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Increasing Eddy Activity In An Antarctic Circumpolar Current Hotspot: Three Decades Of Change At The Southeast Indian Ridge, Sophia V. Yates

Open Access Master's Theses

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the strongest ocean current. As the only current that flows completely around the globe without continental interruption, the ACC forms a barrier separating the subantarctic and Southern Ocean waters. Along its path, the ACC must negotiate several ocean ridge complexes where it becomes unstable and eddy activity increases dramatically. These resulting ocean ‘hotspots’ are sites of elevated cross-frontal fluxes of heat, carbon, nutrients, and freshwater. One hotspot is the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR), where the ACC fronts are steered together to navigate narrow fracture zones in the ridge crest.

Using 30 years (1993-2023) of …

Modeling The Transport Of Nitrogen Input From Salmon Farms In Eastern Bay, Me, Usa, Teagan Julia Cunningham

Open Access Master's Theses

Open net salmon aquaculture introduces substantial anthropogenic nutrient loads into coastal ecosystems, with potential consequences ranging from beneficial productivity enhancement in nutrient limited waters to excessive enrichment that drives hypoxic conditions. This study investigated the transport of nitrogen inputs from Cooke Aquaculture’s three salmon farms in Eastern Bay (EB), ME to the broader Chandler, Englishman, and Machias Bays area (CEM). These three farms collectively discharge hundreds to thousands of pounds of total nitrogen (TN) daily, primarily as NH₄: with summer 2020 inputs being 1,500 lbs./day in July and 1,907 lbs./day in August, coinciding with seasonal stratification and regional …

การกำจัดโครเมียมในน้ำเสียจากโรงงานฟอกหนังโดยวิธีการดูดซับทางชีวภาพ ด้วยพืชใบเลี้ยงคู่และพืชใบเลี้ยงเดี่ยว, พันธวัศ สัมพันธ์พานิช

Applied Environmental Research

การทดสอบความสามารถของการใช้วัชพืชที่พบในประเทศไทย เป็นการศึกษาการใช้เทคโนโลยีในการพื้นฟูสภาพพื้นที่ที่ปนเปื้อนโครเมียมในน้ำ การศึกษาเริ่มด้วยการสำรวจบริเวณพื้นที่โรงงานฟอกหนัง เพื่อคัดเลือกวัชพืชที่มีความสามารถบนพื้นฐานการสะสมโครเมียมสูงสุด วัชพืช 4 ชนิดที่ คัดเลือกใช้ในการศึกษาสามารถแบ่งออกได้เป็น 2 กลุ่มคือ 1) กลุ่มพืชใบเลี้ยงคู่ ได้แก่ ต้นก้างปลา (Phyllanthus reticulates) และต้นขลู่ (Pluchea indica) และ 2) กลุ่มพืชใบเลี้ยงเดี่ยว ได้แก่ หญ้าข้าวนก (Echinochloa colonum) และหญ้าแพรก (Cynodon dactylon) ซึ่งวัชพืชดังกล่าวที่ ใช้ในการศึกษาครั้งนี้ ได้เก็บรวบรวมมาจากพื้นที่ที่ไม่มีการปนเปื้อนของโลหะหนักโดยเฉพาะการปนเปื้อนจากโครเมียมในพื้นที่อำเภอบางปะหัน จังหวัดพระนครศรีอยุธยา และนำมาทำให้อยู่ในรูปของมวลชีวภาพ และทำการศึกษาบนแบตซ์ไอโซเทอม และการศึกษาบนคอลัมน์ โดยใช้น้ำเสียสังเคราะห์ที่มีความเข้มข้นของเฮกซะวาเลนท์โครเมียมเท่ากับ 50 มก./ล. ในการศึกษาพบว่า ใบของต้นก้างปลา ต้นขลู่ หญ้าข้าวนก และ หญ้าแพรก มีความสามารถในการดูดซับเฮกซะวาเลนท์โครเมียมสูงสุดเท่ากับ 53, 45, 37 และ 34 มก./ก.มวลชีวภาพ ที่ pH 2 ณ เวลาสมดุลที่ 24 ชม. นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่า ใบของมวลชีวภาพของวัชพืชทั้ง 4 ชนิดมี ความสามารถในการดูดซับโครเมียมดีที่สุด โดยเฉพาะใบของต้นขลู่มีความสามารถในการดูดซับเฮกซะวาเลนท์โครเมียมสูงสุด เท่ากับ 51.3 มก./ก.มวลชีวภาพที่ pH 2 ณ เวลาสมดุลที่ 102 ชม. อัตราการไหล 1.3 มล./นาที

The Development Of Environmental Education Model "Kapp" Concerning Natural Energy With Evaluation Model Cippif Via Mixed Media, Chaiyuth Laohachanakoor

Applied Environmental Research

The objective of the research was to develop the environmental education in knowledge, attitude, practice and participation on model “KAPP” concerning the natural energy with the evaluation model “CIPPIF” via mixed media. This research is the semi -experiential research by using three specific media channels; television (Thai Army Channel 5), radio (Bangkok F.M 101.0 MHz.) and internet (http:/www. deptofeducaton.net). The production of material was produced and broadcasted according to cost and nature of media.
The audiences from the television, radio, and internet were randomly selected to join a participation activity seminar which was hold at the end of the research. …

การศึกษาอัตราส่วนความเข้มข้นก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ ภายในและภายนอกอาคาร, อรุบล โชติพงศ์

Applied Environmental Research

ในการศึกษาอัตราส่วนความเข้มข้น ก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายในและภายนอก อาคาร ได้ทำการศึกษาจากสถานีตรวจวัดที่ อยู่ในบริเวณเส้นทางจราจร เพื่อเปรียบเทียบความเข้มข้นของก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายในและภายนอกอาคารบริเวณจุดที่อยู่ใกล้เส้นทางคมนาคม ในช่วงเวลา 8.00-16.00 น. ซึ่งเป็นช่วงเวลาที่ก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์มีความเข้มข้นสูง ผลการตรวจวัด พบว่าอัตราส่วนความเข้มข้นก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายในและภายนอกอาคารทั้ง 4 สถานีที่ทำการศึกษา มีค่าเฉลี่ยอยู่ระหว่าง 0.43-0.77 โดยสถานีตรวจวัดบริเวณวัดชัยมงคลที่ตั้งอยู่บนถนนพระราม 1 ซึ่งเป็นถนนแคบมีอาคารสูงเรียงรายอยู่ทั้งสองฟากถนน และมีปริมาณการจราจรประมาณ 59,000 คัน/ชั่วโมง มีอัตราส่วนเข้มข้นก๊าซ คาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายใน/ภายนอกอาคาร เท่ากับ 0.65 สถานีตรวจวัดที่ศูนย์บริการสาธารณสุข 42 บางมด เป็นอาคารที่อยู่ไกลจากถนนพระราม 2 ซึ่งเป็นถนนที่กว้าง มี อาคารไม่หนาแน่นและมีปริมาณการจราจร ประมาณ 88,000 คัน/ชั่วโมง มีอัตราส่วนก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายใน/ภายนอกอาคารเท่ากับ 0.48 ขณะที่สถานีตรวจวัดที่มูลนิธิคนตาบอดแห่งประเทศไทย ซึ่งตั้งอยู่บริเวณสี่แยกตึกชัย มีถนนพระราม 6 และ ถนนราชวิถีขนาบทั้งสองด้าน และมีทางด่วนคร่อมทับบนถนนพระราม 6 อีกชั้นหนึ่ง มีปริมาณการจราจรผ่านบริเวณนี้ทั้งหมด ประมาณ 136,395 คัน/ชั่วโมง พบว่ามีอัตราส่วนความเข้มข้นก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ ภายใน/ภายนอกอาคารเท่ากับ 0.77 ซึ่งสูง กว่าทุกบริเวณที่ทำการตรวจวัด ส่วนสถานีตรวจวัดที่โรงเรียนปวโรฬารซึ่งมีปริมาณการจราจรประมาณ 63,700 คัน/ชั่วโมง มีอัตราส่วนความเข้มข้นก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ภายใน/ภายนอกเท่ากับ 0.43 ซึ่งน้อยกว่าทุกสถานี แม้ว่าสถานีตรวจวัดอยู่ห่างจากถนนเพียง 1 เมตรก็ตาม แต่มีรั้ว โรงเรียนที่สูงกั้นระหว่างถนนกับอาคารโรงเรียนจึงทำให้การแพร่กระจายของก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์เข้าสู่บริเวณภายในได้น้อยลง และจากการวิเคราะห์ความแปรปรวน (Analysis of Varience) ของความเข้มข้น ก๊าซคาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ไนทุกสถานีที่ทำการ ตรวจวัดพบว่า ความเข้มข้นก๊าซคาร์บอนมอ นอกไซด์โดยเฉลี่ยมีความแตกต่างกันระหว่างภายในและภายนอกอาคาร แต่ไม่มีความ แตกต่างกันอย่างมีนัยสำคัญระหว่างช่วง เวลาที่ตรวจวัด

Introduction, Jirayudh Sinthuphan

Asian Review

No abstract provided.

Surface Repression, Substantive Compromise State Capacity, Anti-Chinese Policies, And Thailand’S Low-Cost Path To Modernization Under Phibun, Qiyu Zhang

Asian Review

This paper examines Thailand's anti-Chinese policies during the period of Phibun Songkhram (1938–1944; 1948–1957), exploring why they exhibited a highly contradictory pattern of “initially hardline but ultimately compromising.” It further analyzes how this policy model objectively propelled Thailand's modernization process. The article argues that while the Phibun government implemented radical anti-Chinese measures at the levels of nationalist mobilization and symbolic politics—such as closing Chinese schools, restricting Chinese-language media, imposing occupational exclusion, and promoting nationalist propaganda—it remained economically and organizationally dependent on Chinese capital, commercial networks, and professional expertise. This created a dual-track policy structure of “surface suppression and core concession.” …

Creative Refusal And Freedom In Craft Making The Case Study Of Dhaka Weaving And The Development Assistance In Eastern Nepal, Yuko Takamichi

Asian Review

This study explores the conflict between local handicraft production and development assistance interventions through the case of dhaka, a hand-woven cloth produced in the eastern hilly region of Nepal. Drawing on studies of development assistance in Nepal and the perspective of “culture as creative refusal,” this paper argues that the characteristics of dhaka cloth and its production practices have been shaped through local people’s conscious rejection and selective adoption of elements introduced by various development programs implemented in the region. Since the 1980s, the KHARDEP program in Town M has served as a catalyst for the implementation of numerous …

Entangled Drum Histories Friction, Embodiment, And The Making Of Religious Sound In North India, Haruo Inoue

Asian Review

This paper examines the historical and performative entanglements between tablā, the dominant percussion instrument of North India, and jorī, a paired drum preserved within the Nāmdhārī Sikh community of Punjab. While previous studies have treated these instruments in terms of their historical origins or musical functions, this study argues that their relationship is best understood through forms of frictional entanglement, in which bodily technique, material conditions, aesthetic orientations, and religious practice do not align but actively interfere with one another.

Drawing on long-term engagement as a performer, ethnographic fieldwork among Nāmdhārī musicians, and historical analysis, the paper demonstrates …

The Eightfold Noble Path Wheel Model Of Communication, Sugath Mahinda Senarath

Asian Review

Middle Path (Majjima Patipada), based on the Eightfold Noble Path (Ariya Atthangika Magga) Mindful Communication model is an effort to address contemporary world issues from an Asian perspective. Asian knowledge is based on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islamic philosophical and traditional knowledge. In the fields of social sciences and humanities, theories are still mostly Western centric. It is doubtful whether Asian scholars are well versed in Asian philosophical and traditional knowledge in social sciences and humanities. It is better to introduce Asian theories and concepts in order to address Asian issues and problems rather than blindly apply Western …

Xu Guoqi "Chinese And Americans: A Shared History", Xing Fang

Asian Review

The book, Chinese and Americans: A Shared History, presents recounts of vivid cross-cultural exchanges between Chinese and Americans in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries at a more individual level, and intends to reveal a transnational history jointly shaped by people on the two sides of the Pacific. This history, as the book shows, becomes their “shared traditions,” which could foster a positive future of Sino-American relations.

Metal–Organic Frameworks : Opportunities And Challenges In Nutrient Recovery, Suchana Amnuaychaichana, Chi-Wang Li, Pongsak (Lek) Noophan, Sumeth Wongkiew

Applied Environmental Research

Nutrient recovery from waste streams is a critical strategy for promoting sustainable agriculture and mitigating environmental degradation. Essential nutrients commonly present in organic waste and wastewater, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can be reclaimed and reintegrated into agricultural systems. Metal‒organic frameworks (MOFs), which are composed of metal clusters coordinated with organic ligands, have emerged as promising materials for adsorption and have the potential for nutrient recovery and pollutant removal because of their high porosity, large surface area, and tunable physicochemical properties. These attributes enable MOFs to serve in diverse applications, including heavy metal adsorption, organic pollutant degradation, and nutrient transformations. …

Analysis Of Pull-Out Tests For Resin-Grouted Rib Bolts, Khaled Mohamed, Yuting Xue, Dogukan Guner, Alper Kirmaci, Taghi Sherizadeh

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Resin-grouted rib bolts serve as a crucial means of stabilizing spalling of coal ribs in underground coal mines. A comprehensive investigation into their efficacy was undertaken by a collaborative effort between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST). This study involved pull-out tests of rib bolts in multiple locations, including six coal mines and the NIOSH research mine. A total of seventy-three (73) pull-out tests were conducted for rib bolts installed at different rotation speeds and a wide range of anchorage lengths, ranging from a short encapsulation length of 0.305 …

Recycling Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate For Asphalt Modification: A Comprehensive Review On Material Properties, Processing Techniques, And Engineering Applications, Ruizhe Huang, Feng Ma, Ke Shi, Zhen Fu, Jenny Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a thermoplastic polyester widely used in beverage bottles and packaging materials, accounting for approximately 60% of global plastic production. Due to its non-biodegradable nature, the accumulation of waste PET has posed a serious environmental challenge worldwide. In recent years, the recycling of PET for use in road engineering has been considered an effective approach to promote resource circulation and reduce plastic pollution. This paper first reviews the main recycling methods of PET, including mechanical shredding and chemical depolymerization, and analyzes its molecular structure, thermal properties, and reprocessing adaptability. Two typical engineering application paths are then evaluated: …

Femtosecond-Laser-Inscribed Cladding Fiber Bragg Gratings: Architectures, Design Trade-Offs And Future Sensing Opportunities, Koustav Dey, Rex E. Gerald, Chen Zhu, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Femtosecond (fs) laser inscription enables fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to be positioned beyond the fiber core, including within the cladding, thereby expanding control over modal interactions and directional sensing. These cladding fiber Bragg gratings (CLFBGs) extend FBG functionality through interactions with core, cladding, and evanescent fields. Their operation does not involve fundamentally different grating physics; rather, core-mode, cladding-mode, and coupled-mode responses depend on power distribution, modal overlap with the laser-inscribed refractive-index modulation (RIM), grating position, fiber geometry, modal excitation, and interrogation configuration. This Perspective reviews advances in CLFBG fabrication, optical characteristics, sensing mechanisms, and applications. Cladding-waveguide-assisted, evanescent-field-coupled, and direct cladding-mode-excitation …

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 …

Trading Places With The ‘Other’: Octavia Butler’S “Bloodchild” And “Amnesty”, Katie Zamora-Godinez

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Cannabis Programs At U.S. Colleges And Universities: A National Inventory Of Accredited, Credit-Bearing Offerings, Brenda K. King

Research Papers

Cannabis legalization has expanded across the United States, increasing demand for trained professionals across agriculture, healthcare, business, and public policy. No standardized national inventory of accredited, credit-bearing cannabis programs existed at the time of this study. This study aimed to compile a national inventory of accredited, credit-bearing cannabis programs and apply a Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)-like framework to support analysis of disciplinary distribution and credential structure. Using a state-by-state search of institutional catalogs restricted to 3,362 regionally accredited U.S. colleges and universities, this study compiled a dataset of 980 courses across 67 institutions in 23 states, representing approximately 2% …

Navigating Critical Communication Pedagogy As International Graduate Teaching Assistants In The United States' Communication Classrooms, Janifar Nova

Research Papers

As U.S. universities continue to diversify, international graduate teaching assistants (iGTAs) play a central yet understudied role in communication classrooms. Guided by the framework of Critical Communication Pedagogy (CCP), this study examines how iGTAs interpret and embody critical pedagogical principles as they navigate linguistic, cultural, and institutional expectations. Using an interpretive approach, I held a focus group discussion with seven iGTAs to explore how participants’ identities, experiences, and emotions influence their teaching practices. Five main themes emerged, including (1) interpreting CCP through identity and positionality, (2) embodying CCP through collaboration and mutual learning, (3) negotiating ethical and shared uses of …

A Retrospective Study Of Dietitian Assessment On 30-Day Readmission In Hospitalized Adults With Malnutrition, Paul Blakeslee, Kristiina Hyrkas, Wendy Craig, Rachel Haskell

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of nutrition assessment on 30-day readmission of adults who were discharged with a diagnosis of malnutrition by conducting a secondary analysis.

Using Genetic Analysis To Infer Familial Relationships Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout In The Lower Priest River, Idaho, Kolby Emtman

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus lewisi) is a native species of salmonid that holds both cultural and ecological significance in the Idaho Panhandle region of the United States. Within this region, the Priest River is a major contributor of migrant Westslope Cutthroat Trout to the Clark Fork Pend Oreille basin. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of juveniles that have at least one migrant parent, illustrate gene flow using juvenile half sibling relationships, and showcase varying levels of spawning success using juvenile full sibling relationships. Sampling of juvenile individuals occurred in 11 tributaries of the Priest River over …

Tree-Based Graph Neura Networks For Natural Language Inference: From Structure-Only To Hybrid Architectures, Jason P. Lunder

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Large transformer models achieve strong performance on natural language understanding tasks but require hundreds of millions of parameters and extensive pretraining. This thesis investigates whether graph neural networks operating on dependency parse trees can provide more parameter-efficient sentence representations for natural language inference, evaluated on two NLI tasks: entailment classification and semantic textual similarity.

Tree Matching Networks (TMN) adapt Graph Matching Networks to linguistic dependency trees with rich node and edge features, evaluated against a BERT baseline at matched parameter counts on identical training data. Tree Transformer Networks (TTN) extend TMN with transformer-based aggregation and tree-aware positional encodings, with component …

Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Nest predation is a primary factor influencing waterfowl productivity in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Although this system is intensely managed and studied, research has largely focused on how predators affect waterfowl populations, with comparatively little attention to how predators actually rely on waterfowl as a resource. Understanding predator feeding ecology is therefore critical for informing effective management strategies and interpreting the complexity of predator-prey interactions on this landscape. My objective overall was to elucidate the feeding ecology of nine focal predator species commonly associated with waterfowl nest predation in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion of the PPR: …

Assessing Forest Health And Small Mammals After A Limited Suppression Wildfire In Colville National Forest, Samantha J. Kennel

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

In the face of a wildfire crisis, there is a growing need to expand the pace and scale of forest treatments, including the strategic use of wildfire as a management tool. However, ecological outcomes remain uncertain in forests shaped by more than a century of fire suppression. The 2022 Thor Fire, a managed wildfire in the Colville National Forest, Washington, provides an opportunity to evaluate forest health in a relatively understudied system. Using a control–impact design, I established 100 monitoring plots in burned and adjacent unburned forests to assess how wildfire and fire severity influence forest structure, fuels, and tree …

Handwriting Recognition In Vr, Dominique Mosley

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Virtual Reality (VR) is slowly becoming more popular for more than just entertainment. VR can be found in educational, office, and even healthcare settings to help discover more intuitive ways to teach, collaborate, and treat patients. Outside of the virtual world, these environments typically rely on writing for communicating or note-taking. Currently, VR input forces users to rely on clunky on-screen keyboards which disrupts the user’s immersion and breaks the flow of natural interaction. This thesis explores the potential of VR as a learning platform by combining it with artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to develop a VR-enhanced handwriting practicing …