Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Analysis Of Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery Methods Through Cost, Schedule And Quality Performance For Warehousing And Storage Facilities, Vijaya Ravi Prasanth Reddi

All Theses

Storage facilities are essential for e-commerce operations, providing inventory, distribution, and delivery space. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of warehousing and storage businesses in the United States increased from 15,152 in 2010 to 21,287 in 2024, showing continuous growth over the decade. Given the recent surge, there is a need to understand the performance of these facilities better. This study aims to contrast the measure of quantitative performance of design-build (DB) versus traditional design-bid-build (DBB) project delivery methods (PDM) based on cost, schedule, and quality metrics for storage facilities. This research conducted a literature review to …

Unsupervised Moving Object Segmentation With Atmospheric Turbulence, Dehao Qin

All Theses

Moving object segmentation in the presence of atmospheric turbulence is a highly challenging task due to the irregular and time-varying distortions induced by the atmospheric turbulence. This thesis presents an unsupervised approach for segmenting moving objects in videos affected by such atmospheric turbulence. The proposed methodology is grounded in a detect-then-grow scheme: the algorithm begins by identifying a small set of moving object pixels (seed points) with high confidence and progressively expanding a foreground mask from these seed points to segment all moving objects. The proposed approach capitalizes on rigid geometric consistency across video frames to disentangle different types of …

Towards Unified Multimodal Editing With Enhanced Knowledge Collaboration, Kaihang Pan, Zhaoyu Fan, Juncheng Li, Qifan Yu, Hao Fei, Siliang Tang, Richang Hong, Hanwang Zhang, Qianru Sun

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The swift advancement in Multimodal LLMs (MLLMs) also presents significant challenges for effective knowledge editing. Current methods, including intrinsic knowledge editing and external knowledge resorting, each possess strengths and weaknesses, struggling to balance the desired properties of reliability, generality, and locality when applied to MLLMs. In this paper, we propose UniKE, a novel multimodal editing method that establishes a unified perspective and paradigm for intrinsic knowledge editing and external knowledge resorting. Both types of knowledge are conceptualized as vectorized key-value memories, with the corresponding editing processes resembling the assimilation and accommodation phases of human cognition, conducted at the same semantic …

Triadic Temporal-Semantic Alignment For Weakly-Supervised Video Moment Retrieval, Jin Liu, Jialong Xie, Fengyu Zhou, Shengfeng He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Video Moment Retrieval (VMR) aims to identify specific event moments within untrimmed videos based on natural language queries. Existing VMR methods have been criticized for relying heavily on moment annotation bias rather than true multi-modal alignment reasoning. Weakly supervised VMR approaches inherently overcome this issue by training without precise temporal location information. However, they struggle with fine-grained semantic alignment and often yield multiple speculative predictions with prolonged video spans. In this paper, we take a step forward in the context of weakly supervised VMR by proposing a triadic temporalsemantic alignment model. Our proposed approach augments weak supervision by comprehensively addressing …

Neurological Foundations And Technological Interventions For Dyslexia: Advancements And Challenges, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Dyslexia, a complex neurological condition affecting reading and language processing, is intricately tied to variations in brain structure and function. This article explores the neurological underpinnings of dyslexia, emphasizing phonological, visual, and attention-related impairments. Furthermore, the analysis highlights various types of dyslexia—phonological, surface, rapid automatized naming, and visual—while addressing their neurological correlations. It also investigates the relationship between dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions, such as autism and ADHD, focusing on the neurological overlap and differences. To mitigate the challenges associated with dyslexia, advanced technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and eye-tracking are discussed for their diagnostic and intervention potential. These …

Creating Place-Based Introductory Geoscience Field Trip Curricula For Indigenous Students, Kitri Spencer

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This project seeks to produce and evaluate a place-based geoscience field trip curriculum along the San Juan River designed for Indigenous students. The Geoscience on the San Juan River field trip uses a “place-based” approach to weave scientific concepts with the cultural knowledge and lived experiences of the students. Learning activities were designed to accommodate a wide range of learning preferences and accessibility needs with the hope of increasing Indigenous enrollment in the geosciences. The lesson plan was tested on June 4^th, 2022 during a guided rafting excursion on the San Juan River for students participating in the …

Quantifying The Impact Of Rain-On-Snow Induced Flooding In The Western United States, Emma M. Watts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Serious flooding can happen when rain falls on snow, which we call a rain-on-snow (ROS) event. Increasing our understanding of the behavior of floods resulting from ROS events can help us design better systems to manage flood water and prevent it from causing damage. This thesis explores how ROS events affect streamflow in the Western United States by examining the weather conditions that precede a streamflow surge. We classify stream surges as ROS or non-ROS induced based on these weather conditions, which helps us separate floods caused by ROS events from those caused by other factors. By comparing these different …

Statistics With Actuarial Emphasis, Zachariah Yonker

Honors Projects

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted among members of the Grand Valley State University Dungeons & Dragons Club, focusing on member age, gender, habits, and game preferences. The survey, administered during the Fall 2024 semester, received 31 responses, with 30 being completed and 1 partially finished, representing approximately 25% of active club members. Key findings via the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) include a diverse range of preferences and opinions about Dungeons & Dragons classes, as well as a consensus on the most difficult challenge of the activity in addition to favorite aspects of Dungeons & Dragons.

Rate Coefficients For Rotational State-To-State Transitions In H2O + H2 Collisions As Predicted By Mixed Quantum–Classical Theory, Carolin Joy, Dulat Bostan, Bikramaditya Mandal, Dmitri Babikov

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Aims. A new dataset of collisional rate coefficients for transitions between the rotational states of H₂O collided with H₂ background gas is developed. The goal is to expand over the other existing datasets in terms of the rotational states of water (200 states are included here) and the rotational states of hydrogen (10 states). All four symmetries of ortho- and para-water combined with ortho- and para-hydrogen are considered.

Methods. The mixed quantum–classical theory of inelastic scattering implemented in the code MQCT was employed. A detailed comparison with previous datasets was conducted to ensure that this …

Indigenous Ecocinema: Decolonizing Media Environments, Salma Monani

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

Introducing the concepts of d-ecocinema and d-ecocinema criticism, Monani expands the purview of ecocinema studies and not only brings attention to a thriving Indigenous cinema archive but also argues for a methodological approach that ushers Indigenous intellectual voices front and center in how we theorize this archive. Its case-study focus on Canada, particularly the work emanating from the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto--a nationally and internationally recognized hub in Indigenous cinema networks--provides insights into pan-Indigenous and Nation-specific contexts of Indigenous ecocinema.

This absorbing text is the first book-length exploration foregrounding the environmental dimensions of cinema made by …

Enhancing Password Security And Memorability Using Machine Learning And Linguistic Patterns, Jared Wise

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In the digital age, text-based passwords remain a primary method for securing online accounts. Yet, users frequently face a dilemma between creating passwords that are easy to remember and sufficiently secure against cyberattacks. This research introduces an approach to password generation that bridges this gap by utilizing linguistic patterns, particularly song lyrics, to develop highly secure and naturally memorable passwords. Using large lyric datasets gained from web scrapes from popular song lyric websites (AZ Lyrics, Genius), features are extracted from a corpus of over 5 million lyrics using sentence structure and natural language processing in a novel way. In using …

The Elusive Nature Of Martian Liquid Brines, Vincent F. Chevrier, Rachel A. Slank

Space and Planetary Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The possible presence of brines on Mars adds an intriguing dimension to the exploration of Martian environments. Their potential involvement in the formation of recurring slope lineae has sparked debates on the existence of liquid water versus alternative dry processes. In situ instrumentation on rovers and landers has been instrumental in providing valuable data for comprehending the dynamics of brines. Laboratory experiments and thermodynamic simulations conducted under Martian conditions offer insights into the formation and persistence of brines, shedding light on the planet’s current hydrological processes. Despite these findings, the prevailing surface conditions on Mars, characterized by a combination of …

Exploring The Capabilities Of Classifier-Free Guidance In Recommendation Tasks, Noah Buchanan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the problem of recommending items to users based on their ratings of items through a diffusion recommender system. Regular recommender systems are already capable of efficient recommendation through conventional methods such as collaborative or content-based filtering. Diffusion is a new type of generative AI that aims to improve our previous AI's shortcomings in the generative domain, like Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). We use diffusion to create a recommender system that mirrors the sequence users take when browsing and rating items. The current methods of recommendation with diffusion do not use the new innovation …

Synthesis Of Chemical Fuels And Feedstocks From Co2 For Extraterrestrial Applications, Samuel Keith Conlin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The reduction of CO₂ into products for either the storage of renewable electricity or to act as a source of renewable feedstock for industry, is not economically feasible given the current costs of renewable energy. Significant amounts of work have gone into attempting to optimize both electrochemical and nonthermal plasma-based CO₂ reduction systems in an attempt to reduce side reactions and improve energy efficiency in order to meet cost feasibility targets. These techniques can also be adapted for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) contexts, which are far less sensitive to the cost of renewable energy yet have more strenuous …

Deep Learning Framework For Inverse Problems In Computational Imaging: A Lensless Imaging And Super-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Case, Arpan Poudel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inverse problems in computer vision involve reconstructing an original scene or image from incomplete, noisy, or indirect measurements. These problems are critical in tasks such as image denoising, deblurring, super-resolution, and lensless imaging, where the goal is to recover high-quality images from degraded or partial measurements. This thesis introduces novel approaches to address two specific real-world inverse problems: (1) image super-resolution in medical imaging and (2) lensless image reconstruction . In the first part of this work, we tackle the problem of image super-resolution in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). High-resolution MRI scans are often limited by hardware constraints, patient movement, …

Real-Time Simulation And Workforce Development For Industrial Control Systems With Troy: Testbed For Resilient Operational Systems, Gideon Henry Sutterfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Digital automation for critical infrastructure (CI) is largely supported by industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT). The increase in digital automation as time progresses correlates with a rise in targeted cyberattacks at these vulnerable yet precious assets. TROY: Testbed for Resilient Operational sYstems, a highly scalable hybrid IT & OT utilizing virtual machines and a Typhoon-HIL real-time simulation, contributes to cybersecurity for CI by serving as a research and workforce development platform. By using Typhoon-HIL to simulate ICS, the platform can be used to replicate a realistic network environment for a myriad of research functions. The system uses …

Enhancing Smart Grid Security And Resilience Using Programmable Networks, Zheng Hu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The security and resilience of smart grids are essential to ensuring reliable and efficient energy distribution, especially as these cyber-physical systems grow more interconnected and complex. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems play a critical role in smart grid operations by enabling essential infrastructure control and real-time monitoring. However, SCADA systems are highly vulnerable to modern cyber threats, which target weaknesses in industrial protocols and real-time data requirements.

This dissertation investigates the potential of programmable network technologies, with a focus on P4 (Programming Protocol-independent Packet Processors) switch, to deliver adaptable, in-network security solutions tailored to the needs of smart …

Design And Fabrication Of Graphene Solar Cells For Low-Power Energy Harvesting Systems, Tamzeed Bani Amin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study presents the design and fabrication of graphene-based Schottky junction solar cells integrated into a 3-volt power system for low-power applications. Utilizing standard semiconductor processing methods, including selective oxide removal, metal contact deposition, and large-area graphene transfer, we fabricated solar cells from a silicon wafer coated with a thermal oxide layer. Each individual solar cell generated up to 270 µA of short-circuit current and an open-circuit voltage of 420 mV under illumination. We connected multiple solar cells in series to produce a total output of 3.3 volts, which is sufficient to recharge a 3-volt battery. The system, comprising these …

The Impact Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) On Avian Occupancy And Vegetation Structure, Kenneth Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species, particularly wild pigs (Sus scrofa), pose a significant threat to native ecosystems through both direct and indirect impacts. Wild pigs are large-bodied omnivorous species that can consume a wide variety of plants and animals and are known for destructive foraging behaviors, which likely threatens avian communities through habitat alteration and can impact the long term structure of ecosystems where they are present.

In chapter 1, we used a combination of avian point count surveys, vegetation assessments, and camera trap surveillance to quantify how the occupancy of breeding birds in bottomland hardwood forests changed in relation to …

Causal Discovery In Time Series Data Using Deep Learning Techniques, Saima Zahin Farhana Absar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Causal structure learning from observational data has been an active field of research over the past decades. In the literature, different algorithms and models have been proposed, such as constrained-based methods and score-based methods including the emerging deep learning-based methods. However, most of the approaches apply to static and non-dynamic data only. In many applications, the data is temporal. For example, monitoring systems, weather surveillance systems, and stock data, to name but a few. Incorporating temporal information is an important extension of the causal discovery field. With the growth of observational data these days, the discovery of causal relationships from …

Carbon Dioxide Dynamics In The Carbonate Critical Zone, Savoy Experimental Watershed, Arkansas, Usa, Michael Darvin Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The dynamics of carbon dioxide (CO₂) within the Earth’s critical zone (CZ) are essential for driving spatial and temporal variations of carbonate dissolution and precipitation, which are fundamental to subsurface porosity and permeability development. However, there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding the patterns of CO₂ transport and production within the carbonate critical zone (CCZ). In this study, we investigated these dynamics within a mantled karst terrain at the Savoy Experimental Watershed (SEW) in Northwest Arkansas.

Previous monitoring of partial pressure of CO₂ (PCO₂) and dissolution rates at karst springs in …

Marine Clay Maturation Induces Systematic Silicon Isotope Decrease In Authigenic Clays And Pore Fluids, Sonja Geilert, Daniel A. Frick, April N. Abbott, Stefan C. Löhr

Marine Science

Marine silicate alteration exerts a major influence on marine carbon and cation cycles, but has proven difficult to quantify. In this context, silicon isotopes of marine pore fluids became an important tracer. However, poorly constrained silicon isotope signatures of precipitates produced during silicate alteration (i.e. authigenic clays) remain a major source of uncertainty. Here we present in situ silicon isotope analyses of marine authigenic clays (intergrown iron-smectites and iron-glauconites) occurring within recent sediments from the Oregon margin, eastern North Pacific. We identify a trend to lower silicon isotopes (from −2.24‰ to −3.17‰), accompanied by decreasing aluminum/silicon ratios and increasing potassium …

Recreational Fishing For Western Rock Lobster: Estimates Of Participation, Effort And Catch In 2023/24, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Alissa C. Tate

Fisheries Research Reports

The Western Rock Lobster (WRL) (Panulirus cygnus) is the most commonly caught Rock Lobster (RL) species in Western Australia. Catches from the commercial and recreational sectors are required to determine and monitor Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC), Total Allowable Recreational Catch (TARC) and the proportion of Allowable Harvest Level (AHL) achieved. The TARC is set at 5% of the AHL and evaluated in the harvest strategy based on a 5-year average.

Data for the recreational sector are obtained using phone-recall surveys to provide annual estimates of participation, fishing effort and retained catch (by numbers) from recreational fishers who hold a …

The World Bank's New Approach To Human Capital Model And Education, Ozlem Kucuk, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The human capital approach, introduced in 1960, has been used by economists to establish connections between education, skills, and personal income. It resulted in a redistribution of public expenditure by viewing education not only as a cost but also as an economic input, a way to increase revenue in the medium and long term. Human capital theory highlights the crucial role of education in the economy. With the rise of the knowledge society, scientists have debated the potential end of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. They envisioned a new knowledge economy and a more egalitarian society. The significant increase in …

Teachers’ Perception Of School Counselors’ Effectiveness When Supporting Middle-Level African American Males, Vanessa Dease

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Six teachers representing three sites in a single school district shared their perceptions through interviews regarding school counselors' effectiveness when supporting African American middle-level males academically, socially, and emotionally. A reflexive thematic analysis guided this study with the help of the sociocultural and expectancy theories. As participants shared their perceptions through interviews, they answered the three research questions that guided the research. The research questions are: (a) What are teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of school counselors in addressing the unique social and emotional needs of African American male students? (b) What do educators expect of school counselors regarding supporting …

The Use Of Two-Dimensional Detectors For Snapshot And High Accuracy Imaging Ellipsometry, Jeremy A. Vanderslice

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ellipsometry is a powerful and sensitive optical technique used to characterize thin film thickness and optical properties by measuring changes in the polarization state of light upon reflection or transmission. This dissertation investigates novel ellipsometry configurations that use two-dimensional detectors to enhance measurement speed, spatial resolution, or accuracy of ellipsometry measurements. The study involves the development of three different ellipsometry configurations, encompassing mechanical prototypes, mathematical models, and test measurements to evaluate each system.

Advisor: Jeffrey Shield

Channel Estimation In Millimeter Wave Mimo Systems: The Tensor-Based Methods, Fei He

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation presents two novel tensor-based methods for solving channel estimation (CE) problems in Millimeter Wave (mmWave) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. First, we proposed a method of tensor rank regularization with bias compensation for CE in a hybrid mmWave MIMO system. We modified the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC(CP) decomposition-based method and jointly estimated the tensor rank and channel factor matrices. It differs from most existing works by assuming that the number of channel paths is unknown, yet it can accurately estimate channel parameters without prior knowledge of the number of multipath components. The tensor rank is estimated by a novel sparsity-promoting …

Analysis Of Impulsive Differential Equation Models Of Cell Populations Undergoing Radiation Therapy, Abigail D'Ovidio Long

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Radiation therapy is a mode of treatment which is implemented for approximately 50% of cancer patients. Treatment needs to be able to kill cancer cells, but also do minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. We propose two main impulsive differential equation models of radiation therapy to capture the periodic nature of the treatment. These models build off of previous studies using clinical data to ensure biological relevance. The first model incorporates only cancer cell populations, and we provide parameter relationships which theoretically ensure treatment outcomes of cancer eradication, cancer approaching a carrying capacity, and cancer approaching a periodic solution. We …

Local Rural Knowledge And Early Childhood Informal Science Education In Rural Nebraska, Sarah Michelle Paulos

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This study aims to discover the existing experiences that lead to local rural knowledge (LRK) of specific rural Northeast Nebraska communities. This information will assist in understanding the impact that LRK has on young children’s science knowledge in rural communities. By engaging in hands-on experiences and interactions, science learning goals for children may be achieved and developed through science outreach programs. During Phase 1 of this study, adults in the selected rural communities participated in an online survey indicating their knowledge of various common rural phrases with the option to share personal stories of experiences and family history. This information …

The Impact Of Tier 1 Pbis Implementation Fidelity On Education Outcomes For Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Rebecca Anne (Wright) Overfield

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation study aimed to examine the relationship between Tier 1 Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) implementation fidelity and the academic (e.g., MAP Growth scores) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., major office discipline referrals, suspensions). High quality PBIS implementation fidelity has been linked with improved standardized test scores and decreased instances of major office discipline referrals, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions for students with and without behavioral difficulties. However, no research has been done on the impact of PBIS implementation fidelity on students with ADHD. It is estimated that at least 40% of students with ADHD require at least one …