Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

High Technology And The Developing State: The Arrival Of Supercomputers In India, Ramesh Subramanian

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

While India has made vast strides in information technology in the last few decades, its success is mainly attributed to its software, rather than its hardware sector. In fact, India’s attempts at developing computer hardware that can match international standards have largely been unsuccessful. A notable exception is its development of a series of supercomputers that match and exceed many international standards. This paper looks at an interesting period in India’s computing history – namely the 1980s and 1990s – focusing on its development of an indigenous supercomputer. During that period, supercomputers were thought to be the sole privy of …

The Crowdfunding Paradox In Crisis: Rising Funder Demand Vs. Declining Entrepreneur Supply, Dan Liu, Guangzhi Shang, Cynthia Fan Yang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study investigates how the crowdfunding marketplace responds to major crises, focusing on behavioral shifts among funders and entrepreneurs. Results show a dual impact on platform dynamics. On the demand side, funders become more engaged, with notable increases in the number of backers, average contributions, and total pledge amounts. This heightened activity suggests stronger altruistic motivations, as individuals view crowdfunding as a way to support others during difficult times. On the supply side, however, entrepreneurs act more cautiously, leading to a decline in new project launches. This drop likely reflects increased risk aversion and uncertainty as creators navigate volatile conditions. …

Bridging Mission And Execution: Integrating Participatory Design In Early-Phase Mission Engineering For Stakeholder Alignment And Mission Clarity, Rafi Soule

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This research examines mission framing during the early phase of Mission Engineering. Stakeholder interpretations diverge under ambiguity. Interoperability constraints are often not surfaced early. These conditions reduce mission clarity and weaken mission-to-system mapping readiness. The study integrates a participatory design-inspired, artifact-first workflow with RAG-enabled retrieval from a closed corpus to support evidence-grounded reasoning and traceable citations.

Phase 1 uses an online survey to establish baseline patterns in practice (N = 86). Shared understanding is positively associated with mission clarity (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). Phase 2 uses a time-bounded comparative workshop with two conditions. Expert reviewers rate mission statement quality higher for the participatory design condition (mean 3.5) than the traditional condition (mean 2.8). Technical feasibility ratings are similar across conditions. Phase 3 demonstrates RAG-enabled, closed-corpus, retrieval-supported traceability using the Referencer tool. It is reported as a proof-of-concept for evidence-grounded rationale and auditability, and as a pathway …

Statewide Corridor Evacuation Response And Re-Entry Behaviors In Florida During Hurricane Irma, Xin Wang, Yuan Zhu, Hong Yang, Kun Xie

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Hurricane Irma stands as one of the most destructive tropical storms to make landfall in the United States, particularly impacting the State of Florida, where it prompted the largest evacuation in history with approximately 7 million residents. The profound consequences of mass evacuation underscore the critical need to understand travel behaviors during hurricane evacuation and the recovery process. This research analyzes statewide evacuation and re-entry patterns, leveraging diverse datasets, including TTMS data from main corridors and GIS data. A statewide corridor-based empirical analysis framework is constructed to characterize evacuation and re-entry response patterns using sensor-based traffic observations. The results show …

A Study Of Perceptions, Readiness, Benefits, And Barriers Related To Exoskeleton Adoption In New Jersey’S Warehousing Sector, Terry Asante

Theses

The warehousing industry in New Jersey remains a vital component of the region's logistics network, employing more than 200,000 workers who routinely engage in lifting, bending, overhead reaching, and other physically demanding activities. These exposures contribute to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) rates that exceed national averages, particularly affecting the low back and shoulders. Nationally, MSDs account for an estimated $420 billion in combined direct and indirect costs each year, underscoring the need for interventions that can effectively reduce biomechanical strain. Industrial exoskeletons have emerged as a potential solution, with prior research demonstrating reductions in muscle activation, perceived exertion, and fatigue during …

Developing A Waste-To-Energy Assessment Framework Integrating Engineering And Policy Dimensions Using A Triple Bottom Line Approach, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities has emerged as a critical concern in both energy and governance. Dependence on landfills is approaching critical thresholds as disposal sites near saturation, transportation costs escalate, and host communities increasingly resist garbage transfers. In response, this study proposes a comprehensive Waste-to-Energy (WtE) assessment framework that integrates engineering evaluation with policy and stakeholder analysis to support sustainable decision- making.

Using Baguio City as a case study, the framework applies a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach to evaluate three waste management scenarios: (1) current landfill-dominated practices, (2) engineered landfill with …

The Importance Of Leader-Member Exchange And Psychological Contracts In Highly Qualified Researchers, Robin L. Ingerick Dba

Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the significance of the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and psychological contracts in United States-based research organizations. When the organization-manager-employee relationship deteriorates, psychological contract breaches can occur, negatively affecting employee outcomes and the organization's financial success and stability. Existing knowledge highlights several factors that influence relationships, including reciprocated treatment, work behaviors and reactions, trust, professional respect, affect, mutual interaction, work autonomy, communication, job satisfaction, and fulfillment. The study sought to determine to what extent is there a predictive relationship between LMX and psychological contracts (employee obligations, employer obligations, fulfillment, and contract transitions) of highly qualified United States-based …

Data-Driven Evaluation Of Sustainable Waste-To-Energy Pathways For Intelligent Urban Systems, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The handling of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities poses intricate energy and governance challenges. In Baguio City, reliance on landfills has reached critical levels due to diminishing capacity, rising transport costs, and opposition to trash transfers by nearby LGUs. Although shaped by unique topographical and governance constraints, Baguio’s situation reflects issues faced by other rapidly growing Philippine cities; therefore, analyzing it offers insights for national MSW decision-making. This study applies a triple bottom line (TBL) framework to assess three management scenarios: (1) Status Quo, where all MSW is landfilled with no energy recovery; (2) Landfill with …

Engineering Risk And Indigenous Resilience Toward Intelligent Decision Support For Mining In Ancestral Lands, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

Mining within ancestral territories reveals an ongoing conflict between technical viability and Indigenous consent. This collaborative study, conducted by an engineering scholar and a policy researcher of Indigenous heritage in Benguet among the Ibaloi and Kankanaey peoples, investigates how risk transparency and policy alignment can bridge existing divides, while formulating principles applicable to other Indigenous mining contexts. The study provides an initial evaluation of the feasibility of a proposed large-scale mining operation within a risk-informed, data-driven governance framework. Three elements of engineering risk were assessed utilizing literature-derived and proxy parameters: (1) Land degradation is indicated by a Soil Productivity Index …

Use Of Polymer Fiber To Improve Mechanical Properties Of Hma Containing Recycled Asphalt Pavement (Rap), Ashraf Rahim, Shadi Saadeh, Hani Al Zaraiee

Mineta Transportation Institute

A great percentage of highways and roads in California are constructed with Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), and, as California infrastructure ages, these highways and roads must be maintained and rehabilitated. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is considered an excellent alternative to virgin (raw, unprocessed) materials because it reduces the use of virgin aggregate and binder. Also, the use of RAP decreases the amount of construction waste placed into landfills. This laboratory study investigated the effect of two different commercial polymer fibers on the mechanical properties of HMA with RAP. Three different HMA with RAP mixes were used in the study. One …

Book Review: Building A God, Carl Lee Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

No abstract provided.

Navigating Perceptions: How Organizational Type And Message Source Affect Willingness To Fly In Automated Air Taxis, Cody James Sweatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A new era of transportation and business is beginning to emerge. Advanced air mobility (AAM), which uses highly automated aircraft that transport passengers and cargo in the underutilized, low-altitude airspace above and around urban areas, is rapidly becoming a reality (FAA, 2023). These new companies will utilize air taxis, which are automated, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and will potentially foster a revolutionary new commerce infrastructure. Unfortunately, it is not currently understood how the credibility of a message source or specific type of organization that owns and operates an automated air taxi company influences a customer’s willingness to …

Artificial Intelligence In Surveillance And Privacy, Elizabeth D. Brasher

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

This paper attempts to provide insight into the new and developing world of artificial intelligence and its integration into surveillance technologies. These technologies being implemented by the government, retail companies, healthcare organizations, and more, all raise ethical questions and implications addressed in this article; other topics, such as the integration of Christian ethics and responsibilities, are also explored.

Pathways To Efficient And Equitable Solutions For Large-Scale Routing Problems, Abhay Sobhanan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses large-scale optimization problems in transportation emerging from hierarchical decision-making, equitable workload allocation, and innovative routing logistics. It presents three sets of contributions, each detailed in a separate chapter, and offers computational tools and insights to advance both the theory and practice of transportation systems.

The first work introduces a deep learning-enhanced genetic algorithm framework for solving the Hierarchical Vehicle Routing Problems (HVRPs). Traditional optimization approaches to such problems require extensive evaluation of multiple lower-level routing solutions and are computationally intensive. Our innovative method integrates a genetic algorithm with a pretrained graph neural network, which is trained on …

Air And Missile Defense Threat Scenario Variation To Reduce Pretest Sensitization, Video Games As A Case Study, Julie Renee Szekerczes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study uses fixed and variable video game types to measure pretest sensitization as a proxy for repeated and varied threat test scenarios in system performance testing of air and missile defense systems. The pretest sensitization phenomenon exists when repeated exposure to a test condition influences the participant's response. Research shows air and missile defense development correlates with video games, resulting in similar interfaces and computer operating environments. Department of Defense acquisition test and evaluation results must reflect system performance without prior knowledge of the threat scenarios confounding the results. System performance results inform acquisition decisions, such as further funding …

Carbon Accountability Scores: A Process-Oriented Approach For Carbon Offsetting Using Ai Agents, Joshit Mohanty, Vaishali Vaishali

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

Conventional carbon offset programs rely on quantified emissions to determine balancing requirements. While this approach offers a standardized means of measuring carbon output, it often provides industries with a loophole—allowing them to offset their emissions by purchasing equivalent credits for activities such as tree planting rather than tackling inefficiencies at the source. This research proposes a process-based framework called Carbon Accountability Scores (CA scores) to offer a proactive strategy for assessing and reducing carbon footprints. Instead of focusing on the mere balancing of emitted and sequestered carbon, CA scores integrate an organization’s operational processes into the calculation, thereby offering the …

How Can The Adoption Of Biodegradable Packaging In The Beverage Industry Specifically Contribute To Reducing Single-Use Plastic Waste, And What Regulatory Or Cost-Related Challenges Hinder Its Widespread Implementation In Developing Countries?, Rebecca Aba Gaisie

2025 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

This research investigates the potential of biodegradable packaging to reduce single-use plastic waste in the beverage industry and explores the regulatory and cost-related barriers to its adoption in developing countries. The beverage sector is a major contributor to global plastic pollution, and biodegradable alternatives offer a promising path toward sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines qualitative interviews with industry experts and case studies of businesses implementing biodegradable solutions, alongside quantitative survey data from 100 manufacturers and 200 consumers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Findings reveal that while biodegradable packaging significantly reduces plastic waste and appeals to environmentally …

Sources Of Tensions In Ai Adoption For Organ Procurement Organizations, Amaneh Babaee, Grace Hall, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

How Do Human And Ai Gender Bias Interact In Hiring Decisions?, Eyuel Getahun, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield, Jessica L. Cundiff, Jenny Davis, Celia Freed

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

On The Provenance Of Software Systems: Automating Software Traceability With Knowledge Graph And Large Language Model Synergy, Tyler Procko

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The present dissertation delineates a system that enables those engaged in software development to automatically generate and maintain project life cycle provenance. All projects are implemented and made manifest with the development of artifacts, e.g., papers, code files, etc. Tools exist to accelerate artifact creation, but little focus is paid to the processes that produce them. In terms of Ontology, or, from Ancient Greek, the study of being, the two most basic entities in reality are Continuant and Occurrent, or, roughly, “Artifact” and “Process”. This dissertation posits that for any created artifact, its process of creation, i.e., its life …

A Comparative Study Of Electronic And Paper Ballot Systems In Modern U.S. Elections, Gianna M. Wadowski

Open Access Master's Theses

In-person voting processes that rely on paper ballots have long dominated voting in the U.S. However, following the implementation of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, states rapidly adopted new voting technologies that dramatically changed the in-person voting experience. Since then, states have continued to adopt new voting technologies as new challenges and opportunities have emerged. Although scholarship has demonstrated that new voting technologies can offer benefits, reported improvements to the in-person voting experience are inconsistent. Despite changes in voting equipment and voting methods, voters continue to wait in long lines, affecting turnout and voter confidence. Using observational time …

Smart Manufacturing Readiness Assessment - Analysis Of A Modern Tool From A Sociotechnical Perspective, Todd Lemon

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Smart Manufacturing has emerged out of the pervasive buzzwords in publications as a competitive strategy, characterized by the intensive use of digital information and technology throughout the production processes; shop-floor, people, and systems are married by the Internet creating services critical to manufacturing. The work completed and presented here extends the research in the area of Smart Manufacturing (SM) readiness to include a more comprehensive approach to production floor implementation. The overarching goal is to explore SM implementation in attempt to identify underlying latent factors that relate to preparedness from a joint social and technical perspective, striving for a model …

Island Nation Duress: Simulating Passive Peer-To-Peer Bluetooth Communication During Disaster Relief, Jason K. Medeiros

Theses and Dissertations

Pacific Islands under U.S. jurisdiction are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, yet many lack the infrastructure to effectively respond and recover. Clear communication during and after such events is critical for evacuation, hazard awareness, and first responders’ coordination. This research explores a simulation-based approach using Bluetooth communication to relay messages across Guam, assessing its efficiency through statistical analysis. By examining regional differences and geographic impacts on Bluetooth messaging, the study aims to identify key factors that enhance peer-to-peer communication for timely and effective disaster response.

Are Emojis The New Words? A Sentiment Analysis Of Social Media Brand Conversations, Yashodhan Karulkar, Dev T. Vora, Siddharth Vaddepalli, Yash Thakur

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Emojis have become an increasingly important aspect of consumer-brand interactions in the Indian subcontinent. However, the impact of emoji use on brand image and mental health remains underexplored, particularly in emerging economies like India, where structured research on this topic is limited. To address this gap, the present study analyzes over 4,600 consumer tweets related to 19 prominent brands across eleven industries. Using VADER sentiment analysis, the research develops a metric to assess consumer sentiment and brand engagement in relation to emoji usage. The findings indicate that effective integration of emojis contributes to positive consumer sentiment and enhanced brand engagement. …

Cognitive Warfare In The South China Sea: Analyzing Media Influence And Public Opinion In Taiwan, Wyatt F. Blatti

Theses and Dissertations

In a time where conflict extends beyond traditional battlefields, cognitive warfare emerges as a powerful tool to influence perceptions and gain strategic advantages. This study investigates China’s cognitive warfare strategies against Taiwan through trend analysis, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis of news media articles from March 2013 to August 2024 to uncover evolving techniques and mitigation efforts. The findings highlight the potential for tracking cognitive campaigns overtime but will require more than news media alone and suggests future research to better understand indicators of cognitive warfare.

Advances Towards A Robotic Management Vehicle Suited To Nurse Row Crops To More Efficient Outcomes, Adam Mk Gronewold

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Enhancing agricultural production while reducing input costs remains a central challenge in modern row-crop management. Recent advances in computation, imagery, and sensors are enabling more efficient practices across various agricultural domains, and automation technologies are increasingly available to manage tasks central to perennial crop development. Automation in row-crop agriculture, by contrast, lags behind. This thesis explores utilizing small, unmanned ground vehicles to transform row cropping through the implementation of unconventional, in-season management strategies. The first focus of this work considers improvements to nitrogen fertilization using small, autonomous vehicles. An agronomy experiment in corn assessed the effects of gradually applying nitrogen …

Simulating The Impact Of Self-Sensing Materials On Aircraft Sortie Generation, Harmoni J. Blackstock

Theses and Dissertations

In conjunction with the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials Lab(AFRL-RX), this study evaluates the potential military value of the prototype material sensing composites on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and close air support (CAS) missions within a contested Indo-Pacific theater. Using a Simio based simulation,UAV performance was assessed under varying combat conditions, focusing on Remote Sensing, deployment strategies, initial lay-downs, and varying loss rates. Re-sults show that UAVs equipped with Remote Sensing technology significantly improved sortie generation and logistical efficiency. Scenario 17 achieved the highest sortie rate(965.5 sorties), outperforming the next-best scenario by 25 sorties. …

An Agent-Based Modeling Framework For Evaluating The Linkage Between Disaster Facility Damage And Mental Health, Emily S. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

This research establishes a novel agent-based modeling framework to establish the linkage between disaster-induced facility damage and mental health outcomes and the evaluation of treatment methods within the civilian and USAF mental health spheres. The study models the degradation and recovery of agent mental health using simulated data and evaluates the efficacy of three distinct treatment approaches through statistical methods. The methodology integrate agent-based modeling with resilient engineering concepts to simulate mental health resilience curves based on vulnerability, exposure, and facility damage. Agents’ mental health indices were tracked through phases of degradation, stagnation, and recovery based on the three treatments …

Why Are Fairness Concerns So Important? Lessons From A Last-Mile Transportation System, Yiwei Chen, Hai Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The Last-Mile Problem refers to the provision of travel service for passengers from the nearest public transportation node to the final destination. The Last-Mile Transportation System (LMTS), which has recently emerged, provides on-demand last-mile transportation service for passengers. We consider an LMTS that consists of two types of passengers, regular-type passengers and special-type passengers (e.g., seniors, disabled people). The valuation of the last-mile service for special-type passengers is statistically higher than the one for regular-type passengers. Passengers incur disutility from waiting for the last-mile service. In this paper, we explore two fairness constraints on special-type passengers: (1) the fare for …

Designing An Interactive Application To Prevent Runway Incursion: A Systems Engineering Approach, Yixuan Cheng, Dahai Liu, Dennis Vincenzi, Donald S. Metscher

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Runway incursion is a leading cause of serious incidents and accidents at airports. A common cause of runway incursions is unfamiliarity with the airport layout. To address this, we designed an electronically interactive application intended as a practice tool for pilots during flight preparation. The aim of this application is to improve pilots’ familiarity with airports, ultimately helping to reduce runway incursions, with the goals of being interactive, affordable, easily accessible, and designed for use on mobile devices. We applied a systems engineering approach that adheres to human factors engineering principles to ensure user-friendly design and optimization of the interaction …