Digital Commons Network^™

Largely Enhanced Out-Of-Plane Electromechanical Coupling Effects In Two-Dimensional Molybdenum-Disulfide/Boron-Nitride Heterostructures, Qiong Liu, Vijay Kumar Choyal, James E. Morris, Timon Rabczuk, Xiaoning Jiang, Xiaoying Zhuang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The electromechanical coupling effects in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted great interest. However, for 2D TMDs, piezoelectricity is confined to the basal plane, and the flexoelectricity-derived out-of-plane electromechanical response is usually faint, limiting the applications of this material family using the out-of-plane electromechanical effects. Here, this work reports a facile strategy to greatly enhance the out-of-plane electromechanical response of hexagonal molybdenum disulfide (2H-MoS₂) nanoflakes by stacking monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) on 2H-MoS₂ nanoflakes to form MoS₂/BN heterostructures. The d^eff/₃₃ coefficient of MoS₂/BN can reach a value comparable …

Estimating Electric Power Consumption Of Grid-Enabled Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters, Dana Paresa, Robert Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present two methods for estimating compressor electric power consumption of residential heat pump water heaters. Power is calculated using data from voltage and current instrumentation, which add costs and potential failure points to the unit. The two methods presented herein use thermal instrumentation or derived data that are typically included within modern residential heat pump water heaters. One method uses data from lower and upper tank temperature sensors. The other method uses an attribute that is commonly available within grid-enabled flexible load heat pump water heaters. For both methods, fit equations were derived, for which coefficients are tuned to …

A 14-Year Content Analysis Of School-Family Partnership Publications In Counseling: Trends, Gaps, And Future Directions, Yi-Wen Su, Dan Li

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This content analysis examined 55 articles on school-family-community partnerships published in counseling journals between 2010 and 2024, identifying trends in publication type, methodology, and population focus. Most articles (54.54%) were conceptual, with Professional School Counseling leading in publication volume. Limited empirical research and a lack of focus on diverse populations were noted, with only 18.18% addressing racial minorities (primarily Latino and African American) and 5.45% focusing on rural communities. Four primary strategies for strengthening partnerships emerged: Inclusivity, Leadership and Empowerment, Equity-Focused, and Consistent Communication—each aligning with the school counselor’s roles in fostering collaborative, equitable partnerships. Recommendations emphasize a need for …

Evading A Post-Truth World: Rorty’S Foundationless Philosophy For An Acculturating Education, Madhu Narayanan

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

A challenge for educators is how to teach in a “post-truth” world. Lies, fake news, and a gleeful disregard for facts – what I collectively term mis/information – all seem to undermine the very project of education. The pragmatism of Richard Rorty holds promise to address such issues. I first argue that Rorty’s philosophy of education is of limited use, whereas his broader thoughts on a philosophy without foundations are more relevant. I then suggest that a way forward is to evade the fight against post-truth dynamics altogether. An insistence on rational objectivity and foundational truth are at the root …

Rising From The Ashes: Reading Impacts And The Effects Of Recovery Educational Services Following A Major Natural Disaster, Tiffanie Lousia Lambert

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation examined solutions to improving literacy outcomes for students in an elementary school that experienced a wildfire during the pandemic. School data revealed lagging reading growth among students displaced by the wildfire despite educational recovery efforts. A root cause analysis to understand students' limited reading recovery led to more global concerns about school-wide literacy programming and the limited use of evidence- based approaches. School-wide data revealed that fewer than 30% of students in the school met literacy benchmarks since the wildfire. Though the fires disproportionally impacted low-income neighborhoods with higher representation of English Learners and students receiving …

Beyond Traditional Education: Graduation Rates At An Alternative High School, Kayla Dawn Marie Crook

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

The study addressed the problem of practice of improving on-time graduation rates for students in alternative education settings. Traditional educational systems often fail to meet the unique needs of students in alternative education programs, which could lead to increased barriers towards on-time graduation. Based on improvement science principles, this research utilized Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to systematically test and refine prioritized change ideas to mitigate these barriers with the goal of increasing graduation rates at the focus school. These change ideas included improving social emotional learning through teacher coaching, personalizing attendance calls, and developing individualized student success plans. Through rapid iterative …

Addressing Disparities Among Latine Students In Special Education, Jesabel Jannette Centeno

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study used Improvement Science to understand and address the overrepresentation of Latine students identified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in elementary school settings. It highlighted the processes and systems that impacted Latine students' educational opportunities and services--emphasizing the need for culturally and linguistically aligned instructional practices. The study was set in a suburban school district in the Pacific Northwest, where many Latine students received special education services. It investigated the root causes of SLD over-identification among these students. It suggested that enhancing educational outcomes required a focused effort to reduce over- and under-identification in special education. The document now …

Aquatic Invasive Species Survey And Treatment On Lake Umatilla And Lake Celilo 2023-2024 Report, Garbiel E. Campbell, Jacob Rose

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) is an invasive aquatic plant in the Pacific Northwest that threatens salmon habitat. The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs staff surveyed for this and other aquatic species from 2023 and 2024 in the Columbia River in Lake Umatilla and Lake Celilo. This document summarizes their survey efforts including their protocols, data, and small-scale removal efforts.

Challenges In Adapting Fibre Optic Sensors For Biomedical Applications, Sahar Karimian, Muhammad Mahmood Ali, Marion Mcafee, Waqas Saleem, Dineshbabu Duraibabu, Sanober Farheen Memon, Elfed Lewis

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Fibre optic sensors (FOSs) have developed as a transformative technology in healthcare, often offering unparalleled accuracy and sensitivity in monitoring various physiological and biochemical parameters. Their applications range from tracking vital signs to guiding minimally invasive surgeries, enabling advancements in medical diagnostics and treatment. However, the integration of FOSs into biomedical applications faces numerous challenges. This article describes some challenges for adopting FOSs for biomedical purposes, exploring technical and practical obstacles, and examining innovative solutions. Significant challenges include biocompatibility, miniaturization, addressing signal processing complexities, and meeting regulatory standards. By outlining solutions to the stated challenges, it is intended that this …

Numerical Methodologies For The Analysis Of Horizontal-Axis Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (F-Hawts): A State-Of-The-Art Review, Naghmeh Akbari Zadeh, Peter Ryan, David M. Kennedy, Fergal O’Rourke

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

In recent decades, wind turbine installations have become a popular option to meet the world’s growing demand for energy. Both onshore and offshore wind turbines form pivotal components of the electricity sector. Onshore wind energy is now a mature technology, with significant experience gained by wind farm developers and operators over the last couple of decades. However, as a more recent enterprise, the offshore wind industry still requires significantly more development before the technologies and operations reach maturity. To date, floating platforms at sea have been utilised extensively for the oil and gas industry. While a lot of the expertise …

Radiobiological And Dosimetric Comparison Of Imrt And Sbrt For Prostate Cancer Treatment Planning, Najmun Naher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Radiation therapy is one of the most effective and widely utilized methods for treating prostate cancer, employing high energy rays or particles to eradicate cancer cells. Among the available techniques, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) are commonly used approaches that enable the delivery of a conformal radiation dose to the target tumor while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. This study presents a comparative analysis of these two treatment plans for prostate cancer based on radiobiological and dosimetric parameters. IMRT treatment plans for prostate cancer patients were collected, and corresponding SBRT plans were developed using …

Age-Group Differences In Friend Influence Over Academic Achievement And Physical Activity, Laury-Ann Bedard Leclerc

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Speculation about the developmental shifts in the magnitude of peer influence has outstripped empirical research. Friends are assumed to be particularly influential at the onset of adolescence, as adult oversight declines and the salience of peers increases. Few studies, however, have explored age-group differences in the magnitude of friend influence over academic achievement and physical activity. The present longitudinal study compares friendship dyads in late childhood (grades 4-5) versus early adolescence (grades 6-7), describing the strength of their mutual influence across peer- and self-reports of academic achievement and physical activity. Participants included 170 adolescents (99 girls, 71 boys) in 85 …

Meta’S Ai Bias To What Extent Do Meta's Algorithmic Processes For Classifying And Processing Information Related To Acts Of Racism Impact Fairness, Bias, And Social Justice Across Its Platforms?, Shanique Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Algorithmic processing and classification of racism-related content have become increasingly prevalent across Meta's platforms. While these algorithms aim to create safer online environments, their effectiveness and impact on fairness remain understudied. This research examines how Meta's algorithmic processes for classifying racist content affect fairness, bias, and social justice across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Using qualitative research methodology, the study conducted focus groups with diverse platform users to understand their experiences with content moderation. The research also analyzed theoretical frameworks related to algorithmic bias, fairness metrics, and social justice in digital spaces.

Key findings revealed significant variations in algorithmic effectiveness across …

Does Federal Funding Address Fundamentals? Examining The Equity Effects Of Title I On Student Achievement, Veda Hudge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation examines the equity effects of Title I funding on student achievement in Broward County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. Title I, established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, aims to address educational disparities by providing financial resources to schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. Despite over five decades of federal intervention, significant achievement gaps persist, particularly among marginalized populations. This study investigates the effectiveness of Title I funding in improving student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics during the period 2016–2020.

Using a quantitative research …

Geospatial Methods For Interpreting And Managing Coastal Landscape Dynamics, Nithish Manikkavasagam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Coastal landscapes are dynamic interfaces shaped by natural forces and human activity, requiring precise, multiscale monitoring for effective conservation. This research investigates some of the coastal monitoring challenges related to shoreline erosion, terrain modeling, and mangrove species classification at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (ONA), a 120-acre coastal preserve in southeast Florida. The first study applies conditional entropy and partial correlation to assess the relationship between shoreline retreat and environmental variables using UAS-derived shoreline data collected from 2017 to 2023. The second study enhances Digital Terrain Model (DTM) accuracy, a critical factor in erosion assessments, by applying RandLA-Net, …

Institutional Learning And International Student Enrollment: A Case Study Of Perceptions Of Practice, Debra Szabo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation examines the application of Peter Senge’s Learning Organization Theory at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), focusing on administrators' perceptions of institutional learning amid increasing international student enrollment. Higher education institutions must balance market-driven behaviors with collaborative learning environments as they navigate a competitive global landscape.

The study stresses the need to investigate institutional learning outcomes and the impact of rising international student enrollment on university policies, procedures, and organizational learning. It explores the relationship between espoused theories, strategic goals designated by FAU, and theories-in-action, which reflect actual practices in recruiting and supporting international students. By integrating Argyris and Schön's …

Pid Auto-Tuning For Usvs: A Multi-Evolutionary Optimization Ai Approach, Xavier Navarro Vicent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

USVs play a critical role in a wide range of marine applications, where precise station-keeping is essential for tasks such as autonomous launch and recovery of an onboard aerial drone. Maintaining a stable position in a dynamic marine environment requires robust control strategies to counteract external forces, including wind, waves, and currents, which can introduce vehicle oscillations and positional errors. To optimize the operability limits of the vehicle based on sea state, weather conditions, and mission requirements, the USV must be carefully tuned. Traditionally, the tuning is performed manually, which is time-consuming and can lead to operational delays. This study …

Investigating Treatment Planning Parameters For Proton Arc Technique In Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy, Umesh Rana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Proton arc pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy is a novel approach to treating complex cancer in the field of radiation therapy. It provides conformal dose coverage to the CTV while reducing dose to healthy tissues. Unlike traditional proton therapy modalities, such as intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT), which primarily relies on static beam delivery, proton arc utilizes a rotational approach to irradiate the tumor from a multitude of angles, utilizing an arc of proton beams. The successful clinical implementation of proton arc PBS technology necessitates the development and validation of advanced treatment planning optimization algorithms and treatment planning techniques to …

Commissioning Of Electron Blocks In Monaco And Diode Correction Factors, Sadaa Alotaibi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This work examines the Elekta Monaco TPS Monte Carlo electron beam dose calculation model for electron treatment planning. The primary goals are to commission electron blocks and establish correction factors for diode measurements with the use of ion chamber output as references, improving dosimetric procedures and adhering to the AAPM for clinically acceptable precision. Output factor measurements of diodes were compared to ion chamber OFs on a 6 MeV to 15 MeV Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator. TPS calculations were held on the Monaco TPS system. To balance the computational costs and accuracy of the solution, grid sizes of 2 …

Machine Learning Applications In Epigenomics And Its Association With Health And Disease, Trevor Doherty

Doctoral

Epigenetic modifications can lead to altered phenotypes without a change in the DNA sequence itself. Disrupted gene expression regulated by epigenetic processes can result in cancers, autoimmune diseases and various other maladies. Machine learning (ML) involves the use of algorithms and models which are trained to learn patterns in data, and has demonstrated remarkable success in solving diverse, complex challenges. Epigenomic studies, such as those that use DNA methylation (DNAm) data, increasingly make use of ML techniques to process extremely high dimensional data obtained from high throughput platforms e.g., DNAm arrays. These datasets suffer from the curse of dimensionality, increased …

Middle-Level Teachers’ Attitudes On Disciplinary Literacy Instruction In The Non-Ela Classroom, Katherine E. Bowers

Dissertations

The persistent gaps in student achievement, particularly in the context of discipline-specific literacy skills, across public schools in the United States continue to widen. With a focus on South Carolina, this study investigates how professional development efforts have sought to address these gaps and enhance literacy instruction. Despite many initiatives, testing scores and teacher perceptions reveal limited progress in literacy outcomes. The study discusses a key challenge: the lack of substantial literacy instruction beyond English language arts (ELA) classes, resulting in a growing disparity between literacy mastery and the current reality. The research acknowledges the existence of literacy-focused professional development …

2025 Document For Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day Soirée, Stacy Penk, Diana Symons

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

No abstract provided.

Reform For Realists: The False Promise Of Condorcet Voting, G. Michael Parsons, Rachel Hutchinson

Marquette Law Review

As Americans grow disenchanted with democracy, many scholars suggest that election reforms may offer a path forward. The fastest growing of these reforms is ranked choice voting (RCV). In RCV elections, voters rank candidates in order of preference: first, second, third, and so on. The candidates with the least support are eliminated, and ballots that ranked those candidates count for their next choice instead. This method has over a century of use in public elections and provides proven benefits well-suited to many of the problems facing our country.

Yet some social choice theorists now argue that reformers have backed the …

Stability And Resonance Of Cylindrical Wave Energy Converters, Gregory M. Ballen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

With increased focus on wave energy converters that produce power in multiple degrees of motion, more tools are necessary to understand the behavior of these devices and cause them to reach critical resonance points. This thesis uses Floquet theory and a numerical solver to understand how a WEC of given parameters operating in surge, heave and pitch may approach points of instability using feedback control schemes. It finds that a WEC reaches these resonance points when the surge and pitch motions are driven to resonate at either the same frequency as the heave motion, or at half this frequency. This …

Heuristic Approaches For Coordination Of Heterogeneous Robotic Systems In Harvesting Automation With Size Constraints, Hyeseon Lee

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis presents the development of path planning algorithms for the coordination of heterogeneous robotic systems while considering size constraints. The objective is to generate practical and efficient solutions for real-world applications. The use of heterogeneous collaborative robots is beneficial in many applications, such as transportation operations in warehouses or manufacturing environments, surveillance, and monitoring, and task allocation and path planning are critical techniques that need to be addressed to deploy in real-world applications. This research focuses on automating lavender harvesting, where robots with varying capabilities must collaboratively navigate complex field layouts to efficiently complete harvesting tasks.

The problem considers …

Environmental And Silvicultural Factors Associated With Northern White-Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) Seedling Regeneration In Harvested Lowlands, Victoria J. Hunter

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis) plays a vital ecological and cultural role in North America's eastern hemi-boreal forests, yet its regeneration is often sparse and difficult to manage, especially in lowland conditions. To assess factors influencing cedar seedling densities, we surveyed 430 plots across 135 harvested cedar-dominated lowland stands (1–72 years post-harvest) over a broad geographic region. Most plots (73%) harvested in the last century and 90% of those harvested in the last decade had absent or understocked cedar seedling densities (0–5000/ha). Seedling density increased with time-since-harvesting, density of retained overstory cedar trees, denser canopy closure, and decreased with …

Interactions And Applications Of Optical Angular Momentum In Magneto-Optical Material, Seth R. Nelson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation explores the interactions and applications of optical angular momentum within magneto-optical materials. Beginning with a theoretical and experimental analysis of multiple reflection and refraction phenomena within magneto-optical material. We derive and verify the dependence of refractive indices on optical spin angular momentum and magneto-optical magnetization, resulting in nonreciprocal elliptical and linear polarization beam splitting effects and wavevector discretization. We fabricate a magnetless slab waveguide isolator with minimal optical loss. Extending our study to optical orbital angular momentum, we introduce a perturbation to the electronic transition model in bismuth-substituted iron garnets. We demonstrate that this perturbation leads to nonreciprocal …

Linear Response Of Driven Non-Hermitian Photonic Systems, Lucas R. Simonson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The notion of non-Hermitian engineering in optics and photonics has attracted considerable attention in the past decade. From laser devices and sensing applications to light trapping and guiding, non-Hermitian engineering provides additional degrees of freedom that allows for more control over light-matter interaction. It is thus of great importance to develop a deep insight into the linear response of non-Hermitian optical systems. We begin by studying the linear response of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems under general conditions and derive an expression for its Green's operator in terms of its eigenvectors and its canonical Jordan vectors. Next, we investigate the quantum noise …

Developing A Graphql Mesh Federated Api Gateway: Rapid Integration Of New Endpoints Into A Predefined Schema, Noah Kolczynski

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Navy’s Undersea Warfare Decision Support System (USW-DSS) uses data from an ever growing number of sensors, accessible through an equally growing number of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Due to the lack of standardization among these sensors and APIs, as the system has continued to grow, the challenge of collecting and using these data has become increasingly prevalent. Previous work at Michigan Tech, in collaboration with engineers at ARiA (Applied Research in Acoustics LLC), introduced a GraphQL Mesh federated API gateway. The gateway would enable the combination of diverse API sources into a predefined hierarchical structure. This report follows the …

Knowledge Integrated Deep Learning For Enhanced Fault Diagnosis And Prognosis For Rotating Machinery And Its Applications On Marine Systems, Yunsheng Su

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation develops a knowledge-informed deep learning framework for robust fault diagnosis and prognosis across various engineered systems, including bearings, lithium-ion batteries, and mooring systems in wave energy converters (WECs). A deep transfer learning (DTL) method is first developed to improve bearing fault diagnosis by fusing data from multiple sources and extracting key features using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Building upon this, a knowledge-informed deep network (KIDN) framework is proposed, integrating physics-based features with deep learning to enhance diagnostic accuracy and generalizability. A constrained Gaussian process (CGP) model is further employed to guide adaptive network design and reduce model tuning …