Digital Commons Network^™

Zero-Shot Segmentation Of Estuary Mudflats Using The Segment Anything Model, Jaren Unzen

Honors Theses and Capstones

Estuary mudflats are ecologically sensitive environments that require consistent monitoring. Traditional satellite-based classification workflows are often constrained by the high cost and labor-intensive nature of manual data annotation. This study evaluates the utility of Segment Anything Model 3 (SAM 3), a foundational computer vision model, to automate mudflat segmentation without domain-specific fine-tuning. By leveraging the model’s text-prompting capabilities alongside specialized pre- and post-processing techniques, we generated segmentation masks in a zero-shot framework. Our approach achieved an F1- score of 0.51, demonstrating the inherent challenges of spectrally complex coastal features. Despite this, the results highlight a promising pathway for adapting large-scale …

Blens: Biomedical Literature Extraction And Scoring System, Tyler J. Simone

Honors Theses and Capstones

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses represent the gold standard for evidence synthesis in healthcare, yet their manual execution remains labor-intensive, time-consuming, and vulnerable to human bias. With the exponential growth of biomedical literature, traditional literature screening and analysis has become increasingly unstable and noncomprehensive. This thesis presents the development and validation of an automate literature gathering and review system that integrates multiple scientific databases through a unified desktop application. The platform combines APIs from PubMed (NCBI Entrez), ClinicalTrials.gov, bioRxiv and medRxiv to enable simultaneous, standardized searching across peerreviewed and preprint sources. Built in Python with a PySide6 graphical interface, this standalone …

Retention Time Of Microplastics In The Purple Sea Urchin (Arbacia Punctulata), Alexandra Shore

Honors Theses and Capstones

Marine ecosystems around the world are facing the problem of plastic pollution. Large pieces of plastic eventually degrade into smaller microplastics that are suspended in the water column and sink to the seabed. Sea urchins are exposed to microplastics as they graze on the sea floor and can accidentally consume these pollutants. Sea urchins are ecologically important animals because they physically alter their ecosystem via grazing and are integral part of marine food webs. To better understand how sea urchins interact with microplastics, purple sea urchins were exposed to microfibers and microspheres in a laboratory setting, and the retention time …

After The Impact: Balance Function In Women With Repeated Concussions, Caroline M. Stack

Honors Theses and Capstones

Balance deficits following repeated mild traumatic brain injuries are well documented, yet research examining the delayed outcomes specifically in college-aged women remains limited. The present study investigated whether women with a history of two or more mTBIs exhibit lasting balance impairments compared to women with zero or one prior mTBI, tested at least six months after their most recent injury. Thirty-four English-speaking women (ages 18-30) recruited from the University of New Hampshire were assigned to a repetitive mTBI group or a control group. Balance was assessed using the Balance Error Scoring System and a MetaMotion inertial measurement sensor positioned on …

Beyond The Stream: Valuing Music Catalogs As An Alternative Asset Class, Amelia Jade Magay

Honors Theses and Capstones

This thesis builds a quantitative valuation framework for music catalog transactions and tests its limits systematically. The goal is not to produce a formula that perfectly prices every deal. The goal is to identify where streaming-based financial analysis is a useful underwriting tool, where it breaks down, and what categories of value investors appear to be pricing beyond publicly available streaming data.

Concord Public Transportation Improvement Project, Jacob Holt

Honors Theses and Capstones

The capital city of Concord, New Hampshire, has been served by Concord Area Transit (CAT) since 1989. Despite continued population growth and economic development within the city, CAT’s fixed route bus system has remained unaltered since 2011. The purpose of this project is to rework the CAT system to provide service that better aligns with Concord resident’s current needs. A public survey was conducted to gather data regarding Concord resident’s needs, habits, and perception of the existing system, which was used in the development of the revised system. The project includes suggestions for both system-wide and route-specific modifications. Key changes …

Investigating A Nanoparticle-Assisted Approach For Localized Strain Engineering In Two-Dimensional Materials, Skye Martichuski

Honors Theses and Capstones

This work investigated a fabrication strategy for inducing localized nanoscale deformation and strain in transferred MoS2 flakes using gold nanoparticle-coated substrates as a potential platform for strain engineering in two-dimensional materials. Substrate type, nanoparticle concentration, drying conditions, cleaning procedures, and flake transfer methods were investigated using optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Au-coated SiO2 substrates produced improved nanoparticle coverage compared to bare SiO2, while passive air drying yielded the most favorable nanoparticle distributions. Salt crystals introduced during passive drying were successfully removed with a gentle deionized water rinse, and a 50% diluted gold nanoparticle suspension provided improved particle spacing …

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 Framework For Fostering Flood Ready Neighborhoods, Kirsten Howard, Lucy Perkins, Alyson Eberhardt, Lisa Wise, Abigail Lyon, Lynn Vaccaro, Gracie Ballou, Annie Cox, Kate O'Brien

UNH Cooperative Extension

This resource summarizes lessons learned from the Flood Ready Neighborhoods Program and shares prompts and resources for readers related to community engagement and resilience building.

2025 Winter Series Ice Thickness Challenge, Alison Coleman

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Artificial Trees In The Pine Tree State! Only One In Three Maine Households To Have Real Tree This Christmas 12/16/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Nine in ten Maine residents plan to celebrate Christmas this year and a plurality will have an artificial tree. Most Mainers expect a white Christmas this year, up from just over half last year. Mainers prefer "Merry Christmas" as a holiday greeting rather than "Happy Holidays".

Nearly All Vermonters Expect White Christmas, Four In Ten Have Real Trees This Year 12/16/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Four in ten Vermont residents will have a real Christmas tree this year and most often cite the look or smell or tradition as the reason. Seven in eight Vermonters plan to celebrate Christmas, most of whom will celebrate it as a family or cultural holiday rather than a religious one. Given the heavy early snows, most Vermonters expect a white Christmas.

More Than Half Of Granite Staters Will Have Artificial Trees This Christmas 12/16/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

The trend towards artificial Christmas trees in New Hampshire continues apace, with just over half of state residents preferring them. Residents who prefer artificial trees most often say they like them because they already have one, they create less mess, and they last longer, while those who prefer real trees mention tradition or the look or smell. Nearly all New Hampshire residents plan on celebrating Christmas, and most primarily celebrate it as a family or cultural holiday rather than a religious holiday. More than three-quarters of Granite Staters expect a white Christmas, up from four in ten who felt that …

Unh Faculty Senate Motion # Xxx-M5 Motion To Amend The Constitution For The Formation Of A Faculty Resources And Development Committee, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Motions

No abstract provided.

University Of New Hampshire 2025-2026 Faculty Senate Xxx - December 8, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Heart Of Leadership: What Is The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership?, Catherine E. Lee

M.S. in Leadership

Emotional intelligence is a concept that has been gaining traction in recent decades, and organizations have been trying to assess its place within leadership and training. Previous research on this topic has shown the growing importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, with particular attention to employee retention and satisfaction. By using a mixed methods approach to understand the importance of emotional intelligence (EI), this paper explores the specific components of EI employees look for in an organization and a leader. Using a survey of almost one hundred respondents and six in-depth interviews, EI was determined to have a significant …

Curb Their Enthusiasm: Controlling The Discretion Of Creative Prosecutors, Scott A. Schumacher

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Inter-Model Comparison Of Snow Water Equivalent In Watershed 3, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, For Winter 2023-2024, Ryan Reed

Master's Theses and Capstones

Estimates of snow water equivalent (SWE) are crucial for water availability and flood risk assessment due to the contribution of snow melt to increased surface runoff. However, many regions do not have observations of SWE, thus necessitating a robust method to estimate SWE for streamflow forecasting. Numerical snowpack models provide a potential way to estimate SWE in areas without observations. However, there are a multitude of snowpack models available, and they range greatly in their complexity. Even so, there have been few snowpack model intercomparisons to assess the trade-offs in model performance and complexity, and those that do exist did …

Covering The Care: Impacts Of Labor And Delivery Unit Closures On Maternal Health Outcomes, Bridget Green, Deborah Fournier, Susy Hawes

All Materials

In 2022, more than half of rural hospitals and one-third of urban hospitals in the United States lacked obstetric services, reflecting an escalating trend of hospital labor and delivery (L&D) unit closures across the US. Despite some large-scale studies reporting negligible impacts of L&D closures on maternal health, an analysis of the literature presents a clear net negative impact for vulnerable women, including those who identify as members of a racial or ethnic minority, those who have low-income, and those who are Medicaid members. For many families, the disappearance of local obstetric care is not merely an inconvenience but instead …

Mechanistic Modeling Of Deformation Micromechanics In Commercially Pure Titanium Under Cyclic Bending To Post-Necking Regimes, Talukder Musfika Tasnim Oishi

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis investigates the deformation behavior of commercially pure titanium (CP–Ti) undercyclic bending under tension (CBT) through integrated experiments and multiscale modeling. Cyclic bending produces alternating tension and compression through the sheet thickness, delaying localization and enhancing ductility. Digital image correlation (DIC) measurements were used to quantify strain-path evolution and elongation-to-fracture (ETF). Finite-element simulations employing a continuum J2 plasticity model captured the macroscopic load–displacement response and width-dependent transition from uniaxial to plane-strain deformation. To incorporate micromechanical mechanisms, a dislocation-density-based crystal plasticity finite-element (CPFE) model with kinematic backstress was developed and calibrated using experimental data, accurately reproducing cyclic hardening and slip-system …

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, …

An Integrated Study Of Instrument Performance And Scientific Yield: Evaluation Of The Grape Design, Karla Georgina Onate Melecio

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents the end-to-end development, characterization, and in-flight validation of the 3-dimensional Gamma-Ray Polarimeter Experiment (GRAPE), a wide-field-of-view (FoV) Compton polarimeter designed for high-energy astrophysics. The primary scientific motivation is to address unresolved questions in the physics of Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) jets, for which gamma-ray polarimetry is a critical diagnostic. GRAPE is designed to measure the degree and angle of $\gamma$-ray polarization within a targeted energy band of \SIrange{50}{500}{keV} to cover the peak energy output (E$_{pk}$) of observed GRB spectra. This work establishes the instrument's scientific readiness through two principal contributions. First, the instrument's fundamental low-energy response was characterized …

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, …

Evaluating The Role Of Seaweeds In Dairy Production: Impacts On In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation, And In Vivo Mineral Utilization And Metabolic Status, William Mitchell Sims

Doctoral Dissertations

Dietary inclusion of seaweed in ruminant diets has been studied for more than 5 decades. Early research in seaweed focused primarily on potential health benefits, but recent interest has shifted the paradigm for its use as a nutritional tool to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. As new seaweeds are identified for their ability to reduce gas emissions, the pendulum will swing once more to understand the impact seaweeds have on ruminant health and production. The overall objective of this dissertation is to investigate digestibility and fermentation, as well as alterations in metabolic and mineral status in ruminants fed various seaweed species. …

Development And Characterization Of Bulk Dsdna-Based Materials Using Biologically Derived Plasmid Dna, Wynter Amythyst Paiva

Doctoral Dissertations

Double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) exhibits many unique sequence-independent properties that remain underutilized in materials science. The exceptional length, solubility, biocompatibility, imageability, molecular recognition capabilities, and topological control of DNA makes it an ideal candidate for the creation of bespoke biomaterials and investigation of fundamental relationships in polymer physics. Unfortunately, translation of DNA-based materials from the microscale to macroscale has been hindered by source constraints and limitations in chemical modification of biologically derived DNA. This work seeks to expand the utility of dsDNA from the benchtop to real world applications. Establishing dsDNA as a commodity polymer will aid in the development of …

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 …

Investigation Of Cross-Flow Turbines With Varying Structural And Surface Properties, Nicole Marone

Doctoral Dissertations

The oceans are a largely untapped resource with regard to their tidal, wave, and ocean current energy potential and could significantly contribute to clean energy objectives. Cross-flow turbines (CFTs) can be used to extract energy from tidal currents and provide electrical energy to the power grid. However, one of their main barriers to market entry is their levelized cost of energy (LCOE), which at present is still quite high. Three parameters that have not previously been studied together, and that could make CFTs more cost-competitive, include the use of less rigid and less expensive materials, a reduction in the number …

Adrift: The Influence Of Shelf Circulation And Larval Dispersal On Coastal Biogeography At Basin And Global Scales, Will Lush

Doctoral Dissertations

The dispersal of larvae plays an important role in determining the distribution of benthic meroplanktonic organisms in the coastal ocean. The work presented in this defense uses biophysical modeling approaches to examine the interaction of larval dispersal with coastal circulation and the impact of these interactions on contemporary coastal biogeography at global scales.I begin by presenting a novel method for validating numerical dispersal estimates against drifter observations from the Global Drifter Program. We find that median dispersal estimates match observations to within 5 percent, while model estimates underpredict the spread of drifters around this median by between 30 and 50 …

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 …

Focal Engine: Filling A Gap Between Game Engines And Big-Data Scientific Visualization Packages, Kindrat Beregovyi

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents Focal Engine, a novel 3D visualization engine designed to bridge the gap between game engines and scientific visualization tools. Game engines offer accessible interfaces and high-performance rendering but struggle with large-scale scientific datasets, while tools like ParaView and VTK handle complex data structures effectively but lack intuitive editing capabilities and modern rendering features. Focal Engine combines the accessibility and rendering performance of game engines with the data handling capabilities and analytical tools of scientific visualization platforms. The engine's capabilities are validated through multiple applications and projects, for example: HabiCAT 3D performs 3D complexity measurements on ocean floor …