Digital Commons Network^™

Building Another World, Christopher Edwards

Capstones

"Another World" is a mutual aid hub in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The space was opened in June 2025 and is ran by the Crown Heights Care Collective, a mutual aid network started in 2022. Another World hosts free events surrounding political education and provides basic needs like food and clothing to residents of the area. In just a few months, the group has made inroads in a diverse community altered by gentrification.

Fedchae: Federated Learning With Client Clustering And Hybrid Adaptive Engagement, Chaeeun Park

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

As machine learning adoption expands, data privacy concerns have grown significantly. Federated Learning (FL) addresses this challenge by allowing clients to train locally and share only their model parameters with the server. However, conventional FL methods such as FedAvg suffer from high communication overhead, as all clients must participate in every global round.

This paper proposes FedChae (Federated Learning with Client Clustering and Hybrid Adaptive Engagement) to balance communication efficiency and model accuracy. FedChae alternates between Grouping Rounds, where all clients perform clustering, and Conventional Rounds, where one client per cluster updates the model.

Simulations with 100 clients using Multi-class …

Empowering Wireless Mesh Uav Networks Through Software-Defined Networking, Hieu Quang

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been widely deployed in applications such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and surveillance. Effective coordination between UAVs depends on low-latency inter-UAV communication to exchange state information, decisions, and other critical data. UAV networks are inherently dynamic which necessitates a framework capable of handling scenarios such as traffic re-routing, and resilience to communication failures. To address the challenges of managing dynamic UAV networks, this thesis proposes a dual network approach composed of three main components. First, the Better Approach to Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (BATMAN) protocol is used to enable communication among UAVs. Second, the OpenFlow protocol …

2025 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 13. 
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Susan Kehl

Improving The Electrochemical Properties Of Mno2 By Doping With Fe For Water Splitting And Supercapacitor Application, Joseph Okwe

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

An Abstract of the Thesis by

Joseph Okwe

These days when the issue of energy is talked about, it is usually more than just the usefulness of different types of energy. This topic now encompasses ways of generating and storing energy in the most efficient and sustainable way. For this reason, various research has shown that materials that are fabricated for the purpose of energy storage and conversion also find applications in other areas such as water splitting and supercapacitors. And so certain materials, when synthesized, can serve more than one purpose in either generating or storing energy. This project …

Efficacy Of Oil And Gas Production Site Remediation In U.S. Arid/Semi-Arid Regions, Skye Ontiveros

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Oil and gas production (OGP) is expanding, paralleled by its polluting leaks and spills (LS), and outpaced by its waste. This raises the question: Does remediation of LS occur effectively when needed to protect the environment and public, particularly in major producing regions like arid/semi-arid regions (ASAR), which account for approximately 72% of US oil and 42% of gas production? To answer, a review of the eight largest national remedial laws, sourced from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), identified 14 OGP exemptions for remedial determinants (RDs): factors affecting remedial frequency and efficacy (e.g. LS monitoring and chemical disclosure). An …

Design And Evaluation Of The Influence Of Mutual Induction On Microbial Electrolysis Cell Performance And Biogas Production, Ashley L. Blackwell

Civil Engineering ETDs

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) present a pathway for energy recovery in wastewater treatment by converting organic substrates into methane or hydrogen. Traditional MEC designs typically rely on physical electrode contacts and expensive materials, which restrict their scalability. This study introduces the first induction-based MEC that uses mutual inductance between an external copper wrap and an internal coil to generate a fluctuating electrical potential, removing the need for expensive electrodes. The induction-stimulated reactor showed faster total organic carbon removal and a higher CH4/CO2 ratio compared to a conventional anaerobic digester, indicating improved carbon-to-methane conversion, although total gas yield remained similar. Microbial …

How To Talk To A Seahorse: Communication In Transmasculine Gestational Experiences As Told Through Narrative, Emerson Armstrong

Communication ETDs

Transmasculine experiences before, during, and after pregnancy were evaluated using focus groups and autoethnographic research. As transgender people are more likely to experience inequality in healthcare encounters, this project aims to shed light on, and counter sensationalized accounts of male pregnancy, as transmasculine gestational individuals sought normalization in their experiences of pregnancy. Seven focus groups consisted of 90 minute sessions, with a total of 15 participants. Transcripts were analyzed using a trans narrative approach to find a greater understanding about identity construction, challenges, and changes around trans pregnancy. Asking about communities and healthcare experiences worked to create a complete picture …

Graph Based Planning With Guarantees, Trazon Tyrik Jimerson

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This thesis presents two graph-based methods with formal guarantees for motion planning and routing. First, the invariant-set motion planner (ISMP), which uses constraint admissible positive invariant (CAPI) sets of closed-loop dynamics, is adapted for spacecraft attitude planning to avoid moving keep-out zones. Contributions include time bounds for maneuvers via exponential stability, a single-stage reachability graph from one-step backward reachable CAPI sets, and its multi-stage expansion to certify node safety over time. Simulations verify safe attitude control with moving obstacles. Second, we formulate a convex optimization problem over a network for evacuation planning with operational constraints such as helicopter capacity and …

Simulation Of Stress Induced By Laser Heating Of Glass, Austin Marsh Schuberth

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The purpose of this work is to create a method for accurately simulating the stresses due to heating from femtosecond laser pulses. Our work aims to calculate stress and strain in glass exposed to laser pulses used for laser welding. We simulate the effects of thermal heating, thermal expansion, and the viscoelasticity of glass for a single straight weld bead. The laser heating of K9 borosilicate glass was simulated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Thermal models developed by other researchers in earlier work were utilized in calculating the temperatures due to the laser exposure to the glass material. 2D simulations …

Real-Time Frequency Tuning Of Kinetic Energy Harvesters Via System Mass Adjustment, Rahul Adhikari

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This research presents a method for real-time frequency tuning of piezoelectric kinetic energy harvesters through system-mass adjustment. Custom 3D-printed proof masses with cavity arrays were used to redistribute solid or liquid mass, enabling controlled modification of resonant frequency. Experimental studies using microparticles and liquids—including water, silicone oil, and sodium polytungstate—demonstrated an achievable tuning range of 115.27 Hz with sub-hertz resolution (< 0.1 Hz), confirming precise and repeatable frequency control. Finite-element modeling guided design optimization, while a microfluidic channel system enabled automated liquid filling for real-time operation. A MATLAB-based EH_Tuning application was developed to visualize and predict frequency responses. The combined …

Design And Development Of Evacuated Photovoltaic-Thermal Systems For Efficient Cogeneration Of Heat And Electricity, Behnam Roshanzadeh

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

In conventional PV systems, most of the solar energy is dissipated into the environment as heat. Accordingly, hybrid Photovoltaic-thermal systems have been developed to utilize the waste heat from PV cells for various thermal applications. However, most PVT systems suffer from low thermal performance compared to solar thermal collectors, as the absorber plate in PVT systems is partially or fully covered by PV cells. This dissertation focuses on improving the thermal performance of PVT systems by introducing the evacuated PVT systems.

An evacuated-tube PVT system was designed and simulated for domestic hot water supply. The evacuated-tube PVT system demonstrated 40% …

Dense Temporary Array Investigation Of Jemez Uplift Seismicity, Jillian D. Podmore

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

A protracted multi-stage tectonic and magmatic evolution combined with low regional crustal strain rates make it challenging to characterize active structure that may host earthquakes in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Here, we leverage temporary 1-month deployments of nodal seismometers to gain new insights into seismicity of the Jemez Mountains, which only have continuous seismic monitoring on their eastern flank as a result of the Los Alamos Seismic Network. Our catalog is built using 4 steps: phase picking in continuous seismic data, association of picks to detect unique events, event magnitude estimation, and absolute hypocenter estimation. We detect and …

Seismological Investigations Of Magmatic Systems Using Dense Nodal Arrays, Wenkai Song

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Understanding the internal architecture of magmatic systems is crucial for volcanology, yet conventional geophysical techniques often lack the resolution to image their fine-scale structures. This dissertation leverages unique datasets from dense nodal arrays to investigate the upper crustal magmatic systems beneath Yellowstone Caldera, Valles Caldera, and Mount St. Helens. At Yellowstone, I processed vibroseis data to delineate the top of the modern magma reservoir and evaluate the thermal connection between the magmatic and the overlying hydrothermal systems. At Valles, 3D radial seismic anisotropy imaging reveals strong positive radial anisotropy within the reservoir, indicating an organized structure of horizontally sill-like melt …

Application Of Bimetallic Transition Metal Oxides Electrocatalysts For Li-Co2 Batteries And Li-O2 Batteries, Jianda Wang

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Li-ion batteries are the dominant commercial rechargeable batteries nowadays, which are used in electronic devices and electrified transportation widely. However, undesirable energy density of Li-ion batteries prohibits them from meeting requirements of new generation electronic devices. Therefore, it is important to find more alternative electronic energy storage systems with higher capacity. Fortunately, Li-CO2 batteries, featured high capacity and ability to convert CO2, have become a promising candidate to replace Li-ion batteries. In addition, Li-O2 batteries also attract people’s attention due to their high energy density and low cost. However, Li-CO2 batteries and Li-O2 batteries both face challenges of terrible cycle …

Physical Education Through The Lens Of A Transgender Individual, Allison L. Graham

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Transgender students face unique challenges in K–12 physical education (PE) that other groups of students do not experience. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the life history of a transgender woman, Evergreen, with a focus on her experiences in PE throughout K-12 school. This study was guided by Queer Theory (Jagose, 1996) and Atkinson’s (1998) life history methodology, data was collected through nine semi-structured interviews and participant-selected artifacts. Data was analyzed using Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) coding procedures to identify themes. Findings revealed distinct experiences across four areas: (1) Elementary School PE—positive memories centered on play …

Predicting The Unpredictable: Advancing Risk Management In Fitness Centers Through Data Science-Driven Judicial Outcome Modeling, Hongyoung Kim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

This study developed a prediction model of judicial outcomes in fitness exercise-related injury lawsuits to identify key factors influencing fitness centers’ success in litigation. Using 209 U.S. court cases from Westlaw, Phase One employed text mining and content analysis to identify legal variables. Phase Two applied descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to evaluate the combined influence of these variables on judicial outcomes. For the multiple logistic regression analysis, the sample size was reduced to 184 cases after excluding 25 remanded cases.

Results showed that victim behavior, hazardous facility conditions, and enforceable waivers or exculpatory clause defenses significantly predicted judicial …

Analysis Of Heat Transfer And Pressure Drops Associated With Twisted Tube Heat Exchangers, Braden Foderaro

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Several studies have been done on the effects of twisted tubes in heat exchangers, including the correlations that relate the flow parameters to the heat transfer and pressure drop experienced. These studies are new, with the earliest being performed in 1982. As such, there are many correlations covering only certain flow parameters and geometrical configurations such as the Reynolds number and modified Froude number.

This thesis attempts to cover flow regimes and tube geometries not yet studied and yield correlations. Data are gathered from heat exchangers featuring twisted tubes with water as the working fluid. It is noticed that the …

Non-Destructive Characterization Of Ion Irradiated Yttrium Hydride For Microreactor Applications, Ryan E. Pena

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

As energy demands increase, nuclear reactors, especially microreactors, become a promising energy source. These reactors run at high temperatures (>280°C), requiring moderators that can endure these environments. Yttrium hydride is a possible moderator, but little is known about the material’s phase stability and hydrogen retention under irradiation. Through the use of a gold ion beam, samples with stoichiometries ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 were irradiated and tested. Through Vickers hardness testing, a model was created showing a correlation between hydrogen content and hardness. Raman spectroscopy showed high temperature and irradiated samples have significant hydrogen loss. XRD quantified this hydrogen …

Sequential Low Dose Proton Irradiation And Nanomechanical Testing To Understand Mechanical And Microstructural Property Changes In Alloy 709, Abhishek Kc

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Alloy 709, a 20Cr25Ni alloy, is an advanced austenitic steel designed for next generation sodium fast reactors. Preliminary studies have shown the potential of Alloy 709 in sodium fast reactors. In this study, Precipitate Treated Alloy 709 specimens are irradiated with 2 MeV H⁺ at 500 °C from 0.0057 dpa to 1.7 dpa. Electron microscopy characterization techniques are used to understand the effects of radiation on mechanical properties as well as microstructure of Alloy 709. The microstructure did not show formation of voids, amorphization of precipitates, or increase in grain size up to 1.7 dpa. Correspondingly nano-indentation and micro-pillar …

Coupled Adjoint-Based Perturbation Theory For Dynamics And Heat Transfer Multiphysics For Nuclear Transients, Alexis Maldonado

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Nuclear reactor multiphysics modeling and simulation (M&S) enable advanced reactor design by analyzing how systems will react over time to various configurations, scenarios, and perturbations. However, high-fidelity coupled transient M&S for reactor cores are computationally expensive, making robust analyses challenging. This work develops a Coupled Adjoint-based Perturbation Theory for dynAmIcs and heat traNsfer (CAPTAIN) framework to rapidly quantify the impact of uncertainty to overall transient responses by generating sensitivity coefficients for temperature, power, and delayed neutron precursor concentrations using forward and adjoint solutions. This work presents an initial proof of principle, verified with direct perturbations to several inputs. Furthermore, this …

A Risk-Informed Approach To Performing The Pre-Closure Safety Analysis For The Deep Borehole Disposal Of Radioactive Waste, Jennifer Elizabeth Leute

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Deep borehole disposal is an emerging concept which involves disposing of radioactive

waste in boreholes several kilometers deep then backfilling to minimize radionuclide

transport and distribute weight. Unfortunately, little documentation exists on borehole

safety case development, especially for pre-closure operations. This study aims to close

this gap by proposing a graded approach matrix based on consequence, maturity, and

complexity. Two case studies are used to demonstrate this application: Hanford CsCl

capsules and spent PWR assemblies. Simulations are used to predict potential for dose

exposure, revealing CsCl capsules have a much higher potential for being above the 5

rem public dose …

Kakeya Sets Over The Heisenberg Group, Gabriel Jacob Gress

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

The Hausdorff dimension of Kakeya sets is an interesting problem where the two-dimensional case can be proven directly, but even obtaining bounds on the higher dimension analogues can require highly technical machinery. The difficulty of the general case has inspired analysts to look at Kakeya sets from non-Euclidean viewpoints.

In this paper, we explore a construction of the Kakeya set in the first Heisenberg group H^1. By utilizing the sub-Riemannian manifold of H^1 we can apply tools in geometric measure theory which at this time cannot be applied in R^3. We restate and provide a detailed proof for a sharp …

On Sharpest Tail Bounds For Functions Of Tail Bounded Random Variables, Stephen Harrison

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Consider n real/complex, independent/dependent random variables with respective tail bounds and g a measurable function of the r.v.’s. Consider f the “sharpest” tail bound of g (sharpest in the sense, if f were any less, then for some X1, ..., Xn satisfying the conditions, g(X1, ..., Xn) would not satisfy the tail f). Significant research has been done to approximate f often with high accuracy. These results are often of the form, for g in this family, and tail bounds of Xk in this family, f is bounded by some f′ with high accuracy. However, the question “what would it …

A Bump Hunting Approach To Finding Interpretable Data Pockets, Tushar Ojha

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This dissertation approaches the problem of extracting simple interpretations from local regions of data. This is sometimes called bump hunting because the local regions of interest have a high concentration of a particular output value. This work develops a bump hunting method for discrete-valued tabular data where each bump is modeled by a rectangular region of the input data space so its rule-based description admits a simple logical interpretation that can inform decisions. This method is designed for labeled data where each input feature has a distinct meaning that may or may not be related to the output, and the …

Modeling Mineral Redistribution In Biological Tissue Using Apple As An In Vitro Analogue, Daler Djuraev, Ali Algemsh, Halima Alazeb, Zeenia Ahmed

Publications and Research

This project aims to model mineral (ion) redistribution that occurs in human soft tissue after injury or mechanical/thermal stress. Because direct, repeatable in vivo measurements are difficult, we use apples as an in vitro analogue: their mineral content is relatively uniform and the tissue can be cut, dried, and repeatedly imaged under controlled conditions. Using X-ray imaging, we tracked how minerals in apple tissue move toward damaged regions immediately after cutting, and how subsequent drying at room temperature drives a redistribution toward the central core. We also observed that biological degradation (decay) alters mineral density over time, indicating that even …

Improvising Across Abilities: Pauline Oliveros And The Adaptive Use Musical Instrument [Book Review], Maria A. Souliotis

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

This book reviews how the AUMI movement has evolved in the years since its inception, with the people involved in it most closely detailing its impact on music education and disability activism. Narratives, case studies, and personal reflections highlight Oliveros’ philosophical and realized contributions to the AUMI movement, which until this book’s publication has received little attention.

Becoming Steve Bright, Robert L. Tsai

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Like Balance On Ice: Towards A New Approach To The Open And Obvious Doctrine Under Kentucky Law, Hayden T. Crosby

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Just A Place Or A Just Place?: Domestic Violence, Urban-Rural Differences, And Access To Justice, Cassie Chambers Armstrong

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.