Evaluating The Use Of Machine Learning For Road Maintenance Cost Estimation, Shahla Shirinzad, David Enke

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate estimation of highway maintenance costs is essential for efficient resource allocation and long-term infrastructure sustainability. This study evaluates the effectiveness of advanced machine learning models, including ResNet, Transformer, and other neural network architectures, for forecasting maintenance costs using historical data from the Highway Maintenance Improvement Program (HMIP) provided by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT). A comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted across multiple models using standard performance metrics, including R², MAE, RMSE, and MSE. The results demonstrate that advanced architectures, particularly ResNet and Transformer, consistently outperform traditional statistical approaches and baseline machine learning models, achieving …

Sustmine: A Framework For Integrating Sustainable Development Dimensions Into Strategic Mine Planning, Hussam Altalhi, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Gabriel Nicolosi, Abdullah Al Moinee, Nasib Al Habib

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Strategic mine planning involves optimizing resource extraction to achieve economic, environmental, and social objectives. However, only a few frameworks offer a unified approach that simultaneously employs systematic indicator selection and weightless trade-off evaluation. This study addresses these issues by proposing a comprehensive framework for integrating sustainability into strategic mine planning, named SustMine. SustMine introduces two key advancements: (1) a rigorous, systematic, criteria-based process for selecting site-specific sustainable development indicators (SDIs), and (2) a weightless evaluation strategy that utilizes Pareto front analysis to construct composite indices. This allows decision-makers to identify non-dominated (optimally balanced) alternatives without relying on arbitrary or subjective …

N-Radii Approach For Multi-Scale Characterization Of Graphite Shape In Cast Iron, Simon N. Lekakh, Laura Bartlett

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Knowledge of multi-scale particle macro-shape and micro-surface topology is critical in many technical disciplines. Specifically, quality assessment of the shape of the graphite phase in cast irons is essential for day-to-day metal casting operations. Common methods for evaluating particle macro-shape have several drawbacks, often resulting in underestimation of sharp corners and surface texture. In this article, a method based on plotting n-radii from the center of mass to the perimeter and computing multi-scale topological characteristics is described and tested. Parametric tests, involving variations in the number of n-radii and image resolution, were performed to optimize the test parameters. The method …

Modeling Of Transformation Temperatures In Cast Martensitic Stainless Steels-Ca6nm: Effects Of Composition, Heating Rate, And Grain Size, Ugochukwu Agbedo, Mario Buchely, Laura Bartlett, Caelan Kennedy

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate prediction of the critical transformation temperatures Ac1 and Ac3 is one of the essential factors in the heat treatment of CA6NM cast martensitic stainless steel. In this study, the influence of alloy composition, heating rate, and prior austenite grain size on the critical temperatures was quantified using dilatometric measurements and statistical modeling. Six heat treatment conditions produced prior austenite grain sizes ranging from ~75 to 247 µm. Experimental results showed that grain size variations produced only minor changes in Ac1 and Ac3, indicating a weak dependence of transformation temperatures on prior austenite grain size within the investigated range. In …

Corrigendum To “3d Semi-Analytical Thermo-Elasto-Plastic Model For Additive Manufacturing”(Additive Manufacturing, (2026), 127, C, (105308), (S2214860426002344), 10.1016/J.Addma.2026.105308), Tao Liu, Ming C. Leu, Edward C. Kinzel, Chinedum Okwudire

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The author regret about the correction in the Equation B(1) in original article. The corrected version of the Equation B(1) is given below,(1.1)∂uxxx,ξ∂x=116πμ1−ν4ν−1x−ξxR3−3x−ξx3R5−8ν−5x−ξxR13+34ν−3x−ξx3R15−18x−ξxzξzR15+30x−ξx3zξzR17−12ν−12ν−1x−ξxR1R1+z+ξz2+4ν−12ν−1x−ξx3R13R1+z+ξz2+8ν−12ν−1x−ξx3R12R1+z+ξz3 The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. DOI of original article: < 10.1016/j.addma.2026.105308>

Multiphysics Simulation And Experimental Validation Of Phase Transformation And Hardness In Jominy End-Quenched Low-Alloy Steels, J. S. Alabi, E. Heidari, M. F. Buchely, K. Chandrashekhara, S. N. Lekakh, R. J. O'Malley, V. A. Athavale, A. Kumar

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High-volume industrial continuous hot-rolled steel heat treatment processes involve sophisticated multi-phase modeling. The performance of a given process can be optimized by coupling phase transformation kinetics with the cooling conditions of the process. This study develops a multiphysics model to simulate an intensive quenching process for steel, which is inherently transient and highly dependent on numerous parameters. The simulated object was a Jominy end-quenched specimen geometry using two commercial steels, AISI 4130 and AISI 4140, with the goal of transferring a verified methodology to the heat treatment process for industrial heavy-section products (bars, slabs). The simulation employs thermal, mechanical, and …

Hydrostatic Weighing Without Head Submersion Study, Tyler Sherrill

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Services Sector In Developing Countries: A New Engine Of Growth Or Premature Deindustrialization?, Pirun Chan

Research Papers

From debates over the services sector as the new engine of growth to ‘premature deindustrialization,’ developing countries are having a harder time figuring out the right strategy to achieve higher income. Can the services sector replace manufacturing as the driving force of growth for developing countries in the twenty-first century? This study examines the relationship between the services sector and economic growth in 27 developing countries from 1990 to 2010. The study regresses the per five-year growth rates of GDP per capita on sectoral shares at the beginning of each five-year period, controlling for population size, human capital, trade openness, …

Scholarly Program Notes On A Graduate Viola Recital, Clayton J. Bridgeman

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Censorship On Curriculum And Black Women Secondary English Language Arts Teachers In Florida, Crystal Parker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the instructional, curricular, and school climate impacts of book censorship on Black women secondary English Language Arts teachers, exploring how they navigate and/or resist content restrictions. Using educational criticism and portraiture, this qualitative study captures the nuanced narratives of these educators. Grounded in Bourdieu’s Field Theory, along with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Historically Responsive Literacy, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, and Cognitive Pluralism, the research addresses the following questions: How do Black women teachers describe the influence of recent book bans on their curriculum choices? In what ways do their identities shape their responses to censorship? Data …

Performance Of Numerical Methods Applied To The Black–Scholes Model, Scott Cameron Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We compare five numerical approaches for approximating solutions to the Black–Scholes partial differential equation for pricing European call options: FTCS, BTCS, Crank– Nicolson, Monte Carlo simulation, and a physics–informed neural network (PINN). These methods span finite difference techniques, probabilistic simulation, and machine learning. Performance is evaluated based on computational efficiency and accuracy relative to the analytical Black–Scholes solution.

Among the methods, Crank–Nicolson and the PINN demonstrated the strongest overall performance. Crank–Nicolson achieved the highest accuracy but exhibited increased runtime as the number of underlying stock price grid points grew. In contrast, the PINN produced slightly less accurate results but with …

Variance Shrinkage In Dunnett-Type Multiple Comparisons With Missing Data, Md Habibullah

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dunnett’s procedure is widely used for comparing multiple treatments with a control, but its application becomes challenging in the presence of missing data and multiple com- parisons. An improved Dunnett-type procedure addresses this by using multiple imputation under Rubin’s framework and constructing unified confidence intervals based on a multi- variate t distribution, allowing valid simultaneous inference while controlling the family-wise error rate (FWER). This work further extends the method by incorporating shrinkage-based variance estimation. Specifically, individual group variances are shrunk toward a common value to improve stability. This approach is particularly effective when group variances are similar or moderately different, …

Social Support, Trauma And Neurophysiological Stress, Devon S. Glicken

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic life experiences and the prolonged effects of stress can negatively impact an individual’s mental and physical health. Hyperreactivity to acute stressors can often be seen in individuals with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations, conditions commonly observed with endocrine dysfunction. How do traumatic experiences, particularly experiences related to military affiliation, influence stress responses and feelings of burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness? This study predicted (1) that military-affiliated individuals (and those with PTSD symptomology and high perceived life stress) will have heightened neurophysiological responses to minor levels of acute stress compared to individuals without military-affiliations (and those without PTSD symptomology or high …

Development Of A Flexible In Vitro Model System For Studying Biomineralization In Humans And Marine Organisms, Reed J. Harper

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biomineralization is a process where cells control the supersaturation of ions and spatiotemporal deposition of numerous proteins to guide biomineralization, resulting in hard mineralized tissues with complex structures and novel properties. The mechanisms of this process are not well understood but key components have been identified as critical for biomineralization to occur. The cellular expression of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and the subsequent post-translational modification (PTM) play a role in stabilization of mineral precursors, control of morphology and growth, phase/polymorph selection, and composition of mineral formed. Currently in vitro model systems use either synthetic polymers, native proteins extracted from mineralized …

What Novice Educators Find Supportive, Robin M. Bossinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages have increased in the past two decades, creating greater emphasis on recruitment, talent development, and retention efforts for educational leaders. Novice educators feature prominently in these considerations. A teacher’s first years can be extremely challenging, and induction, the professional learning experiences specific to early career professionals, is often considered the answer. Despite the seeming ubiquity of induction, there is much variability in interpretation, enactment and outcomes. While it is generally accepted that some induction is better than no induction, new teachers deserve more intentionally designed support.

This study sought to reexamine assumptions about induction, adding to the literature …

Suspended Futures: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Adult Males Affected By Exclusionary Discipline, Tamara Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black males continue to experience exclusionary discipline at disproportionately high rates in American schools, often resulting in academic disruption and long-term educational and social consequences. While existing research had extensively documented disciplinary disparities, less attention had been given to how Black males interpret and make meaning of these experiences over time. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Black adult males who experienced exclusionary discipline during their secondary school years and examined how they now make sense of those experiences in adulthood. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the study focused on participants’ perceptions of …

Fostering Reading: Review Of A College Bridge Program For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing High School Students, Cara Wilmot

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods formative program evaluation examined the reading component of a summer College Bridge Program (CBP) designed for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Persistent disparities in reading outcomes among d/Dhh students have been linked to differences in language access, communication access, and opportunities to receive specialized instruction. Using the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model, this study evaluated how the CBP identified and addressed students' reading needs, implemented evidence-based instructional practices, and supported reading development through a three-week summer program.

Participants included 45 d/Dhh high school students from 12 southeastern states, as well …

From Framework To Fidelity: A Cipp Evaluation Of Mtss Implementation In A Rural Secondary School, Jodi Arroyo Nagel

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This formative program evaluation examined implementation of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) at Rowling Middle High School, a rural secondary school in Northwest Florida. Using the Input and Process domains of Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) evaluation model, this evaluation sought to assess the resources currently in place to support MTSS implementation and the extent to which MTSS procedures were implemented with fidelity across grade levels and target subject areas, namely ELA/English/Reading and Math courses. Data were collected through analysis of the 2025-2026 Rowling master schedule, six classroom observations, six semi-structured staff interviews, individual responses to the …

Towards All-Epitaxial Josephson Junctions With High-Temperature Superconductors, Daniela Amalfi Ojeda

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Josephson junctions are fundamental components of superconducting electronics. Although junctions based on conventional superconductors are well established, reproducible devices based on high-temperature superconductors remain challenging. This work investigates the growth, fabrication, and electrical characterization of all-epitaxial DyBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (DBCO) /SrTiO₃ (STO) /DBCO trilayer heterostructures for potential Josephson junction applications. An initial optimization of YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (YBCO) growth produced reproducible films with a zero-resistance critical temperature ( ) of K and a maximum  of 89 K. These growth conditions were adapted to DBCO, resulting in reproducible superconducting films with values of approximately 80 K. DBCO/STO/DBCO trilayers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and …

Development And Testing Of A Low-Cost Inertial Impact Sensor, Gabriel Michael Pesek

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Acceleration sensors have seen increasing usage within sports to detect when somebody receives an impact to their head which can potentially lead to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). While adoption of these sensors has steadily risen, the cost of these sensors is often cited as a reason they have not been as widely adopted, especially for amateur teams. This leads to the need for a lower-cost option for detecting these impacts. To fill this gap, a low-cost, lightweight acceleration sensor was designed that exploits the inertia of a working fluid on impact in order to rupture a metallic membrane which acts …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support For School-Based Mental Health Services: An Explanatory Case Study Of An Elementary School, Laura Acker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative explanatory case study examined how school-based mental health services (SBMHS) are implemented within an elementary school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and sensemaking theory, the study examined how educators and school-based professionals interpret and enact their roles in supporting student mental health within educational contexts. Data were collected through interviews with five MTSS team members and analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive coding. Results showed that mental health implementation is not a fully integrated system of supports but rather a process shaped by roles and relationships influenced …

Evidence For A Spectral Break Or Curvature In The Spectrum Of Astrophysical Neutrinos From 5 Tev To 10 Pev, Karen Andeen

Physics Faculty Research and Publications

We report improved measurements of the all flavor astrophysical neutrino spectrum with IceCube by combining complementary neutrino samples in two independent analyses. Both analyses show evidence of a harder spectrum at energies below  ∼30  TeV compared to higher energies where the spectrum is well characterized by a power law. The spectrum is better described by a log parabola or a broken power law, the latter being the preferred model. Both, however, reject a single power law over an energy range 5 TeV–10 PeV with a significance  >4⁢𝜎, providing new constraints on properties of cosmic neutrino sources.

Black Hole Spectroscopy And Tests Of General Relativity With Gw250114, Jaclyn (Jax) Sanders

Physics Faculty Research and Publications

The binary black hole signal GW250114, the loudest gravitational wave detected to date, offers a unique opportunity to test Einstein’s general relativity (GR) in the high-velocity, strong-gravity regime and probe whether the remnant conforms to the Kerr metric. Upon perturbation, black holes emit a spectrum of damped sinusoids with specific, complex frequencies. Our analysis of the postmerger signal shows that at least two quasinormal modes are required to explain the data, with the most damped remaining statistically significant for about one cycle. We probe the remnant’s Kerr nature by constraining the spectroscopic pattern of the dominant quadrupolar (ℓ=m=2) …

An Analysis Of The Influence Of Project-Based Assessments In Middle School Mathematics, Andrea Fettkether

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In today’s diverse classrooms, teachers face the challenge of educating students with varied academic abilities, including those with disabilities, gifted learners, and students at grade level. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures inclusive access to core curriculum, but educators must differentiate instruction to meet all learners’ needs. Traditional assessments focus on rote memorization, often failing to reflect deeper understanding or real-world problem-solving.

In middle school math, standard curricula often lack project-based assessments, despite research supporting their effectiveness in improving academic achievement and student engagement. Students benefit from working in collaborative environments where they can discuss mathematical ideas, receive …

Strain-Enabled Tuning Of Whispering Gallery Modes In A Polymer Capillary Microresonator, Rodion Dobretsov, V. R. Anand, Zhe Wang, Yiming Shen, Zhuochen Wang, Anuradha Rout, Rayhan Habib Jibon, Yuliya Semenova

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

We demonstrate strain-enabled, reversible spectral tuning of whispering gallery modes (WGMs) in a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based capillary micro resonator. The WGMs were excited using evanescent wave coupling via an adiabatic fiber taper. A finite element method (FEM) model was developed to investigate strain-induced deformation in polymer capillaries, from which the corresponding wavelength tuning characteristics were numerically derived. Experimental results reveal that the polymer capillary resonator shows greater strain sensitivity than a solid polymer cylindrical resonator. A maximum strain sensitivity of 0.82 pm/με was experimentally demonstrated using a polymer capillary resonator (PCR) with an outer diameter of 100 μm and wall …

Impact Of Protein Corona Morphology On Nanoparticle Diffusion In Biological Fluids: Insights From A Mesoscale Approach, Beatrice Cipriani, Hender Lopez

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Nanoparticles (NPs) demonstrate considerable potential in medical applications, including targeted drug delivery and diagnostic probes. However, their efficacy depends on their ability to navigate through the complex biological environments inside living organisms. In such environments, NPs interact with a dense mixture of biomolecules, which can reduce their mobility and hinder diffusion. Understanding the factors influencing NP diffusion in these environments is key to improving nanomedicine design and predicting toxicological effects. In this study, we propose a computational approach to model NP diffusion in crowded environments. We introduce a mesoscale model that accounts for the combined effects of the protein corona …

Ocular Dominance Is Associated With Interocular Asymmetry In Refractive Error And Axial Length Across Childhood And Early Adulthood, Síofra C. Harrington, Gareth Lingham, James Loughman, Ian Flitcroft, David A. Mackey, Michael Moore

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Purpose: To determine whether ocular dominance is associated with systematic interocular asymmetry in spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and axial length (AL) across childhood and early adulthood, and assess whether such asymmetry exceeds laterality effects. Methods: Data were analysed from three population-based cohorts: 728 children (6–7-year-olds) and 898 adolescents (12–13-year-olds) from Ireland and 303 young adults (25–30-year-olds) from Western Australia. Ocular dominance was assessed using sighting tests. SER was measured by cycloplegic autorefraction and AL by optical biometry. Interocular differences were evaluated using paired comparisons, concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), Deming regression, Bland–Altman analyses and mediation modelling. Analyses were stratified by refractive …

Optimisation Of Laminar Jet Flow Microencapsulation Variables To Enhance The Anthocyanin Retention And Antioxidant Function Of Sohiong, Roshiya Nongmaithem, Raju Sasikumar, Kaviarasu G., Selva Kumar T., Ravikumar Rajarathinam, Paras Sharma, Sheena Haorongbam, Kowsalya T., K. Senthilkumar, Amit K. Jaiswal

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Anthocyanins are valuable dietary elements with biological functions and health-promoting effects. However, there are technological barriers to their use in the food industry, primarily due to their poor stability and susceptibility to environmental factors, such as oxygen, temperature, pH, and light, which can significantly affect the physicochemical characteristics of the final food products. In this study, the microencapsulation of an anthocyanin extract from sohiong fruits was performed using a laminar jet flow vibration nozzle, with calcium chloride as a hardening agent and sodium alginate as a polymer. To produce calcium-alginate microbeads with a high anthocyanin content and favourable morphological characteristics, …

A Review Of Data Interoperability As A Barrier To Non-Residential Building Energy Policy: Evidence From Ireland, Ankur Mitra, Kriti Bhalla, Ciara Ahern

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Non-residential buildings account for a significant share of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions across the EU, yet evidence-based policy development remains hindered by fragmented and non-interoperable building data systems. This study evaluates the suitability of publicly available electronic datasets for characterising Ireland’s non-residential building stock and supporting bottom-up energy modelling in the context of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024/1275/EU).A systematic scoping review of national government and institutional datasets was conducted using an adapted PRISMA-ScR approach. The analysis identified the national Energy Performance Certificate database and GeoDirectory as the only datasets with sufficient scale and detail …

In Vitro Efficiency Analysis Of Different Β-Tri-Calcium Phosphate And Hydroxyapatite Doped Bacterial Cellulose-Polyvinylpyrrolidone Composite Hydrogel For Bone Tissue Repair, Probal Basu, Nabanita Saha, Radostina Alexandrova, Boika Andonova Lilova, Maya Argirova, Petr Saha

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The study emphasizes an in-depth in vitro efficiency analysis of bacterial cellulose (BC)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) composite hydrogel scaffolds which are doped with different concentrations of β-tri-calcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA). The hydrogels are prepared with the natural polymer, BC, and synthetic polymer, PVP. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is also used as an anti-cytotoxic agent and agar is used as a gelling agent. β-TCP and HA were given in the ratio (w/w): 20:80 (BC-PVP- β-TCP/HA_20:80), 40:60 (BC-PVP-β-TCP/HA_40:60), 50:50 (BC-PVP-β-TCP/HA_50:50). In vitro efficacy of the different tri-calcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite BC-PVP composite hydrogel scaffolds are analyzed through comparative analysis of the cell …