Digital Commons Network^™

Skip The Grid: Solar Installation For Navajo Communities, Emilio Tiziano Cervantes

Construction Management

In March 2025, a group of 20 students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo took part in Skip the Grid, a hands-on service initiative aimed at expanding access to reliable solar energy in the Navajo Nation. In partnership with SOLV Energy, NextTracker, and the non-profit Heart of America, the team traveled to Chinle, Arizona, where they installed off-grid solar systems in 40 homes across the Chinle School District. Each setup included solar panels, a battery with electrical outlets, lighting, and a refrigerator—providing essential power to families whose homes were previously without it. All of the households served kids …

Ideal Query Expansion Using Reinforcement Learning, Madhuchchhanda Das

Master’s Dissertations

Information retrieval (IR) systems often struggle with short, ambiguous, or underspecified queries, leading to suboptimal document retrieval. Traditional query reformulation methods, such as those based on the Rocchio algorithm, rely on heuristic term selection and relevance feedback but typically apply fixed or manually tuned weights to expanded terms. This limits their adaptability and generalization across diverse query-document contexts. In this thesis, we propose a novel reinforcement learning (RL)-based framework to dynamically optimize term weighting in reformulated queries. We model the problem as a Markov Decision Process (MDP), where each state represents a query as a vector of term weights. An …

Glacier Velocity Estimation Using Adaptive Search Window And Patch Size, Pratik Patil

Master’s Dissertations

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology offers a robust solution for monitoring glacier surface motion, particularly in regions with challenging environmental conditions, since it do not dependence on time of day and weather. This paper presents an enhanced glacier motion monitoring approach based on a Deep Matching Network (DMN), which learns patch-pair correspondences in an end-to-end manner. Unlike traditional shallow feature tracking methods, DMN utilize deep feature similarity through a Siamese network architecture with dense connection blocks to maximize feature reuse and improve training efficiency. To further improve precision and reduce computational cost, the proposed method uses a variable search window …

On The Deployment Of Ris-Mounted Uav Networks, Anupam Mondal

Master’s Dissertations

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) enable smart wireless environments by dynamically controlling signal propagation to enhance communication and localization. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can act as flying base stations and thus, improve system performance by avoiding signal blockages. In this paper, we propose a gradient ascent and coordinate search based method to determine the optimal location for a system that consists of a UAV and a RIS, where the UAV serves cellular users (CUs) and the RIS serves device-to-device (D2D) pairs. In particular, by optimizing the net throughput for both the D2D pairs and the CUs, the suggested method establishes the …

Modeling And Verification Of Sigma Delta Neural Networks, Sirshendu Das

Master’s Dissertations

In the context of modern day embedded safety-critical systems and low-resource edge devices in particular, Sigma-Delta Neural Networks (SDNNs) offer a promising alternative to traditional Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) by leveraging eventdriven, sparse computations inspired by biological neural processing. This energyefficient paradigm makes SDNNs well-suited for neuromorphic hardware and realtime applications, particularly in scenarios with temporal redundancy, such as video processing. However, as neural networks become integral to safety-critical systems, ensuring their robustness against adversarial perturbations is an absolute necessity. In this work, we propose an end-to-end framework for formal modeling and verification of SDNNs using Satisfiability Modulo Theory (SMT). …

Cutting Through The Infodemic Efficiently: News Claims Surveillance And Llm-Based Lightweight Fact Verification, Xuan Zhang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In the context of the current infodemic, the rapid spread of misinformation poses a severe threat to social stability and public health. Recently, the rise of deep learning technologies has offered the potential for accelerating the development of automated misinformation detection and verification. However, current technological capabilities and computational resources often prove inadequate for the exhaustive scrutiny required, rendering the enhancement of processing efficiency a critical imperative. Given the vast amount of data on the internet, current technology and computational power often fall short in timely and accurate scrutiny of each piece of information, making the improvement of processing efficiency …

Resilience In Stem: How Gender-Professional Identity Integration (G-Pii) And Self-Compassion Empower Women To Thrive, Isabelle Chiew

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Fostering resilience is crucial for the retention of women in male-dominated fields such as STEM. This paper investigates the interplay between gender-professional identity integration (G-PII), resilience, and self-compassion through two complementary studies. It is hypothesised that G-PII positively predicts resilience, with higher levels of integration associated with greater resilience. Furthermore, self-compassion is expected to moderate this relationship. Study 1 employs a cross sectional survey design to explore the relationships between G-PII, self-compassion, and resilience, while Study 2 uses an experimental design to assess the causal impact of G-PII on resilience. Study 1 found that G-PII was significantly and positively associated …

Learning And Optimization Under Human-Centric Considerations, Qian Shao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation investigates learning and optimization problems shaped by humancentric considerations, such as preferences, demonstrations, behavioral patterns, and resource constraints. As real-world decision-making increasingly involves interaction with human agents, data, and limitations, modeling these factors becomes critical for building practical, adaptive, and robust systems.

The research spans four domains. First, we study preference-aware delivery routing by learning implicit practitioner preferences and incorporating them into a hierarchical route optimization framework. Second, we develop imitation learning methods for cost-constrained settings, enabling agents to mimic expert behavior while respecting safety and resource limitations. Third,we explore early rumor detection in data-limited environments, integrating large …

Using Multiculturalism To Combat The Negative Creativity Effect Of Cultural Tightness: How It Is Done Matters, Jung Kiu Choi

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study investigates the multifaceted influence of cultural tightness and multiculturalism on the global commercial success of pop music. Addressing an under-explored moderating effect of multicultural factors on creative output under tight culture, this research analyzes Billboard Global 200 and Spotify Top 50 chart data from 2013-2021. The empirical analysis reveals that cultural tightness negatively impacts pop song’s success. Conversely, multiculturalism, specifically through diverse languages and performance teams, generally enhances global success. A key finding is that while multicultural production teams do not directly correlate with success, they critically moderate the detrimental effects of cultural tightness, a buffering effect unique …

Carolyn Parker's Electronic Frequencies, Charnell Chasten Long

Faculty Publications

The chapter illustrates what it meant for Carolyn Beatrice Parker (1917–1966) to be a Black woman physicist in the US during the Jim Crow era. Her father, a physician, and her mother, a teacher, shepherded her into Fisk University, an historically Black college. As a physics major she studied infrared spectroscopy with the Black physicist Elmer Imes, graduating with a BS in 1938. She later attended the University of Michigan, obtaining an MA in physics in 1941. But like many Black women, she spent time before and after graduate school teaching in the K–12 system. In 1943, she became a …

Unraveling The Decline: A Phenomenological Narrative Exploration Of Chinese Students' Experiences And Decisions In Selecting U.S. Higher Education, Lorne K. Brandt

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This study examined the declining trend of Chinese student enrollment in U.S. higher education by incorporating recent enrollment data and findings from the 2024 Open Doors Report. The researcher employed a phenomenological narrative inquiry approach and conducted semi-structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of Chinese international students through the lens of the push-pull theoretical framework. The analysis confirmed several well-established push-pull factors, including the influence of exchange programs and parental guidance. One counter theme emerged as most participants described a desire to avoid China’s high-stakes exam system. The study identified six additional themes: flexible admissions, desire for independence, merit-based …

Mechanisms For Oxygen Vacancy Defect Migration In Srtio3/Nio Heterostructures, Anish Rajesh More

Theses

Perovskite-based oxide heterostructures display promising properties resulting from interface phenomena, making them good candidates for next-generation solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes. Amongst the different features exhibited by these interfaces, misfit dislocations play an important role in influencing ionic transport, yet their role remains poorly understood, which is the case in rock salt-perovskite interfaces too. In SrTiO3/NiO heterostructures, to comprehend interface ionic transport, we investigate oxygen vacancy migration near misfit dislocations. To this end, we developed a high-throughput framework that integrates atomistic simulations with nudged elastic band method to predict migration energy barriers across disparate interface atomic environments. By comprehensively mapping …

The Frequency, Type, And Function Of Visual Displays In Upper Elementary Standardized Science Tests, Daibao Guo, Katherine Landau Wright, Lianne Josbacher, Eun Hye Son

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Limited research has explored the use of visual displays (ViDis) in science tests, making it challenging to know how these tests align with classroom instruction and what skills students need to be successful on these tests. Therefore, the current study aims to describe the use of ViDis in upper elementary grade standardized science tests. We quantified the frequency, types, and functions of ViDis in science tests in 23 states and Washington, DC. Findings show that in the 741 test items examined, 74.5% included ViDis. Tables, diagrams, and images are the most common ViDis. Importantly, 42.1% of the ViDis in the …

Collective Analysis, Sydney L. Reichin, Angie Benda, James C. Peters, Joel S. Elson, Samuel Hunter

Reports, Projects, and Research

This report serves as Deliverable 7: Collective Analysis, as tasked by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary goal of this effort was to review literature (both academic and practitioner-based) related to threats found in K-12 schools, and to validate findings from the literature with interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs). Interviews discussed threats and vulnerabilities SMEs face along with their needs for future risk assessments. This review provides insights within and across interviews from SMEs and resource coding, identifying common and emerging themes that schools experience. The findings will inform the development of a comprehensive K-12 risk assessment …

Design And Development Of Hip Implants For Longevity Through Integrating Advanced Groove Structures And Additive Manufacturing, Asarudheen Abdudeen

Dissertations

This doctoral research concerns the design and optimization of hip implants (HIs) to enhance performance, durability, and improve patient outcomes by addressing the key issues of wear, deformation, and stress distribution. Innovative surface groove designs have been introduced to both a solid and a hollow femoral head with the aim of reducing friction and wear. The addition of grooves, with both a hemispherical and rectangular cross-section, onto the femoral head reduced friction, as debris produced by the inner liner was trapped within the grooves, significantly reducing adhesive wear. A numerical simulation study compared the effects of surface modifications both grooves …

Peak Policy Lab Or Chasing Windmills? The Overlooked Issue Of Misaligned Policy Design, Adam Wellstead, Sarah Giest, Ishani Mukherjee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Policy innovation labs (PILs) are relatively new policy actors and are part of a larger global “labification” movement. They are touted as spaces for the novel development and testing of policy solutions. PILs have evolved into various forms–including those at different levels of government (central, sub-national, and local), sectoral (such as food, transportation, and environment), and cross-sectoral labs (social innovation and data labs). After a decade, some practitioners lament the effectiveness of their efforts and question if policy labs are indeed engines of innovation and change. We argue that the approach to policy design by PILs, in part, is an …

June 2025 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Function In Individuals With Chronic Motion Sensitivity, Oluwaseun Ibitunde Ambode

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Objective: The purpose of this study was to 1) determine whether Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) integrity is different between young adults with and without chronic motion sensitivity (CMS), 2) assess correlation between VOR integrity and postural stability in young adults with and without CMS; and 3) Compare postural stability across different levels of physical activity in young adults with and without CMS.

Design: A Cross-sectional study design.

Methods: Forty healthy young adult men and women (age, 20-40 years) were stratified into CMS and Non-CMS groups, VOR integrity was assessed using Bertec Vision Advantage (BVA), postural stability was assessed …

3d Printed Cnt/Tpu Triboelectric Nanogenerator For Load Monitoring Of Total Knee Replacement, Osama Abdalla, Mahmood Chahari, Milad Azami, Amir Ameli, Emre Salman, Milutin Stanacevic, Ryan Willing, Shahrzad Towfighian

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Scholarship

This study presents the development and characterization of a novel triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) designed as a self-powered sensor for load monitoring in total knee replacement (TKR) implants. The triboelectric layers comprise a 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix with carbon nanotube (CNT) nanoparticles and kapton tape, sandwiched between two copper electrodes. To optimize sensor performance, the proposed CNT/TPU TENG sensor is fabricated with varying CNT concentrations and thicknesses, enabling a comprehensive analysis of how material composition and structural parameters influence energy harvesting efficiency. The 1% CNT/TPU composite demonstrates the highest power output among the tested samples. The solid CNT/TPU-based TENG generated …

Filling The Sackett Gap: The Private Governance Option, Michael P. Vandenbergh, Elodie O. Currier Stoffel, Steph Tai

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA reversed fifty years of federal Clean Water Act wetlands protections and removed federal oversight from roughly half of the wetlands in the United States. This Article proposes a viable new conceptual model and tools to close the Sackett Gap-the gap between the wetlands protected before and after Sackett. Scholars have argued for federal measures to fill the Sackett Gap, but these actions face substantial challenges. Congress is unlikely to adopt new wetlands legislation, agencies are constrained by Sackett's expansive language, the end of Chevron deference, and the 2024 presidential election, and lower …

Data Driven Analysis Of Samara Seed Kinematics And Dynamics, Shashwat Sparsh

Master's Theses

Samara Seeds are a class of fruit most famously belonging to the Acer species and are characterized by their single-bladed geometry and their auto-rotation response during descent. This steady-state auto-rotation response is the subject of aerodynamic analysis which aim to quantify the performance. The period prior to the beginning of steady-state auto-rotation is classified as the transition regime and has not been the subject of intense scrutiny.

This thesis employs a data-driven approach to analyzing the kinematic and dynamic response of these seeds during both the transition and auto-rotation stages of flight to quantify the performance with respect to the …

Assessing Students’ Attitudes And Self-Efficacy In Introductory Statistics Courses, Kendall Hipes

Master's Theses

This study investigates the cognitive factors that shape students’ experiences in introductory statistics courses, with particular emphasis on the role of self-efficacy sources on student attitudes (mastery experiences, verbal persuasion, vicarious experiences, and physiological and emotional states) measured across multiple time points. Using linear multilevel models and qualitative interview data, the research examines patterns in students’ perceptions of interest, difficulty, effort, value, cognitive competence, and affect throughout an academic quarter. Findings indicate that higher levels of mastery experiences consistently predict more positive outcomes across all attitude dimensions, underscoring the importance of early and ongoing opportunities for success in fostering engagement …

Implementation Of Area-Based Aggregation On Multivariate Continuous Uncertain Data, Rahul Nair

Master's Theses

Uncertain data is incredibly widespread - from sensor data to AI-based learned information, there exists a need to associate information with a certain probability of its veracity. Traditional relational databases lack a built-in functionality to support uncertain data, instead assigning them boilerplate values. Probabilistic databases tackle this problem by assigning non-deterministic data with an associated, often discrete, probability. Variants of probabilistic databases, namely continuous uncertain databases, are used to better model data represented through ranges and distributions. This is especially applicable with sensor-based geographic data as most commercial equipment contains some inherent margin of error.

While uncertain and probabilistic databases …

Chatgpt On Chatgpt: An Exploratory Analysis Of Its Performance In The Public Sector Workplace, Jieshu Wang, Elif Kiran, S. R. Aurora, Michael Simeone, Jose Lobo

Management Faculty Publications

This study explores the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), in particular, ChatGPT, on the public sector workforce in the United States, focusing on task replacement, assistance potential, and the evolving landscape of skills. Utilizing GPT-4 to evaluate 1,022 core tasks across 51 public sector occupations, we provide an exploratory analysis of the roles susceptible to ChatGPT automation and those in which ChatGPT can augment human efforts. Our findings reveal that while 63% of tasks are resistant to ChatGPT replacement, primarily due to their requirement for physical presence, emotional intelligence, and complex decision-making, tasks that are routine, rule-based, and involving …

Mae Enewsbrief Jan-Mar 2025, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Mae Enewsbrief Oct-Dec 2024, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

The Dead Internet Theory: A Survey On Artificial Interactions And The Future Of Social Media, Prathamesh Muzumdar, Sumanth Cheemalapati, Srikanth Reddy Ramireddy, Kuldeep Singh, George Kurian, Apoorva Muley

Faculty Publications - The LeMoyne Smith School of Business

The Dead Internet Theory (DIT) suggests that much of today’s internet, particularly social media, is dominated by non-human activity, AI-generated content, and corporate agendas, leading to a decline in authentic human interaction. This study explores the origins, core claims, and implications of DIT, emphasizing its relevance in the context of social media platforms. The theory emerged as a response to the perceived homogenization of online spaces, highlighting issues like the proliferation of bots, algorithmically generated content, and the prioritization of engagement metrics over genuine user interaction. AI technologies play a central role in this phenomenon, as social media platforms increasingly …

B17 Aircraft, Known As “Denny Boy”, Yvon Bordet

Swiss American Historical Society Review

The B17 “Denny Boy” took off from the British base at Thurleigh (England) on the night of Saturday, July 15 to Sunday, July 16, 1944. Objective: To bomb the BMW factories in Munich (Germany).

The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire near its target, then again on the return to Mulhouse. Smoke filled the cockpit, an engine failed and the plane lost altitude. The captain decided to attempt a landing in neutral Switzerland. But it was in a small field, near a chapel, that he miraculously managed to land the bomber, in the commune of Féternes... in France, just a …

College Access Literacy With A Focus On Key Transition Knowledge For Historically Underrepresented Students And Their Educators, Molly S. Dunn, Stephanie L. Savick, Rachel E. Durham

Journal of College Access

In this article, we present a programmatic model to develop College Access Literacy (CAL) among both students and educators. University faculty developed a six-module curriculum delivered through existing Professional Development School partnerships in afterschool seminars for high school juniors and separate class periods for other high school students. Professional development sessions were also delivered by content experts to high school educators and faculty who were paired to co-teach the curriculum. The program was implemented in three high schools that primarily serve historically underrepresented students. CAL topics, intended to provide students with knowledge and strategies for college access success, included college …

Fault Tolerant Dynamic Task Allocation For Heterogeneous Multi-Robot Systems, Jack R. Cline

Master's Theses

This research presents a novel approach to dynamic task allocation in heterogeneous multi-robot systems with integrated fault detection capabilities. As multiple industries are becoming more reliant on multi-robot systems for tasks, maintaining operational efficiency despite robot failures becomes critical. We propose a framework that combines optimization-based task allocation with a Kalman filter that estimates task progress for anomaly detection to identify unreliable agents and dynamically redistribute tasks. Observing values such as the normalized innovation squared (NIS), covariance, and progress rate, the algorithm can designate a robot as faulty. Embedding information about which robots are faulty in the task algorithm allows …