Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Computer-Automated Systems And Methods For Using Language Models To Generate Text Based On Reading Errors, Scott Sosso, Siyu Chen, Ciara Figliuolo, Jack Mostow, Marlies Goes

AFIT Patents

A computer-implemented system and method generate personalized text based on statistics derived from input received from a user representing the user's attempts to decode graphemes into phonemes. Such statistics may be measured and recorded at the grapheme-phoneme level, and may include substitutions, insertions, deletions, and correct utterances of phonemes by the user when reading text. A language model may be trained based on characteristics of the user, such as the user's age and/or reading grade level, and the personalized text may be generated after such training of the language model. Generating the personalized text may include generating a text creation …

Evaluating Adjustment And Proficiency Disparities In Virtual Reality, Mohammad Jahed Murad Sunny

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid integration of VR in various application domains necessitates a deeper understanding of how levels of user experience impact user performance and task efficiency. This study investigates the relationship between experience with VR, expertise in 3d computer gaming, and physiological skills across multiple performance metrics, such as task-completion time, task load, accuracy, manipulation speed, and related spatial requirements. In a comprehensive analysis of multiple levels of VR experience and 3d computer-game expertise, we identified key trends that indicate increased experience in both domains significantly enhances task efficiency while at the same time reduces perceived workload and improves task accuracy. …

Development Of A New Ground-Based Instrumentation Technique For Low-Resolution Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy, Mary Anne Limbach, Luke M. Schmidt, Ryan J. Oelkers, Darren L. Depoy

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a new instrumentation technique for high-precision, ground-based spectrophotometric measurements ideal for low-resolution (R ∼ 20–60) exoplanet transmission spectroscopy. This technique employs novel thin-film coating technology for wide-band, simultaneous multi-band imaging, enabling high-precision differential photometry through self-referencing and comparison stars. Theoretical calculations and on-sky results show that this method effectively reduces 96% of amplitude scintillation noise and other systematics that typically limit ground-based spectrophotometric precision for bright stars. On-sky results are demonstrated using the custom-built Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager (ETSI), deployed at the McDonald Observatory 2.1 m telescope in 2022. For a V = 9.7 mag star, ETSI …

Machine Learning Research On Time Series Data, Zeyi Fan

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Time series generated by complex systems, such as industrial IoT and user behavior systems, confront two core challenges: structured missingness (e.g., continuous or periodic gaps) that disrupt temporal dependencies, and the difficulty in effectively modeling dynamic long- and short-term temporal dependencies inherent in evolving patterns (e.g., user interests). Traditional approaches struggle to balance the preservation of local dependency continuity and the rational association of global long-range dependencies in structured missing scenarios, often incurring high computational costs. In temporal pattern modeling, the lack of adaptive mechanisms to fuse evolving long- and recent behavior trends (e.g., stable interest inertia vs. short-term preference …

New Precipitation Is Scarce In Deep Soils: Findings From 47 Forest Plots Spanning Switzerland, Emily I. Burt, Scott T. Allen, Sabine Braun, Simon Tresch, James W. Kirchner, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As precipitation infiltrates into soils, it can recharge them, displace previously stored waters, or bypass already-filled pores. Using 3,697 δ2H and δ18O measurements of water collected nearly monthly over >3 years in 47 forest plots across Switzerland, we present a systematic investigation of the controls on mobile soil water transport. We quantified the lags and damping of water as it percolates downward using young water fraction analysis (Fyw), and the fractions of soil water composed by precipitation that fell within the previous month (new water fractions, Fnew). The Fnew of water sampled in surface soils ranged …

The Implications Of Insecure Use Of Fonts Against Pdf Documents And Web Pages, Junjie Xiong, Mingkui Wei, Xiao Han, Zhuo Lu, Yao Liu

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper identifies the importance of the safe use of fonts in web and document security. We find multiple attack surfaces that can be exploited by an adversary using malicious fonts. We conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Portable Document Format (PDF) documents collected from the real world to investigate how an attacker can bypass PDF signatures. We further evaluate the potential security threats that an attacker can bring to web-based emails. Our study shows that various security issues may be caused by the inappropriate use of fonts, which are nevertheless overlooked in the past years. As such, guidelines promoting the …

Multimodal Representation Learning For Geospatial Soundscape Mapping, Subash Khanal

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Sound is one of the fundamental senses that helps us reason about our environment. There exists an intricate relationship between the visual appearance of a location and the distribution of sounds present there. We propose leveraging this relationship to formulate the task of soundscape mapping—predicting the most probable distribution of sounds that could be perceived at a given geographic location, as observed in its overhead imagery. To support research on this task, we curated a comprehensive dataset, GeoSound, which consists of geotagged audio recordings from various sources, paired with both low- and high-resolution overhead imagery. We approach the soundscape mapping …

Instability Of The Octahedral Symmetry In Si8o12h8 And Ge8o12h8: A Consequence Of The Pseudo-Jahn–Teller Effect, Jules Tshishimbi Muya, Arnout Ceulemans, Carol A. Parish

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The symmetry breaking in octahedral silsesquioxane and its germanium analogues (Si8O12H8 and Ge8O12H8) has been investigated using the M06-2X/6-31++G(3df, 3pd) method and group theory. Both structures undergo  symmetry breaking, characterized by pseudo-Jahn−Teller stabilization energies of 0.22 kcal/mol for Si-POSS and 9.82 kcal/mol for Ge-POSS. Under the influence of the pseudo-Jahn–Teller effect, the distortion vector involves the vibrational a2g mode with imaginary frequency. The distortion forces in Oh-POSS are predominantly localized on the oxygen atoms and driven by the coupling between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (a1g) and the highest occupied molecular orbital (a2g). The symmetry breaking is attributed to a …

Modeling Lensed Quasars With Neural Posterior Estimation: Complex Mass Models, Logan C. O’Brien

Master's Theses

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to discover ∼ 103 galaxy-scale strongly lensed AGN systems during its 10 year operation conducting the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). I use a machine learning neural posterior estimation method to automatically model these systems with the intention of using them for time-delay cosmography, to constrain the Hubble constant and, ultimately, the properties of Dark Energy. In the work shown here, the neural network that I utilize is trained on simulated lens systems with simple mass distributions that consist of a single main deflecting galaxy. I am testing the robustness of …

Optimizing Polyamide Thin-Film Composite Desalination Membranes: Simple And Performance-Effective Modification By Zwitterionic Monohydroxyl Monomer, Selda Erkoç İlter

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A synthesized zwitterionic monohydroxyl monomer (ZHM) was used as an additive to incorporate zwitterionic sulfobetaine groups into the polyamide (PA) active layers of thin-film composite membranes. Incorporation of ZHM into the PA active layers was achieved through interfacial polymerization, involving the introduction of ZHM and m-phenylenediamine (MPD) into the aqueous phase, and the addition of trimesoyl chloride (TMC) to the hexane phase. The surfaces of the resulting reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were subjected to characterization through water contact angle (WCA) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. The successful incorporation of ZHM into the active PA layers was confirmed …

Comprehensive Study Of Imidazole-Based Hydrazones: From Design, Synthesis, And Characterization To In Vitro And In Silico Antiproliferative Activity Analysis, Ömer Di̇lek

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The aim of this study was to synthesize novel imidazole-cored hydrazones and investigate their cytotoxic activities against human breast and lung cancer cell lines using in vitro and in silico techniques. For this purpose, 5 novel compounds (6 and 7a–7d) were synthesized. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed using spectroscopic methods. The cytotoxic effects were evaluated against human lung (A549) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. All synthesized compounds had higher cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 < 9.262 μM) than the control drug cisplatin. However, their cytotoxic activity against A549 cells (IC50 > 2.605 μM) was lower than that of cisplatin. Except for compound 7d in the A549 cell line, …

A Decision Model For Enhancing Reaction Yield: Pd(Ii) And Pt(Ii) Metal Insertion To Free Porphyrin, Özay Özaydin, Emel Önal

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Chemical synthesis experiments are crucial for developing new materials, yet their inherent complexity and variability often lead to suboptimal results, causing significant resource and time wastage. This study proposes a novel decision support model to enhance the success rate of macromolecule synthesis experiments for sensor applications. The model leverages principles of experimental design and decision-making. We identified synthesis alternatives through a literature review and expert consultations, narrowing it down to 6 alternatives for metal salts, 3 for reactant mole ratios, 5 for organic solvents, 3 for reaction temperatures, and 4 for reaction times. Considering the time and cost constraints, this …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Drug Release Properties Of Enzyme-Responsive Oxamide-Bridged Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles, Yaşar Gök, Hali̇l Zeki̇ Gök, Osman Tayyar Arli, Tuğçe Türkaslan

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

In this study, we report a novel enzyme-responsive mesoporous organosilica nanocarrier (MON) and its drug delivery properties in the presence of the trypsin enzyme. The mesoporous organosilica nanocarrier was synthesized by using the oxamide bridged bissilyl compound (2) and 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene (BTSB). To compare the enzyme responsiveness of MON, the reference periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanocarrier was also synthesized using BTSB only. The structural determinations of the synthesized organic compounds were carried out by 1H, 13C-NMR, FT-IR, and MS, while FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TGA, and N2 sorption analyses were used for the characterization of MON and …

Selective Extraction Of Scandium From Other Rare Earth Elements Using A Hydrophobic Protic Ionic Liquid Composed Of Decanoic Acid And Toa, Pius Dore Ola, Reo Nishioka, Yoshiro Tahara, Michiaki Matsumoto

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Rare earth elements (REEs) are increasingly being used in advanced materials, but their extraction remains a major challenge. This is primarily due to their nearly identical ionic radii and similarity in chemical and physical properties. Therefore, this study aims to explore the use of a hydrophobic protic ionic liquid (PIL) composed of decanoic acid and trioctylamine (TOA) to selectively extract scandium (Sc) from other REEs using acid or salt as the extraction medium. In the acidic medium, the extraction efficiency of all tested REEs was inversely proportional to the acid concentration. Meanwhile, the extraction percentage of Sc was significantly higher …

Influence Of Synthesis Parameters On The Structural Formation Of Mayenite Via The Citrate Sol-Gel Method, Büşra Eryildirim, Nuray Oktar, Doruk Doğu

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Mayenite (Ca12Al14O33) has remarkable properties such as high oxygen mobility, ionic conductivity, and catalytic activity. It has many different applications, including oxide-conducting electrolytes, fluorescent lamps, moisture sensors, hydrogen-permeable membranes, oxygen pumps, hydrogen storage, and catalysis. However, pure and homogeneous mayenite synthesis parameters have not yet been fully explored. This study examines the effect of synthesis parameters including metal salt (MS) to citric acid (CA) molar ratios (1:1 and 1:2), pH (0.4–2), and calcination temperature (900–1200 °C) in citrate sol-gel method on the crystal structure of mayenite. Synthesized materials were examined by thermogravimetric (TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), …

A Novel P–N Junction Uio-66/Agins2 For Photodegradation Of Enrofloxacin Under Visible Light, Sajedeh Sadat Hashemipoor, Reza Fazaeli, Hamid Reza Moghadam Zadeh, Mehdi Arjomand

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The formation of a heterogeneous junction between photocatalysts may be a potential solution for removing medicinal compounds from wastewater, which is crucial due to the environmental and health risks. The present study aims to investigate the efficacy of UiO-66/AgInS2 p–n junction photocatalyst—a Zr-based metal-organic framework—in degradation of enrofloxacin (ENR) antibiotic using visible light. UiO-66, AgInS2 (AIS), and UiO-66/AIS semiconductors were characterized using various techniques. The comparative analysis of particle structural parameters utilized diverse methodologies, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the optimization of ENR degradation. The degradation kinetics of ENR were investigated. We identified UiO-66/AIS as a p–n …

A Disposable Biosensing System For Analysis Of Ca125 In Real Human Serum Samples, Meltem Afşar, Berfi̇n Vural, Meli̇ke Bi̇lgi̇ Kamaç, Mustafa Kemal Sezgi̇ntürk

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Several biomarkers have been developed to track the development of ovarian cancer and identify the illness at an early stage. A promising development for ovarian cancer is using cancer antigen 125 (CA125). The objective of this work is to identify the CA125 marker by utilizing an indium tin oxide polyethylene electrode. The advantage of the designed biosensor is that it is very cheap, disposable, practical, and easy to use. The necessary parameters for the developed biosensor have been optimized in detail. Repeatability, reproducibility, regeneration, storage, and selectivity studies have been completed to characterize the proposed biosensor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and …

Spatial Patterns In Electronic Health Record Data-Based Predictive Modeling: A Case Study Of Prenatal Care And Preeclampsia, Abigail Lewis

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The electronic health record (EHR) documents interactions between patients and healthcare systems and is widely used for secondary research on health outcomes due to broad adoption. While EHR data support efficient clinical informatics research, they are subject to biases stemming from healthcare seeking behavior, health system attributes, and individual or environmental characteristics. Place-based characteristics, in particular, strongly influence when and how patients access care and shape health outcomes. These biases in EHR data can affect predictive modeling pipelines which leverage them, contributing to variation in model performance across groups. In healthcare, where predictive models are increasingly used to guide care, …

Computational Imaging Under Incomplete Information, Weijie Gan

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Computational imaging is a pivotal field that synergizes physical measurement principles with advanced algorithms to generate visual information. An important task in this field is solving imaging inverse problems that aim to reconstruct high-quality images from observed measurements. Model-based deep learning (MBDL) has emerged as a particularly powerful tool for tackling these inverse problems by integrating machine learning (ML)-driven priors with knowledge of the imaging physics. This dissertation focuses on the pervasive challenge of informational incompleteness in computational imaging, arising from various practical and physical limitations, that hinder the widespread adoption of ML-driven computational imaging algorithms in practice. This includes: …

Faster, Higher, Stronger: Modern Methodologies For The Calibration, Exploration, And Utilization Of Agent-Based Models, David O'Gara

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Increases in computing power and availability have led to the widespread use and adoption of agent-based models (ABMs) in the physical, biological, and social sciences. At their core, ABMs represent a novel paradigm for scientific inquiry: their micro-level specification allows for the simulation of the individual components of a system which yields a deeper understanding of dynamic processes such as contagion and adaptive decision-making when used appropriately. However, several hurdles exist when attempting to use ABMs to their full potential. In this thesis, we will explore and address several challenges in designing and utilizing ABMs, with a focus on applying …

Dielectric And Mechanical Properties Of Polyaniline-Grafted Sepiolite Loaded Pvc Nanocomposites, Asif Raza, Tariq Yasin, Muhammad Nadeem, Muhammad Arshad Farhan

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Conducting polymers exhibit interesting dielectric properties due to their unique conjugated π-electron backbone. The objective of this study was to examine the dielectric properties of nanocomposites containing a conducting nanohybrid (NH) as a filler. Polyaniline was grafted onto sepiolite by in situ emulsion graft polymerization to synthesize a conducting NH. This NH was blended with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) using a melt blending technique. Nanocomposites with variable amounts of nanofiller were prepared and characterized. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of the NH composites show strong interactions between their individual components. The addition of the nanofiller into PVC increased its thermomechanical properties. Dielectric …

08.18.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

ORED on-demand training, Tableau training, Research Reception 2025

Theoretical Study On Electronic And Optoelectronic Properties Of Some C^N^N- And C^C^C-Chelated Iridium(Iii) Complexes For Oleds, Ayhan Üngördü

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The electronic and optoelectronic properties of 8 C∧N∧N- and C∧C∧C-chelated Ir(III) complexes were investigated using density functional theory at the Becke-style 3-parameter Lee-Yang-Par and triple zeta plus polarization level. Based on reorganization energy calculations, complex 7 was identified as a promising ambipolar material, while complexes 1 and 2 had efficient hole transport properties. Complex 8 had low ionization potential and is therefore a strong candidate for hole transport applications. Complex 4 had high electron affinity and therefore has potential as an effective electron acceptor material. Photophysical analysis showed that all complexes had phosphorescent properties, with complexes 5 and 6 showing …

Combining Code Analysis And Pedagogical Guidance: Automated Tools For Teaching Debugging In Introductory Programming, Yana Malysheva

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The ability to debug code is critical to being a programmer and represents a distinct skill from writing code. Yet debugging is rarely explicitly taught in introductory programming and Computer Science courses. Instead, novices typically develop their own debugging habits and strategies when they encounter bugs in their code, which are often less effective than those of expert programmers. When students do seek help with debugging, they traditionally turn to office hours conducted by Teaching Assistants (TAs) or, increasingly, to Large Language Models such as ChatGPT. However, both sources of assistance have limitations. TAs are often students themselves with limited …

Code Stories For Software Evolution, John Joseph Allen

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Programmers spend more than half of their time comprehending code, and in particular struggle to answer questions about the rationale, intent, and history behind software artifacts. Through this dissertation, I explore how history-aware tools can help programmers understand unfamiliar software artifacts. First, I investigated how providing additional context -- historical code changes grouped by the original developer's stated subgoals and the web foraging activity of the original developer impacted the process of code reuse. I found that programmers utilized these resources to 1) make better analogies between their reuse scenario and what code was already written, and 2) anchor into …

Towards Graph Foundation Models: Few-Shot And Zero-Shot Learning On Graphs, Hao Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Graphs naturally model complex relationships and interactions across various domains, including social networks, biological systems, and recommender platforms. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have emerged as powerful tools for learning effective graph representations through iterative message passing, significantly improving performance in tasks such as node classification, link prediction, and graph classification. However, the success of GNNs largely depends on abundant labeled data, posing challenges in practical scenarios where labeled data is scarce or unavailable. This dissertation addresses these challenges by exploring few-shot and zero-shot learning within the graph domain. We first propose COLA, a self-supervised few-shot node classification method that exploits …

Re: Comment Letter For Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft 2024 Site-Wide Surface Water Monitoring Data Summary Report (Dated May 30, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Spectral Mixture Analyses Of Hematite-Rich And Clay-Bearing Terrains In Meridiani And Oxia Planum, Mars, Thomas Jake Condus

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Minerals have characteristic absorption features in the visible and near-infrared wavelength range, which can be detected in remotely sensed observations using methods such as spectral parameter maps or modeled via spectral mixtures. My dissertation uses both methods on orbital and ground-based single-scattering albedo data to assess the surface compositions of Meridiani Planum and Oxia Planum, regions of Mars that are rich in secondary minerals. A probabilistic approach to spectral unmixing was adopted to account for the nonuniqueness of model solutions, with endmember abundance and grain size maps being produced for Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) orbital images. For …

Hindcasting The Occurrence Time Of Major Earthquakes Using Machine Learning And Time Series Analysis, Rubidha Devi D

Theses and Dissertations

An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground that typically occurs when tectonic plates move beneath the surface of the Earth. Scientists analyze historical seismic records and geophysical and atmospheric signs to build models estimating the probability of major earthquakes by detecting patterns and anomalies in data such as ground deformation and seismic waves. This study would help in predicting earthquakes to minimize risks of people and buildings.

The present study investigates the devastating earthquakes along the Chilean subduction zone in South America, linking non-seismic data to machine learning predictions of Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and Relative Humidity (RH) …

Educational Opportunities Of Participatory Gis For Accessibility On A College Campus, Shiya Cao, Heather Rosenfeld, Sarah Susnea

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

The educational benefits of Participatory GIS (PGIS) in geographic higher education have received limited direct attention, often because of the complexities of integrating PGIS into university curricula. While a few exceptions found important educational benefits of PGIS, extant studies focused primarily on the educational benefits for students who worked in the research teams, instead of participants who contributed their local knowledge and perspectives to mapping. Our research aims to understand the educational benefits of PGIS for participants in a campus accessibility mapping project using the modes of experiential learning, positionality, and service learning. Through this, we also provide strategies for …