Digital Commons Network^™

Property Value(S): Race, Class, And Political Economy In Narratives Of The Single-Family House And Lot, Scott A. Degregoris

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation establishes the single-family house and lot as a political economy of its own. This project maps a political economy of race and class by focusing on both literary representations of the single-family house and lot and this space and structure’s historical, geographical, and architectural significance in and around the city of Detroit. Focusing on Sinclair Lewis’ Main Street (1920) and Babbitt (1922), John Updike’s Rabbit Redux (1971), Amy Haimerl’s Detroit Hustle: A Memoir of Love, Life & Home (2016), and Angela Flournoy’s The Turner House (2015) this analysis illuminates the values that underly and permeate this space and …

Advancing Generative Ai In 3d And 4d Spaces, Hasan Iqbal

Wayne State University Dissertations

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed how we synthesize, edit, and manipulate complex data, opening new possibilities for immersive digital content. This dissertation, titled “Advancing Generative AI in 3D and 4D Spaces,” investigates the capabilities and limitations of state-of-the-art generative models in static 3D scenes and time-aware 4D environments. In the 3D setting, scene editing is hindered by multi-view inconsistency and the high computational cost of per-scene retraining. To address these issues, the work introduces Free-Editor, a training free approach that utilizes an Edit Transformer to propagate a single edited view across all camera perspectives without additional optimisation, delivering prompt …

Integrating Turtle Graphics And Engineering Design: Enhancing Problem-Solving And Critical Thinking Through Digital And Physical Prototyping, Abigail Erskine

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief is a review of literature on integrating Turtle Graphics and engineering design to enhance students' problem-solving and critical thinking through prototyping. Integrating Turtle Graphics with digital and physical prototyping engages students in the engineering design process, helping them bridge abstract mathematical concepts with real-world applications. By combining programming and engineering design, Turtle Graphics supports complex tasks like visualization and design modeling, which improves students’ critical thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving skills. Through iterative testing and refinement, students gain practical insights into engineering concepts such as modeling and creating prototypes.

Rebuilding The Spatial Visualization Test, Maerianna Artang, Maia Catterall, Yagmur Onder, Nrupaja Bhide, Dhinesh Balaji Radhakrishnan, Jennifer J. Deboer

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Literature demonstrates that spatial visualization skills are crucial for students entering engineering and are used as early indicators of success. Historically, studies stated that students of gender or cultural minorities in engineering scored lower than their White, male counterparts. However, recent studies critically question the research approaches used in such studies (Bartlet, 2023; Önder et. al, 2023). We investigate the possible reasons for this score discrepancy and explore the construction of an asset-based spatial visualization assessment. Our work expands the area of spatial visualization development as applied in engineering design, specifically for the scope of marginalized learner contexts. We incorporated …

Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2025 conference is Generational Advances through STEM Education. This year’s conference provides opportunities to learn about effective STEM education strategies, curriculum, and resources to engage students by considering the advances and impact of STEM.

Ginger: The Effect Of Illustrated Storybooks On Children’S Response And Teachers’ Facilitation In Stem Education, Defne Yabas, Tugba Abanoz, M. Sencer Corlu

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study aims to explore children’s and teachers’ responses to the integration of illustrated storybook content into STEM activities in early childhood. The correlation between STEM content and illustrations in children's storybooks conveying scientific information is a crucial aspect that can impact children's learning of STEM. Studies have reported the utilization of storybooks in STEM education for young children (Abanoz & Yabaş, 2022; Pantoya et al., 2015), yet an absence of research has been noted regarding the impact of illustrated storybooks on children's engagement in STEM education. There is substantial research evidence that early childhood teachers have low self-efficacy beliefs …

Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour Of Preloaded Low Cement Concrete Under Heating And Cooling Phase Of Fire Exposure, Mahadev Sitaram Rokade, James Lui, Yu Sheng, Tim Stratford, David Rush, Benny Suryanto

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Understanding the structural performance of concrete under fire, particularly during the cooling phase, is critical to ensuring post-fire safety. Concrete columns, as primary load-bearing elements, are especially vulnerable under such conditions. While Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete has been widely studied in fire, limited research has addressed the behaviour of sustainable alternatives such as Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) concrete, particularly under realistic thermal decay scenarios. GGBS, a by-product of steel production, offers a low-carbon alternative to OPC, reducing embodied CO₂ while enhancing long-term durability. This study investigates the fire response of 100 mm × 200 mm cylindrical specimens …

Informal Education Experiences: Why Stem Camps Matter, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Dale Ruppert

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief details some of the positive impacts of student participation in after-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) camps provided by universities and informal education centers as described in published literature. In addition, the authors reviewed 2,841 anonymous participant surveys of 1^st-12^th grade students involved in nineteen STEM camps held at Purdue University Fort Wayne from 2019-2024 for related findings. Findings indicate that providing an enjoyable and enriching learning environment for STEM camps can foster a mindset of curiosity and a love for learning. Students who attend STEM camps likewise often experience a range of …

Steel Fiber Dosage In Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement Effects On Mechanical And Durability Properties, Zheng Wang, Yanfeng Guan, Minghao Mu, Hongyue Zhu, Chen Yan, Zhenwei Dong, Pengkun Hou

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) plays a significant role as a rapid repair material in road and bridge infrastructure, owing to its fast-setting and high early strength properties. However, its crack resistance and bonding performance still pose challenges, which can impact both the repair effectiveness and the long-term service life of MKPC-based repairs. The addition of steel fibres can improve its strength and toughness. In this paper, the effect of steel fibre dosage on the processing performance and bonding properties of MKPC is investigated. The results show that the flow properties of MKPC remain stable at a dosage of 1%. …

Mathematical Modeling For Interdisciplinary Stem Problem-Solving, Dayat Hidayat, Signe Kastberg

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education supports students’ real-world problem solving by utilizing connections between STEM disciplines. Yet teachers have questions about how to provide such support. Mathematical modeling involves the use of mathematics content and processes to solve problems in integrated STEM contexts. In this research brief we illustrate how mathematical modeling can support students’ integrated STEM problem solving.

Strength And Non-Steady-State Chloride Migration Of Concrete Incorporating Fly Ash-Based Artificial Aggregate, Ayesha Ferdous Mita, Yao Luan, Tiao Wang, Tetsuya Ishida

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

This study explores the mechanical performance and chloride resistance of concrete incorporating artificial aggregate (AA) synthesized from low-calcium fly ash using an environmentally friendly process. The AA was produced by combining fly ash with a small amount of Portland cement and a low concentration of sodium hydroxide, followed by mild heat curing. The hardened material was crushed and used as coarse aggregate in artificial aggregate concrete (AAC). Concrete mixes were prepared with two water-to-cement (W/C) ratios (0.49 and 0.67), and their performance was compared with that of natural aggregate concrete (NAC). Compressive strength tests at 28 days showed that AAC …

Enhancing The Performance Of Road Repair Materials With Polyacrylic Acid Ester In Sulfate Aluminate Cement, Zheng Wang, Yanfeng Guan, Minghao Mu, Shimao Song, Chen Yan, Zhenwei Dong, Qinfei Li

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Sulfate aluminate cement (SAC) is an ideal material for emergency road repairs due to its excellent properties, such as rapid setting and early strength development. However, the strength of SAC gradually decreases over time, and its workability during construction is insufficient, leading to poor quality in the repaired pavement. The addition of redispersible polymer powders (RPP) can improve the rheological properties of the cement and reduce its porosity, significantly enhancing the performance of the repair material. This study investigates the effects of adding 0-2% RPP (based on polyacrylic acid ester, VAE) to SAC. The aim is to systematically assess the …

Ripples Of Change: Middle School Students Navigating The Future Of Our Watershed Through Eco-Stem, Elizabeth Andrew Thiel

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Ripples of Change is an eco-STEM unit designed to address Indiana’s environmental education goals by fostering environmental literacy and informed decision-making among middle school students. By engaging students in community-based learning activities that empower students to address watershed issues, this eco-STEM unit promotes culturally sustaining integrated STEM education. Preliminary findings indicate increased student awareness and responsibility for their impact on local ecosystems using evidence-based reasoning, highlighting the potential for Ripples of Change to inspire global citizenship in students and scalable eco-STEM approaches.

Leveraging Algebraic Thinking In Stem Education To Equip The Next Generation Of Problem Solvers, Asenath Odondi, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Algebraic thinking is a critical skill in mathematics education, involving pattern recognition, generalization, symbolic manipulation, and problem-solving. It is essential for success in STEM fields and should be developed throughout education, starting in early grades. This literature review synthesizes research on algebraic thinking, focusing on problem-based learning. The review indicates that incorporating algebraic thinking into problem-based learning with non-routine activities enhances students' understanding and real-world problem-solving in STEM.

Observing Evidence Of Fixation During K-12 Engineering Design Challenges Using Variables Adapted From Post-Secondary Research, Sopheak Seng, William S. Walker Iii

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Design fixation is a phenomenon impacting students when they generate ideas for an engineering challenge and subsequently hesitate to consider alternative ideas throughout the design activity. Research into fixation with post-secondary students has shown that fixation can limit the quantity and the quality of design solutions. This research brief will describe how fixation has been measured at the post-secondary level and suggest the need for complementing quantitative with qualitative analyses.

Impacts Of Informal Stem Summer Camps On Middle School Student Stem Identity, Austin R. Jenkins, Joshua Faith, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Informal or out of school STEM spaces have been documented as sites of positive STEM identity development for youth historically marginalized in formal STEM spaces (Çolakoğlu et al., 2023). To increase the number of students who develop positive STEM identities during the critical juncture of middle school, Indiana GEAR UP offered summer camps to rising 7th and 8th grade students at selected middle schools across the state. Longitudinal interviews with students indicate the importance of informal STEM spaces, like summer camps, in fostering positive STEM identity development.

Innovative Stem Learning Through Solar Oven Design: Promoting Creativity And Teamwork In Stem Education, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Abigail Erskine, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education benefits significantly from integrating design-based learning (DBL) which fosters student creativity and teamwork. This research brief examines how solar oven design projects for K-12 students that involve DBL promote students' creative skills and teamwork. A literature review was done to investigate how solar oven design activities impacted student learning. Research has shown that students improve creativity and teamwork when these activities are carried out using DBL strategies.

Correction Of Temperature Effects On The Resistivity Of Ggbs Concrete Under Natural Environmental Exposure, Benny Suryanto, Asdam Tambusay

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Electrical resistivity is increasingly recognised as a practical indicator of concrete durability, particularly for assessing cover-zone properties and corrosion risk. However, interpretation of in-situ measurements is complicated by the influence of natural temperature fluctuations. This paper presents the application of a recently proposed temperature correction protocol for electrical resistivity measurements in newly batched concrete, enabling accurate evaluation of microstructural development under variable environmental conditions during both curing and post-curing periods. The proposed approach employs activation energy derived from in-situ measurements and implements an Arrhenius-based correction to normalise resistivity to reference temperatures of 10oC and 20oC. Experimental results demonstrate that the …

Feature Extraction Of Steel Corrosion Based On Xct Scanning And Deep Learning Model, Yuxi Zhao, Yuzhou Wang, Xu Miao, Hanjun Wan

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Accurate quantification and analysis of steel corrosion is crucial for reliability assessment studies of in-service reinforced concrete structures. However, the pixel-level cross-sectional data provided by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) proves difficult to quantify, especially for the amorphous corrosion products filled in mortar, due to the absence of robust feature extraction methods. In this study, multiple deep learning models were trained to automatically identify corrosion products from a large number of XCT images. The database comprised XCT images obtained from a RC component subjected to chloride-rich environment for four years. The results indicate that deep learning models can segment different regions …

Effect Of Ultrafine Mineral Admixtures On Mechanical Properties Of Engineered Cementitious Composites, Lisha Yan, Xiangyu Guo, Weike Jiang, Zhenzhu Xing, Qinfei Li, Pengkun Hou, Chonghui Wang

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

In this study, to address the challenge of balancing the mechanical properties of traditional ECC with sustainability, the effects of substituting part of cement with ultrafine fly ash (UFA) and ultrafine ground granulated blast furnace slag (UGGBS) on the mechanical properties of ECC were investigated, and the differences in the roles of UFA and UGGBS were compared and analysed. The results showed that compared with UFA, UGGBS significantly improved the compressive strength and tensile strain of ECC, with a compressive strength of 92 MPa (73% higher than UFA-ECC), an ultimate tensile strain of 8.87% (4 times higher than UFA-ECC), and …

Multiscale Decoupling Analysis Of Concrete Durability And Interfacial Micromechanics Using Afm-Qnm, Yu Shao, Jie Rong, Yue Liu, Yongzhi Guo, Baolin Guo, Qinfei Li

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

To address the coupled effects of cementitious materials, aggregates, and air content on the salt freeze–thaw resistance of concrete, this study proposes a multiscale decoupling analysis method that integrates macroscopic performance testing with nanoscale mechanical characterization. Concrete specimens were prepared using various binder systems (ordinary Portland cement and slag/fly ash-blended systems), aggregate types (granite and limestone), and target air contents ranging from 3% to 6%. Salt freeze–thaw tests were conducted in a 5% NaCl solution, accompanied by permeability testing, freeze–thaw durability evaluation, and air-void spacing factor measurements. Salt freeze–thaw damage was quantitatively assessed based on mass loss and relative dynamic …

Development Of An Integrated Unmanned Aerial System (Uas) Validation Center, Robert J. Connor, Jose Capa Salinas

JTRP Affiliated Reports

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have the potential to drastically change how civil infrastructure is inspected, monitored, and managed. This innovative technology can ensure the inspector’s safety, provide additional inspection information, and reduce costs. However, a challenge arose as this industry expanded: a lack of standardized guidelines or minimum performance requirements to perform these operations. With no standard tests to verify UAS’ ability to conduct inspections and unknown detection capabilities, agencies are left to rely upon consultants’ or vendors’ promotional material and claims when considering UAS deployment. The following pooled fund project proposes a series of performance-based assessments and procedural documentation …

Indiana Interstate Speed Profiles 2020-2024, Rahul Suryakant Sakhare, Jairaj Desai, Deborah Horton, Darcy M. Bullock

Indiana Mobility Reports

This report presents a graphical summary of monthly mile-hours of congestion across the 8 Indiana interstates (I-64, I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, I-94, I-465, and I-469) and the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) analyzed longitudinally over the last five years from January 2020 to December 2024. It is a continuation of speed profile summaries that are published in previous years. Such systemwide interstate performance measures provide important information for decision makers to plan capital projects and assess operations.

Hours of operation by speed bins (0 to 14 mph, 15 mph to 24 mph, 25 mph to 34 mph, 35 mph to 44 …

Crawfordsville District Interstate Speed Profiles: April 2020–March 2025, Rahul Suryakant Sakhare, Jairaj Desai, Deborah Horton, Darcy M. Bullock

Indiana Mobility Reports

This report presents a graphical summary of monthly mile-hours of congestion across the three interstates (I-65, I-70, and I-74) in INDOT’s Crawfordville District analyzed longitudinally over the last five years from April 2020 to March 2025. It is a continuation of speed profile summaries that are published in previous years. Such systemwide interstate performance measures provide important information for decision makers to plan capital projects and assess operations.

Hours of operation by speed bins (0 to 14 mph, 15 mph to 24 mph, 25 mph to 34 mph, 35 mph to 44 mph, 45 mph to 54 mph, 55 mph …

Beyond The Bench: Historical Injustices And Future Pathways For Florida’S Family Court, David J. Blum

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines systemic inequities in Florida’s family law system, focusing on how legal doctrines, discretionary practices, and enforcement patterns disadvantage unwed and noncustodial fathers. Drawing on statutory analysis, case law, empirical studies, and psychological research, it evaluates several reforms designed to promote fairness while protecting child welfare. These include mandatory paternity testing at birth, a rebuttable presumption of equal custody, stronger enforcement of visitation orders, equitable tax restructuring, and improved training for legal professionals. Current Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (VAP) procedures often create binding obligations without confirming biological parentage, resulting in long-term emotional, legal, and financial consequences. Research shows …

Rapid Inference Of Atmospheric Feature Parameters From Light Curves Using Bayesian Neural Networks, Eugenio A. Diaz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mapping atmospheres using rotationally modulated light curves offers insights into cloud structures and dynamics. Current retrieval methods, primarily based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques like Aeolus, can infer atmospheric features but are computationally prohibitive for large datasets. This project proposes a neural network (NN) framework for the rapid, variational inference of atmospheric structure from light curves, particularly those of brown dwarfs. The primary approach focuses on training a Bayesian NN (BNN) to perform regression, predicting the spot parameters that describe the object's surface brightness map. Given the scarcity of suitable observational training data, the BNN is trained on …

Ad Astra Per Aspera: Legal Revision Of Space Laws And Intellectual Property To Cultivate Global Alliance And Innovation, Jaiden E. Haggiag

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the inadequate nature of the current legal space regime and points out the gaps in outer space laws, including the following: Jurisdictional Challenges, Frameworks of Liability, and IP (Intellectual Property) Enforcement, utilizing laws such as the Outer Space Treaty (OST), the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention, the Moon Agreement, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and TRIPS, along with national laws like the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act and The Inventions in Outer Space Act (35 U.S.C. § 105.). Through analysis of current scholarly proposals and treaty evolution and synthesize to provide policy options, the goal of …

An Analysis Of The Constitutionality Of Florida's 2024 Hb 3: “Online Protections For Minors,” Comparative To Other State Regulations Of The Internet, Evan J. Siegel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the constitutionality of the Florida House of Representatives’ 2024 priority bill, HB 3: “Online Protections for Minors,” through its ongoing litigation in North Florida. The broad nature of the bill, which is now Florida law, and its burden on accessing constitutionality protected speech and/or expression may not be consistent with the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. How the law defines and shapes what material may be accessible to people on the Internet, or the means they would need to use to create a social media account, are questions many other courts have begun …

Neurotensin Regulates Primate Ovulation Via Multiple Neurotensin Receptors, Andrew C. Pearson, Jessica S. Miller, Hannah J. Jensen, Ketan Shrestha, Thomas E. Curry Jr., Diane M. Duffy

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Neurotensin (NTS), a small neuropeptide, was recently established as a key paracrine mediator of ovulation. NTS mRNA is highly expressed by granulosa cells in response to the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, and multiple NTS receptors are expressed by cells of the ovulatory follicle. To identify the role of NTS receptors NTSR1 and SORT1 in ovulation in vivo, the dominant follicle of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) was injected with either vehicle control, the general NTS receptor antagonist SR142948, the NTSR1-selective antagonist SR48692, or the SORT1-selective antagonist AF38469. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was then administered to initiate ovulatory events. …

Niclosamide-Loaded Polyanhydride Nanoparticles To Combat Gemcitabine Resistance In Pancreatic Cancer, Brianna M. White, Venugopal Gunda, Susheel Kumar Nethi, Nagabhishek Sirpu Natesh, Adam S. Mullis, Mariaelena Roman Sotelo, Jeffrey North, Chris Destache, Balaji Narasimhan, Surinder K. Batra, Surya K. Mallapragada, Satyanarayan Rachagani

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Purpose

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly lethal malignancy and lacks effective treatments. Current chemotherapies, including gemcitabine (Gem) in combination treatment regimens, produce dose-limiting toxicity, drug resistance, and ultimately limited improvement in the overall survival of PC patients. Niclosamide (Nic), a clinically safe FDA-approved anthelmintic drug has been shown to have anti-cancer properties; however, its limited bioavailability makes Nic largely ineffective as a therapeutic agent. To address this challenge, we have developed a novel combination therapy of Gem with the repurposed drug, Nic, loaded in biodegradable polyanhydride nanoparticles (NicNp), as an effective treatment option for PC.

Methods

We synthesized and …