Digital Commons Network^™

Education Through Design For Social Empowerment, Lorenzo Imbesi, Luca D'Elia

Learn X Design Conference Series

The critical framework of education through Design-based practices emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning and its role in expanding STEAM education models. This approach leverages enabling technologies, such as digital fabrication tools, to provide transformative educational experiences that address societal challenges. This contribution explores how Design-based educational practices can serve as tools for social empowerment in marginalized communities, specifically examining the integration of STEAM methodologies with digital fabrication technologies to address educational poverty and foster social inclusion. The study discusses a case study focused on eight workshops in Ostia Ponente, where collaboration between universities, local authorities, and social organizations sought to combat …

From Pockets To Peace: A Letter For Designers, Michelle Helman

Learn X Design Conference Series

This letter for designers presents a focused position on utilizing a design justice framework as an effective method and approach in design education and design research contexts. Through a storytelling method, the letter offers examples of a design justice framework applied in theory and practice within the intertwining disciplines of peace, health, and education. The intended audience is educators, researchers, and practitioners engaged in design practices. The letter is shared as an invitation for readers to reflect on how they might experience design and its impacts, and to consider their approaches for collaborative research, education, and idea-sharing as a means …

Teaching Materials Experiments In Product Design, Sandra Dittenberger, Stefan Moritsch, Agnes Raschauer

Learn X Design Conference Series

Ecological challenges have moved the engagement with materials to the forefront in product design as well as in design education. Apart from the focus on materials experience, increased attention is being placed upon the development of (new) materials in the process of designing. While there is no shortage of diverse approaches and methods for conducting materials experiments, the handling of the knowledge gained in the course does not yet approach scientific standards. The increasingly transdisciplinary context in which designers collaborate with other disciplines generates a growing need to prove the effectiveness and possible impact of the results gained. Thus, product …

Move Slow Or Fail Fast? Enhancing Stem Design Education With Ai-Assisted Iterative Workflows, Yingying Sun

Learn X Design Conference Series

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into industrial design education offers transformative potential, particularly within the interdisciplinary context of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs. This paper explores how AI-assisted, hypothesis-driven approaches can address cross-disciplinary challenges and enhance the iterative design process in STEM-related design projects. Using a controlled comparative study, we investigate the efficiency and interdisciplinary knowledge integration enabled by AI tools such as Large Language Models (LLMs). Our findings reveal that AI not only accelerates workflows by automating routine tasks but also fosters deeper exploration of technical and contextual knowledge. Participants leveraging AI demonstrated greater productivity, producing …

Positioning Roles Of Ai Representations In Creative Conversation, Lisha Ren, Zhiwen Deng

Learn X Design Conference Series

In design practice and education, emerging representations and tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are challenging the dominance of sketches as the primary creative medium. However, the role of these new representations in design disciplines and education remains ambiguous. To address this ambiguity, this paper proposes a "creative process as conversation" framework to understand representations and tools within the creative process. This framework decouples representational mediums from creative acts driven by subjective intent and knowledge source, revealing the cognitive functions of representations in ideation.. The conversational perspective clarifies AI's advantages: generating inspiring representations, accessing expansive knowledge resources, and integrating different …

Design Futures Pedagogy: Does The Type Of Exercise, Year Of Study, Order, And Number Of Exercises Matter?, Peter Scupelli, Paulo Carvalho

Learn X Design Conference Series

Teaching design for long-term, societal-level sustainability requires design students to learn new design methods that combine Futures Thinking with Design Thinking. This paper explores three questions: (a) how to teach Futures Thinking methods; (b) when to incorporate Futures Thinking into the undergraduate curriculum; and (c) how many exercises to assign to teach a futures method. In this paper, we focus on the Futures Thinking method called Causal Layered Analysis (CLA). Previous research has shown that a “Studio Project CLA” exercise is three times more effective than a “Personal Futures CLA” in helping students apply CLA to their design work. In …

Neodesign: The Loss Of Craft, Imagination And A Playful Attitude, Rodrigo Hernández Ramírez, Yaron Meron

Learn X Design Conference Series

Since around the turn of the millennium, a “New Design” ethos gradually emerged. It is a reformulation of design entrenched enough to warrant a term of its own: Neodesign. Repackaged as a procedural, risk-averse, sandboxed version of the design process, aimed especially at non-designers, Neodesign has nevertheless come to be seen as the measure against which design practice is measured outside of design practice. In this paper, we argue that craft, imagination, and playfulness are crucial aspects of what makes design design and, arguably, one of the reasons why the discipline has been well-received in business circles. We further explore …

Living Lab For Human Life In Space. New Education Experiences., Laura Succini, Valentina Gianfrate, Veronica Pasini

Learn X Design Conference Series

Over the past two decades, advanced design cultures have worked to integrate complexity management and long-term vision into design practices and learning models. Learning is no longer seen as a transmissive process, but rather as an intentional, active practice involving reciprocal activities of action and reflection, experimentation and prototyping. What happens, however, when designing for extreme contexts such as deep space? How can this field be used to improve the education of future designers? Building on the Responsible Advanced Design approach, the paper presents the results of the Space Living Lab, a learning environment and an experimental system applied to …

Designing Scaffolding Cards For Design Challenges In K-12 Settings, Saad Shehab, Jane Pak, Roya Attarian, Michelle Heredia

Learn X Design Conference Series

This paper explores the development of scaffolding tools, specifically a card template, to support high school teachers and students in human-centered design (HCD) problem-based learning challenges. Drawing on research-supported design principles, we present a versatile template that can be used to create cards that can support students as they work on design challenges. We demonstrate the use of the template to create cards that can facilitate high school students’ engagement in design challenges that apply math and design to address social justice issues. We present our plans for prototyping the design and use of these cards with teachers and students …

Permaculture Of Game Development Education: The Intertwined Nature Of Games Research And Game Design Practice, Asli Tece Bayrak, Sofia Piven

Learn X Design Conference Series

Game development is an interdisciplinary collaborative process which involves programming, art, and design expertise. A game development education, therefore, builds upon the already unique challenges of learning game programming and game art, while acknowledging that successful video game development relies on designing and producing compelling player experiences. Given this complexity, to date there is not a standardized approach to building game development curriculum. Recent curriculum overviews reflect a large degree of variation in foci - technical degrees focusing on courses such as mathematics, physics, programming, graphics or art degrees focusing on courses such as 2D or 3D art, animation, world …

Understanding & Application Of Rigor In Qualitative Design Research, Andrew Russell, Zach Pino

Learn X Design Conference Series

A lack of rigor is an existential issue for the field of qualitative design research. Rigor is essential to research of any kind being seen as reputable, but a dearth of applied means creates less-than-rigorous research. There is increased risk when acting upon less-than-rigorous research. Qualitative design researchers are quick to speak of the importance of rigor in their field, but the literature shows few speak to its application when designing its methodology. This study aims to understand how rigor is defined and applied in qualitative design research. We conducted a controlled study, consisting of an interview and survey, with …

Open Systems, Shared Practices: A Case Study For Postdisciplinary Design Education, Johannes Pointner, Albert Lang, Marc Pfaff

Learn X Design Conference Series

The M.A. Design & Computation program exemplifies the establishment of interactive learning frameworks that prioritize self-directed and collaborative approaches to knowledge production. Developed as a joint initiative by the Berlin University of the Arts and the Technical University of Berlin, the program integrates participatory design methodologies, iterative processes, and decentralized structures to address the complexities of contemporary challenges. Through key components, such as teaching, its spatial design, and its extended institutional framing, the program creates a dynamic environment where students engage in postdisciplinary collaboration and critically reflect on emerging technologies and societal issues. This paper explores how these interactive frameworks …

Let’S Figure This Out Together: Building Social Support Through Cross-Pollinative Design Studio Pedagogy, Zhengping Liow, Ye Zhang

Learn X Design Conference Series

In an era characterised by global interconnectedness and complexity, integrating diverse perspectives through cross-pollinative design processes has become paramount. However, the unidirectional, the ubiquitous One-on-One Master-Apprentice design studio pedagogy has negated the potential of Social Support towards a divergent and explorative design process. This study discussed the impact of social support on academic scores of beginning design students in two district studio pedagogical frameworks: the traditional One-on-One Master-Apprentice model and the experimental Cross-pollinative Team Learning (CTL) studio pedagogy. With a longitudinal quantitative Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) design, participants’ perceptions of Social Support as Teacher-student relationship (TSR) and Student-student relationship (SSR) …

Community-Based Learning Experiences Of Graduate Education Students Within Applied Statistics And Science: Emerging Insights, Carla J. Thompson, Sandra B. Davis

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Integrating community-based learning in graduate education programs is an emerging trend in the United States. This study examined community engagement in graduate educational statistics and science education using four procedures: (1) defining a conceptual framework aligned with National Standards for Community Engagement; (2) examining 10 community-based learning applications from graduate education programs in statistics and science relative to standards; (3) determining specific emerging characteristics of community-based learning; and (4) providing insights for graduate education programs.

Dispositions Of Higher Education Faculty Toward K-12 Community Outreach, Brett L. Bruyere, Marcos Roybal, Rebecca Thomas

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study assessed the preparedness and willingness of faculty at a land-grant university to conduct outreach to youth about science. Using a mixed-methods design, faculty were aware of some components of effective youth outreach, but fail to acknowledge the importance of other critical pieces such as linking outreach to educational standards. This study has implications for higher education administrators, particularly those who perceive our universities as a resource for addressing the low science achievement in the United States.

Uncovering Optimal Gains In Hotel Mergers In The Presence Of Correlated Inputs: An Integrated Owa-Inverse Dea Framework, Amar Oukil, Ahmed-Amin Soltani

The Journal of Engineering Research

Though Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are strategic transactions that have long been intertwined with the hospitality sector, the application of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to hotel M&A has been largely overlooked. In this paper, we introduce a new methodological framework that integrates inverse DEA (IDEA) and the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator to evaluate pairwise consolidations among hotels in the event of strong input correlation. While IDEA enables effective identification of all productive post-merger hotels, i.e., hotel mergers with potential input gains, the OWA aggregation is essentially prompted by the possible occurrence of inputs’ correlation. Rather than discarding inputs arbitrarily, …

Effective Maintenance Management Framework Through A Health Index: A Case Study In The Oil And Gas Industry, Khalid Al Fahdi, Hakan Gultekin, Emad Summad

The Journal of Engineering Research

The oil and gas sector is transforming rapidly, driven by global energy demand and the need to address climate change. Effective maintenance management is critical for ensuring asset reliability and operational safety in this sector, where predictive and proactive strategies replace traditional reactive maintenance practices. This paper introduces a comprehensive health maintenance management framework designed to enhance oil and gas industry maintenance practices. The proposed framework includes six essential stages: asset registration, maintenance strategy selection, capability promotion, maintenance implementation, reporting, and continuous improvement. A key innovation of the framework is using a Health Index (HI), which provides a quantitative and …

A Pre- And Post-Pandemic Analysis Of The Reading College Readiness Of Texas Hispanic Boys By Their Economic Status, Sa’Myra K. A. Bradford, John R. Slate

School Leadership Review

In this multiyear study, we addressed the relationship of economic status (i.e., Economically Disadvantaged, Not Economically Disadvantaged) to the reading college readiness skills of Texas Hispanic high school boys. Texas statewide data on the state-mandated English I End-of-Course exam were obtained for two years pre-pandemic and the last four years post-pandemic. The three grade level standards on the STAAR English I End-of-Course exam (i.e., Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level) were analyzed by economic status. Inferential statistical analyses revealed that lower percentages of Hispanic boys who were economically disadvantaged met the Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade …

Performance Of A Two-Body Wave Energy Converter With An Annular Heave Plate, Raj Tamakuwala, Muhammad Usman, Nathan Tom, Hassan Masoud

Michigan Tech Publications

We theoretically examine the performance of a two-body wave energy converter (WEC) featuring a floating sphere and a submerged annular heave plate, connected by a power take-off (PTO) system. Utilising linear wave theory, we derive the system's frequency-domain response to regular plane waves and analyse the impact of varying disk porosity on power generation. Our results suggest that annular disks can enhance power extraction efficiency in various cases compared with solid heave plates. Additionally, permeable plates can broaden operational conditions by reducing oscillation amplitudes and decreasing the mechanical strain on the PTO system without substantially compromising the power conversion efficiency. …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Tier Iii Restorative Practices: An Examination Of The Teacher-Student Mentorship Program And Disciplinary Approaches Towards Students With Disabilities, Jacquelyn M. Van Orden

Theses and Dissertations

This program evaluation was initiated to determine the effectiveness of a one-on-one mentorship program at Maple Grove Middle School. The program emerged in response to a troubling pattern in disciplinary data from the previous school year, of which 18 students received ten or more discipline referrals in 2023-2024. Notably, 14 of these students were classified with a disability, highlighting a disproportionate rate of disciplinary action towards students receiving special education services. In an effort to address this issue, each student was paired with a mentor, with the intent to provide support for positive behavior, and an improvement in academics. This …

Functional Role Of Cysteine Residues In Vtlr Of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens, Suravi Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil-dwelling plant pathogen known for transferring DNA to host plants through a type IV secretion system. Central to its virulence and cellular regulation is the LysR-type transcriptional regulator, VtlR, which controls processes including biofilm formation, motility, tumorigensis, and small RNA expression. Although VtlR’s regulatory role is established, the specific functions of its conserved cysteine residues have only recently begun to be explored. This study investigates VtlR’s four cysteines (C144, C236, C244, and C273) through site-directed mutagenesis and a combination of phenotypic assays and transcriptional profiling. Phenotypic assays confirmed that C144 and C273 are important for proper …

Quality Improvement Project Enhancing Nursing Faculty Competency In Dimensional Analysis: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Kimberly Mcdonald

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication dosage calculation errors remain a persistent concern in nursing education and practice, often tied to inconsistent teaching methods that leave students unsure and underprepared. Dimensional analysis (DA) has been shown to improve accuracy and confidence in solving dosage problems, yet many faculty have not received structured training in this method. To address that gap, a quality improvement (QI) project introduced a six-week DA training program for nursing faculty in a pre-licensure program. The initiative was guided by the Roy Adaptation Model and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, with change supported through Kotter’s 8-Step Model and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. Using a quasi-experimental, …

Applied Linear Regression Techniques To Biomedical Research And Detecting Change-Points To Enhance Model Flexibility By Improving Interpretability And Applicability, Hoang Vu

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines change-point detection in statistical models through the framework of two-way truncated linear regression with threshold effects. Our work is based on Two-Way Truncated Linear Regression Models with Extremely Thresholding Penalization (TWT-LR with ETP) by Teng and Zhang (2022) which is an innovative approach extends traditional linear regression by incorporating potential change-points in both intercept and slope parameters, effectively handling multiple change-points through a specialized penalization technique that shrinks small coefficients to zero. This methodology demonstrates remarkable effectiveness in identifying significant change-points while maintaining computational efficiency. We propose a framework that models both upper and lower thresholds in …

Investigation Of Micronized Rubber Powder As An Alternative To Polymer Modifiers In Asphalt Pavement, Md Torikul Islam

Student Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have increasingly focused on polymer additives to enhance asphalt pavement performance. Crumb rubber (CR), derived from waste vehicle tires, has emerged as a potential modifier. This study investigates Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP), smaller than 75 μm, as an alternative to polymer modifiers. A PG 64-22 binder was modified with 5%, 10%, and 15% MRP (by weight), and the properties were compared with those of an SBS-modified PG 70-22 binder. Physical, mechanical, and chemical properties were assessed. The results indicated that MRP significantly increased viscosity and required higher processing temperatures. MRP-modified binders demonstrated improved rutting resistance, creep recovery, high-temperature performance, …

Designing A Hybrid Renewable Energy System For The College Of Engineering And Computer Science At Arkansas State University, Partho Das Neer

Student Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this thesis is to design and analyze the performance of a hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for the college of engineering and computer science at Arkansas State University. By implementing the framework as a micro-grid to supply the required power to the Lab Science West building of the college. The proposed model ensures energy reliability and cost reduction. The model consists of photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), and batteries, whereas MATLAB software was used to design the system and the Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP) Software is utilized to analyze the effectiveness of the operation …

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Diversity And Water Quality As Indicators Of Wetland Health In Natural And Constructed Wetlands Of Northeast Arkansas, Helena Grace Wheeler

Student Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to different abiotic factors drives a shift in macroinvertebrate communities. In wetland systems, soil is the primary driver of the aquatic system. Analyzing community dynamics in association with soil composition, water physiochemical properties, wetland size and age is valuable in determining wetland health. Little research has been done to examine the direct relationship between wetland soil parameters and macroinvertebrate communities. Macroinvertebrate diversity, community composition, and soil and water composition data were analyzed from natural wetlands, Agricultural Conservation Easement - Wetland Reserve Easement Program (ACEP-WRE) wetlands, and agricultural wetlands within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Sample collection occurred from February to …

Extensions Of Multicurve Stabilizers Are Hierarchically Hyperbolic, Jacob Russell

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Works

For a closed and orientable surface S with genus at least 2, we prove that the π₁(S)-extensions of the stabilizers of multicurves on S are hierarchically hyperbolic groups. This answers a question of Durham, Dowdall, Leininger and Sisto. We also include an appendix that employs work of Charney, Cordes and Sisto to characterize the Morse boundaries of hierarchically hyperbolic groups whose largest acylindrical action on a hyperbolic space is on a quasitree.

09.22.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award
• MIG Application Opportunity
• 10th Annual Advancing MS Conference

Quantum General Relativity, James Glimm

Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

We construct a quantum general relativity model of spin 2 Yang-Mills fields, complete at the level of theoretical physics with complete mathematics not included. The construction includes a cosmological model. Existing Type Ia supernova data analysis used for this cosmology shows zero cosmological constant and zero dark energy.

Designing For Shalom: Deepening Faith Integration In Engineering And Technology, Fred Haan

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Presented on 9/22/2025 at the event, Integration of Faith and Learning in the Disciplines at the University Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia