Digital Commons Network^™

Animal Burrow Detection In Levee Systems Using Res-Net 34, Christopher D. Moore

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Animal burrow detection is a time-consuming and costly task for levee inspectors. Annual budgets run up to approximately $16 million per state. The inspectors typically will have to travel to the inspection sites using government-assigned transportation. Depending on the distance to the site, it may take minutes or hours to arrive before any productive inspections occur. Once at the site, the inspectors were subject to human error, overgrown foliage, severe weather, or prohibitive landscaping that would make any human inspection impossible. Also, animal burrows could be small enough or overgrown, so the human inspector misses the problem areas. We aimed …

Combining Historical And Citizen Science Jellyfish Records To Inform Marine Biodiversity Management, John Terenzini, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop, Laura J. Falkenberg

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Effective management of ecosystems requires knowledge of biodiversity and how it is changing. There are, however, some species and regions for which such data are missing. Combining historical records with those added using non-traditional monitoring methods such as citizen science can fill this gap. Jellyfish are one group for which such an approach is advantageous as jellyfish are difficult to observe, with records particularly lacking for understudied regions outside of Europe and North America. Using Hong Kong as an example, we combine historical jellyfish observation records obtained using traditional methods (published from 1910 to current day) with recent records facilitated …

Elementary Teachers' Perception Of Preparedness For The Elementary Science Classroom, Julie Spino

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the perception of preparedness among elementary teachers to effectively teach three-dimensional science lessons as advocated by the Next Generation Science Standards. A mixed methods approach combining qualitative interviews with quantitative analysis was employed to gain a full understanding of variables that are related to teachers feeling prepared for the classroom and what aspects of teacher preparation and professional experience are areas of success or areas of growth in terms of implementing effective science instruction in a large school district in southeastern Tennessee. Findings revealed teachers completing a full semester of student teaching perceived themselves to be significantly …

Modeling Natureserve Subnational Conservation Status Ranks For Tennessee Vascular Plants, Julia H. Prins

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Conservation status ranks measure the potential risk of extinction for species at the global, national, and subnational levels, taking into account rarity, threats, and population trends. This study used the NatureServe system to generate provisionary subnational conservation status ranks (s-ranks) for the vascular flora of Tennessee using five methods: (1) assigning an s-rank based on surrounding state s-ranks, (2) assigning an s-rank based on the percentage of counties with an occurrence record, (3) using FME to calculate criteria and assign an s-rank, (4) using RareCat to calculate criteria and assign an s-rank, and (5) using ArcGIS Pro to calculate criteria …

Advancing Approaches To Multi-Target Multi-Camera Tracking: Graph-Based Features, Language Integration, Privacy Preservation, And Large Language Agent Frameworks, Tuan Thanh Nguyen Mr

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Multi-target multi-camera tracking (MTMCT) is a cornerstone of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), enabling comprehensive monitoring and analysis of vehicle movements across distributed camera networks. Although significant progress has been made, fundamental challenges persist in data association, real-time processing, preservation of privacy, and natural-language user interaction. First, we propose a graph-based model that leverages similarity algorithms to enhance cross-camera object association. Our framework achieves state-of-the-art performance with an IDF1 score of 0.8166 on the CityFlow dataset for offline tracking while maintaining real-time capability at 14 FPS for online scenarios. Next, we present LaMMOn, an end-to-end framework integrating language models with graph …

Solar Thermochemical Conversion Of Co2 Into Fuels Using Ni-Ferrite Driven Redox Reactions: Thermodynamic Efficiency Analysis, Andrea Stevens

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The growing levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in our atmosphere are a significant driver of climate change, highlighting the need for innovative strategies to utilize this greenhouse gas. One promising solution is solar-driven thermochemical CO₂ splitting (CDS), which can convert CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO)—a vital component for producing syngas and fuels. This study examines the thermodynamic performance of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) as a redox material in solar thermochemical CO₂ splitting processes. To evaluate how different factors influence the efficiency of this process, a detailed thermodynamic model was created. This model looks at how variations in inert gas flow rates …

Mathematical Model For Tripledemic Disease (Covid-19, Rsv, And Influenza), Foster Opoku

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The concurrent circulation of COVID-19, Influenza (Flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), collectively termed the ”Tripledemic,” poses substantial public health challenges due to their overlapping transmission patterns and compounded healthcare demands. The discovery of COVID-19 vaccines such as Moderna (mRNA-1273, Spikevax) and Johnson & Johnson’s, among other vaccines, has reduced COVID-19 cases but has not completely eradicated the disease. In the 2022-2023 season, the world witnessed a ”tripledemic” of Flu, COVID-19, and RSV. We propose Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) and SusceptibleExposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) mathematical models to estimate transmission rates, compute the basic reproduction number, forecast infections, and analyze seasonal variations and comparative transmission …

Holographic Multi-Waveguide System: Towards Implementation In Wearable Sensor Technologies, Pamela Stoeva, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, Suzanne Martin, Maria Antonietta Ferrara, Giuseppe Coppola, Izabela Naydenova

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Holographic optical elements (HOEs) are integral to advancements in optical sensing, augmented reality, solar energy harvesting, biomedical diagnostics, and many other fields, offering precise and versatile light manipulation capabilities. This study, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is the first to design and fabricate an HOE mutliwaveguide system using a thermally and environmentally stable photopolymerizable hybrid sol-gel (PHSG) for sensing applications. Using a 476.5 nm recording wavelength, 60% diffraction efficiency PHSG holographic waveguides of spatial frequency of 1720 lines/mm were successfully fabricated to function as in- and out-couplers at 632.8 nm and 700 nm wavelength, respectively. The waveguides were …

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bot: What I Learned About Ai And What You Can Too, John Lande

Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools play an increasingly prominent role in legal education, legal practice, and dispute resolution. People’s understanding of how these tools work varies widely. This article outlines a framework to improve AI literacy among dispute resolution practitioners, parties, ADR program managers, faculty, students, and scholars. It highlights emerging trends and offers practical suggestions and resources to support AI literacy and the responsible integration of AI into their work. A companion article, Getting the Most from AI Tools: A Practical Guide to Writing Effective Prompts, helps users, especially those in dispute resolution roles, learn how to write effective …

Treasury Analysis & The Digital Divide, Alivia Shaver

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper outlines the daily tasks of a Treasury Analyst Intern and highlights the problematic issues that arise from the digital divide in the telecommunications industry.

But For A Free Press: A Response To Press Freedom Skeptics, Kevin F. O'Neill, Patrick J. Charles

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This Article is divided into three Parts. Part I will outline the history-in-law case forwhy the historical record sufficiently supports recognizing distinct constitutional press freedoms. Part II then provides a history-in-law response to some of the most common arguments made by press freedom skeptics as to why distinct constitutional press freedoms should not be recognized by the courts. Lastly, Part III makes the case for why the recognition of distinct constitutional press freedoms should become a jurisprudential reality and provides a roadmap to accomplish this.

On The Optimal Design Of Coreless Afpm Machines With Halbach Array Rotors For Electric Aircraft Propulsion, Matin Vatani, John F. Eastham, Xiaoze Pei, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the winding factor and winding harmonic distribution in coreless stator axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machines. The topology of this type of machine and its similarities to conventional cored AFPM machines are discussed. Popular pole/coil number combinations in coreless stator AFPM machines are identified and analyzed in detail. It is demonstrated that the winding factor in these machines varies with radius and can be expressed as the product of the conductor distribution factor, pitch factor, and coil group factor. The formulas for each factor are derived and presented in multiple forms based on …

Hybrid Fea And Meta-Modeling For De Optimization Of A Highly Saturated Spoke Ipm, Oluwaseun A. Badewa, Marcelo Silva, Rosemary E. Alden, Pedram Asef, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper introduces a novel approach for high performance electric motor design that combines machine learning (ML)-based meta-modeling with a differential evolution (DE) optimization algorithm. The method leverages finite element analysis (FEA) results to train the ML meta-model, enabling efficient design optimization for high-power density cored machines, such as spoke interior permanent magnet motors (IPM), which exhibit complex nonlinearities and saturation effects. This hybrid ML-DE framework seeks to provide an alternative for physics-based electric motor design and optimization, offering significant reductions in computational effort while maintaining accuracy. The meta-model’s accuracy in capturing the nonlinear relationships between design parameters, core losses, …

Optimal Design Of Coreless Axial Flux Pm Machines Using A Hybrid Machine Learning And Differential Evolution Method, Matin Vatani, David R. Stewart, Pedram Asef, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Coreless stator axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machines require computationally intensive three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) for accurate performance evaluation, making optimization time-consuming and impractical for large-scale design studies. This paper presents a hybrid optimization approach that integrates differential evolution (DE) with artificial neural networks (ANNs) to accelerate the optimization of coreless AFPM machines. In this method, DE driven FEA simulations generate a dataset used to train an ANN surrogate model, significantly reducing reliance on direct FEA computations. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated through a multi-objective DE optimization, where the ANN’s predictions are validated against FEA results. …

Winding Factors And Harmonics Of Coreless Axial Flux Pm Machines, Matin Vatani, John F. Eastham, Xiaoze Pei, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the winding factor and winding harmonic distribution in coreless stator axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machines. The topology of this type of machine and its similarities to conventional cored AFPM machines are discussed. Popular pole/coil number combinations in coreless stator AFPM machines are identified and analyzed in detail. It is demonstrated that the winding factor in these machines varies with radius and can be expressed as the product of the conductor distribution factor, pitch factor, and coil group factor. The formulas for each factor are derived and presented in multiple forms based on …

Investigating Business Cybersecurity Vulnerability And Development Of An Application For Security Awareness Training Platform For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Baijun (Jack Skywalker) Jiang

Senior Honors Theses

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly becoming prime targets for cybercriminals due to their limited IT expertise, inadequate cybersecurity investment, and insufficient security awareness training. The increasing sophistication of social engineering attacks are rendering traditional security awareness programs obsolete, as they fail to effectively promote behavior change. The proposed solution develops a software-based security awareness training program that integrates interactive activities, realistic scenarios, and gamified learning methods to engage employees and facilitate long-term behavioral change towards security awareness. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed training program in real-world scenarios to measure its impact on …

Comparative Analysis Of Regression And Random Forest Models For Player Performance Prediction In The Mls, Joshua Clement Madeti

Senior Honors Theses

Advanced technology and analytics have transformed the world and have benefited several industries throughout, the sport industry being one of them. Data is constantly generated during sports and requires post-game or post-season analysis which is crucial to team and player success. In this paper, the researcher will focus on the impact of analytics on soccer and soccer players. With over three billion active fans, soccer is the most famous sport in the world yet, when it comes to analytics, it is lagging. The thesis includes a comparative study of multiple linear regression and random forest regression to explore whether these …

A Gamified Mobile App For Learning Linguistics: Applying Software Design And Thinking To Educational Engagement, Michael J. Rourke

Honors College Theses

This thesis explores how mobile app technologies—particularly gamification, adaptive learning algorithms, and user-centered UI/UX design—can be used to make linguistics education more accessible and engaging. Drawing on recent scholarship in educational technology and human-computer interaction, I developed a React Native-based mobile application that introduces users to core linguistic concepts such as phonetics, syntax, and semantics through interactive mini-games. The academic component of this thesis synthesizes research on best practices in educational app design and documents the full design and development process. The project demonstrates how creative computer science work can be informed by scholarly literature while producing a functional tool …

Dancing In The Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes The Commercial Dance Industry, Luke Lisowski

Honors College Theses

Social media has fundamentally transformed the commercial dance industry, reshaping how dancers establish careers, connect with industry professionals, and promote their artistry. This thesis examines the impact of social media platforms – such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube – on career growth by facilitating networking opportunities, increasing visibility, and redefining industry standards. The research explores how digital platforms have shifted the traditional pathways to success, enabling dancers to showcase their work independently while also creating challenges related to self-promotion, competition, and mental health.

Through a series of in-depth interviews with professional dancers and choreographers actively working in the industry, this …

Support Effects On Fe- Or Cu-Promoted Ni Catalysts Used In The Catalytic Deoxygenation Of Tristearin To Fuel-Like Hydrocarbons, Great C. Umenweke, Robert Pace, Thomas Récalt, Olivier Heintz, Gilles Caboche, Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Previous studies have shown that fats, oils, and greases (FOG) can be deoxygenated to fuel-like hydrocarbons over inexpensive alumina-supported Ni catalysts promoted with Cu or Fe to afford excellent yields of renewable diesel (RD). In this study, supports other than alumina—namely, SiO₂-Al₂O₃, Ce_0.8Pr_0.2O₂, and ZrO₂—were investigated to develop catalysts showing improved RD yields and resistance to coke-induced deactivation relative to Al₂O₃-supported catalysts. Results showed that catalysts supported on Ce_0.8Pr_0.2O₂ and ZrO₂ outperformed SiO₂-Al_{2 …}

How Do Parents Influence Female Students' Engineering Trajectory?, Niloufar Bayati, Cameron Denson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Using the Parental Socialization Framework, this research provides a detailed analysis of how early STEM exposure, parental confidence in abilities, and gender-neutral upbringing contribute to the development of STEM identities among women. Employing a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, six undergraduate women engineering majors were interviewed in-depth about their parents' influence on their STEM pathways. The findings reveal that parents' high academic expectations, confidence in their daughters' abilities, verbal and non-verbal encouragement, and early STEM opportunities are pivotal in steering female participants toward engineering. The study also underscores the importance of creating a gender-neutral environment that allows girls to explore and develop …

Structural Vibration Analysis Of The Multi Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (Mmrtg) On The Martian Surface, Christopher Brown

Master's Theses

A Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) is a radioisotope power system designed for use within both planetary atmospheres and the vacuum of space. A radioisotope power system uses a radioisotope fuel source which generates heat that is then converted into electricity by the system’s thermocouples. These generators are used as a power source on space missions with very long service durations. MMRTGs have a required usage lifespan of roughly fourteen years, therefore the system must withstand stressors without suffering significant structural damage that would affect their functionality.

It is important to take into consideration that MMRTGs house radioactive materials; therefore, …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Production Of Biofuels From Nanno 3600 Microalgae And Algae Native To Connecticut Via Greener Alternative Extraction Solvents For Lipid Recovery, Juhkory Najar

Master's Theses

As the world continues to evolve and expand in both technology and population, the energy demand continues to increase as well to keep up with the production of new products and higher production rates. The depletion of fossil fuels and the considerable amount of greenhouse gases from the use of nonrenewable energy sources fuel the demand for renewable energy sources. These renewable energy sources originate from a variety of places, such as wind power, hydroelectric, and solar. Biomass continues to grow in the renewable energy sector due to its versatility in high lipid content and minimal competition with other biomass …

Climate Change And Social Vulnerability: A Case Study Of The Mexico Lerma-Cutzamala Region, Monica Munoz Miranda, Milagros Becerra

Sustainability and Social Justice

Climate change is reshaping precipitation patterns in Mexico, with significant regional and seasonal variations, leading to notable impacts on different components of the hydrological cycle for the whole country. The project focuses on assessing climate change and social vulnerability in the Mexico-Lerma Cutzamala hydrological region, an area that plays a critical role in the water supply to the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and has faced water scarcity issues for years. The analysis was conducted at a municipal level through a study area of 210 municipalities, extended on approximately 31,305 sq.km, with a population of over 23 million people. Using geospatial …

Himmelfarb Headlines - May/June 2025, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Headlines (2009 - present)

News, information, and resources relating to Himmelfarb Library that is of interest to patrons.

Monitoring The Qosh Tepa Canal Project: A Geospatial Timeline Of Taliban Water Diversion, Enerel L. Crosslin

Honors Thesis

The World Food Program states that “acute malnutrition in Afghanistan is above emergency thresholds in 25 out of 34 provinces and is expected to worsen”. Aiming to support agriculture, the Taliban began to build the 285 km “Qosh Tepa Canal” to divert 17% of the Amu Darya, which supports the livelihoods of millions of people in downstream Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The World Bank estimated that roughly 2.4 million Central Asians could become climate refugees by 2050. Our objectives are to create a timeline of satellite imagery of the canal’s construction. Our research questions are (1) Can we characterize water diversion …

Disulfide-Cleavable Linkers In Antibody-Drug Conjugates For Targeted Cancer Therapy, Emily Hwang

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This project aims to discover a way to improve the safety of and reduce adverse side effects of disulfide-linked antibody-drug conjugates. Disulfide-cleavable linkers for antibody-drug conjugates function by exploiting the differential concentrations of dominant thiol species in the blood plasma and in the cytosol of malignant cells. This project aimed to identify a relationship between the stability of disulfide cleavable linkers in the blood plasma and disulfide linker structure, to prevent premature release of the cytotoxic drug. Three disulfide linker analogs with varying carbon chain lengths were synthesized through reaction with 2,2’-dipyridyl disulfide. Each analog was conjugated to a fluorescent …

Semiconductors In Space: Data Analysis Of Microgravity's Impact On Crystal Formation, Keegan Jo Jackson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Comprehensive data analysis on crystal growth in microgravity is a requisite to inform understanding of prior work. Our research constructed and analyzed a database containing data gathered from research focusing on semiconductors grown in microgravity. Data curation spanned multiple decades, countries, and semiconductor materials. All relevant reported information was recorded in the database, notably data regarding the metrics used to determine the impact space had on crystal growth: size, structure, uniformity, and performance. After data cleaning and data processing, the database was organized and readied for analysis. Data analysis was performed using RStudio and SciKit-learn. RStudio was employed for data …

Is The Price Of Organic Foods Worth The Potential Benefits To Your Health?, Jenna C. Warren

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

What foods are healthier for you? This study will determine this based on where the food comes from, including the meat, dairy, and farming industries and how they treat animals and plants, and the nutrients these foods contain. From these findings, this study will choose foods for an average American’s three meals in a day for a organic and non-organic option. Then, it will compare the prices of a typical day’s worth of food and determine whether the price is worth the quality of food you are consuming.

Career Aspirations And Gender Norms: How Socialization Influences Women’S Professional Choices, Emily Rose Hunt

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

While legal frameworks grant women equal rights and opportunities to participate in any occupation, gender inequality continues in part due to the persistent gender segregation within the workforce. Gender socialization places women into roles that limit their occupational opportunities, so this study explores women’s understanding of their career options based upon the potential constraints that come from their identity as a woman. This study uses a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews conducted with students at Butler University to gather information on women’s personal perspectives on how their gender impacted their perceived career options. A sample of nine undergraduate women were …