Engineering Commons^™

Credit Hour Analysis, Tushar Ojha, Don R. Hush, Elias S. Lopez

Electrical & Computer Engineering Technical Reports

This report presents a detailed analysis of the credit hour usage pattern of undergraduate students at the University of New Mexico (UNM) using custom analytical tools. We introduce a credit-tree framework for analyzing credit hour efficiency. This framework leverages a custom-built specialized audit tool for categorizing student credits. More specifically, student credits are assigned to one of three categories: unusable credits that do not match any degree requirement, excess credits that can be removed without changing the requirement satisfaction, and applied credits that contribute to requirement satisfaction without excess. Clearly, this enables credit analysis at the course and degree requirement …

Re(Engineering) Student Success: Constructing Knowledge On Students’ Experiences In Engineering Education Programs To Encourage Holistic Student Success, Shaylin Williams

Theses and Dissertations

If a group of engineering deans were asked whether students at their institutions were successful and why, what information might they immediately or subconsciously use to measure or gauge the engineering students’ success? If only academic performance outcomes like GPA, individual course grades, or graduation rate race to their minds, then their rationale aligns with the majority of researchers. My research seeks to shift the mindset that frames engineering student success mainly within the boundaries of academic performance measures. By measuring students’ perceived autonomy, competence, social integration and relatedness within their programs, and aspirations after graduation, one can more accurately …

Examining The Influence Of The Classroom Environment On Motivation, Belonging, And Academic Confidence In Engineering Education: A Relational Developmental Systems Approach, Robert O'Hara

All Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of the classroom environment on undergraduate engineering students by integrating three manuscripts using the process-person-context-time (PPCT) model within Bioecological Systems Theory. Each manuscript focused on students’ sense of belonging, motivation, and academic confidence. The study confirms prior research suggesting a link between students' perceptions of the environment and their sense of belonging, motivation, and academic confidence. The findings highlight the complex nature of student and classroom environment relationships throughout their college experience. Moreover, the results are demonstrated across different engineering majors. Overall, this dissertation highlights the significance of understanding the complex interactions between students and …

The Unstoppable Rise Of Ai: An Interview With Dr. John Sanford, Spencer Burrows, And Anna Birchler, Brandon Powell, Spencer Burrows

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

AI can both help and hurt the education field (higher education and secondary education). Despite Hollywood’s depiction of artificial intelligence solely in the form of killer death robots decades into the future, AI is much more versatile - and far more dangerous - than any killer robot could be. As artificial intelligence develops at a breakneck pace, its effect on our society will increase exponentially.

An Investigation Of The Advantages And Disadvantages Of University Students As Avatars In Virtual Learning Spaces, Gary Burnett, Catherine Harvey

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

Authors have noted the increasing importance of avatars in Higher Education, as more teaching is conducted virtually, drawing upon gaming conventions. However, it is also recognised that little is known about how students make use of avatars (especially over an extended period) and the subsequent impact on learning experiences. For the last three years, a university module has been conducted within a persistent virtual world – where students (49 in 2020; 95 in 2021; 122 in 2022) predominantly interact with each other and teaching staff in avatar form. Observation data constitutes 60 hours of video recordings of virtual world seminars. …

Impact Of Critical Narrative On Students’ Abilities To Recognize Ethical Dilemmas In Engineering Work, Jeff Brown, Chad Rohrbacher, Taylor J. Mitchell, Dr. Leroy Long Iii, Jenna Korentsides, Joseph R. Keebler

Publications

This study aims to investigate the impact of exposure to critical narratives on students' abilities to recognize ethical dilemmas and broader impacts in engineering work. Critical narratives are place-based stories that engage students and help them enhance their critical thinking skills by making connections between the narratives, broader impacts of engineering work, and their responsibility to address these issues. The effectiveness of the critical narrative intervention was assessed by implementing discussion-based assignments around three critical narratives, which required students to listen to the narrative, respond to focus questions, engage with their peers, and reflect on the process. The intervention was …

Stump Grinder Project, Wyatt Hopper

Honors Theses

This project covers the analysis of a Portable Stump Grinder device sponsored by private investors known as Gary and Carol Sherman, two farmers out of Lincoln, Nebraska. The ultimate goal of this project, in terms of the work we were assigned, was to provide the foundation work for future engineering teams to design and build the stump grinder for Gary and Carol Sherman.

Modern Practices For Responsive Web Design And Web Accessibility, Keyaun Washington

Honors Theses

Responsive web design and web accessibility play crucial roles in ensuring an optimal user experience on the web. By designing websites with responsiveness and accessibility in mind, more opportunities are opened up for a wider audience to access and interact with our content. Through modern practices, responsive web design allows websites to reach several different devices ranging from compact smartwatches to expansive television screens. Designing for accessibility provides accommodations for individuals with impairments while also providing benefits for individuals without impairments. However, designing for responsiveness and accessibility can present challenges; a poor attempt at providing accessibility features can worsen a …

Columbus, Nebraska: Southern Housing Development Design Proposal, Ryan Weyers, Caiden Dynek, Alex Papa, Brexton Robertson, Kaden Perala

Honors Theses

The following paper proposes the design and creation of a new housing development in the city of Columbus, Nebraska in a lot to the south of the city and directly north of the Columbus wastewater treatment plant. The goal of this proposal is to provide readers with confidence that our company is the most qualified to complete the project and will create the safest, most comfortable, most efficient, and most cost-effective final design. This proposal seeks to offer a solution to the lack of affordable housing for the growing workforce in Columbus. In order to arrive at this solution, each …

Leadership And Project Management In Engineering: Baja Tube Bender, Maysyn Tm Sorensen

Honors Theses

Typical coursework for Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students does not deeply focus on project management and leadership. Detailed in the following documentation is review of my Mechanical Engineering Senior Design capstone project as well as analysis of final presentations of other capstone projects. The Senior Design capstone projects spanned both semesters of the ‘22-’23 academic school year. After the first semester of my project I produced a post-mortem report to analyze the project’s progress and suggest improvements for the project, design, and team interaction. These improvements were compiled into an action plan and implemented in the spring semester. When the project …

Using Self-Efficacy Theory To Design Arduino Instruction For Novices: A Replication Study, Donald M. Johnson, Michael Pate, Christopher M. Estepp, George Wardlow

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

A replication study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of an instructional treatment based on self-efficacy theory when used with novice Arduino microcontroller users. Students (n = 32) in an introductory university agricultural systems technology course participated in a lesson on Arduino microcontrollers, circuit breadboarding, and Arduino programming which included four hands-on practice tasks, designed to provide students with positive mastery, vicarious and social persuasion experiences. Next, students completed a laboratory activity and were provided additional opportunities for mastery, vicarious, and social persuasion experiences. The one-group pretest-posttest design indicated the instructional treatment had significant (p < .001) and large effects in increasing students’ interest in Arduino, breadboarding self-efficacy, programming self-efficacy, and Arduino knowledge. These findings were consistent with the original study and provided additional evidence for self-efficacy theory as an effective model for developing instruction for novice Arduino users. Students’ written comments provided additional insight concerning the instructional treatment.

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

The School Of Engineering And Computer Science Class Of 2023 Academic Celebration Program, Cedarville University

Engineering and Computer Science Academic Celebrations

No abstract provided.

Innovation For The Air: A Brief History Of Worldwide Aviation, Lauren Plumley

Honors Theses

The purpose of this report is to present a brief but comprehensive overview of the variety of innovations related to aviation, and to discuss their impact on scientific progress over the course of human history. Relevant discoveries from the fields of physics and aerodynamics, and the numerous technologies built based upon these discoveries, are discussed over a period ranging from ancient times to the twenty-first century. The scope of this report is an overview of the development of powered and unpowered aircraft, including lighter-than-air, heavier-than-air, and aerospace technologies. Aviation developments were generally not limited to one specific country or person, …

Development Of Detection And Tracking Systems For Autonomous Vehicles Using Machine Learning, Tyler Ward

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by Tyler Ward April 25, 2023.

Literature Review Of Practical Insights Into The Use Of Brain Science And Learning Technology To Enhance Stem Student Learning, Keith Schimmel

Scholar Week 2016 - present

In recent years, college students, including those at Olivet Nazarene University, have experienced an increase in mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. Researchers think technology is a significant contributor to this trend with social media undermining a viewer’s dignity through constant comparison and ruthless competition for attention. However, social media and teaching/learning technologies also have the potential to enhance efficient, effective student learning. This paper will present the best practices for use of social media and teaching/learning technologies based on a literature review in these areas.

The literature review will seek to tie together knowledge and best practices …

Science Club, Danielle Gibson, Krista Andersen

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

Honors After School program for elementary age children to engage with scientific principles. Students performed hands-on experiments to explore various STEM fields. Each weekly lesson consisted of a different concept to be learned or explored by early elementary aged students.

Development Of A Smart Waste Management System For City Application, Lawrence D. Fraction

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Lawrence D. Fraction on April 14, 2023.

A Device For Measuring Acoustic Output Intensity Of Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound Transducers For Comparison With Fda Regulations, Sarah Altman, Gregory Bashford, Benjamin Hage

Honors Theses

Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography (TCD) is a non-invasive methodology which can evaluate cerebral blood flow velocity in real time. Single-element focused circular transducers placed on the scalp produce ultrasound waves capable of penetrating the skull with minimal aberration, enabling measurement of the Doppler shift. As such, TCD can measure blood flow velocity in the internal carotid and vertebral arteries, as well as the arteries of the Circle of Willis: the Anterior Cerebral (ACA), Posterior Cerebral (PCA), and Middle Cerebral Arteries (MCA). Intracranial aneurysm and ischemic stroke are serious conditions in which ballooning or occlusion of cerebral vessels cause insufficient perfusion, leading …

A Review Of The Implications Of The Love Canal Disaster And The Subsequent Actions Of The State And Federal Government, Hannah Albright, Brooklyn Hurtt, Douglas Mock

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

There is much literature written about environmental law and policy. The one focused on in this poster presentation is “Love Canal: A Toxic History from Colonial Times to the Present” by Richard S. Newman. The novel focuses on the Love Canal tragedy in upstate New York, where a chemical plant caused housewives to turn into activists after their neighbors, friends, and even their own families became extremely ill or succumbed because of the toxic waste. The tragedy at Love Canal was the precursor to grassroots movements across the United States.

Enhancing Telomerase Activity In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Through A Genetic Screen For Gain-Of-Function Mutations, Keenan Conley, Hailey Rietz, Mackenzie Neal, Melissa Mefford

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Telomeres are located at the ends of eukaryotic linear chromosomes and are composed of repeated nucleotide sequences. The main function of telomeres is to protect chromosomal ends. However, telomeres cannot be copied entirely during DNA replication leading to a gradual shortening known as the “end-replication problem”. To counteract this problem, the RNA-dependent enzyme complex telomerase works to extend telomeres and maintain the chromosomal ends which helps to prevent senescence. Understanding the structure and function of telomerase could have important implications for the development of anti-cancer therapeutics, since telomerase is over-active in >85% of all human cancers. While the general role …

Collapse: The History Of How We Fail, And What We Can Do To Save Ourselves, David Ace, Grace Funke, Aj Abdel-Rahman, Nate Floccare, Kristen Russell, Madison Ingram, Douglas Mock

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Using Diamond's Five point framework for how societies have collapsed in the past allow us in the present to recognize these signs in modern societies. We have the gift of hindsight in which we now know that factors such as climate change, impact on the environment, decline on friendly contact, increase in hostile contact, and a conservative outlook have all contributed to past societies' collapse. We now recognize these issues in modern societies such as China, Australia, Rwanda, and Haiti. This allows these societies to reevaluate their current environmental standards on whether they are compatible with their survival or collapse. …

The Impact Of Nursing Skill Competency On Patient Outcomes: A Quality Improvement Project, Abby Blair, Riley Boling, Natalie Crace, Jascie Greene, Peyton Kennedy, Andrew Morris, Joseph Sewell, Abigail Wesselkamper, Suzi White

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

45 out of 50 facilities that implemented continued education saw improved patient outcomes. This presentation focuses on the importance of nurse participation in continued professional development programs because it is a shortcoming that we noticed in clinical practice.

The Diversity Of Life By E.O. Wilson, Emma Collins, Matthew Grace, Brady Lawson, Michelle Lopez, Zane Rousey, Douglas Mock

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

In The Diversity of Life, E. O. Wilson tells a tale about how our earth is on track for another extinction event and humans are at fault. Wilson discusses various topics such as environmental preservation, biodiversity and its importance, and how life has evolved over time. Wilson views biodiversity differently than many as he focuses on all species found in the ecosystem rather than narrowing his focus on one. He mentions how new species can be created by groups evolving and developing new skills or existing in new environments. Species are going extinct and being created constantly; these extinctions don't …

Age And Growth Of The Highland Shiner (Notropis Micropteryx) In Rockcastle County, Kentucky, Caitlyn Senters, Zoe Baker, Shelbie Black, Jared Vise, David J. Eisenhour

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Notropis micropteryx, the Highland Shiner, is common in small to large streams of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and upper Green River drainages. It usually inhabits rocky riffles (Eisenhour and Eisenhour 2004)). While their population size was assessed as stable by the IUCN in 2012, little is known about the age and growth of this minnow species. Despite being a small fish, attention must be given to the health of its population as it serves an ecological niche and impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

Colorimetric Redox Reactions To Determine Base Composition In Unknown Monomeric Dna Samples, James T. Dials, Mara J. Stout, Elizabeth M. Thomas

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) codes for proteins using a unique order of four major nitrogenous bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. In several biological applications, such as the determination of DNA stability, production of biologic based drugs, and even taxonomic reorganization of species, it becomes necessary to understand the relative amounts of each nucleotide in a DNA sample, regardless of their sequence. However, most assays used to determine base composition use expensive equipment, harsh chemicals, and advanced computer software. In addition, the determination of base composition is an important educational tool in undergraduate laboratories, but these limitations are infeasible for many …

Age And Growth Of The Popeye Shiner (Notropis Ariommus) In The Rockcastle River, Shelbie Black, Jared Vise, Zoe Baker, Caitlyn Senters, David J. Eisenhour

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The Popeye Shiner (Notropis ariommus), occupies clear, gravel runs and flowing pools of creeks and small rivers throughout the Ohio River basin, but has declined in many areas. This species is a small silvery minnow with an unusually large eye. Despite being a candidate for the endangered species list (Department of the Interior, 2011), little life-history data have been published, which are needed to make conservation management decisions.

A Search For The Time Variability In The Population Of X-Ray Binary Systems In The Galaxy Ic 342, Bannon Jones, Thomas Pannuti

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

X-ray binaries (XRBs) are comprised of a neutron star (NS) or stellar-mass black hole (BH) that is accreting material from a stellar companion. Studies of these sources yield insights into the properties of NSs and BHs as well as the dynamics of mass transfer and stellar evolution in binary star systems with sources at stages of advanced stellar evolution. Studies of X-ray binaries in the Galaxy are compromised by massive absorption extinction along Galactic lines of sight and by significant uncertainties in the distances to these sources. In contrast, studies of XRBs in nearby face-on galaxies with high current rates …

Period Analyses Of Variable Stars Alpha Orionis And Beta Lyrae, Gianna Federico, Jennifer Birriel

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Variable stars change in brightness over regular or semiregular periods of time. Causes of variability include pulsation (changes in size) or the presence of a companion star or planet that eclipses part of the stellar surface. We examine period changes of the bright variable stars Alpha Orionis (Betelgeuse) and Beta Lyrae using data from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). Periods were analyzed by applying Fourier and weighted wavelet z-transforms to the light curves of each star over a 30-year time span. Our analyses showed that both the short and long secondary periods of Betelgeuse changed with time. …

The Thrombin Cleavage Of Protein Tags Of Co-Repressors Umudab And Ddrr Of The Pathogen Acinetobacter Baumaniihave Been Optimized For Cross-Linkage, Mercy Hailu, Deborah Cook, Janelle Hare

2023 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The Acinetobacter baumannii strain 17978 is a Gram-negative and nosocomial ESKAPE pathogen which utilizes its unique SOS genes, umuDAb and ddrR, to inhibit cell division and control mutagenesis in response to DNA damage.