Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Rattus Norvegicus As A Biological Detector Of Clandestine Remains And The Use Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Locating Mechanism, Gabrielle M. Johnston

Master's Theses

In investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in …

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

Clarity, Organization, Precision, Economy: A Technical Writing Guide For Engineers, David J. Adams, University Of New Haven

Civil Engineering Faculty Book Series

This fourth edition of COPE was sparked by my involvement with PITCH (Project to Integrate Technical Communication Habits) at the Tagliatela College of Engineering at the University of New Haven. This new edition contains additional material on data displays, as well as some additional material on writing about data—including how to avoid rhetorical shifts that undermine the precision of a technical report.

Operational Decision-Making In Healthcare Using Control Charts, Rohan More

Master's Theses

The primary objective of this thesis was to design a framework supplemented with guidelines for the healthcare managers to select an appropriate type of control chart for operational decision-making. A systematic literature review was conducted to gauge the extent to which control charts were being used in a healthcare setting for clinical decision making and operational decision-making purposes. The findings showed that the application of control charts was almost equal for the clinical decision-making sector and the operational decision-making sector. On further analysis, the ability of control charts to function as a standalone tool was affirmed by the vast majority …

Machine Learning Applications To Predict Road Crash And Soccer Game Outcomes, Lu Bai

Master's Theses

Machine learning has become a cutting-edge and widely studied data science field of study in recent years across many industries and disciplines. In this thesis, two problems (1- crash severity prediction, 2- soccer game outcome prediction.) were investigated by using a set of machine learning approaches, namely: Ridge regression, Lasso Regression, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Neural Network (NN), Random Forest (RF).

The first study is focused on investigating the critical factors affecting crash severity on a comprehensive time-series state-wide traffic crash data. The dataset covers crashes occurred in the state of Connecticut between 1995 and 2014. Traffic crashes are an …

Direct Assessment Of Entrepreneurial Minded Learning Through Integrated E-Learning Modules, Aadtiyasinh Rana

Master's Theses

Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML) has a significant emphasis in engineering education

today. Several approaches have been used to assess the impact of various EML approaches. Many indirect assessment techniques have been used and a few direct assessment techniques have been developed. The work presented in this thesis investigates the effectiveness of two specific measurement methods to quantify entrepreneurial minded learning in students.

The University of New Haven has adopted the approach of integrating e-learning modules on entrepreneurial topics and related contextual activities into courses as the primary approach of developing an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) in students. This study focuses on …

”Cyberworld” As A Theme For A University-Wide First-Year Common Course, Kristen Przyborski, Frank Breitinger, Lauren Beck, Ronald S. Harichandran

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Nowadays we all live in a cyber world and use the internet for emailing, banking, streaming video, shopping, reading news, or other activities. Given all the time people spend online, it is important that all students (regardless of their major) learn some basics about living in a cyber world, e.g., strategies for online safety, impact of artificial intelligence, digital forensics or ancestry.com. To facilitate students from many majors to learn about important issues related to the internet, eight faculty from a variety of disciplines at the University of New Haven integrated the theme of Cyber World into our team-taught, first-year …

Eml Indices To Assess Student Learning Through Integrated E-Learning Modules, Ronald S. Harichandran, Nadiye O. Erdil, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali, Cheryl Q. Li, Aadityasinh Rana

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

The University of New Haven has facilitated the development and integration of e-learning modules on entrepreneurial topics into regular engineering and computer science courses. In addition to faculty at the University of New Haven, over three years 77 faculty at 53 other universities in the US have also integrated these modules into their courses. Starting in fall 2017, rubrics were developed so that student work related to topics covered in the modules could be assessed directly by instructors. Topics covered by each module were also mapped to learning outcomes published in the KEEN Framework [1]. An Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML) …

Assessing The Growth In Entrepreneurial Mind-Set Acquired Through Curricular And Extra-Curricular Components, Cheryl Q. Li, Ronald S. Harichandran, Nadiye O. Erdil, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali, Jean Nocito-Gobel

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In an effort to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in our engineering students, the University of New Haven has adopted both curricular and extra-curricular approaches. The curricular components include: 1. Several e-Learning modules covering specific entrepreneurial concepts integrated into the regular engineering and computer science curricula. Available online, each module contains readings, short videos, and self-assessment exercises. Students complete these self-paced modules outside of the classroom over a two-week period. Instructors normally engage students on the content of the module through online or in-class discussions and in-class contextual activities. 2. An elective course on business principles and entrepreneurship that incorporates four …

Assessing An Online Engineering Ethics Module From Experiential Learning Perspective, Gokhan Egilmez, Philip Viscomi, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Today, engineers play a crucial role in the direction of technology, research, social wellbeing, and economic growth, thus the lives of people. An engineer’s professional responsibility for complying with ethical standards and conduct is essential to the needs and requirements of individuals, organizations, and the society. Educating the future engineering workforce and establishing effective and timely policies that ensure engineering professional’s compliance with requirements are two important pillars of sustaining the ethical knowledge and practice in engineering profession. In this study, the researchers focused on investigating the learning effectiveness of an online ethics module developed for and implemented in a …

An Exploratory Study Of Engineering Students’ Misconceptions About Technical Communication, Cheryl Q. Li, Judy Randi, Jenna Sheffield

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

This paper reports results of a mixed methods study that examined engineering students’ acquisition of technical communication skills over time. In particular, this exploratory study aimed to identify persistent errors, lingering misconceptions, and challenges engineering students faced when they attempted to apply their knowledge and skills in new contexts. The 12 participants were drawn from engineering courses in which students were required to compose technical memoranda in response to requests for information from supervisors or clients. This integrated approach addresses content and communication in the same course. The study included a longitudinal analysis of four technical memoranda written across two …

Motivating Students For Learning Using Scaffolding And A Variety Of Assignments, Nadiye O. Erdil

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the impacts of various course assignments and activities that were used to increase student motivation and learning. The courses selected for the study are Quality Analysis and Design of Experiments courses, which are offered as required courses in the industrial engineering graduate program at the University of New Haven. The assignments and activities include term project, term paper, homework, in-class exercises, quizzes, exams, library training and factory visit. In an earlier pilot study in the Quality Analysis course, scaffolding -an instructional strategy that enables students to build on prior experience and knowledge as they work towards mastering …

Benchmarking Oecd Countries’ Sustainable Development Performance: A Goal-Specific Pca Approach, Shyam Lamichhane

Master's Theses

In this thesis, the current status of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries’ sustainable development performance towards reaching the recently announced 2030 Agenda (17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)) was investigated. Over 90 social, economic and environmental sustainability indicators were considered for the performance assessment of OECD countries towards reaching the targeted SDGs. The current weighted averaging approach used in the recent SDG Index and Dashboards Report was used as the benchmark and its limitations were discussed. To overcome the limitations, a novel Goal Specific Principal Component Analysis (GS-PCA) approach was proposed to create composite sustainability index …

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks To Assess Student Happiness, Gokhan Egilmez, Nadiye O. Erdil, Omid Mohammadi Arani, Mana Vahid

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to develop an analytical assessment approach to identify the main factors that affect graduate students' happiness level. The two methods, multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN), were employed for analytical modelling. A sample of 118 students at a small non-profit private university constituted the survey pool. Various factors including education, school facilities, health, social activities, and family were taken into consideration as a result of literature review in happiness assessment. A total of 32 inputs and one output variables were identified during survey design phase. The following survey conduction, data collection, …

Global Renewable And Nonrenewable Energy Use Impact Assessment Of U.S. Manufacturing: An Integrated Cradle-To-Gate Lca And Dea Approach, Bahadir Ezici

Master's Theses

In this thesis, U.S. manufacturing industries` global supply chain-linked energy use and economic output are investigated considering a total of 16 renewable and nonrenewable energy carriers. A multiregion input output (MRIO) framework is employed to conduct the global supply chain-linked energy use impact assessment. The study period was between 1995 and 2014 based on data availability. Thus, 20 MRIO models were developed. Each MRIO model consists of the 40 largest economies of the world and the rest of the world (ROW) as the 41st country. Each country’s economy was structured into 35 manufacturing and service industries based on the Worth …

Midpoint And Endpoint Sustainability Assessment Of U.S. And China Manufacturing: A Comparative Mrio+Recipe Analysis, Mustafa Saber

Master's Theses

Manufacturing is among the most important industries for an economy, which creates value-added, fosters innovation, stimulates employment and economic growth. Therefore, manufacturing industries are crucial for a country’s sustainable development not only for economic reasons but also for social (.e.g. employment, tax, etc.) and environmental ones. Thus, manufacturing activities’ contribution to the economy is critically related with environmental and social impacts. Sustainable economic growth is essential and necessary for a country to provide all necessary goods and services to its growing population.

And, this is highly linke with the creation of new jobs and in this context, manufacturing jobs have …

Embedding Sustainability In Lean Six Sigma Efforts, Nadiye O. Erdil, Can B. Aktas, Omid M. Arani

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The emphasis on the concept of sustainability in businesses and operations is growing either due to increasing public interest, regulatory pressures, or corporate social responsibility. However, where and how to integrate sustainability needs further development for broadening its applications. Using Lean and Six Sigma (LSS) principles in sustainability studies is becoming popular in research and practice. The common approach in these studies is to identify a sustainability project followed by current state sustainability performance assessment, and then work towards improving sustainability performance using LSS tools. The goal of this study was to develop a model framework to fully embed sustainability …

Evaluating The Effect Of Shear Stress On Graft-To Zwitterionic Polycarboxybetaine Coating Stability Using A Flow Cell, Andrew Belanger, Andre Decarmine, Shaoyi Jiang, Keith Cook, Kagya Amoako

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The effect of surface coatings on the performance of antifouling activity under flow can be influenced by the flow/coating interactions. This study evaluates the effect of surface coatings on antifouling activity under different flows for the analyses of coating stability. This was done by exposing DOPA-PCB-300/dopamine coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to physiological shear stresses using a recirculation system which consisted of dual chamber acrylic flow cells, tygon tubing, flow probe and meter, and perfusion pumps. The effect of shear stress induced by phosphate buffered saline flow on coating stability was characterized with differences in fibrinogen adsorption between control (coated PDMS not …

Quality Function Deployment: More Than A Design Tool, Nadiye O. Erdil, Omid M. Arani

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Purpose – This study investigates to what extent QFD can be used in quality improvement rather than design activities.

Design/methodology/approach – A framework was developed for implementation of QFD as a quality improvement tool. A case study approach is used to test this framework, and quality issues were analyzed using the framework in a ceramic tile manufacturing company.

Findings – The results showed considerable improvements in the critical quality characteristics identified and sales rates, demonstrating the potential of QFD to be used in assessing and prioritizing areas of improvement, and converting them into measurable process or product requirements. Research limitations/implications …

In Vitro Cytocompatibility Of Antibacterial Levels Of Polymer Nitric Oxide Release, Rana Gbyli, Christina Zito, Kagya Amoako

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Although the antibacterial property of nitric oxide (NO) has been well documented in gram positive and gram negative bacteria cultures, its cytotoxic effects are not completely clear. To limit potential in vivo cytotoxicity, our group recently investigated the effects of a range of NO fluxes on S. epidermidis and S. aureus to determine a minimum effective NO level. In this study, we report the antibacterial function of this minimum NO level also on gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa as well as its cytocompatibility effects on lung and kidney cells. Standardized bacterial cultures were treated with NO releasing PDMS substrates followed by …

A Project-Based Learning Approach In Teaching Simulation To Undergraduate And Graduate Students, Gokhan Egilmez, Dusan Sormaz, Ridvan Gedik

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In this study, application of experiential learning into graduate and undergraduate curricula of a industrial system simulation course is presented. Simulation has been among the courses against which students feel uncomfortable or frightened due to heavy software use, prerequisite of probability, and statistics knowledge, and its application requirements. To minimize this fear and improve student’s understanding about the subject matters and have them develop ample skills to build complex models, a project-based learning approach is proposed and used in undergraduate and graduate teaching settings. To achieve the project-based learning goals, a 15-week curriculum is designed to have a balanced lecture …

Integrated E-Learning Modules For Developing An Entrepreneurial Mindset: Direct Assessment Of Student Learning, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali, Ronald S. Harichandran, Nadiye O. Erdil, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Cheryl Q. Li

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In an effort to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in all our engineering and computer science students, the University of New Haven is embedding entrepreneurial concepts throughout the 4-year curricula in their majors. This is done with the use of several short e-learning modules developed by content experts. The modules are integrated into engineering and computer science courses by faculty who reinforce concepts through a related activity, project, or assignment. The e-learning modules, available online through course management systems, are self-paced and targeted at conceptual learning of 18 specific entrepreneurial topics. Using a flipped-classroom instructional model, students complete the modules outside …

A Pilot Program In Internet-Of-Things With University And Industry Collaboration: Introduction And Lessons Learned, Mohsen Sarraf, Bijan Karimi, Ali Golbazi

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

Internet-of-Things (IoT) is one of the most prominent technological eco-systems and an engine of growth with an estimated market size of $14 Trillion to $33 Trillion by 2025 (McKinsey Global Institute). The IoT eco-system uses well-established technologies in many fields; and it adds new and often challenging requirements on extant techniques. For example, many wireless schemes are or being redesigned to address battery life and cost of solution issues. At the same time, the industry needs to hire and retrain many technical personnel to address these issues and support this newly evolving eco-system in many different markets. These facts culminate …

A Gamification Approach For Experiential Education Of Inventory Control, Gokhan Egilmez, Ridvan Gedik

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In this educational research project, game-based in-class and after-class learning activities are developed to teach selected inventory control strategies to undergraduate and graduate students. Students from Supply Chain Management and System Simulation courses are targeted, who are taught by different instructors. The activities include teaching the inventory control policies to students in a regular class setting, then providing an overview on a game developed on MS Excel. In the game, the lead time and customer demand variables are defined uncertain, and not given to students, which make the assignment an ill-structured problem. A 12-month planning and execution period is given …

Investigating The Entrepreneurial Mindset Of Engineering And Computer Science Students, Cheryl Q. Li, Ronald S. Harichandran, Nadiye O. Erdil, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In recent years, numerous engineering programs around the country have introduced curricular revisions and co-curricular activities to develop entrepreneurial skills in students. The primary motivation of these efforts is to graduate engineering students who can rapidly contribute to the economic growth of the nation through entrepreneurship and innovation. A precursor to launching startups or creating new products or services is the development of an entrepreneurial mindset. Efforts focused on developing an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students through curricular and co-curricular activities are emerging from the many partner institutions of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN). As these efforts strengthen, approaches …

Benchmarking Environmental Efficiency Of Ports Using Data Mining And Rdea: The Case Of A U.S. Container Ports, Yong Shin Park, N. Muhammad Aslaam Mohamed Abdul Ghani, Fesseha Gebremikael, Gokhan Egilmez

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

This study provides step-wise benchmarking practices of each port to enhance the environmental performance using a joint application of the data-mining technique referred to as Kohonen’s self-organizing map (KSOM) and recursive data envelopment analysis (RDEA) to address the limitation of the conventional data envelopment analysis. A sample of 20 container ports in the U.S.A. were selected, and data on input variables (number of quay crane, acres, berth and depth) and output variables (number of calls, throughput and deadweight tonnage, and CO2 emissions) are used for data analysis. Among the selected samples, eight container ports are found to be environmentally inefficient. …

Achieving Totally Local Anticoagulation On Blood Contacting Devices, Rana Gbyli, Anna Mercaldi, Harihara Sundaram, Kagya Amoako

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The recent years have witnessed an increased activity in biocompatibility research aimed at limiting biomaterial-induced blood coagulation. From 2008 to 2016, a total of $36,946,764.00 USD was awarded in grants to 213 research proposals and as large as 50.4% ($18,627,854.00) of that award monies were distributed to 101 proposals over the fiscal years of FY14 to FY16 alone. However, the complexity in blood responses to biomaterials, variability in blood function between individuals and animal species, and differences in medical device application and test setting all continue to pose difficulties in making a breakthrough in this field. This review focuses on …

Impact Of Integrated E-Learning Modules In Developing An Entrepreneurial Mindset Based On Deployment At 25 Institutions, Nadiye O. Erdil, Ronald S. Harichandran, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Cheryl Q. Li, Maria-Isabel Carnasciali

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In this paper, we describe an innovative curricular model employed at the University of New Haven to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students. The entrepreneurial mindset in this model is characterized by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN)’s 3C’s, which are curiosity, connections and creating value. The core of the model is the integration of short, self-paced, e-learning modules into courses spanning all four years of all engineering and computer science programs. A flipped classroom instructional model is used to integrate the modules into courses. We are in the third year of implementation on campus, and following a pilot …

Influencing Student Motivation Through Scaffolded Assignments In A Quality Analysis Course And Its Impact On Learning, Nadiye O. Erdil

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the impact of various class assignments and activities that build upon each other with the aim of increasing student motivation and student learning in a Quality Analysis course. Scaffolding is an instructional strategy that aims to reduce the amount of cognitive effort that students have to make to learn the materials by breaking down the material into more manageable components. In this study, critical thinking scaffolding is applied in the quality analysis course by structuring several elements to lead students to an assignment that is more complex. At the end of the semester, the impact assessment of …

Establishment Of Innovative Shared Departments To Advance Interdisciplinary Education, Ronald S. Harichandran, Brian Kench, Summer Mcgee, Michael A. Collura, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Charles David Skipton

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

More and more universities are pursuing interdisciplinary academic activities that span across department and college boundaries. Administrative structures to facilitate such programs are difficult to establish within traditional university frameworks consisting of disciplinary departments and colleges. Often interdisciplinary programs are housed in a traditional disciplinary department or college, or in a standalone center reporting to a college dean or the provost. The difficulty of these structures is obtaining broad buy-in from faculty across departments and having disciplinary degree programs include interdisciplinary coursework.

To overcome the difficulties described above, an innovative shared department structure that fosters collaborations to advance interdisciplinary education …