Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of A Stem-Based Enrichment Unit On Gifted Sixth Graders’ Academic Achievement, Problem-Solving Skills, And Attitudes Towards Stem, Aisha Abdulkader Cheikhmous

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This study aimed to examine the effect of a STEM-based enrichment unit on gifted learners’ academic achievement, problem-solving skills, and attitudes towards STEM. The participants were 33 female sixth-grade students attending the Elite Stream at a public school in the United Arab Emirates. To collect the data, the study followed a triangulation mixed-methods research design where the qualitative data was collected from the researcher’s observations during the program implementation. Furthermore, the quantitative data was obtained from a content-based test that focused on problemsolving skills, a survey on students’ attitudes towards STEM, and the End-of-Term summative achievement exam scores in Mathematics, …

Thomas Pereira’S 'Lülü Zuanyao' 律呂纂要 (Ca. 1685): A Jesuit Music Theory Textbook For The Chinese Emperor, Qingfan Jiang

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

Thomas Pereira (1646–1708), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, arrived in Beijing in 1672 and was appointed by the Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722) as his music tutor. For the emperor's music lessons, Pereira authored Lülü Zuanyao 律呂纂要 [Elements of Music] (ca. 1685), the first known Western music theory treatise written in Chinese. My translation includes the first half of Zuanyao that focuses on Western music notation, solmization, and the hexachordal system. As a product of the global circulation of musical knowledge in the early modern period, Zuanyao is significant in three ways. First, it illustrates the direct influence of the music education Pereira …

A Machine-Learning Tool-Supported Methodology For Nonprofit Donor Analysis, Corbin Weiss

Campus Research Month

We developed a machine-learning tool-supported methodology for modeling the nonprofit donor relationship. This approach was demonstrated in the case of a US-based nonprofit. Conclusions were drawn from this example and tool-support provided for use by other nonprofits.

The Effects Of Ai Tutors On Beginner Programmers*, Karan Swansi

Campus Research Month

Generative AI’s ability to solve coding problems has raised concerns about Computer Science (CS) education. However, recent research has shown promise in its ability to tutor students. Specifically, The literature does not tend to adequately preserve desirable difficulties, such as active recall or higher-order thinking. And when they do, they use self-reporting instead of experiments to measure the effectiveness of the AI tutor.

Our research will address this significant research gap by using a no-code AI tutor to preserve desirable difficulties, and a randomized control experiment followed by a post-test to obtain strong evidence that AI can be an effective …

How Potential Is Potential Evapotranspiration For Representing Droughts In The Western U.S.?, Adison Davis, Grace Affram, Cody Ratterman

Student Research Symposium

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) identifies areas in drought and labels them by severity.

Looking Good: The Math Behind Computer Vision*, Corbin Weiss

Campus Research Month

Exploring the mathematical foundations of a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), a foundational approach to computer vision. Then expanding this understanding to create a visualization of the representation of reality in the MLP.

Mitigation Of Lunar Dust Charging Issues Using Electron Yield, Christopher Vega

Student Research Symposium

What is Electron Yield?

• Electron Yield(EY): Ratio of electrons in over electrons out

Characterizing The Hydrology Of Rock Glaciers And Other High-Mountain Stream Types In The Intermountain West, Usa, Jace Kjar, Anna Shampain

Student Research Symposium

Rock glaciers are high mountain landforms composed of an ice core covered and insulated by unconsolidated talus (Figure 1). Rock glaciers—like other forms of mountain snow and ice (e.g., surface ice glaciers)—are vital water sources in high mountain ecosystems. However, the relevance of rock glaciers for mountain hydrology has been largely overlooked. For this project, I helped to collect and analyze stream flow data from 17 sites across the Wasatch, Teton, and Northern Rockies mountain ranges including rock glacier and non-rock glacier streams. By including multiple sources, our goal was to place rock glacier streams in context.

The Effects Of The Action Rate And Binding Density On Sensitivity In Lateral Flow, Mona Soroush

Student Research Symposium

Lateral Flow Assays (LFAs) offer rapid diagnostics, yet sensitivity remains a critical limitation. This study used a mathematical framework—the Convection-Diffusion-Reaction (CDR) equation—to optimize sensitivity by adjusting parameters such as flow velocity (U), association and dissociation rates (k_on and k_off), and nanoparticle valency. Our simulation results closely matched literature data (Berli & Kler, 2016), demonstrating significant enhancements in sensitivity with optimized parameters.

Physical Interpretation Of The Dynamic Dual-Defect Model Of Radiation Induced Conductivity, Tyler Heggenes, Jenny Whiteley

Student Research Symposium

• Spacecraft charging is the main source of spacecraft anomalies [A]
• Spacecraft are often made of resistors
• Arcing can end a project early

Modulation Of The Pacific Meridional Mode On The Dipole Pattern Of The Conus Summertime Precipitation, Grace Affram

Student Research Symposium

Historically, the precipitation trend over the past few decades in the Contiguous United States (CONUS) exhibits a "Dry-West Wet-East" pattern; this is manifested by recent droughts/floods in the western/eastern US. However, it remains elusive what atmospheric phenomenon has potentially driven such a remarkable, and impactful precipitation pattern. Here we found that a coupled climate mode—the Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM) exerted strong impacts on the precipitation pattern over the CONUS during the summer season. We discovered a significant association between the PMM index and precipitation across the CONUS; this was manifested as a zonal dipole pattern—negative correlations in the western U.S. …

Exploring The Geometry Of Einstein's Field Equations: Understanding The Mathematics Behind Curved Spacetime, Morgan Maxwell

Student Research Symposium

Einstein's equations describe how spacetime bends in response to mass and energy:

On Mach's Principle In General Relativistic Cosmological Models, Zach Zito

Student Research Symposium

General Relativity

1. Gravity is the mechanism by which matter influences inertia
2. This influence happens across a spacelike hypersurface
3. Geometrodynamic equations mathematically describe this influence

Fiber Bundles Of The Complex Projective Space And Their Relation To Quantum Physics, Emily Wessman

Student Research Symposium

The complex projective space CPⁿ is the space of lines through the origin in Cⁿ⁺¹ with an equivalence relation defined by Z ~ λZ' for λ ∈ C*. We define the points under the equivalence relation as homogeneous coordinates, represented by [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... Z_n]. Since all Z,sub>i cannot equal zero, we can find a unique set of n coordinates (z₁,...,z_n) such that [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... : Z_n] ~ [1 : z₁ : ... : z_n] where z …

Synthesis Of Pristine Graphene On Cu Substrates Within A 3d Parameter Space, Max Haehnel

Student Research Symposium

We designed a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition system wherein the toluene combines with the carrier gas flow to contact with the substrate within the quartz tube. As toluene is a liquid at room temperature, we froze the toluene using liquid nitrogen before pumping down the chamber to low pressure. Substrate cleanliness and preparation proved to be essential in the synthesis process.

Solving The Structure Of An Ancestral Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Natalie Turcsanski, Edna Armah

Student Research Symposium

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate cell signaling by removing phosphate groups from tyrosine residues. Malfunction of these enzymes can lead to diseases such as diabetes and cancer. A conserved feature among PTPs is the catalytic acid loop, essential for phosphate removal. Computational analysis of PTP structures revealed that ancestral PTPs have considerable variation in conformations of this loop, sparking interest in their further study. The Asgard group, identified as ancestral to eukaryotic PTPs, was successfully expressed and purified under optimized conditions. Current efforts focus on optimizing crystallization to obtain larger crystals for structural analysis. This project will investigate the allosteric …

Determining The Function Of Type Iv-B Crispr-Cas Systems, Eric Jenkins, Brendon Guinn

Student Research Symposium

CRISPR-Cas systems are a diverse group of prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that defend against Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) such as bacteriophages and plasmids. CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins bind to guide RNAs (crRNAs) transcribed from a DNA repeat array (CRISPR array) containing spacers complementary to MGEs. Upon infection by a MGE, the Cas protein-crRNA complex binds to the target sequence in the invaders genome and cleaves the nucleic acid.

Immigration, Almendra Ramirez, Leslie Villagomez

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Immigration issues are a prominent topic in the United States. The United States is known for freedom and better living conditions. In the United States there are about 50.6 million immigrants, making up about 15% of the total population. However, an estimated 10.5 million individuals are paying the most in taxes and they help with agriculture, the immigration policy which brings fear and high risk of families being separated. The path to residency is long and difficult, especially for those seeking immediate improvements in their lives. Therefore this research seeks to bring awareness and educate the American public on this …

Food Insecurity In The Philippines, Hannah Dennis, Kassidy Lake, Esther Van Horn

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Overconsumption and food waste in the United States have a major impact on food insecurity globally, including in the Philippines, due to the dependency of food production from these countries. The Philippines is a country currently devastated by food insecurity, leading to malnutrition and poverty because individuals are unable to meet their basic nutritional and economic needs. Currently, 44.7% of the population in the Philippines faces moderate to severe food insecurity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that food waste is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the …

Barriers To Seeking Help, Randall Haws

Student Research Symposium

• One of the major barriers to completion of an academic degree is completing the mathematics or statistics requirement
• Studies indicate that college mathematics course have the highest rates of withdrawal and failure of any category of college courses
• Research indicates failure or withdrawal from a college course has a significant impact on the resilience and persistence in college

Mathematical Modeling Of Color Perception Using Differential Equation, Siavash Pooretemad

Student Research Symposium

Color perception begins in the retina, where three cone types (L, M, S) detect light and initiate neural signals. These signals are processed by horizontal and bipolar cells to form opponent color channels: red-green (RG), yellow-blue (YB), and light-dark (LD). Perception is not solely based on physical input but also shaped by neural adaptation and context.

This project models color perception using a differential equation approach, simulating how color contrast and adaptation emerge from interactions between photoreceptors and lateral inhibition.

We hypothesize that a system of differential equations can model how retinal cone cells respond to and process light intensity, …

Women's Suffrage In The Cedar Valley: Professionalism And Women's Activism At The Iowa State Teachers College, 1860-1920, Amber Hoodjer

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

This presentation is titled “Women’s Suffrage in the Cedar Valley: Professionalism and Women’s Activism at the Iowa State Teachers College, 1876-1920” because in it, I will discuss the culture on the ISTC campus, attitudes towards suffrage, and how ISTC’s activism was connected to the larger community.

Evaluation Of Several Chromatographic Resins On The Separation Of Dates Sugar And Their Impact On Other Compounds In Dates, Ahmed Al-Alawi, Siham Al-Shaibi, Wesonga Ronald

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Dates are one of the most important food commodities in the Middle East countries, including the Sultanate of Oman. The fruit is regarded as a highly nutritious and healthy food. However, there are two million tons per year of dates that are abandoned waste worldwide. The objective was to establish an optimized method to separate sugars from dates using chromatographic resins and know the effect of those resins on the other ingredients. Fard date and three strong-cation gel-type resins (DOW-Ca, PCR-Ca and PCR-Na) were used in this study. The free-sugar extracts were analyzed by HPLC-MS method to quantify sugars and …

Using Ca-Markov Model To Predict Land Use/Land Cover Changes In Bayer And Al-Bassit Region, Latakia, Syria, Ola Merhej, Mahmoud Ali, Ali Thabeet

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Recently, land use change models have become important tools to support the analysis of land use dynamics. This research was aimed at the evaluating and predicting the land use/land cover change dynamics in Bayer and al-Bassit region of northwestern Latakia, Syria. In this paper, we used Cellular Automata and Markov Chain models to predict the LULC changes that are likely to occur by 2030 in Bayer and al-Bassit region. Three Landsat images acquired in the years of 1992, 2005, and 2018 were classified using Maximum Likelihood Classification algorithm and used as the input data for CA-Markov models. Kappa index was …

Rehydration Ability Of Native Dried Date (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) Fruits Soaked In Orange Juice, Habiba Messaid, Lamia Ait-Ameur, Salem Benamara

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Algerian date (Phoenix dactylifera L., dried variety Mech-Degla) fruits (DFs) are of low commercial value. To our knowledge, research on the rehydration of DFs by soaking in citrus or other fruit juices is limited. The present paper reports on the soaking process of naturally dried DFs in orange juice (OJ). The DF rehydration ability was analyzed by applying two levels factorial design with three responses (DF weight gain, OJ °Brix and DF breaking strength) and three factors (soaking temperature “X1”, soaking time “X2” and OJ volumetric fraction “X3”). The optimal experimental conditions (X1 = 5 °C, X2 = 24 h …

A Review On Solar Drying Of Fish, Abdulrahim Al-Ismaili

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Oman is one of the larger fish producers in the region. Due to high perishable rate of fish products, many preservation techniques were used such as smoking, drying, chilling, brining and freezing. Solar drying is the most popular technique due to its simplicity and low cost compared to other techniques. Objective. This study aims to review the different types of solar drying techniques and highlight the quality measures of solar dried fish. Review findings. Solar drying techniques can be divided into three types; open-sun drying, direct and indirect solar drying. The open-sun drying is the most adoptable method because it …

Use Of Soil-Structured Capillary Barrier Can Mitigate The Impact Of Saline-Irrigation Water On Marigold Grown Under Field Condition, Mohammed Said Al-Mazroui, Rashid Al-Yahyai, Said Al-Ismaily, Anvar Kacimov, Hamed Al-Busaidi

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Capillary barriers (CBs) as engineered porous composites is novel and promising technology for mitigating salinity and drought stress of plants. This study aimed to imitate a naturally formed CB structure recently discovered in the reservoir bed of Al-Khoud dam at the Governorate of Muscat in northern Oman and to test the impact of this unique CB on mitigating the salinity stress of marigold plants grown under an open field condition. A plot was constructed and divided into “structured” (engineered cascade CB design) and “unstructured” soils and planted with marigold (Tagetes erecta) plants that were subjected to four salinity treatments (control …

Moisture And Temperature In A Proppant-Enveloped Silt Block Of A Recharge Dam Reservoir: Laboratory Experiment And 1-D Mathematical Modelling, Anvar Kacimov, Ali Al-Maktoumi, Said Al-Ismaily, Hamed Al-Busaidi

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Mosaic 3-D cascade of parallelepiped-shaped silt blocks, which sandwich sand- lled cracks, has been discovered in the eld and tested in lab experiments. Controlled wetting-drying of these blocks, collected from a dam reservoir, mimics field ponding-desiccation conditions of the topsoil layer subject to caustic solar radiation, high temperature and wind, typical in the Batinah region of Oman. In 1-D analytical modelling of a transient Richards’ equation for vertical evaporation, the method of small perturbations is applied, assuming that the relative permeability is Avery-anov’s 3.5-power function of the moisture content and capillary pressure is a given (measured) function. A linearized advective …

Agricultural Resources Management Through A Linear Programming Approach: A Case Study On Productivity Optimization Of Crop-Livestock Farming Integration, Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya, Romy Das

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

The crop-livestock integrated farming system practiced in most developing countries depends to a greater extent on the ecosystem as a whole. The importance of animals as an agent of nutrient recycle, sources of rural energy in terms of draft power and fuel as well as major contributor of the farm economy, has resulted into increased population of ruminant stock in these regions creating threats to the sustainability and productivity of land resources. This case-study research attempted to formulate optimum herd size compatible to different resource holding farm categories within the sub watershed in mid hills region of Nepal. The research …

In-Situ Colour Correction For Digital Images Acquired Under Non-Standard Lighting Conditions, Annamalai Manickavasagan, P. M. K. Alahakoon

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Computer vision techniques using colour images are becoming popular in food and agriculture sector. Need of a standard illumination source is an important criterion in this approach to determine various attributes based on RGB values of the objects. In general, under laboratory conditions with standard lighting, an imaging system performs with high consistency in digitizing colour. However, in field conditions where the availability of a standard light source cannot be guaranteed, the colour interpretations may not yield accurate results. The objective of this study was to develop a simple algorithm to compensate for the variations in RGB values due to …