Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Intuiting Interaction: Meta-Reasoning And Meta-Learning As Foundations For Intelligent User Interfaces, Jeffrey Hsu

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents MARCO—a cognitive framework for Intelligent User Interfaces that uses meta-reasoning for context-aware adaptation across diverse tasks. It integrates multiple reasoning modules coordinated by a Meta-Cognitive Unit that selects strategies based on evolving demands. Evaluations show MARCO outperforms baselines in reasoning accuracy and computational efficiency.

Evaluating And Applying Coherence Models: Llms As Coherence Evaluators And Neural Entity Grids As Noun Entity Shift Indicators, Elyas A. Amin

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates computational approaches to discourse coherence through two interconnected studies. First, we evaluate the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) as coherence evaluation models across real-world textual data domains. Our experiments with GPT-4o, GPT-3.5, Llama, and Mistral models reveal that while LLMs significantly outperform traditional entity grid methods (55% improvement in F1 scores), their performance varies substantially across domains and coherence levels. Chain-of-thought prompting unexpectedly decreased performance, and fine-tuning experiments demonstrated improved detection of low and high coherence texts but diminished performance on medium coherence cases. In our second study, we explore the practical application of entity grid-based …

Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education: A Case Study Of Faculty Teaching Methodologies At A Private University, Ellen Ramsey, George Antoniou, Matteo Peroni, Karima Lanfranco, Brent Muckridge, Raouf Ghattas, Philip L. Fazio, Wendy Wallberg, Saidi Porta, Mary Smith, Gary Solomon, Kristen Migliano, David G. Wolf

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This research study examined the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education from the perspective of the faculty of a private university. It inquired into the impact of AI on pedagogical methods, administrative procedures, and ethical values. Qualitative case study methodology and in-depth semi-structured interviews were designed and conducted with faculty from four academic departments. Responses related to impressions, challenges, and opportunities for AI integration were gathered. The study findings from qualitative and quantitative data analysis indicated that AI is perceived to help improve educational outcomes with student-personalized learning pathways through streamlined administrative processes. The study revealed that participating …

Harnessing Neurodiversity And Artificial Intelligence In Education To Bridge The Cybersecurity Workforce Gap, George Antoniou

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This perspective paper examines how neurodiversity and artificial intelligence (AI) can jointly address the critical workforce shortage in cybersecurity. Drawing on peer-reviewed research, industry reports, and case studies, it explores how neurodivergent individuals—such as those with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and dyslexia—possess strengths in pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and attention to detail that align with cybersecurity demands. AI-based educational tools, including adaptive tutoring systems, scenario-based simulations, and real-time analytics, can personalize learning for neurodiverse students, enhancing engagement and skill mastery. The paper discusses how these targeted interventions not only accelerate knowledge retention and practical competence but also foster greater inclusion …

Optimizing Small Ai Models For Biomedical Tasks Through Efficient Knowledge Transfer From Large Domain Models, Girish Sundaram

Theses and Dissertations

The PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) framework is a widely adopted methodology for structuring clinical research questions and extracting relevant information from unstructured medical texts. However, traditional approaches for PICO classification demand computationally expensive domain-specific language models, such as BioBERT and ClinicalBERT, which require extensive training and large annotated datasets. This dissertation introduces Distilled Rapid Embedding Transfer (DRET), a novel knowledge transfer method designed to enable resource-constrained domain adaptation. DRET aims to efficiently transfer biomedical domain knowledge from large, specialized models to a compact, general-purpose model, DistilBERT, thereby enhancing its ability to perform domain-specific tasks without access to the original …

Contribution Of Various Factors On The Rate Of Traffic Accidents In The Us, Martin Mnatsakanyan

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Background:

Until 2020, the number of traffic accidents has been steadily decreasing. After 2020, the number started increasing until 2022, then started s lowly decreasing again. Most drivers aren’t fully aware of the reason behind all of these accidents.

Designing Ai-Driven Dining: A Ux Approach To Enhancing The Self-Service Experience, Kaylin Joung, Yuki Hayashi, Dailuaine Esguerra

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Artificial intelligence has transformed many industries, yet its integration into self-dining experiences is still emerging. This research explores how AI can enhance self-dining by introducing technology like interactive kiosks and robot servers to improve efficiency, personalization, and customer convenience. By addressing current gaps, we aim to create a more seamless and engaging dining experience.

Marine Heat Waves Effects On Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem Functioning, Skyler Peterson, S. Schneider, C.L. Webb, A. Leighton

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Severe heat waves may cause long-term changes in marine ecosystems and are expected to increase in magnitude and frequency. Here we use surveys from six localities across a six-year interval (2013-2019) to investigate the effects of heat waves on the functional diversity of rocky intertidal ecosystems (Vancouver Island, Canada).

Functional diversity, the number and types of functions performed by organisms, influences ecosystem stability and health. To assess changes in functional diversity we used analyses of biological traits. Biological traits are measurable properties of organisms that describe their morphology, physiology, and behavior. We quantitatively assessed changes in functional diversity in response …

Extended Tev Halos May Commonly Exist Around Middle-Aged Pulsars, A. Albert, R. Alfaro, C. Alvarez, J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez, D. Avila Rojas, H. A. Ayala Solares, R. Babu, E. Belmont-Moreno, A. Bernal, K. S. Caballero-Mora, T. Capistrán, A. Carramiñana, S. Casanova, U. Cotti, J. Cotzomi, S. Coutiño De León, E. De La Fuente, C. De León, D. Depaoli, P. Desiati, N. Di Lalla, R. Diaz Hernandez, B. L. Dingus, M. A. Duvernois, J. C. Diaz-Velez, K. Engel, C. Espinoza, K. L. Fan, K. Fang, N. Fraija, J. A. Garcia-Gonzalez, F. Garfias, H. Goksu, M. M. Gonzalez, J. A. Goodman, S. Groetsch, J. P. Harding, S. Hernandez-Cadena, I. Herzog, D. Huang, F. Hueyotl-Zahuantitla, A. Iriarte, S. Kaufmann, D. Kieda, J. Lee, H. Leon Vargas, J. T. Linnemann, A. L. Longinotti, G. Luis-Raya, K. Malone, O. Martinez, J. Martines-Castro, J. A. Matthews, P. Miranda-Romagnoli, J. A. Morales-Soto, E. Moreno, M. Mostafa, L. Nellen, M. U. Nisa, N. Omodei, Y. Perez Araujo, E. G. Perez-Perez, C. D. Rho, D. Rosa-Gonzalez, E. Ruiz-Velasco, H. Salazar, D. Salazar-Gallegos, A. Sandoval, M. Schneider, J. Serna-Franco, Y. Son, R. W. Springer, O. Tibolla, K. Tollefson, I. Torres, R. Tores-Escobedo, R. Turner, F. Urena-Mena, E. Varela, L. Villasenor, Xiaojie Wang, E. Wilcox, H. Wu, H. Zhou

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Extended gamma-ray emission around isolated pulsars at TeV energies, also known as TeV halos, have been found around a handful of middle-aged pulsars. The halos are significantly more extended than their pulsar wind nebulae but much smaller than the particle diffusion length in the interstellar medium. The origin of TeV halos is unknown. Interpretations invoke either local effects related to the environment of a pulsar or generic particle transport behaviors. The latter scenario predicts that TeV halos would be a universal phenomenon for all pulsars. We searched for extended gamma-ray emission around 36 isolated middle-aged pulsars identified by radio and …

Unremarkable To Remarkable Ai Agent: Exploring Boundaries Of Agent Intervention For Adults With And Without Cognitive Impairment, Mai Lee Chang, Samantha Reig, Alicia (Hyun Jin) Lee, Anna Huang, Hugo Simão, Nara Han, Neeta M. Khanuja, Abdullah Ubed Mohammad Ali, Rebekah Martinez, John Zimmerman, Jodi Forlizzi, Aaron Steinfeld

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the population of older adults increases, there is a growing need for support for them to age in place. This is exacerbated by the growing number of individuals struggling with cognitive decline and shrinking number of youth who provide care for them. Artificially intelligent agents could provide cognitive support to older adults experiencing memory problems, and they could help informal caregivers with coordination tasks. To better understand this possible future, we conducted a speed dating with storyboards study to reveal invisible social boundaries that might keep older adults and their caregivers from accepting and using agents. We found that …

Entanglement-Enhanced Metrology With Superconducting Circuits, Xingrui Song

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Circuit quantum electrodynamics provides a unique platform for investigating fundamental physics and practical quantum applications. In this thesis, I introduce the superconducting circuit platform from a foundational perspective. Drawing inspiration from quantum electrodynamics and utilizing the analog of closed time-like curves, this work achieves quantum enhancement over classical strategies. Specifically, I investigate agnostic phase estimation protocol and the associated approaches that leverage quantum entanglement to optimally estimate an unknown rotation angle without requiring prior knowledge of the rotation axis. This work not only demonstrates a proof of concept for a type of entanglement-assisted metrology but also highlights intriguing quantum effects. …

Studies In Algebraic Cycles: Hodge Theory Of Degenerations, Regulators, And Cluster Varieties, Ricardo Jaime Acuna

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation brings together results in Hodge theory and the theory of cluster varieties. The second chapter, based on a paper written in collaboration with Devin Akman and Matt Kerr, uses admissible normal functions to establish the first finiteness result for zero-dimensional components of the Hodge locus. The third chapter, based on joint work with Matt Kerr, shows that weak polar- ized relations constrain possible adjacencies of mixed Hodge structures across boundary strata in geometric compactifications. The fourth chapter gives a geometric construction of a 6-dimensional cluster variety with a disconnected mutation graph, as discovered by Yan Zhou. These three …

Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions On Growing A Nonprofit Donor Base Through In-Kind Donations, Brittany A. Heine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Northern Virginia alone, over 90,000 people are food insecure. The USDA has reported strong correlations between food insecurity and negative health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine community stakeholders’ perceptions on engaging in strategic partnerships with Organization X using in-kind donations as a strategy to decrease the organization’s expenditures and grow its donor base. 14 community stakeholders were chosen through purposive sampling and participated in semi structured interviews. Using the conceptual framework of the unified theory of revenue generation for nonprofits, interview questions were developed to determine the variables that impact a stakeholder’s decision …

Table Of Contents And Front Matter, Bjur Staff

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Pure Nash Equilibrium And Strong Nash Equilibrium Computation In Additive Aggregate Games, Jared Soundy, Mohammad T. Irfan, Hau Chan

Research & Publications

Aggregate games, first conceptualized by Nobel laureate Reinhard Selten in 1970, model the decision-making of interdependent agents where each agent’s utility depends on their own action and the aggregation of everyone’s actions. We consider computational questions on pure Nash equilibrium (PNE) and pure strong Nash equilibrium (SNE) for aggregate games. On the way, we define a new subclass of aggregate games we call additive aggregate games, which encompasses popular games like congestion games, anonymous games, Schelling games, etc. We show that PNE existence is NPcomplete for very simple cases of additive aggregate games. We devise an efficient aggregate-space algorithm for …

Investigating The Parameters Driving Black Hole-Galaxy Co-Evolution, Rachel Cleveland

University Scholar Projects

In this research project, we study supermassive black holes that reside in the center of galaxies. More specifically, we explore the self-regulatory nature of these black holes as well as their relationship with their host galaxies. Simulations are utilized to study these cosmic entities, as they allow us to investigate the implications of different physical mechanisms in galaxy evolution. We use Cosmology and Astrophysics with MachinE Learning Simulations (CAMELS) to identify the astrophysical parameters that drive the black hole-galaxy coevolution. Building on our earlier results based on the SIMBA simulation, which established broad correlations with black hole and stellar mass, …

Under Pressure: A Quantitative Approach To Measuring Clutch Performance In The Nba, Jack Dell'isola

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

This research investigates the existence and relevance of clutch performance in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season. Players are analyzed both individually and against league averages to determine their clutch performance levels using an original "clutch score formula". This research aims to answer the questions of whether clutch performance is a real phenomenon, how individual player performance is affected in clutch time, and to determine a formula that can effectively predict the winner of the Clutch Player of the Year Award. The findings and formulas developed in this research help to shed light on the complexities of clutch performance, which has …

Intercellular Stress Generation During 1d Collective Migration Of Cancer Cells, Logan Waddle

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Physical forces drive many cellular processes such as migration and proliferation. A metastatic tumor will have invasive strands/chains that extend from the main tumor. These chains of cells collectively migrate away from the main tumor to establish new colonies elsewhere in the body. However, how physical forces drive this collective invasion and the required energy for this process is not well understood. Invasion of a metastatic tumor to surrounding tissues leads to a majority of cancer-associated death and is often a collective effort among cells, it is therefore important to fully understand the process behind collective cancer invasion.

The goal …

Large Mammal Herbivores As Gardeners Of Tropical Forest Ecosystems, Kathryn Garner

Student Scholarship

Ecosystems worldwide are experiencing changes in structure and function as populations of fauna decline and experience local extinctions (Torres-Romero et al. 2020). Due primarily to their body size, large mammal herbivores (LMHs) are disproportionately prone to extinction from human activities such as agricultural expansion, deforestation, and anthropogenic climate change (Pringle et al. 2023). Additionally, as the number of domesticated LMHs (i.e. cattle, pigs, etc.) continue to increase in both density and distribution, their wild counterparts are continually displaced, resulting in increased competition for resources and an increased risk of disease transmission between domestic to wild species (Pringle et al. 2023; …

Tunable Optical Beam Focusing Using Static Water Droplets On An Electrospun Polymer Fiber, Marco Laurence M. Budlayan, Dina C. Palangyos, Jonathan N. Patricio, Susan D. Arco, Raphael A. Guerrero

Physics Faculty Publications

This work explores the use of static water microdroplets on a microfiber to vary the width of an optical beam. Varying the water droplet volume changes the beam width without replacing any optical components. A surface derived from glass deposited with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microfibers via electrospinning was used to sustain the droplet shape on the surface. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of randomly intertwined microfibers with diameters of less than 3 µm which afforded the surface a hydrophobic property. A decrease in the optical transmittance of the films and an increase in the water contact angle were also …

Examining Sustainable And Regenerative Viticultural Practices In The Rheinhessen Wine Region Of Germany, Claire Hoffmann

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

No abstract provided.

Survey Of A Paired Gravity Anomaly Within The Benton Uplift Of The Ouachita Mountains, Isaac B. Prud'homme

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Benton Uplift west of Hot Springs, AR is underlain by a paired gravity anomaly on the order of 80 mGal. Nicholas & Rozendal (1975) have theorized that the gravitational low is caused by a “downwarp of the crust into the mantle”1 however the cause of the gravitational high is still debated. This paired gravity anomaly within the Benton Uplift follows the Ouachita orogenic belt southwest for 500 miles where it meets the Marathon uplift in southwest Texas. We conducted a gravity survey along a 108-km-long transect east of two previous gravity surveys.2,3 We corrected the data from this transect …

Assessing Biochar And Industrial Hemp To Remediate Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil, Sophie W. Sward

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Environmental degradation is becoming increasingly prevalent as global industrialization runs rampant. Anthropogenic activity, such as mining, deposits inorganic pollutants into the environment, leading to potential soil and water contamination. Traditional, engineering-based remediation and containment procedures alter soil structure and aggregate stability and affect the biological function of the area impacted by mining activities. Phytoremediation is a more energy-efficient, and therefore cost-effective, method of environmental restoration. Phytoremediation, on its own, works in soils that are less contaminated so that the selected plant can actually grow. Soil amendments, such as biochar, can be added to improve remediation potential in more contaminated soils. …

Variable Selection In Mixture Cure Models Using Elastic Net Penalty: Application To Covid-19 Data, Aluwani Ramalata, Akim Adekpedjou, Maseka Lesaoana

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In survival analysis, it is often assumed that all individuals will eventually experience the event of interest if followed long enough. However, in many real-world scenarios, a subset of individuals remains event-free indefinitely. For instance, in clinical studies, some patients never relapse and are considered cured rather than censored. Traditional survival models are inadequate for capturing this heterogeneity. Mixture cure models address this limitation by distinguishing between cured and susceptible individuals while modeling the survival of the latter. A key challenge in mixture cure modeling is selecting relevant covariates, particularly when dealing with time-varying effects. This study develops a penalized …

The Mechanics Of Angular Momentum Generation In Discus Throwing, Andreas Maheras

Track and Field Faculty Publications

Angular momentum development in the back of the ring, during the first double and first single support, is of paramount importance in discus throwing because this is where almost all the angular momentum the thrower can generate will be generated. From a purely mechanical point of view, to achieve that, the thrower should keep her arms spread apart, and also actively throw both the right leg and the left arm and shoulders CCW. Those actions will collectively contribute in slowing down the lower body, as the thrower actively chooses to pass as much angular momentum to the upper body at …

A Hierarchical Soft Computational Model For Optimizing Agricultural Uavs: Recruiting Neutrosophic Theory And Tree Soft Sets, Mona Mohamed, Nurhan Alaa, Bilal Arain, Karam M. Sallam

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Precision agriculture is being transformed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which make it possible for yield optimization, targeted spraying, and sophisticated crop monitoring. With an emphasis on their operational capabilities, economic feasibility, and environmental implications, this research explores the revolutionary potential of UAV technology in contemporary farming systems. Practically speaking, the procedure of opting UAVs for agricultural applications is complicated by several competing aspects, inherent uncertainties, and differing stakeholder agendas. This paper suggests a new hybrid decision framework that combines Tree Soft Sets (TrSS), Neutrosophic theory, and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) to methodically handle these issues. Hence, the robust hybrid model …

Towards Explainable And Robust Nlp: Neutrosophic Probability Augmentation In Text Classification, Nabil M. Abdel-Aziz, Mahmoud Ibrahim, Khalid A. Eldrandaly

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The rapid growth of textual data necessitates advanced text classification models. However, traditional methods struggle with ambiguity and uncertainty in natural language, reducing classification reliability. To address this, we integrate neutrosophic logic, which explicitly models truth, indeterminacy, and falsity, into a DistilBERT-based text classification framework. Additionally, we employ data augmentation using synonym replacement to enhance generalization. Our approach is evaluated on the AG News dataset, classifying articles into four categories: World, Sports, Business, and Science/Technology. By incorporating neutrosophic attributes, the proposed framework assesses text quality, mitigates uncertainty, and improves robustness against ambiguous inputs. Experimental results demonstrate an accuracy of 94.10%, …

Abel Inversion Comparison Of Geant4 Simulation And Ozone Production Using Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy In Nitrogen/Oxygen Mixtures In The Presence Of Alpha Radiation, Sidney John Gautrau

Dissertations

The effects of radioactive materials on atmospheric gases have been a topic of interest for years. Radioactive materials ionize the surrounding air, and subsequent reactions lead to molecules such as ozone and nitrogen oxides. The presence of these species above background levels can be used as a marker for radioactive materials which has desirable defense applications like remote detection of radioactive materials. The molecules created in the presence of radioactive materials have been quantified in literature using G-values, which is the number of molecules of a product produced per 100 eV of deposited energy. In this work, Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy …

A Review Of Disassembly Systems For Circular Product Design, Giovanni Formentini, Joao Pj. Prioli, Junwon Ko, Buddhika M. Hapuwatte, Vincenzo Ferrero, Fazleena Badurdeen, Jeremy L. Rickli, Devarajan Ramanujan

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Circular Economy (CE) is described as a means for maintaining products and materials in circulation while regenerating nature. This shift requires considering aspects at the product design phase that were not previously prioritized. One such aspect, disassembly, is a key enabler for CE. Design for Disassembly methodologies have been deployed for several years to enhance disassembly performance. However, when CE is of interest, it is essential to consider how disassembly affects the entire product life cycle system. In this regard, this paper proposes a literature review of relevant DfD methods from a system engineering perspective to evaluate their effects on …

The Search For Slow Particles And Magnetic Monopoles With Nova, John Clark

Poster Presentations

Singular magnetic poles, north or south, have been theorized to exist for hundreds of years. In the modern day, the elusive singular magnetic pole still remains undiscovered. The appearance of this particle would help confirm many Grand Unified Theories, GUTs, and revolutionize our understanding of some of the fundamental forces of the universe. Fermilab's NOvA collaboration is working on ways to screen and detect magnetic monopoles and other slow-moving particles coming from outer space alongside their main mission to study neutrinos. The aim of this work is to determine and improve the Far Detector’s efficiency at identifying slow moving particles. …