Digital Commons Network^™

Iuse: A Gamified Virtual Learning Platform For Connected Vehicle Applications To Enhance Undergraduate Transportation Education, Tianyu Shen, Di Yang, Kai Sun, Hong Yang, Kun Xie, Mansoureh Jeihani

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Emerging transportation technologies are rapidly reshaping transportation systems and industry practice. However, most transportation undergraduate curricula still emphasize foundational topics such as geometric design, travel demand forecasting, pavements, and soil properties, typically delivered through lecture-centric instruction. While these subjects remain essential to the discipline, they do not fully reflect the pace of technological change or provide sufficient opportunities for experiential learning with modern tools and data. This gap limits students’ exposure to CV concepts and their ability to translate theory into practice.

Focusing on a key emerging technology, connected vehicles (CVs), this paper bridges the above gap by introducing a …

Modeling Hepa Filter Media Performance And Evaluation Of Filtration Leak Test Success, Daniel M. Abraham, Steven J. Eckels, Shahin N. Amiri

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This research presents a cost-effective microscale modeling analysis of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter media. We analyzed leak-free and leaking media with known leak sizes. A three-dimensional fibrous model with non-homogeneous fiber diameters (0.2–2 µm) and a packing density of 7.5% was developed to replicate a HEPA filter sheet (H14) microstructure. The objective was to simulate and analyze the pressure drop and collection efficiency of nanofibrous media for aerosol particles with a diameter of d_p ≤ 0.5 µm. The results were compared to prior experimental and theoretical models, exhibiting a high level of agreement with pressure drop and efficiency …

Resilient Built Environment: An Overview On Design Strategies For Coastal Adaptation To Sea Level Rise, Farzaneh Soflaei, Gelareh Abdolzadeh, Navid Ziaee, Mohammad Amin Jafari, Faeghe Borhani

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper delves into the escalating risks faced by urban coastal communities due to tidal and storm flooding, exacerbated by climate change-induced Sea Level Rise (SLR). Projections indicate a potential increase in sea levels by at least 3 feet by 2100, with historical data revealing an average annual rise of 1.2-1.7 mm since the 1900s. With over 300 million individuals inhabiting coastal areas, low-lying regions emerge as particularly vulnerable to the impacts of SLR. This accelerated rise amplifies the significant challenge of nuisance flooding, a local-scale issue aggravated by high tide and winds, leading to inundation, road closures, infrastructure deterioration, …

Chesapeake Bay Water Clarity: Challenges And Successes, Jessica S. Turner, Carl T. Friedrichs, David B. Parrish, Kelsey A. Fall

OES Faculty Publications

The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuarine system spanning multiple jurisdictions and serves as a model for estuarine health worldwide. Historically, nutrient loading degraded water quality, prompting the need for regulation. Water clarity, one component of water quality, is vital for benthic communities and serves as a key indicator of overall ecosystem health. Here, physical resuspension and salinity gradients, nutrient and sediment inputs, production of organic detritus by phytoplankton, and benthic communities all interact to drive clarity patterns, with high spatial variability. Trends over the last 50 years show improvement, though with a temporary increase in organic detritus in response …

A Tale Of Two Microbialities: Stromatolites And Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures, Nora Noffke, Stanley M. Awramik

OES Faculty Publications

Microbialites are biosedimentary structures built by microbial mats. Five microbialite groups are distinguished: stromatolites, thrombolites, dendrolites, leiloites and microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS). This contribution discusses the two most abundant microbialite groups in marine settings, stromatolites and MISS. Microbial interactions with clastic sediment are very similar in both stromatolite and MISS formation. However, in stromatolites, syngenetic carbonate production caused by photoautotrophic and heterotrophic metabolisms and by calcimicrobes also takes place. More so, carbonate may precipitate within the extracellular polymeric substances. Due to the various carbonate forming processes as well as recrystallisation, the microscopic mat fabrics within stromatolite laminae are rarely …

Seasonal And Geologic Controls On Submarine Groundwater Discharge-Derived Nutrient Fluxes To Two Coastal Embayments, Moira Taylor, Joseph J. Tamborski, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Nathaniel Maynard

OES Faculty Publications

Submarine groundwater discharge and porewater exchange are critical but often overlooked sources of nutrients to coastal systems. This study investigates how sediment permeability and summer-winter seasonal dynamics influence the magnitude and biogeochemistry of nutrient fluxes from submarine groundwater discharge and porewater exchange. Reaction rates in the subterranean estuary were used to identify the transformations and drivers of nutrient loading in two geologically distinct embayments in the U.S. East Coast: the highly permeable Peconic Bay estuary (NY), and the surficially fine-grained coastal embayments of the southern Delmarva Peninsula (VA). We applied radium isotope mass balances to distinguish total submarine groundwater discharge …

Diatom Community Response To High And Low Iron Upwelling Plumes In The California Current System, Sveinn V. Einarsson, Kimberly Powell, Claire Till, Tyler Coale, P. Dreux Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

Diatoms are important primary producers, accounting for most of the oceanic production and carbon export relative to other photosynthetic eukaryotes. There are important differences among diatom species that enable them to proliferate in different environments. Some have nutrient storage capabilities or lower nutrient quotas suited for oligotrophic oceans. Bloom-forming diatoms are typically found in nutrient-rich coastal waters where they respond quickly to nutrient pulses and can influence biogeochemical cycling in the ocean after blooms. As many physiological differences affect biomass and export, it is important to better understand how physical and chemical parameters influence diatom community composition, especially in dynamic …

How-To: Academic Job Interviews (In The United States), Erin K. Peck, Kendall Valentine, Serina S. Wittyngham, Jessie S. Turner

OES Faculty Publications

[Introduction] "I (EKP) bombed my first interview on the tenure-track academic market. After I entered the Zoom room filled with search committee volunteers, the chair performed a quick round of introductions, and I was told that I would have strictly five minutes to answer each question. I smiled nervously, wringing my hands under the desk, and waited to be asked to derive a diagenetic equation or defend the methods I used in my recent manuscript.

“We'll start with something easy. Tell us about yourself,” began the chair.

I opened my mouth. I closed my mouth. My mind went blank. “Um …

Characterizing The Unique Chemical Imprint Of On-Axis, Lower-Temperature Hydrothermal Flow To The Deep Ocean (Southern East Pacific Rise, 16.5°-18.0°S), Laura E. Moore, Randelle M. Bundy, Joseph A. Resing, Scott White, Tamara Baumberger, Peter N. Sedwick, Nathaniel J. Buck, Anson M. Antriasian, Isaac Keohane, Bettina M. Sohst, Sharon L. Walker, Christopher R. German

OES Faculty Publications

In addition to high-temperature vents, lower-temperature flow (LTF) (< 300°C) is abundant along mid-ocean ridges and contributes globally-important fluxes of heat and water along with largely-unconstrained geochemical influences on the ocean. We examined the impact of on-axis LTF on the chemical composition of the overlying water column (< 40 m above seafloor) along the 16.5°-18.0°S sector of the ultrafast-spreading southern East Pacific Rise using autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry surveys and conductivity-temperature-depth rosette casts. LTF sites were typically spatially isolated from high-temperature systems and imparted unique chemical signatures to the overlying ocean. Water column samples impacted by LTF exhibited low particulate iron:sulfur ratios and high methane: total-dissolvable manganese ratios, whereas samples influenced by high-temperature venting exhibited opposite trends. We confirmed that LTF imparts a distinct and measurable chemical signature to the water column, independent from high-temperature vents. Isolated, on-axis LTF will be important to consider when assessing hydrothermal circulation impacts upon ocean biogeochemistry.

Autonomous Float Data Reveal Decoupled Trends In Chlorophyll And Stratification In The Indian Ocean, Marufa Ishaque, Sophie Clayton, John Klinck

OES Faculty Publications

Recent studies have shown that the Indian Ocean is warming significantly, but how this warming impacts primary production is largely unresolved due to a relative lack of depth-resolved biological observations. In this study, we have used Biogeochemical-Argo data from 2013 to 2022, comprising over 9,000 individual profiles, to examine regional patterns and trends in depth-integrated chlorophyll, depth-integrated net primary production and stratification in the northern and Equatorial Indian Ocean. Our analysis shows that water column stratification is increasing in the majority of the study area, with the highest rate of increase observed in the western Bay of Bengal. At the …

Microbial Mats In Dinosaur Ichnocoenoses, Nora Noffke, Paul C. Murphy, Roger C. Buntin, Martin G. Lockley

OES Faculty Publications

Until now, the significance of microbial mats in preservation of dinosaur tracks and in reconstructing the palaeoenvironment in which dinosaurs roamed was rarely studied. Dinosaur tracks are commonly found close to ancient aquatic bodies where moist sediment had once allowed footstep registration. At such sites, epibenthic or endobenthic microbial mats may have developed as well and may have led to exquisite track preservation. Microbial mats in coastal, lacustrine or flood plain environments cause 'microbially induced sedimentary structures—MISS', which are micobialites found in sandy or evaporitic settings. The microbial structures record environmental parameters including meteorological conditions that existed at the time …

Recirculated Submarine Groundwater Discharge Dominates Nutrient Inputs And Enhances Eutrophication Risk In A Coastal Lagoon, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Clara Ruiz-González, Marc Diego-Feliu, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Daniel Romano-Gude, Andrea G. Bravo, Júlia Dordal-Soriano, Javier Gilabert, Sophia Bergeler, Celine Lavergne, Gemma Casas, Marisol Manzano, Jordi Garcia-Orellana, Valentí Rodellas

OES Faculty Publications

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a widely recognized pathway for nutrient transport to coastal systems. Prior studies overlook the unique biogeochemical signatures of different SGD pathways, neglecting their differences in biogeochemical transformations and spatiotemporal factors. Here, we present an integrated assessment of nutrient delivery through three SGD pathways (fresh SGD, long‐scale recirculated SGD, and short‐scale porewater exchange), alongside surface water inputs, to evaluate their seasonality and impact on nutrient dynamics in a coastal lagoon. We conducted five field surveys in March, July, and November 2021, July 2024, and March 2025 in the Mar Menor lagoon, an ecosystem facing severe ecological …

Contribution Of Non-Linear Internal Waves To Marine Net Primary Production Has Been Underestimated, Xiaoju Pan, Tung-Yuan Ho, George T. F. Wong, Jen-Hua Tai, Shoude Guan, Fuh-Kuo Shiah

OES Faculty Publications

Field observations in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) indicate that elevated concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chl_a) associated with non-linear internal waves (NIWs) were more pronounced in the subsurface than at the sea-surface. At a given surface Chl_a, the vertically integrated Chl_a in an NIW-active area was 45% higher than that in an area where the NIW activities were minimal. As a result, net primary production (PP_eu) estimated from surface Chl_a from remote sensing by using the current Chl_a-based PP_eu model (e.g. VGPM) would have underestimated the true value by the same amount. If this correction is …

Unintended Consequences Of Estuarine Management Within The Trajectory Of Recovery: Examples From The Chesapeake Bay, Jessica S. Turner, Fei Da, Molly M. Mitchell

OES Faculty Publications

Estuaries are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, human populations, and economic activities such as fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. Managing estuarine systems often involves interventions to regulate sediment and nutrient inputs with the goal of improving water quality, and subsequently the economic values of the estuary. However, these management strategies can produce unintended consequences. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary recovering from eutrophication which provides clear case studies for these patterns. In the Chesapeake Bay, decreased sediment inputs, resulting from shoreline stabilization and watershed modifications, can impair marsh resilience to sea level rise and disrupt sediment-light-algal interactions affecting water clarity. Likewise, …

Aquatic Macrophytes As Nature-Based Solutions: Challenges And Opportunities Across Inland And Coastal Waters, Morgan Botrel, Roxane Maranger, Lindsay L. Trottier, Mathieu Cusson, Lars L. Iverson, Fanny Noisette, Christian Nozais, Katrine Turgeon, Andrea Bertolo, Thibaud André-Alphonse, Simon Bélanger, Arthur De Grandpré, Jean-Olivier Goyette, Sabine Hilt, Ladd Johnson, Valérie Langlois, Martin Laporte, Félix Lauzon, Brigitte Légaré, Anne Ola, Marie-Pomme Presne-Poissant, Matthieu Prugne, Caroline Susini, Richard Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Macrophytes are foundation species whose use as nature-based solution (NbS) in aquatic ecosystems can help reduce climate change impacts while mitigating biodiversity loss. The discrepancy in research and application of macrophytes as NbS across inland and marine coastal ecosystems is an opportunity to expand the concept and learn from different approaches. We report on an initiative uniting marine and freshwater scientists that compared knowledge on macrophytes as NbS across realms, identified advances and gaps in their use, and synthesized challenges and opportunities for application. We conducted a bibliometric analysis and an expert participatory exercise around recent review papers. We reveal …

Revisiting The Life Cycle Of Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Kenneth N. Mertens, Pjotr Meyvisch, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

Dinoflagellates produce cysts as a strategy to withstand environmental stressors, with nutrient depletion generally considered a key trigger for cyst production. Resting cysts are thick-walled, typically composed of one to several layers, and characterized by a prolonged dormancy period. In contrast, pellicle cysts possess a thin, single wall and exhibit no dormancy or a markedly shorter dormancy than resting cysts of the same species. Margalefidinium polykrikoides produces pellicle and resting cysts, whereas its congener, M. fulvescens, has been shown to produce pumpkin-like structures. Using phase-contrast microscopy, time-lapse microscopy, FlowCam, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (ATR μ-FTIR), …

Remote Sensing Of Particulate Organic Carbon And Phytoplankton Carbon In The Northern South China Sea, Xiaoju Pan, Tung-Yuan Ho, George T. F. Wong, Jen-Hua Tai, Lijuan Nie

OES Faculty Publications

Surface concentrations of particulate organic carbon (POC) and phytoplankton carbon (C_phy) in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) have been assessed successfully by remote sensing with appropriate regional tuning. Match-up comparisons between satellite derivations and field observations showed uncertainties of ± 28.5% for POC and ± 37.0% for C_phy. The satellite-derived climatological distributions are consistent with previous reports. In the open NSCS where phytoplankton growth is controlled primarily by the convective overturn, both POC and C_phy are higher in winter, associating with the effect of stronger northeast monsoons and surface cooling, than in summer, when …

Microplastics Suppress Copepod Grazing Of The Harmful Algal Bloom-Forming Dinoflagellate, Alexandrium Catenella, Megan Ladds, Christopher Gobler

OES Faculty Publications

While harmful algal blooms (HABs) are prominent occurrences in coastal zones where microplastic concentrations are maximal, the manner in which microplastics may influence food webs and HABs is poorly understood. This study explored how polystyrene microplastics affected copepod grazing of the saxitoxin-synthesizing harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium catenella, as well as a non-toxic dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium aureolum. Experiments were performed using multiple densities of microplastics (250 – 10,000 mL^–¹) of differing sizes (4 and 10 µm), as well as multiple densities of microalgae in microplates. The addition of 10 µm microplastics at densities of 1000 – 10,000 beads mL^{– …}

Myopiax-1 Safety And Efficacy Of A Novel Approach To Slow Juvenile Myopia Progression: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial, Myopiax-1 Study Group, James Loughman, Gareth Lingham, Hakan Kaymak, Katrin Lorenz, Jan Roelof Polling, Anna Beck, Gonzalo Carracedo, Annegret H. Dahlmann-Noor, Philipp L. Müller, Ian Flitcroft

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Purpose: To investigate the safety, tolerability, and signals of effect of MyopiaX, a smartphone app that selectively delivers blue light to the optic nerve head to control myopia progression in children and adolescents. Design: Multicenter, randomized, active-controlled, examiner-masked proof-of-concept clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04967287). Participants: Eligible children aged 6 to 12 years, with myopia of cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) between –0.75 and –5.00 diopters (D) at baseline. Children were screened and enrolled between November 2021 and September 2023. Methods: Children were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to MyopiaX or active control. Participants were instructed to use MyopiaX for …

Forum/Ethical Culture Club Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Ethical Culture Club / Forum was organized in Brookings, South Dakota in January 1906. It was then called the Ethical Culture Club; according to one of its historians. It held its original meetings on Sunday and "was to be a substitute on a basis of liberal theology for church going". These early days notwithstanding, the Forum, as it became known after October 14, 1910, was essentially a meeting for the free discussion of any topic of interest. Topics included, child labor laws, the establishment of a public library, promotion of a league to enforce peace, and the use of …

Biggar Papers, George C., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The George Biggar Papers document the career and activities of a broadcaster active in agricultural communication and radio production from the 1920s through the 1960s. The collection includes biographical materials, photographs, correspondence, clippings, scripts, writings, and an M.S. thesis that reflect Biggar’s work in rural and agricultural broadcasting, radio programming, and wartime agricultural reporting. A substantial portion of the collection relates to a World War II agricultural tour and includes diaries, interviews, maps, speeches, research notes, and related documentation. Additional materials address agriculture, economic studies, and professional recognition. Together, the papers provide insight into the development of agricultural radio, the …

Young Papers, Gertrude Stickney, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Gertrude Stickney Young was a longtime faculty member at South Dakota State University, educator, writer, and civic leader whose career spanned the early and mid twentieth century. The collection documents her academic work, historical writing, and involvement in university and community organizations through correspondence, clippings, departmental materials, manuscripts, and personal items dating from the late 1920s through the mid 1960s. Materials reflect Young’s contributions to the history of South Dakota State University, her family and regional historical research, and her broader role in South Dakota’s educational and cultural life.

South Dakota Farmer's Alliance Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota Farmers Alliance Records reflect the early organization of farmers in Dakota Territory during the 1880s in response to declining wheat prices and opposition to railroad monopolies. The collection includes an 1887 address by Alliance president H. L. Loucks, proceedings from an annual convention, and an undated agricultural advertisement, illustrating the Alliance’s advocacy for economic reform and practical agricultural education. Together, these materials provide insight into the leadership, priorities, and strategies of the Farmers’ Alliance during a formative period of agrarian activism in South Dakota.

Popowski Papers, Bert, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Bert John Popowski (1904–1982) was a nationally recognized outdoor writer, photographer, and authority on hunting and wildlife whose career spanned more than fifty years. A graduate of South Dakota State College, he authored over 2,300 articles and numerous books that influenced mid-twentieth-century hunting practices, firearms knowledge, and conservation awareness. His writings appeared widely in leading American sporting publications and were also translated for international audiences. This collection reflects Popowski’s sustained impact on outdoor literature and hunting culture, documenting his role in popularizing varmint hunting, advancing hunting techniques and safety, and contributing to broader discussions of wildlife management and conservation during …

South Dakota Association Of Family And Consumer Sciences Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The South Dakota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Records document the history and development of home economics and family and consumer sciences in South Dakota from 1913 to 2008. The collection includes administrative records, correspondence, conference materials, publications, photographs, and scrapbooks that reflect organizational activities, professional standards, educational initiatives, and advocacy. Together, the records illustrate the evolution of the discipline and the role of professional associations in advancing family and consumer sciences at the state and national levels.

Reifel Papers, Ben, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Ben Reifel Papers document the professional and public life of Ben Reifel, the first Lakota Sioux elected to the United States Congress, with particular emphasis on his service in federal Indian affairs, his congressional career, and his continued public service after leaving elected office. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, audiovisual recordings, memorabilia, scrapbooks, speeches, and writings that trace his work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, his legislative activities in the U.S. House of Representatives, and his involvement with national, state, and tribal organizations. Materials also reflect his military service, educational background, campaign activities, and long-standing engagement with civic …

Johnson Papers, Donald D., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Donald Dale Johnson (1925– ) of Brookings, South Dakota, contributed family and local history materials to South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections. The Donald D. Johnson Papers include a translated narrative recounting the experiences of his grandfather, Johan Peter Johnson, a Swedish immigrant in South Dakota during the 1870s, and The Quill, a Marion High School publication issued in memory of Johnson’s parents. The collection highlights Swedish immigration to South Dakota and the preservation of family history through translation.

Grewing "In The Blizzard" Manuscript, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

This collection centers on Im Schneesturm (In the Blizzard), an undated manuscript originally written in 1882 by Louis Grewing (1843–1908) and later copied by his son, Frederick Grewing (1867–1937), whose editorial role shaped the document’s preservation and later dissemination. Although the original manuscript is now lost, Frederick’s copy survived and became the basis for multiple published translations beginning in 1949. The materials document the manuscript’s transmission, translation, and publication history, including efforts by South Dakota State University faculty to translate the handwritten German text into English with institutional research support. Supplementary newspaper accounts, photographs, and background materials illuminate …

Pyle, Gladys - The Inceredible Gladys Pyle Collection, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Gladys Pyle (1890–1989) was a pioneering South Dakota politician and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without prior appointment. A graduate of Huron College, she taught high school before becoming the first woman elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives (1923–1927) and later serving as Secretary of State (1927–1931). She was also active in the women’s suffrage movement. In 1938, Pyle won a special election to the U.S. Senate, serving briefly from November 9, 1938, to January 3, 1939. Researchers Jeanette Kinyon and Jean Walz, known for their historical and biographical work, began compiling materials for a …

Schultz Papers, Theodore W., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

Theodore W. Schultz (1902–1998) was a Nobel Prize–winning economist whose work reshaped understanding of agricultural economics, economic development, and human capital. Raised on a South Dakota farm, Schultz’s early experiences with agricultural hardship influenced his lifelong focus on the economic conditions of farmers and the role of education and skills in productivity. After earning advanced degrees from the University of Wisconsin, he held influential academic positions at Iowa State University and the University of Chicago, where he helped establish the university as a leading center of economic thought. Awarded the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economics, Schultz authored numerous foundational works …