Digital Commons Network^™

Diffusion-Enhanced Nat-Bart Vision Language Transformer For Unified Urdu Word Recognition, Wahid Hussain, Shahbaz Hassan, Isma Ul Hassan, Ahmad Raza Shahid, Asif Naeem, Muhammad Usman Yaseen, Nouman Ashraf

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Handwritten Urdu text recognition remains a very challenging problem due to the cursive and complex nature of the Nastaliq script. Each writer has a unique style, and there is a severe lack of large, well-labeled datasets. These challenges make Urdu text recognition much harder than for many other languages. Here we propose a novel and effective approach for handwritten Urdu word recognition that addresses both data scarcity and feature complexity. We utilized conditional diffusion models to generate synthetic handwritten Urdu word images. These models produce realistic word samples covering a wide range of variations, such as stroke thickness, curves, and …

Mission-Focused Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Of Tilt-Rotor Evtol Propulsion System, Tyler Critchfield, Andrew Ning

Faculty Publications

Tilt-rotor propulsion system design requires a multidisciplinary approach to tackle important challenges and competing tradeoffs between disciplines. In this paper, we model rotor aerodynamics, blade structures, vehicle drag, electric propulsion, and tonal/broadband acoustics for a tilt-rotor, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft using low-to-mid fidelity tools. We use gradient-based design optimization with automatic differentiation and parameter sensitivity analyses to explore the design space and complex tradeoffs of tilt-rotor distributed electric propulsion systems, exploring effects of variations in payload/empty weight, battery specific energy, and blade tip speed. This framework models multiple operating points with a mission-focused objective to account for the …

Usable Authentication: Are We There Yet?, Nathan Clarke, Steven Furnell

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

With technology increasingly embedded in everyday life, the demand for secure and usable authentication methods has never been greater. Traditional password-based systems continue to dominate, despite well-known usability and security challenges. This paper explores the evolution of user authentication technologies, from secret knowledge and tokens to biometrics and emerging approaches such as Passkeys. It critically evaluates the extent to which usability has been achieved, identifying both successes—such as biometrics integrated into smartphones—and persistent issues, including inconsistent guidance, ecosystem dependence, and accessibility barriers. Drawing on academic and commercial developments, the discussion highlights the growing burden on users who must authenticate across …

Presence And Characteristics Of Plastics And Microplastics On The Seabed Of The Western English Channel, Faye Read, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Little is known about the presence, distribution, origins and characteristics of plastic litter and microplastics on the ocean floor. In this study, plastics trawled from the bed of the western English Channel have been categorised and analysed by a variety of optical and spectroscopic techniques. A total of 90 plastic samples were classified, in descending order of abundance, as food-drink packaging, unknown, homeware, military and fishing. Most samples showed varying degrees of weathering (e.g., discolouration, distortion, cracking, fragmentation) and were visibly fouled by calcareous deposits. The majority of samples were constructed of polymers of negative buoyancy (e.g., polyamides, polyethylene terephthalate …

Job Satisfaction, Burnout, And Intent To Stay In Neonatal Nursing In England And Wales: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study, Kathy Chant, Yoko Nishimura, Aviva Petrie, Jos M. Latour, Nicola Booth, Kelly Crofts, Lisa Viola, Katie Gallagher

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Objective: To explore job satisfaction, burnout and intent to stay in neonatal nurses in England and Wales. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey study using the McCloskey Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS) to explore job satisfaction, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to explore burnout and the Nurse Retention Index (NRI) to measure intent to stay. All neonatal nurses working in England and Wales were eligible to take part. Data were collected between February and September 2024. Results: A total of 1590 neonatal nurses completed the survey. Job satisfaction was neutral. Moderate work burnout was reported, with statistically significant differences in mean score …

Leveraging Consumer Socialisation Agents To Increase Indigenous Student Participation In Higher Education, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Braden Hill, Claire Lambert, Maria M. Ryan, Rebekah Dougan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – Socialisation agents, including family, peers, Elders, teachers, mass media and community networks, significantly influence students’ decisions to pursue higher education (HE). This paper aims to further explore how these agents, within the framework of consumer socialisation theory, act as influential forces at the early stages of the decision-making process, shaping perceptions and providing motivation for Indigenous students’ educational choices. Design/methodology/approach – A three-phase narrative inquiry method was used, including autobiographical accounts from students, yarning sessions with peers and one-on-one interviews. This participatory approach centred Indigenous knowledges to inform culturally responsive social marketing strategies. Findings – The study identified …

Co-Design Of An Online Mindfulness Program For Informal Carers Of People Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Study Of Co-Designers’ Experience, Charunya A.K.R. Abeysinghe Mudiyanselage, Seng Giap Marcus Ang, Aisling Smyth, Joanne M. Dickson, Beverley Ewens

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Informal carers face significant challenges related to care provision for people living with dementia. Participating in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program could improve the wellbeing of informal carers. However, engaging in these programs can be difficult for informal carers due to the needs of their care recipients. Purpose: This study aimed to co-design an online mindfulness program in collaboration with a range of stakeholders and those with lived experience as carers. Methods: This co-design study adopted an interpretive descriptive qualitative approach to the development of the program. The stakeholders (co-designers) included people with lived experience as informal carers and …

Integrating Environmental Awareness In Underwater Acoustic Networks: A Comprehensive Review, Sadaf Vahabli, Iftekhar Ahmad, Quoc Viet Phung, Daryoush Habibi, Walid K. Hasan, Ruba Zaheer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Underwater Acoustic Networks (UANs) are critical for enabling long-range underwater communication, supporting a wide range of applications, such as environmental monitoring, resource exploration, disaster prevention and marine security. Unfortunately, UANs operate within a limited acoustic spectrum, where these spectrums often overlap with those used by marine animals for communication, navigation and foraging. Additionally, anthropogenic noise from industrial activities contributes to acoustic pollution, intensifying this problem. This frequency overlap poses significant risks to marine life. Therefore, this review highlights the urgent need to develop environmentally aware UANs that minimize harmful acoustic interference with marine mammals, fish and invertebrates. Further, it focuses …

Midwifery Students' Definitions Of Normal Labor And Birth: A Study From Five Countries, Jalana Lazar, Juliet Wood, Jane Fry, Barbara Baranowska, Urszula Tataj-Puzyna, Debora Dole, Emma Ritchie, Clare Davison, Cindy L. Farley, Felicity Agwu Kalu, Maria Healy, Maria Węgrzynowska

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Internationally, many women and birthing people are receiving maternity care interventions as a routine with no medical indication for their use. This medicalized environment influences midwives' practice and, by extension, midwifery students' clinical learning experiences, gaining knowledge and confidence in facilitating normal labor and birth. To educate midwifery students in the provision of high-quality maternal and newborn care, it is important to explore their understanding of normal labor and birth, as this underpins their philosophy of care and will inform their future practice. Methods: An online survey was developed from a review of current evidence. Following ethical approval, the …

Sustaining Caring Mobilities In Immobility Regimes: Adaptive Strategies Of Vietnamese Migrant (Grand)Parents In Australia, Hien Thi Nguyen, Catriona Turnbull, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(Grand)parents are increasingly traveling internationally to visit and spend time with their transnational families. This mobility is essential to provide informal, unpaid care, driven by globalisation as family members relocate for study and work. However, governments in receiving countries like Australia are implementing restrictive measures, defined in the literature as ‘immobility regimes’, to control the movement of older migrants into their territories, including overseas (grand)parents. Drawing on the lived experiences of 22 Vietnamese migrants (11 (grand)parent visitors and 11 adult migrants who host their (grand)parent visitors), this paper explores the relationship between transnational mobility and institutional migration policies in the …

Human Capability Development In Irish Tech Smes, Anna Zherdeva

Doctoral

Purpose: SMEs are the backbone of the European economic model and represent 99.8% of all businesses, highlighting the importance of research that assesses challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs. The reviewed literature revealed a significant lack of research on how SMEs can develop management, teamwork, and team-building skills in the context of the twin transition (i.e., digital and green transitions), particularly regarding digital transformation and its impact on economic development and business cooperation. Researchers have presented evidence of the difficulties SMEs face in competing with corporations due to numerous constraints, including a lack of investment and qualified human resources. To …

Using Drawings To Understand Undergraduates’ Perceptions Of Politics—The Us And Ireland, John Hogan, Sharon Feeney, Paul Kosempel

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Purpose: This article seeks to gain insights from the interpretations of freehand drawings produced by American and Irish students, young voters, in response to the question: “What is American/Irish politics?” Our goal in using freehand drawing is to foster a collaborative and critical learning environment where participants enhance their ability to interpret and engage in self-reflection. Design/methodology/approach: Freehand drawing is a visual representation method that can bypass cognitive verbal processing pathways as part of a critical pedagogy. This approach enables participants to create clear, more critical, and inclusive depictions of their understanding of a topic, regardless of their vocabulary. Over …

Influence Of Surface Features On Heat Transfer During Dropwise Condensation Over Superhydrophobic Surfaces In Shear Flow, Shaur Humayun, R. Daniel Maynes, Julie Crocket, Brian D. Iverson

Faculty Publications

This study investigates heat transfer during dropwise condensation (DWC) on superhydrophobic (SH) surfaces in humid air shear flow, emphasizing the effect of increased drop mobility and the influence of surface micro/nanostructure on heat transfer rates. Experiments were conducted on smooth hydrophobic, microstructured SH, nanostructured carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube (CICNT) surfaces, and two-tiered SH surfaces with both micro and nanostructures. Heat transfer rates were measured under humid air flow rates in the range of 2–4 CFM. Experimental results demonstrate that surfaces with nanostructure (including two-tiered structures) exhibit increased drop mobility and coalescence-induced drop jumping, enhancing drop removal rates and overall heat transfer …

Modern Day Saints And The Production Of A Contemporary Pilgrimage Site: Comparative Analysis Of St. Pio Of San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy And Sai Baba Of Shirdi, India, Kiran Shinde, Anna Trono Prof

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Places valorised by saints have attracted pilgrimage for a long time as devotion to saints is a way to achieve both material wellbeing and spiritual growth. Yet, the cult following of modern-day saints in contemporary societies has become a topic for exploration only in recent years (Di Giovine, 2010; Shinde & Pinkney; 2013, Srinivas, 2008). A few excellent hagiographies discuss the material and non-material world created around charismatic modern-day saints with global followership (Waghorne, 2004; Weiss, 2005; Shepherd, 1986). Given the immense popularity of modern-day saints many questions arise- what kind of pilgrimage landscape is created around them? Are they …

Who Seeks Help? Characteristics Of Doctors Accessing Mental Health Support In England: 4-Year National Review, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundMental health difficulties affect the well-being of doctors and compromise the delivery of healthcare. However, large-scale data on doctors’ mental health needs are limited.AimsDescribe patterns of self-referrals for mental health support among doctors in England and explore associations with demographic factors, speciality, neurodevelopmental and mental health indicators.MethodObservational study using data from doctors who self-referred for mental health difficulties to a national service in England over a 4-year period. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between speciality and mental health indicators.ResultsOf the 16 815 doctors who self-referred during the study period, 80% were under the age of 49 and 70.6% …

‘Male Victims Of ‘Honour Crimes’: A Critical Examination Of The Concepts Of ‘Honour’ And The Wider Debates Surrounding ‘So-Called Honour-Based Violence’ And ‘Hate Crime’, Narissa Maclennan-Matthews

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

This thesis critically interrogates the experiences of male victims of ‘so-called honour-based violence and abuse’ (SCHBVA) through an intersectional criminological framework. It draws primarily on Barbara Perry’s theories of ‘Doing Difference’ (2001; 2003) and the ‘in terrorem effects’ of hate crime (Perry & Alvi, 2012), alongside insights from Structural Criminology (Hartjen, 1978; Kramer, 1985) and Humanistic Criminology (Hagan, 1986). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with male survivors and criminal justice professionals, and employing thematic and case study analysis, the study examines how violence is produced and legitimised across intersecting axes of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and religion.Building on Perry’s conceptualisation of ‘Doing …

Exploring And Increasing Women’S And Girls’ Recreational Ocean Access In A Coastal Community In The Tropical Majority, Florence Barraud

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

Vast gender inequalities restrict women’s and girls’ access to ocean spaces, particularly in the tropical majority. Globally, 68% of women cannot swim, compared to 43% of men. In many coastal communities, women are key stewards of highly biodiverse yet vulnerable marine environments that people rely upon for food security, livelihoods, culture, and coastal protection. Being able to swim is imperative for enabling access to the dominant environment and a core recreational, educational, and economic space. This study aimed to explore and increase women’s and girls’ recreational ocean access in the Maldives, a tropical majority island nation.Utilising a pragmatic feminist approach, …

Systematic Review Of Early Childhood And Pre-Primary Education, Anna Dabrowski, Yung Nietschke, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Michelle Hsien, Dan Cloney, Tim Friedman

Early Childhood Education

This systematic review synthesises global evidence from academic and grey literature published between 2015 and 2025, examining effective policies and interventions aimed at increasing ECCE participation across diverse country contexts, with a focus on equity dimensions such as gender, disability, socio-economic status and geographic location. The multifaceted nature of increasing ECCE participation is highlighted, exploring institutional, interventionist, preventative, and compensatory policies as per the GEM policy typology, while emphasising equity, quality, and contextual factors. These categories reflect the different levels and areas within which policies operate, noting that in practice, approaches to increase ECCE participation often are combined or overlap.

Elevated Temperature Flexure Behavior Of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Zrb2–Zrsi2 Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites, Jacob Stacy, Aaron Ginsparg, Jason Lonergan, Jeremy Watts, Gregory Hilmas

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ultrahigh temperature ceramic matrix composites (UHTCMCs) were fabricated from unidirectional prepreg tapes consisting of a matrix of ZrB₂ with 5, 10, and 15 vol.% ZrSi₂ additions and continuous polyacrylonitrile carbon fibers and were densified at 1600°C in a hot press. The relative matrix densities ranged from 88% to 93% with interlayer spacings of ∼72 µm and fiber volume fractions between 30% and 36%. Phenolic resin additions were utilized to react with ZrSi₂ acting as a transient sintering aid to form ZrC and SiC phases. Elastic moduli of the UHTCMCs decreased with increasing temperature during 4-pt flexure testing. …

Quantitative Grain Structure And Texture Analysis Of Hot-Pressed Zrb2 Via 3d Ebsd, Randi Swanson, Michael Chapman, Yue Zhou, Ashley Hilmas, Lisa Rueschhoff, Michael Uchic, William Fahrenholtz, Scott J. Mccormack

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Understanding and controlling the grain structure of ZrB₂ is critical for optimizing its mechanical and thermal performance in high-temperature applications. Fully dense ZrB₂, densified by hot pressing at 2150˚C and 32 MPa, was analyzed in three dimensions using electron backscattered diffraction, electron and optical microscopy, and mechanical polishing serial sectioning. Grain size followed a gamma distribution, with extreme deviations observed only in the largest 0.1% of grains. Large grains exhibited plate-like morphologies, with the shortest-to-longest axis ratio converging to ∼0.4 as grain volume increased. This work revealed a crystallographically controlled growth mechanism orthogonal to [0001] that is …

Simulated Lunar Gravity Testing Of A Magnetic And Electrostatic System For Beneficiating Lunar Regolith, Blake A. Coffman, Gabriel Porter, Lindsay Manteufel, Mitchell Cottrell, Jeffrey D. Smith, David J. Bayless, William Shonberg, Frank D. Han, Fateme Rezaei, Kirby Runyon

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present the design and testing of a lunar regolith beneficiation device that utilizes magnetic and electrostatic separation methods to concentrate desired minerals by removing unwanted material, such as the mineral anorthite, from bulk lunar regolith. The beneficiated materials would have value for downstream in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) processes such as metal extraction, oxygen extraction, and metal oxide additive manufacturing processes. The apparatus uses a dual-strength magnet system with N52 and N42 neodymium magnets to separate particles by magnetic susceptibility. The electrostatic separation system, which acts like a sieve, sorts the regolith simulant by particle size using a single-phase 50% …

Sadqn-Based Residual Energy-Aware Beamforming For Lora-Enabled Rf Energy Harvesting For Disaster-Tolerant Underground Mining Networks, Hilary Kelechi Anabi, Samuel Frimpong, Sanjay Madria

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The end-to-end efficiency of radio-frequency (RF)-powered wireless communication networks (WPCNs) in post-disaster underground mine environments can be enhanced through adaptive beamforming. The primary challenges in such scenarios include (i) identifying the most energy-constrained nodes, i.e., nodes with the lowest residual energy to prevent the loss of tracking and localization functionality; (ii) avoiding reliance on the computationally intensive channel state information (CSI) acquisition process; and (iii) ensuring long-range RF wireless power transfer (LoRa-RFWPT). To address these issues, this paper introduces an adaptive and safety-aware deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework for energy beamforming in LoRa-enabled underground disaster networks. Specifically, we develop a …

Overcoming Resolution Vs. Throughput Trade-Offs In Ceramic Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Via Viscoelastic Filament Stretching, Abid H. Rafi, David W. Lipke, Jeremy L. Watts, Gregory E. Hilmas, Ming C. Leu

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fabricating large, monolithic ceramic parts using material-extrusion additive manufacturing remains challenging due to difficulty maintaining uniform moisture content during printing, which can lead to drying-induced defects such as warping and cracking, especially as part size and print time increase. Fabricated parts have trade-offs among print resolution, high throughput, and structural fidelity. Our study has shown that increasing the ratio of nozzle traverse speed vs. material extrusion speed increases filament stretching in viscoelastic ceramic paste, helping to overcome the trade-offs between resolution and throughput. Using aqueous ZrB2–SiC (70/30 vol.%) as a representative ultra-high temperature ceramic paste, rheological characterisation revealed viscoelastic yield-stress …

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 …

Code-Switching, Identity-Shifting, And Identity Distress Among Black Undergraduate Women Attending Predominantly White Institutions, Erin Smith

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Code-switching (altering language or speech) and identity-shifting (modifying appearance or behavior) are adaptive strategies often used by individuals from marginalized groups to navigate environments shaped by dominant cultural norms. Although these behaviors are commonly discussed in qualitative literature, relatively few quantitative studies have examined their psychological correlates among Black undergraduate women attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs). These behaviors may function as coping strategies in response to racialized and gendered expectations, yet the psychological implications of these strategies remain understudied. The present study examined the relationships among identity distress, code-switching, identity-shifting, and gendered racial identity centrality within a diverse sample of …

Building Eden Where We Can, Ireland Thomas

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Building Eden Where We Can is a nonfiction memoir told in vignettes that come together to build a wider story. Through these vignettes, we are shown a narrator who is simultaneously surviving an abusive family, navigating a rare diagnosis, and coming to terms with their queerness. By braiding narratives and maintaining these various threads, this collection examines the intersections of sickness and religion, tradition and freedom, as well as fear and love. The lattermost dichotomy is represented in the narrator’s ultimate choice to leave behind a life of fear in the mother figure’s safe cage. In exchange, they receive a …

Between The Living And The Dead, Leona Strong

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Between the Living and the Dead is a collection of short stories and flash fiction that explores loss, generational abuse, abandonment, the sometimes brutal power of familial ties, and love in its many forms—both good and evil. This thesis aims to tease out, in the reader, moments of reflection, compassion and revelation. “Falling,” centers on a mother’s grief after her son dies by suicide and her attempt to move beyond perceived culpability and shame. She does this by jumping from a plane to embody his last moments and make the same decision…to live or to die. “And Baby Makes One,” …

Threads Of The Past: Exploration Of Banal Medievalisms In Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine, Evan Garrett Wallace

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This dissertation examines how medieval historical narratives circulate within contemporary Western digital discourse surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian political rhetoric has frequently invoked the medieval polity of Kyivan Rus’ to assert civilizational continuity between the medieval past and the modern Russian state. While these claims have been widely discussed in political and media contexts, less attention has been given to how such narratives appear within everyday online discourse. This study investigates how medieval references are mobilized, circulated, and interpreted within social media environments during the early conflict.

The research draws on a dataset of approximately 160,000 tweets collected from …

Photothermal Excitation And Optical Interferometric Readout Of Mos2 Nanomechanical Resonators, Sadia Afrin

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates for nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) due to their exceptional mechanical, optical, and electrical properties. Among these materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted considerable interest for nanomechanical resonator applications because of its low mass density, high mechanical strength, and semiconducting nature. This thesis presents the fabrication, theoretical modeling, and experimental characterization of suspended MoS2 drumhead resonators. The devices were fabricated by mechanically exfoliating MoS2 flakes from bulk MoS2 crystals and transferring selected flakes onto pre-patterned substrates using a dry-transfer process. Mechanical resonance was excited through photothermal actuation using a modulated blue laser, while device …

Cfd Analysis Of A Full Heat Exchanger Between Ammonia And Supercritical Co2 In Aviation Application, Mairah Ahmed

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The aviation industry’s transition toward lower-carbon propulsion systems has accelerated interest in alternative fuels, including ammonia–hydrogen fuel blends. In this work, a supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle is integrated with the exhaust stream of a turbofan engine to recover waste heat and utilize it for ammonia preheating and cracking. The recovered thermal energy raises the ammonia temperature to the level required for catalytic decomposition, enabling onboard hydrogen production. The proposed architecture combines ammonia cracking with a high-bypass, two-shaft turbofan engine representative of the propulsion system employed on the Boeing 737 MAX 8. This approach addresses the challenges associated with onboard hydrogen …