Digital Commons Network^™

Move Over Barrels: Automation To Keep Work Zones Safe, John Mcgregor, Ryan Huebschman, Matt Junak

Purdue Road School

This session will explore various cutting-edge technologies that agencies are currently deploying to enhance work zone safety. The discussed innovations will include CV applications that use the Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx), machine vision technology to detect workers and alert drivers, Autonomous Truck Mounted Attenuators (ATMAs), and Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE). These advancements aim to significantly reduce crashes and improve overall safety for both workers and drivers.

Pavement Patching: Indot’S Comprehensive Patching Table Initiatives, Kumar Dave, Tony Jones, Ben Stenger

Purdue Road School

This presentation will highlight INDOT’s latest efforts to enhance pavement patching practices through the development of comprehensive patching tables as part of the pavement design process. We will cover the new structure of these patching tables and explore advanced technologies for identifying patch locations, including a case study on the use of LiDAR technology for precise mapping and implementation.

Structural Health Monitoring Of Bridges For Lifecycle Asset Management, Brittany Bullard, Brian Cherry

Purdue Road School

The US infrastructure is aging. Enhanced assessment is needed to extend the service life of existing assets. Both new construction and rehabilitation projects offer opportunities for the use of structural health monitoring (SHM). This presentation examines the use of three types of SHM systems applied to Indiana Toll Road bridges—live-load testing, long-term monitoring, and InSAR satellite data.

Winning Your Team With Intentional Connection, Jessica Miller, Kenny Franklin

Purdue Road School

152. Winning Your Team With Intentional Connection As the leader of a team, how do you inspire others even when you don’t have all the answers? This session will introduce ways to be intentional in our relationships and make deeper connections with our team members. We hope you leave this session with the courage to be vulnerable and drive your vision.

Completing The Crossing - Status Of I-69 Orx Section 2, Patty Dunaway, Danny Corbin, Amanda Spencer

Purdue Road School

The presentation as part of 2025 Purdue Road School is an overview of the status of I-69 ORX Section 2. The discussion includes the Ohio River Crossing project's history, overview, and the proposed next steps and procurement process. Challenges and solutions, risk and mitigation, request for information questions and summary, and target dates are discussed.

The Lloyd4u: Embracing Innovative Intersections, David Goffinet, Nicole Minton, Emily Sprinkle

Purdue Road School

The Lloyd4U includes over a dozen improvement projects along the Lloyd Expressway in southwest Indiana. The projects include three DLTs, two RCUTs, a hybrid DLT/BLT, interchange modifications, road closures, and more along the highest volume corridor in the region. Implementing an educational campaign to boost driver confidence was essential to the project’s success. Team members will share a range of examples that were implemented to enhance public awareness and build understanding of the innovative intersections’ benefits.

Going With The Flow: Successful Stream Reconstruction Lessons, Chris Leek, Summer Elmore, Jacob Burskey

Purdue Road School

The West Fork Blue River Stream Mitigation Reconstruction project required unique coordination efforts between INDOT EWPO, the designer, and the district. The field team will share the valuable lessons that emerged over the course of the reconstruction, including the value-added benefits of having on-site environmental observation, the need to adjust to site conditions and permitting hurdles, and vital communication strategies for collaborating with stakeholders.

Effective Utility Coordination: Impo Discussion, Natalie Parks

Purdue Road School

Utility-related construction delays continue to plague our industry despite processes in place to provide better communication throughout the project delivery process. The IMPO conducted a study to review effective utility coordination practices that minimized construction delays. This presentation will give an overview of the research and the key outcomes, provide practical steps forward, and outline possible implementation procedures that can be applied specifically to local agency projects.

Advanced Air Mobility At Purdue: Opportunity Meets Capability, Bill Crossley

Purdue Road School

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is a phrase describing the emerging aerospace sector that brings together new and evolving technologies to revolutionize aviation. The conjunction of electric aircraft propulsion, autonomy and automation, and advanced materials and manufacturing holds the potential for the safe, lower-cost, higher-reliability transportation of passengers and cargo in urban and regional settings. This session will discuss how Purdue’s problem-solving abilities enable AAM.

Lessons Learned: Building A Successful Educational Campaign, Emily Deason, Mindy Peterson

Purdue Road School

J-turn, roundabout, and zipper merge are not bad, but they can create instant anxiety with the public. Don’t let negativity keep your next project from getting off to a strong start. In this session, you’ll hear about an I-69 ORX educational campaign that successfully turned the tide of public sentiment in Henderson, KY when six new roundabouts were introduced. You’ll hear about the tools, tips, and tactics that can help any educational campaign succeed.

Ohio Dot Automated Driving System Deployment Project Findings, Ben Ritchey

Purdue Road School

Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the findings from the OhioDOT Automated Driving Systems (ADS) Deployment project of tractor semi-trailers and Ford transit vans operating on Ohio public roads using Level 2/3 technology. The tractors used truck platooning technology and were operated by a motor carrier in revenue service. The passenger vans operated in three project designated routes using HD maps and were operated by project team members.

Understanding The Fhwa Cost And Schedule Risk, Daniel Corbin, Toby Randolph

Purdue Road School

Major projects (over $500 million) are often more complex and riskier than other projects, and careful attention must be provided when preparing cost estimates. Traditional estimating methods may not be appropriate in all cases. Using the Revive I-70 and I-69 ORX projects as examples, project team members from INDOT and their consultant will describe how the CSRA process works and how to complete a CSRA level risk assessment.

Help! We Need Accurate Utility Information, Dan Osborn, Andrew Schouten, Natalie Parks

Purdue Road School

The construction industry urges project owners to provide accurate utility information in contract documents. Accurate utility facility information is critical to minimizing risks during bidding and construction. Presenters will provide project examples, challenges, and solutions to convince attendees of the importance of accurate utility information.

Tell Your Story, Demonstrate Your Value With Kpis, Amanda Carlson

Purdue Road School

Purdue University Administrative Operations Integrated Analytics (AOIA) is an analytics leader in the Big Ten that fields requests from other universities about data and reporting. Learn how AOIA was established, how key data and reports were created, and ways AOIA helps demonstrate the value of Administrative Operations. Reports and KPIs covering capital projects, space, staffing, and more will be shared.

Charging Indiana’S Crossroads, Kerri Garvin, George Mccue, Jack Sinton

Purdue Road School

Join us for an insightful update on INDOT’s Charging the Crossroads Program. Speakers will highlight the latest program activities, key milestones and challenges with Round 1 and Round 2 projects, and offer a glimpse into activities beyond the stations themselves. Learn how Indiana is paving the way for a sustainable, accessible, and equitable deployment of DC fast charging infrastructure.

Presentation Speakers/Participants

• George McCue, INDOT, [email protected]
• Jack Sinton, HNTB Corporation, [email protected]
• Kerri Garvin, HNTB Corporation, [email protected]

Public Speaking 101: Overcoming The Fear Factor, Richard Gilyeat, Alex Schwinghamer, Mindy Peterson

Purdue Road School

Strong communications matters and can help you in daily tasks and in growing your career, but does the thought of public speaking make you break out into a cold sweat? You’re not alone. This interactive session is all about finding your confidence and your comfort level. We’ll focus on practical tips, tricks, and guidelines to help you conquer your public speaking fears or grow the experience you already have.

Navigating Urban Forestry Requirements For Road Projects, Zachary Root, Amy Noel

Purdue Road School

Not sure how to navigate the complexities of managing urban forests for your road design projects? Beautify your road project by incorporating tree planting and management from the start. Learn how urban forestry management can be incorporated early in the design process, whether to meet specific permit requirements or to meet community-based urban forest guidance.

The Power Of Presence, Eric Bass, Doug Burgess, Jordan Beaver

Purdue Road School

In the high-paced environment of today’s business world, it can be difficult for leaders to maintain a steady, calming presence. Remote work, mobile-oriented software, leaner processes, and often a leaner staff can make authentic connections almost impossible to maintain. This presentation will examine principles of leadership and illustrate how these principles foster the perception and the reality of leadership presence. Together, we will imagine a preferred future where employees find not only purpose and support in their workplace environment, but also hope and solace.

How To Conduct A Successful Utility Joint Bore & Why You Should Do It, Aaron Day, Adam Lamb

Purdue Road School

This presentation offers in-depth guidelines to develop a plan for a joint utility bore from the design phase of a project through construction. We will also explore cost savings, reduction in utility relocation timeline, damage prevention benefits, and benefits to overall project success.

Primary Source Analysis: Using Digitized Time-Motion Study Films In The Undergraduate Business Classroom To Build Primary Source Literacy, Annette Bochenek, Renusree Varma Mudduluru

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This paper details a study conducted in the context of a large Midwestern university’s undergraduate business class, employing the ACRL RBMS-SAA Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy in a guided in-class activity using digitized primary sources. Students participated in an introductory lesson pertaining to primary sources and their connection to business, followed by viewing and analyzing digitized clips from Frank and Lillian Gilbreth’s time-motion studies. In addition, they completed a reflective discussion board post, illuminating their connections to the ACRL RBMS-SAA Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy core ideas of the analytical, ethical, theoretical, and practical. Potential affective experiences were also examined …

The Ravine Of Memory: Babyn Yar Between The Holocaust And The Great Patriotic War, Shay A. Pilnik

Purdue University Press Books

The Nazis and their collaborators buried over 100,000 victims at Babyn Yar, a ravine in modern-day Ukraine. Most of the individuals were Jewish, making this area one of the most infamous mass murder sites in history. The Ravine of Memory starts when the travesty ends, telling the story of the ravine’s memory and forgetting in Soviet literature and culture—in Russian as well as in Yiddish. This book challenges the prevailing binary conceptions of Babyn Yar as exclusively a Holocaust or a “Great Patriotic War” story. It is neither the exclusive product of Soviet censorship nor individual dissidents. Babyn Yar is …

An Integrated Framework For Food-Energy-Water-Nexus Education And Educational Research, Hannah Scherer, Doug Lombardi

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

Our study centers the perspective of practitioners to define and describe FEW-Nexus-based education, identify and describe challenges with FEW-Nexus-based education, and ideate how education research can generate new knowledge to address these challenges. Using artifacts from FEW-Nexus education workshops and existing literature, we developed an integrated framework that can inform both educational practice and educational research. The framework includes ontological (thoughts about the socio-ecological systems aspects of the FEW-Nexus) and epistemological (thoughts about education and educational research of the FEW-Nexus) dimensions. We will next use this framework to probe more deeply into participants’ responses using thematic content analysis.

Exploring The Few Nexus Through Community Engagement: A Watershed Restoration Case Study From Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, Tolulope P. Akinbobola, Kumar Chaudhary Anil

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

Given the pivotal role of education in comprehending the intricacies of the FEW nexus, the pedagogical approach employed is important in fostering the intentional integration of food, energy, and water systems across disciplinary boundaries. Non-formal education is experiencing a resurgence in its role in establishing a sustainable knowledge society. As we delve into understanding the FEW nexus, we must acknowledge the strategies, practices, and experiences underpinning our knowledge and contributions to the FEW nexus. Against this background, this practice paper demonstrates the multifaceted dimensions of integrating formal and non-formal education approaches in driving development in the FEW nexus field.

Mapping Food-Energy-Water Nexus Education In K-12 Settings: A Systematic Review Of Practices, Kyungsun Lee, Hui Hui Wang, Shondricka Burrell, Neil A. Knobloch, Rudan Wang

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

This systematic review examines the current state of Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus education in K-12 settings, following PRISMA-P guidelines. By analyzing peer-reviewed literature published before 2024, this study investigates how FEW Nexus concepts are implemented in K-12 education, focusing on systems thinking approaches and integrated knowledge areas. Initial database searching identified 693 articles, which are currently under review for inclusion. This analysis will provide insights into effective practices for integrating FEW Nexus concepts in K-12 education

System Change, Not Climate Change: Collaborative Development Of A Few Nexus Experiential Learning Course For A Justice-Centered Comparative Study Abroad Program, Sonya Ahamed

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

The International Honors Program (IHP) on Climate Change: The Politics of Land, Water and Energy Justice has been offered by the School for International Training (SIT) since 2013. This thematic multidisciplinary program currently travels to Morocco, Nepal, and Ecuador for one month each, introducing students to local food, water, and energy challenges in the context of a changing climate. In updating the program following its relaunch in 2023, renewed attention was given to the food, energy, and water nexus from a comparative perspective across and within these countries. This presentation will focus on the development of experiential learning cycles for …

Integrating The Few-Nexus Into An Agricultural Issues Course, Christopher M. Estepp, Hannah Scherer

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

To address the global challenges facing the agricultural industry, graduates of agricultural degree programs must learn to utilize systems thinking skills, which can help them view the interconnectedness among issues and design holistic solutions. The Food-Energy-Water (FEW)-Nexus is an interdisciplinary framework that can support undergraduate student achievement of sustainability education competencies, including systems thinking. This project utilized the FEW-Nexus framework in an agricultural issues course to help students improve their systems thinking. Students were given lectures on various agricultural issues by experts in those areas. Two assignments, agricultural issue concept maps and critical reflections over each speaker’s session were completed …

Lessons Learned From A Collaboration Process For Implementing Interdisciplinary Sustainability Education With The Food-Energy-Water (Few) Nexus, Caterina B. Azzarello, Chelsie Romulo Dr., Bhawani Venkataraman, Susan Caplow Dr., Shamili Ajgaonkar Dr., Craig R. Allen, Aavudai Anandhi, Steven Anderson, Katja Brundiers, Eunice Blavascunas, Jenny M. Dauer, Daniel L. Druckenbrod, Ennea Fairchild, Lydia R. Horne Dr., Kyungsun Lee, Marizvkuru Mwale Dr., John Mischler, Emily Pappo, Nirav S. Patel, Nicole D. Sintov, Carla S. Ramsdell, Shirley G. Vincent

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

This extended abstract highlights the role of the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus as a tool for fostering sustainability education and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It emphasizes the integration of key sustainability competencies, such as systems thinking and problem-solving, within interdisciplinary environmental programs (IEPs). Drawing on literature and real-world examples, the abstract illustrates how the FEW Nexus serves as a framework to address complex global challenges by connecting content knowledge with actionable solutions. Additionally, it shares lessons from a collaborative manuscript involving over 20 authors, showcasing strategies to engage students in developing skills for transformative societal change.

Integrating Food, Water, And Agriculture Education In Early Childhood: A Baseline Study Of Farm To Ece Programming, Kyle Whitley, Kelsey Hall

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

This baseline study examined how [State] early care and education (ECE) providers implemented activities and access to locally grown foods, gardening, and learning about food, nutrition, water use, composting, and agriculture. Over the past three years, 254 respondents participated in farm to ECE, with many providers cooking or holding taste tests, doing agriculture/nutrition education, and conducting field trips. Universities, farmers, community organizations, and Extension agents could alleviate the primary barriers and support ECE providers through curriculum, website content, or trainings on how to teach 3-5 year olds agriculture, gardening, plant life cycle, water, the environment, or composting.

To Befriend Or Not To Be, Friend: Recognizing Community In The Writing Center, Vicki R. Kennell

Purdue Writing Lab/Purdue OWL Presentations

This workshop presentation explores how "community" in a writing center might be identified by three hallmarks: proximity, commonality, and fellowship. Supplemental materials guide readers through an exploration of community within their own writing center.

Cost-Effective Active Laser Scanning System For Depth-Aware Deep-Learning-Based Instance Segmentation In Poultry Processing, Pouya Sohrabipour, Chaitanya Kumar Reddy Pallerla, Amirreza Davar, Siavash Mahmoudi, Philip Crandall, Wan Shou, Yu She, Dongyi Wang

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The poultry industry plays a pivotal role in global agriculture, with poultry serving as a major source of protein and contributing significantly to economic growth. However, the sector faces challenges associated with labor-intensive tasks that are repetitive and physically demanding. Automation has emerged as a critical solution to enhance operational efficiency and improve working conditions. Specifically, robotic manipulation and handling of objects is becoming ubiquitous in factories. However, challenges exist to precisely identify and guide a robot to handle a pile of objects with similar textures and colors. This paper focuses on the development of a vision system for a …