Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

On The Challenges Posed By Non-Machian Solutions To Relationalism In General Relativity, Zachary Matthew Zito

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The relationship between Mach’s Principle and solutions to Einstein’s field equations is examined, with special attention to Friedmann-Lematre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology. Mach’s Principle is outlined, and the extent to which general relativity fulfills Machs vision is assessed. It is argued that several important solutions to Einsteins equations, particularly the FLRW cosmological models, embody key Machian features. In order to elucidate the FLRW cosmological model, the associated energy-momentum tensor for a perfect fluid under the assumptions of large-scale homogeneity and isotropy is derived and used to obtain the Friedmann equations that govern cosmic expansion. It is shown that FLRW cosmology can be …

Artificial Intelligence In Modern Game Development, Karan Raval

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Artificial intelligence has transformed the landscape of game development in ways early pioneers could only imagine. In my project I explore four major phases of AI evolution: classical AI methods, the rise of machine learning, the advent of transformer architectures, and a spirited debate about whether transformers truly think. To illustrate these shifts I use examples like MYCIN, which helped doctors decide treatments, and Deep Blue, which beat a world chess champion. You’ve probably lost track of time exploring an open world that adapts to your choices, right? That sense of immersion is powered by AI behind the scenes. From …

A System And Method For Measuring Spatially Varying Surface Appearances With A Study Of Feathers, Jessica Baron-Lis

All Dissertations

Real-world materials, particularly biological structures such as feathers exhibit complex appearances that vary spatially across their surfaces. The field of computer graphics provides a means of understanding such surfaces through material modeling which uses both analytical models and data acquired from light-surface interactions. There are many efforts within the past decade in measuring materials for graphics, but common limitations in these works include not accounting for spatially varying properties and reliance on neural networks and synthetic datasets.

Feathers from modern birds present diverse appearances due to how light interacts with their unique hierarchical microstructures. Variations in those structures lead to …

A Narrative-Focused Machine Learning Approach To Predicting Feature Film Success, Arisa T. Trombley

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

For decades, the field of film production has been driven by marketability, and it has relied on gut feelings and subjectivity to produce feature films. The analysis of the relationship between a screenplay’s narrative and a film’s success has been widely overlooked due to the challenges involved in data acquisition and complexity. This study investigates the predictive power of narrative structure on film success and aims to build evidence for hypothesized narrative principles. The results suggest that narrative structural elements exhibit moderate predictive power, with strong support for the alignment of the 2nd act crucial moments and the 2nd act …

The Playground: Redefining The Artistic Experience And Expression With Technology, Meghan Hutto

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Throughout the artistic community, many creators are exploring new ways to generate innovative works for growing audiences. With the emergence of endless technology, dance makers are searching for mediums to include new lighting techniques and music composition. Across this past year, I have researched and explored new frontiers of artistic mediums to further my project’s artistic expression. By developing and investigating new systems of lighting and musical composition, I created a fifteen-minute work called “Metaphysical Mindscape”. When solidifying the through-line that carried the expression of my piece, I uncovered a piece of myself. The themes that I explored were thoughts …

Analysis And Mathematical Recomposition Of The Art Of The Fugue, Joshua Cellar

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Art of the Fugue is a collection of 18 fugues and cannons written by Johann Sebastian Bach in the 1700s. Each piece starts with a single theme which is transformed, developed and mixed in fascinating mathematical combinations resulting in a distinctive musical style. In this paper, we use the method introduced in [7] to analyze 14 pieces from The Art of the Fugue. We focus on the variation of motifs from one piece to another as well as the complexities of mathematical transformations present throughout the entire collection. We also demonstrate how using maps of transformations and the rules …

Mathematical Melodies: The Exploration Of Music Using Fourier Signal Analysis, Courtney Francois

Honors Theses

Upon initial inspection, mathematics and music appear to be distinct disciplines lacking any connections to one another. However, many complex intersections lie beneath the surface. This paper seeks to explore these connections through the analysis of the Fourier series and the Fourier transformation of musical sound signals. Orthogonal functions of various frequencies are used to approximate and recover sound signals. Following the examination of the basis of Fourier signal analysis, MATLAB is utilized to visualize the connectedness of mathematics and music through sound signals from varied musical instruments and by performing Fourier signal analysis to the sound signals. Then, the …

1785 Parisian Salon Project: New Methods And Practical Innovations In Digital Heritage Reconstruction, James Hutson, Charles O'Brien, Wesley Wolfe, Kayla Kraff, Trent Olsen

Faculty Scholarship

The 1785 Salon Unreal Engine Reconstruction Project represents a significant advance in digital heritage and immersive art historical research by combining generative AI-based asset creation, modular user experience (UX) design, and historically informed workflows. During the Spring 2025 phase, the project achieved major milestones, including the successful development of a replicable pipeline for transforming 2D reference images into period-accurate 3D sculpture models using generative AI and digital sculpting tools. Simultaneously, a robust and adaptable Inspection System was engineered within Unreal Engine, offering granular interaction controls, bilingual (English/French) content integration, dynamic metadata display, and enhanced accessibility. These innovations collectively enabled historically …

Sustainable Fashion Identified: An Exploration And Education Of Sustainable Apparel, Michaela M. Lentsch

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Consumers today are searching for and are loyal to companies who support their views and concerns about sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, but one that has many environmental and sustainability concerns. Fortunately, there are many ways the fashion industry and consumers can take steps to make sustainable change and better the planet. Small fashion businesses and boutiques can make positive changes to operate and provide sustainable options and services for customers which can help the planet become more sustainable.

Through this manuscript, an assortment of sustainable methods and practices will be shared …

Managing Graphical Fidelity With Stylized Shaders For Independent Game Development, Benjamin A. Edens

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper outlines work performed by the author within the Unity3D game engine to gain preliminary experience with technical art implementation and suggests design choices that could be useful to other students or independent game developers to manage complexity within their games while maintaining visual appeal. The final product of the discussed project is a small game consisting of an outdoor urban city environment as well as an interior aquarium environment. This paper begins with the author’s motivations and goals for the project before describing the implementation of specific aspects of technical art, including 3D modeling, rigging, animation, level design, …

Bibliography Of Christianity And Mathematics Update, Calvin Jongsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

This was a banquet talk given at the Twenty-fourth Biennial Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences held at Dordt University on May 28-June 1, 2024.

It provides an update on the progress being made in the author’s project of producing a second edition of Bibliography of Christianity and Mathematics. This work is now being developed as a Zotero database with a slightly broader focus on Religious Faith and the Mathematical Sciences and with a much expanded list of books, articles, and blog posts on the topic. The author hopes to make the database public sometime …

More Concerns About Atmospheric Methane Removal Efforts, Joshua Luczak

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported record-high global atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (419.3 ppm) in 2023, alongside atmospheric methane levels (1922.6 ppb) now over 160% above pre-industrial levels. The World Meteorological Organization predicts 2024 could surpass 2023 as the warmest year on record, with more frequent and severe extreme weather events. Meeting the Paris Climate goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C—or ideally 1.5°C—above pre-industrial levels is becoming increasingly difficult. To address these challenges, efforts are expanding beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies have been the focus, attention is now turning to …

Detecting Ideological Bias In Trump's Tweets: Trump's Peace Plan As A Case Study, Amer Qasem

This study aims to explore the extent of ideological bias in the discourse of elected U.S. President Donald Trump on social media platforms, specifically Twitter (now known as X), regarding his peace plan, commonly referred to as the "Deal of the Century." The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine all of Trump’s tweets related to the Deal of the Century, seeking to answer the following research questions: How did Trump portray the parties affected by the deal in his tweets? What rhetorical strategies did he employ to present the deal? The analysis spans the period from the announcement …

The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Applications By Media Students In Palestinian Universities And Their Achieved Gratifications “A Field Study”, Said Shaheen Allani, Ahmad Al Sallaq

The study aimed to identify the extent to which media students in Palestinian universities use artificial intelligence applications and the achieved gratifications from it. The study belongs to the descriptive studies approach utilizing questionnaire as a tool for collecting data, for an available sample of (165) individuals that were distributed in five Palestinian universities. The study reached to; (54.5%) of media students in Palestinian universities use artificial intelligence applications, they use it for several reasons, the most important phrase is “it helps me to produce good digital content,” with a relative weight of (47.4%), it also achieves a number of …

Media Frameworks In Addressing Environmental Issues On Al Jazeera Net Website: An Analytical Study, Sabah Al Harahsheh

This study aimed to recognize the media frameworks used to address environmental issues on (Al Jazeera Net) between 2009 and 2024. The study relied on the descriptive survey method, the theory of media frames, and the content analysis as a method and tool. The study population consisted of all articles, reports and interviews published on the (Al Jazeera Net) throughout the period specified by the study. A purposive sample was selected from the articles, reports and interviews interested in environmental issues only, which numbered eighteen journalistic works. The study identified the most important frameworks that presented the environmental issues during …

The Mediating Role Of Remote Communication On The Relationship Between Electronic Human Resource Management Practices And Organizational Performance In Iraqi Commercial Banks, Shuhub Basel Ahmad Taqa

This study aimed to measure the impact of remote communication as a mediating variable on the relationship between electronic human resources (e-HRM) and organizational performance in Iraqi commercial banks. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, with the study population consisting of managers, their deputies, and department heads in Iraqi commercial banks, totaling 242 individuals distributed across 24 commercial banks by the end of 2023. A total of 234 questionnaires were analyzed, achieving a response rate of 96.7%. The study employed Smart PLS software for data analysis and result extraction. The study revealed several key findings, the most significant of which …

Dissolving Sand Into Fog - Portraying Long Term Temporal Illusions Through Music, Kyle Bergler

Honors Projects

Long-term temporal illusions permeate our day-to-day lives, but due to their highly subjective nature, few are familiar with them. To help introduce these topics in a way that lets a wider audience connect individually with them, I composed three works for percussion ensembles, each in a different style, and each portraying one or multiple long-term temporal illusions. All of these pieces were composed and rehearsed throughout the spring 2025 semester and premiered at my senior recital on April 19, 2025.

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Melting Ice, Moving Minds, Andres Cabrero

Montserrat Student Scholarship

Ice Watch is a large-scale public installation by Olafur Eliasson that brings melting glacial ice into busy city spaces to make the effects of climate change both visible and urgent.. Eliasson wants people to physically feel the reality of climate change, not just learn about it. He uses art to turn abstract data into a real, emotional experience. Climate change can feel distant, and even somewhat invisible. By putting giant blocks of ice in public, the project helps people face the problem in a physical, immediate way.

Volume 16, Maggie Duncan, Madeline Little, Alicia Hoffman, Megan Livesay, Gabrielle Quaresma, Serenity Allen, Laina Pfountz, Ainslie Allred, Sabrina Robles, Nicholas J. Duellman, Trinity L. Deguzman, Melissa H. Savage, Margaret Dudley, Jocelyn Escobar, Olivia Hildreth, Olivia Hopkins, Benjamin Gettier, Lee Kassay, Jade Riddle, Ashley Seiders

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Lee Millar Bidwell

The Hujum Campaign in Uzbekistan and its Consequences by Madeline Little

Wet Cupping Compared to Dry Needling for Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic by Alicia Hoffman and Megan Livesay

Optimization of eDNA Air Sampling Via 3D Printed Fan by Gabrielle Quaresma

Beyond the Classroom: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Attrition and Retention by Serenity Allen and Laina Pfountz

The Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome with Platelet-Rich plasma Injections Verses …

04.21.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

ORED Stakeholder Meetings

SEC Travel Grants

2025 Academic Conference Program

Holy Cross Undergraduate Academic Conference

No abstract provided.

Multi-Agent Translation Team (Matt): Enhancing Low-Resource Language Translation Through Multi-Agent Workflow, Anishka Peter, Mai Dang, Michael Liu, Joaquin Dominguez, Nibhrat Lohia

SMU Data Science Review

Like humans, large language models (LLMs) benefit from revision and refinement, especially for complex tasks requiring critical thinking. Inspired by human collaborative problem-solving, this study introduces a novel multi-agent workflow designed to enhance LLM translations from English to low-resource languages. Multi-Agent Translation Team (MATT) involves the collaboration of agents that are assigned specific roles, such as translator, evaluation coordinator, and various levels of editing, to refine the initial translation into the most desired version possible. The agents work collaboratively in an iterative loop until the translation loss meets a satisfactory threshold. It stands out from other multi-agent workflows by combining …

Research Week 2025, Michael Schueth

Research Week

Welcome to Undergraduate Research Week at Collin College!

This week celebrates the innovative research and scholarly work of our undergraduate students across all disciplines. From our informative webinars to Cultivating Scholars, our student poster presentation, the week offers opportunities to explore new ideas, share discoveries, and connect with fellow researchers and faculty mentors.

We invite all students, faculty, and staff to participate in these events designed to highlight the importance of undergraduate research in academic and professional development. Whether you're presenting your work or simply curious about your peers' projects, your engagement helps foster our college's culture of inquiry and …

Cultivating Scholars 2025, Elizabeth Hamner

Research Week

Cultivating Scholars is an interdisciplinary event promoting undergraduate students and their special interest topics. It is a research-based setting meant to imitate a professional conference. Students work with Faculty Mentors to conduct a high-quality project and present it to the community.

Date: April 24, 2025, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Place: Collin College, Frisco Campus Conference Center

04.14.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Updated CITI Training Courses

Science Celebration

IHL Prepayment Approval

Research And Engagement Day Poster

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.

Bryant's Ai Hack-A-Thon

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.

Research And Engagement Day Poster

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.

Bryant University Research And Engagement Day Program

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.