Digital Commons Network^™

The Economics Of Us Row Crop Production With Large-Scale Autonomous Machines, Joshua Strine, Chad Fiechter, James Lowenberg-Deboer

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Labor challenges are underpinning large multinational farm machine manufacturers' development of autonomy solutions for their large-scale machine offerings. This study simulates a linear optimization model to examine the economics of large-scale autonomous machines for a rotational maize and soybean farm in the Midwest US. Results support the hypothesis that autonomous machines can be economically viable for farms facing severe labor shortages. However, under current technology and pricing structures, conventional mechanization remains the most profitable option for farms with reliable labor. Critical factors shaping the competitiveness of autonomy include subscription fees, field efficiency, and human supervision requirements. As these factors evolve, …

Farm Efficiency And Precision Agriculture Technology, Chad Fiechter, Brady Brewer, Jennifer Ifft, Michael Boehlje

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Precision agriculture technology (PAT) is often viewed as a potential driver of future efficiency gains in farming. Using within-farm variation from an unbalanced panel of Kansas farms, this study examines the impact of PAT bundles on efficiency in generating gross revenue. On average, we find little evidence that these technologies improve efficiency. However, among less efficient farms, several bundles are linked to notable efficiency gains, underscoring the importance of accounting for farm heterogeneity.

Best Practices: Lean Thinking For Corn And Soybean Farmers, Tomas Gutierrez, Henry Quesada

Purdue Extension Numbered Publications

This article presents a practical introduction to lean thinking for corn and soybean farmers. Lean is a proven management approach that helps reduce waste, organize workspaces and improve the use of time, tools, and materials. Although it began in manufacturing, lean has been successfully adapted to agriculture through simple, low-cost tools that focus on improving everyday tasks.

The guide explains six key lean tools — 5S, Kanban, Visual Controls, TPM, Standardization, and Kaizen — with real farm examples and step-by-step recommendations. It also offers advice on how to get started, involve workers and measure improvements using basic indicators.

Lean thinking …

Hardening The Economical Acquisition Of Intersection Data To Improve System Integrity, Anuska Das, Walt Fehr, Andrew Balmos, Mark Goodfriend, Yaguang Zhang, Richard O. Ajagu, James V. Krogmeier, Samuel Labi

Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

Modern traffic management systems increasingly depend on real-time Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) data generated by Traffic Signal Controllers (TSCs) to support safety, mobility, and emerging connected-vehicle applications. The applications of SPaT outputs require timely and reliable access to such data from the traffic signal controllers. However, these controllers are safety-critical infrastructure and exposing them to external networks introduces significant cybersecurity and operational risks. Thus, there is a need for mechanisms that provide secure, low-latency access to SPaT data without compromising controller integrity. The information flow methods that are used traditionally for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) environments have several …

Book Review Of Go West! A Memoir For My Sons: Our Family Journey And Khmer Rouge Life Experiences, Lalinne Suon Bell

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

I came to Go West! A Memoir for My Sons not as a detached reader but as someone who holds Cambodia within me. Like Sideth D. Niev, I am a survivor of the Khmer Rouge, a child who grew up in exile and a mother now raising children in Minnesota, the same state where Niev rebuilt his life. Reading his memoir is like walking through a mirror: his words reflecting the past my family endured, my life reflecting the future his sons now inhabit. Both of us live in the long aftermath of genocide, where silence is both a burden …

Book Review Of Coloring And Learning About Cambodia In The Arts: Learning About Cambodia In The Arts, Lalinne Suon Bell

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

I have long been witness to the silence that trauma leaves behind. I understand how the body remembers what the tongue cannot say. The aftermath of genocide and displacement leaves not only human tragedy but also artistic ones: a fracture in how we imagine, how we create, how we see. For those of us shaped by the Cambodian diaspora, what we can’t express in words lives through art: through lines and colors. Cambodian classical dance shows this clearly: each gesture tells a story without words and that art has always been our language.

Restorative Masculine Integration Theory, Todd Angelucci, Julian L. Gallegos

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

The Restorative Masculine Integration Theory (RMIT) introduces a strengths-based, systems-oriented framework for promoting healthy masculinity through healing, leadership, and relational engagement. Developed in response to the adverse effects of masculine suppression, such as emotional disengagement, burnout, and polarity collapse, RMIT outlines a five-phase Cycle of Masculine Restoration: reclaimed masculinity, emotional safety and trust, grounded leadership, rebalanced gender polarity, and healing with cultural renewal. These stages are underpinned by core concepts including psychological safety, peer mentorship, emotional literacy, and authentic masculinity. Drawing from interdisciplinary foundations in gender studies, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed practice, polarity theory, and servant leadership, RMIT offers an adaptable …

A Poetry Collection By Vannida S. Kol, Vannida S. Kol

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

This is a poetry collection by Vannida S. Kol.

Diffog: Differentiable Policy Trajectory Optimization With Generalizability, Zhengtong Xu, Zichen Miao, Qiang Qiu, Zhe Zhang, Yu She

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Imitation-learning-based visuomotor policies excel at manipulation tasks but often produce suboptimal action trajectories compared to model-based methods. Directly mapping camera data to actions via neural networks can result in jerky motions and difficulties in meeting critical constraints, compromising safety and robustness in real-world deployment. For tasks that require high robustness or strict adherence to constraints, ensuring trajectory quality is crucial. However, the lack of interpretability in neural networks makes it challenging to generate constraint-compliant actions in a controlled manner. This article introduces differentiable policy trajectory optimization with generalizability (DiffOG), a learning-based trajectory optimization framework designed to enhance visuomotor policies. By …

Economic Convergence, Intragenerational Economic Mobility, And Inequality In A Native Amazonian Small-Scale Society Of Indigenous People In Bolivia, Ricardo Godoy, Jonathan Bauchet, Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Eduardo A. Undurraga

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Adult intragenerational mobility reflects society’s ability to reward effort and tame society-wide inequality. In developed economies, mobility is modest and correlates negatively with economic inequality. Little is known quantitatively from direct observations about long-term intragenerational mobility in small-scale societies of the Global South. To assess the external validity of findings about patterns of intragenerational mobility from developed economies, we use a yearly survey panel dataset (2002–2010) of adults from a society of native Amazonians (Tsimane’) in Bolivia practicing farming, fishing, hunting, and plant gathering. We estimate (a) convergence rates (or the speed of catch up) of adults in the bottom …

I-69/I-465 Interchange: Relocating Major Sanitary And Sludge Lines Beneath The Freeway, Jeff Glover

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

The final stages of the I-69 interstate extension from Evansville to Indianapolis involve extensive coordination with multiple utility stakeholders. This presentation focuses on the complexities of utility relocation required to support the expansion of a major interstate within a dense urban environment.

Working With Local Government Planning Staff: The Need-To-Know Basics, Kimberly K. Gerhart-Fritz

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

Many civil engineers will need to interact with local government during their careers. Understanding WHAT local government planners do and WHY they do it can make that process much easier to navigate, for all involved.

Steel Joist And Joist Girder Design, Paul Mugleston, Gerald Mckenzie

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

This course starts with the basics of steel joist design, terminology, SJI (Steel Joist Institute) load tables, and special loading conditions, but then will take a closer look at many details on the construction of a joist that you probably haven’t seen before. You will learn what the extra clips and bars are attached to joists and what their purposes are. This will be a picture rich presentation.

Culvert Replacement In Karst Topography, Eric Plaiss, Alex Schwinghamer

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

Southern Indiana’s unique karst terrain presents both fascinating natural features and complex engineering challenges. This presentation explores the preliminary design and field reconnaissance measures of an active infrastructure project. The session will trace the project’s development from initial planning through Stage 1 design and field observation, highlighting how the team adapted standard practices to this distinctive geologic setting. Using pipe inspection footage, INDOT archive plans, and photos, we will demonstrate how the design team is addressing culverts discharging directly into karst features via chimney systems under the road. We will also discuss preliminary water quality treatment options being considered to …

Empowering Indiana Through Orthoimagery, Lidar, And Geospatial Resources, Shaun N. Scholer, Dan Council

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

The Indiana Geographic Information Office invites you to explore the state’s Imagery and Elevation Program, spotlighting the many ways users can access high-quality, authoritative orthoimagery and LiDAR data via both CAD and GIS platforms. This session will provide a historical overview of the program’s development and recent updates to the data collection cycle for 2025-2028, in addition to how to access the data through various platforms.

We’ll also showcase the growing library or geospatial data openly available through IndianaMap. From web mapping and Field Maps to various ArcGIS Online tools, IndianaMap empowers curious GIS users across the state to create …

30 Tips, Tricks, And Ways To Use Your New Intern Called Ai, Dave Thurston

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

A way to use Artifical intelligence in meaningful ways. The presentation will show a variety of different ways to “simply” use AI to get your first draft 80% there, to treat as a sounding board, and to look for patterns and “unnoticable items” in data, text, and designs.

Downdrag Defeated – The Neutral Plane Method, Kyle L. Zak, Min Sang Lee

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

The neutral plane method for evaluating downdrag on deep foundations has been gaining popularity over the past few years. It is a powerful tool that, in many situations, can all but eliminate downdrag concerns on deep foundations. INDOT has allowed its use recently and adapted its forms to accommodate this method. The presentation will cover the theory behind the method and how it can be applied in bridge design. We will then demonstrate how to incorporate the method into the INDOT workflow, and we’ll show a couple real-life examples where the neutral plane method saved the day.

Curbless By Design: Revitalizing Downtown Infrastructure For Pedestrians, Alex Duran, Steve Cherry

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

This presentation will discuss the design of a curbless, pedestrian-focused corridor as part of a small-town downtown reconstruction in Sylvania, Ohio. The project team will share how they balanced community goals, accessibility, and utility coordination, along with considerations for drainage, hardscape, lighting, and power. The session will also highlight early construction lessons learned from Phase 1.

Guardrail Design And Placement 101, Katherine Smutzer

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

Not all “guardrail” is created equal. Within the last 10 years INDOT has adopted the MASH-compliant Midwest Guardrail System (MGS). While similar to the previous standard w-beam guardrail, there are nuances that aren’t well understood by designers. The presentation would reinforce the fundamentals of guardrail as a safety barrier, explain the function of various components of a guardrail system, and review important design considerations.

Mass Timber Construction: Products, Performance And Design, Anthony Harvey

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

Due to their high strength, dimensional stability and positive environmental performance, mass timber building products are quickly becoming materials of choice for sustainably‐minded designers. This presentation will provide a detailed look at the variety of mass timber products available, including glue‐laminated timber (glulam), cross laminated timber (CLT), nail laminated timber (NLT), heavy timber decking, and other engineered and composite systems. Applications for the use of these products under modern building codes will be discussed, and examples of their use in U.S. projects reviewed. Mass timber’s ability to act as both structure and exposed finish will also be highlighted, as will …

From Mapping To Mitigation: New Geologic Mapping And Emergency Slope Failure Response Along Sr 56 In Madison, Indiana, Victoria Leffel, Joey Franzino

Civil Engineering Professional Development Seminar

This presentation will highlight recent geologic mapping efforts done by the Indiana Geological and Water Survey, including detailed bedrock mapping at a finer scale than previously available and updated landslide inventory mapping focused on southeastern Indiana. The second part of the presentation will cover the emergency response to a significant slope failure that occurred along SR 56 in Madison following heavy rainfall in March and April 2025. The reactivation of a known landslide led to a major road failure, creating a public safety hazard and forcing the closure of this heavily traveled route. Due to the critical nature of the …

Evaluating Policy And Industry-Based Interventions For Healthier Online Food-Away-From-Home Choices: A Scoping Review, Vincenzina Caputo, Jiayu Sun, Ellen J. Van Loo

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The rapid digital transformation of the food-away-from-home (FAFH) sector has redefined how consumers access and select meals. Digital delivery platforms such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Meituan have become influential market intermediaries, shaping the nutritional landscape of food environments and raising concerns about their healthfulness. This study reviews empirical evidence on policy-based and industry-led interventions aimed at improving dietary outcomes in digital FAFH environments. Following PRISMA guidelines and using machine-learning–assisted screening (ASReview), 37 peer-reviewed studies were identified across four domains: nutritional labeling, fiscal measures, food-assistance programs, and digital nudges or decision-support tools. Findings indicate that although traditional food-policy instruments designed …

Evaluation Of Nine Sh2 Sweet Corn Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A bicolor sh2 sweet corn cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Seeds were donated by Crookham (CK), and Rupp (RP) seed companies. Two synergistic varieties were donated by Chris Difonzo from the Bt resistance project and were treated as unsprayed late-season checks against caterpillar infestation. Overall trial conditions were hot and dry, with moisture stress throughout the trial on a sandy hill. Overhead irrigation provided some relief. A new seeder was used that planted at a lower population than desired. As such, yield suffered in this trial.

Evaluation Of Six Roma Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A Roma tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). HM Clause (HM), Lark (LK), and Sakata (SK) seed companies donated 6 cultivars for plastic mulch-bedded hand harvest. Overall, the trial quality was good, with periods of high heat slowing ripening.

Characterization Of River Discharge And Interaction With Shallow Groundwater Aquifers Along The Wabash River Using Seismological Methods, Jessica M. Cyr, Xiaotao Yang, Marty D. Frisbee

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

The interaction between shallow aquifers and local rivers in the West Lafayette, Indiana area remains poorly understood. While surface water levels in the Wabash River and its tributaries are monitored at several USGS stream gauges, groundwater fluctuations are less well documented. Methods using seismic recordings, sensitive to subtle ground vibrations and subsurface structure, provide an alternative to characterize groundwater levels and river discharge. This project analyzes the temporal variations of ambient noise seismic data, examining the relationship to USGS river discharge, precipitation records, and other environmental factors. We currently focus on 1) changes in maximum amplitudes and peak frequencies within …

Ai-Based Walkability Ecosystem: A Personalized, Social And Adaptive Solution To Urban Mobility And Public Health, Diya Singh, Gaurav Nanda, Jaeil Lee, Xinran Lehto, Libby Richards, Mark Lehto

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Urban environments present significant ongoing barriers to physical activity and public health, including motivational challenges, environmental constraints, uniformity of existing fitness apps, and limited opportunities for social engagement. This project proposes an AI-powered Walkability Assistant designed to promote healthier, more active lifestyles through personalized, adaptive, and community-driven solutions.

This study advances past efforts by introducing a novel wellbeing framework that encompasses four dimensions: physical, social, environmental, and psychological wellbeing. To identify user-driven strengths and areas for improvement, we conducted sentiment analysis (positive/negative) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling on large-scale user-generated data from walking and fitness app reviews, leveraging …

Cybersecurity Risks Of Freight Rail As Critical Infrastructure, Kira Sun

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Our project implements simulated train engineers to operate model train engines on a hybrid twin of a freight rail system. We can then use the model and simulate cyber-security attacks to demonstrate the risks and effects of the attacks. Using existing model train hardware and an Arduino running open-source software, DCC-EX and JMRI, we can control the train engines and various track components and sensors. We program each engine to make safe decisions about what speed and direction to take, using information provided by the various sensors and light signals around the track. When attacks occur, the engines can have …

Applied Research In Field Crop Pathology For Indiana, 2024, Darcy E. P. Telenko, Sujoung Shim

Purdue University Press Books

Applied Research in Field Crop Pathology for Indiana, 2024 serves as a summary of the applied field crop pathology research trials conducted in 2024 under the direction of the Purdue Field Crop Pathology program in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. In Indiana, there are more than 57,600 farms, 16,000 crop producers, and 900 certified crop advisers, Extension educators, and crop-protection industry representatives who manage more than 11.4 million crop-production acres with a total value of $6.3 billion annually. There are more than twenty diseases affecting corn, soybeans, and wheat that may decrease crop production and …

The Transitional Human Being: Literary, Journalistic, And Cinematographic Representations Of The Twentieth- And The Twenty-First-Centuries Italy, Ron Kubati

Purdue Studies in Romance Literatures

This book analyzes the crisis of the idea of human being based on timeless notions, in the Euroamerican context, as seen primarily through literature and cinema. It focuses on Italy, which has been and remains a crossroads for diverse cultural and political currents—open to Mediterranean cultural influences while remaining within a typically Western cultural context. The “new man,” defined by Corrado Alvaro during his trip in Russia in 1934 as “transitional,” implies a human being with a fundamental need for change. Instead of the “new man,” Italo Calvino in the 1960 preface to his I nostri antenati wrote about the …

Turfgrass Weed Control For Professionals, 2024, Aaron J. Patton, Matthew T. Elmore

Purdue University Press Books

Turfgrass is used on everything from athletic fields, golf courses, and parks, to lawns, sod farms, and roadsides. Unfortunately, information on weed management for professionals maintaining these areas has often been inaccurate or out of date, and applicators are frequently unaware of the most effective methods for controlling weeds in turf. Written by experts in the field and featuring insights from contributors from sixteen states across the US, the 2024 edition of Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals was developed to provide science-based information for those working in the field. It contains information about turfgrass management, weed biology and management, more …