Digital Commons Network^™

Rapid Convective Quench Apparatus Design, Samuel Fenik, Tyler Horvath, Dane Manias, Nicholas Michel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project, we will research, model, and simulate the heat transfer of a red-hot steel plate undergoing a rapid quenching process by high pressure water jets. Our objective is to quench the steel plate in such a way so that the steam formed from the initial water contact does not inhibit the oncoming water from making proper contact with the plate. After sufficient research has been done, we will design an apparatus which will perform the optimal quenching method and record temperature data with the goal of obtaining the heat transfer coefficient. The purpose of our project is to …

Zips Baja Chassis Manufacturing Design, Alex Love, David Scruppi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Society of Automotive (SAE) annually organizes collegiate design team competitions for university organizations nationwide. Baja SAE tasks teams comprised entirely of students with developing, iterating, manufacturing, testing, and competing with an offroad race buggy in accordance with all SAE regulations. Teams are responsible for producing a tech compliant vehicle for each competition season, travelling across the United States to put their designs to the test. In the 2022-2023 competition season, SAE introduced ruleset clarifications on the chassis manufacturing process, essentially mandating the production of all vehicle frames to be manufactured entirely in house with no external assistance. A chassis …

Autonomous Landscape Exploration Rover Using Imaging Surface Navigation (Alexis), Noah Jones, Dominic Salupo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective is to develop a small-form-factor rover prototype that can be used to prove out a novel traversal method for use on extraterrestrial surfaces. The novel traversal method being proposed is LIDAR/CV-enhanced navigation, provided by a detachable flight vehicle that can communicate with the rover. On planets with thin atmospheres, cold gas thrusters or similar may be needed, but for the scope of this project more traditional flight/propulsion methods will be used.

Effects Of Polyolefin Types On Catalytic Hydrocracking, Kenneth Jackson Seeber

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Plastic waste recycling has become an important conversation in the last couple of decades with pollution on the rise. One of the few ways to recycle plastics is by breaking these long-chained polymers down via catalytic processes. Due to many plastic products being a blend, it is imperative that any chosen catalyst that could be used for recycling should be able to handle different types of polymers. This paper discusses how tungsten carbide over silica (W_xC/SiO₂) catalyzes the degradation of a few selected polymers and polymer blends. From this research it was determined that W_{x …}

Positive Coping Within The Nicu, Abrielle Kautza, Allison Garrett, Manaar Muhammad

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The focus of this paper is how nursing staff can cultivate positive coping strategies for both the parents and babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. This was done by analyzing four specific nursing interventions: music therapy, baby cuddling, spirituality, family centered care. The purpose of researching these interventions is because knowledge on their benefits allows for positive coping in both the parents and their baby. The articles chosen were retrieved from EbscoHost, Pubmed, and Wiley Online Library. The articles are primarily levels four and five on the hierarchy of evidence. Family centered care implementation showed a positive effect on …

Polystyrene Plastic Waste As An Organic Hydrogen Carrier, Alaina Bachmann

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The proposed research develops and studies catalytic chemical processes that enables using polystyrene (PS) plastic waste as solid “organic hydrogen carriers” (OHC). Demands for OHCs are driven by desire to alleviate climate change, by replacing carbon-based energy sources with hydrogen. However, hydrogen is highly flammable and difficult to store and transport so OHCs are needed to facilitate its transportation. Common OHCs are liquid petroleum chemicals with unsaturated chemical structures. They can be hydrogenated to store hydrogen and dehydronated to release hydrogen at desired application sites. The proposed research aims to investigate the following cycle: hydrogen storage by hydrogenation of PS …

Astrocyte Specific Enhancers In The Cortex And Striatum Of Mice, Mikaela Kottelich

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Among glial cells, astrocytes have a prevalent influence on supporting neuronal function and overall brain health. Specifically targeting this cell type for disease treatment is an existing issue. Other cell types tend to express the desired treatment, which is not always wanted and can lead to unintended, negative consequences. Astrocytes contribute largely to maintaining the blood brain barrier, which is disrupted in Parkinson’s disease. Certain genes are thought to be the reason for this disruption, so if they can be specifically targeted in astrocytes with a specific enhancer, the disruption of the disease could be reversed. In our experiment, we …

Akronauts Turbopump Research Project, Gerald Drabeck Iii, Michael Mccalla, Joshua Skelton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The idea of this project is to design a turbo pump template capable of fitting into future Akronauts rocket designs. This allows the rockets to travel higher due to the reduced net weight. Many methods were used to verify the rigidity and feasibility of the design, such as Finite Element Analysis and fluid dynamics simulations.

Urotropine As A Corrosion Inhibitor In Steel Rebar: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Tyler Zadrozny

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project investigates the behavior of corrosion in rebar, a critical component in infrastructure such as roads and skyscrapers. Corrosion of rebar can lead to structural instability, visible as cracks or pitting on the surface. The primary focus is on the potential of urotropine as a corrosion inhibitor. Urotropine, known for its ability to inhibit corrosion in mild steel in acidic environments, is hypothesized to be effective in preventing corrosion on rebar. To explore this, molecular dynamics simulations using LAMMPS were conducted, modeling urotropine molecules in an acidic solution (PH = 1) interacting with iron atoms, mimicking rebar. Simulations were …

Examining Correlations Between Inhibition Efficiency And Compound Properties For Corrosion Inhibitors On Carbon Steel Rebar In Concrete, Nicole Langenfeld

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will look to determine if correlations exist between the inhibition efficiency and particular chemical properties of different corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel rebar in concrete affected with chlorides. Examining the inhibition efficiency of different corrosion inhibitors and attempting to find correlations or a general rule of thumb for what denotes a better corrosion inhibitor would be valuable. This similar concept has been seen with Lipinski's rule of 5 where he created a general guide to predict if compounds were orally active in humans. Since little information is readily available and no known correlations exist for corrosion inhibitors on …

Quantifying The Effectiveness Of Rhamnolipid As A Biocide: Assessing Comparability Of A Modified Solution, Rosemary Sterling

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The CO2 induced corrosion of carbon steel in oil and gas pipelines, exacerbated by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), poses a serious threat to infrastructure. This study evaluates the effectiveness of rhamnolipid (RhL), a biosurfactant, as a corrosion inhibitor and potential SRB biocide in simulated pipeline environments. Using a Postgate-C Modified Produced Water Simulant, which demonstrated electrochemical behavior comparable to industry-standard solutions while sustaining SRB, corrosion trials were conducted with and without RhL. Mass loss and electrochemical data revealed that RhL significantly reduced corrosion rates—by 85% on average and up to 99% instantaneously in a 4-day trial. Visual and analytical results from …

Automatic Hole Saw Testing For Mk Morse, Jason Watson, Justin Zapotoczny

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

M.K. Morse has a hole saw tester they use for their hole saw product line. The tester currently requires constant operator attention for a process that could be automated. The goal of this project is to create a new hole saw tester that can run without the need for an operator's complete attention and give reliable data for the hole saws.

Kb Bioenergy Mobile Dewatering System Research, Wyatt Balser, Nathan Szymczak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report outlines the design and development of a mobile skid-mounted dewatering system intended for high-solids sludge processing at wastewater treatment facilities. The goal was to create a self-contained, transportable unit capable of reliably separating water from sludge using a screw press, while integrating upstream processes such as polymer conditioning, sludge maceration, and pumping. The final design prioritizes serviceability, structural integrity, and operational simplicity, featuring a consolidated equipment layout, engineered piping diagrams, and vendor-specified components.

Throughout the project, multiple design alternatives were evaluated using a weighted decision matrix, leading to the selection of a skid platform over a trailer configuration …

Effects Of Diet Composition On Physical Parameters In Danio Rerio, Isabella Hemphill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the use of zebrafish as a common model organism for human health, the reduction of confounding variables in their care is key. Many commercialized zebrafish diets are available for purchase, but each one consists of a different ratio of these crucial macronutrients. This study aimed to determine the effects long-term diets high in one macronutrient would have on the morphometrics, heart, liver, and protein content of zebrafish. Four diets were fed over a period of almost two years- high lipid, high carb, high protein, and a control diet. The control diet was the standard feed used in this lab, …

Adult Human Rib Variation Of Symmetry Among Many Populations, Madison Irish

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Human rib morphology is a central focus within the exploration of ribcage biomechanical properties and thoracic traumas, with the use of anatomical models being crucial in clinical, academic, and forensic settings. Despite the significance, there is little existing research on bilateral asymmetry of the ribcage, and many models use the assumption of symmetry between right and left rib pairs. This study investigates morphological right and left rib pair asymmetries using high-resolution imaging and 3D reconstruction techniques among a diverse population of sex, age, and populations. Symmetry was tested using three variables: pitch, radius of curvature, and roll among rib pairs …

Aeg Improved Football Helmet Liner, Matthew Dyson, John Clore, Brady Slates, Nathan Walker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The National Football League (NFL) is a leading professional American football organization experiencing rapid growth in popularity. However, the high-contact nature of the sport frequently results in player injuries, with head trauma and concussions being major concerns. This project aims to mitigate these risks by developing an advanced helmet liner designed to reduce the impact of direct collisions and torsional shear forces. In order to do this, we will utilize an impact testing machine with a modified helmet mount. By enhancing the liner's effectiveness, the proposed design seeks to improve player safety without compromising performance. The study focuses on innovative …

Zips Racing Electric - Vehicle Control Unit, Ryan Stoller, Brian Glen, John Wozencraft, Tetra Engdahl

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Zips Racing Electric is a design team at the university that builds and races electric cars. The racing team wants to design a four-wheel drive system to increase performance, but the current computer on the vehicle cannot control the more complex power train. The goal of the project will be to build a hardware device that can read sensor inputs and control the torque output to each motor individually. The control device being designed will need to interface with the existing systems on the car and control regenerative breaking, torque vectoring, and other auxilliary systems on the car.

Unveiling Legacies: Exploring And Analyzing Cultural Artifacts In The Higbee Collection, Samantha Staller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Anthropology and the Cummings Center to find ways to properly analyze an archaeological collection's artifacts to understand the overall significance of everything better. Before starting my research, I came up with the following questions: Can any artifacts be considered culturally affiliated? Is everything in the collection authentic? What is the overall background of the collection? Does this collection have any connection to Ohio history? Can anything in the collection be dated? Throughout the research, I will create an Excel inventory list to include qualitative and quantitative data from the artifacts to give insight into what is included in the Higbee …

Using The Historical Equity Action Lens (Heal) To Identify And Remedy Transportation Inequities From The Akron Innerbelt Project, Olivia Lane

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will utilize the Historical Equity and Action Lens (HEAL) to address transportation inequities in marginalized communities by incorporating historical and cultural insights into data collection and analysis. Specifically, the project will focus on the Akron Innerbelt, an infamous highway project that significantly impacted historically Black neighborhoods. By examining the historical, economic, and social context of the Innerbelt, the project will identify the project's long-term impacts Akron communities. The goal is to use this knowledge to inform improve transportation equity in the affected areas by developing a plan for the Innerbelt since its vacancy in 2016. The project will …

Large Language Models And Identity: A Reflexive Approach, Nicholas Austin Nielsen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project explicates theories of identity, technology, and capitalism and uses an auto ethnographic approach in order to apply that explication at a personal level. The project responds to AI rhetoric in business and pedagogy and the instability surrounding perspectives on job security, the role of technology in Higher Education, and existential representations of the human. By deconstructing identity, ideology, cultural contexts, and technologic rhetorics, the goal is to further the scholarship surrounding Large Language Model applications in pedagogy and offer a personal, therapeutic approach to feelings of economic and existential discontent and fear experienced by students and educators regarding …

The Mediating Effect Of Injury On The Relationship Between Running Mileage And Depressive Symptoms In Division 2 Cross Country Athletes, Jaxon Leduc

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Training for a cross-country season requires athletes to accumulate a high volume of training miles at different intensities. Over a period of months and years, consistent high training volumes have been shown to contribute to overuse injuries in cross country athletes. Injuries have been shown to negatively impact athlete’s mental health; this is especially true in student athletes. The purpose of this research is to explore the mediating effect of injuries on the relationship between training volume and mental health in collegiate cross-country runners. Participants in this study were 40 members of NCAA Division 2 Cross Country teams with eligibility …

Material Suppliers’ Perspective On Collaboration In Industrial Construction Projects, Seogjae Choi, William J. O'Brien

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Material suppliers' involvement in construction project planning has been recommended as an effective measure to improve project performance by using their expertise. However, the recommendation is not universal, and some researchers disputed the value of early involvement of suppliers depending on material type. Moreover, prior studies considered main contractors' and owners' perspectives mostly in examining how to increase the involvement of suppliers. To add material suppliers' perspective, this study conducted interviews with experienced professionals from 16 material suppliers including standardized, make-to-order, and custom products. The results are specified by separating the type of materials and sub-phases of planning. The results …

Polarimetry Based Radar Estimation Of Extreme Rainfall: Case Studies, Bong Chul Seo, Witold F. Krajewski, James A. Smith

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The study evaluated radar-derived polarimetric rainfall estimates for extreme rain events that occurred in the Kansas City Metropolitan area in the United States. To derive quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE), we implemented two polarimetric algorithms based on specific attenuation (A) and specific differential phase (KDP), along with the reflectivity (Z) based one using data from two radars in the study area. The analysis to assess radar-rainfall estimates (R) utilizes ground observations from a dense network of about 170 rain gauges. Based on our analysis results, the two polarimetric estimates from R(A) and R(KDP) outperform the conventional estimation R(Z). R(A) appeared to …

Every Publication Needs An Author Verified Tl;Dr Statement, Sarah Oerther, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Nonlinear Control Of Buck-Type Converters For Micro-Wind Generators, Noah Wilding, Shuzan Kumar Sarkar, Shruti Pandey, Michael L. Mcintyre

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Small-scale wind turbines offer a promising solution for distributed renewable energy generation. However, this approach often leads to wasted energy when battery capacity is reached, as excess energy is typically dissipated into resistors. The reliance on batteries further increases the cost and complexity of such systems. This paper presents a nonlinear control algorithm for regulating buck-type converters, providing a more efficient energy management solution. By employing a grid-connected inverter, excess energy is utilized rather than dissipated, potentially eliminating the need for batteries and reducing micro-wind turbine installation costs. The proposed control strategy manages the DC-link voltage for the inverter by …

Method Of Termination With Absorbers For Far-End Crosstalk Measurements, Daniel L. Commerou, Reza Asadi, Sathvika Bandi, Seyed Mostafa Mousavi, Xiaoning Ye, Donghyun Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The increasing demand for higher data rates in modern electronic systems has heightened the challenges of maintaining signal integrity, particularly in addressing farend crosstalk (FEXT). This paper presents a novel approach using absorber-based terminations to perform signal integrity measurements in high-speed PCB designs. The performance of magnetically and electrically loaded absorber materials is evaluated against traditional 50Ω terminations with performance parameters such as S-parameters, Time-Domain reflectometry (TDR), and induced far-end crosstalk voltage. Simulations and experimental measurements demonstrate that electrically loaded absorbers can achieve performance characteristics comparable to high-quality terminations, particularly for reflections and impedance matching. The results indicate that absorbers …

Multi-Objective Inverse Optimization Of High-Speed Interconnects Using Cascaded Deep Neural Network, Yicheng Zhang, Ling Zhang, Hyunwook Park, Bo Pu, Xiao Ding Cai, Chulsoon Hwang, Bidyut Sen, Jun Fan, Er Ping Li, James L. Drewniak

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a novel multi-objective inverse optimization method for high-speed interconnects based on a cascaded deep neural network (DNN) structure, which can efficiently optimize characteristic impedance, insertion loss, and far-end crosstalk (FEXT) simultaneously. Parameter optimization for high-speed interconnects is essential to the signal integrity and electrical performance of complex designs such as multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) and chiplets. Conventional optimization approaches often rely on numerous optimization iterations, which is highly time-consuming, especially in high dimensional parameter spaces. This paper proposes a novel DNN based method by cascading an inverse-prediction network and a forward-prediction network to achieve multi-objective optimization …

Data Representation And Preprocessing Effects On S-Parameter Modeling Of High-Speed Channels Using Machine Learning, Hyunwook Park, Davit Kharshiladze, Yifan Ding, Ling Zhang, Natalia Bondarenko, Hanqin Ye, Kaushal Sanjay Mhalgi, Brice Achkir, Chulsoon Hwang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, the effects of data representations and preprocessing on machine learning based S-parameter modeling of high-speed channels are investigated. Using a transformer network as a base model, two S-parameter representations in real/imaginary and magnitude/phase are compared and studied. Considering S-parameter data distributions, various preprocessing techniques including MinMax normalization, standardization, robust scaling, power transformation, and quantile transformation are compared and analyzed to improve accuracy. Moreover, the accuracy results are compared depending on the electrical length of target channels.

Enhanced Continual Reinforcement Learning-Based Output Feedback Control Of Heterogeneous Quadrotors Formation, Ehsan Soleimani, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a unified framework for the safe and optimal control of heterogeneous quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (QUAVs) in formation, enabling multitask missions without requiring precise system dynamics. To address partial state observability, a multilayer neural network (MNN) observer is designed to estimate unmeasured states. Reinforcement learning (RL) is employed for optimal control utilizing an MNN ensuring adaptability. Barrier Lyapunov Functions (BLFs) are integrated into the RL framework to enforce safety by maintaining QUAVs within predefined constraints. An enhanced continual learning (ECL) method is proposed to improve the adaptability of MNNs. This method enables effective multitask learning while mitigating …

Structural Analysis Of Multi-Domain Dynamic Systems Modeled Via Bond Graphs, Arnold A. Fernandes, Jonathan W. Kimball

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Structural Observability (SO) and Structural Monitorability (SM) are structural properties utilized to determine the state and fault-free operation of components, respectively, in a bond graph (BG) model. BGs enable qualitative system analysis, evaluating whether existing sets of sensors and actuators ensure Structural Observability (SO) and Structural Controllability (SC) without knowledge of parametric values. Furthermore, the analysis determines whether there are sufficient sensors available to identify component faults accurately. This work provides a framework for automated sensor placement in a multi-domain physical system while analyzing the SO and SM properties. The MATLAB Structural Analysis Toolbox (MATSAT) conducts sensor placement in a …