Digital Commons Network^™

Summer Commencement: August 8, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Summer Commencement program from August 8, 2025.

Investigation Of Wireless Communication Sub-Optimizing Factors And Ai-Based Optimization For Ber Reduction, Lalan Jee Mishra

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for high-throughput, low-latency, and reliable wireless communication has led to significant advancements of cellular wireless technologies since the early ‘80s. However, in dynamic and interference-prone environments—particularly those involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—signal degradation due to pathloss, multipath propagation, co-channel interference, and weather-induced attenuation continues to undermine performance. These factors contribute to elevated bit error rates (BER), inefficient spectrum usage, and unreliable communication links, thereby limiting the practical utility of wireless systems in aerial applications. Traditional mitigation techniques, while effective under certain conditions, often fail to adapt to rapidly changing wireless environments. This shortcoming underscores the need for …

Exploring Open Pedagogy Principles: A Qualitative Study Of Undergraduate Experiences, Staci Gilpin, Stephanie Rollag Yoon, Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Open pedagogy, characterisedby students creating or co-creating artefacts that others may use, offers transformative opportunities for students to move beyond passive learning into active content creation. This qualitative study examines the experiences of 25 undergraduate students who engage with open pedagogy principles, including creation-centred learning, collaboration, audience engagement, and the integration of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Creative Commons (CC) licensing. Using surveys and interviews, we identified three key themes: the importance of real audiences, authentic connections over prescribed collaborations, and rethinking the role of Creative Commons. Findings suggest that open pedagogy enhances student engagement and provides meaningful, real-world applications …

Flight Instructor Enhanced Qualification Training Program, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Due to December 2024 regulatory changes made to 14 CFR Part 61.195(h)— Qualifications to provide ground or flight training to initial flight instructor applicants—a new training program, titled the Flight Instructor Enhanced Qualification Training Program (FIEQTP), must be developed under 61.195(h)(3).

The purpose of this packet is, in response to regulatory changes, to conduct a thorough training needs analysis, and utilizing its conclusions, develop a new 14 CFR Part 141 course and assessment plan that meets the requirements of Part 61.195(h)(3) Flight instructor enhanced qualification training program.

Potential Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On The Practice And Profession Of Speech-Language Pathology: A Working Paper, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This paper explores the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the profession of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). AI is widely recognized as a transformative force, presenting opportunities across both service delivery and professional practice in SLP. This paper examines how AI may partially or fully automate and augment key tasks such as screening, assessment, and treatment. It also addresses associated challenges, including data bias and the “black box” problem while advocating for proactive engagement with AI technologies. Finally, the paper posits that AI will reshape the field, serving as a collaborative partner for SLPs, enhancing efficiency, and expanding access to …

Drk-12 Examining Changes In Elementary Teachers’ Engineering Self-Efficacy Across A Year-Long Professional Learning Program, Ryan G. Summers, Rebekah J. Hammack, Julie Robinson, Min Jung Lee, Tugba Boz, Martha Inouye, Meghan Macias, Ashley Iveland

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

The ambitious vision outlined in A Framework for K-12 Science Education, which is delineated in the Next Generation Science Standards, calls for advancing engineering. Nationwide data shows that teachers report comparatively low self-efficacy for engineering, compared to other subjects (e.g., math), and elementary teachers generally report the lowest levels. Prior research shows that teachers’ self-efficacy impacts their inclusion of engineering in classrooms, and self-efficacy may be influenced by content and pedagogical knowledge among other variables. Professional learning (PL), a strategy for strengthening teachers’ knowledge, can also foster self-efficacy. This project recruited elementary teachers from four states (CA, MT, ND, and …

Development Of A Machine-Learning-Driven Digital Teaching Assistant That Utilises Student Engagement Data To Improve Access To And Success In K-12 Stem Education, Kelly Shreeve, Kathryn Jessen Eller, Michael Cassidy, Beth Price, Brandy Jackson, Anthony M. Perry, Leo Celi, Ismini Lourentzou, Luk Hendrik

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

Student engagement is a key predictor of academic achievement and is closely linked to career awareness, interest, and preparedness. Measuring student engagement during STEM learning is challenging for teachers, given the dynamic and ever-changing nature of these learning environments. Even when engagement data can be collected, leveraging this information to refine and personalise instruction requires significant experience and time. To address this, we are developing Scoutlier EngagEd, a digital teaching assistant that embeds in existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) to automatically and invisibly gather multidimensional data on student engagement and performance during STEM learning. These data are being leveraged to …

Understanding And Managing Parent–Child Well Interactions In The Bakken, Kyoung Min, Xue Yu, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Darren D. Schmidt, Bethany A. Kurz, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

This study proposes actionable strategies to mitigate parent–child interactions and negative production impacts. Key approaches, including wider well spacing, optimized stimulation designs, and refracturing, minimize interference while enhancing recovery efficiency.

Familiarity Moderates Education Level Of Stigma For Professional Efficacy Of Treating Mental Illness, Jason J. Burrow-Sanchez, Shawnda Schroeder, Thomasine Heitkamp, Brian Urlacher, Sharon Cook, Paula Bennett, Carolina Corrales

Indigenous Health Faculty Publications

Background: About one in five adults in the United States experience any mental illness (AMI) whereas 14.2 million experience serious mental illness (SMI). The perception of stigma among these individuals can be associated with care seeking behavior and treatment adherence.

Purpose: Two factors that mitigate stigma are familiarity with someone experiencing AMI/SMI and general level of education. Heretofore, these factors have not been tested together to determine if familiarity moderates the relation between level of education and stigma of professional efficacy for treating mental illness.

Methods: In fall 2020, an online survey in the state of Utah measured 1,300 adults’ …

Spring Commencement: May 17, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Spring Commencement program from May 17, 2025.

The Relationship Between Weather Variablity And Agricultural Land Cover Change In North Dakota (1997-2023) And Its Implication For Future Change, Sabrina Karim

Theses and Dissertations

Climate variability and weather patterns play a critical role in shaping agricultural land use and land cover (LULC), particularly in states like North Dakota, where agriculture dominates the landscape. This study explores the impacts of climatic factors—specifically rainfall, temperature, and Growing Degree Days (GDD)—on agricultural land cover (ALC) changes in North Dakota from 1997 to 2023, with projections for 2033. By combining historical analysis and predictive modeling, the research examines how climate variability has influenced crop dynamics and provides insights into future scenarios. The research uses advanced geospatial tools, including Google Earth Engine, and machine learning techniques such as Random …

Impact Of Altering Gut Microbiota With Multinutrient Supplementation On Neuropsychiatric Symptoms In Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Benjamin Hinkle

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric condition affecting children, often characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Recent evidence suggests a potential link between gut microbiota composition and neuropsychiatric disorders, including ADHD, through the gut-brain axis (GBA). A literature review of studies published between 2017 and 2024 explores the efficacy of multinutrient interventions on influencing gut microbiota to treat the core symptoms of ADHD in children ages 6-12 years old. Findings indicate that multinutrient supplementation may modulate gut microbiota and subsequently impact neuropsychiatric symptoms, offering a promising adjunctive treatment for ADHD. However, variability in study methodologies and small sample sizes …

The Comparison Of Once Daily Insulin And Once Weekly Insulin In Patients With Diabetes Mellitus, Carly Gilbertson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or a combination of both. The purpose of this literature review is to determine if patients with diabetes mellitus taking once weekly insulin injections compared to once daily insulin injections offer the same, or better, effectiveness at lowering their HbA1c. This is critical in the management and progression of the disease. The electronic databases PubMed, Clinical Key and Embase were searched and there were 92 articles found. Inclusion criteria included articles published within the past 5 years, randomized clinical trials and meta-analysis. …

Benefits Of Succession Planning In Medical Laboratories, Christina Jones, Samantha Peterson, Robert Porter

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

This discussion examines the potential impact of implementing a succession plan in the laboratory to reduce survey deficiencies. It highlights the importance of understanding the determinants of quality in the lab, addressing staffing shortages and turnover, and the role of succession plans in improving workplace quality. Quality encompasses various aspects from quality control to quality management. Accreditation and inspection processes, such as those required by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA ‘88), play a crucial role in ensuring quality laboratories.

However, frequent turnover, including leadership changes, poses challenges to maintaining quality. The laboratory workforce faces high turnover rates …

The Role Of Almonds In Exercise Recovery And Athletic Performance, Kathryn M. Trochman

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: During exercise, many trained athletes and physically active adults experience symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). The effects of EIMD can cause limitations in athletic performance and increased duration of exercise recovery. Nutritional interventions have shown results in improving the duration of recovery. However, there are few studies completed on common food items. This review aims to examine the role of almonds in exercise recovery and athletic performance. Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing Google Scholar, PubMed, CINAHL Ultimate, and reference hand searching. The search parameters included the dietary intervention of almonds for trained athletes and physically active …

Spring 2025, University Of North Dakota Alumni Association

ALL: UND Alumni Review Master List

Spring 2025 issue of "The University of North Dakota Alumni Magazine." 60 pages

Volume 108, Number 2

Roundtable: Issue 4, Matthew Egdorf, Srinath Kandooru, Vincente Otero, Jacob Stanley, Shinnosuke Tao

Roundtable: Journal of the UND Honors Program

No abstract provided.

Air Traffic Trends And Uav Safety: Leveraging Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast Data For Predictive Risk Mitigation, Prasad Pothana, Paul Snyder, Sreejith Vidhyadharan, Michael Ullrich, Jack Thornby

Petroleum Engineering Student Publications

With the significant potential of Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs) extending throughout various fields and industries, their proliferation raises concerns regarding potential risks within the national airspace system (NAS). To enhance the safe and efficient integration of UAVs into airport environments, this paper presents an analysis of temporal statistical patterns in flight traffic, the predictive modeling of future traffic trends using machine learning, and the identification of optimal time windows for UAV operations within airports. The framework was developed using historical Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data obtained from the OpenSky Network. Historical flight data from Class B, C, and D airports …

Social Media's Influence On Young Vapers, Destiny Guadalupe Salinas

Psychology Student Publications

No abstract provided.

My Covid Time Capsule, Rachel Steen

Pandemic Time Capsules

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Of Hyperspectral Sensing For Detection Of Early Stages Of Corrosion In Structural Steel, Amrita Das, Sattar Dorafshan

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The estimated global cost of steel atmospheric corrosion is 3-4% of the Gross Domestic Product, despite decades of corrosion mitigation practice. Steel, widely used for infrastructure construction, is composed primarily of iron and therefore is extremely vulnerable to atmospheric corrosion. The free iron atoms are highly reactive with water and oxygen molecules abundantly found in the atmosphere. Common non-contact in-field corrosion detection methods such as visual imaging and passive infrared thermography (IRT) use characteristics of visible corrosion compounds as the main features for corrosion detection. In this study, diffuse spectroscopy is investigated for the feasibility of corrosion detection before visual …

Supplement To "A Technical And Statistical Analysis Of Unleaded Aviation Fuel (Ul94) Adoption In A High-Volume Collegiate Aviation Environment", Nicholas D. Wilson, Ryan Guthridge, Brandon Wild, Jeremy Roesler, Daniel Kasowski, Aaron Terbest, Aaron Fettig, Nicholas Geinert, Robert J. Kraus

Datasets

Supplemental documentation for "A Technical and Statistical Analysis of Unleaded Aviation Fuel (UL94) Adoption in a High-Volume Collegiate Aviation Environment", forthcoming publication in the Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering.

Enhancing Virtual Reality Usability With A Ml Based Dynamic Adaptive System, Ananth Ramaseri-Chandra, Hassan Reza

Computer Science Posters and Presentations

Virtual reality (VR) holds tremendous potential, but cybersickness degrades the user experience. Since individuals vary, a one-size-fits-all design is insufficient. Our work introduces a dynamic adaptive system that personalizes VR experiences by learning individual cybersickness profiles from head-tracking data and sickness questionnaires while adjusting settings such as field of view and foveated rendering strength. Early results show that our system reduces post-exposure sickness scores, enhancing the user experience and highlighting the importance of personalizing VR.

Modeling And Evaluation Of False Data Injection Attacks (Fdia) In Der Inverters, Tanzim Jim Hassan, Akshay Ram Ramchandra, Farishta Rahman, Prakash Ranganathan

Graduate Research Achievement Day Posters

This poster develops and evaluates false data injection attack (FDIA) models to enhance the cybersecurity of distributed energy resources (DER) solar inverters using real-time frequency data from two Fronius single-phase inverters. Fifteen datasets with unique attack patterns were developed and analyzed using machine learning models, where the most challenging anomaly (V3) had F1 scores between 0.425 and 0.76, while the most detectable (V1) achieved up to 0.895. These findings contribute to improving anomaly detection mechanisms for securing distributed energy resources (DER) and ensuring grid stability.

Exploring The Feasibility Of Head‐Tracking Data For Cybersickness Prediction In Virtual Reality, Ananth Ramaseri-Chandra, Hassan Reza, Prasad Pothana

Graduate Research Achievement Day Posters

Traditional methods for predicting cybersickness rely on self-reported questionnaires or physiological signals from specialized sensors, which have their limitations. This study explores the potential of using real-time, easily acquired head-tracking data (HTD) from standard VR headsets as a scalable alternative for estimating cybersickness. Twenty-eight participants engaged in a VR session using an Oculus Quest 2 headset while their HTD was recorded. Kinematic metrics such as linear and angular velocity, acceleration, and jerk were computed from the HTD, including positional and angular parameters. Participants’ cybersickness levels were assessed using the Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire. The Gradient Boosting model demonstrated superior performance, …

Using Tinylev Acoustic Levitator At Low Temperatures To Generate Atmospheric Ice Crystals (Obstacles To Hypersonic Flights), Imteaz Osmani, Hallie Boyer Chelmo

Graduate Research Achievement Day Posters

Atmospheric clouds contain supercooled water droplets, frozen droplets, and ice crystals ranging in size from a few nm to 100’s of µm. These elements form crystal chain aggregates of varying lengths, though their aggregation process remains unknown. Hypersonic flights, which travel at speeds at least five times faster than sound, gain excessive momentum. As a result, tiny atmospheric ice crystal aggregates can cause damage to the vehicle’s nose cone and exterior. However, these atmospheric ice crystals are not well studied and require advanced laboratory facilities for analysis. At the Aerosol Engineering Lab at UND, atmospheric ice crystals are generated using …

University Faculty Research Competence: A Systematic Literature Review Of Core Components, Distinctions, And Measures, Muhammad Salahuddin, Robert H. Stupnisky

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Recent studies identified that faculty research productivity increased when they felt competent in conducting research. Faculty level of research competency varies due to academic training, context, country, discipline, and experiences; however, what is faculty research competency? The core competencies of faculty research are unclear; thus, the current study systematically reviewed the literature. Researchers used Boolean searches of four popular databases to identify 553 articles for first-level screening. These yielded 46 peer-reviewed journal articles for full-text analysis, six of which focused on faculty populations (40 on non-faculty). Six core components of faculty research proficiency were identified: finding and reviewing literature, planning …

Leads Data Insights: Service — February 2025, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Implementation Documents

February 2025 Data Insights presentation for the SERVICE core value of UND LEADS. The slides summarize Service-related Activity Inventory items and include data on innovation and economic prosperity, campus events for the general public, demographic trends for employees and students, and retention and advancement trends for faculty and staff.

Leads Data Insights: Service — February 2025, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Development Documents

February 2025 Data Insights presentation for the SERVICE core value of UND LEADS. The slides summarize Service-related Activity Inventory items and include data on innovation and economic prosperity, campus events for the general public, demographic trends for employees and students, and retention and advancement trends for faculty and staff.

Innovative Cdr Testing And Development, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Under an award through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) seeks partners to evaluate carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies in an integrated test-bed facility. Such technologies may include biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS), direct air capture (DAC), marine CDR (mCDR), and enhanced mineralization.