Engineering Commons^™

Microplastics-Resistant Fo Membranes: Zwitterionic Mof Nanoparticles For Superior Fouling Control, Mitra Golgoli, Mohadeseh Najafi, Javad Farahbakhsh, Mehdi Khiadani, Michael L. Johns, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The increasing contamination of water by microplastics (MPs) underscores the need for efficient tertiary treatments such as forward osmosis (FO). Developing advanced, low-fouling membranes is essential for enhancing FO system effectiveness. This work studies an innovative modification of FO membranes by the incorporation of a synthesized hybrid nanoparticle comprising metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and sulfobetaine zwitterions into the thin layer of thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. The ZW/MOF (UiO-66-NH2), nanoparticles were synthesized using a post-synthetic free-radical copolymerization method, resulting in a uniform polymer shell around the MOF nanoparticles. The incorporation of ZW/MOF nanoparticles into the membranes enhanced the hydrophilicity of the membranes …

Long-Term Techno-Economic Analysis Considering System Strength And Reliability Shortfalls Of Electric Vehicle-To-Grid-Systems Installations Integrated With Renewable Energy Generators Using Hybrid Gru-Classical Optimization Method, Md Ohirul Qays, Iftekhar Ahmad, Daryoush Habibi, Paul Moses

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Higher penetration of Electric Vehicle-to-Grid charging stations (EV2GCSs) in power grids integrated with renewable energy generators (REGs) result in system-instabilities raising the risk of blackout issues. Although techno-economic feasibility of EV2GCSs has been identified within the literature addressing power outage and financial concerns as a contemporary solution, no long-term techno-economic analysis has been investigated considering system strength and reliability shortfalls before the EV2GCSs installation. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the long-term (2025–2045) techno-economic analysis of EV2GCSs into REGs-integrated grid systems by accounting for system strength and reliability factors. A novel optimization framework is developed, combining Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) …

Photo-Thermal Conversion Properties Of Mxene/Metal-Organic-Frameworks-Based Nanofluids For Solar Energy Harvesting, Seyedeh Zahra Haeri, Ali Dashan, Samira Sadeghi, Mitral Golgoli, Mehdi Khiadani, Bahram Ramezanzadeh, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study focuses on enhancing solar energy capture efficiency by introducing innovative hybrid nanofluids for use in solar thermal collectors, whose performance largely depends on the absorption properties of the working fluid. The newly developed hybrid nanofluids, MXene/NH2-UiO66 (Zr) (noted as MX/UO66) and MXene/MIL-88B (Fe) (noted as MX/ML88), were synthesized using an in-situ solvothermal method, combining annealed Ti3C2Tx MXenes with water-stable metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These nanofluids achieved high efficiency at low concentrations, providing both economic and performance benefits. Comprehensive testing compared the photothermal properties of these hybrids with single-component UO66 and ML88 nanofluids. The MX structures significantly expanded the absorption …

Building Services Engineering March/April 2025

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Transdisciplinary Collaborations For Advancing Sustainable And Resilient Agricultural Systems, Brooke Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Feeding the growing human population sustainably amidst climate change is one of the most important challenges in the 21st century. Current practices often lead to the overuse of agronomic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and water, resulting in environmental contamination and diminishing returns on crop productivity. The complexity of agricultural systems, involving plant-environment interactions and human management, presents significant scientific and technical challenges for developing sustainable practices. Addressing these challenges necessitates transdisciplinary research, involving intense collaboration among fields such as plant science, engineering, computer science, and social sciences. Five case studies are presented here demonstrating successful transdisciplinary approaches toward more …

Using Software Defined Radio To Detect Human Life, John-William Cordero , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

The goal of this project is to develop a device that uses software-defined radio to detect human biological activity through walls by detecting changes in the received signals depending on if a human is present or not. Such a device will help local survivors locate victims from being stuck under collapsed buildings and debris, as opposed to having to wait for search and rescue teams. By making a relatively low cost and easy to use device, a more practical application of human detection was developed. Results showed that while the device requires user interpretation to determine the presence of a …

Photovoltaic-Electrolysis Device Optimization, Abigail Turner , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

With the exponential rise in fossil fuel consumption, an efficient clean alternative energy source is needed. A promising solution is utilizing solar-driven electrolysis to produce clean hydrogen as a viable clean energy source. Electrolysis currently accounts for 4% of hydrogen production, and this report details the development and optimization of a small-scale solar driven device for PEM electrolysis as an alternative to fossil fuels. This report focused on analysis for the optimization of electrocatalysts, and the integration of a PV-PEM-Battery system. Evaluation of three different membranes performance determined an anode loading of 2 mg/cm² of IrRuO_x to be …

Every Relevant Detail, Salomé Viljoen

Michigan Law Review

A review of The Ordinal Society. By Marion Fourcade and Kieran Healy.

Next-Generation Biomedical Implants And Stimuli Responsive Soft Optical Arrays Via Surface Functionalized Elastomeric Materials, John M. Kapitan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The demands of emerging technologies, such as soft robotics, stretchable electronics, and next generation biomedical implants, has led to the development of diverse polymeric and hybrid organic/inorganic materials specifically tuned to meet these challenges. These materials typically have low Young’s moduli and are inert with high chemical stability. However, this has led to materials that are static in nature, lacking any meaningful way of responding to changes in their environment and adapting to these changes. This has driven a shift towards the design, manufacturing, and characterization of various stimuli responsive surfaces, relying on precise control of surface chemical coatings and …

Intersectional Predictors Of Early Mathematics Identity Among Underrepresented Engineering-Interested Students, Douglas D. Havard, Adriana Quirós-Arauz

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This study examines the intersectional factors influencing early mathematics identity development among underrepresented secondary students (grades 9-10) with aspirations in engineering. Mathematics identity is a well-established predictor of long-term persistence in engineering, making its early formation critical to understanding student retention in the engineering pipeline. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's bioecological framework, this study situates learning within nested layers of influence. Using data form the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), which includes over 23,000 9th-graders, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted. The analysis examined intersections of race and gender identity across 16 variables spanning individual, micro-, meso-, …

Use Of Wastewater Grit And Milorganite Chaff In Concrete, Carter Deinhammer

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Wastewater grit is a major byproduct from preliminary municipal wastewater treatment. Chaff is a collection of dried biosolids generated as a waste product from Milorganite® fertilizer production. Because landfilling is a costly and unsustainable method, the development of technologies for diverting grit from landfills to a useful product by tapping grit’s inherent values (e.g., sand and gravel) are of great interest. Chaff, consisting of fibers, provides a potential source for bolstering concrete tensile strength through internal means. This research has proposed a concept of grit and chaff additive-based concrete, an expansion of the grit-assisted patch material developed (GAP) in previous …

The Interplay Between Endothelial Glycocalyx Maturity And Both The Toxicity And Intracellular Uptake Of Charged Nanoparticles, Claire A. Bridges, Lu Fu, Jonathan Yeow, Xiaojing Huang, Miriam Jackson, Rhiannon P. Kuchel, James D. Sterling, Shenda M. Baker, Megan S. Lord

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanoparticles are widely studied for delivering treatments to target tissues, but few have reached clinical use. Most nanoparticles encounter blood vessels on their way to target tissues. The inner surface of these vessels is lined with endothelial cells covered by a glycocalyx, an extracellular matrix rich in anionic glycans. The role of the glycocalyx in nanoparticle interactions is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that endothelial cells need extended culture times to synthesize a mature glycocalyx. Our research shows that branched polyethyleneimine functionalized gold nanoparticles bind to endothelial cells expressing either a developing or mature glycocalyx, with the interaction involving …

Transforming Optical Vernier Effect Into Coherent Microwave Interference Towards Highly Sensitive Optical Fiber Sensing, Ruimin Jie, Jie Huang, Chen Zhu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The optical Vernier effect has garnered significant research attention and found widespread applications in enhancing the measurement sensitivity of optical fiber interferometric sensors. Typically, Vernier sensor interrogation involves measuring its optical spectrum across a wide wavelength range using a high-precision spectrometer. This process is further complicated by the intricate signal processing required for accurately extracting the Vernier envelope, which can inadvertently introduce errors that compromise sensing performance. In this work, we introduce a novel approach to interrogating Vernier sensors based on a coherent microwave interference-assisted measurement technique. Instead of measuring the optical spectrum, we acquire the frequency response of the …

Experimental Investigation Of Heat Transfer To Tightly Packed Cylinder Arrays, Cameron M. Sexsmith

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With the increased emphasis on the development of hybrid electric aircraft and other electric driven vehicles, the thermal demand on batteries is increasing. Unique to the aviation sector is the combined need of high battery thermal loads and a light-weight thermal management system. A proposed configuration is an array of batteries directly cooled with a dielectric coolant. The knowledge of heat transfer characteristics of battery cooling is becoming an ever pressing issue due to the need to optimize volume and mass in a safe manner. Tighter spacings between batteries provide higher pack densities, however, at the cost of increased cooling …

From Flames To Change: An Exploration Of Housing, Fire, And Inequity, Helen Underhill, Charles R. Jennings, Brian Meacham, Danielle Antonellis

Publications and Research

Housing and fire safety are deeply connected: inadequate and poorly maintained housing poses heightened fire risk for occupants. An individual or household’s housing situation (including limited or constrained choice) interacts with issues such as affordability, access, location, quality, safety, occupancy levels, tenure type, and resident or immigration status. These dynamics shape vulnerability, and inequity becomes most visible in the event of a fire. The extreme end of this spectrum includes the unhoused, who occupy structures entirely outside of regulatory systems with little or no fire protection.

Ultrasonic Spray Coating Of Carbon Fibers For Composite Cathodes In Structural Batteries, Thomas Burns, Liliana Delatte, Gabriela Roman-Martinez, Kyra Glassey, Paul Ziehl, Monirosadat Sadati, Ralph E. White, Paul T. Coman

Faculty Publications

Structural batteries, also known as “massless batteries”, integrate energy storage directly into load-bearing materials, offering a transformative alternative to traditional Li-ion batteries. Unlike conventional systems that serve only as energy storage devices, structural batteries replace passive structural components, reducing overall weight while providing mechanical reinforcement. However, achieving uniform and efficient coatings of active materials on carbon fibers remains a major challenge, limiting their scalability and electrochemical performance. This study investigates ultrasonic spray coating as a precise and scalable technique for fabricating composite cathodes in structural batteries. Using a computer-controlled ultrasonic nozzle, this method ensures uniform deposition with minimal material waste …

Bilateral Gait Trainer For Transtibial Amputees, Desmond Greer, Odinachi Anene, Andrew Wallace, Noah Hill

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Lower limb amputation affects over 2.3 million individuals in the U.S., with peripheral vascular disease and diabetes as leading causes. Prosthetic rehabilitation is critical for restoring mobility, yet barriers like therapist shortages, cost, and inconsistent at-home training limit patient outcomes. This thesis presents the design, development, and testing of a bilateral gait training device that addresses these challenges by providing real-time haptic feedback and quantitative gait metrics for at-home rehabilitation. The device integrates force-sensitive resistors embedded in insoles to monitor plantar pressure distribution, haptic actuators (eccentric rotating mass motors) mounted on thigh straps to deliver corrective feedback, and an Arduino-based …

Vessel Trajectory Prediction With Recurrent Neural Networks: An Evaluation Of Datasets, Features, And Architectures, Isaac Slaughter, Jagir Laxmichand Charla, Martin Siderius, John Lipor

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Maritime situational awareness tasks such as port management, collision avoidance, and search-and-rescue missions rely on accurate knowledge of vessel locations. The availability of historical vessel trajectory data through the Automatic Identification System (AIS) has enabled the development of prediction methods, with a recent focus on trajectory prediction via recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and other deep learning architectures. While these methods have shown promising performance benefits over kinematic and clustering-based models, comparing among RNN-based models remains difficult due to variations in evaluation datasets, region sizes, vessel types, and numerous other design choices. As a result, it is not clear whether recent …

Accelerating High-Throughput Phonon Calculations Via Machine Learning Universal Potentials, Huiju Lee, Vinay I. Hegde, Chris Wolverton, Yi Xia

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Phonons play a critical role in determining various material properties, but conventional methods for phonon calculations are computationally intensive, limiting their broad applicability. In this study, we present an approach to accelerate high-throughput harmonic phonon calculations using machine learning universal potentials (MLIPs) combined with an efficient training dataset generation strategy. Instead of computing phonon properties from a large number of supercells with small atomic displacements of a single atom, our approach uses a smaller subset of supercell structures where all atoms are randomly displaced by 0.01 to 0.05 UŮ, significantly reducing computational costs. We train a state-of-the-art MLIP based on …

Development Of Prechamber Enabled Mixing-Controlled Combustion Strategy For Ultra-Low Methane Emissions From Lean Burn Natural Gas Engines, Osama Nsaif, Adam Dempsey

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This numerical study explores the optimization of Prechamber Enabled Mixing-Controlled Combustion (PC-MCC) using natural gas in heavy-duty engines, aiming to enhance combustion efficiency to minimize methane slip and NOx emissions. The approach involves a prechamber ignition system, distinct from conventional spark ignition (SI) systems, to initiate combustion of direct injected natural gas. By leveraging the robust ignition characteristics of the prechamber, the PC-MCC method demonstrates significant potential in achieving efficient combustion akin to diesel engines but with lower greenhouse gas emissions. The research evaluates the effects of various geometric and operational parameters on the combustion process and emissions, including prechamber …

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Safety Management System Regulations: An Informal Policy Evaluation, Brian J. Roggow

Publications

The United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revised 14 CFR § Part 5 Safety Management Systems, effective May 28, 2024. US air carriers have one year to modify their existing Safety Management System (SMS), whereas commuter and on-demand operators, commercial air tour operators, certain production certificate holders, and certain holders of a type certificate must implement an SMS within three years. The sociopolitical and legal rule-making processes are complex. This research evaluates the most recently revised FAA SMS regulations through the lens of prevailing literature, theories, and standard practices. Policy assessments and evaluations by non-governmental stakeholders can further inform …

Peerproxy: A Webrtc Proxy For Http, Nathan Li-En Lee

Master's Theses

Advances in networking technologies have empowered individuals to easily self-host digital services such as websites and smart home systems. However, accessing these services externally often requires port forwarding, which requires manual router configuration, technical expertise in networking, and is sometimes restricted by internet service providers. Proxy-based services such as Ngrok and Cloudflare Tunnels simplify external access by using publicly hosted proxy servers, but introduce increased infrastructure costs and privacy concerns due to reliance on third-party servers that can inspect or store traffic.

This thesis presents PeerProxy, a novel framework that simplifies access to self-hosted web services without manual network configuration, …

Robotic Arm: A Helping Hand, Chisom Obiora-Egbuziem , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This report proposes the development of a robotic arm that mimics human arm movements using a simple controller to provide aid and assistance to those with mobility issues. The robotic arm would serve as a practical solution to assist with daily tasks such as reaching, grasping, and moving objects, ultimately enhancing autonomy and independence for individuals with limited mobility. Key considerations include power sources, degrees of freedom, camera resolution, processing power, and safety mechanisms, with stepper motors prioritized for their precision. The project is divided into three phases: designing the arm and joints, developing code to control the arm, and …

Swvl: A Custom Ai-Powered Face Tracking Camera Gimbal, Alexander J. Anderson-Mcleod, Jakub Jerzmanowski, Michael Laitarovsky, Trevor Allison, Jagger Tanner

Senior Theses

In response to the growing demand for smarter, more responsive face tracking cameras in the post-pandemic world, our team designed SWVL, a custom AI-powered face tracking gimbal meant to address the limitations commonly encountered by the commercial models currently on the market. These commercially available gimbals come with several issues, such as frequently losing track of the person in the frame and requiring manual resets, which we sought to fix with our implementation. We designed a system with fully custom hardware and software including a 3D printed dual-axis camera gimbal driven by stepper motors, a control PCB based around an …

Model-Predictive Optimal Control Of Ferrofluidic Microrobots In Three-Dimensional Space, E. Olga Skowronek, Luke Silas Baker, Reza Ahmed, Hamid Marvi

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Ferrofluid microrobots have emerged as promising tools for minimally invasive medical procedures. Their unique properties to navigate complex fluids and reach otherwise inaccessible regions of the human body have enabled new applications in targeted drug delivery, tissue engineering, and diagnostics. This paper proposes a model-predictive controller for the external magnetic manipulation of ferrofluid microrobots in three dimensions (3D). The internal optimization routine of the controller determines appropriate changes in the applied electromagnetic field to minimize the deviation between the actual and desired trajectories of the microrobot. A linear system governing locomotion is derived and used as the equality constraints of …

Seabed Characterization Using Ambient Sound For A Range-Dependent Track In The New England Mud Patcha, Martin Siderius, Stan E. Dosso, Brian Granger

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wind-generated, ocean ambient sound data were used to characterize seabed properties along a track in the New England Mud Patch. A 15-m vertical array, consisting of 16 hydrophones, collected ambient sound data across the 50–5000 Hz frequency band. The array drifted for 1 h, covering a 1.7 km track. Seabed characterization was performed using beamforming techniques, which limited the analysis to the 400–700 Hz band. Passive fathometer processing was applied to estimate the water–seabed interface and sub-bottom layering. Additionally, the data were used to estimate the power reflection coefficient, which was then used as input for a trans-dimensional geoacoustic inversion. …

Towards Sustainable Energy: Design And Preliminary Testing Of Tidal Current Turbines, Yareli A. Zelaya Pavon

Presentations - 2025

As the energy demand constantly increases and traditional energy resources decrease, incorporating sustainable alternatives has become necessary. In this context, this research attempts to provide a new solution for energy scarcity in regions that lack electricity, especially those located near large ocean areas. The objective of this project was to engineer and investigate an ideal prototype to transform power generation. Through detailed design and testing, this project seeks to reveal the potential of tidal energy, offering an alternative to communities struggling with energy distribution.

The research focuses on utilizing custom-designed propellers, which are 3D printed and installed on an open …

Modeling Student Depression With Decision Trees: Predictive Insights From Data, Ahloe Feomaia, David Montoya, Israel De Leon, Oluwabunmi V. Sanusi

Posters - 2025

• Student depression is a growing public health concern that adversely affects academic performance and general well-being.

• According to Ibrahim et al. (2013), the prevalence of depression among university students ranges from 10% to 85%, with an overall weighted mean of 30.6%.

• Factors such as financial challenges, academic stress, and social adjustments significantly contribute to higher depression rates among students compared to the general population.

• Studies have shown that female students are more prone to depression due to hormonal, psychological, and social factors (Altemus et al., 2014). Depression impacts academic performance, reducing cognitive function and increasing dropout …

Rattler Notehub, Emily Medlin

Posters - 2025

Students lack diverse and comprehensive study materials that help develop effective learning. More specifically, students at St. Mary’s may find that study material outside of class are not as effective or not relevant to what was taught in class. This leads to prolonged study sessions or completely missing information that was taught when the student was absent. Rattler NoteHub tries to accomplish giving access to students to collaborate, find supplement resources and promote efficient studying.

Rattler NoteHub is a full-stack website that was initially developed as a Software Engineering project. Since then, the website has expanded its functionality to better …

Cross-Layer Design And Optimization Of Analog In-Memory Computing Systems, Md Hasibul Amin

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a rapid growth in the computational demands of machine learning (ML) workloads in recent days. Conventional von Neumann architectures are not capable of keeping up with the high cost of data movement between the processor and memory, well-known as memory wall problem. In-memory computing (IMC) has been focused as a solution by the researchers, where the computation is performed inside the memory devices such as SRAM, MRAM, RRAM etc. Most commonly, the memory devices are arranged in a crossbar setting where the matrixvector multiplication (MVM) operation is performed through intrinsic parallelism of analog computations. The conventional IMC …