impact of the scientific …

Traducciones De Documentos De Las Bibliotecas Públicas Del Condado De San Luis Obispo Y La Organización Madrinas Para Latinas Usa, Lexie Watson

World Languages and Cultures

This project attempts to facilitate my personal engagement with the local Spanish-speaking community of San Luis Obispo by broadening the scope of which the local public-serving organizations are able to serve this community, as well as the bilingual English-and-Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the local area. My goal in completing this project is to expand the resources available to the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of SLO, as well as the families here with individuals of varying degrees of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking abilities. In order to do so, this project is comprised of my translations of multiple documents from the County of San Luis Obispo …

Case Study - A Comparative Analysis Of Two Different Wastewater Treatment Plants, James Duckett

Construction Management

This case study compares two different wastewater treatment plants and analyzes the different characteristics, including strengths and weaknesses of both. The first plant being addressed is the Stockton Regional Wastewater Controls Facility (RWCF), and the second plant studied is the Morro Bay Water Reclamation Facility. These facilities are both quite new at the time of this paper, though they are both very different in size and geographical location, as one is on top of a hill, and one is in the middle of a valley. The Stockton RWCF is currently under construction, nearing completion at the time of this paper, …

A Case Study: Impacts Of A Building Retrofit On Employee Efficiency And Productivity, Rigo Zepeda

Construction Management

This case study explores the effects of retrofitting building systems on operational efficiency and employee productivity in the contemporary office environment. As concerns over sustainability and the well-being of employees are now at the forefront of modern workplace design, the retrofitting of outmoded building systems has been seen as an option to enhance energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction. This research paper focuses on the recently retrofitted Performance Contracting office building in Benicia, California. As heating and ventilation systems, and lighting are two big contributors to energy consumption in buildings and comfort, analyzing these systems provided insight into its building performance. …

2-Channel Eeg Neurofeedback System, Tim Erwin, Donna Nikjou, Sebastian Turkewitz

Electrical Engineering

This work describes the design of an EEG-based neurofeedback system which provides users with real-time feedback on their level of focus or relaxation. By analyzing the spectral content of the brain activity measured via scalp electrodes, focus and relaxation levels can be quantified. Based on these measurements, live feedback in the form of moving bar graphs is provided to users, allowing them to gain awareness of their mental-state and more efficiently learn how to consciously relax or focus. This project covers the design of the system, including amplification and filtering stages, digitization, and signal processing. The system interfaces with a …

Predicting Rheology Of Uv-Curable Nanoparticle Ink Components And Compositions For Inkjet Additive Manufacturing, Cameron D. Lutz

Master's Theses

Inkjet additive manufacturing is the next step toward ubiquitous manufacturing by enabling multi-material printing that can exhibit various mechanical, electronic, and thermal properties. These characteristics are realized in the careful formulation of the inks and their functional materials, but there are many constraints that need to be satisfied to allow optimal jetting performance and build quality when used in an inkjet 3-D printer. Previous research has addressed the desirable rheology characteristics to enable stable drop formation and how the metallic nanoparticles affect the viscosity of inks. The contending goals of increasing nanoparticle-loading to improve material deposition rates while trying to …

Smart Manufacturing For Cal Poly's Ime Curriculum, Grace L. Guarraia, Eric F. Ledesma

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) takes pride of supporting one of the nation’s strongest undergraduate Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering programs. However, as industry evolves to accommodate advancing computing power, improved manufacturing algorithms, and improved robotics, it is imperative that Cal Poly’s curriculum evolves in parallel. Smart manufacturing is the future of the manufacturing industry, and Cal Poly is searching for the ideal method to teach and integrate Smart Manufacturing into its classes. With its upcoming switch to the semester system, coupled with its “Learn by Doing” motto, the department is at an ideal period for the …

Assessment Of Caloric And Micronutrient Intakes In Female Collegiate Student Athletes, Rachel L. Victor

Master's Theses

Nutrition can play a key role in athletic performance. Optimal nutrition can help athletes maintain their overall health and well-being and can contribute to training adaptations, recovery, performance, and injury prevention. Many studies focus on the intakes and importance of macronutrients in athletic performance. However, micronutrient intakes may also play important roles. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the calorie and selected micronutrient intakes of female collegiate student-athletes across a variety of sports. The participants were instructed to complete 3-day food records which were analyzed and compared to their individual nutrition needs. Results of this study indicated …

Emerging Diseases, Abiotic Disorders, And Macrophomina Root Rot Management Of California Strawberry, Cooper Calvin

Master's Theses

Strawberry is an economically important crop in California, with an estimated value of $2.68 billion in 2023. In California strawberry production, mitigation of low plant health and yield often focuses on major soilborne pathogens, while the contribution of minor pathogens and abiotic disorders to production shortcomings are often overlooked. The objectives of the first project in this thesis are to determine the pathogenicity of multiple minor pathogens and quantify other biotic and abiotic factors that can reduce plant health such as viruses and soil salinity. Two pathogens of the black root rot complex, Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia spp. as well …

Red Raspberries Attenuate Blood Glucose Spike Of A High Glycemic Load Breakfast Cereal, Dante J. Martin

Master's Theses

Blood glucose (BG) spikes increase chronic disease risk in those with and without diabetes. The fiber and phytonutrient content of fruit, such as raspberries has the potential to attenuate the BG spike of a high glycemic load (HGL) meal. We examined the effect of red raspberries (RRs) on the BG spike when added to a HGL meal. In this randomized cross-over trial, 16 university students were given breakfast cereal and almond milk (control), the control breakfast with 140g added RRs, and the control breakfast with sugar equivalent to the sugar content of the RRs (50% sugar increase from control). Meals …

Non-Linear Modeling Of Hysteresis In Piezoelectric Actuated Cantilever Beam Using The Bouc-Wen Model, Andrew Donald Maas

Master's Theses

Piezoelectric actuators frequently exhibit a time-dependent behavioral phenomenon known as hysteresis, resulting in a lag in the deformation of the actuator compared to linear models. The presence of hysteresis complicates control systems involving piezoelectric actuators. However, traditional modeling methods for piezoelectric actuated smart structures often treat the piezoelectric patches as linear actuators without considering hysteresis, leading to suboptimal controller performance.

This thesis aims to establish a comprehensive model by integrating the Euler-Bernoulli beam bending model with the hysteresis dynamics induced by two opposing piezoelectric patches attached to a beam. A model expansion method is employed to transform the partial differential …

Providing Cadence Feedback In Real-Time To Guide Cardiovascular Workouts, Levi O. Rash

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular workouts offer numerous health benefits, yet beginners often find it challenging to initiate them. Existing wearable technologies, although providing valuable feedback such as heart rate zones, often disrupt the workout flow and distract users due to the need for interaction with the wearable display. In response, we propose an alternative feedback mechanism: cadence, measured in steps per minute. This feedback mechanism uses multiplicative control to produce the correct cadence for the user’s target heart rate (HR). To model the HR and cadence relationship, a first-order system was used. The prototype implementation of this system was completed in Arduino, using …

The Effect Of Probiotic Supplementation On Serum Metabolite Concentrations In Young Holstein Heifers, Emily G. Meissner

Master's Theses

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of a multi-strain probiotic on serum concentrations of selected metabolites in young calves. Holstein heifers (n = 112) from a commercial dairy were enrolled within 48 h of birth and placed into individual hutches. Calves were weaned at 60 d of age and remained in their hutches until 90 d of age, when they were moved to group housing. Calves were placed into 2 treatment groups: 1) control and 2) B. subtilis, B. lichenformis, L. animalis, and P. freudenreichii probiotic (Bovamine Dairy Plus, Chr. Hansen, Milwaukee, WI). Control calves received …

Deciphering The Contribution Of Microglia To Neurodegeneration In Friedreich's Ataxia, Sydney N. Gillette

Master's Theses

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most prevalent inherited ataxia, affecting one in every 50,000 individuals in the United States. This hereditary condition is caused by an abnormal GAA trinucleotide repeat expansion within the first intron of the frataxin gene resulting in decreased levels of the frataxin protein (FXN). Insufficient cellular frataxin levels results in iron accumulation, increased reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial dysfunction. Tissues most heavily impacted are those most dependent on oxidative phosphorylation as an energy source and include the nervous system and muscle tissue. This is evident in the clinical phenotype which includes muscle weakness, ataxia, neurodegeneration …

Hydrological Analysis Of Post-Fire Responses Within The Little Creek Watershed Of Swanton Pacific Ranch, Alexander Jeffrey Wiens

Master's Theses

Climate change and a growing wildland-urban interface are associated with an increase in the number and severity of wildfires. While severe wildfires do cause a costly and dangerous impact on the environment and the public, their after-effects comprise important subjects of study. In post-fire hydrologic studies, the reduced infiltration and plant cover that results from wildfires can commonly be associated with increased peakflows and erosion. Phenomena such as the flooding and debris flows in Montecito after the Thomas Fire in late 2017 can have important implications on infrastructure and human lives. Quantifying post-fire peak flows and flooding volumes has therefore …

Pain Points: Cluster Analysis In Chronic Pain Networks, Iris W. Ho

Master's Theses

Chronic pain is a pervasive health issue, affecting a significant portion of the population and posing complex challenges due to its diverse etiology and individualized impact. To address this complexity, there is a growing interest in grouping chronic pain patients based on their unique treatment needs. While various methodologies for patient grouping have emerged, leveraging graph-based approaches to produce and evaluate such groupings remains largely unexplored. Recent studies have shown promise in integrating knowledge graphs into exploring patient similarity across different biological domains, indicating potential avenues for research. Additionally, there is a growing interest in investigating patient similarity networks, highlighting …

Sequential Memory Generation For Cognitive Models, Eben Miles Sherwood

Master's Theses

Understanding the process of memory formation in neural systems is of great interest in the field of neuroscience. Valiant’s Neuroidal Model poses a plausible theory for how memories are created within a computational context. Previously, the algorithm JOIN has been used to show how the brain could perform conjunctive and disjunctive coding to store memories. A limitation of JOIN is that it does not consider the coding of temporal information in a meaningful manner. We propose SeqMem, a similar algorithmic primitive that is designed to encode a series of items within a random graph model. We investigate the feasibility of …

Scalable Hybrid Neuromorphic Accelerator & Hybrid Neural Networks, Joshua Nardone

Master's Theses

With machine learning workloads currently at very large scales, models are distributed across large compute systems. On distributed systems, the performance of these models are limited by the bandwidth limitations of chip-to-chip communication. To relieve this bottleneck, spiking neural networks (SNNs) can be utilized to reduce inter-chip communication traffic utilizing inherit network sparsity. However, in comparison to traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs), SNNs can have significant degradation in performance with increased network scale and complexity.

This research proposes a hybrid neural network accelerator that uses the best of both spiking and non-spiking layers by allocating a majority of resources to …

Exploring Gender Disparities In Collaboration Networks: An Analysis Of H-Indices And Collaborator Proximity, Andrew R. Estrada

Master's Theses

Research is crucial for expanding the boundaries of what is known, driving innovation, and solving problems faced by communities. It is carried out across all sectors of society by all matter of institutions. Academic research is one such sector that contributes to a plethora of disciplines. Research often compels collaboration among researchers, and as with any team, the dynamics and outcomes are affected by the individuals who contribute to the research. For instance, researchers can be from different institutions; therefore research teams can differ in collaboration distance -- the geographic distance between the organizations of authors. In a similar vein, …

Using Plankton Edna To Estimate Whale Abundances Off The California Coast: Data Integration And Statistical Modeling, Katherine Chan

Master's Theses

Understanding marine mammal populations and how they are affected by human activity and ocean conditions is vital, especially in tracking population declines and monitoring endangered species. However, tracking marine mammal populations and their distribution is challenging due to difficulties in observation and costs. Using surrounding plankton environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to provide an indirect measure of monitoring cetacean abundances based on ecological associations. This project aims to apply statistical methods to assess the relationship of visual abundances of common species of baleen whales with amplicon sequence variants (ASV) of plankton eDNA samples from the NOAA-CalCOFI Ocean Genomics (NCOG) …