Digital Commons Network^™

Additively Constructed Concrete Culverts (Acc), Eugene Kwabena Assuah-Damoah

Theses and Dissertations

Rural culvert systems in cold regions like North Dakota face rising replacement needs due to aging infrastructure, harsh deterioration, and limited precast supply. Additive construction with concrete (ACC) offers promise but is constrained by proprietary mix designs, limited validation for non-linear geometries such as ring-type pipes, and challenges in reinforcement integration. This study addresses these gaps through three efforts. First, a non-proprietary mix (MIX7, w/c = 0.37) using local materials achieved optimal printability (190–200 mm flow) and 28‑day strengths of 55–60 MPa; full-scale 18‑inch pipes met ASTM C76 Class II/III requirements. Second, literature shows ACC permanent formwork performance depends on …

Non-Terrestrial Colonial Security And Critical Contingency Operations, Augustine Gabriel Wesley Batten

Theses and Dissertations

Since the turn of the century, the dependence of state functionality and capability on cyber infrastructure has grown exponentially, resulting in an equally expanding list of means to exploit this dependency. Cyberattacks have demonstrated the ability to target the space industry and critical infrastructure beyond our atmosphere. The potential damage this growing threat can bring is what this research aims to prepare for and mitigate. The purpose of this research is to determine cyber-attack indicators and develop responses designed to mitigate the effects of worst-case scenarios. It is important to understand that this study included a theoretical scenario to address …

Wifi-Based Teleoperation System For A 3d-Printed Rc Car, Manvel Beaver

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of autonomous vehicle (AV) research, developers often face a significant gap between low-power hobbyist kits and cost-prohibitive industrial platforms. This thesis presents the design, integration, and validation of "Das Mueller," a high-performance, 1/10th-scale unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed to provide a transparent and cost-effective testbed for neural network development. By bridging the interoperability gap between the Donkey Car software framework and the 3D-printable Tarmo5 mechanical chassis, this project establishes a modular architecture centered on the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX single-board computer.

The research utilizes a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach and rapid prototyping to address critical challenges …

Studying The Hidden Heat: A Theoretical Approach To Better Understanding The Thermal Conditions Of The Yellowstone Volcano In Wyoming, Usa, Daniel Burke Brunson

Theses and Dissertations

Using the spatiotemporal record of the 2.1–0 Ma ignimbrite flare-up of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF) as a proxy for batholith formation at depth, this dissertation develops and applies the Finite Difference Heat Flow Simulation (FDHFS) program to model crustal thermal evolution beneath the supervolcano. FDHFS, a modular C++ numerical simulator, solves the transient heat equation incorporating variable thermal conductivity, radiogenic heat production, and directional advection in three-dimensional Cartesian grids. Validation against analytical benchmarks and seafloor-spreading analogs confirms its fidelity for combined conduction-advection processes in heterogeneous crustal settings.

High-resolution volume–time analysis of major ignimbrite pulses (Huckleberry Ridge, Mesa Falls, …

Safety Assurance In A Collegiate Flight Program With Safety Management Systems (Sms): A Mixed-Methods Approach To Evaluating Safety Risk Control Effectiveness, Erin Dunker

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined safety assurance and the effectiveness of safety risk controls within a collegiate flight training program operating under a Safety Management System (SMS). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrated quantitative survey data with organizational safety performance data to evaluate how safety risk controls function across operational domains. A survey instrument, the Collegiate Aviation Safety Risk Control Effectiveness Scale (CASRICES), was developed and validated to measure perceptions of safety risk control effectiveness among respondents using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Reliability, and Construct Validity Analyses.

The EFA supported a three-factor structure consisting of Pilot Training Risk Controls, Safety Reporting …

Strengthening Teacher Retention Through Strategic Onboarding, Stacey Eger-Converse

Theses and Dissertations

The United States education system is currently facing a critical staffing crisis characterized by dwindling enrollment in teacher preparation programs and alarming rates of voluntary attrition. Each school year, school districts report difficulties filling certified positions. This cycle of departure incurs staggering fiscal costs and creates a "recursive loop" where high turnover leads to lower student performance and community dissatisfaction, which further drives teacher exits. While most new teachers participate in induction programs, districts continue to lose approximately half of their new hires, suggesting that current support structures are insufficient. This research addresses a significant gap in the literature: the …

Modeling Type 2 Diabetes Progression, Hereditary Risk, And Treatment Outcomes: Integrating Prevention, Lifestyle Modifications, And Pharmacological Interventions, Grace Ebunoluwa Fatoyinbo

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains one of the most significant chronic health conditionsworldwide and continues to place pressure on healthcare systems through its long-term complications, treatment costs, and growing prevalence. The progression of T2D is influenced by multiple interacting factors, including hereditary predisposition, lifestyle behavior, treatment access, remission, relapse, and the development of complications. Because of this complexity, mathematical models can provide useful insight into disease dynamics and the possible effects of intervention strategies over time. This study develops a compartmental model for T2D progression using a system of ordinary differential equations. The population is divided into epidemiologically meaningful classes …

Machine Learning For Laminar Heat Transfer In Supercritical Fluids, Luke Holtshouser

Theses and Dissertations

In the last 10 years machine learning has become increasingly more used in the field of fluid dynamics and heat transfer. However, with this increase in activity, gaps still exist with respect to supercritical fluids and laminar flows, where laminar flow in general seems understudied. For supercritical fluids, there are many peculiar studies that are isolated to unique systems or they are obscure enough to include everything but the kitchen sink. This strategy provides no real insights into how the field can make further progress in the utilization of the technology available, or rather build-upon previous knowledge. For this reason, …

A Life Cycle Assessment Of Cotton And Hemp As Textile Fibers, Emalie Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Garment consumption is on the rise. With an increase in resource use, there will beobservable impacts. This study focused on the environmental impacts from garment production, specifically from natural fibers – cotton and hemp. Using the program SimaPro, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted from cradle to consumer. The LCA included fiber cultivation, textile production, and consumer use phase for a t-shirt, one made from cotton and one made from hemp. A survey was distributed among the University of North Dakota’s student and faculty population to gather data on consumer use behaviors, including shopping, laundry, and discard habits. The …

The Motivations Of Adult Piano Students In The Republic Of Korea, Eunsong Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Adult participation in piano study has increased in recent years; however, relatively little research has examined how adult learners initiate and sustain long-term engagement. This qualitative study explored the process through which adult piano students develop and maintain motivation over time and how sustained piano study becomes integrated into their everyday lives. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with five adult piano students in the Republic of Korea and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in their experiences. The findings revealed that initial motivation was shaped by childhood musical memories, the search for a personal sanctuary, and the …

A Privacy-Preserving, Ai-Driven Framework For Bathroom Activity Monitoring And Health Recommendation In Elderly Care, Collins Poku Obeng

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid aging of the global population necessitates scalable, non-invasive solutions, for monitoring Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) to detect early signs of health decline. This thesis presents a novel, end-to-end framework for monitoring bathroom activities—specifically bathing, toileting, and oral hygiene—using wearable sensors, machine learning and Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI). The research addresses three critical gaps: the lack of granular activity recognition in privacy-sensitive spaces, the need for personalized health insights without manual logging, and the cybersecurity risks inherent in deploying AI in healthcare. First, algorithms utilizing wearable humidity and accelerometer sensor data were developed to classify hygiene behaviors with …

Exploring Obstacles To Food Security Across The University Of North Dakota Student Body, Emma Patzer

Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity (FI) is a public health concern, and college students are especially vulnerable to FI. FI has been correlated with poor academic performance, poor health behaviors, and negative physical/mental health outcomes in college students. This thesis investigates which students are most affected by FI at a major mid-western university, identifies major barriers to food security (FS) among students at the university, and describes how these barriers differ by living location. A cross-sectional survey of students (n=905) enrolled in ≥1 credits in Spring of 2025 was conducted. Unadjusted ORs and multinomial binary logistic regression were used to determine the groups …

Identifying Diet Quality Of Ultra-Processed Foods Among Student Health Professionals, Claudia Julianne Promschmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Disagreement exists in literature and media on definitions and classification ofultra-processed food (UPF) making interpretation for policy makers, consumers, and health professionals confusing. As health professionals have a large role in nutrition education, this study looked at how students enrolled in a health professional program at the University of North Dakota determine nutrient density of UPFs and non-UPFs. Researchers calculated nutrient density to classify foods into a survey. Students completing the survey had access to both the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts Panel before selecting the food as choose often, sometimes, or rarely, and then indicated which tool was used …

Ground Penetrating Radar Spiral Antenna Transient Response Based On Target Radar Cross Section, David Rohde

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a significant advancement in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) detection technology through the development of a novel method for the detection and classification of buried conductive objects using custom-designed Archimedean spiral antennas. The research demonstrates that the transient electromagnetic response of an Archimedean spiral antenna is strongly correlated with the Radar Cross Section (RCS) characteristics of buried objects operating within the radar resonance scattering, or Mie, region. By leveraging this relationship, the proposed approach enables not only the detection of buried objects, but also generalized classification based on object geometry and size.A primary contribution of this work is …

An Environmental Systems Engineering Framework For The United States Space Force: Multi-Objective Optimization Of Co2 Emissions And Biodiversity Trade-Offs, Julio Roberto Pinto Covelli

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for sustainable defense operations has prompted the US Space Force to explore advanced strategies that reduce carbon emissions and preserve biodiversity across its installations. This dissertation proposes a scalable systems-engineering framework that quantitatively integrates CO₂ emissions modeling and ecological simulation at RAF Feltwell and RAF Lakenheath, two strategically signi?cant installations with notable ecological value. Using toolsincluding Python, MATLAB, ArcGIS, and InVEST, this research models emissions and habitat quality under various operational scenarios. The study incorporates engineering performance metrics, including emissions intensity, resilience indicators, and energy efficiency rates, to inform trade-off modeling for real-time mission and environmental decision-making. …

Spirituality And Well-Being Among Native College Students, Emma Reese Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In the current literature surrounding spirituality, definitions and conceptualizations of the construct differ. Researchers have proposed common themes of spirituality–self-awareness, interconnectedness to the world, and a relationship to a higher power or greater purpose (Hamilton & Jackson, 1998). While definitions of spirituality and how it is operationalized vary across studies, the current view in the field is that spirituality has positive outcomes on those who practice it, including their overall degree of well-being. While these positive effects have been showcased in the literature, due to the influence of western Christian perspectives on many measures of spirituality, there are methodological issues …

Numerical Investigation Of Plume–Surface Interactions Using Automated Adaptive Mesh Refinement, Fahim Shahriyar

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents a numerical investigation of plume–surface interactionsusing the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, coupled with the devel opment of an automated adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) framework for rarefied flow simulations. A two-dimensional axisymmetric configuration is used to simulate the impingement of a rarefied exhaust plume on a flat surface under vacuum condi tions representative of experimental test facilities. Surface pressure, shear stress, and heat flux induced by plume impingement are computed and compared with published experimental and numerical results to validate the DSMC approach. To address the strong mesh sensitivity and computational inefficiency associ ated with uniform …

The Effects Anorexia Nervosa Has On Cognitive Function, Gracie Jensen

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examines the effects of anorexia nervosa on cognitive function and how it impacts children and adolescents' everyday lives. It highlights the importance of increased awareness and support for the individuals affected by the disorder.

Roundtable: Issue 5, Brody Rohrich, Jonathan Blessing, Kysten Keever, Mona Kuylee, Makenna Maples-Janisch, Gavin Mitzel, Victoria Voss

Roundtable: Journal of the UND Honors Program

No abstract provided.

Und Leads Outreach Feedback Coding Audit, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Implementation Documents

Coding audit spreadsheet for feedback collected through the UND LEADS outreach event. The file supports LEADS storytelling and implementation work by organizing feedback connected to campus engagement, outreach, and strategic plan themes.

Und Leads Event Stories: Affinity, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Implementation Documents

Storytelling presentation for the AFFINITY core value of UND LEADS, prepared for the March 2026 outreach event. The slides highlight UND stories connected to belonging, campus culture, campus environments, workforce recognition, first-year experience, athletics, global engagement, cultural connection, and military-affiliated students.

Evaluation Of Seal!Nd: School Year 2024-2025, Shawnda Schroeder, Rashid Ahmad

Indigenous Health Faculty Publications

Dr. Schroeder and Rashid worked with the team at the Oral Health Program to collect data on the clinical reach of the School-based Sealant program (SEAL!ND), the referral practices, dental sealant cost savings, and perceptions of school personnel regarding their experiences with the program. SEAL!ND continues to make a measurable difference in improving children’s oral health by increasing access to preventive care, reducing barriers for families, and supporting schools in meeting the needs of their students. The program’s impact is reflected not only in the thousands of services provided each year, but also in the strong satisfaction and gratitude expressed …

Effects Of Screen Time On Childhood Development, Elizabeth Bridge

Psychology Student Publications

This science communication paper explores the psychological effects of screen time on childhood development. It emphasizes the effects on childhood intelligence, social skills, language skills, emotional regulation skills, and mental health.

Moving Towards Wellness: How Exercise Can Ease Depression And Anxiety In Young Adults, Morgan Hartze

Psychology Student Publications

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health concerns affecting young adults, impacting mood, motivation, and daily functioning. While therapy and medication can be effective, many young adults continue to experience symptoms, highlighting the need for additional strategies. Research suggests that regular physical activity is an accessible, cost-effective way to improve mental health. Moving your body boosts the “feel good” chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, while reducing stress hormones, such as cortisol. Physical activity also provides a healthy distraction from negative thoughts and helps establish routines that support well-being. Even brief amounts of moderate exercise, such as …

Cognitive Drunkenness: Sleep Deprivation And Cognition In College Students, Alexandra Pavek

Psychology Student Publications

Sleep deprivation is a common occurrence among college students. The purpose of the paper is to shed light on the sources of sleep loss in college students, the cognitive consequences, and the comparison to alcohol-related impairment.

Motive To Kill: The Link Between Childhood Trauma And Homicide, Natalie L. Scholz

Psychology Student Publications

What motivates some individuals to commit homicide and what role does childhood trauma play in increasing that risk? Psychology and neuroscience suggest that when a child experiences traumatic events it can change how they handle stress, emotional control, and how their brain develops. All these factors can lead to them acting out in more violent ways. The Adverse Childhood Experiences study shows that traumatic events during one’s childhood can have a negative effect on their mental wellbeing later in life making them more prone to act out aggressively and possibly having more criminal involvement. Exposure to trauma has been linked …

The Relationship Between Childhood Adverse Experiences And Adult Depression, Alexander Owens

Psychology Student Publications

This paper explores the current understanding of the linkage between childhood trauma and depression. Before this, childhood trauma and adult depression are described. Overall, there are a few different ways these two constructs can be linked, and they are explored.

Sensory Processing In Early Childhood: Developmental Pathways To Emotional Regulation And Participation, Jadyn Kuppersmith

Psychology Student Publications

How sensory processing develops in early childhood and how it influences emotional regulation and participation in daily activities. Highlighting that all children respond to sensory input differently, which can affect their behavior, anxiety levels, and ability to engage in play, routines, and school. The paper also emphasizes how occupational therapy supports children by adapting environments and promoting self-regulation skills rather than trying to change the child.

Effects Of Exercise Of Cognitive Development In Young Children, Hannah Schlomann

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examines the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development in young children ages 0-5. Increased tablet time and sedentary behavior is becoming common for young children. This paper examines the effect of four categories of movement including screen based sedentary behavior, non-screen based sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and moderate to rigorous physical activity, as well as the effects of motor ability on cognitive development.

Supporting The Supporters: Reducing Stress For At Home Dementia Caregivers, Kendra Spitzer

Psychology Student Publications

Caring for individuals with dementia is associated with an increased mental strain, stress, anxiety, and depression. This paper explores mental health issues that can derive from caring for people living with dementia. Dementia is a highly progressive condition that impacts cognition and behavior, which affects both the individual and caregiver. While caregiving provides meaningful skills and a strong meaning to life, it also presents unpredictability and emotional distress. This paper highlights evidence-based supports to reduce mental health illnesses and burdens on caregivers. Supports such as social networks, digital mental health tools, mobile apps, and validation therapy are noted to be …