Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Identifiability, Sequentiality And Infinity, Jose L. Menaldi

Mathematics Faculty Research Publications

Abstract: A definition of identifiable-sets is used with sequential analysis to establish a realm of mathematics. Within this imaginary world, a specific consonant between infinite sets and sequentiality is reached.  This consonant allows some mathematical constructions to model pieces of the reality, based on dual philosophy and physics itself.  There is an effort made to render this understandable for the scientific community.

Momentum Space Algorithm For Electronic Structure Of Double-Incommensurate Trilayer Graphene, Kenneth Silver Beard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Numerical algorithms for computing the electronic structure of incommensurate 2D-materials using ab initio models are critical for predicting material properties and guiding experiments. For bilayers, momentum space and continuum models have been introduced to approximate observables of ab initio tight-binding models using a momentum description, despite the lack of periodicity in the tight-binding model required for Bloch theory. A similar structure has been introduced for double-incommensurate trilayers using a continuum model, where the three lattices are mutually incommensurate. However, this description leads to a four-dimensional lattice space, and numerical convergence of the density of states has been observed to be …

Meeting The Moment With Ai-Employer Informed Education, Brent Terwilliger, John Faraca

Publications

As artificial intelligence transforms aviation, aerospace, and autonomy-related sectors, higher education must adapt to meet evolving workforce demands. This session shares emerging findings from a nationwide study led by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, focused on employer perceptions of AI adoption, responsible use, and workforce preparedness in domains including uncrewed systems, space systems, robotics, and advanced air mobility. Based on a structured survey and follow-up interviews, the presentation explores how organizations are using AI tools, from generative platforms to enterprise systems, and defining effective and inappropriate use in operational contexts. Participants will gain insight into critical concerns (e.g., data privacy, compliance, security, …

Dynamic Trust Calibration, Bruno Miranda Henrique

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Trust calibration between humans and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is crucial for optimal decision-making in collaborative settings. Excessive trust can lead users to accept AI-generated outputs without question, overlooking critical flaws, while insufficient trust may result in disregarding valuable insights from AI systems, hindering performance. Despite its importance, there is currently no definitive and objective method for measuring trust calibration between humans and AI. Current approaches lack standardization and consistent metrics that can be broadly applied across various contexts, and they don’t distinguish between the formation of opinions and subsequent human decisions. This thesis brings a novel and objective method for …

Energy-Efficiency Optimization And Comparison For Irs-Assisted Bidirectional Relay And Direct Transmissions, Caixia Cai, Jiayao Zhang, Fuli Zhong, Han Hai, Yayu Yang, Sunil Chinnadurai, Anwer Al-Dulaimi

All Works

Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) has emerged as a promising technique for achieving high-transmission rate and low-power consumption transmission to meet the requirements of future beyond 5G and 6G communication. In this paper, we optimize and compare the energy-efficiency (EE) of IRS-assisted bidirectional relay transmission (BRT) and bidirectional direct transmission (BDT). In specific, we firstly consider and give the IRS-assisted BRT and BDT models. Then, we give the analyses of signal transmission models and EE for both IRS-assisted BRT and BDT. In addition, to optimize the EE, we give the joint optimization problems for both IRS-assisted BRT and BDT, which incorporate …

A Mathematical & Computational Study Of Voting Power In Social Choice Systems, Madison T. Gambon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis develops a computational framework for measuring the vulnerability of voting rules to coordinated strategic manipulation. While classical results show that most voting systems are theoretically manipulable, less is known about the magnitude of coordination required to alter outcomes or how that magnitude varies across institutional designs. I define the minimal manipulating coalition size k* as the smallest number of voters whose strategic ballot changes can overturn a sincere election outcome under a given rule. To enable cross-election comparison, I introduce the normalized manipulation threshold θ = k*/n . Using algorithmic search procedures and Monte Carlo simulation, I estimate …

Accesstem: How Small Colleges Can Open Stem Pathways For Local High School Students, Dina D. Isakov

Program in Community Action (PICA)

This paper reflects my experience developing ACCESStem as part of the Program in Community Action (PICA) center at Connecticut College. ACCESStem is a community-engaged research project designed to create hands-on, lab-based STEM workshops for local high school students in New London. ACCESStem was built on the premise that even small liberal arts colleges can hold a meaningful impact on helping diversify the science workforce. Over the course of three years, this project took shape through my relationships with STEM faculty on campus and relationships with staff at the Holleran Center for Community Action. This paper works to begin contextualizing the …

Virtualizing Practical Science Education: A Sociological Analysis Of Undergraduate Teaching And Learning, Sina J. Fakoyede, Femi E. Babalola, Oluwatoyin T. Obateru, Oluwayemisi D. Akomolafe, Deborah O. Alabi, Stella K. Ekundayo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The study aims to investigate the perspectives of university teachers and students on integrating practical science teaching with virtual learning in a multicultural and diverse society, specifically within the context of southwestern Nigeria.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving data collection from 100 university lecturers and 400 undergraduate students across 10 universities. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with lecturers and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were obtained via structured questionnaires, allowing for triangulation and comprehensive analysis.

Results: Findings revealed that certain lecturers showed preferential support influenced by students’ cultural backgrounds or academic behavior during …

Draft Final Annual Operations And Maintenance (O&M) Report: Butte Treatment Lagoon (Btl) System – 2025, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Karstic Cavities Underground Investigation: Gpr And Geotechnical Data Correlation, Mehrez Jamei, Mabrouk Abdelkader, Anwar Ahmed, Yahya Alassaf

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This paper focuses on the methodology involving ground penetration radar (GPR) for detecting and localizing random cavities in underground limestone soil, in conjunction with geotechnical data. A GPR survey was conducted alongside field and laboratory geotechnical tests at a field where mining activities are now promoted (Saudi Arabia Northern Borders Province). The paper presents correlations between the instantaneous amplitude of the reflected electromagnetic (EM) waves and rock quantification distributed (RQD), recovery rock parameter (REC), and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). The GPR investigation proved to be an efficient nondestructive geophysical method for determining: 1) the …

“The New Normal”: California’S Escalating Wildfire Crisis, Alexandra Vasquez

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the current state of California's wildfire epidemic and how the increasing effects of climate change have worsened the fires, harming residents' health and the state's economy. The wildfires are shaped by factors such as climate change, land-use choices, and policy designs. California wildfires have worsened substantially in the 21st century, with the worst burns in the 2020 season setting a record of 4.2 to 4.5 million acres destroyed. Given current policies and the administration's disinterest in combating climate change, understanding wildfire history and data is essential to improving California's wildfire resilience, creating sustainable land management practices, and …

The Role Of Gender And Salient Social Identities In Producing Vulnerability And Maladptation To Flooding In Koraso, Berekum, Ghana, Kingsley Damoah Oppong

Geography ETDs

This paper highlights how social identities like polygamy, illiteracy, and ethnicity hinder rural women farmers in Ghana from adapting to climate change. It advocates for an intersectional approach to address these challenges, moving beyond simplistic gender binaries. Using qualitative interviews (n=49) in a flood-prone village in Berekum, Ghana, the study reveals how these identities intersect with gender roles and colonial legacies, exacerbating vulnerability. It bridges Black feminist thought with climate change, an underexplored area, offering insights into climate change and environmental studies, as well as Black feminist scholarship. This research urges a reevaluation of how we understand climate change in …

Evapotranspiration Everywhere, All The Time: Towards A Unified View From Earth Observation, Joshua B. Fisher, Martha C. Anderson, Diego G. Miralles, Kanishka Mallick, Paul C. Stoy, Youngryel Ryu, Wim G. M. Bastiaanssen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Scientists want to know everything, everywhere, and all the time. This is particularly true in Earth science, where we seek to understand processes that span from the molecular to the planetary scale in how the world works, how it affects us, and how we impact it—especially the water cycle. Evapotranspiration (ET) was the last component to be measured in closing the water cycle: for decades, closing the water budget meant adding up all the measurable components, then inferring ET as the residual. Early measurements relied on water loss from pans and weighing lysimeters, followed by sensors inserted into plants to …

Geometric Approaches To Memory Formation In Soft Matter, Gentian Muhaxheri

Dissertations - ALL

The primary focus of this dissertation is the development of a geometric framework for understanding memory formation in systems composed of interacting hysteretic elements, or hysterons. Using tools from bifurcation and catastrophe theory, this work provides a description of how complex memory behaviors emerge from the structure of the system's configuration space and the system bifurcations under external driving. As a concrete model system, we study networks of connected rubber balloons subjected to different inflation protocols. Under pressure control, the system maps naturally onto a Preisach-type system of non-interacting hysterons and exhibits return point memory. In contrast, under volume control, …

Global Invertibility Of Sobolev Mappings And Energy Minimizers With Prescribed Jacobian, Sabrina Traver

Dissertations - ALL

We prove two main results at the intersection of Geometric Function Theory and Nonlinear Elasticity. The first is a Sobolev variant of the Inverse Function Theorem, which generalizes a famous result of John Ball. It uses Classical Sobolev Theory as well as the Degree Function, which was initially a topological tool. The second result is the existence and uniqueness (up to rotation) of a radially-symmetric minimizer for Sobolev mappings with prescribed Jacobian. This result generalizes recent work of André Guerra, Lukas Koch, and Sauli Lindberg.

Dg Algebra Techniques For Tor Algebras And Edge Ideals, Desiree Martin

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis is comprised of two projects. The first is individual work where I use semifree Gamma-extensions to show, for an ideal I with infinite projective dimension over a Noetherian local ring R, there exists a splitting morphism from a Tor algebra Tor(R/I,R/I) to the exterior algebra of the R/I-free summands of the conormal module. In particular, when the conormal module is free over R/I, we see that the exterior algebra of the conormal module splits completely from Tor(R/I,R/I) as algebras. For the second project my collaborators, Hugh Geller and Henry Potts-Rubin, and I completely classify all trees and cycle …

On Compact Quasi-Einstein Metrics Of Constant Scalar Curvature, Eric Morgan Cochran

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis concerns a generalization of Einstein manifolds called quasi-Einstein manifolds. These manifolds are a triple $(M,g,X)$ where $(M,g)$ is a Riemannian manifold, and $X$ is a smooth vector field on $M$. Quasi-Einstein manifolds are of interest in general relativity, where a special class of quasi-Einstein manifolds are known as near horizon geometries. They are also related to Ricci solitons, which are self-similar solutions of the Ricci flow. In the first set of results in this thesis, we study the existence of Killing fields on compact quasi-Einstein manifolds. In particular, we prove an equivalence between compact quasi-Einstein manifolds of constant …

A Study Of The Links Between Denudation, Lithology, And Tectonics In The Tropical Andes, Helbert Garcia-Delgado

Dissertations - ALL

Landscape evolution in the tropical Northern Andes is governed by complex interactions between tectonic deformation, climatic shifts, and bedrock lithology. Standard geomorphic models often struggle to capture the full spectrum of these processes, particularly in active orogens where topographic steady state is frequently challenged by variable sediment dynamics and deep weathering. Understanding how these factors dictate landscape responses over different timescales is critical for interpreting the relationship between landscape evolution and surface processes of tropical mountain belts. This dissertation utilizes a combination of cosmogenic nuclide dating, numerical modeling, and subsurface borehole analysis to examine the structural, climatic, and lithological controls …

Development Of Dual-Stimuli Responsive Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles And Their Surface Engineering Via Polyelectrolyte Layer-By-Layer Assembly, Buddhini Chathurangi Nugaduwa Vithanage

Dissertations - ALL

The modification of nanoparticles with combinations of low critical solution temperature (LCST) polymers and polyelectrolyte (PE) layers is studied. Three n-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide polymers were synthesized in which charges could be varied from neutral, to negative or positive by way of incorporating poly acrylic acid (pAAc) or poly 4-vinylpyridene (p4VP) units. Polymerization centered around a disulfide initiator, which when reduced produced two polymer chains and a convenient linkage to gold NPs (NPs). The resulting LCST-NPs conjugates possessed sharp phase changes at critical temperatures (TC), while the incorporation of pAAc or p4VP allowed for tuneable charges and pH sensitivity. Studies with 1H-NMR and …

Evidence For Environmental Stripping In The Coma Cluster, Richard T. Pomeroy, Juan P. Madrid, Conor R. O’Neill, Alexander T. Gagliano

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The stability and longevity of globular clusters (GCs) make them effective tracers of the dynamical histories of galaxies in cluster environments. We construct a catalog of 23,351 GC candidates in the Coma Cluster using imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. We cross-match galaxy data from the SIMBAD, NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archives to construct a galaxy sample and model their GC populations using the GC specific frequency. We find several galaxies with significantly smaller GC populations than expected from their luminosities, consistent with either tidal stripping or intrinsically low formation efficiencies. We …

Quasiparticle Poisoning Of Superconducting Fluxonium Qubits, Kesavan Manivannan

Dissertations - ALL

Superconducting qubits based on Josephson junctions have emerged as a leading hardware platform in the quest to realize large-scale quantum computers. However, qubit decoherence remains a major hurdle on the path toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. In particular, excess quasiparticle (QP) excitations constitute a significant source of dissipation in superconducting quantum devices. The empirically observed QP density in these systems is orders of magnitude larger than that predicted by Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory. Moreover, QP poisoning due to high-energy particle impacts can cause correlated errors that simultaneously affect multiple qubits, thereby impeding quantum error correction. Although QP-induced decoherence has been extensively studied …

Sage: Contention-Aware Sensitivity Adjustment For Spin Lock Exiting In Vms, Sam Thomas Stowers

Theses - ALL

To address the severe multi-threaded performance degradation caused by lock contention in oversubscribed cloud environments, this thesis examines and improves on the Pause Loop Exit (PLE) mechanism used by hypervisors to deschedule unproductive virtual CPUs (vCPUs). These oversubscribed environments introduce contention which frequently leads to Lock Holder Preemption (LHP), where a hypervisor preempts a vCPU holding a critical spinlock, causing waiting vCPUs to waste cycles spinning. To mitigate LHP, hardware mechanisms trigger PLE events to inform hypervisors of spinning vCPUs, relying on a PLE_gap parameter to differentiate spinlock instances. The PLE_gap dictates spinlock detection sensitivity—a component of the virtualization stack …

Mapping The Rigid Landscapes Of Disordered Networks And Active Solids, Tyler Hain

Dissertations - ALL

Biological systems are able to exhibit remarkable and exotic mechanical properties by tuning their microscopic internal degrees of freedom in order to accomplish global functions. One of the most interesting mechanical behaviors of some such materials is the ability to transition between stiff solid-like states and soft fluid-like states in order to initiate specific flow patterns or tune their mechanical response. Not only this, but they are able to selectively cross this transition while also being optimized for other functions. In this dissertation I explore numerical and analytical methods for mapping the landscapes of states on the edge of rigidity …

Characterizing Capacitance Of Josephson Junctions For Quantum Devices, Bradley Gordon Cole

Dissertations - ALL

The field of quantum computing is growing at a rapid rate with the promise of dramatic improvements in the ability to solve critical computational problems. A leading approach for implementing fault-tolerant quantum computers is based on superconducting circuits containing Josephson junctions to form qubits. These qubits have many attractive qualities, but predicting the device performance requires detailed knowledge of the junction properties. Thus, precise characterization is crucial for realizing different qubit designs. The coherence of superconducting qubits is limited by several sources in the circuit en- vironment. Building a quantum computer requires effort to reduce gate errors caused by decoherence. …

Quasi-Einstein Metrics And Homogeneous Conformally Einstein Manifolds, Nazia Valiyakath

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis investigates a classic question in Riemannian geometry: What is the best metric to put on a Riemannian manifold? It combines two projects that explore different aspects of this question. The first project studies nilpotent and unimodular solvable Lie groups that admit m-quasi-Einstein metrics (M,g,X) with X a left-invariant vector field, which we call totally left-invariant quasi-Einstein metrics. We give a complete classification of nilpotent Lie groups admitting such metrics, showing that this occurs if and only if the group is isomorphic to Heisenberg Lie group. For unimodular solvable Lie groups S, we prove that the existence of a …

The Influence Of Prosthetic Obturators On Quality Of Life In Individuals With Maxillectomy Defects, Minseok Kim

Oral Health

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, there has been a growing focus on understanding the impact of oral cancer on patients' quality of life. Prosthetic rehabilitation techniques, such as maxillary obturators, often in conjunction with reconstructive surgery, have emerged as interventions to address the challenges posed by post-maxillectomy abnormalities.

Objective: This study aims to systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation using obturators in enhancing the quality of life of patients following maxillectomy.

Methodology: Systematic review of identified literature spanning the timeframe from 2000 to 2020 was used. The comprehensive search encompassed widely recognized databases including PubMed, …

Incorporating Sustainable Strategies And Practices Into The City Improvements Plan Of Madisonville, Kentucky To Better Suit It For The Changing World, Cade R. Howell

Honors College Theses

This project aims to make the case for city improvements in Madisonville, Kentucky by using successful strategies implemented by other cities across the region. These strategies include sidewalk improvements, the installation of roundabouts and parking garages, increased walkability and beautification, and a restructuring of the types of cars predominantly used in the area. The strategies would be implemented from least expensive to most expensive, and in a way that gets the communities involved as much as possible. By using these strategies, Madisonville can better prepare itself for a more sustainable future.

Climate Policy Uncertainty And Housing Prices: Analyzing Bidirectional Transmission Across U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Sourav Batabyal, Alper Gormus

Finance and Economics

This study examines the relationship between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and residential housing prices across U.S. metropolitan areas using the U.S. CPU index developed by Gavriilidis in 2021 and monthly S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, covering January 1991 to May 2024. Employing a Fourier-augmented Toda–Yamamoto causality framework that accounts for both abrupt and gradual structural breaks, we document significant CPU → housing prices transmission in multiple metropolitan markets, with bidirectional transmission dynamics emerging in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco, as well as at the U.S. national level. The results reveal substantial spatial heterogeneity across various …

Increasing Photocatalytic Activity Of Tio₂ Nanocrystals With Cobalt Dopants And Nio Heterojunctions, Lara A. Haack

Honors Thesis

Carbon emissions and fossil fuel usage has increased dramatically in recent decades, and the need for renewable energy has grown with it. Photocatalytic processes on titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanocrystals may be used for solar energy driven production of fuel/oxidizer pairs. Many different methods have been developed to increase the effectiveness of TiO₂ in photocatalysis, including dye sensitization, quantum dot sensitization, doping with metals and non-metals, and the surface attachment of cocatalyst materials. Impurity dopants are not susceptible to photo-bleaching or degradation and judicious selection of cocatalyst materials can lead to robust all-inorganic heteronanocrystal photocatalysts: whereas, the use of molecular dye …

Labeling And Describing Objects In A Photogrammetry-Based 3d Environment Using Computer Vision And Artificial Intelligence, Colin Donald Moschella

Capstone Projects

Cataloging and digitizing the objects inside a building manually is a task that is often impractical at scale. This project therefore automates the process, using a custom-made system. Using a photogrammetry-based 3D reconstruction of a room, this system is applied to sequences of 2D images used to make the 3D models. The system applies object detection, image segmentation, and image-text models to identify and describe objects, using CNN based models such as YOLO and OpenCLIP. Each analyzed object is then stored in a structured database with spatial coordinates from the 3D scanning, descriptive attributes from the image-text models, and other …