Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Exogenous Ketones Reduce Inflammation And Pathology In The Tgf344-Ad Rat Model, Amaya Rogers, Pheven Yohannes, Juan P. Carcamo, Preetham Gundlapally, Amaya Coker, Macy A. Seijo, Caesar M. Hernandez

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Biological & Life Sciences
• Engineering
• Physical & Applied Sciences

A Uas-Centered Investigation Of Vorticity Characteristics And Cold Pool Structure Across Forward And Left-Flank Boundaries In Supercells, Mark R. De Bruin

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Supercell internal boundaries are the locus of tornadogenesis; thus, understanding the characteristics of these boundaries, particularly in terms of vorticity, is important for identifying the role they play in tornado formation. Insight into the overall characteristics of internal boundaries and their possible role in tornadogenesis have been driven by studies reliant on numerical modeling-based experiments. Observational studies often neglect above-surface conditions or, when these observations are made, lack the spatial resolution to resolve boundary characteristics. During TORUS (Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS of Supercells) 2019 and TORUS-LItE (TORUS Left-flank Intensive Experiment) 2023, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and mobile mesonets …

Feasibility Of Using Recycled Waste Plastic In Concrete Pavements In Nebraska, Amasi Hajahja

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Waste plastic (WP) is a growing environmental concern due to its non-biodegradable nature, large-scale production, and harmful impact on natural resources. With nearly 75% of WP in the United States ending up in landfills, effective recycling strategies are urgently needed. In parallel, the limited availability of natural aggregates highlights the need for alternative materials in concrete construction. This study investigates the feasibility of using recycled waste plastic (RWP) in concrete mixtures, both as aggregates and fibers for rigid pavement applications in Nebraska. Concrete mixtures were prepared by partially replacing natural fine aggregates with recycled plastic aggregates (RPA) at replacement levels …

Use Of High-Throughput Phenomics With And Without Fungicide As A Wheat Breeding Tool, Gerardo Ivan Rivera Collazo

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is an important food staple for many countries around the world and current consumption and production data demonstrate a production deficit. Breeders are challenged to help close this gap in production by selecting better cultivars with improved yields. Several methods aim to accelerate the breeding process to reduce the time required for releasing an elite variety. One of the main breeding bottlenecks is the lack of fast and reliable phenotypic data acquisition that could dissect physiological and morphological plant data. High-throughput remote sensing could have the potential to reduce this bottleneck by streamlining data acquisition, …

A Study Of Ice And Fire: Environmental Change Impacts On Lakes Of The Nebraska Sandhills, Daniel Gschwentner

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The Nebraska Sandhills contain thousands of shallow, groundwater-fed lakes. These lakes are extremely sensitive to environmental and climatic changes due to their isolated hydrological setting and small volume. Building on previous work on the hydrology, geochemistry and long-term climate response of Sandhill lakes, my research considers how ecosystem processes such as primary production, nutrient limitation and water quality respond to short-term environmental and climatic change. In my first data chapter, I highlight that Sandhill lakes are nitrogen (N) but not phosphorus (P) limited and that N:P ratios are poor predictors of nutrient limitation status in Sandhill lakes. In my second …

Catching A Fever: A Comparison Of Vachellia Xanthophloea Populations In The Limpopo And Luvuvhu River Floodplains Of The Makuleke Contractual Park, Kianie B. David

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigates patterns of stand structure regeneration, growth characteristics, and coarse woody debris (CWD) patterns in Vachellia xanthophloea (fever tree) stands within the Makuleke Contractual Park (MCP), a semi-arid savanna system in northern Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Fieldwork was conducted across two stand types: a monospecific fever tree stand in Rietbok Vlei and a mixed-species stand in the Western Nhlangaluwe Floodplain where fever tree is established with Faidherbia albida (ana tree). Data were collected from 20 total 1/4-acre (1,011 m²) circular plots between both stands in 2024 and 2025, including seedling root collar diameter (RCD), …

Bioenergy Crop Production: Implications For Grassland Bird Communities In Southwestern Nebraska, Grace E. Schuster

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biofuel and bioenergy systems are components of most climate stabilization pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming. Currently, corn (Zea mays) is the predominant feedstock used for bioenergy production in the United States. However, widespread production of this monoculture crop has resulted in many negative environmental impacts. The most notorious impact has been the loss of grassland habitat due to agriculture expansion which has had detrimental effects on wildlife that depend on grassland habitat. One such group, grassland birds, has faced steeper, more consistent, and more widespread declines than any other avian guild. Therefore, strategies …

Urbanization And Earthquake Resilience In The Kathmandu Valley, Alex Nation

Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya

The Kathmandu Valley is the fastest growing city in South Asia and is developing in a haphazard manner, subsequently creating an unnecessary earthquake risk. Few papers have been published regarding the development of Kathmandu and its surroundings as a whole and relating it to earthquakes. This study conducted visits to some cities in the valley and analyzed the infrastructure, architecture and engineering, as well as city layout. It was discovered that zoning is completely absent in the region and planning attempts are unable to keep up with the rate of expansion. Further awareness, enforcement of codes, and zoning is needed …

Strategies For Thoughtful Dissemination Of Climate Change Knowledge: A Blueprint For Scientists In The Heart Of The Empire, Christopher Cronk

Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya

This interdisciplinary research investigates how climate change education, Indigenous knowledge systems, journalism, and anthropology intersect in shaping environmental awareness and action, focusing primarily on Nepal and drawing parallels with Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America). Stationed in Kathmandu, I conducted interviews with climate educators, journalists, anthropologists, and activists to explore how scientific and local knowledge are communicated and acted upon. Findings highlight the strong awareness of climate change in Nepal, the systemic barriers to effective mitigation and adaptation, and the potential of community-led initiatives like the Community Forest Program. Anthropological insights proved crucial in linking human experience to environmental …

A Preliminary Classification And Quantification Of The Microplastics Within Remote Glacial Runoff In The Upper Manang Region Of Nepal, Caden Lipsky

Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya

Microplastics, defined as particles of plastic waste less than 5mm (US EPA), are becoming steadily more common throughout remote ecosystems and are damaging to human and environmental health. The level of microplastics found in water sources within remote regions has become increasingly concerning following growing influxes of tourists and residents each year. These particulates found in freshwater have historically only been found downstream of populated areas; however, more recent cases have demonstrated their appearance at higher elevations and lower population water sources. This study aims to develop a preliminary understanding of the amount and type of contamination that has occurred …

Geological And Cultural Investigation Of Clay Used In Newari Pottery, Inés Fabián-Hicks

Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya

This research project investigated the geological and cultural aspects of clay used in traditional Newari pottery in Nepal. The study aims to compare the particle-size distribution of raw clay directly sourced from traditional deposits with that of processed clay prepared for pottery production. Methodologically, the project will employ a combination of mechanical sieving and hydrometer analysis to generate detailed grain-size distribution charts for both clay types. In addition to laboratory analysis, the project incorporates a cultural dimension through a field visit to Pottery Square, an interview with a Newari potter, and a field visit to the source of the clay …

Electrochemistry Behind Pfas: Mechanistic And Analytical Approach For Sensing And Degradation Strategies, Jonathan Josue Calvillo Solis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the fundamental electrochemistry of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is key to developing effective water remediation and sensing strategies. This work explores the thermodynamics and kinetics of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) electroreduction, focusing on C-F bond cleavage. These insights were applied to design a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for detecting trace levels of PFOA in water. This dissertation focuses on the electrochemical investigation of the reduction reaction of PFOA in aqueous and organic media employing different electrode materials. This exploration allows to understand the defluorination reaction of PFAS to further propose potential strategies for water treatment and PFOA electrosensing. Through electrochemical, spectroscopical …

Machine Learning For Parkinson’S Disease: A Comprehensive Review Of Datasets, Algorithms, And Challenges, Sahar Shokrpour, Amir Mehdi Moghadamfarid, Sepideh Bazzaz Abkenar, Mostafa Haghi Kashani, Mohammad Akbari, Mostafa Sarvizadeh

Michigan Tech Publications

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devastating neurological ailment affecting both mobility and cognitive function, posing considerable problems to the health of the elderly across the world. The absence of a conclusive treatment underscores the requirement to investigate cutting-edge diagnostic techniques to improve patient outcomes. Machine learning (ML) has the potential to revolutionize PD detection by applying large repositories of structured data to enhance diagnostic accuracy. 133 papers published between 2021 and April 2024 were reviewed using a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology, and subsequently classified into five categories: acoustic data, biomarkers, medical imaging, movement data, and multimodal datasets. This comprehensive …

Chat With The ’For You’ Algorithm: An Llm-Enhanced Chatbot For Controlling Video Recommendation Flow, Shuo Niu, Dikshith Vishnuvardhan, Venkata Sai Reddy Punnam

Computer Science

The rise of short-form video platforms like TikTok, driven by algorithmic recommendations, fosters immersive flow experiences. While users value personalization and engagement, they also seek greater agency over their For You recommendations. This paper designs, prototypes, and evaluates TKGPT, an LLM-enhanced conversational interface that helps users articulate their interests and understand recommendations. Through qualitative interviews and a user study, we examine how the TKGPT influences algorithmic folk theories and the sense of agency. Findings show that users primarily use TKGPT to seek relevant videos, explain preferences, and exert control over the algorithm. The resulting For You videos better reflect user …

Aircraft Bird Strike Risk Prediction Using Machine Learning And Analytic Hierarchy Process, Jason Anthony Powell

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

To address the limitations of Next Generation Radar-based bird strike forecasting, this study modeled 12 spatiotemporal weather features from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration alongside bird strike risk using Long Short-Term Memory Recurrent Neural Network (LSTM-RNN), XGBoost regression tree, and Bayesian network algorithms. Five years of bird strike data from four geographically diverse airfields served as the target risk variable, categorized as low, moderate, or severe based on Department of the Air Force risk models. The ensemble model, which combines the LSTM-RNN and XGBoost regression algorithms, yielded the most accurate forecasts, achieving 80% to 93% accuracy across all airfields, …

The Surface Water And Ocean Topography (Swot) Mission For River And Lake Ice Application, Sunwoo Yoon

Earth Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, launched in December 2022, is designed for global survey of Earth’s surface water. However, the seasonal freezing of lakes and rivers combined with SWOT’s unique interferometric radar characteristics presents a valuable opportunity to assess its potential for river and lake ice applications. In this dissertation, I first compare backscatter characteristics over open water and frozen lakes and rivers. I demonstrate strong contrast in backscatter between water and ice while accounting for incidence angle, highlighting SWOT’s capability to discriminate between surface cover types. However, overlapping backscatter signatures suggest further investigation of drivers of …

Crosssections, Summer 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Physics.

CrossSections

Contents:

A Message from the Department Head, Dr. Paul Shand --- 1
Department Happenings --- 3
Faculty Profile - Takeshi Yasuda --- 7
Student Profile - Brandon Schmidt --- 8
Student Research --- 9
Student Focus --- 10
Physics Education --- 13
Alumni Profile - Roger Burkhart --- 14
Alumni News - Sterling Hartman --- 16
New Physics --- 17

Bridging Knowledge Gaps In Digital Forensics Using Unsupervised Explainable Ai, Zainab Khalid, Farkhund Iqbal, Mohd Saqib

All Works

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has found multi-faceted applications in critical sectors including Digital Forensics (DF) which also require eXplainability (XAI) as a non-negotiable for its applicability, such as admissibility of expert evidence in the court of law. The state-of-the-art XAI workflows focus more on utilizing XAI tools for supervised learning. This is in contrast to the fact that unsupervised learning may be practically more relevant in DF and other sectors that largely produce complex and unlabeled data continuously, in considerable volumes. This research study explores the challenges and utility of unsupervised learning-based XAI for DF's complex datasets. A memory forensics-based case …

Direct Coupling Of Continuum And Shell Elements In Large Deformation Problems, Astrid Pechstein, Michael Neunteufel

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In many applications, thin shell-like structures are integrated within or attached to volumetric bodies. This includes reinforcements placed in soft matrix material in lightweight structure design, or hollow structures that are partially or completely filled. Finite element simulations of such setups are highly challenging. A brute force discretization of structural as well as volumetric parts using well-shaped three-dimensional elements may be accurate, but leads to problems of enormous computational complexity even for simple models. One desired alternative is the use of shell elements for thin-walled parts, as such a discretization greatly alleviates size restrictions on the underlying finite element mesh. …

Examining Equitable Participation With K-12 Teacher Leaders, Eva Thanheiser, Kathryn Elizabeth Roman, Ruth Heaton

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many organizations and researchers in mathematics education call for antibias practices, but addressing hidden biases remains challenging. Equity QUantified In Participation (EQUIP), a quantitative tool designed to analyze classroom participation patterns by social markers, helps teachers identify these subtle inequities. This paper describes a professional development (PD) intervention introducing EQUIP to five teacher leaders (TLs) and three coaches in a predominantly Latine district, focusing on setting up EQUIP to identify and address participation inequities in their classrooms. The TLs implemented EQUIP in their classroom and gathered participation data twice. Findings revealed that TLs took up EQUIP in different ways and …

Demonstrating Co2 Storage In The Pcor Partnership Region And Beyond, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about the Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership region and the importance of CO₂ storage.

Red Forest, Lucas Shilts

Senior Project

Sustaining large numbers of astronauts on Mars will require greenhouses capable of supplementing astronaut dietary needs. Lower solar irradiation and high levels of ionizing radiation on the Martian surface complicate the growth of crops on the red planet. Crops on Mars must be protected from radiation sources while still receiving sufficient illumination to grow. This research seeks to develop a Martian greenhouse illumination and heating design capable of efficiently providing plants the illumination and warmth needed while protecting them from the Martian radiation environment. This research explores a design for a direct-light subsurface Martian greenhouse which employs sun-tracking mirrors, vertical …

Learn, Sleep, Remember, Repeat, Charlie Martinez, Christian Fink

Physics Student Scholarship

My research focused on using computational methods to study the effect of sleep on memory. There are many simplifications that we used to break down this hefty question, but two are essential to understand: (1) we modeled a simple network (connection diagram included in poster) that comprised of only about 800 neurons (for reference the human brain contains about 80 billion neurons) and represented the connection between two brain regions the thalamus and the cortex, and (2) we modeled memory as a simple learning rule that strengthened connections between neurons that fired in sequence and weakened connections that pointed in …

Understanding Stellar Element Formation Through Nuclear Reactions, Irena Langer, Mally Panek, Kiyah Young-Wilson, Adam Fritsch

Physics Student Scholarship

Studying nuclear structure has many applications, such as developing a stronger understanding of stellar nucleosynthesis, or how elements are formed inside of stars. Our research focuses on analysis of the proton evaporation nuclear reaction of Carbon-12 on Aluminum-27 in order to extract information about the structure of the nuclei involved. We are studying the cross section, or likelihood, of this reaction, using both experimental and modeled data. Since the cross section of a nuclear reaction depends on the physical characteristics of the nuclei involved, we can use the cross section to analyze our work.

Measuring How Much Judges Matter For Case Outcomes, Ryan W. Copus, Ryan Hübert

Faculty Works

A large empirical literature examines how judges’ traits affect how cases get resolved. This literature has led many to conclude that judges matter for case outcomes. But how much do they matter? Existing empirical findings understate the true extent of judicial influence over case outcomes since standard estimation techniques hide some disagreement among judges. We devise a machine learning method to reveal additional sources of disagreement. Applying this method to the Ninth Circuit, we estimate that at least 38% of cases could be decided differently based solely on the panel they were assigned to.

In Situ Thrust Measurement Of Fish During Locomotion; Test Case: Sharks, Braedon Payne, Bryan A. Keller, Daniel Weihs, Roi Gurka

Physics and Engineering Science

We present a novel method of measuring thrust of aquatic animals using in situ video data of swimming motions. To demonstrate its utility, the method was applied to several large elasmobranch species, which are typically highly challenging to measure. Using motion tracking software, we analyzed video footage of wild and captive sharks to track their instantaneous position and speed. In order to estimate the force output, we used the tail/body motion based on the swimming modes of the fish to calculate the water displaced by this motion during locomotion. Using Newton 3rd law, we have calculated the instantaneous force exerted …

Statistical Power To Detect Simultaneous Violation Of Proportionality In Hazards And Additive Assumption In Cox Regression Model, Lawrence Mensah Agbota

Theses and Dissertations

The Cox proportional hazards regression model is a widely employed semi-parametric tool in epidemiological and medical research for analyzing time-to-event data and assessing the relationship between patient survival times and one or more predictors. This method involves regression analyses necessitating a meticulous approach to careful examination of the covariates and the relationship among covariates included in the model through a series of critical decisions and steps. Violation of the additivity of the effects and the proportionality in hazards (PH) assumption can lead to biased results and misleading scientific findings. We conducted a Monte Carlo simulation study to assess the performance …

Serving Others Using Generative Ai, Kenneth C. Arnold

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Ken Arnold, computer science professor at Calvin University, explores the idea of use Generative AI as a tool to help us serve others.

Expanding And Mainstreaming Sociohydrology Toward Transdisciplinary Praxis, Shinichiro Nakamura, Heidi Kreibich, Melissa Haeffner, Jenia Mukherjee, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Maiko Sakamoto, Mikiko Sugiura, Günter Blöschl, Taikan Oki, Murugesu Sivapalan

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since its development in the early 2010s, sociohydrology has deepened our understanding of the long-term coevolution of humans and water by integrating insights from both the natural and social sciences, while also fostering an interdisciplinary community. Its modus operandi to date has been to focus on emergent phenomena, manifesting as unintended consequences, in a variety of contexts. The compound disaster that struck Japan’s Noto Peninsula in 2024, and similar experiences in other parts of the world, underscore the urgent need for systemic approaches that are co-developed by academia and practitioners and focus on context-specific solutions. This perspective piece thus calls …

Response Of Soybean To Variable Irrigation Levels In Eastern Nebraska Using The Aquacrop Model, Anmol Singh

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

AquaCrop was calibrated and validated for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] using 19 irrigation treatments from five years using data from field experiments. The model accurately simulated canopy cover (CC), soil water content (SWC), and grain yield, with overall validation nRMSE values of 12%, 7%, and 7%, respectively. The overall validation nRMSE for SWC in individual 30-cm soil layers was comparatively higher, at 19%. The model was subsequently applied for long-term simulations (2010–2024) to estimate soybean yield and water requirements for two dominant soil types, Yutan silty clay loam and Tomek silt loam under three irrigation levels - rainfed, …