Digital Commons Network^™

Collective Drip: Transformation, Hybridity, And Queer Ecologies, Vee Adams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In my recent body of work, Collective Drip, I investigate the queer and trans body as a site for transformation. Through the lens of queer theory, ecology, and myth, I explore what it means to be becoming, always in process. Looking at hybrid bodies and symbiotic life forms, I’m interested in investigating what it means when the body is seen as a dynamic landscape? What happens when the community is reinvisioned as an ecosystem? Facing the current transphobic political landscape, this body of work offers queer and trans visions of pleasure and abundance.

Investigation Of Control Strategies For Swing-Up Maneuver Of A Double Inverted Pendulum On Rotating Link, Abdulrahman Mohammad Rahmani

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This thesis is concerned with investigation of the swing-up control problem of underactuated mechanical systems namely the double rotary inverted pendulum using the optimal control theory. The research aims to develop a robust controller to achieve the swing-up and stabilization of the pendulum in the upright unstable equilibrium position while regulating the angular displacement of the rotating arm and the two pendulum angles. The performance of the designed controller was evaluated through numerical simulations in the MATLAB/Simulink environment. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted and the challenges that researchers face in the control of underactuated mechanical systems were …

Estimation Of Breach Hydrograph Resulting From Dam Embankment Failure Due To Internal Erosion Or Overtopping: Comparison Of Simplified Methods With Real-Case Failure Data And Recommendations, Laurent Del Gatto, Jean-Robert Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

The opening of a breach in an embankment dam, whether due to overtopping or internal erosion, is a critical failure mode for these structures. Estimating the resulting breach hydrograph is essential for assessing downstream risks. While no universal physical model covers all dam types, empirical formulas are commonly used. EDF analyzed 14 such formulas, comparing them with rupture data from 32 embankment dam failures. The best formulas - Froehlich 1995, Xu & Zhang 2009, and CLF 2020 - yield a “best estimate” for peak flow. However, due to variability, results should be interpreted cautiously. Consider estimating breach characteristics like width …

Breach Modeling Flume Tests, R. M. Monteiro-Alves, R. Moran, M. Á. Toledo, M. Morris, C. Picault, J-R. Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

From previous flume tests conducted in the framework of the OVERCOME Project, intended to investigate the effect of different soil materials, overflow discharges, and upstream face watertightness on the breaching processes of overflowed levee sections, we determined the need for further investigation on the effect of test repeatability, content of fines and armouring caused by the coarser particles. This document presents the results of this new set of tests which have shown an impact of these variables on the breach macro erosion processes, erosion rates and breach dimensions.

Ic Writing Center Expansion Proposal, Norah Al-Hallaj, Olivia Beben, Faadil Syed, Guillermo Ordonez

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The Writing Center is an incredible asset to Loyola students, aiding with a wide range of writing issues across many subjects. However, its current layout falls short of optimizing student and tutor success. Its main problem is the consistent impact of outside noise-disrupting sessions. We propose to fill the gaps between the ceiling and the walls in the rooms used by the Writing Center. By making this practical change, the Writing Center can better support its students and tutors, improving the overall satisfaction of the program in the future.

Upper Extremity Anatomical Simulated Fracture Device, Lindsey Koch, Riley Hilbert, Charlotte Wilson

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The purpose of this design project is to create a functional upper limb fracture simulation that can be used by medical students to mimic reduction and splinting accurately in hopes that these skills can be learned effectively and realistically before being put into practice. The design aims to replicate the Smith and Colles wrist fractures, as well as a comminuted fracture. The model design was presented to five medical students pursuing their undergraduate degrees, and overall responses to prompts indicated that they believed the model would be a good tool for learning reduction and splinting.

Communications, Computers And Networks, Gabriel Rodriguez, Soledad Robina

Communication Research Trends

There was a time when communication from computer to computer via satellite links. was the exclusive domain of the military, of highly specialized scientists, and of 'hackers'. That is no longer true. The serious scholar, even of the humanities, sometimes feels a bit 'out of it' when separated from his or her computer and modem.' Technical assistance is being provided to development workers in remote areas by means of relatively cheap ground stations and low-orbiting (non-geostationary) satellites. 'E-mail', using a bewildering array of special interest computer networks, generates whole new forms of society, united by electronics, rather than geography

Development Of Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites With Volcanic Ash And Calcium Carbide Residue Using Carbonation Curing, Jad Samir Bawab

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The production and use of cement and concrete is a major contributor to numerous environmental problems, primarily centered around high carbon emissions, extensive resource depletion, and vast waste generation. This thesis aims to develop and characterize low-carbon concrete by using volcanic ash (VA) and calcium carbide residue (CCR) as partial cement substitutes while exposing the cementitious composite to accelerated carbonation curing. The study is a multi-level assessment of the incorporated materials and curing method divided into four phases. The first stage studied and optimized the CCR content and carbonation curing parameters of carbonation-cured concrete. It was revealed that using 5% …

Successful Flexible Bronchoscopic Extraction Of A Dental Foreign Body Aspirated Into The Left Mainstem Bronchus, Alexys Bolden, Hayden Cooper, Lynnetta Payne, Mark Coomes, Mark Cooper

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a potentially life-threatening emergency that commonly occurs in children but varies widely in clinical presentation. Rapid diagnosis and intervention are of the utmost importance to prevent complications such as airway obstruction, infection, and lung injury. While uncommon in adults, most encountered causes occur in the setting of intoxication, neuromuscular weakness, or iatrogenic dental work. Those with dental prostheses are especially susceptible due to the partially attached nature, rendering the risk of accidental dislodgement. This report discusses an uncommon case wherein an 82-year-old male aspirated a dental bridge into his left mainstem bronchus during routine dental …

"Man-Dig Those Crazy Los Angeles Freeways": The Changing Image Of Southern California Freeways In The Werner Von Boltenstern Postcard Collection, Laura Haushalter

Undergraduate Library Research Awards

No abstract provided.

Physically Based Assessment Of Flow Resistance In Stepped Chutes, T. L. Wahl, B. J. Heiner, K. R. Smithgall, C. C. Shupe, J. Falkenstine

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Existing physically based methods for estimating stepped chute friction factors or energy dissipation rates consider relative step height and relative step-tip spacing to be key factors, but do not fully account for chute slope and associated step orientation. For slopes steeper than 45° each step acts as an offset into the flow, while for flatter slopes each step presents an offset away from the flow, but methods that consider only the step-tip spacing do not account for this difference. Furthermore, most experimental studies have been performed in open channel spillway models, where two-phase air-water flow and variable flow depths make …

Ahead Of His Time? A Reanalysis Of The Air-Tunnel Stepped Chute Studies Of Marcos José Tozzi, T. L. Wahl, J. A. Higgs, J. Matos

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped spillways offer energy dissipation advantages and construction efficiencies over smooth spillway chutes. Energy dissipation is typically estimated using empirical relations that depend on chute slope, unit discharge and relative step height. Open-channel tests of model spillways experience self-aerated air-water flow downstream from the aeration inception point, and the presence of air dramatically affects energy dissipation and flow depth, making it difficult to separately determine the effects of step geometry and other basic flow properties. The 1992 doctoral dissertation of Marcos José Tozzi from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo included open channel stepped spillway tests with …

Hydraulic Measurements In A Saf Stilling Basin With A Stepped Chute For Embankment Protection, B. M. Crookston, N. Young

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped chutes have become commonplace in embankment dam rehabilitation projects due to project economy, constructability, and improved chute energy dissipation. Consequently, for applications where a stilling basin is merited the interaction of stepped chutes and stilling basins is of high interest. A commonly used stilling basin type for many smaller embankment dams, the St. Anthony Falls stilling basin (SAF), has no specific hydraulic design guidance for use downstream of a stepped chute. Therefore, this study was conducted at the Utah Water Research Laboratory in a flume with 0.1 m tall steps, a total drop height of 1.8 m, and an …

2025 Nsf Career: Portable Wind Tunnel, Wen Wu

Showcase of Research and Scholarly Activity

As part of his NSF CAREER grant, Dr. Wu will collaborate with the University of Mississippi Museum to host the Art of Fluid exhibition. The exhibit will showcase artistic visualizations of fluid dynamics research and include live wind tunnel demonstrations. Dr. Wu will also launch a Mobile Fluid Exposition Program to engage high school students throughout north Mississippi, aiming to inspire interest in STEM through hands-on activities. The Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE) will support this outreach effort.

Four Grants From Mississippi Department Of Transportation (1) And North Carolina Deparment Of Transportation (3), Amir Molan

Showcase of Research and Scholarly Activity

• Safety Performance and Design Considerations of Restricted Crossing U-Turns (RCUTs) in Mississippi, Award No. SPR-2024-00(001), Mississippi Department of Transportation (PI)
• Advancing the Consideration of Treatment Options for Approaches with Two Available Left Turn Lanes, Award No. NCDOT 2026-005, North Carolina Department of Transportation (Co-PI)
• Quantitative Safety Information on Access Points at Either End of a U-Turn Crossover, Award No. NCDOT 2024-002, North Carolina Department of Transportation (Co-PI)
• Evaluating Benefits and Drawbacks of Intersections with Three-Phase Traffic Signals, Award No. NCDOT 2023-20, North Carolina Department of Transportation (Co-PI)

Enhancing Patient Safety: Exploring Virtual Sitters' Role In Fall Prevention Through Remote Virtual Monitoring, Adama Diallo, Awatef Ergai Dr., Leeanna Spiva Dr., Meriel Mccollum Dr.

Symposium of Student Scholars

Remote Virtual Monitoring (RVM) technology enhances safety for both patients and care teams by reducing falls, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of continuous patient observation, and lowering costs associated with falls and staff support. The success of fall reduction efforts largely depends on the role of virtual sitters, individuals who remotely monitor high-risk patients to prevent falls. This study aims to explore the experiences of virtual sitters, identifying key themes, challenges, and opportunities to improve the intervention. Specifically, the research investigates how technology, work shifts, and institutional support impact the effectiveness and job satisfaction of virtual sitters.

Ai-Powered Image To Recipe Generator, Rohit Malik, Manisha Kumari, Md Abdullah Al Hafiz Khan

Symposium of Student Scholars

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed various aspects of food technology, including automated recipe generation. This paper introduces an AI-powered Image-to-Recipe Generator, a system that extracts ingredient details from an image and generates a structured recipe with cooking instructions. Utilizing computer vision (CNNs, Vision Transformers) for ingredient detection and natural language processing (NLP) for recipe formulation, this system enhances the culinary experience by enabling users to derive recipes from food images effortlessly. The model integrates deep learning-based image recognition, NLP-driven text generation, and a recommendation engine to provide

personalized recipes based on dietary preferences and nutritional constraints. This …

Real Time Object Detection Using Yolo, Rohit Malik, Manisha Kumari, Sanghoon Lee

Symposium of Student Scholars

This project explores the implementation of real-time object detection using the You Only Look Once (YOLO) architecture. Leveraging its speed and accuracy, we developed a system capable of identifying and localizing multiple objects within live video streams. Our implementation focused on optimizing YOLO's performance for real-time applications, specifically addressing the trade-off between speed and accuracy.

We employed a pre-trained YOLO model and fine-tuned it on a custom dataset tailored to specific object classes. This fine-tuning process aimed to enhance the model's ability to recognize objects in our target environment. The system was implemented using Python and the OpenCV library, enabling …

Campus Navigator: A Mobile App For Seamless University Navigation, Hafsa Mohammed, Ali Rahimzadehfard, Rachab Wilson, Mathias Rossi, Turaj Ashuri, Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam

Symposium of Student Scholars

Navigation services play a big role in everyone’s daily lives, from directing them on new roads to guiding them through buildings. Outdoor navigation services have evolved from physical maps to digital ones like Google Maps for ease of use and accessibility. Upon conducting literature research, the team found that many navigation apps lack clear and accurate instructions for how to navigate university campuses such as Marietta campus. Due to the size of KSU’s Marietta campus and its buildings, effortless navigation has been a common challenge for students, faculty, and visitors alike. Additionally, all buildings are referred to by letters, numbers, …

Assessing A Solution For Ga Work Zone Safety Through Cross Classification, Asiah Lightfoot, Sunanda Dissanayake

Symposium of Student Scholars

Work zone safety is a health risk for drivers and construction workers. In Georgia, work zone crashes have decreased over the past 5 years, but the number of fatalities has still been over 1,000 each of those years. Studies have proven solutions such as lowering the speed limit or relying on current traffic control devices to be ineffective. The risks associated with these crashes must be recognized to improve upon previous solutions or innovate new ones from the results. The objective of this study is to utilize cross classification to identify factors that contribute to work zone crash deaths and …

Futurefit Guidance System, Pragya Mishra, Bindusri Manne, Md Abdullah Al Hafiz Khan

Symposium of Student Scholars

The fields of education and career counselling have been completely transformed by the quick development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The objective of this project is to develop an AI-powered career advising system that leverages cutting-edge technology to provide personalized job recommendations aligned with the user's skills, interests, and career goals. The system provides a user-friendly and interactive platform for career exploration by using Natural Language Processing (NLP) models with web application developed with Flask (backend) and React (frontend).

The main goal of this project is to overcome the shortcomings of conventional career guidance approaches, which frequently do not offer …

Sandrapp: A Digital Intervention To Enhance Social Connectivity And Emotional Support Among Older Adults, Pavan Chowdary Chilukuri, Purna Chandu Anukula

Symposium of Student Scholars

Social isolation and loneliness are significant challenges affecting the well-being of older adults, often leading to adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Prolonged isolation has been linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and chronic illnesses such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. As digital technology continues to evolve, innovative solutions have emerged to address these issues and foster meaningful social interactions for older adults.

SANDRApp is a user-friendly digital platform designed to reduce loneliness and enhance social connectivity among older adults. The platform caters to three primary user groups: (1) families with elderly loved ones living far away, …

Low Cost Additive Manufacturing Of Segmented Stator Composite Polymer Permanent Magnet Dc Motors, Ben Goldberg, Jordan Bailey, Connor Hawkins, Colin Haskins, Razvan Voicu

Symposium of Student Scholars

This study presents a novel approach to the design, manufacture, and optimization of segmented stators for composite construction axial flux permanent magnet DC motors. Traditional axial flux stator manufacturing is both challenging and expensive, creating a bottleneck in rapid prototyping and innovation. To overcome these limitations, the stator is divided into individually fabricated segments using advanced composite polymer materials and low-cost additive manufacturing techniques. This segmentation not only drastically reduces production complexity and cost but also allows for customized coil geometries that maximize the surface area for improved heat dissipation.

A key innovation of our design is the integration of …

Overcoming Motor Imagery Bci Illiteracy: Adaptive Decoding And Knowledge Transfer In Eeg-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces, Zaid Shuqfa Shuqfa

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Brain Computer Interface (BCI), Also known as brain-machine interface (BMI) is a mean of controlling machines without the need to activate peripheral nerves or muscles. It has received the attention of research for decades. Motor imagery-based BCI is a paradigm that is characterized by its user friendliness where users can generate control commands at their freewill, without waiting for a que from the BCI module. Motor imagery brain–computer interface (MI–BCI) has considerable potential in increasing the quality of the lives for people with mobility impairment and the healthy ones as well. Though, its diffusion in application still has many pitfalls …

2d Probabilistic Scour Model For Predicting The Time-Rate Of Scour For Spillways And Overtopping Dams Based On The Erodibility Index Method, M. F. George, G. W. Annandale

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Time-dependent prediction of rock scour for dams and spillways has largely remained elusive given limited available data on rock erosion rate parameters in literature. Recently, a theoretical framework for determining the rate of rock scour was developed by Annandale (2025), enhancing the Erodibility Index Method (EIM). The EIM is the most commonly used and accepted approach for evaluation of scour in rock for dam applications. This theoretical framework has been incorporated into the 2D probabilistic jet impingement scour model (George & Annandale, 2023) so that scour progression due to head-cutting in a spillway channel (lined or unlined) or overtopping onto …

Deep Learning Algorithms For Traffic Flow Predictions, Adegoke Ojeniyi, Prince Pal Singh, Ankita Vashisht, Swati Kumari, Karan Karan

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Given the growing complexity of urban transportation systems, precise traffic flow forecasting is essential for reducing not only issues of congestion but also, for boosting road safety and enhancing mobility management. This study integrates Convolutional Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-LSTM), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) to present a hybrid deep learning framework for traffic prediction. Of these, the CNN-LSTM model is a reliable option for real-time traffic forecasting since it successfully captures both spatial and temporal dependencies, resulting in superior predictive performance. The dataset used to assess the framework includes 48,120 records from a traffic monitoring …

Investigating The Impact Of Waterhead, Time And Temperature On Dam Displacement: Application Of Computer Aided Models, Maaz Abdullah

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Dam displacement is a crucial indicator for assessing the safety of a concrete dam through structural health monitoring. Since the displacement data exhibits a non-linear and complex relationship with influencing factors like waterhead, time and temperature, machine learning models are deployed to accurately predict dam displacement. Furthermore, the limited availability of monitored data in the majority of the dams renders the studies conducted with a large number of observations valueless. In order to address the aforementioned issues, this study proposes a feature selection approach to predict dam displacement by examining the ability of four ensemble machine learning models on different …

Comparative Assessment Of Land Surface Temperature In Urbanized Areas Of The Saudi Arabia, Rauf Khan, Syed Ilyas, Ziaul Haq Doost

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Land Surface Temperature (LST) has become a critical urban climate concern due to rapid urbanization and land cover transformation in Saudi Arabian cities. This study aimed to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of LST in three climatically distinct cities encompassing Riyadh (hot desert), Dhahran (hot humid), and Abha (cold desert) over the summer months (May to September) from 2017 to 2021. LST was retrieved through the RSLab Landsat LST web application. A total of 80 samples per year were compiled for each city using a structured sampling approach, and results were aggregated using the RS-LST Aggregation Framework (RSLAF). The …

Optimizing Hydrological Pan Evaporation Prediction Using Advanced Machine Learning Techniques With Spectral Clustering, Labib Sharrar

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Accurate prediction of pan evaporation remains a significant challenge due to inconsistencies across different climatic regions. This study aims to enhance pan evaporation estimation by developing a robust hybrid machine learning (ML) model that integrates spectral clustering with advanced regression techniques, specifically the Histogram-based Gradient Boosting Regressor (HGBR) and Extreme Gradient Boosting Regressor (XGBR), to improve prediction accuracy and adaptability across diverse environments. The research developed a novel methodology by employing spectral clustering for models' performance enhancement, followed by rigorous hyperparameter tuning, sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of individual features on each model. Finally, models underwent lack of fit …

Classification Of Daily Weather Conditions Using Decision Tree-Based Machine Learning Models: A Case Study Of Kabul, Afghanistan, Ahmad Bilal Ahmadullah, Ahmad Shah Irshad, Basir Ahmad Khaled

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

As global climate variability intensifies, the need for accurate and reliable weather forecasting becomes increasingly important. This study aimed to classify daily weather conditions in Kabul, Afghanistan, by comparing two decision-tree-based machine learning (ML) models that includes Decision Tree Classifier (DTC) and Extra Trees Classifier (ETC). A complete year dataset consisting of 366 daily meteorological observations collected from a central weather station in the region for 2024 was used. Results revealed that the DTC model consistently outperformed the ETC model, obtained an overall accuracy of 99% in both the training and testing phases, compared to the ETC model's accuracy of …