Digital Commons Network^™

Sd-Weat: Towards Robustly Measuring Bias In Input Embeddings For Artificial Intelligence Language Models, Magnus Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries and markets, from healthcare to entertainment, revolutionizing decision-making processes. However, as AI grow more influential, they also risk amplifying existing biases, potentially leading to harmful consequences. Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs), such as GPT-4 and Llama, have heightened concerns about bias in natural language processing (NLP) tasks, driving the need for robust methods to detect and mitigate bias. Current approaches, such as the Word Embedding Association Test (WEAT) and its sentence-level extension the Sentence Encoder Association Test (SEAT) often fall short in capturing the nuances of biases in the input embeddings …

Mems 411: Adjustable Desk, Catryn Cattoor, Natalia Pilpil, Jamie Burgasser, Adam Wong

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

Design and create a desk for a special education classroom of kindergarteners to third graders. The desk needs slanting capabilities, wheel chair accessibility, raising/lower capabilities, distraction prevention capabilities, and light board capabilities. These capabilities need to be configurable for students with different needs. This desk also needs to be very durable, safe, and mobile. The main motivation for this project is the desire to provide the teacher and her students with a single, cost-effective product that is safe, easy to use, and meets their desired needs.

Development Of A Rapid Method For Pfas Detection And Quantitation In Human Hair, Justin M. Allen

Student Theses

In recent years, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as a critical focus in environmental and public health research due to their persistent nature and widespread use in products ranging from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. These "forever chemicals" resist degradation, posing significant ecological and human health risks. While extensive studies have explored PFAS in environmental matrices, research into their presence in human hair remains limited, with only a handful of studies addressing this biomarker's potential. This thesis aims to develop a robust analytical method for detecting PFAS in human hair, leveraging its unique properties to provide a long-term …

The Role Of Full-Time Job Postings For Postsecondary Cte Faculty In Curriculum Design: A Document Analysis, James Bartlett Ii, Michelle Bartlett

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study examines job postings for full-time postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE) faculty to explore job duties. Document analysis was used on the job postings collected on JobsEQ Real-Time Intelligence for CTE instructors in North Carolina. Over a year, 318 job postings were found through specific search terms in JobsEQ, with 205 retained. Discarded postings were due to duplication, not postsecondary CTE, or part-time positions. Examination of job postings revealed six thematic areas that tie to curricular skills: development process, inputs and standards, content of the CTE curriculum for students, uses of curriculum in the CTE instructor’s role, goals, and …

Employing The Next Generation: Defining The Need For Employability Skills Integration Through The Lens Of School District Superintendents, William Norris, Shannon L. Norris-Parish

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Since its inception, agricultural education has been instrumental in equipping secondary graduates with the necessary skills to be successful in their future career endeavors. While this has remained a priority over time, many employers claim that secondary graduates do not possess the necessary skills to be successful in the workforce. This study sought to assess the perceptions of school-district superintendents on the importance of integrating employability skills into agricultural education courses and evaluate differences in the perceptions of male and female superintendents. We used a descriptive research design to collect the data. The instrument assessed 41 individual skills in nine …

Davielle Smith Senior Voice Recital Creator, Andrews University

Student Degree Recitals 2024-2025

Davielle Smith presents her Senior Recital Alltagsgeschichte: The History of Everyday Life featuring works by H. Leslie Adams, Moses Hogan, Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert, Manuel de Falla, Gabriel Fauré, Hugo Wolf, and Ernest Charles.

Rapid Characterization Of Exoplanet Atmospheres With The Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager, Luke M. Schmidt, Ryan J. Oelkers, Erika Cook, Mary Anne Limbach, Darren L. Depoy, Jennifer L. Marshall, Landon Holcomb, Willians Pena, Jacob Purcell, Enrique Gonzalez Vega

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager (ETSI) amalgamates a low-resolution slitless prism spectrometer with custom multi-band filters to simultaneously image 15 spectral bandpasses between 430 and 975 nm with an average spectral resolution of R = λ / δ λ ∼ 20 . ETSI requires only moderate telescope apertures ( ∼ 2 m ), is capable of characterizing an exoplanet atmosphere in as little as a single transit, enabling the selection of the most interesting targets for further characterization with other ground and space-based observatories, and is also well suited to multi-band observations of other variable and transient objects. This enables …

Prediction Of Npk Doses Based On Targeted Fruit Sugar Content In Cucumis Melo L. ‘Cantaloupe’ Using A Simple Regression Method, Rangga Wibawa, Syariful Mubarok, Kusumiyati, Fiky Yulianto Wicaksono, Ruminta, Rahmat Budiarto, Dina Putri, Irvan Varinto, Muhammad Rizki, Adrian Maolana, Kahirun Nisa, Gunes Giyarto

Jurnal Kultivasi

The fruit sweetness is the main target in melon plant production. The highest criterion of sweetness is excellent, with 16% of total sugar content. Modification of essential plant nutrients is the alternative to reach that category. So, this study aims to obtain optimum NPK doses using a simple regression method. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with a soilless culture hydroponic system from August until November 2023 using a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications. The parameters included leaf area, plant dry matter, leaf nutrient uptake, fruit weight, and fruit sugar content. Pearson correlation analysis …

Taxonomy Of Cyber Risk Mitigation Cost Benefit Analysis Methods For Energy Infrastructure, Yvonne Kam Hwei Syn, Kevin Jones, Kimberly Tam, Robert Rawlinson-Smith

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Cybersecurity is a critical aspect for the energy industry to defend against cyber attacks. However, justifying the costs of cybersecurity measures is essential. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is commonly used to support decision-making for risk mitigation, helping to identify strategies that optimally balance mitigation costs and risk reduction. In this survey, we analyse existing approaches and provide a taxonomic overview of methods for cyber risk mitigation cost-benefit analysis, focusing on key aspects that determine their applicability to energy systems. The survey includes both general and contextual works, employing various methodologies for CBA, whether analytical or criteria-based. We conclude with an …

On The Benefits Of Directness In Virtual Characters For Motivational Interviews, Michael O'Mahony, Cathy Ennis, Robert Ross

Conference papers

Understanding the factors influencing successful engagement with Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) remains a significant challenge. This understanding could be used to personalise agents to users to improve interactions. Some studies have shown that simulating personalities in healthcare agents can improve effectiveness and engagement. However, it is not yet well understood how variations of agent personality can be leveraged to improve user engagement with Motivational Interviewing (MI) ECAs. Specifically how the balance between agent warmth and directness can be controlled in an MI agent to improve likeability and engagement. We conducted an online Wizard-of-Oz (WoZ) mediated study of two variants of …

Hyperspectral Imaging For Temperature Measurements Of Hot Spots In Shocked Plastic-Bonded Explosives, Dhanalakshmi Sellan, Siva Kumar Valluri, Dana D. Dlott

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hot spots are formed when energetic microstructures are shocked, and they play a critical role in shock sensitivity. It is important to know both the time-dependent size and temperature of the hot spots, in order to generate a kinetic model to describe reaction growth in plastic-bonded explosives (PBX). Here we use a recently developed technique where PBX is fabricated in the form of a thin wafer, embedded within a transparent polymer binder, and shocked with a laser-launched flyer plate that produces pressures of about 30 GPa range. In this method, every crystal of the cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX)-based PBX can be observed …

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report After The Bell Child Care Center, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Ultraviolet And Blue Stimulated Emission From Cs Alkali Vapor Pumped Using Two-Photon Absorption And Four-Wave Mixing, Ricardo C. Davila, Christopher A. Rice, Nathan B. Terry, Glen P. Perram

Faculty Publications

Stimulated emission on the ultraviolet and blue transitions in Cs has been achieved by pumping via two-photon absorption and four-wave mixing for the pump transition 6²S½ → 8²D_3/2,5/2. The emission performance of the optically pumped cesium vapor laser operating in ultraviolet and blue has been extended to 650 nJ/pulse for 387 nm, 1 to 3 μ J / pulse for 388 nm, 200 nJ/pulse for 455 nm, and 500 nJ/pulse for 459 nm. Emission performance improves dramatically as the cesium vapor density is increased, and no scaling limitations associated with energy pooling or …

How Should Scientists Act? Assessing Public Perceptions Of Scientists And Scientific Practices And Their Implications For Science Communication, Thomas G. Safford, Emily H. Whitmore

Faculty Publications

Is how science is conducted legitimate? Are scientists trustworthy? Whether the public answers “yes” to these questions is critical for science communicators. We explore how social factors affect public perceptions of the practice of science, and then test how those beliefs relate to views about how scientists engage with the public and policy making. Our results show that political ideology and religiosity affect these views. However, more importantly, respondents’ concerns about the integrity of the scientific process are the strongest predictor of views about scientists’ behavior, providing a focus area for future communication efforts in support of science-based decision making.

Decadal Climate And Landform Variables Analysis In Iraq Using Remote Sensing Datasets, Sungwon Kim, Maryam Bayatvarkeshi, Atif Muhammad Ali, Kamal Ahmed

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Iraq has experienced record-breaking temperatures, making it one of the hottest places on Earth. It is also ranked among the world's top five most climate-vulnerable nations. Climate change is a hazard to Iraq's people and may cause societal disintegration, instability, and displacement. Therefore, it is important to assess Iraq's decadal climate and landform variables analysis. In the present study, the Climate Hazards Center InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) data in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform from 2000 to 2022, as well as rainfall, anomaly, temperature, vegetation, and water, are used to analyse climate change in Iraq. As the land …

Field Canals Improvement Projects Duration Prediction: A Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning Models, Hania Ghouse, Ukaegbu Chinonso Ishmael, Edgar Dario Obando-Paredes, Hashem Shafik Shakir, Ali Al-Bayaty

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

There are several essential elements in project construction management to be studied appropriately, and priority to these elements, such as cost and duration, is predominantly interesting to be investigated. In this research, the duration of field canal improvement projects (D_FCIP) was predicted using two relatively new machine learning (ML) models - the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). The targeted D_FCIP was calculated using other dependent parameters, such as the length of the pipe, years of construction, the geographical zone of the network, the supplied area with water, and finally the actual cost …

Methods In Environmental Studies, Erika Dunagan, Maya Mendoza, Posey Graber, Alex Cullins, Emma Mcginnis, Ally Nepomuceno, Isabella Buchan

Featured Student Work

This publication is a collection of undergraduate research conducted in the Methods in Environmental Studies course at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2024. The student-led projects explore the intersections of place, policy, ecology, and cultural identity through applied environmental research methodologies. Topics include a decolonial examination of the Forest Park Mound Group and Indigenous resilience in St. Louis; a comparative study of Navajo cosmology and ecological justice; a social and environmental impact assessment of Costa Rica’s National Decarbonization Plan; a psychogeographical analysis of Golden Gate Park and its impact on the psyche, emotions, behaviour, and health of urban …

The Launch: A Senior Cabaret, Otterbein Theatre And Dance Department

2024-2025 Season Productions

No abstract provided.

Improving Topology-Based Hypothesis Testing Algorithms Via Novel Distance Functions, Eugene Kler

Electrical and Systems Engineering Undergraduate Student Research

We investigate the properties of a modification of a hypothesis testing algorithm for topological data analysis by replacing the Wasserstein distance function, used to compute the joint loss, with the Prokhorov distance. We conclude that the Prokhorov distance achieves comparable performance, with a notably decreased tendency to report extreme p-values.

Geographic Information Systems: An Introduction By Tor Bernhardsen, John Wiley And Sons, Sharolyn Anderson

The Geographical Bulletin

Adopting the perspective of Jack Dan - germond that " . .. most of the problems with rea l GIS now have more to do with the people and the procedures they use ... than with computer hardware and software", Tor Bernhardsen continues with the philosophy that GIS is funda - mentally plagued not by technical but hu - man and organizational problems. In this, the second edition of h is Norweg ian text originally published in 1989, Bernhardsen presents an introductory text directed more toward those individuals who apply GIS technology, than those who would develop it. As such, …

Shannon Entropy And Complexity Measures For Generalized Dunkle-Schrodinger Equation With Harmonic Oscillator In One Dimension, P. O. Amadi, A. N. Ikot, U. S. Okorie, R. Horchani, M. C. Onyeaju

Polytechnic Journal

In this paper, the theoretic information theory within the framework of Dunkl-Schrodinger equation is investigated. The effect of on Shannon entropy, the disequilibrium and the Lopez-Mancini-Calbet (C_LMC) complexity measure for the ground and first excited states are reported in details in position and momentum spaces. This study also validated the Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski (BBM) for the Shannon entropy in the ground and first excited state.

Modelling Malaria Dynamics In Children Under Five Years, Pregnant Women And The Influence Of Temperature, Paul K Robert, Jacob I Irunde, Adeline P Mtunya

Tanzania Journal of Science

Malaria remains a major public health problem worldwide and it affects the livelihood of people particularly children under 5 years and pregnant women. This study formulates and analyzes a mathematical model that incorporates children under five years, pregnant women and influence of temperature on the transmission dynamics of malaria. The next generation matrix method is applied to compute the basic reproduction number. Analysis shows that malaria-free equilibrium point exists and it is globally asymptotically stable when . Numerical simulations show that the rate of infections in both human and mosquito populations increases as temperature increases. Higher temperatures generally increase the …

Integrating Diverse Perspectives In Graduate Statistics Education Through Academic And Library Faculty Collaboration, Christina Jones, Ethan Fridmanski, Julie A. Lorah

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

Graduate-level statistics education is often narrowly focused on the mathematical aspect of modeling. While this aspect is important, this focus results in a gap in the student’s understanding regarding the context of the development and use of statistical models. This article provides a description and initial evaluation of a program designed to address this gap. Specifically, the authors collaborated to create a reading list related to the topic of social justice in statistics and integrated the resources on this list into a graduate-level statistics class on the topic of multilevel modeling. The article describes this integration, preliminary evaluation, and future …

Creating A Road Map For Librarians To Teach Statistical Literacy, Giovanna Badia

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

This article offers a case study of the development of a workshop on reading regression results. It also provides a practical overview of how librarians, guided by their own experiences working with data, can teach others how to read descriptive statistics and regression results. The broader aim of the article is to help librarians move toward teaching a workshop on any statistical literacy topic or expand their teaching activities in this area. It includes tips for preparing to develop a statistical literacy workshop, as well as a bibliography of learning and teaching resources on statistical analysis.

Professional Philosophy: Education Is Dialogue, Kelli Muilenburg

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

This paper reflects the author's personal philoso- phy of education and is influenced extensively by the philosophies of Martin Buber and Paulo Freire. The author has chosen to use the lens of dialogue to focus on the nature of education and her role in it, her perspectives on her role as an educator, and her perspectives on student affairs educators as professionals.

Nuclear Regimes In The 21st Century, Stephen J. Cimbala, Adam Lowther

Space and Defense

The modern nuclear operations practitioner is facing a more complex future than at any point since the height of the Cold War. Understanding the past, present, and possible future of nuclear force structure and doctrine offers the policy maker a useful way to make sense of unfolding events and place them within a broader context. With China, Russia, and North Korea all posing a growing nuclear risk to the United States, a strong grasp on the available options for countering these threats is certainly important.

Space And Defense Vol. 15 No. 2 Fall 2024 (Whole Issue)

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

A Summer Class Exploring Computer Science With Educators Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students, Meghan L. Mcsherry, Becca A. Leininger, Maria L. Johnson, Annmarie P. Thomas, Susan Outlaw, Douglas C. Orzolek

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The purpose of this research project was to design, deliver, and informally assess the content and methodology of an introductory course focused on the block-based coding language, Scratch, for educators of Deaf and Hard of Hearing students (N=20). Prior work by The Playful Learning Lab examined various STEM resources and their effect on student perception of STEM topics and content retention when utilized for Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12 students. Previous research has shown that computer science and programming resources and curricula available today are not fully accessible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12 students. Educators and teachers …

The Student Movement Volume 109 Issue 10: Sledding Toward Christmas In A One-Cardinal Open Sleigh, Alyssa Caruthers, Ayanda Dewa, Corinna Bevier, Addison Randall, Melissa Moore, Meryen Gonzalez, Ysa Dennis, Aiko J. Ayala Rios, Anna Rybachek, Andrew Francis, Madison Vath

The Student Movement V. 109 (2024-2025)

HUMANS

Factors of School Speech Therapists: An Honors Scholar's Senior Thesis, Alyssa Caruthers

The Reason for the Season, Ayanda Dewa

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Five Christmas Films to Watch Over Winter Break, Corinna Bevier

Department of Music's Upcoming 'Christmas Extravaganza', Addison Randall

Walking to Class In the Snow, Corinna Bevier

NEWS

Students Innovate for the Spring 2025 Drone Competition, Melissa Moore

'Service Sabbaths' Engage Students in Community Service and Spiritual Growth, Meryen Gonzalez

Andrews 'Lady Cardinals' Women's Basketball Team Cancels 2024-2025 Season, Ysa Dennis

IDEAS

Could Finals be Better?, Aiko J. Ayala Rios

PULSE

An Extra-Green Christmas: Some Climate-Conscious Holiday Options, …

Kinetics And Oligomer Products Of The Multiphase Reactions Of Hydroxyacetone With Atmospheric Amines, Ammonium Sulfate, And Cloud Processing, David O. De Haan, Leila Nahid Hawkins, Elyse A. Pennington, Hannah G. Walsh, Alyssa A. Rodriguez, Michael A. Symons, Alyssa D. Andretta, Michael A. Rafla, Chen Le, Audrey C. De Haan, Tianqu Cui, Jason D. Surratt, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-François Doussin

Chemistry and Biochemistry: Faculty Scholarship

Hydroxyacetone (HA) is an atmospheric oxidation product of isoprene and other organic precursors that can form brown carbon (BrC). Measured bulk aqueous-phase reaction rates of HA with ammonium sulfate, methylamine, and glycine suggest that these reactions cannot compete with aqueous-phase hydroxyl radical oxidation. In cloud chamber photooxidation experiments with either gaseous or particulate HA in the presence of the same N-containing species, BrC formation was minor, with similar mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (<0.05 m2 g–1). However, rapid changes observed in aerosol volume and gas-phase species concentrations suggest that the lack of BrC was not due to slow reactivity. Filter-based UHPLC/(+)ESI-HR-QTOFMS analysis revealed that the SOA became heavily oligomerized, with average molecular masses of ∼400 amu in all cases. Oligomers contained, on average, 3.9 HA, 1.5 ammonia, and 1.6 other small aldehydes, including, in descending order of abundance, acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal. PTR-ToF-MS confirmed the production of these aldehydes. We identify C17H26O5, C10H22O9, C15H27NO7, C17H23NO5, and C18H32N2O9 as potential tracer ions for HA oligomers. We hypothesize that efficient oligomerization without substantial BrC production is due to negligible N-heterocycle (e.g., imidazoles/pyrazines) formation. While HA photooxidation is unlikely a significant atmospheric BrC source, it may contribute significantly to aqueous SOA formation.