Digital Commons Network^™

Ecosystem Functions And Services - Landscaping For Water Quality (March 25, 2026 Gbnerr), Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Marketing Water Quality Friendly Services, Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Estuary, Kelle Loughlin

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

2026 Water Quality Considerations In Landscaping, Thomas Swenson

UNH Cooperative Extension

2026 Water Quality Considerations in Landscaping

Assessing And Understanding Soil Characteristics, Amy Papineau

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Nh State Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (Landscaping For Water Quality Workshop - 2026), Jay Aube

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

An Algorithm For Extracting Bathymetry From Icesat-2 Data That Employs Structure And Density Using Concentric Ellipses, Yuri Rzhanov, Kim Lowell

Faculty Publications

The ICESat-2 satellite collects LiDAR data along linear orbital tracks using a photon-counting green wavelength (532.27 nm) instrument. The utility of combining ICESat-2 data with satellite imagery for training and subsequently applying satellite-derived bathymetry models to provide estimates of shallow water depth is well-established. However, automating and improving the accuracy of the identification of ICESat-2 photon events (PEs) representing bathymetry remains a challenge. This article presents an algorithm for automated extraction of PEs reflected from the ocean floor (rather than the ocean surface or noise in the water column). The algorithm is unique in examining both the density of PEs …

A Comprehensive Study Of Uncertainties In The Modeling Of Binary Neutron Star Outflows, Amelia Michele Henkel

Doctoral Dissertations

Binary neutron star (BNS) mergers have recently become a tool to study extreme gravity, nucleosynthesis, and the chemical composition of the Universe in a new way. In order to accurately identify electromagnetic signals of neutron star mergers, both in the future and retroactively, better constraints on their merger signatures are required. Specifically, BNS outflow properties (such as the mass and composition) are particularly insightful, as they provide a link between the intrinsic properties (such as the stellar masses and radii) and observables. In this thesis, I put forth multiple ways of classifying uncertainties associated with BNS mass outflow models. First, …

Sensitivity Analysis Of The Faraday Rotation Ammeter, Jason Sisk

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis describes the operation and error analysis for an instrument that is intended to measure current density in space, although there are other potential applications for the instrument. The device, named the Faraday Rotation Ammeter (FRA), utilizes the Faraday Rotation Effect to calculate current density, where the magnetic field created by a current density causes a shift in the polarization angle of light traveling in a fiber optic cable within the device. The fiber optic cable is wrapped into a ring structure oriented in a way so that the polarized source travels parallel to the magnetic field of interest, …

Efficient Algorithms For Mitigating Uncertainty And Risk In Reinforcement Learning, Xihong Su

Doctoral Dissertations

Reinforcement learning~(RL) studies the methodologies of improving the performance of sequential decision-making for autonomous agents and has achieved remarkable success in domains such as games, robotics, autonomous systems, finance, and healthcare. The Markov Decision Process~(MDP) is a mathematical framework for modeling agent-environment interactions in sequential decision-making problems. There are two primary sources of uncertainty in RL: epistemic uncertainty and aleatoric uncertainty. In RL, risk refers to the potential for an agent's policy to lead to undesirable outcomes, especially when the environment is uncertain. In many domains, researchers seek policies that maximize the objectives while mitigating the uncertainty and risk in …

Teachers' Evaluation And Reporting Orientations And Their Impact On Elementary Students' Motivation: A Secondary Analysis Of Ecls-K: 2011 Data, Melissa L. Lefebvre

Doctoral Dissertations

Few studies examine the specific component of teacher evaluation and reporting and its relationship with student motivation. Student motivation to learn and achieve is a fundamental element of academic success in school. Motivation has been linked to educational outcomes like curiosity, persistence, learning, conceptual understanding, and long-term achievement (Vallerand et al., 1992). Diminished motivation can lead to consequences such as higher dropout rates and increased anxiety. Research indicates that classroom climate and student-teacher relationships have the most significant impact on student motivation (Jansen et al., 2022). This dissertation explores the association of teachers’ evaluation and reporting practices with student motivation. …

The Baroclinic Route To Acoustic Streaming: Mechanisms Of Mean-Flow Generation And Heat Transport In Acoustically-Forced Stratified Fluids, Remil Mushthaq

Doctoral Dissertations

Standing acoustic waves in density-stratified fluids confined within horizontal channels generate fluctuating vorticity baroclinically, driving mean streaming flows that are much stronger and qualitatively distinct from classical Rayleigh streaming. Theoretical and numerical studies have shown that these baroclinic acoustic streaming flows can reach speeds comparable to the maximum speed of the oscillatory sound-wave field, enabling fully two-way wave/mean-flow coupling: the streaming flow modifies the background density field, which then alters the structure of the acoustic waves. Extending this framework, Massih (2022) quantified the heat-transfer enhancement arising from baroclinic streaming as a function of the channel aspect ratio (δ). The present …

Modular And Combined Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithms For Extraterrestrial Resource Prospecting, Gregory Hatfield

Master's Theses and Capstones

The success of future crewed and autonomous space missions hinges on effectively utilizing in-situ resources available in the extraterrestrial environment to sustain missions and habitation. Prior to extraction of resources, such missions will require robust and efficient methods for extraterrestrial resource prospecting. However, traditional global optimization techniques struggle with the complex and non-convex search spaces inherent to mapping and identifying resource deposits on extraterrestrial surfaces.

This research addresses the resource prospecting problem by developing and evaluating novel variants of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Here, four novel algorithms, their variants, and four combined algorithms are rigorously tested and confirmed. The …

Pitch Modeling And Control Of Subcarangiform Robotic Fish, Margaret Grace Enderle

Master's Theses and Capstones

The development of biomimetic robotic fish has been an ongoing research topic for the last 30 years. Here, researchers have explored biomimetic propulsion and maneuverability mechanisms, studied energy efficiency in comparison to live fish, and developed autonomous control algorithms for these extremely nonlinear systems. This work studies a multi-linkage, single-actuator propelled biomimetic robotic fish, the Ghost Uncrewed Performance Platform Submersible (GUPPS), developed at the University of New Hampshire. A set of symmetrically driven, static pectoral fins are added to the original platform to enable diving and surfacing capabilities by controlling the vehicle Angle of Attack (AoA) through pitch and yaw …

How Human Personality Will Change With The Use Of Artificial Intelligence, John Mayer

UNH Personality Lab

INTRODUCTION: Human personality changes in response to new habits, situations, and maturation, among other causes. As people interact with artificial intelligence (AI), their personalities are likely to change, from their emotional responses to their self-concept.

METHODOLOGY: This theoretical account draws together empirical studies of how personality changed in response to past technological innovations, changes in personal interactions observed in people’s AI usage, changes that arise from the use and disuse of cognitive skills, and works on the self-concept. Research reports in the review were selected according to their relevance and quality.

THEORETICAL STATEMENT: While AI becomes increasingly human-like, humans increasingly …

User Interface And Watchstation Improvements Required For Multi-Vehicle Usv Operations, Val Schmidt, Joshua Bergeron

Faculty Publications

In October 2024, the University of New Hampshire and NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Office embarked on a mapping mission in the Gulf of Maine, simultaneously operating two DriX Un-crewed Surface Vehicles. Goals of the project were focused on testing hypotheses related to concepts of operation, including the safety of operations, cognitive loading of operators, management of vehicle endurance, vehicle logistics, maintenance and field support, refueling and a host of others.

Correctional System Involvement And Health Outcomes, Sarah Mason Eck ,Ph.D

All Materials

The Institute for Health Policy and Practice (IHPP) at the University System of New Hampshire commissioned Scientific Health to conduct an evidence-based review of the relationship between criminal justice system involvement and health outcomes. This research synthesized findings from recently published, peer-reviewed academic literature and relevant reports to examine how correctional system involvement affects physical health, mental health, and overall well-being among incarcerated individuals, their families, and communities. The review identified common themes related to behavioral health, chronic conditions, and systemic impacts, providing insight into the broader health implications of mass incarceration and deinstitutionalization. These findings aim to inform policy …

University Of New Hampshire 2025-2026 Faculty Senate Xxx - October 27, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

Write Free Or Die: Vol. 12, No. 01, Unh Writing Programs

Writing Program Newsletter

No abstract provided.

University Of New Hampshire 2025-2026 Faculty Senate Xxx - September 15, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

From Structure To Specificity: Biophysical Characterization Of Functional Interfaces In Protein Systems, Logan M. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

Proteins are nature’s dynamic molecular machines, operating across a spectrum from highly ordered scaffolds to intrinsically disordered systems, and executing functions that depend on both precise structures and conformational flexibility. Yet, the mechanistic rules linking sequence, structure, and activity particularly in disordered proteins and specialized functional adaptations remain incompletely understood. This dissertation addresses that gap by integrating structural biology, biophysics, and protein engineering to dissect molecular recognition, stability, and function across three diverse yet thematically connected protein systems. Building on this understanding of protein structure and function, the following four projects apply these concepts to address diverse biological questions, ranging …

Interpolated Factored Green's Function (Ifgf) Method Of Acceleration For Electromagnetic Scattering Off Of A Perfectly Electrically Conducting Surface, Mathew D'Amico

Doctoral Dissertations

Boundary integral equation (BIE) methods are advantageous in scattering problems due to their reduction of the problem's dimensionality as well as their automatic satisfaction of far-field radiation conditions. Specifically, for electromagnetic scattering off of perfectly electrically conducting (PEC) geometries, we are concerned with the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE). Typically, BIE implementation is iterative, with each direct integration requiring $\mathcal{O}(N^2)$ operations for a grid size $N$. For large $N$, this incurs very large computation times. To date, all existing methods that reduce the asymptotic operational complexity of evaluating the MFIE integral to $\mathcal{O}(N\log N)$ rely on use of the Fast …

Investigations Into Prior Knowledge And Self-Efficacy As Predictors Of Exam Performance In General Chemistry, And Student Interactions With Chemistry Textbooks, Gordon Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations

The first chapter addresses the validity and reliability of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) as a tool for chemistry education research. The study shows that the original MSLQ did not meet modern standards of reliability and presents a modified version that better captures self-efficacy in chemistry-specific contexts. The revised instrument shows improved model fit, reinforcing the importance of refining assessment tools for chemistry education research.The effects of prior knowledge and self-efficacy on student performance in a first-semester general chemistry course are investigated in the second chapter. Self-efficacy, defined as a learner's belief in their capability to successfully accomplish …

Psychological Factors Of Acting Talent And Success: You've Got "It", Lorelei Tierney Himlin

Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of an actor is to become invisible, bringing a character to life so convincingly that the audience forgets the actor exists outside the role. Different schools of acting often describe differing methods of portraying characters to this same general effect. To followers of the Meisner school, for example, “acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances” (Meisner et al., 1987). The “truthful” part involves creating a comprehensive mental model of a character’s imagined personality in order to fully embody that personality and extrapolate it to a situation. Then the actor uses a variety of acting techniques to think and …

Black Hole-Neutron Star Mergers: Numerical Relativity Studies Of Remnant Matter, Gravitational Waveforms, And Automated Simulation Workflows, Tia Kathleen Martineau

Doctoral Dissertations

Black hole–neutron star (BHNS) mergers are key sources for multimessenger astrophysics, offering insight into strong-field gravity and the behavior of matter at supranuclear densities. This dissertation presents three independent contributions to the study of BHNS systems using the Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC). First, a set of simulations spanning a range of mass ratios, black hole spins, and neutron star equations of state is used to map disruption thresholds and quantify remnant disk masses, unbound ejecta, and ejecta composition. These results are compared to predictions from remnant mass model FNH18, to assess its reliability in accurately predicting the resulting remnant masses …

Multi-Level Characterization And Testing Of Fatigue, Fracture And Creep Of The Ultra-High Strength Low-Alloy Steel Fabricated Via Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Nemanja Kljestan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior of an high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The work focuses on fatigue strength, laser shock peening (LSP) effects, creep behavior, fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness. Fatigue strength was assessed using rotating bending tests, showing superior performance of LPBF specimens compared to as-cast materials due to the dual-variant martensitic microstructures. Laser shock peening enhanced fatigue life by inducing compressive residual stresses, delaying crack initiation and slowing crack propagation. Creep behavior was evaluated for different layer thicknesses, with thinner layers improving secondary creep resistance …

Simulations Of Perpendicular Electron Holes, James Patrick Mcclung

Doctoral Dissertations

Bernstein–Greene–Kruskal modes commonly manifest as electron holes and electrostatic solitary waves in space plasmas. These Debye-scale structures are nonlinear solutions to the steady-state Vlasov–Poisson system. Solutions in one dimension are highly tractable mathematically, observationally, and computationally, and are relatively well-understood. Higher-dimensional, magnetized plasmas are less amenable to study, however. Following a 20-year history of theoretical developments in two-dimensional BGK modes, this thesis presents the first high-resolution 2D and 3D simulations thereof. Stability conditions and phase-space dynamics are discovered and discussed. The simulated modes are ultimately compared to observed electron holes and modern width-amplitude relations. In addition, a significant portion of …

Computational String Theory Using Machine Learning, Giorgi Butbaia

Doctoral Dissertations

Low-energy couplings of certain superstring theories are related to the masses of the particles. One of the most promising superstring theories is $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic string theory. In a certain embedding of the standard model into $E_8\times E_8$ gauge group of the heterotic string, the particle spectrum consists of $(\mathbf{27})^3$, $(\overline{\mathbf{27}})^3$, $(\mathbf{1})^3$ and $\mathbf{1}\cdot \mathbf{27}\cdot\overline{\mathbf{27}}$ couplings. While the $(\overline{\mathbf{27}})^3$ couplings are quasi-topological, the $(\mathbf{27})^3$ explicitly depend on the Ricci-flat metric on Calabi-Yau.

In this dissertation, we explore recently developed techniques for calculating the normalized Yukawa couplings on various Calabi-Yau manifolds. In Chapter 2, we describe a novel architecture, …

Fine Structure Of Magnetic Reconnection: Impact On Reconnection And Dissipation Rates, Steven Ver Bryck Heuer

Doctoral Dissertations

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in magnetized plasmas where stored magnetic energy is converted to heat and kinetic energy. The objective of this thesis is to examine the role of small-scale structure of the reconnection region and the background plasma conditions on the rate that reconnection converts and dissipates magnetic energy. This is done using in situ data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of reconnection for different regimes. First, we introduce a new technique for measuring the reconnection rate and demonstrate its accuracy for the simplest regime of reconnection. Next, we show that it …

Resolving The Role Of Wave-Induced Pressure Gradients On The Movement Of Sediments In Nearshore Environments, Melissa Marry

Doctoral Dissertations

Characterizing the hydrodynamic forces responsible for the initiation of sediment motion is fundamental for improved understanding of large-scale sediment transport processes in nearshore environments. Traditional sediment transport models assume incipient sediment motion is only driven by the force applied by bed stress (Bagnold, 1966; Shields, 1936) while more recent work has shown that incipient motion is influenced by the forcing of the horizontal pressure gradient due to surface gravity waves (Foster et al., 2006; Frank et al., 2015; Sleath, 1999). Wave-induced vertical pressure gradients can also destabilize the sediment bed through the process of momentary liquefaction (Florence et al., 2022b; …