Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Glacial-Interglacial And Millennial-Scale Changes In Nitrous Oxide Emissions Pathways And Source Regions, J. A. Menking, J. E. Lee, E. J. Brook, J. Schmitt, L. Soussaintjean, H. Fischer, J. Kaiser, A. Rice

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

During the transition from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the Holocene, the atmospheric N2O mole fraction increased by 80 nmol mol−1. Using ice core measurements of N2O isotopomer ratios, we show that this increase was driven by increases in both nitrification and denitrification, with the relative partitioning between both production pathways depending on the assumed isotopic end‐member source signatures. Similarly, we also attribute a 35 nmol mol−1 N2O mole fraction increase during the Heinrich Stadial 4/Dansgaard Oeschger 8 (HS4/DO8) millennial‐scale event to increases in both N2O production pathways. In contrast, the 25 nmol mol−1 N2O mole fraction decrease during …

Lidar-Based Delineation Of Karst Features In The Gypsum Plain, Eddy County, New Mexico And Culberson County, Texas, Kaitlyn Rae Levassar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gypsum Plain of the Delaware Basin encompasses approximately 1,800 km² of massive to laminated gypsum (anhydrite in the subsurface) outcrop of early Ochoan Castile and Salado strata. These extensive Permian-age evaporites host significant karst phenomena as a result of the region's complex hydrogeologic system which has continuously evolved since the early Paleogene. Karst features that manifest surficially as sinkholes when breached range from extensive hypogene cave systems to epigene features and suffosion caves. In contrast, paleo-collapse structures forming breccia pipes attesting to more ancient karst within these strata often manifest as topographic highs across the Gypsum Plain.

Until …

Monitoring The Qosh Tepa Canal Project: A Geospatial Timeline Of Taliban Water Diversion, Enerel L. Crosslin

Honors Thesis

The World Food Program states that “acute malnutrition in Afghanistan is above emergency thresholds in 25 out of 34 provinces and is expected to worsen”. Aiming to support agriculture, the Taliban began to build the 285 km “Qosh Tepa Canal” to divert 17% of the Amu Darya, which supports the livelihoods of millions of people in downstream Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The World Bank estimated that roughly 2.4 million Central Asians could become climate refugees by 2050. Our objectives are to create a timeline of satellite imagery of the canal’s construction. Our research questions are (1) Can we characterize water diversion …

Managing Software Dependency Risks In Web Applications, Christopher Alan Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Web applications commonly rely on third-party software dependencies to reduce development time. This thesis examines how vulnerabilities in a dependency chain propagate to compromise an application. It analyzes two vulnerable Markdown libraries from the npm and Composer dependency ecosystems, both of which are used for managing packages in applications developed with JavaScript and PHP. The analysis demonstrates how each library’s sanitizing functions—intended for removing unsafe user input when transforming Markdown text to HTML—are defeated to achieve a cross-site scripting exploit and take control of the application. The paper discusses potential business impacts of a compromise, underscoring the need for security …

Identifying Salt Suture Zones And Lithological Changes Of The Louann Salt In The Gulf Of Mexico Basin, La. U.S.A., Jamie Dale Singer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Louann Salt, a key evaporite unit in the Gulf of Mexico Basin, influences salt tectonics, hydrocarbon migration, and basin evolution. This study examines Louann Salt deposition and deformation within the Puma Diapir, focusing on mineralogical, geochemical, and structural features of suture zones in three offshore wells (Puma 2(w), Puma 3, and Panther). Using drill cuttings, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), well-log data, and 3D seismic interpretation, the study analyzed salt composition and suture formation. Results show the salt primarily consists of halite, with minor anhydrite, gypsum, and sylvite, indicating continuous precipitation. Geochemical …

Analyzing Sleep Staging And Cognitive Transitions Using Fmrl Time Series Analysis, Qingwen Zeng

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Understanding sleep stages and their underlying cognitive transitions is essential for advancing our knowledge of brain function. While sleep staging has traditionally relied on electroencephalogram (EEG), this study explores the feasibility of classifying sleep stages using only functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data. We investigate the use of Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and Hierarchical Dirichlet Process Hidden Markov Models (HDP-HMM) to capture temporal brain-state dynamics from task-free fMRI recordings. A series of pipelines—including sliding window, two-stage majority filtering, and prototype-based mapping via the Hungarian algorithm—were implemented to align model-inferred states with EEG-defined sleep stages. Among the twelve tested pipelines, the …

Logic's Modern British Up-Enders, Defenders, And Extenders: Whately's Revitalization Of Logic, Calvin Jongsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Logic developed dramatically during the last half of the nineteenth century. The baseline for these transformations in Great Britain was the revival of logic by Richard Whately around 1825. Whately successfully defended syllogistic logic as the science of valid reasoning against potent seventeenth and eighteenth-century detractors—Bacon, Locke, Reid, Campbell, Stewart, and others. In so doing, he made logic an intellectually respectable field of investigation for the next generation of logicians to explore and extend. This included John Stuart Mill (inductive logic), Augustus De Morgan (logic of relations), and George Boole (algebraic logic; propositional logic).

Synthesis And Characterization Of 3,5 Trifluoromethyl Tpm With A Metal Carbonyl Complex, Emily P. Berkman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Tris(pyrazolyl)methane (Tpm) ligands have a central carbon with 3 pyrazole rings attached. These were discovered in 1970 and have since been synthesized with many substituents on the rings. Based on the parent structure, my goal was to synthesize a fluorinated Tpm derivative. By adapting existing procedures, I have synthesized a Tpm derivative with trifluorinated methyl groups in the 3 and 5 positions of the pyrazole ring. The fluorinated ligand is expected to be electron withdrawing and exhibit interesting chemistry when bound to a metal center. Future directions of the project will be discussed.

Disulfide-Cleavable Linkers In Antibody-Drug Conjugates For Targeted Cancer Therapy, Emily Hwang

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This project aims to discover a way to improve the safety of and reduce adverse side effects of disulfide-linked antibody-drug conjugates. Disulfide-cleavable linkers for antibody-drug conjugates function by exploiting the differential concentrations of dominant thiol species in the blood plasma and in the cytosol of malignant cells. This project aimed to identify a relationship between the stability of disulfide cleavable linkers in the blood plasma and disulfide linker structure, to prevent premature release of the cytotoxic drug. Three disulfide linker analogs with varying carbon chain lengths were synthesized through reaction with 2,2’-dipyridyl disulfide. Each analog was conjugated to a fluorescent …

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 …

Cultural Health Benefits And Challenges Of Food Preparation And Consumption: A Comparative Study Of The United States, Italy, And Norway, Natalie G. Link

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study aims to investigate the cultural health benefits and challenges associated with food preparation and consumption in the United States, Italy, and Norway, with a particular focus on citizens in lower socioeconomic levels. By examining the dietary habits, social structures, and health outcomes in these three countries, this research aims to uncover broader insights into the health status and well-being of their respective populations. The study will employ secondary data analysis approach examining existing research on cultural practices and social support systems. The findings of this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between food …

Semiconductors In Space: Data Analysis Of Microgravity's Impact On Crystal Formation, Keegan Jo Jackson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Comprehensive data analysis on crystal growth in microgravity is a requisite to inform understanding of prior work. Our research constructed and analyzed a database containing data gathered from research focusing on semiconductors grown in microgravity. Data curation spanned multiple decades, countries, and semiconductor materials. All relevant reported information was recorded in the database, notably data regarding the metrics used to determine the impact space had on crystal growth: size, structure, uniformity, and performance. After data cleaning and data processing, the database was organized and readied for analysis. Data analysis was performed using RStudio and SciKit-learn. RStudio was employed for data …

Linking The Past And The Future: Understanding How Pollutants Cause Corrosion During An Oddy Test, Kylie Blair Blake

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Artifacts and artwork continue to tell a story long after a time or culture has disappeared. Preventive art conservation science involves careful and responsible management of the objects entrusted in the care of the museum staff to ensure environmental and display conditions do not cause damage so future generations can observe and learn about past cultures. An accelerated metal corrosion test, the Oddy test, has been used to help determine the suitability of display and storage materials. The Oddy test is subjective, so newer methods are being developed involving the use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify specific …

A New Transition Metal Borate, Co6(B24O39(Oh)6(H2O) 6·2.21h2O, Synthesized Via A Mild Hydrothermal Synthesis, Alevtina Maksimova, Patrick Belt, Nilah Whitfield, Mark D. Smith, Gopabandhu Panigrahi, Gregory Morrison, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

A new transition metal borate hydrate, Co₆B₂₄O₃₉(OH)₆(H₂O)₆·2.21H₂O, was synthesized via a mild hydrothermal method using boric acid as the melt. The compound crystallizes in the trigonal space group P 3‾ with lattice parameters a = b = 13.17840(10) Å, c = 12.3287(2) Å, and a unit cell volume of 1854.27(4) ų (Z = 2). This borate hydrate crystallizes in a new structure type comprised of layers containing [BO3] trigonal planar units and [BO4] tetrahedra that are linked by CoO6 and Co(OH)2(H2O)4 octahedra via corner-sharing. The …

Atomic Level Characterization For The Transport Cycle Conformational Pathways Of Multidrug Resistance Protein 1 (Mrp1), Samuel Wamwere Mwatha

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that mediates the cellular efflux of endogenous and xenobiotic substrates, including therapeutic drugs. Its overexpression is a major contributor to multidrug resistance in cancer, which tends to result in negative clinical results. Even with considerable progress made in structural biology, the intricate details of how membrane lipid composition affects the conformational changes and functional switches of MRP1 still lack explanation.

This thesis employs long-timescale, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the influence of various lipids on MRP1 lipid bilayer environments. Both inward-facing and outward-facing conformations of MRP1 …

Automation Of Vulnerability And Patch Management: Information Extraction, Association, And Optimization, Kylie Mcclanahan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vulnerability and patch management is an integral part of a robust cybersecurity program, yet it grows increasingly complex due to the sheer amount of data that must be analyzed. Particularly in Operational Technology (OT) environments, analysis must be done manually because of the lack of automated solutions. Additionally, there are many steps in this process, from the initial discovery of the vulnerability to the implementation of its remediation, and each step in the process requires different data in order to be performed effectively. In this work, we provide approaches and strategies to assist operators in industrial or OT environments throughout …

Impacts Of Cognitive Workload On Veteran Driver Reaction Time: Predictive Modeling Using Bayesian And Machine Learning Methods, Kenneth Ofosu-Kwabe

All Theses

In high-demand environments, the ability to manage cognitive workload can mean the difference between optimal or safe performance and critical failure or accidents. Veterans face an elevated risk of fatal motor vehicle accidents due to post-deployment stress, combat-related injuries, and challenges readjusting to civilian driving. This study explores how cognitive workload affects reaction time performance using a driving simulator by collecting and analyzing subjective workload ratings (using the NASA-TLX survey), physiological signals from eye-tracking and performance data from a sample of 28 Veterans.

We examined how task difficulty, cognitive indicators and personal attributes influence reaction times across an interactive driving …

Biodegradable Active Packaging: Exploring The Antimicrobial Efficacy And Compostability Of Chitosan-Based Films, Rachel Mchugh

All Theses

The overarching purpose of this experiment is to create an active packaging component that has both antimicrobial and biodegradable properties specifically designed for poultry food products. For the scope of this study, the packaging component created would theoretically be used in conjunction with another material, such as a poultry tray which are commonly used for fresh poultry products. Based on the scope and purpose of this experiment, biopolymer films and coatings were considered after the initial literature review. Due to the goals of the packaging component, chitosan, a polysaccharide shown to have antimicrobial properties and an inherent ability to biodegrade, …

From The Bleachers To The Browser: Redefining Fan Experience With Ar And Ai In Smaller Teams, Jennifer Lee Wunder

Theses

This project documents the creation and deployment of HootyHoo, an interactive augmented reality (AR) mascot experience designed for the O’Fallon Hoots, a small-scale collegiate summer baseball team. Built using accessible, open-source tools such as WebXR, Mixamo, Meshy, Botpress, Claude and ChatGPT, this prototype merges AI-driven conversation with animated 3D avatar interaction—redefining how fans engage with sports organizations digitally. Unlike enterprise-level applications used by professional franchises, HootyHoo is entirely browser-based, eliminating the need for app downloads and ensuring maximum accessibility for families and new fans with smartphones. The experience centers on Hooty, the team mascot, who answers questions about baseball and …

Electrodeposition Of Gallium Nitride_Unraveling The Role Of Precursors, Deposition Conditions, And Substrate Effects For Semiconductor Applications, Mauricio Azier Leyva Aranzabal

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor noted for its remarkable optoelectronic and structural characteristics, rendering it a potential material for high-power, high-frequency, and optoelectronic device applications. This dissertation investigates the electrochemical synthesis of GaN thin films by potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrodeposition techniques using aqueous solutions of gallium nitrate (Ga(NO3)3), ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), and auxiliary agents like potassium nitrate and urea. The main aim is to examine the essential elements affecting nitrogen incorporation and film shape while assessing electrochemical performance on various conductive substrates.A thorough investigation was performed to evaluate the impacts of electrodeposition duration, electrolyte pH, precursor molar concentrations, …

Kernel Density Estimation And Convolution, Nicholas Tenkorang

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) is a widely used technique for estimating the probability density function of a random variable. In this study, we revisit KDE through the lens of convolution and extend this perspective to special cases such as positive, bounded and heavy tailed random variables. Building on this foundation, we propose a novel simulation-based density estimation method that generates new data by adding noise to observed values and then smoothing the resulting histogram using splines. A minor adjustment to natural cubic splines is required to ensure nonnegative estimates. The noise is drawn from a class of bounded polynomial kernel …

Hα Variability Of Ab Aur B With The Hubble Space Telescope: Probing The Nature Of A Protoplanet Candidate With Accretion Light Echoes, Brendan P. Bowler, Yifan Zhou, Lauren I. Biddle, Lillian Yushu Jiang, Jaehan Bae, Laird M. Close, Katherine B. Follette, Kyle Franson, Adam L. Kraus, Aniket Sanghi, Quang Tran, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Ya Lin Wu, Zhaohuan Zhu

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Giant planets generate accretion luminosity as they form. Much of this energy is radiated in strong Hα line emission, which has motivated direct imaging surveys at optical wavelengths to search for accreting protoplanets. However, compact disk structures can mimic accreting planets by scattering emission from the host star. This can complicate the interpretation of Hα point sources, especially if the host star itself is accreting. We describe an approach to distinguish accreting protoplanets from scattered-light disk features using “accretion light echoes.” This method relies on variable Hα emission from a stochastically accreting host star to search for a delayed brightness …

Search For A Diffuse Flux Of Photons With Energies Above Tens Of Pev At The Pierre Auger Observatory, A. Abdul Halim, P. P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, I. Allekotte, K. Almeida Cheminant, A. Almela, B. Fick, K. Nguyen, D. Nitz, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Diffuse photons of energy above 0.1 PeV, produced through the interactions between cosmic rays and either interstellar matter or background radiation fields, are powerful tracers of the distribution of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. Furthermore, the measurement of a diffuse photon flux would be an important probe to test models of super-heavy dark matter decaying into gamma-rays. In this work, we search for a diffuse photon flux in the energy range between 50 PeV and 200 PeV using data from the Pierre Auger Observatory. For the first time, we combine the air-shower measurements from a 2 km2 surface array consisting …

The Human Legacy: Agriculture, Civilizations, Strife, And Pandemics Changing Our Climate, Jacalyn M. Wittmer Malinowski

Climate Change and the Individual, 2025-26

For most of human history, climate has shaped our lives, while our influence on it remained minimal. However, the notion that early humans had no measurable impact on the climate before industrialization is inaccurate. Early in human history, activities – such as the rise of agriculture, the growth of civilizations, periods of conflict, and pandemics – altered greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. These changes contributed to significant periods of climate change long before the burning of fossil fuels set us on the path to today’s global climate crisis.

Binary Solid/Liquid Equilibrium Of Mixtures Of Thermally Robust Salts And Molecular Compounds For Use As Heat Transfer Fluids, Jared Ridge Mathews

Honors Theses

Fossil fuels, contributors to climate change that may bear catastrophic consequences, power the entire world. The human species is almost entirely dependent on fossil fuels for energy, but other sources of renewable and environmentally friendly energy must be developed. Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a promising source of renewable energy with hampered potential—better heat transfer fluids (HTFs) are needed for it to be economically feasible. Currently, the HTFs in industrial use are predominantly either synthetic oils or nitrate-based molten salts. Synthetic oils are only stable up to 400 °C, and molten salts often have high melting temperatures, making them prone …

Electrochemically Precipitated Struvite Effects On Extractable Soil Nutrients, Owen Collins

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Struvite recovery from wastewater streams may provide an alternative to traditional fertilizer-phosphorus (P) sources, while also providing the benefit of reducing nitrogen and P loads in wastewater effluent and reducing effects of eutrophication in surface waters. Limited research has been conducted to assess the effects of struvite fertilization on concentrations of soil micronutrients and potassium (K) compared to other traditional fertilizer-P sources in historically agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of fertilizer-P source (i.e., synthetically produced electrochemically precipitated struvite [ECST], chemically precipitated struvite [CPST], monoammonium phosphate [MAP], diammonium phosphate [DAP], triple superphosphate [TSP], rock …

Ritt’S Theorem And The Chebyshev Polynomials, Eric Neuhaus

Honors Theses

We explore polynomial composition through Ritt’s Theorem and mondromy groups. J.F. Ritt asked the question of when a polynomial can be written as the composition of two other polynomials of smaller, nontrivial degree. Ritt’s Theorem provides a method for determining whether or not a polynomial is composite by observing the actions of its associated monodromy group, a group of permutations acting upon the roots of a given polynomial. In this work, we study the monodromy groups of the Chebyshev polynomials of the first and second kinds to uncover their compositional properties.

Cross-Dataset Fairness Evaluation Of Transformer-Based Sentiment Models, Sara Zuiran

Theses and Dissertations

With the growing exploration of Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems in decision-making environments, it is essential to evaluate technical and ethical aspects of the dataset and the NLP model to improve fairness. To assess fairness, the thesis examines demographic imbalances in sentiment classification models by evaluating transformer-based models fine-tuned on the Stanford Sentiment Treebank version 2 dataset (SST-2) against the demographically annotated Comprehensive Assessment of Language Model dataset (CALM). This work identifies performance disparities in sentiment prediction across demographic groups by examining sensitive attributes such as gender and race. The study evaluates both the RoBERTa and MentalBERT transformer models using …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Devops Security Through Comprehensive Threat Modeling, Ashutosh Jagdish Sonar

Theses and Dissertations

Today, security is an essential component of software development, especially in DevOps environments where rapid and continuous product release cycles are common. Systems are vulnerable to new attacks because traditional security approaches often cannot keep up with the pace of change. The threat modeling approaches used in DevOps are examined in this thesis, along with their advantages, disadvantages, and suitability for use in current software development processes. Well-known frameworks including STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service (DoS), and Elevation of Privilege), Attack Trees, LINDDUN (Linking, Identifying, Non-Repudiation, Detecting, Data Disclosure, Unawareness, and Non-Compliance.), Practical Threat Analysis (PTA), …

Personality Trait Recognition Through Deep Neural Temporal Modeling Of Non-Verbal Behavior, Kushal Vangara

Theses and Dissertations

Personality research seeks to explain the wide range of human behaviors through stable, measurable traits. Human interactions are inherently rich and multidimensional, and analyzing behavioral data offers a promising path to uncover personality insights. The increasing convergence of psychology, computer science, and machine learning has fueled interest in computational approaches to personality assessment. Advances in sensing technologies have made it possible to capture fine-grained information about individuals’ behaviors and interactions in naturalistic and controlled environments. Automated audio-visual analysis techniques extract relevant behavioral cues, which machine learning models then interpret to infer underlying personality traits. This work provides a comprehensive overview …