Digital Commons Network^™

Maxim Gorky’S Illusionary Reformation Of Human Nature And The Rise Of The Soviet Citizen: Socialist Realism As A Constructive Force In Mother, Alysia Gayle Meyer

Honors Projects

This paper examines the origins and evolution of the Socialist Realism movement headed by Maxim Gorky, as a defining ideological and artistic framework of the Stalin era. Emerging in response to the experimental avant-garde movements of Revolutionary Russia, Socialist Realism sought to construct the ideal Soviet Reality, reimaging society and its citizens through the lens of collectivism, labor, and ideological purity. Central to this exploration is Gorky’s first major Socialist Realist novel, Mother, which serves as a blueprint for depicting the ideal Soviet citizen. By analyzing the motivations behind this movement and its portrayal of utopian ideals, this study reveals …

Load Forecasting And Modeling For Power System, Han Guo

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Accurate load forecasting and modeling play a pivotal role in ensuring the stability, reliability, and economic efficiency of modern power systems. With the increasing integration of renewable energy sources, distributed energy resources, and demand-side management strategies, power systems are becoming more dynamic and complex, making traditional load forecasting methods inadequate. This dissertation introduces two novel approaches to address the challenges associated with day-ahead load forecasting and load modeling.

First, a Diffusion Model-Based Probabilistic Day-Ahead Load Forecasting (PDALF) Framework is proposed to enhance the accuracy and robustness of load forecasting. By employing a conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model (DDPM), the framework, …

Noise-Embedded Image Processing Based On Quantum Data Encodings, Yayu Mo

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in quantum information have significantly impacted the field of image processing, although challenges remain. Especially in the edge detection and image encoding area, distorted feature and noises would affect the further classification or super resolution tasks. In our work, we conduct researches on two stages to both evaluate the potential of Quantum-based Convolutional Structure in extracting distorted feature and further explore the effects of quantum noise channels on quantum image encodings.

In the first stage, we propose a method to extract distorted edge features by applying shallow layers in quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNN). By combining the advantages of …

Spring Commencement: May 17, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Spring Commencement program from May 17, 2025.

A Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Immunosensor For Cortisol Detection, Pritu Sarkar, Ali Ashraf, Ahmed Hasnain Jalal, Fahmida Alam, Nazmul Islam

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

In this research, an interdigitated gear-shaped working electrode is presented for cortisol sensing. Overall, the sensor was designed in a three-electrode system and was fabricated using direct laser scribing. A synthesized conductive ink based on graphene and polyaniline was further employed to enhance the electrochemical performance of the sensor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed for physicochemical characterization of the laser-induced graphene (LIG) sensor. Cortisol, a biomarker essential in detecting stress, was detected both in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH = 7.4) and human serum within a linear range of 100 ng/mL to 100 µg/mL. …

The Skills And Knowledge Of Design Professionals Working In The Energy Retrofit Of External Wall Insulation In Ireland., Olivia Golden, Marek Rebow, Dr. Róisín Murphy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

In this paper, we examine the challenges associated with External Wall Insulation (EWI) as a key component of energy retrofits, currently being implemented in Ireland under the government’s initiative to upgrade 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 (or equivalent in cost optimality or carbon emissions) by 2030. Drawing parallels with documented cases of EWI failure in the UK, where issues such as moisture ingress, inadequate detailing, cold bridging, and insufficient ventilation have been cited, we aim to investigate how such issues can be addressed in the Irish context.Our research includes a review of existing literature on design …

Electric Power Regulation For A Novel Riverine Hydrokinetic Energy Conversion System, Kawsar Ahammed

Engineering

Transportation of diesel fuel used to produce electricity for Alaska remote communities is highly expensive. Thus, people living in those remote areas pay a high rate for electric energy compared to the national average cost. The availability of renewable energy resources may help to minimize these high expenses. As many rural Alaskans live near rivers, hydrokinetic energy could be used as a renewable source of electric power. This renewable resource, if successfully harvested, has immense potential to help power Alaska remote communities and significantly reduce electric energy costs. This project aims to investigate the implementation of an energy conversion system …

Performance And Viability Of Air Source Heat Pumps For Residential Heating In Cold Climates, Nick Samuel

Engineering

With an ever-increasing concern for Earth’s climate, solutions to mitigate further climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions are continuously being investigated, one of which is heating buildings using air source heat pumps (ASHP) rather than traditional fossil fuel systems such as a furnace. The benefits of heat pumps over other heating methods such as resistive heating is their ability to transfer multiple times greater heat using the same amount of electricity by utilizing the phase change of a refrigerant and different inside and outside temperatures through use of the vapor-compression cycle. This also provides an advantage over fossil fuel-based …

Developing A Proof-Of-Concept Non-Scalable Active Vacuum Insulated Building Envelope Prototype, Kaarle P. Strailey

Engineering

Heating and cooling buildings consumes around 17% of global energy demand. Improved thermal insulation can reduce much of this consumption with positive implications for energy security and economic opportunity. For over 25 years vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) have been considered a highly promising thermal insulation solution for building envelopes. VIPs can potentially provide an order of magnitude greater insulative performance than common insulation materials with the same thickness. However, the adoption of VIPs in buildings is hindered by many factors: their relatively high costs, installation challenges due to fragility, inalterability, and limited dimensions; limited service life in comparison to buildings …

Optimizing Power Fluid In Jet Pump Oil Wells, Kaelin Ellis

Engineering

A method for optimizing power fluid to a network of jet pump wells is established. Jet pump performance is modeled by numerically solving a system of equations for specific throat and nozzle geometries. An upper boundary is established of the most efficient geometries for each well which creates a continuous function relating power fluid to oil production. Jet pump oil wells are segregated into networks which share a common power fluid surface pump. These boundaries are added together to create a non-linear objective function. To solve power fluid distribution in a network, a reduced Newton method is applied that incorporates …

Data-Driven Simulation Of Sustainable Residential Hvac Systems In Fairbanks, Ak, Joshua Young

Engineering

Residential heating comes at extremely high costs and with harmful air pollution in many Alaskan communities. In Fairbanks, the issue of air pollution has received special attention in recent years, specifically due to the high concentration of small particulate matter resulting from residential space heating. This thesis aims to address energy insecurity and air pollution in Fairbanks by proposing an improved residential HVAC system. A computer simulation was developed to model the operations of several different HVAC configurations for comparison with standard heating oil boiler and portable air conditioner systems. This Python model provided a means of simulating one year …

Fan-Side Upgrade To Fin-Fan Intercoolers Located At The Central Compressor Plant In Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, Heather Mckenzie

Engineering

This project proposes an upgrade to the Air-cooled Heat Exchangers (ACHE) known as the Intercoolers at the Central Compressor Plant located in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield on the North Slope of Alaska. The declining field is gas-limited for the majority of the year and the Intercoolers serve as a bottleneck for Field Gas Offtake (FGO). The current configuration incurs high maintenance costs, safety concerns, and operational inefficiencies. The scope of the proposed upgrade involves updating to a Tuf-Lite III fan blade, eliminating the existing gearboxes, and adding Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) control for the motor drive system. The VFDs enable …

Implementation Of Passive Battery Thermal Management Of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Using Tetrahedral Lattice Porous Plates, De’Jour Reed

Engineering

This project experimentally investigates the effectiveness of tetrahedral lattice porous plates for passive thermal management of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) batteries. The evaluation utilized a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) to conduct demonstrations under both hot and cold climate conditions, assessing the plates’ performance in regulating battery temperatures. Findings indicated that the tetrahedral lattice structure effectively mitigated thermal fluctuations, thereby enhancing battery stability and longevity during operation. The successful demonstration of these plates provides promising evidence for their application in thermal management systems for UAS batteries. This investigation not only highlights the potential of tetrahedral lattice porous plates in …

Social Determinants Of Health Extraction From Clinical Notes Across Institutions Using Large Language Models, Vipina K Keloth, Salih Selek, Qingyu Chen, Christopher Gilman, Sunyang Fu, Yifang Dang, Xinghan Chen, Xinyue Hu, Yujia Zhou, Huan He, Jungwei W Fan, Karen Wang, Cynthia Brandt, Cui Tao, Hongfang Liu, Hua Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Detailed social determinants of health (SDoH) is often buried within clinical text in EHRs. Most current NLP efforts for SDoH have limitations, investigating limited factors, deriving data from a single institution, using specific patient cohorts/note types, with reduced focus on generalizability. We aim to address these issues by creating cross-institutional corpora and developing and evaluating the generalizability of classification models, including large language models (LLMs), for detecting SDoH factors using data from four institutions. Clinical notes were annotated with 21 SDoH factors at two levels: level 1 (SDoH factors only) and level 2 (SDoH factors and associated values). Compared to …

At The Crossroads Of Technology, Policy, And Society: Energy Transitions In Rural Alaska, Gwen Holdmann

Engineering

The future of energy in remote and rural communities is shaped by a complex interplay of technology, policy, and social structures. This dissertation explores why some regions--despite facing similar economic, geographic, and environmental constraints--have successfully developed renewable energy systems while others have struggled. Focusing on rural Alaska, this research examines the factors that drive or inhibit local energy transitions, considering historical institutionalism, governance structures, policy interventions, and economic incentives. Through a mixed-methods approach including case studies, qualitative comparative analysis, and statistical methods, this dissertation examines how energy subsidies and the pooling of resources--whether through shared infrastructure, cooperative utilities, or other …

Modal Investigation Of The Usibelli Building Using Spectral And Dynamic Analysis, David Kulikovskiy

Engineering

The purpose of this master’s project is to complete a modal analysis of the Joseph E. Usibelli Engineering Learning and Innovation Building. The modal analysis was conducted in two ways: by completing a spectral analysis using data collected from 7 seismometers and using a computer model of the building’s structural Lateral Force Resisting System. Power spectrum density plots were generated using a Fast Fourier transform routine within MATLAB to identify the natural periods of the building. A building model was created in RISA-3D using construction plan sets to apply a dynamic load and then to find the natural periods of …

Commencement 2025

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Challenging $\Lambda$Cdm: Unraveling Cosmic Distances, Dark Sector Phenomenology, And Alternative Primordial B-Mode Sources, Kylar L. Greene

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

The dominant Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) cosmological model, while remarkably successful, increasingly shows signs that it may not fully describe our Universe, as persistent tensions in expansion rates and structure formation remain unresolved. In this thesis, I challenge the LCDM paradigm using novel theoretical frameworks combined with rigorous numerical analyses. I demonstrate that the expansion-rate tension fundamentally reflects underlying distance disagreements, and that the Thomson scattering rate strongly restricts higher pre-recombination expansion rates without additional physics. Further, I present a novel cosmological model using a mirror dark sector and varying fundamental constants, revealing an observational degeneracy allowing significantly higher …

A Theology Of Hope For Missing Persons And Lost Causes, Joelle Yanko

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

This paper explores how unresolved tragedies—particularly missing person cases and lost causes—serve as profound reflections of the human condition and reveal the necessity of Christian eschatological hope. Missing person cases touch the deepest questions of the human soul and reveal a deep, universal longing for justice and resolution—longings that cannot be fully met within the bounds of this present life. Drawing from theological reflection, the paper argues that both suffering and miraculous resolution ultimately point toward a greater hope found in the Christian vision of union with God. This future-oriented hope, grounded in the resurrection of Christ, invites believers to …

Front Matter Salubritas 4 (2025), Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Full Issue Salubritas, Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Sirex Nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Oviposition Preference And Development In Relation To Host Age, And A Novel Live-Trapping System For Wood-Borers, Jessica A. Hartshorn, Larry D. Galligan, Ace J.W. Lynn-Miller, Fred M. Stephen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Sirex nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is a pine-inhabiting woodwasp native to eastern North America. A non-native congener, S. noctilio F., was discovered along the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario in New York in 2004 and its current distribution now includes seven northeastern states, Ontario, and Quebec. Its discovery led to a sharp increase in research focusing on S. noctilio as well as S. nigricornis. Research on these two species, and their associates, requires efficient methods for field collection and laboratory rearing. Success of these programs relies on successful collection of, and oviposition by, live females in artificial conditions. Moisture content …

Invertebrate Communities Associated With Three Early Phases Of A Prairie Restoration Project, Tracy R. Evans, Meredith J. Mahoney, E. D. Cashatt, Bryon W. Cross, Geert R. De Snoo, C. J.M. Musters

The Great Lakes Entomologist

While specific invertebrate groups have been studied in prairie restorations, there are few studies that look at terrestrial invertebrate assemblages. We surveyed invertebrates in three phases of plant restoration that were part of a larger restoration project. This cross-sectional study of invertebrate recovery at two, four and five years post-restoration shows there was no overall difference in invertebrate taxa richness and diversity between restoration phases. Overall abundance was greatest in the most recently restored area. Richness, diversity and abundance of six functional groups did not differ. The conclusion is that all phases are still characterized by pioneer invertebrate assemblages, and …

Sub-Surafce Damage Detection In Concrete Structure Using Topology Optimization And Digital Image Correlation, Aayush Poudel

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

This project explores new and innovative method of sub-surface damage detection in concrete structures using optimization and digital image correlation.

Assessing Soil Bacteria Diversity And Biological Activity In Extreme Environments, Javier Serrano

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

Strains of actinomycetes were isolated, genetically identified, and cultured, and their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties were assessed.

Coal-Derived Soft Carbon Anodes With Silicon Nanoparticles For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Ashleigh Clabaugh

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

Material characterization and preliminary half-cell battery testing of anodes composed of coal-derived soft carbon and silicon nanoparticles will be presented.

Beyond Lecturing: Revealing Faculty Perceptions Of Technology Expectations And Job Satisfaction In Christian Higher Education, Jerry L. Pitts, Charlene Geisler, Mark D. Granger, Jessica E. Kuehne, Roger W. Mackey, Erica D. Moore

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this phenomenological study aimed to understand higher education faculty perceptions and job satisfaction related to technology integration expectations in a changing academic environment. This study asked two research questions: 1. What are the perceptions of Christian higher education faculty regarding technology expectations? 2. How do Christian higher education faculty’s perceptions of these technology expectations affect their job satisfaction? Six full-time residential faculty members participated in the study. The lived experiences of faculty were studied using individual interviews, focus groups, and journal entries. Data analysis revealed that faculty perceived that institutions have additional technological expectations that go beyond …

Optimizing Accessibility Training By Prioritizing Cognitive Needs Of Students With Disabilities, Lio Jones, Kari Goin, Megan Mcfarland

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Despite the significant enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education, research and practice rarely center the voices and leadership of these students, particularly in accessibility training efforts. This paper addresses this gap by presenting an autoethnographic study of a digital accessibility training initiative co-led by a student with multiple disabilities. Using a process that combines participatory research and first-person narrative, this study outlines the development and implementation of faculty training on accessibility that centers the experiences of a student with cognitive disabilities. We propose a new framework for understanding "dynamic disability," a concept that recognizes the complex and evolving …

Middle School: Building Persistence, Briley Eischeid

Art 895 Research Papers

This case study explores the skill of engaging and persisting that Nebraska rural freshmen students possess based on whether an art education class was offered every year of middle school. Data was gathered through multiple student observations, field notes, and student document and artifact analysis. This study emphasizes the critical need for art education at every level, especially in middle school, to ensure the strong development of engaging and persisting essential for high school learning experiences.

Ai Governance In The Gaming Industry: A Proposal For A Use Case Registry, Cesar D. Lozoya Martinez

Student Research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into everyday life. From customer service chatbots and marketing strategies to player protection tools and surveillance systems, casino operations are embracing the trend. However, without a systematic framework to track the current and emerging use cases across the industry, concerns about transparency, ethical use, and potential consumer harm continue to grow. Rather than aiming to establish binding regulatory practices for an industry and technology that are both quickly evolving, this policy brief advocates for the creation of an AI-use case registry. The registry would comprehensively track gaming companies that are using AI. The growing …