Digital Commons Network^™

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of The Marine Invertebrate Community Associated With Amathia Verticillata, Emily Masini Zavacki, Nathalie Reyns Phd, Michel Boudrias Phd, Jeff Crooks Phd

Theses

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are often thought to have negative consequences on ecosystems. However, some NIS are ecosystem engineers, organisms that modify and/or create habitats by changing physical structure (either biogenic or abiotic), such as Amathia verticillata (previously Zoobotryon verticillatum [delle Chiaje, 1822]), a non-indigenous bryozoan with a global distribution. The role of NIS as ecosystem engineers can be complicated due to the mix of impacts that they may have on the ecosystem. Thus, the role of A. verticillata as an ecosystem engineer may shift our understanding about its ecological role on anthropogenic structures, such as docks through an urbanized area, …

Generative Artificial Intelligence Program And Service: Imaginex, Mengheng Xu

Theses

The idea to facilitate the creation of personal spaces that afford privacy, comfort, and autonomy to individuals in need seems to be especially significant while availability and affordability of physical spaces are constrained. This project proposes a system called ImagineX which is a generative artificial intelligence program and service that can generate virtual 3D spaces for users. Users can create customized 3D environments tailored to their specific needs and preferences simply by inputting word prompts. By connecting the program from a tablet to a virtual reality (VR) system, users can experience and interact with these virtual spaces in an immersive …

Synthesis Of Sustainable Polyethylene Mimics Through Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization, Brandon Zhang

Theses

Polyethylene is the most produced plastic in the world due to its versatility and ubiquitous applications. The production and use of polyethylene however pose sustainability issues such as using petroleum resources and the persistence of its waste in landfills and oceans. Though not every issue can be addressed simultaneously, the more critical issue is to develop a polyethylene that can degrade within a few months instead of hundreds of years. A possible solution is to synthesize a polyethylene mimic, consisting of long chain of methylene groups with an occasional input of a functional group while maintaining similar properties as that …

Purli: A Better Way To Brush, Aldyn Savage

Theses

Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial for a healthy life, and properly tooth brushing stands out as a fundamental defense against dental issues. Unfortunately, many people do not brush their teeth properly and there is very limited technology available to assist them in compliance with the standard toothbrushing procedure. In the realm of technological innovation, augmented reality stands out as a powerful tool with boundless possibilities. Leveraging the potential of this transformative technology, we aim to utilize mirrors as a unique medium to design a captivating 3D projected model of teeth. This innovative approach aims to inspire and motivate users …

A Morphological Analysis Of High Redshift Galaxy Mergers Using Machine Learning, Caitlin Rose

Theses

Galaxy mergers play an important role in the formation and evolution of galaxies. However, identifying mergers can be difficult, especially at high redshift, due to effects such as: cosmological surface brightness dimming, poor resolution of images, the shifting of optical light to the infrared, and the inherently more irregular morphologies of younger galaxies. The advent of JWST and new deep, high-resolution near-infrared NIRCam images from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS) will help mitigate some of these problems to better detect high redshift merger features. Simultaneously, sophisticated machine learning analysis techniques have the po- tential to more accurately …

Analyzing The Impact Of Process-Oriented Technology In Programming Education, Kate Arendes

Theses

Currently, there exist several factors in programming education that deter novice programmers. Computer science students are often significantly penalized for programs that do not compile, reflecting how current teaching standards are focused on the product of the student’s efforts, rather than the independent pieces of code that would otherwise execute properly. Novice programmers struggle with interpreting error messages that identify where and why a program failed, but are written with the assumption that the author already has mastered the fundamental concepts that they are trying to implement. In the classroom, educators may show presentations with pre-written code or perform live …

Visualizing A Thought-Actuated 3d Printed Prosthesis, Brett Walter

Theses

The e-NABLE Project has created a worldwide network of passionate volunteers who utilize 3D printing technology to provide prosthetic hands to individuals who may not otherwise be able to obtain one. Most of these recipients are children in underdeveloped countries who have suffered from Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS) and cannot seek expensive medical prosthetics. ABS occurs when fibrous bands from the amniotic sac wrap tightly around a fetus’s extremities (most commonly fingers), restricting blood flow and ultimately resulting in complete amputation. The e-NABLE Project’s prosthesis utilizes the functional wrist and fingerless palm to push against the device, contracting the mechanical …

Population Inference Of Non-Spinning Eccentric Binary Black Holes, Muhammad Zeeshan

Theses

Compact binary mergers produce gravitational waves (GWs), which carry information about their sources. The LIGO-VIRGO-KAGRA network detects GWs signals, and we use those measurements to infer BBHs population properties such as mass, spin, and eccentricity distribution in the universe. Binary component masses and spins are well-known to provide insight into the source formation, evolution, and environment. Unlike these two, eccentricity is a unique and measurable signature of strongly interacting events. Unfortunately, most available parameter estimation results for GWs signals do not include eccentricity: models for binary merger with eccentricity have minimal availability and parameter coverage. Therefore, to assess how well …

Purification And Detection Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria From Whole Blood With Nano-Sieve, Xinye Chen

Theses

Life-threatening bloodstream infections (BSI), such as sepsis, mainly caused by the body’s syndromic response to pathogen infection, are a major public health concern, leading to ~11 million deaths each year. The identification of sepsis presents significant challenges in the diagnostic process, as the isolation of low concentration pathogens from bodily fluids (e.g., human blood) is extremely demanding, and typically relies on time-consuming and complicated isolation processes. Therefore, this work aims to explore the potential of microfluidics as a powerful tool for rapid purification and concentration of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) from blood samples, meanwhile developing a molecular diagnostic technology by combining …

Agency And Matrilineal Ties; Queen Victoria And Her Daughters, Lydia Catherine Pensel

Theses

This study examines the impact of Queen Victoria's political and diplomatic power on the marriages of her five daughters. Queen Victoria's influence on her daughters' marriages highlights her enduring behind the scenes power despite some claims to the contrary. Unlike the sons’ marriages, where considerable outside political influences brought to bear, the daughters’ marriages were almost solely influenced by Victoria. Examining the Queen's five daughters offers an alternate view of her motherhood while simultaneously exploring the diverse gender dynamics between her and her daughters.

The Future Of Deep Fakes: Analyzing The Potential Future Consequences Of The Widespread Use Of Deepfakes On The Policing Sector, Maryam Salem Alshamsi

Theses

In today’s world there is a growing uncertainty in terms of the truthfulness of what we see and hear. People digest a great amount of information throughout the day using their devices, yet the quality and credibility of content is in question. People question if we are experiencing and perceiving the same reality at this point. This issue is not novel, however, it has progressed and developed to a level of realism that deceives people and affect their comprehension of information. Rapid technological advancement has raised the concern of what is referred to as “Deepfakes”, a machine learning technique that …

Characterizing And Detecting Software Attack Surface Components, Sara Moshtari

Theses

The notion of Attack Surface refers to the critical points on the boundary of a software system which are accessible from outside or contain valuable content for attackers. The ability to identify attack surface components of software system has a significant role in effectiveness of different security analysis approaches such as vulnerability analysis. Most prior works focus on the security analysis approach and use an approximation of attack surfaces. There have not been many attempts to create a comprehensive list of attack surface components. Although limited number of studies have focused on attack surface analysis, they defined attack surface components …

Role Of Institutional Quality On Bilateral Exports, Sumaiya Binta Islam

Theses

This paper empirically examines the effect of institutional quality on trade considering the gravity equation model. Taking data for 252 countries covering the period of 19 years from 1996 to 2014, the research has been done with two stage regression analysis. In the first stage, we estimate the effect of gravity factors that either benefit or hinder trade along with OECD membership and Linder’s effect by Poisson-Pseudo-Maximum-Likelihood (PPML) estimator with importer- time, and exporter- time fixed effects. Taking the estimated exporter- time fixed effects from the first stage, we regress it with institutional variables in the second stage by OLS …

Amulet: Addressing Emotional Abuse, Wentao Sun

Theses

In a world grappling with the scourge of psychological violence, particularly gaslighting, in intimate relationships, the "Amulet" project presents a visionary design solution. Positioned at the intersection of emotional abuse and technology, the project conceptualizes Amulet as a biometric system embodied in a hypothetical skin tattoo and extendable across digital devices. The Amulet project explores the potential role of design in challenging and addressing this insidious form of abuse. The core elements of the project include designing a unique brand identity for Amulet and the creation of a user-friendly interface that offers an intuitive and empowering user experience. The designed …

Biomimetic Aerosol Exposure System For In Vitro Human Airway Exposure Studies, Samantha Emma Sarles

Theses

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, disproportionately affecting residents of rural areas, people who are financially disadvantaged, and adults who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The impact that electronic cigarettes will have on public health is not yet fully understood. Combinations of electronic cigarette products, human airway geometries, and user behaviors create barriers to understanding products’ interaction with the human airway and their health effects. Current in vitro emissions systems, also called smoking robots, lack biomimicry, use unrealistic flow conditions, produce unrealistic aerosol dose, and provide inaccurate bio-mechanical cues to cell …

Analyzing The Atomic And Electronic Structures Of Oxide Heterostructures For Electrolyte Applications In Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Jason D. Rakowsky

Theses

Perovskite oxide heterostructures have key applications in technologies such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), batteries, solar cells, etc. because of novel properties at the interface. Although it is well-known that this is caused by lattice mismatch and misfit dislocations, the role defects play in enhancing certain properties is unknown. We have investigated SrTiO$_3$ (STO) and BaZrO$_3$ (BZO) structures because they both experience novel oxygen vacancy formation which is desired for high ionic conductivity applications such as the thin film electrolyte of a SOFC. Through explicit density functional theory calculations of four STO/BZO interfaces, electron migration, oxygen vacancy formation energies, …

Addendum To Ap Art History Curriculum: Impressionism And Its Female Painters, Julie Short

Theses

This project seeks to add depth to Content Area 4 of the AP Art History Curriculum by supplementing the study of Impressionism as a whole, as well as including the study of the role of women artists in the movement and their contributions to Impressionism and Modern art in general. The goal is to provide students with greater historical context and formal analysis of major Impressionist works, as well as to expose students to the accomplishments of more female artists.

Reconsidering Fertility Imagery In The Murals Of Teotihuacan, Grace T.O. Ray

Theses

This thesis explores fertility imagery in the Tepantitla Paradise and Tetitla Goddess murals of ancient Teotihuacan in Mexico. In the beginning of the 1970s, these murals had been utilized as case studies in the assertion for the existence of a central female deity known as the Great Goddess, based on an abundance of fertility imagery within the scenes. Scholarship in the field has since discredited this theory, but the deity in the murals remains unidentified. In addition, the city does not offer surviving written texts to provide context for cosmological beliefs, only Teotihuacan’s vibrant material culture was left behind after …

Differential Movement Response Of Silver Carp To Individual And Environmental Conditions In The Illinois And Wabash Rivers, Taylor Mogavero

Theses

Knowledge about the spatial dynamics of invasive species is essential to predict, restrict, and prevent their spread to new areas. Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) populations are expanding on all fronts and are threatening to establish in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Understanding their movement patterns is vital to prevent their populations from spreading further and to improve management efficiency. This study looked at multiple factors to understand which have an influence on the movement of invasive Silver Carp in two different river systems. Chapter 1 examined the relationship between individual and environmental factors—including length, body condition, temperature, and discharge—and movement …

Comparing Various Staff Training Modalities Within Applied Behavior Analysis, Jason Joseph Starr

Theses

Behavioral skills training (BST) has continuously demonstrated to be an effective means of training others in new skills and techniques. A limitation of BST, however, is that it requires extensive time and a professional trainer. Currently, there is a lack of literature comparing BST to alternative and effective training methods that require less resources, such as written directions and video modeling. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine which training modality (i.e., behavior skills training, written directions, or video modeling) was most effective at increasing staff members' correct implementation of applied behavior analysis procedures, specifically forward chaining, shaping, …

Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of Genus Physaria In North America, Binoshi Hettihewa

Theses

Physaria is a genus of ~108 species belonging to family Brassicaceae that is predominantly distributed in Western North America, but one species occurs in Arctic Russia and Northern Canada and several species occur in South America. Regardless of the vast number of species in the genus, the genus lacks a well-resolved phylogeny representing many taxa, partially because phylogeny reconstruction is complicated by the fact that many species of Physaria vary in chromosome numbers and ploidy levels. In chapter 1, we review how polyploids are formed and become established and summarize what is known about variation in chromosome number and ploidy …

Design And Optimization Of Devices And Architectures For Neuromorphic Silicon Photonics, Matthew Van Niekerk

Theses

Neuromorphic photonics is an exciting field at the intersection of neuroscience, integrated photonics, and microelectronics. To realize large-scale neural network-inspired systems, we must have a toolbox of linear and nonlinear operators. Here, we review state of the art for integrated photonic linear operators, which can perform linear operations using interference or wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) techniques, and nonlinear operators, which perform nonlinear operations with a combination of photodetection and modulation. We present some devices that fit into the needed toolbox. A new type of directional coupler, using skin depth engineering of electromagnetic waves, suppresses optical crosstalk and eliminates the need for waveguide …

Large Dry Metal Electrodes For Physiological Monitoring, Krittika Goyal

Theses

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In-home physiological monitoring systems have a potential to track daily changes in cardiovascular health and to provide health care professionals data about the recovery or deterioration of their patient’s cardiac health. Various in-home monitoring systems have been designed to capture physiological signals from both standard (chest, wrist) and non-standard (palms, buttocks) locations. Unfortunately, most in-home monitoring systems provide poor signal quality due to the use of dry electrodes. Dry electrodes have an unstable electrochemical interface that results in high and variable contact impedance and poor signal quality. The …

Artificial Games, Jake Johnson

Theses

This thesis project is an attempt to create an integration of augmented reality (AR) technology and tabletop board games, with a focus on tackling the challenge of maintaining engagement and capturing the attention of modern audiences who are often drawn to more interactive forms of entertainment like movies and video games. Specifically, the project explores the concept of augmenting older tabletop games with a combination of futuristic digital graphics and overlays with original physical game elements. The project sees and recognizes the problem, which is that the disparity between the level of engagement offered by traditional tabletop games and the …

Find A Way To Hug: A Multi-Discipline Design For Mother-Daughter Relationship, Jinyi Liao

Theses

The project Find a Way to Hug, or FWH for short is a personal project that tries to think about the influence of the mother-daughter relationship on the author's growth. The author's relationship with her mother changed dramatically after she came to the United States from China, prompting a re-examination of this relationship and inspiring this project. The author tries to tell a story of a mother and daughter looking for the possibility of understanding, forgiveness, and moving forward after going through various situations through multidisciplinary design. She presents this story of personal experiences and reflections in the form of …

Coach Goggles Thesis, Christopher Dell' Aquila

Theses

This thesis project describes a Head User Display for athletic swimmers who have trouble perfecting their techniques without the aid of a coach. In any sport, athletes always have improved technique and speed because there is always an instructor, advisor, and coach to give wisdom, critiques, and advice for the pros and cons. However, there are some cases where an athlete will have to train on their own without the aid of their coach. The problem especially for swimming, is that in some sports athletes will not be aware of the mistakes they are making while performing the drills. Without …

Rf Device Characterization Of Graphene Transistors, Mohit Moitra

Theses

Radio Frequency performance of field-effect transistors has been explored in depth, experimented and industrially in use since a long time. Whenever one thinks of transistors which could take us to the regime of more than 1 THz in frequency it would always be the High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTS) as the perfect solution to that. The Graphene transistors have been very much in research from 2010 and promise equal results due to their huge potential in mobility. In the Semiconductor Manufacturing And Fabrication Laboratory at the Rochester Institute Of Technology our research group has been designing, fabricating and characterizing the …

Cast Iron Repair Through Directed Energy Deposition And Ancillary Processing Modes, Jakob D. Hamilton

Theses

A cast iron repair process that restores above 80% of the original tensile strength without thermal pre-conditioning is presented. Cast iron, an integral alloy to transportation and agricultural sectors, is a difficult alloy to repair owing to the presence of discrete graphite flakes and the tendency to form brittle iron-carbide phases and porosity. Preheating and post-process annealing assist in preventing premature fracturing but are economically and environmentally impractical for large castings. Thus, methods that circumvent these limitations while avoiding defect formation are crucial. Laser-based directed energy deposition (DED) offers a highly controllable method of remanufacturing cast iron and high carbon …

Stacking The Deck In The Learner's Favor: Behavioral Skills Training Improves Safmeds Implementation, Lauren Olsen

Theses

“Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffled” (SAFMEDS) is a structured, evidence-based protocol for using flashcards. The protocol is a sequence of steps that are designed to promote accurate and quick responding to learn the information presented on flashcards. Although the benefits of using SAFMEDS have been well-documented, much of the literature fails to adequately describe the methods used to train participants on how to use the protocol. In addition, few studies measure participant procedural integrity (i.e., the extent to which the protocol is implemented as planned). To date, no study has systematically examined the effects of different training methods …

An Effective Heuristic To Reduce Total Flowtime For Randomly-Structured Flowshop Problems, Arun John Abraham

Theses

We propose a heuristic to reduce total flowtime in a six-job, four-machine permutation flowshop scheduling problem. This work contributes to the prolific research efforts reported in the permutation flowshop scheduling problem (PFSP).

The heuristic was applied to 102 randomly structured flowshop scheduling problems, with job processing times generated using an integer uniform distribution in the interval [1,100]. The results of computational experiments were deemed satisfactory after being evaluated by using the ordinal and percentile ranks of the resulting total flowtime for the six jobs.