Digital Commons Network^™

Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping For Multi-Robot Collaboration, Aidan O’Hare

Electrical and Computer Engineering Master's Theses

As society continues to progress with robotics and automation, the significance of multi-robot systems continues to increase. Single robot systems are limited in their capacity to carry out certain types of tasks, similar to how one person is limited. When it comes to carrying large, cumbersome objects that would require multiple entities to move in a coordinated manner, it is very apparent that implementing a multi-robot system is necessary. Multi-robot systems have become a sector of robotics of increasing interest due to the multitude of use cases they are able to fulfill. However, scalability is a large part of the …

The Effects Of Graded Amounts Of Nicotinic Acid On Cow Health, Colostrum Yield And Quality Of Prepartum Multiparous Jersey Cows And Growth In Their Subsequent Calves, Lydia Joy Valentine

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study evaluated the impact of graded amounts of nicotinic acid (NA) with a negative DCAD diet on cow health, colostrum composition and calf growth performance of Jersey cattle. We hypothesized that NA supplementation would increase IgG concentration of colostrum, increase calf intestinal absorption and growth and improve cow metabolic health. Thirty multiparous Jersey cows were blocked by calving date and assigned to either 0, 8 or 16 g/d of NA supplementation on top of the -40 mEq/kg DCAD dry cow diet. Blood samples were collected weekly for ketone analysis. Urine was collected three times weekly for pH, creatinine and …

Structure And Function Studies On Trna Splicing Endonuclease, Justin G. Underwood

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A subset of eukaryotic pre-tRNAs have introns that must be spliced out to become mature molecules capable of functioning in translation. This essential processing step is performed by tRNA splicing endonuclease (TSEN), a highly conserved heterotetramer with two catalytic and two structural subunits. In addition to this conserved function, archaeal TSEN also processes pre-rRNA and yeast TSEN cleaves some mRNAs that encode mitochondrial proteins to initiate mRNA degradation. Interestingly, single amino acid mutations in TSEN cause the human Mendelian disease pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) by an unknown mechanism. Recently, several groups have determined the structure of human TSEN, revealing similarities and …

The (Re)New(Ed) Corporation: Foundation For A Stakeholder Regulatory Agenda, Gregory E. Louis

UC Law Business Journal

Amidst an emerging bipartisan consensus on greater corporate social accountability, America First has joined longstanding solicitude about the racial wealth gap. This Article offers yet another take on corporate purpose. As a project of recovering legal memory like Adrian Vermeule’s common good constitutionalism, it examines scholarship on the history of corporate purpose toward answering whether stakeholder capitalism should inform corporate regulation and, if so, how. It concludes from this history that the Anglo-American legal tradition clearly justifies regulators to hold business corporations accountable to the common good. But it also finds in this history a requirement that stakeholder capitalism be …

The Skepticism Of Critical Legal Studies And The Function Of Moral Discourse, Paul J. Gudel

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Systems Approach To Shedding Sunlight On A.I. Black Boxes, Ran Xi

Hofstra Law Review

A substantial body of literature has emerged around concerns that machine learning and artificial intelligence systems are opaque, or "black boxes. " The black box nature ofA.I.-powered services and applications has resulted in alarming risks in social life, including insecurity, mistrust, lack of accountability, and exacerbated bias and discrimination. Despite the call to open the black boxes, corresponding legal and regulatory measures tend to run aground due to their infeasibility, inefficacy, and ambiguity. This Article offers a unique perspective on the A.I black box problem. Using systems theory as a heuristic tool, this Article views A.I. as a law-related system …

The Truth Will Set You Free: The Importance Of A Psychologically Rooted Framework That Encourages The Admission Of Expert Testimony On Eyewitness Memory, Emma C. Kiernan

Hofstra Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Distribution And Reproductive Success Of The Western Snowy Plover Along The Central And Southern Oregon Coast - 2025, David J. Lauten, Kathleen A. Castelein, Mary Lee, Jessica Burr, Marty R. Mccamant, Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Anarhynchus nivosus nivosus) along the central and south coast of Oregon from 3 April – 10 September 2025. We surveyed and monitored plover activity in a project area that included, from north to south, Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North Tahkenitch Creek, Tenmile Creek, Coos Bay North Spit (CBNS), Bandon Snowy Plover Management Area (SPMA), New River Habitat Restoration Area (HRA) and adjacent lands, and Floras Lake. Our objectives for the project area in 2025 were to: 1) estimate the size of the …

Sustainability Policy Proposals For The Township Of Montclair, Nj, Fanny Lauby, Josemy Barrera Cabal, Aaron Chauhan, Chase Geer, Carlos Jimenez, Catherine Khitiri, Jonathan Lockette, Andrew Mapes, Coral Mejía, Jack Nacht, Gabriella O’Keefe, Refia Oral, Sanjeev Rao, Jacob Roby, Julnide Saint Juste, Fiona Slatina

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This white paper was written as a course requirement for POLS 324 Advanced Public Policy Analysis at Montclair State University in fall 2025. In the course, students analyze public policy and examine current issues. Public policy analysis can be defined as the development and evaluation of policy solutions to public problems. The course's learning objectives include “critically evaluate the goals and assumptions of different policy proposals,” “create a policy proposal for a public problem,” and “evaluate the proposals developed by their peers.” For the fall 2025 iteration of the course, I invited two offices in the township of Montclair to …

Impacts Of Intensifying Wildfires On Boreal Forest Ecosystems: Exploring Forest Regeneration, Wildlife Habitats, Carbon Storage, And Engineering Solutions, Mckenzie Belle Schewe

Theses and Dissertations

Wildfire activity across Alaska’s boreal forests has intensified in severity and frequency in recent decades, altering one of Earth’s most significant sources of carbon sequestration (Pan et al, 2011). This thesis examines how wildland burns influence post-fire carbon sink capacities and vegetation recovery near Fairbanks, Alaska. Three fire sites were selected to represent distinct successional stages: the 2006 Parks Highway Fire, the 2013 Stuart Creek 2 Fire, and the 2022 Clear Fire. Each site was evaluated through a combination of remote sensing analysis, LiDAR-derived canopy height data, and field measurements collected within each burn perimeter, developing a replicable framework for …

Embodied Overcrowding And Sensory Tensions: A Carceral Autoethnography Of Philippine Jails, Dwayne Antojado

Ateneo School of Government Publications

In this paper, I undertake a sensorially oriented autoethnography of two Philippine jails, illuminating the visceral textures of carceral life that conventional sociological or criminological discourses often overlook. Drawing inspiration from Jewkes and Young's (2021) examination of Kyoto Prison, I foreground the overlapping realms of sight, sound, smell, and touch, arguing that incarceration is inherently a profoundly embodied phenomenon. By weaving personal reflections, field observations, and broader scholarly insights, I reveal how overcrowded dormitories, suffocating heat, and lingering bodily odours converge to redefine detainees' spatial, temporal, and psychosocial realities in ways rarely captured by quantitative metrics. While mindful of Nelken's …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Johansen High School, Damaris N. Perdue

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) are a foundational component of agricultural education, yet inconsistent implementation and assessment practices can limit their instructional impact. This project presents the development and implementation of a standardized SAE project framework designed to support equitable, work-based learning experiences across a secondary agricultural education department. The framework includes a unified student guide, analytic grading rubric, reflective components, and aligned assessment tools that emphasize accurate recordkeeping, skill development, and professional communication. By establishing consistent expectations for annual SAE completion across all agricultural courses, this project promotes student accountability, clarity, and fairness while strengthening alignment with the National FFA …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report- Liberty High School, Brittany N. Johnson

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This document documents the AGED 539 Internship in Agricultural Education and examines the Liberty High School–Brentwood FFA and Agriculture Department’s alignment with the three-component model of agricultural education: classroom instruction, FFA leadership development, and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). Grounded in experiential learning theory, the report reflects on program strengths, challenges, and growth across all twelve California Career Technical Education (CTE) Quality Criteria, supported by narrative reflection and evidence. The internship project focused on developing a formal FFA Program of Activities (POA) to improve chapter organization, goal-setting, and long-term sustainability. Overall, the project highlights intentional program planning and leadership development as …

Beyond Binaries, Bridging Divides: Centering Identity, Resistance, And Educational Justice Along The Texas-Mexico Border. A Critical Autoethnography Of Underrepresented Intersectionality, Invisibility, And Transformation In Education, Alexander Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation employs solo autoethnography and counter-storytelling to examine how intersecting identities, queer, neurodivergent, bilingual, and fronterizo, shape lived experiences within U.S. educational spaces along the Texas–Mexico border. Grounded in Critical Race Theory as a historical foundation and guided by the braiding logic of Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), the study integrates Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), Disability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit), and Queer Theory to analyze how race, language, ability, and sexuality converge within systems of schooling.

Using memory-work, poetic autoethnography, and narrative vignettes as primary data, the dissertation traces how educational institutions discipline identity through racio-linguistic policing, behavioral surveillance, and …

Feed Network Design For Passive Beamforming In Hemispherical Phased Arrays, Daniel Flores

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the design, fabrication, and evaluation of a four-element microstrip patch antenna array with a passive 1 to 4 corporate feed network operating at 5 GHz. A single inset-fed patch was developed on Rogers DiClad 880 to ensure accurate tuning and mechanical flexibility, achieving a measured resonance of 5.009 GHz with excellent return loss. The corporate feed network, synthesized using T-junction dividers and quarter-wave transformers, demonstrated strong impedance matching, balanced amplitude distribution, and broadside realized gain near 10 dBi when integrated with the array.

Beam steering was examined through simulation-based phase control, revealing effective scanning up to approximately …

Computational Expressions Of Void Reactions In Extended Chemical Reaction Network Models, Aiden J. Massie

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical Reaction Networks (CRNs) are a system of abstraction of real-world chemical dynamics. Each CRN system is defined as a pair of molecular species and reaction rules, which consume a set of reactant species and create a new set of product species. In this paper, we investigate the simple class of void reactions, which cannot create new species and are computationally weak with small-enough sizes in basic CRNs. Here, we study their computational expression in more powerful extended CRN models. Specifically, we consider the Step CRN model, in which new species are added into the system through a sequence of …

Reading Ability Underlies The Composite Effect For Arabic Words, Rayan Kouzy, Zahra Hussain

School of Psychology

The composite effect, originally demonstrated for faces, has recently been shown to suggest holistic processing of words. The effect is associated with reading fluency in Latin script, but not in nonalphabetic Chinese script, suggesting that script properties influence its relationship with reading expertise. We measured the composite effect for Arabic, a visually complex alphabetic script that offers a useful contrast against Latin and Chinese. Arabic-English bilinguals (N = 24), and English-only readers (N = 22) completed a composite effect task, in which they judged whether the left or right halves of word pairs were the same or different. The unattended …

Spaceflight Safety Regulations: The Case For Implementing Safety Management Systems In The Developing U.S. Commercial Human Spaceflight Industry, Carly Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Accidents have historically accompanied the development of new transportation systems, often due to technical failures; but human factors – such as organizational culture and management decisions – are increasingly recognized as significant contributors. A strong safety culture, prioritizing safety at all organizational levels, effective management procedures, and open reporting of violations, is believed to improve outcomes by proactively reducing risk in highly technical organizations. These elements form the basis of Safety Management Systems (SMS), which include safety policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion. As commercial spaceflight expands public access to space, US regulators must develop flexible safety regulations that protect …

Cross Cancer Toxicogenomic Modeling Of Arsenic Exposure Identifies A Four Gene Signature For Lung Cancer Risk, Joshua Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic is a naturally occurring carcinogenic element linked to DNA damage via reactive oxidation and epigenetic alteration that is ubiquitous throughout nature and has been associated with oncogenesis in the lungs, bladder, skin, and liver. Lung Cancer is both the most diagnosed cancer worldwide and the deadliest, comprising approximately 12.4% of all cancers globally and contributing to more human cancer death than any other condition, with roughly 90% of cases arising due to tobacco smoking, which exposes the user to arsenic trioxide and synergistic carcinogenicity when exposure includes both smoking and consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water. A novel set of …

Methane Infusion Improved Oil Recovery In The Bakken Formation, Demetrius Maxey

Theses and Dissertations

This research establishes methane infusion improved oil recovery (MI IOR) as a technically viable and economically attractive early-stage intervention for unconventional reservoirs. Integrated multi-scale investigations included quantum molecular theory, nanoscale characterization, NMR experimentation, and field scale reservoir simulation. FEG-SEM analysis of core samples enabled development of a peer-reviewed pore size classification system informing MI operational design parameters. Integrated well logging quantified petrophysical properties across the Bakken stratigraphy. NMR relaxometry identified the lab-scale pore-level sweep efficiency of MI at 3,750 psi in Bakken core samples. Mobilization of hydrocarbons from Np1, Np2, and Np3 pores yielded recovery factors of 45-60%. Field-scale reservoir …

Integration Of Fluorescence Imaging And Advanced Analytical Techniques For Reliable Contamination Detection, Mahsa Aliee

Theses and Dissertations

Effective surface contamination detection in food processing and healthcare environments is hindered by the limitations of visual inspection and ATP bioluminescence testing, both of which struggle to identify thin, transparent, or spatially irregular organic residues. These constraints contribute to inconsistent hygiene verification and create a need for objective, scalable, and real-time detection methods capable of operating under variable environmental conditions.

This dissertation develops an integrated framework that combines UV-induced fluorescence imaging with advanced analytical techniques to improve contamination detection reliability. A UV/UVC fluorescence imaging system was engineered with synchronized pulsed excitation (275 nm, 365 nm, 405 nm), adaptive exposure control, …

False Memory Susceptibility In Association With Attachment Theory: Effects On Memory Conformity, Rachel Catherine Miller

Theses and Dissertations

False memory research has been an evident topic in various fields of psychological study. Research in this area has important implications in forensic contexts and clinical settings as false memories can result in an array of harmful consequences. To explain individual differences in susceptibility to endorsing false memories of the rare medical procedure known as the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG), the current study extended the findings of Herndon and colleagues (2014). It also examined predictor variables from attachment theory (such as attachment anxiety and avoidance), depressive symptomatology, compliance levels (e.g., use of confederates), and the impact of guided imagery (i.e., a …

Evaluating Hail Spectrometer Data Quality And Uncertainty For Calculating Radar Reflectivity Factor, James Klinman

Theses and Dissertations

Reliable in situ measurements are essential for accurately forecasting and nowcasting hailstorms, as they provide insight into storm processes, improve predictions that protect public safety, and help assess potential damage to agriculture and infrastructure. This study evaluates the reliability of in situ hail measurements from the T-28 aircraft’s Hail Spectrometer and assesses their feasibility for radar reflectivity validation and parameterization. Data from 14 flights across five field campaigns were analyzed, focusing on comparisons between one-dimensional (1D) 1-Hz accumulated particle counts and two-dimensional (2D) particle images produced by the Hail Spectrometer. The 2D data were processed using the System for Optical …

The Role Of Attitude Ambivalence In Extending The Theory Of Planned Behavior: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Factors Predicting Influenza Vaccine Uptake Intentions Among Active-Duty Military Parents For Themselves And Their Children, Walter Eugene Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a mixed-methods study examining how U.S. military parents form intentions to vaccinate themselves and their children against influenza. The study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the construct of ambivalence tounderstand how attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence vaccination decisions within the unique institutional and cultural environment of military life. Quantitative data were collected from 341 military parents through an online survey distributed across more than 50 military-affiliated Facebook groups. Regression models tested TPB constructs, flu knowledge, and social media use as predictors of vaccination intention and ambivalence. Results showed that flu shot …

Differential Photometric Analysis Of Exoplanet Candidates Toi-1362.01, Toi-2290.01, Toi-6010.01, And Toi-6324.01, Samantha Buck

Theses and Dissertations

To maximize the science return from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP) was created to network scientists and observatories to conduct follow-up observations of potential exoplanets. As members of TFOP-Subgroup 1, we observed four exoplanet candidates: TOI-1362.01, TOI-2290.01, TOI-6010.01, and TOI-6324.01 using the University of North Dakota Space Studies Observatory. The TOI observations were conducted from 31 October 2024 – 15 November, 2024 UTC. AstroImageJ software was used to perform differential photometry and, if a transit event was observed, determine orbital parameters and physical characteristics. Each of the target’s light curves was modeled and …

Examining The Utility Of Haptic Feedback To Improve Pilot Situational Awareness & Performance: A Psychophysiological Approach, Jessica Van Bree

Theses and Dissertations

Pilot situational awareness (SA) has been deemed to be a critical component of flight efficacy, efficiency, and overall mission success. Studies have shown that several incidents and accidents have been the result of level-one SA errors, meaning that members of the flight crew have failed to accurately perceive the elements in their environments. As such, several strategies have been investigated to improve pilot SA. One potential avenue of research is the addition of haptics in to the flight deck. In some studies, the implementation of haptics have shown to improve piloting tasks, pilot safety, and aircraft control. The current study …

Beyond Artemis: A Framework For Strategic International Cooperation In Space Exploration And Security, Lang Eric Sundby

Theses and Dissertations

The need for a more robust and formalized international cooperation framework has grown from the technological and political developments of both State and commercial actors in the space domain. Existing treaties, such as the Outer Space Treaty, have established norms for space activities, and recent agreements, like the Artemis Accords, have advanced additional innovative principles. Despite this progress, these agreements fall short of offering organizational structures for cooperation and methods for legal enforcement. Growing geopolitical competition has led to the formation of new models for China’s and Russia’s cooperation with other States in space, which include the International Lunar Research …

Data-Driven Evalutation And Optimization Of Fishbone Well Configurations For Geothermal Energy Recovery In The Red River Formation, Cedar Creek Anticline, Candace Proksch

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the geothermal potential of the Red River C interval at the Cedar Creek Anticline and develops a workflow for screening fishbone multilateral designs in a heterogeneous carbonate reservoir. Regional heat-flow and depth maps delineated Cedar Creek as a thermally favorable site and the lower dolomite as the primary reservoir target, supporting construction of a 3D Petrel model that captured the five-member C-interval architecture, petrophysical properties, and temperature field. A multi-stage Particle Swarm Optimization and fast-marching framework used this model to generate and rank fishbone injector–producer configurations, and a line-source approximation combined with a fixed-efficiency Organic Rankine Cycle …

Rapid Prototyping Of Low-Cost Sensor Systems Towards A Platform For Upper Limb Posture Estimation, Russell Rathbun

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Physical therapy requires patients to perform repeated actions to achieve meaningful results in rehabilitation. This thesis explores production methods and various sensor systems by utilizing rapid prototyping, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and capacitive sensor arrays (CSAs). CSAs can be made from a wide ar- ray of materials and techniques including 3d printing and laser ablation–to rapidly create CSAs that can be custom fit to enable proximity, force, and touch detection. IMU and CSA systems individually are able to track upper limb movements, ges- tures, and positions. This combination of sensors enables accurate upper limb pos- ture estimation of patients. This …

Understanding Bias And Fairness In Large Language Models: An Empirical Study, Joshua Johnson

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates demographic bias in large language models (LLMs) through the use of evaluating outcome disparities when utilized in decision making tasks as well as underlying associations that could contribute to furthering these disparities. Using profiles from the Adult dataset, we analyze how Gemini 2.0 Flash performs in an income prediction task using zero-shot and few-shot prompting methods. Our findings show that models exhibit measurable differences in demographic parity and false positive rates, with the use of few-shot prompting reducing these disparities. Alongside this line of testing, we tested associational bias in Qwen 2.5 using probability based association tests …