Engineering Commons^™

Globalizing The Engineering Job Market: Optimizing Engineering Career Expos To Serve International Students, Hailey A. Hesseltine

Journal of Global Education and Research

As the United States hosts approximately one million international students annually, it becomes imperative that on-campus resources are tailored to meet the needs of this diverse student population. One on-campus resource that is crucial to student success is career services, especially considering the aspirations of many international students to secure employment post-graduation. To address this, this study aimed to understand the satisfaction levels of international engineering students with an engineering career expo in Hawaiʻi. Utilizing a combination of surveys and interviews using a neo-racism framework, international students shared their experiences from the career expo through discussion and assessment. Information given …

Impact Of Femalized Kinesthetic Learning Model On African American Middle School Girls’ Career Interest, Mercy F. Fash, Andrea Ofori-Boadu

Journal of Global Education and Research

Engaging African American middle school girls in out-of-school-time (OST) Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) programs can boost interest in male-dominated AEC careers. This study adopts Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory to evaluate the impact of an OST feminized AEC kinesthetic learning model (fAEC-KLM) on the career interests of this demographic. Through a qualitative research approach, fourteen (14) African American middle school girls from Guilford County, NC, completed pre- and post-interviews on how fAEC-KLM interactions influenced their AEC career interests. Inductive thematic analysis was carried out on transcribed interviews. Results show that effective components, such as lectures on AEC, bridge construction …

Effects Of Asphalt Or Concrete On Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer, Yuou Peng, Daniela Wolter Ferreira Touma

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) allows measurements should be done for 100 kHz and 77 kHz. electrical energy to be transferred wirelessly to a moving object, and it also possesses the ability to charge vehicles continuously while they are traveling down a specially equipped road.

A method of embedding the coils in the surface course shows that all coils achieve more than 54 kW of power at an efficiency of 95% in the power transmission evaluation. Advantage: Ability to charge vehicles continuously while they are traveling down a specially equipped road. Objective: Investigation of physical and structural feasibility of embedding …

Development Of An Automated Platform For Cell Biology Experiments, Dipendra Nepal

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Cell biology experiments involve repetitive tasks such as pipetting, sample preparation, and imaging, which are typically performed manually. These manual processes can introduce variability, reduce efficiency, and increase the cost of biomedical research. To address these challenges, our lab is developing a modular robotic platform, iEye™, to automate key steps in cell biology workflows [1]. The system is designed as self-contained modules, allowing flexible development and integration of different functionalities. In this work, we focus on a sample preparation module that integrates a 6-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a motorized stage, and a pneumatic pipetter. This module is being developed to automate …

Ai Driven Assessment For Clinical Scenarios, Sudhanshu Tarale, Bhushan Lohar, Ninad Pandit

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Beta 1 captured granular data to validate the system’s ability to measure clinical thoroughness and deliver real-time feedback. Data collection formally approved by the USA IRB (Protocol 25 037; #22849172).

Aurora – Autonomous Urban & Rural Optimization And Resilience Architecture, Ninad Pandit

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Problem statement: Undetected systemic “leaks” within large-scale food distribution networks result in severe post-harvest perishable losses and critical nutrient degradation.

Real-Time Simulation Analysis Of V2g Technique For Demand Response Using Survey Based Data Approach, Joseph Bentil

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

The demand of energy in the world concerning the power industry keeps growing even with the introduction of EVs. Traditional based demand response relies on load shedding and energy storage systems. However, EVs with their battery pack can serve as mobile energy storage systems for grid services.

Development of data-driven microgrid model using survey based vehicle data to evaluate V2G and demand side management strategies to improve grid services and test emerging artificial-based control algorithms.

Elevating The Underrepresented And Marginalized Using Experiences In Stem (Lumens): A Stem Diversity And Inclusion Initiative, Robert Cobb Jr, Paula E. Faulkner, Deiadra Modlin, Obinna Chiekezi, Victoria Cobbold, Madison Beaudoin

Journal of Research Initiatives

The study offered a 5-week summer immersion program to address the shortage of students from underrepresented populations enrolling in degree programs and seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study also addressed the importance of offering summer immersion programs to close the achievement gap. A quantitative descriptive design was used to gather data from participants related to STEM lessons during the program. Gender, grade level, and race served as the demographic variables. The study included 21 secondary students in grades 9–12. Pre- and post-tests assessed participants' knowledge gain regarding STEM lessons. Data analyzed with SPSS version 29 …

Tourniquet Tester, Tyler Offerman, Thuy Nguyen, Ryan Ly, Cody Hoeptner

Biomedical Engineering

The Tourniquet Tester is a device intended to be used as a standardized testing device for tourniquets. Due to the lack of a standard testing device for testing tourniquets that can produce accurate and reproducible results, it is difficult to test the efficacy of tourniquets currently being sold on the market. A standard testing device that can produce consistent and reproducible results would allow tourniquet manufacturing companies to properly test the efficacy of their product and develop proper guidelines and directions for users of the product. Medical professionals and military personnel who may use tourniquets in their line of work …

Babycheck, Ayla V. Campbell, Eleanor M. Tweedy

Biomedical Engineering

The BabyCheck project was created to design and test a device that can collect a small blood sample from the fetal scalp during labor. The goal is to reduce uncertainty when fetal heart rate tracings are unclear, especially in Category II cases where it can be difficult for clinicians to decide the safest next step. Current monitoring methods either rely on interpreting heart rate patterns or use more invasive procedures to gather biochemical information. BabyCheck was designed to provide a simpler and more controlled way to collect a small blood sample that could help guide these decisions.

The final prototype …

Jaundease Phototherapy Vest Test Plan, Sujay Panthulu, Jasdev Banwait, Gwynn Moss, Solomon M. Fernandez

Biomedical Engineering

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common condition affecting more than 60% of newborns, caused by an excess buildup of bilirubin in the blood due to the liver’s limited ability to process it efficiently [1]. The standard treatment involves hospital-based phototherapy, where infants are placed in incubators under blue light to break down bilirubin in the skin. Although effective, this approach requires infants to remain under the lights for 12–18 hours per day, often with eye protection, and separated from their parents—disrupting early bonding and potentially contributing to toxic stress that can impact neurological and emotional development [2]. While at-home phototherapy solutions …

Improving Cellular Retention And Distribution To Promote Arteriogenesis In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Arterial Occlusion, Nancy Huang

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD) affects millions of people in the United States, creating pain, discomfort, and limited mobility due to restricted blood flow from obstructed arteries. While current treatments include lifestyle changes and revascularization procedures, these options are often insufficient or inaccessible because of procedural pain and socioeconomic barriers. In some cases, this can lead to critical limb ischemia and amputation as a last resort. Increasing blood flow to the extremities by enhancing collateral vessel growth, a biological process called arteriogenesis, with cell-based therapies can redirect blood flow around obstructions and has potential to mitigate and treat the effects …

Iud Insertion Pain Management, Sandhya Sridhar, Olivia Armas, Lucy Campochiaro

Biomedical Engineering

This project focuses on developing an atraumatic cervical stabilization device that serves as a modern alternative to the traditional tenaculum used during IUD insertion procedures. Current devices rely on sharp metal prongs that pierce the cervix and often cause significant pain and bleeding. The goal of this project is to design a device that provides the same stability and control for clinicians while eliminating the need to puncture cervical tissue. The device is intended to be used by gynecologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, primary care physicians, or any medical professional performing an IUD insertion. The device is intended to be …

Cpap Belly Prevent, Alek Corpuz, Emma Hoffman, Danielle Tran

Biomedical Engineering

Neonates with low gestation periods often face complications such as respiratory distress syndrome, or RDS, which increases risk for complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis. Use of bCPAP helps facilitate regular breathing, but can also force air into the stomach and consequently cause abdominal distention. Clinicians currently use an already inserted feeding tube to vent the accumulated air, however this interrupts the feeding process.

The PreVent device was developed to allow for simultaneous feeding and venting. The dual function minimizes interruptions to NICU nurse workflow and improves capability to relieve abdominal distention before the onset of adverse complications.

Newborn Spinal Needle, Allison Inouye, Kyle Morton, Evan Russell

Biomedical Engineering

Spinal punctures, or lumbar punctures, are important diagnostic procedures used to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to diagnose issues in the central nervous system (CNS) such as meningitis. While these procedures are routinely performed on adult and neonatal patients, the current tools are not optimized for use on newborns. Existing spinal needles are often modified versions of adult devices, leading to challenges in fluid collection efficiency, user ergonomics, and patient safety when used in neonatal care.

The Newborn Spinal Needle Project aims to design and develop a spinal needle specifically optimized for neonatal anatomy and clinical workflow. The goal is to …

Orthopedic Bone Drill, Logan G. Schmid, Matthew T. Wold, May Geng

Biomedical Engineering

This project aims to design a bone drill for orthopedic procedures which alleviates the heat generated in the bone during drilling.

Advancing Activated Carbon Production: Utilizing Pine Pruning Biochar Via Induction Heating With Co2and Iron-Based Catalysts, Ahmet Erdem, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan, Ahmed Jasim

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study introduces an induction heating approach for producing activated carbon from biochar obtained by thermal degradation of pine pruning waste from timber-related industries, using CO₂ and iron-based catalysts as activation agents. Activation experiments were performed using a 10 kW high-frequency induction system (28–40 kHz) under continuous CO₂ flow (15 mL min⁻¹), with electric current intensities of 200, 300, 400, and 500 A (corresponding to 700–1100°C) and durations of 30, 60, and 90 min, employing 45 g of iron-based catalysts (Fe–Ni–Ti–C, 85:6:3:6 wt.%) per 3 g biochar (15:1 w/w). Mass loss increased from 13.7 % (200 A, …

New Insights Into Dynamic Evolution Of Colloidal Network Structure During Early-Age Hardening Of Cementitious Materials, Hengrui Liu, Kaiyin Zhao, Shipeng Zhang, Hanghua Zhang, Shuangshuang Liu, Lucen Hao, Hongyan Ma, Kamal Khayat, Chi Sun Poon

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The evolution of microstructure in cementitious materials during their transition from fluid to solid state plays a critical role in determining their ultimate mechanical strength and overall performance. This hydration stage primarily involves a dynamic densification process occurring within the colloidal network. However, the field of cement-based materials currently lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework and associated parameters capable of effectively characterizing the specific structural regions within this network. In this study, we propose an Improved Particle Linkage (IPL) theory for describing the strength, types, and quantities of particle linkages within colloidal network. The IPL theory classifies the internal network structure …

Improving Interlimb Coordination And Paretic Limb Use After Stroke Using A Novel Robotic Split-Crank Pedaling Device: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tom S. Ruopp, Brian Schmit, Sheila Schindler-Ivens

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background. Many stroke survivors cannot walk effectively, even after rehabilitation. Causes include impaired muscle activation, poor interlimb coordination, and limited restorative interventions. To address this, we developed CUped (pronounced “cupid”), a motorized split-crank pedaling device designed to compel use of the paretic limb and retrain interlimb coordination. We examined its within-session effects, comparing three proportional control schemes—assist (A), resist (R), and assist plus resist (A + R)—to identify which best promotes recovery-related movement.

Methods. Nineteen individuals with stroke and eleven controls pedaled in 5-min bouts, one per control scheme. Each bout included pre-test, exposure, and post-test periods. Participants were instructed …

The Effect Of Si And Zr On The Formation Of Al3x And V-Phase In A 6005a Alloy With Sc—Part 1: Alloy Design And Heat Treatment Selection, Eli A. Harma, Timothy Langan, Paul Sanders

Michigan Tech Publications

Adding Sc to 6xxx series alloys has led to inconsistent results due to the formation of the high-temperature, thermodynamically stable V-phase (AlSc2Si2). Thermo-Calc single-axis equilibrium and phase diagram calculations were employed to identify V-phase formation with varying Si and Zr concentrations, indicating that increasing Zr and decreasing Si lowered the V-phase equilibrium volume fraction. Increasing Zr also shifted the V-phase equilibrium to higher Si concentrations. To access real-world influences of Zr and Si, four compositions were cast with different Si and Zr concentrations: a high-Si, low-Zr alloy; a medium-Si, medium-Zr alloy; a low-Si, high-Zr alloy; and a baseline alloy without …

Mud Sound Speed Profile Constraints From Sub-Bottom Arrival Times, Charles W. Holland

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Arrival times of sub-bottom reflected paths together with co-located direct measurements of the angle of intromission provide narrow constraints on the sediment sound speed profile. Measurements of these two quantities at the central New England Mud Patch in March 2017 indicate that the average sound speed gradient in the upper 3m and upper 9m of mud is 6 s1. Gradients of 5 s1 and 7 s1 over the upper 9m are too small and large, respectively. Below 9m, the sandmud transition interval has a gradient of 200 s1. VC

A Borophosphate Glass Doped With Cobalt Oxide Improves Skeletal Muscle Structure And Function In Myopathic Mice, Jacob A. Kendra, Alexandra G. Naman, Rebekah L. Blatt, Carla D. Zingariello, Richard K. Brow, Steven S. Segal, Aaron B. Morton

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Skeletal muscle myopathy remains a significant cause of disability with limited treatment strategies. Advancements in tissue engineering have led to the development of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) capable of enhancing skeletal muscle structure and function. Using a mouse model of severe myopathy (D2.mdx), we investigated muscle force, regeneration, angiogenesis and inflammation at 14, 70 and 140 days post-treatment (dpt). Tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of D2.mdx mice that received a single injection of cobalt oxide-doped BPBG (CoO-TRIM) particles exhibit greater active force, myofiber size, and regeneration through 70 dpt compared to control D2.mdx mice injected with Saline. Vascular endothelial growth factor …

Evaluation Of Sanafoam Vaporooter Ii Stress On Activated Sludge Performance For Carbonaceous Removal And Nitrification, Ensiyeh Taheri, Ali Fatehizadeh, John Nazimek, Mustafa Nabi, Wayne Bagg, Amir Razmjou, Paul Nolan, Ratish Permala, Mehdi Khiadani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Root intrusion control in sewer pipelines often relies on chemical herbicides, yet their unintended impacts on downstream biological treatment remain underexplored. This study investigated the effects of Sanafoam Vaporooter II (SVII) on carbon removal and nitrification in activated sludge reactors (ASRs) under long-term operation. Two parallel bench-scale ASRs were installed and operated at Subiaco municipal wastewater treatment plant in Perth, Western Australia: one was exposed to incremental SVII concentrations (1–3000 mg/L), while the other served as an unamended control. Stoichiometric analysis revealed stable organic matter removal across all SVII doses. In contrast, nitrification decreased progressively at concentrations exceeding 128 mg/L. …

Machine Learning-Based Upscaling Of Rock Permeability From Pore Scale To Core Scale: Effect Of Training Dataset Size And Sub-Core Volumes, Yaotian Guo, Fei Jiang, Takeshi Tsuji, Yoshitake Kato, Mai Shimokawara, Lionel Esteban, Mojtaba Seyyedi, Marina Pervukhina, Maxim Lebedev, Ryuta Kitamura

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Permeability characterizes the capacity of porous formations to conduct fluids, thereby governing the performance of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), hydrocarbon extraction, and subsurface energy storage. A reliable assessment of rock permeability is therefore essential for these applications. Direct estimation of permeability from low-resolution CT images of large rock samples offers a rapid approach to obtain permeability data. However, the limited resolution fails to capture detailed pore-scale structural features, resulting in low prediction accuracy. To address this limitation, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based upscaling method that integrates high-precision pore-scale permeability information into core-scale, low-resolution CT images. In …

Joint Capacity Allocation And Job Assignment Under Uncertainty, Peng Wang, Yun Fong Lim, Gar Goei Loke

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We study a multi-period joint capacity allocation and job assignment problem. The goal is to simultaneously allocate resources across J different supply nodes and assign jobs from I different demand origins to these J supply nodes, so as to maximize the reward for matching or minimize the cost of failure to match. We consider three features: (i) supply is replenishable after some random time, (ii) demand is random, and (iii) demand can wait and needs not be fully fulfilled immediately. Such problems emerge in many service management settings such as fleet re-positioning for car-sharing, and patient management in healthcare. We …

Explainable Machine Learning And Life Cycle Assessment For Sustainable Design Of Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Concrete, Xiao Tan, Jianglei Xing, Soroush Mahjoubi, Pengwei Guo, Ziyao Wei, Yuan Wang, Jie Ren, Li Ai, Weina Meng, Yi Bao

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Conventional asphalt concrete has a limited lifespan due to cracking, deformation, and environmental degradation, driving the development of fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC). However, key gaps remain in current data-driven FRAC studies due to small and homogeneous datasets, “black-box” machine learning models, and trade-offs between mechanical-sustainable performance, failing to provide a transparent understanding of features governing FRAC behaviors. This paper proposes a framework integrating explainable artificial intelligence and life cycle assessment (LCA) to advance mechanical and sustainable design of FRAC. A dataset of 2490 laboratory samples covers 15 input features and 3 mechanical outputs. Eight machine learning models, along with a …

Microstructural Evolution Of Zirconium Diboride Irradiated With 5–10 Mev Au Ions At Room Temperature And 570 °C, Narrie Loftus, José Olivares, Miguel Crespillo, Esther Enríquez Pérez, Jeremy Watts, Eric W. Bohannan, Gregory Hilmas, William Fahrenholtz, Joseph Graham

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Zirconium diboride was irradiated with 5 MeV Au^2 + , 7 MeV Au⁴⁺ and 10 MeV Au³⁺ ions at room temperature and 570 °C to doses from 1 to 8 displacements per atom (dpa). Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis revealed no secondary phase formation. Rietveld analysis of the GIXRD data indicated an accumulation of microstrain at low dpa and room temperature. Dislocations observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-sections are likely the main contributor to the microstrain. High dpa and high-temperature samples exhibit lower lattice distortion than lower dpa samples, suggesting the presence of enhanced defect …

Thermally Stable Sic Particulate-Reinforced Sic Composites Up To 2000 ℃ Fabricated By Precursor Impregnation And Pyrolysis Method, Jian Gu, Vu Viet Hung, Lun Feng, William G. Fahrenholtz, Daejong Kim, Seyoung Kim, Sea Hoon Lee

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The thermo-mechanical properties of SiC particulate-reinforced SiC composites (SiC-PRCs), fabricated using precursor impregnation & pyrolysis (PIP) process, were analyzed up to 2000 ℃. The relative density of the SiC-PRCs after 4 PIP cycles was 88.6 %. The number of PIP cycles required decreased to nearly half compared with the conventional PIP method by using ultra-high concentration slurries up to 70 vol%. In addition, room-temperature bending strength (215 MPa) and Young's modulus (269 GPa) improved as the solid loading of the slurry increased. The bending strength increased to 232 MPa at 2000 ℃ in Ar. Despite the thermal deterioration of the …

A Software Package For Generating Robust And Accurate Potentials Using The Moment Tensor Potential Framework, Josiah Roberts, Biswas Rijal, Simon Divilov, Jon Paul Maria, William G. Fahrenholtz, Douglas E. Wolfe, Donald W. Brenner, Stefano Curtarolo, Eva Zurek

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present the Plan for Robust and Accurate Potentials (PRAPs), a software package for training and using moment tensor potentials (MTPs) in concert with the Machine Learned Interatomic Potentials (MLIP) software package. PRAPs provides an automated workflow to train MTPs using active learning procedures, and a variety of utilities to ease and improve workflows when utilizing the MLIP software. PRAPs was originally developed in the context of crystal structure prediction, in which one calculates convex hulls and predicts low energy metastable and thermodynamically stable structures, but the potentials PRAPs develops are not limited to such applications. PRAPs produces two potentials, …

Superhard Refractory High-Entropy Diborides, M. D. Hossain, N. S. Mcilwaine, N. O. Marquez-Rios, A. C. Feltrin, V. Chawla, R. A. Mayanovic, W. G. Fahrenholtz, D. Penumadu, E. Zurek, D. W. Brenner, D. E. Wolfe, S. Divilov, H. Eckert, S. Curtarolo

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Using first-principles calculations and companion experimental validations, we demonstrate that the valence electron concentration (VEC) can be used to self-consistently parameterize the bonding characteristics of high-entropy diborides (HEBs) and in turn predict their mechanical properties. When VEC is 10.0 per formula unit (f.u.), HEBs enter the superhard category where Hv>40GPa because bonding states are optimally filled to resist shear deformation. Conversely, above or below a VEC of 10.0, the hardness decreases due to the filling of antibonding or the emptying of bonding states of the HEBs, respectively. This result is supported by analyses of the electronic structure, bonding, antibonding, …