Digital Commons Network^™

Breech Baby, Madison Kaufman, Cassidy Allen, Lilian Mills

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Our project aims to develop a non-invasive device to assist in turning breech babies to a head down position before delivery. Pregnant women facing breech presentations often need safe and effective solutions, yet current options like external cephalic version (ECV), maternal positioning techniques, and cesarean sections can present challenges. Key barriers include variability in maternal and fetal anatomy, patient comfort, compliance, and training for healthcare providers, along with cost and insurance concerns.

Our innovative device will address these issues by providing clear guidance and support throughout the process. It will prioritize minimizing discomfort and risk, ensuring adaptability for various stages …

Undergraduate Student Support Survey And Scoring Guide, Kerrie A. Douglas, Adrian Gentry, Julie P. Martin, Tiantian Li

School of Engineering Education Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Heartbeats: Sustainable Practices In Business, Natalie Pham, Shareef Awadallah, Lily Lisco, Logan Blissenbach, Nikolaos Verginis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

HeartBeats Co. LLC is a premier audio and software technology brand that brings renewed character and performance to a stagnant space, revolutionizing the listening experience by engineering a digital music platform and headphones that possess distinct style and exceptional performance. While our team identifies and tracks trends in the market, we strive to establish market trends rather than to follow them. We are a company founded on innovation, redefining the music streaming market by combining the importance of wellness with the latest audio and software technologies and innovative functionalities. This document outlines a ten-year plan for efficient and impactful scaling, …

Bare Bones Creamery/Ice Cream, Hanna Pope, Mason Dexter, Stephen Parker, Evan Trumpower, Logan Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Essentially, our project focuses on the fictional company, “Bare Bones Creamery.” Bare Bones Creamery is a company that sells all natural, affordable, no nonsense ice cream targeted towards people between the ages of 18 to 40. Our main goal is to document the process to grow and scale this company to 100 employees in about 10 years. Outside of this, we’ll also develop different departments of the company including finance, accounting, supply chain, IT/ data analytics, human resources, legal, sales, and marketing. Each department will grow with the company and will become more detailed as time progresses. Certain variables such …

Pawpulse Dog Collar, Sean Graham, Hailey Barger, Connor Mulichak, Addison Towne, Kieran Nolan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

PawPulse is revolutionizing pet care through innovative technology that enhances pet health, safety, and well-being. Combining advanced hardware designs, AI-driven analytics, and IoT integrations, PawPulse offers a comprehensive ecosystem that empowers pet owners with actionable insights into their pets' health and activity. As a global leader in pet health technology, PawPulse integrates features like real-time health monitoring, predictive analytics, and location tracking into a seamless mobile app experience.

This project examines the growth and scaling strategies of PawPulse, focusing on critical areas such as Information Systems, Analytics, and Legal frameworks. It details the company's strategic evolution from a startup to …

Length Modulatin Hip Implant, Ethan Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Leg length discrepancy is a well-documented complication of total hip arthroplasty, commonly known as hip replacement surgery. Even small differences in leg length can lead to an altered gait, increased joint stress, and long-term postural issues that may affect a patient’s overall mobility and comfort. The current method for correcting this discrepancy often involves a follow-up surgical procedure, which extends recovery time and increases the physical and financial burden on the patient. To address these shortcomings, we developed a concept for an adjustable hip implant that can be lengthened noninvasively after surgery. The design incorporates an internally housed battery and …

The Impact Of Brexit On Uk Trade Flows: A Product-Level Analysis, Tyler J. Shean

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The United Kingdom formally left the European Union in 2020, a significant event known as Brexit. The separation caused political and economic consequences for the UK, particularly affecting trade flows in and out of the country. However, the extent of these impacts both in the short and long term-remains uncertain. This paper analyzes the impact of Brexit on exports and imports for the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU. The study also looks at industry-specific data, giving a detailed perspective on sectors that experienced the biggest consequences of the event. The World International Trade Solution (WITS) by the …

What Musical Meaning Does Conducting Gesture Convey, Jacob Benson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research proposal explores the meaning behind conducting gestures and their impact on musicians' interpretations of a piece. The project aims to determine whether individuals, regardless of their musical background, can watch a silent conducting video and infer musical intent based on gestures alone. Inspired by conducting studies, particularly those by Dr. Brian A. Silvey, the researcher will investigate how different conducting styles influence perception and ensemble response. The methodology involves recording a professional conductor during rehearsal and then showing the footage to participants from various skill levels, including undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members. Participants verbalize …

Spiders In The World Of Pesticides: A Review, Jackson L. Mendillo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Pesticides and other agrochemicals have varying effects on spiders depending on their mechanism of action and dosage, ranging from behavioral changes and ataxia, to reproductive changes and physiological stress, to lethal non-target effects. Additionally, peptide Hv1a has promising effects as a more narrow-spectrum pesticide.

Analysis Of Sessile Drop And Captive Bubble Contact Angle Measurements On Metallic And Hydrophobic Surfaces, Jack H. Darnell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Contact angle measurements are widely used to characterize surface wettability and determine changes in surface energy, yet the choice of measurement technique can significantly influence the results. This study compares the sessile drop and captive bubble methods for measuring contact angles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions on carbon steel, stainless steel, and a hydrophobic wafer. Additionally, the time‑dependent wetting behavior of water, SDS, polysorbate 20 (commercial name Tween 20), and rhamnolipids on a hydrophobic wafer was evaluated over a five‑minute period. Results show that the sessile drop method consistently produced higher contact angles than the captive bubble method on …

Surface Immobilization Of Stimuli-Responsive Polymers Using A Network Of Aminopropyltriethoxysilane, Walter Bungard, Ryan Nixon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this honors project is to develop a cost-effective and accessible method for entrapping stimuli-responsive polymers onto solid substrates using aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The entrapment network process will first be replicated on glass or silicon using APTES and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), involving spin coating and thermal annealing to chemically bond the polymer to the substrate. Once validated, the method will be applied to other stimuli-responsive polymers, including thermo-responsive, electroactive, and pH-sensitive types, with APTES as a control. For each sample, film stability, responsiveness, and surface behavior will be evaluated using contact angles, optical microscopy, and spectroscopic analysis, followed by statistical evaluation. …

Pipeline Corrosion And Relevant Microbial Influence, Renee E. Bamberger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study investigated the role of microbial activity and oxygen availability in the corrosion of carbon steel pipelines with a focus on microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). Sediment collected from Old Woman Creek, Ohio, was used to simulate natural soil conditions, and carbon steel coupons were incubated under four treatments: nonsterile oxic, nonsterile anoxic, autoclaved oxic, and autoclaved anoxic over 85 days. Corrosion was assessed through mass loss measurements and the analysis of pH, sulfate, chloride, and dissolved iron concentrations. The greatest mass loss was observed in autoclaved oxic conditions, contrary to the initial hypothesis that microbial activity would greatly enhance …

Long-Term Effect Of Aces On Children’S Mental Health, Substance Abuse, And Education, Annalisa M. Lobello, Kayla A. Kemer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This honors project will aim to discover how adverse childhood experiences (ACES) affect a child’s mental health, substance use, and education. ACES are potentially traumatic events that occur between ages zero to seventeen (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, 2024). Some examples could include experiencing violence, abuse, neglect, having a family member attempt or die by suicide, growing up around substance use, mental health problems, parental separation, and household members being incarcerated. ACES are widely recognized as powerful predictors on long-term outcomes of children. This proposal will highlight the importance of recognizing ACES within children, trauma-informed care, and appropriate interventions …

To Treat Or Not To Treat: Evaluating Antipyretic Use And Patient Outcomes In Febrile Care, Nico Teodosio, Brynley Harris

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This honors project aims to critically examine the evidence-based practice use of antipyretics in fever management, questioning whether suppressing fever is truly in the patient's best interests and if it benefits patient outcomes. Grounded in nursing, past nursing courses, and emerging research, this project aims to answer the following PICOT question: In febrile patients, how does withholding, or not administering, antipyretics compared to administering antipyretics affect patient outcomes during hospitalization? Through a literature review, this project will analyze studies from databases like PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on outcomes like recovery time, symptom severity, complications, and mortality. Using the PRISMA …

Network Merge, Alexander York

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will be simulating the merge of two company's networks. Company A will contain two sties connected with a VPN, and will extend this VPN to one site for Company B. This project will focus on researching how merging a network works, how routes are commonly redistributed across different routing protocols, and how each site can run their own but link servers(DHCP, DNS, etc.). Both sites will be secured from both outside and inside attacks through passwords and other network security features such as VLANs & BPDU Guard.

Reconnecting The Body With Nature: Inspired By Advances In Biomimicry, Elyse M. Orosa

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Reconnecting the Body with Nature: Inspired by Advances in Biomimicry will visually address the symbiotic relationship between nature and humans. The drawing series is inspired by the growing design field of biomimicry and its technological and architectural innovations influenced by nature’s systems and physical adaptations. Just as nature is limited by human misuse, humans are physically and neurologically limited by the state of the environment, and with this, form and function of both nature and humans will be equally represented and explored throughout the body of work presented. Biomimicry can help solve environmental issues such as rising CO2 emissions and …

The Influence Of Familial Substance Use Disorder On Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Substance Use Disorders And Participant Substance Use Behavior Among Emerging Adults, Elijah M. Lefeld, Jennifer Stanley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research project explores how the lived experience of having an immediate family member with a substance use disorder (SUD) influences a person’s perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors related to substance use. Rather than focusing on the individual diagnosed with SUD, the study examines the reciprocal impact on family members within the social subsystem. Using a quasi-experimental design, the project will compare participant responses using with and without a familial connection to SUD. Data will be collected through Qualtrics surveys distributed via SONA. These measures will record demographic information, personal substance use habits, attitudes toward addiction, perception of substance use disorders, …

The Connection Between Medicaid And Obesity In Northeast Ohio, Sophie Kheder, Emmie Kelley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Obesity is a major public health concern in the United States that is projected to increase exponentially over the next few years. Obesity is commonly associated with a lower socioeconomic status. Lower-income individuals tend to be supported by Medicaid, a federal insurance program for low-income Americans. Prior studies have shown a positive correlation between income status and obesity prevalence. Our goal was to find if there was a correlation between Medicaid patients and obesity in Northeast Ohio, to provide physicians with a set of characteristics to better combat obesity, since preventative and treatment guidelines are tailored to national trends. We …

Breaking The Vapor Barrier And Scale: Revolutionizing Steel Quenching With Ultrasound Technology, Anthony O. Santos

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The quenching process is a fundamental heat treatment used to enhance material properties by heating steel to its austenitizing temperature and rapidly cooling it to form high-strength martensite. However, this process is often hindered by two surface barriers: the Leidenfrost effect (vapor blanket) and oxide scale. These cooling limitations restrict the use of steel in high-performance aerospace applications due to inconsistent material properties and unpredictable engineering properties. This research investigates the use of fully submersible, 50-watt 40 kHz ultrasound technology to improve cooling rates in a Jominy test [4]. Through numerical simulations and experimental validation, the study demonstrates that acoustic …

Secure The Database: A Red Team, Blue Team Analysis Of Sql Injection, Andrew N. Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

SQL injection (SQLi) attacks are a type of cyberattack that seeks to bypass website logins and gain entry to sensitive information. These pose a significant danger to organizations holding confidential user information. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) like physical addresses, emails, phone numbers, social security numbers are at risk of theft. Login credentials like usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information like financial details and social security numbers are also exposed through SQLi attacks. SQLi attacks harm the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of people’s identity. Additionally, data breaches that reach public battention harm the reputation and trust of organizations. SQLi attacks rank …

Optimized Returning Floating System (Orfs/Orfeus), Jordan A. Mcclelland, Adam J. Belluardo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

We are developing a proof-of-concept modified guitar tremolo system for an electric guitar that can automatically optimize tuning adjustments when a player transitions between tuning schemes using a cam system. Currently, changing tunings takes about 10–15 minutes because adjusting the tension on one string affects the tension of the others. Our design aims to compensate for these interactions and significantly reduce the time required to switch tunings.

Large Telescope Mount For Long Exposure Photos, Payne M. Landis, Anna J. Gray

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

When viewing the stars through a telescope, it is common that the object you are viewing drifts out of view. Many amateur astronomers seek to capture long exposure images of the stars, planets, and galaxies with commercially available sky tracking telescope mounts. The complication is that these telescope mounts are both incredibly expensive and have low weight limits. These issues limit accessibility to these products based on the telescope. For each person, telescope parameters determine the amount of light and magnification that can be viewed, which then determines exposures time for adequate photo results. The options on the market for …

Thermal Radiation Effects On Particles From Plasma Arc Radiation, Reece Davis, Joseph Mcgee

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Understanding the radiation heating and transport of both microparticles and nanoparticles is a phenomenon that is critical for both space and Earth sciences. In space, these particles are heated by plasma arcs within ionized space clouds or solar flares and can be present the path of deep space missions and orbital satellites. While on Earth, processes such as forest fires, nuclear fusion, and microchip manufacturing include the plasma arc heating of particles. These particles lay within the Mie Scattering Regime and Rayleigh Scattering Regime and emit radiation differently based on their diameter. New mathematical and computational modeling has been conducted …

Akron Soap Box Derby Super Kids Car, Alexis Schultz, Cooper Sites, Sean Stevenson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to redesign the All-American Soap Box Derby Super Kids vehicle to enhance safety, accessibility, and performance while maintaining full compliance with official regulations. The Super Kids program enables children with physical and cognitive disabilities to race alongside a co-pilot, but the current vehicle design presents challenges in stability, entry/exit accessibility, and control—especially following recent regulation changes that increased vehicle speed. The redesigned car will focus on improved ergonomics, lightweight construction, and structural integrity within a $1,000 budget and a 165 lb weight limit.

An iterative engineering design process will guide the project through research, CAD modeling, FEA …

Aquaflow Pro, Ashton Henley, Jeannie Fritz, Khalin Rubbo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Changing aquarium water is a hassle, and when done incorrectly, it will result in changes in water quality and potential harm to aquatic life. Aquarium water changes are crucial in removing toxins such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. There is a need for an automated, stressless fish tank water-changing solution that ensures aquatic safety. To this end, an automatic temperature-controlled fish tank water changing system was designed, carrying out a water change for a designated main tank in which water heated within an inbound reservoir is pumped into the tank to replace the outbound water, responding to both the tank’s …

Development Of A Signature Model For Predicting Normal Boiling Point Using Machine Learning, Mackenzie Karabin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this project was to utilize the Signature molecular descriptor to construct a predictive model for computing the normal boiling point using a 4856-compound dataset. The final model intends to be applied to screening compounds whose experimental normal boiling point values are not readily available. Compounds were deconstructed into their height-1 atomic Signatures, resulting in 225 unique descriptors for the dataset, which were used as independent variables for creating the model. Machine learning (ML) techniques were employed to evaluate the applicability and accuracy of different ML models for predicting normal boiling point using the Regression Learner App in …

Kruss Modifications, Anderson W. Howard

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My project focuses on modifying a test device in the AETL to allow for high temperature test to be performed. I am also adding modifications to make it safer to perform tests using the high-pressure system.

Predictive Structural Modeling In Ansys And Destructive Testing For Composite Structures, Dylan Matthews, Grant Abraham, Andrew Raineri

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Composite structures are central to the performance and reliability of Zips Racing’s Formula SAE vehicles, yet the team currently relies on historical data and partially unvalidated assumptions when selecting carbon fiber layups. This project aims to establish a quantitative, experimentally validated framework for designing composite components through the integration of simulation modeling, physical fabrication, and destructive mechanical testing. Analytical laminate theory models developed in MATLAB and laminate simulations created in Ansys ACP will be used to predict stiffness, strength, and failure characteristics for a range of candidate layups. These predictions will be validated through controlled testing of fabricated composite coupons …

Clear Skies, Avery C. Munn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Air quality impacts public health, environmental sustainability, and quality of life. However, accurate and easily accessible short-term air quality forecasting is challenging to find. This project, Clear Skies, presents a machine learning–based system for forecasting next-day Air Quality Index (AQI) levels across regions in Ohio. By using historical pollutant data with variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure, the system finds relationships that traditional statistical models often don’t show.

Machine learning models are evaluated alongside AI techniques to find the environmental factors that influence AQI predictions. This helps reduce the “black box” nature of many AI systems …

Words Taking Root: The Psychological Effects Of Eco-Poetry On Eco-Anxiety And Connectedness To Nature, Erika Anderson

Psychology | Senior Theses

Eco-anxiety is fear and disorientation about climate change (Budziszewska & Jonsson, 2022) and is related to nature connection and pro-environmental behaviors (PEB; Curll et al., 2022; Jalin et al., 2024). Poetry therapy has aided a patient in developing new perspectives for coping with their eco-anxiety (Raile, 2024), but there is no research on the effects of eco-poetry on eco-anxiety. In the present study, participants read eco-poetry and reported their eco-anxiety, connectedness, and emotions relating to nature. I hypothesize that an optimistic eco-poem will lower eco-anxiety and increase nature connection, and the more participants engage in eco-poetry, the higher their eco-anxiety …