Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Empowering Youth In A Changing Climate: Design, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Salt Marsh Summer Science Program, Dan Levesque

Graduate Masters Theses

Climate change presents not only environmental challenges but also emotional challenges for today’s youth. This thesis documents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a field-based summer science program aimed at empowering adolescents with coastal salt marsh ecology while addressing climate change emotions and science identity development. The program, based in a Massachusetts salt marsh, was adapted from existing public environmental curricula and guided by place- and experience-based learning principles. Over Spring and Summer 2025, 13 students (ages 13-18) participated in extra-curricular field trips, hands-on research activities, and reflective discussions about the environment and the emotions it brings forth. Pre- and …

2025 - Tennessee Annual Climate Summary, Tennessee Climate Office, East Tennessee State University

Tennessee Climate Office Monthly Reports

Excerpt: 

The mean (average) temperature for 2025 across Tennessee was a bit warmer than normal for most of the state, with the majority of areas reporting temperatures that were 1-2°F above the 1991-2020 NOAA climate normals, with some areas, mostly in the northeastern section of the state within one degree of normal. However, there were a lot of temperature swings throughout the year with below normal temperatures for most regions of the state in January, July, August, and November, while well above normal temperatures were observed in parts of the state in February, April, May, and June [...]

2025 December 31 - Tennessee Weekly Drought Summary, Tennessee Climate Office, East Tennessee State University

Tennessee Climate Office Weekly Drought Summaries

No abstract provided.

From Enhancement To Substitution: A Strategic Provocation On Simulation-Based Sport, Grant B. Morgan, Andreas Stamatis

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Advances in artificial intelligence, large-scale machine learning, and simulation technologies are rapidly transforming how sport is played, analyzed, and consumed. To date, most scholarly and industry discussions frame these technologies as tools that enhance embodied sport by improving performance, officiating, media production, and fan engagement. This paper extends that conversation by posing a more provocative strategic question: under what conditions might simulation move from enhancement to substitution? Focusing explicitly on sport as a business and entertainment enterprise, we argue that many of sport’s core sources of cultural and economic value—uncertainty of outcome, narrative continuity, legitimacy, and collective meaning—are structurally …

Panda-Plus: Improved Dataset Of Prostate Whole Slide Images From Panda Challenge With Pixel-Level Expert Annotations, Spencer Hopson, Carson Mildon, Corbyn Kubalek, Joshua L. Ebbert, Ryan Vance, Lauren Laverty, Paul Urie, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based prostate cancer detection through whole slide images (WSIs) offers promising potential to address the global pathologist shortage while improving clinical consistency. Digital slides and improving image analysis methods encourage the creation of tools to aid in WSI classification. Despite promising advances, these tools are still limited by available training data. Current publicly available datasets, such as Kaggle's PANDA Challenge, while large in scale, rely on slide-level labels that may introduce noise and limit model reliability. Others contain detailed annotations, but are smaller in size due to manual processing efforts. In this work, we introduce PANDA-PLUS, a 546-image …

Locally Integral Involutive Po-Semigroups, José Gil-Férez, Peter Jipsen, Melissa Sugimoto

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We show that every locally integral involutive partially ordered semigroup (ipo-semigroup) A=(A,≤,⋅,∼,−), and in particular every locally integral involutive semiring, decomposes in a unique way into a family {Ap:p∈A+} of integral ipo-monoids, which we call its integral components. In the semiring case, the integral components are unital semirings. Moreover, we show that there is a family of monoid homomorphisms Φ={φpq:Ap→Aq:p≤q}, indexed over the positive cone (A+,≤), so that the structure of A can be recovered as a glueing ∫ΦAp of its integral components along Φ. Reciprocally, we give necessary and sufficient conditions so that the Płonka sum of any family …

Revisiting Underwater Image Enhancement For Object Detection: A Unified Quality–Detection Evaluation Framework, Ali Awad, Ashraf Saleem, Sidike Paheding, Evan Lucas, Serein Al-Ratrout, Timothy C. Havens

Michigan Tech Publications

Underwater images often suffer from severe color distortion, low contrast, and reduced visibility, motivating the widespread use of image enhancement as a preprocessing step for downstream computer vision tasks. However, recent studies have questioned whether enhancement actually improves object detection performance. In this work, we conduct a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of nine state-of-the-art enhancement methods and their interactions with modern object detectors. We propose a unified evaluation framework that integrates (1) a distribution-level quality assessment using a composite quality index (Q-index), (2) a fine-grained per-image detection protocol based on COCO-style mAP, and (3) a mixed-set upper-bound analysis that quantifies …

Performance Modeling And Improvements On The Grb Source Localization Streaming Pipeline Aboard The Antarctic Demonstrator For The Advanced Particle-Astrophysics Telescope (Adapt), Ye Htet, Ye Htet, Marion Sudvarg, Marion Sudvarg, Honghao Yang, Jeremy Buhler, Roger Chamberlain, Wenlei Chen, Wenlei Chen, James Buckley, Matthew Andrew, Blake Bal, Elisabetta E. Bissaldi, Richard G. Bose, Dana Braun, James H. Buckley, Jeremy Buhler, Eric Burns

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Advanced Particle-astrophysics Telescope (APT) is a mission concept for a space-based gamma-ray telescope whose capabilities include prompt localization of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) to support multi-wavelength and multi-messenger astrophysics. ADAPT — APT's balloon-borne prototype — can localize GRBs in well under a second using on-board computing hardware. ADAPT will partner with ground-based, fast-slewing optical telescopes, rapidly providing alerts that enable the partner to observe a short-duration burst within a few seconds of detection. In this work, we investigate the utility of having ADAPT issue progressively more accurate location estimates for a GRB as detected Compton events from the burst accumulate …

Real-Time Likelihood Map Generation To Localize Short-Duration Gamma-Ray Transients, Jeremy Buhler, Marion Sudvarg

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

High-energy transient astrophysical phenomena, such as supernovae and binary neutron star mergers, benefit from a multi-wavelength investigation in which a space- or balloon-based omnidirectional telescope detects and localizes early high-energy emissions (such as a gamma-ray burst), then alerts a narrow-field follow-up instrument to observe the source. The high-energy telescope must provide a map that assigns to each sky location a likelihood that the source appears there. To issue prompt alerts despite limits on communication bandwidth and latency, it is desirable to compute this map aboard the high-energy telescope, but doing so requires rapid response while computing under stringent size, weight, …

Fpga-Based Data Processing Using High-Level Synthesis On The Antarctic Demonstrator For The Advanced Particle-Astrophysics Telescope (Adapt), Marion Sudvarg, Marion Sudvarg, Longhao Huang, Boran Yang, Blake Bal, Roger Chamberlain, Jeremy Buhler, Leonardo Di Venere, Leonardo Di Venere, Davide Serini, James Buckley, Matthew Andrew, Blake Bal, Elisabetta E. Bissaldi, Richard G. Bose, Dana Braun, James H. Buckley, Jeremy Buhler

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

FPGAs are widely deployed on high-energy astrophysics telescopes to read out sensor data from front-end electronics. To support continuous data streams or high trigger rates, FPGA logic may be employed to process raw sensor readout values, reducing the volume of data transmitted, processed, and stored by downstream CPU-based computational platforms. Across instruments, these FPGA-based processing pipelines often have similar semantics and share common stages. However, diverse telescope designs require unique implementations of the constituent algorithms, and the logic is often rewritten from scratch for a new instrument. Writing, simulating, and debugging firmware is difficult and time consuming. However, High-Level Synthesis …

Instrument Response Functions Of The Antarctic Demonstrator For The Advanced Particle-Astrophysics Telescope (Adapt), Wenlei Chen, James H. Buckley, Marion Sudvarg

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Antarctic Demonstrator for the Advanced Particle-astrophysics Telescope (ADAPT) gamma-ray/cosmic-ray instrument serves as a precursor to the proposed APT mission. The APT mission is designed to improve sensitivity in the MeV-TeV gamma-ray range by an order of magnitude compared to current missions and is optimized for dark-matter and multimessenger research. The ADAPT instrument uses scintillating fibers for particle tracking and sodium-doped cesium iodide (CsI:Na) tiles read out with wavelength shifting (WLS) fibers for imaging, with solid-state silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for calorimetry. It includes four layers of imaging calorimeter detectors and scintillating-fiber trackers, functioning both as a Compton and Pair telescope …

Effect Of Real Quest Outdoor Learning On High School Students Climate Literacy, Siti Aisah, Abdul Hakim, Puardmi Damayanti

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study investigates the influence of the Real Quest Outdoor Learning (ReQOL) model, which encompasses knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, on the climate literacy of high school students. A quasi-experimental design was performed with a non-equivalent control group; thus, a sample consisting of an experimental class (n = 34) and a control class (n = 32) was used. A one-way ANOVA test was used to test the differences between pretest and post-test scores at a 0.05 significance level. The basic knowledge on climate in the experimental group increased significantly (sig < 0.001), while the change in attitudes and behaviors was insignificant (sig = 0.339 and sig = 0.447, respectively). The fact that attitude and behavior did not improve significantly during the experiment can be justified by the existing Adiwiyata programme in schools. These findings indicate that the ReQOL model is a good way to help students understand climate issues better. Adding discovery-based outdoor learning to science classes has the potential to make students more aware of environmental issues and lay the groundwork for the development of responsible behavior. This underscores the scientific contribution and educational importance of the development of climate literacy within the curriculum.

Mathematical Analysis And Numerical Simulation Of A Fractional-Order Sir-Si Model For Malaria Transmission Dynamics, Gassan A. M. O. Farah, Abdulaziz Y. A. Mukhtar, Kailash C. Patidar

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

This study investigates the complex transmission dynamics of malaria, a critical global health challenge, with a focus on the African continent. We introduce a novel approach that employs Fractional Differential Equations (FDEs) to advance the understanding of malaria spread and control. Specifically, we develop a new SIR-SI model using the Caputo fractional operator, which captures the memory effects and time-delay characteristics inherent in real-world epidemiological systems. A detailed analysis of the model's solvability and uniqueness is conducted using fixed-point theory. To obtain an analytical solution, the system is solved via the Laplace transform method, with solutions expressed in closed form …

An Exploratory Approach For Teaching Systems Of Linear Odes With Real Repeated Eigenvalues, Biyong Luo, Li Zhang

CODEE Journal

In this paper, we present a project that aims to pique students' interest and facilitate their engagement in learning. Students will be encouraged to take an active role in their learning of systems of linear ODEs with real repeated Eigenvalues. Through discussion and completion of a set of guided questions given in the project, students will gain a deeper understanding of the topic. Also, students will use the technology tool Bluffton App to draw solution trajectories in a phase plane, and then learn necessary skills for explaining the movements of the trajectories and their long term behaviors. This project may …

Integration Of Islamic Values In Mathematics Learning, Ai Mulya, Surya Faradiba

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study aims to identify the integration of Islamic values in mathematics learning and its contribution to student character development. The method used is a systematic literature study by reviewing relevant accredited scientific articles. The results of the study indicate that the integration of Islamic values is carried out through the preparation of Islamic-context-based mathematics problems, linking concepts to verses of the Qur'an and hadith, the application of ethnomathematics with Islamic cultural nuances, and the introduction of Islamic economic concepts. The dominant values that emerge include honesty, responsibility, discipline, justice, and piety. These findings indicate that the integration of Islamic …

Understanding The Fidelity And Specificity Of Dna Polymerase I, Bill R. Miller Iii, Andrew V. Yeager, Jake A. Collins, Alexis Blake, Elise Tate, Carol A. Parish, Eugene Y. Wu

Chemistry Faculty Publications

High-fidelity DNA polymerases employ complex mechanisms to catalyze template-dependent DNA synthesis while quickly discarding mismatches. Atomic-level structural details about short-lived states during nucleotide discrimination are necessary to gain insight into the kinetic checkpoints that contribute to fidelity. We performed microsecond molecular dynamics simulations of DNA polymerase I, large fragment, from Bacillus stearothermophilus (Bacillus fragment, or BF) in complex with a template guanine and a mismatched thymidine triphosphate to observe the early events in the process of selection against a mismatch. Although the nucleobases formed a wobble base pair early, the mismatched pair was blocked from fully entering the active site …

Memo Metodológico: Elaboración De La Investigación Titulada “Ser Deseo. El Deseo Femenino Como Abyecto En El Filme Thelma.” [Reporte De Investigación], Ximena Diaz-Santillán, Romano Ponce-Díaz Phd

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Realizar una tesis de grado siempre constituye un reto, pero también una oportunidad para desarrollar las habilidades y métodos de investigación que serán la base de futuros trabajos. Pese a que, en apariencia, la elección de un filme como objeto de estudio en la licenciatura en Lengua y Literaturas Hispánicas puede resultar extraña, las herramientas adquiridas a lo largo de la formación permiten explorar diversos productos culturales como textos; es decir, se trata de entramados sígnicos que se interrelacionan para generar un sentido dirigido a un público. Si bien existen teorías como la estética de la recepción en la que …

Role-Playing Game Studies: A Transmedia Approach Por José Pablo Zagal, Y Sebastian Deterding, (Editores). (2018). [Reseña], Cristo Leon, Edgar Meritano

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

"Role-Playing Game Studies: A Transmedia Approach," editado por José P. Zagal y Sebastian Deterding (2018b), es una recopilación exhaustiva del estado actual de la investigación sobre los juegos de rol a través de diversas disciplinas, culturas y medios. El libro traza la historia de los juegos de rol desde sus precursores en los juegos de guerra (wargames) hasta los juegos de mesa (Tabletop), el juego de rol en vivo (live-action role-play), y los juegos de rol contemporáneos de computadora y en línea. Cada capítulo ofrece perspectivas y hallazgos de disciplinas clave como …

Umwelt, Sujetos Transindividuales E Intencionalidad Compartida: Cuerpo, Significación Y Socialidad En La Construcción Del Conocimiento, Juan Carlos González Vidal

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En este trabajo abordamos, desde el punto de vista semiótico, el vínculo indisoluble que existe entre el cuerpo humano, la significación y la socialidad. Partimos del postulado de que el cuerpo es, desde el nacimiento, una entidad sintiente; luego, una vez adquirida la capacidad de generar procesos semiósicos primarios, empieza a ordenar y a clasificar los estímulos exteriores, hecho en el que se asienta el fundamento de su orientación básica en el entorno. Conforme aumentan sus competencias semiósicas, se incrementan sus capacidades perceptivas y cognitivas que, al ser afirmadas, lo llevan a alcanzar finalmente los más altos grados de socialidad. …

Editorial: Jugar, Narrar, Habitar Mundos: Cuerpos Y Ficciones En La Cultura Contemporánea, Romano Ponce-Díaz Phd

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En este número del Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM (Vol. 4, núm. 2, Noviembre 2025- abril 2026) buscamos situarnos en ese cruce. En los artículos de investigación que aquí se exponen, se observa cómo los sistemas de juego, los universos narrativos, los performance, la mirada artística y las operaciones cognitivas intervienen en la configuración del concepto de sujeto, paisaje y comunidad. Estos artículos no son meras descripciones de objetos culturales; aquí se enuncian procedimientos metodológicos, contigencias operativas y aplicaciones eminentemente prácticas a campos de conocimientos transdisciplinarios.

Journal Of Roleplaying Studies And Steam (Jrpssteam) Vol. 4 [2025], Número 2 (Issue 2), Cristo Leon, Romano Ponce-Díaz Phd, Ivan Avila Gonzalez Phd, James Lipuma Dr., Bruce G. Bukiet, Ricardo Victoria-Uribe, Nazario Robles-Bastida, Chris Birmingham, Ximena Diaz Santillan, Edgar Francisco Vázquez Martínez He, Jorge Prieto Terrones, Juan Carlos C. González Vidal S, Edgar Meritano, Laura Magela Garcés Ramírez

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En una sesión de juego por medio del registro lingüístico se organiza la escena, se orienta la manera de nombrar las tareas, se distribuyen los roles actanciales, se establecen la expectativas; por lo tanto, se establece una puesta en escena. De tal forma, las prácticas lúdicas y ficcionales se configuran a partir de nuestra mirada del mundo e irremediablemente también reconfiguran esa misma mirada. El ser y el estar en un espacio es la especificidad mediática fundamental de los juegos de rol; dicho de otra manera, en los sistemas de juego de rol dentro de sus universos narrativos, en su …

Hydrothermal Vents In Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis Karst: Isolated Feeders With Pristine Hypogenic Water Or Interconnected Conduits With Rapid Flow And Recycled Water?, Jakub Mareš, Marek Audy, Serban M. Sarbu, Jan Kukačka, Romeo Eftimi, Jiří Bruthans

International Journal of Speleology

Underwater connectivity and flow paths in the saturated zone of hypogenic sulfuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) karst remain unclear, despite sustained research over the past 30 years. Being regarded as sources of pristine H₂S-charged water, narrow inflow conduits called "feeders" are typically considered primary sources of water and hotspots of speleogenesis. In southeastern Albania, there is a newly discovered active SAS karst system comprising numerous caves and springs. Tracer tests were conducted to investigate the connection of these caves to the surrounding springs and to characterize the flow paths. The results show that water flows from cave lakes to …

Detection Of Ultra-Trace Levels Of Copper In Seawater Using A Bare Gold Microwire Electrode And A Portable Digital Voltammeter, Luke M. Brosnan, Wade Lonsdale, Paul Pringle, Paul Lewtas, Samantha Ridgway, Sebastien Allard, Magdalena Wajrak

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The accumulation of biomass on ship hulls (biofouling) can greatly decrease their fuel efficiency. Many antifouling coatings contain copper as a biocidal agent, which can be released during hull cleanings and is of particular concern when cleaning the hulls in situ (i.e., without dry docking). Previously established voltammetric methods for the detection of copper in seawater using a gold microwire electrode have been modified and adapted to a portable on-site voltammetric technique. Notable differences from previous voltammetric methods include the use of linear sweep voltammetry, analysis under atmospheric conditions, alternating the potential during the deposition period and the use of …

Development Of A High-Doppler Shift Optical Simulator To Test Femtosecond-Level Optical Time-Frequency Transfer, Matthew S. Bigelow, Kyle W. Martin, Nolan Matthews, Benjamin K. Stuhl, Richard Gonzales, Alexandre De Pinho E Braga, John Elgin, Kimberly A. Frey

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

We have developed an optical simulator to test real-time optical two-way time–frequency transfer at the femtosecond level capable of simulating relative motion between two linked optical clock nodes up to Mach 1.8 with no moving parts. The technique is enabled by artificially Doppler shifting femtosecond pulses from auxiliary stabilized optical frequency combs. These pulses are exchanged between the nodes to simulate the Doppler shifts observed from a changing optical path length. We can continuously scan the simulated velocity from 14 to 620 m s⁻¹ while simultaneously measuring velocity-dependent clock shifts at much higher velocities than previously recorded. This system …

Geochemical Fingerprinting Of Tanzanian Uranium Deposits: The Insights Of Ree Ratios (La/Ce, Nd/Ce, And Sm/Nd) As A Provenance Tool, Lazaro H. Meza, John W. Kondoro, Iyabo T. Usman, Najat K. Mohammed, Titus A. Msagati, Mwingereza John Kumwenda, Mohamed S. Mazunga

Tanzania Journal of Science

Accurate uranium provenance determination is crucial for nuclear non-proliferation and environmental protection, yet a forensic-level geochemical framework for Tanzanian uranium deposits has been lacking. This study establishes a robust analytical method using forty-five samples from three major deposits (Mkuju, Manyoni, and Bahi), analyzing elemental compositions, particularly Rare Earth Elements (REEs), via ICP-MS, and validating results using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Despite their proximity, the deposits exhibit distinct geochemical signatures as revealed by key REE ratios and anomalies. Mkuju (mean La/Ce 1.17, Nd/Ce 0.62, Sm/Nd 0.56) is characterized by a positive Europium (Eu) anomaly and heavy …

Physicochemical, Pharmacognostic Standardisation And Phytochemical Analyses Of The Homoeopathic Drug Justicia Adhatoda, Bibaswan Biswas, Satish Patel, Digvijay Verma, Satyajit Maity, Shilpi Singh, Paulami Majumdar, Narasimha Kumar Gv

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Justicia adhatoda (J. adhatoda), also well known as Vasaka in India is a medicinal plant chiefly used to treat respiratory ailments in traditional and alternative medical systems. Objective: This study aimed to establish the physicochemical, pharmacognostic, and phytochemical standardisation parameters of the drug. The study involved the measurement of physicochemical parameters and chemical profiling of the raw drug. The chemical characteristics of the in-house mother tincture (prepared from in-house raw drug) and commercial mother tinctures available in India were also evaluated to assess the quality of commercially available mother tinctures. Materials and Methods: The present study …

Perspectives On Implementing Environmentally Sustainable Practices In Cataract Surgeries: Interviews Of Administrative And Frontline Healthcare Workers, Daniel Parra, Brooke Sherry, Emma Pak, Lauren Taylor, Erin S. Rogers, Sarah E. Hochman, Maria De Los Angeles Ramos Cadena, Joel S. Schuman, Christina R. Prescott, Cassandra L. Thiel

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

BACKGROUND: Healthcare is responsible for 8.5% of greenhouse gas emission in the United States. Physicians are becoming increasingly concerned about the climate crisis, particularly in the field of ophthalmology where there is a growing body of literature related to sustainability. Although emissions of cataracts surgery, one of the most performed surgical procedures in the world, have been quantified, modifications to practice have yet to be made. This study aims to uplift the perspectives of a diverse set of healthcare workers on implementing environmentally sustainable practices in the cataract surgery setting.

METHODS: 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals working in …

Two Members Of The Editorial Board Of Journal Electrochemistry, Kai Wu Elected As An Academician Of The Chinese Academy Of Engineering And Yi Cui A Foreign Academician Of The Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Editorial Office Of J.Electrochem.

Journal of Electrochemistry

No abstract provided.

Electrochemical Characterization And Modulation Of Biological Processes, Yue-Qi Li, Wei-Hua Huang, De-Chen Jiang, Bao-Hong Liu, Bin Su, Yang Tian, Jing-Juan Xu, Ping Yu, Feng Zhao, Huang-Xian Ju, Jing-Hong Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrochemical processes lie at the core of biological function, governing energy transduction, metabolic flux, and molecular signaling. Recent advances in electrochemical science now allow these processes to be probed and controlled with unprecedented spatial, temporal, and chemical resolution. In this review, we present an integrated framework that progresses from fundamental mechanisms to analytical technologies and functional modulation. We begin by outlining electron transfer pathways in mitochondrial respiration, microbial extracellular electron transfer, and DNA- and protein-based charge conduction, followed by the principles of photon-electron conversion in photosynthesis and the central role of redox equilibrium in coordinating cellular responses. We then highlight …

A Novel Electrolyte Pyridine Additive For Enhancing Cycle Life Of Lithium-Ion Batteries, Peng-Cheng Wang, Ding-Chang Li, Jun-Tao Li, Guang-Bo Lu, Shi-Wen Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery using a graphite (Gr.) anode and a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄, LFP) cathode (Gr.||LFP) has been widespread in energy storage. To match the warranty period of energy storage systems, the lifespan of this kind of Li-ion battery, not only under room temperature but also under relatively high temperature, is critical. Exploration of functional electrolyte additive provides an efficient approach to address this issue. This study reports the usage of pyridine (Py) as a new electrolyte functional additive for Gr.||LFP. In the first cycle, it was found that Py can be reduced before ethylene carbonate and …