Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling The Gravitation Field Of M85 Using Newtonian Physics And 3d Vector Fields In Matlab, Jeffery Smothermon, Jose Murphy, Allen Perry, Jamie Shore, Caden Mosteller, Jose Pons

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

This project explores the gravitational field of the supermassive blackhole M87, using multivariable calculus and Newtonian physics. The gravitational field is treated as a three-dimensional gravitational field vector, derived from Newton’s universal law of gravitation, assuming the black hole as a point mass: g(x,y,z)=-∇Φ=G*M*(R/|R|^3) Where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the black hole, and R is the radial vector from a particle to the center of the black hole. To overcome the inaccuracy of Newtonian Gravitation of black holes, the Schwarzschild radius is implemented to omit parts of the blackhole that are past the event …

Modeling Temperature Variation Across Regions Using Multivariable Calculus, Jacob Sweeten, Angel Velazquez, Benjamin Katz, Miles Melichar, Mckenzi Hallenback, Chirag Kumar

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Temperature across a state changes with factors such as latitude and elevation, making it a perfect example of how a function can depend on more than one variable. Our team’s project looks at temperature as a multivariable function that can be studied using concepts from Calculus III, such as double integrals. We’re using Colorado as our model because its mountainous terrain and regional changes give clear temperature differences to analyze. The goal is to build a simple equation for temperature, T(x,y), that shows how it changes across the state and visualize those patterns with gradient fields and level curves. While …

The Use Of Descent Gradients In Ai Learning Models, Alexander Wheeler

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

AI learning models use mathematical techniques to effectively minimize errors and improve prediction accuracy. Essential to these techniques is the use of the gradient descent, which outputs the correct way to adjust the model’s parameters to most effectively minimize error. The gradient descent is applied at the point of error produced by the program’s loss-function, a multi-variable function that mathematically represents the magnitude of error. This paper focuses on the implementation of the gradient descent, and its optimization of updating the models’ parameters. Multiple types of loss functions are examined, such as squared error and cross-entropy, and their influence on …

Phaëthon System, Brady Roudabush, Emelia Thompson, Lauren Gallo, Hannah Pineau, Ajay Jacob, Jacob Woods

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Thousands of people go missing each year in forested areas under dense canopies where visibility is limited to search and rescue efforts. The current search and rescue (SAR) drone industry uses large drones with heavy thermal imaging equipment to look for missing persons overhead, but struggles to look through dense forests efficiently, endangering responders by sending them into uncharted territory. Unlike traditional SAR drones, the Phaëthon System will improve the current SAR drone industry by using a swarm of drones that can map up to 70 meters ahead of the drone efficiently, while increasing responder safety. A command drone observes …

Piezoelectric Flooring For Runways And Taxiways, Ernesto Calderon Gonzalez, Zoey Young, Kinga Wysocka, Chang Han Wu, Fabrio Araujo, Jeremy Nahuel

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Piezoelectric Technology in Runways and Taxiways Professor Ehringer Lucas, Claudia M. An average airport uses significant amounts of electricity, with large and medium size airports reaching over 150,000 MWh of energy costing approximately $20.4 million per year. Piezoelectric technology can be a passive source of income to alleviate the cost of maintaining airport activity. This technology has many applications, and one of the most common applications of piezoelectric technology is in the form of tiles. An example of the tiles in use would be in the Shibuya station, which generates electricity through piezoelectric’s. The piezoelectric effect, by definition, is the …

Aeolus - Hydrogen Fueled Uav, Kristofer Mcdaniel, Jillian Yates, Blake Diamond, Robert Durham, Anastasia Meremianin, Nathan Dube

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Aeolus 6 – Tornado Prediction System Tornadoes in the US are becoming stronger and forming farther northeast, threatening cities that were previously unaffected. The response to this growing problem is Aeolus, a hydrogen-powered, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is designed to fly into supercells and collect data with a multitude of sensors, to predict tornado paths more accurately, and send out evacuation warnings earlier. Aeolus will have eight sensors on board, including Black Swift Technologies' 3D multi-hole probe, VectorNav 200/300, IMU Nav. 200, Pixhawk GPS, and MLite 9210 Data Logger. These sensors will collect data on wind speed, pressure, and …

Surface And Subsurface Mapping Drone, Matthew Perkins, Aayan Mehra, Garrett Jarvis, Samuel Mago, Nicholas Christianson

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

The Surface and Subsurface Mapping Drone (SSMD) is an extraterrestrial drone that will map the Martian surface and subsurface using a combination of LiDAR and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). When designed, the SSMD was inspired by NASA’s ingenuity helicopter, the first unmanned drone to fly in Mars’ atmosphere. Similar to Ingenuity, the SSMD will be made of mostly lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber. These materials will provide the drone with the necessary strength to carry its own weight, while also keeping its mass as low as possible so that it can fly in Mars’ ultra-thin atmosphere. However, …

Modeling The Dynamical Behavior Of Near-Earth Dust Using Simulated Fraunhofer Line Observations, Henry Sanders

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Understanding how asteroidal and cometary debris evolves and travels through the inner Solar System is critical for predicting impact risks and maintaining the safety of orbital infrastructure. Particles of all sizes and sources pose significant hazards to satellites operating in near-Earth and cislunar space. As such, modeling and analyzing how small asteroidal and cometary particles evolve over time under the influence of gravitational and non-gravitational perturbations is key to ascertaining this threat. Building upon previous Studies (e.g., Reynolds et al., 2004), we investigate and model the dynamical behavior of debris particles within the inner Solar System for comparison to observations …

Systemic Dehumanization In The Dprk: A Human Security Analysis, Aleksandria Pavlenko

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

This paper examines personal security in North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The case of DPRK shows how individual safety, dignity, and freedom are jeopardized in one of the most oppressive and militarized regimes of the world. Informed by scholarship, this case study shows how the oppressive tools of control, namely the system of ideological dominance, the caste-like songbun hierarchy, and the ubiquitous surveillance system, systematically dehumanize the population of North Korea. For the most part, the DPRK regime of control is an instance of structural violence, which uses psychological and emotional means of manipulation to …

Reinforcement Learning - Driven Satellite Attitude Recovery: Unknown Faults, Simulation-To-Processor In Loop, Chinmay Mirji, Saeed A Ahmadi

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Conventional attitude control algorithms often degrade when faced with actuator faults, sensor noise, or system uncertainties. This work presents a reinforcement-learning (RL) framework for satellite attitude recovery under unknown failures, focusing on real-time deployment through a processor-in-the-loop (PIL) setup. A continuous-control DDPG agent is trained in a high-fidelity Python/Basilisk simulation environment, where domain randomization captures variations in inertia, external torque, and actuator limitations to promote robust policy learning.

Epidemiological Analysis Of Pediatric Ocular Trauma In Sports And Recreational Activities, Zachary Goodrich, Michael Foster, Cameron Dean, Jody He, Shambhawi Thakur, Lauren Mason, John Gote, Eric Crouch

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Purpose: To characterize sports- and recreational activity- related orbital and ocular trauma presenting to a pediatric emergency department over an 11-year period.

Methods: Data from the electronic medical record of a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center was used to identify all cases of orbital and ocular trauma that occurred during sports or recreational activities between 1/1/2010 and 3/1/2021 in patients age 0 to 18 years old. Variables collected included activity type, age, sex, race, injured region, diagnosis, and treatment plan. Activities were categorized as contact sports, non-contact sports, or recreational activities. Comparative analyses used chi-square, ANOVA, t-tests, and Fisher exact …

The Exploration Of Black Women Leaders In Rural Community Colleges, Tiara D. Howard

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

The Exploration of Black Women Leaders in Rural Community Colleges

Abstract: Black women have a hunger for education and self-sufficiency. Among Black students in higher education, women are more likely than men to earn degrees: Black women obtain 64.1% of bachelor’s degrees, 71.5% of master’s degrees, and 65.9% of doctoral, medical, and dental degrees (AAUW, n.d.). Yet despite this drive, dedication, and ambition, there remains a scarcity of Black women leaders in rural areas, particularly in community colleges. And when a successful Black woman does rise to a position of influence, there isn't a blueprint or road map for others …

The Assessment And Valuation Gis Toolbox For Nerds, Lauren Voelker, Daniel Fasteen Phd

GIS/ValuationTechnologies Conference 2026

This hands-on workshop explores the modern geospatial toolkit for property valuation and assessment. We’ll explore how spatial analytics can enhance assessment accuracy, uncover neighborhood patterns, and support more defensible valuations. We’ll start with the essentials—bringing your data into Pro and performing exploratory spatial analysis—before moving into advanced tools for valuation modeling. Learn how to apply exploratory regression, forest-based classification and regression, geographically weighted regression (GWR), spatially constrained multivariate clustering, and territory design tools to improve accuracy and insight in your valuation workflows. We’ll also introduce the R-Bridge for extending analytical capabilities with custom scripts. If time permits, we’ll conclude with …

Creating Machine Learning Models For Valuation, Joshua Jorgensen, Luke Jorgensen, Zach Knepp

GIS/ValuationTechnologies Conference 2026

In this workshop we will walk through the entire process of creating multiple types of machine learning algorithms to predict property values and how to evaluate their performance. We will explore the necessary steps for preprocessing the data for the machine learning models and even how to create data encoders. In addition we will create multiple machine learning models, and compare the performance of these machine learning models. To follow up with we will lightly look into the effects of hyperparameters on machine learning models. Lastly we will examine other types of machine learning models and applications that can be …

Leveraging Arcgis Pro To Manage Parcels (Full-Day) Workshop, Jason Camerano

GIS/ValuationTechnologies Conference 2026

In this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn about managing parcels in ArcGIS Pro, utilizing the Parcel Fabric data model, and how to extend it for their data migration. Once data is migrated, the focus will shift to common record-driven and quality-driven workflows. Agenda: The ArcGIS Parcel Fabric information model and how to extend it for your organization Data migration to the Parcel Fabric Record-driven workflows and parcel lineage Quality-driven workflows to evaluate and improve data quality Modern implementation patterns that use service-oriented architecture (SOA) and versioning to support Multi-user, concurrent editing Using and configuring Tasks for your repeatable workflows The …

Revisiting The Central Structure Of Ngc 4374 With Jwst/Nircam: A Hidden Agn And A Depleted Core, Elizabeth Creviston

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Depleted cores in massive early-type galaxies provide key insights into their merger histories and co-evolution with supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Binary SMBHs that spiral inward after gas-poor galaxy mergers are thought to eject stars from the center through dynamical interactions, scouring out cores and creating central stellar light deficits. Using the full radial extent of James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) F150W imaging, we extracted the surface brightness profile of NGC 4374, a giant elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. Our structural analysis reveals a compact (FWHM ∼ 0.11′′) active galactic nucleus (AGN) with an apparent magnitude …

Demonstrating Sysml V2’S Utility With Syside And Syson For Systems Modeling, Quinn Galen

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

This study highlights the practical utility of SysML v2’s kernel language, a formal, text based foundation for consistent, cross tool model definitions, in Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), using Air Traffic Management (ATM) as an illustrative example. SysIDE, an open source textual editor, enables rapid model creation with the kernel’s concise syntax, allowing users to define system components and behaviors (e.g., ATM radar or flight path interactions) with real time validation. SysON, a web based graphical tool, complements this by facilitating collaborative visualization of system architectures. Using ATM as an example case, we can showcase how the kernel language enhances …

Conceptual Exploration Of Film Cooling Techniques In Hydrogen Gas Turbines, Wen Wu

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Film cooling is a key heat transfer technique that protects gas turbine blades from extreme temperatures, allowing higher turbine inlet temperatures and greater thermal efficiency. It works by ejecting a thin layer of cooler air from the compressor through small holes onto the hot surface, creating a protective film layer that lowers surface temperature and reduces thermal stress on blades. This process is vital in power generation and propulsion systems that operate near material limits. With growing emphasis on sustainability, film cooling has gained new importance in hydrogen-fueled gas turbines. Hydrogen combustion creates water vaper and low-density exhaust gases, which …

2026 Award Winners, Tower Health

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Rooted In Purpose: A First-Generation Student's Path To Leadership Through Community Research And Equity Work, Florence Osei

Payne Center for Leadership Development Student Leadership Conference

Description: This session shares my journey as a first-generation student navigating graduate education, community research, and leadership development. Drawing from my work as a research assistant on refugee and immigrant studies, my graduate research assistantship supporting housing research, and participation in the Point-in-Time Count, I explore how lived experience, cultural identity, and resilience shape purpose-driven leadership. Through personal storytelling and reflection, attendees will learn how empathy, service, and community engagement can guide meaningful leadership and inspire positive social change.

Speaker Bio: Florence Osei is a first-generation graduate student in Urban and Regional Planning at Eastern Washington University. She …

Structural Barriers And Clinical Outcomes: A Literature Review On The Role Of Social Determinants In Hiv Care Engagement And Viral Suppression, Vonda M. Mckeithan

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This project explores how social and structural challenges, including unstable housing, poverty, and stigma, impact the ability of people living with HIV to stay in care and achieve viral suppression. It reviews recent research and argues that health interventions must go beyond the clinic and address broader social barriers to improve equity in HIV outcomes.

Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination And Preterm Birth A Utah Statewide Retrospective Cohort Study, Amy Solsman, Torri Metz, Josh Benton, Shana Godfred-Cato

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

We conducted a statewide, retrospective cohort study to evaluate the association between maternal receipt of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine and preterm birth. All individuals who delivered a singleton neonate in Utah and were between 32 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation from September 2023 to February 2024 were included and followed up until delivery. Overall, 2,733 of 24,213 individuals (11.3%) received the vaccine. Vaccine receipt was associated with lower odds of preterm birth (5.5% vaccinated group vs 6.8% unvaccinated group, adjusted odds ratio 0.80, 95% CI, 0.67–0.95). Receipt of the RSV vaccine was not associated with any …

Mendeley: Cite Smarter Not Harder, Jennifer Stockton

Library Class: Lunch & Learn

Tired of manually formatting bibliographies and struggling to keep your research organized? This class introduces you to Mendeley, the free, powerful reference manager that will revolutionize how you handle citations. Learn how to quickly capture and organize references, generate bibliographies in various citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago), and deduplicate your results. Join us to save time, reduce errors, and focus on your research, not your formatting!

Norfolk Flooding And Its Effect On Nutrient And Enterococcus Levels, Malachi R. Stephens

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Tidal flooding is common in the City of Norfolk, VA due to high rates of sea rise in the region, as well as the region’s subsidence. This has led to increases in flooding at high tide, especially during the spring tide portion of the tidal cycle.  At high tide water from the Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers can flood the landscape directly or can rise out of storm drains. This floodwater often stays on land for long periods of time and can deliver contaminants back into the rivers. To determine the amounts of nutrients and Enterococcus, a fecal indicator, delivered to …

Oh, The Places Women In Law Will Go, Judge Jane Gray '79, Secretary Elaine Marshall '81, Dean Raven Byrne '06, Amy Clay '16, Margaret Currin '79 (Moderator)

Conferences

Panel discussion focusing on the women's history of Campbell Law School and what each of the distinguished panelists have accomplished with their law degree.

Increasing Implementation Of Intimate Partner Violence Screenings In Patient Care To Improve Patient Outcomes, Emma Webb, Eliza Heinrich, Emma Foran

Scholars Week

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an issue that affects every patient population, age group, and gender. In order to detect intimate partner violence among patients in a healthcare setting, it is proposed that a standardized screening tool be implemented. A policy was created to implement universal IPV screenings in a healthcare facility.

Improving Collaboration Between Rns And Crnas For Informed Consents, Bella Warren, Aliyah Frutiger

Scholars Week

This presentation focuses on improving collaboration and communication between Registered Nurses (RNs) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to help with the informed consent process for epidurals during labor. It emphasizes that obtaining informed consent during active labor can impair the patient’s cognitive function from pain and stress. The research shows that earlier education, prior to severe pain, improves the quality of comprehension the patient has during the process. Therefore they will be able to fully understand the risks, benefits and alternatives to epidural anesthesia.

Shared Decision-Making For Patient Compliance, Lydia Vernon, Breanna Day

Scholars Week

This evidence-based project focuses on shared decision-making between the healthcare team and the patient. As well as how this implementation affects patient compliance. An issue of patient noncompliance was brought to attention, and this project will address how shared decision-making interventions can decrease patients’ feelings of overwhelmingness and underpreparedness, ultimately leading to better compliance after discharge. By focusing on these interventions, patient compliance increases, and as a result, patient outcomes benefit, and readmission rates decline.

The Standardization Of Protocols For Lines And Drips In Complex Cases, Allee A. Rudolph

Scholars Week

Medication errors occur far too often, yet many can be prevented through simple measures such as intravenous line labeling. Clear, highly visible labels enable quick identification reducing the response time in critical situations. The incorporation of color-coding and icons can only enhance the ability to distinguish between the lines with confidence.

Reducing Falls Through Innovative Assessment Scales, Emily Oliver, Alisa Helt

Scholars Week

Fall occurrences remain an important issue in hospital settings that contribute to longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and increased health risks for patients. This evidence based practice project evaluates current research that addresses how to reduce the amount of falls that occur in hospitals, specifically through innovative fall risk assessments. Key findings from the studies include the use of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) and the Modified Dionne’s Egress Test as a means to evaluate patients mobility function, and therefore gain a better understanding of how at risk a patient is for falls.