Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Reconstructing Nebraska’S Late Quaternary Paleoenvironment, Landscape Change, And Human–Environment Dynamics Using Diatoms And Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating, Gosia Mahoney

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

This dissertation examines Holocene environmental change and human–environment interactions in the Nebraska Sand Hills by integrating geomorphic, paleoenvironmental, and geochronological data. It presents three complementary studies that together explore how climatic variability, local landscape processes, and human activity influenced environmental systems.

The first study reconstructs the early Holocene evolution of a dune-dammed valley in the central Sand Hills. Stratigraphic, sedimentological, and diatom evidence indicate that eolian activity resulted in a blocked fluvial system, leading to elevated groundwater levels and the formation of a wetland that later developed into a lake. Notably, this transformation occurred under relatively dry conditions, demonstrating that …

The Atmospheric Effects On The Extratropical Transition Of Hurricane Sandy, Natalie Paone

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Hurricane Sandy formed in the Caribbean in late October 2012 and intensified to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in Cuba and later New Jersey (Blake et al., 2013). Sandy caused approximately $68.7 billion in damages and over 250 fatalities, making it one of the most impactful storms in U.S. history. 
• During extratropical transition (ET), tropical cyclones interact with midlatitude systems, leading to structural changes such as expansion of the wind field, development of frontal boundaries, and increased baroclinicity (Hart and Evans, 2001). Sandy is a key example of a hybrid cyclone where ET did not weaken impacts but …

Tiny Engineers: How Polycheateworms Can Extend Sedimentary Oxic Layers And Create Better Seagrass Habitats, Natalie Spohn

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a shallow, well mixed estuary on the East Coast of Florida. Presently, the IRL is suffering eutrophication due to a cycle of harmful algal blooms (HABs) that deplete the water column of oxygen (2,5). Deposition of organic matter from HABs in the sediment leads to reduced sedimentary oxygen, continuing to support the cycle of eutrophication through benthic-pelagic coupling (1,5). Anaerobic sedimentary conditions can increase concentrations of ammonium and sulfide, leading to seagrass loss (3,4,6,7,10). Bioturbation by infauna can extend the oxic layer of sediments, promoting aerobic processes and helping to remove nitrogen and sulfur …

Ontogeny Of Microbial Community Structure In Shoal Grass Grown In Biochar-Amended Sediments, Sajeda Slhoub, Nicole Katz, Joey Ciocher, Jack Denvir, Jenisse Louis, Katelynn Zagami

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in the United States and contributes over $55.4 billion annually to Florida’s economy. Since 2010, more than 52% of the IRL seagrass meadows have been lost, reducing both the ecological and the economic potential of this ecosystem. Biochar, a stable carbon material produced by pyrolysis, added to soil enhance organic productivity perhaps because of increased microbial activity in the soil (Lehmann et al., 2017). Our study evaluates the use of biochar to grow resilient strains of seagrass for ecosystem restoration in the IRL.

N.A.U.T.I.L.U.S.: Natural Aquaculture Using Technology In Living Underwater Systems, Joey Ciocher, Abby Vallejo, Will Marble, Martin Pham, Roger Jiang

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are small subsets of marine ecosystems with limited to no access to exploitation to promote sustainability and growth of healthy populations of marine organisms. Factors that affect the performance of MPAs include Size, Age, Level of Protection, Enforcement and Compliance, Isolation and Connectivity, and Habitat Quality and Diversity.

Hydrodynamic Response To Hurricane Forcing At Sebastian Inlet, Ava Russin

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Tidal inlets are influenced by tides, wind, and atmospheric forcing, which can be significantly altered during hurricanes. Using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler observations, this study quantifies storm-driven changes in depth averaged velocity and residual circulation at Sebastain Inlet before, during, and after Hurrican Ian and Hurricane Nicole (2022).

Era5 Vs Asos: Verifying Reanalysis Accuracy In The Fort Pierce Ef3 Tornado, Anastasia Vosinakis

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• October 9th, 2024, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida (NHC, 2024). 
• Just before Milton made landfall, tornadoes were being produced on the East Coast of Florida. 
• The tornado being studied is the EF3 tornado which occurred in Fort Pierce, Florida. 
• Six people tragically lost their lives. 
• Focus of project: to see the correlation of wind reanalysis data when studying tornadoes.

Growing Pains: A Genetic Comparison Of Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma Cirratum) With Differing Growth Rates, Michelle Gargiulo

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Nurse sharks, Ginglymostoma cirratum, range throughout the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, and are commonly found in coastal ecosystems in Southern Florida and the Keys. Nurse sharks like all Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are slowgrowing and long lived, making them susceptible to extinction. Recently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List1,2, nurse sharks are relatively underrepresented in scientific literature, and much research remains to be done to understand and protect this species. Growth rates and body size between fish populations of the same species can vary widely. Individuals in the tropics often grow faster and mature at a smaller …

Conservation Of Stress And Immune Gene Families Across Major Aquaculture Fish Species, Julia Pearson, Rana Alghorir, Maryam Young, Abby Briggs, Sonia Peters

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Aquaculture environments impose thermal, oxidative, and immune stress. Successful species must maintain cellular stability under these conditions. They can do this by the relative expression of stress genes.

Microburst Day Potential Index: Improving Launch And Public Safety, Zachary Kopel

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Microbursts

•  A common convective wind event 
• Capable of causing damage from wind exceeding 30kts (NWS) 
• Cape Canaveral is a prime microburst environment 
• Can affect launch ops and daily activities by exceeding safety standards

Influence Of Sediment Composition On Seagrass Growth, Hattie Lechner, Joshua Ahrens

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Seagrass Beds are a vital component of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). They support biodiversity and improve water quality, yet they have experienced significant declines in recent years. Multiple restoration efforts have attempted to replant seagrass in the lagoon and have experienced varying levels of success. Sediment characteristics such as grain size, pH, and nutrient/sulfide concentrations can influence seagrass health and growth, but the relative importance is unclear. This study investigated the relationship between sediment characteristics and the performance of the seagrass Halodule wrightii across multiple different types of sediments found within the IRL in order to identify ideal sediments/locations …

The Carbon Dioxide Utilization Potential Of Marine Algae, Declan O'Leary, Giovanni Williams, Joey Ciocher, Aidan Yeilding, Eddie Wawrzycki-Stein, Melvin Jarrett, William Marple, Olivia Mullenski, Abby Tickett, Connor Burnand, David Kulcsar

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Excessive atmospheric CO₂ drives ocean acidification, lowering seawater pH and carbonate ion availability, which impairs calcification in corals, mollusks, and many plankton—threatening reef structure, biodiversity, and food webs (1, 2).

The goal of this research is to explore the potential of marine algae or seaweeds in reducing carbon dioxide in the oceans.

Finding Jaws: Dna Barcoding Shark Cartilage To Identify Species, Kenna Peters

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are vital keystone predators that help regulate the health of marine ecosystems, and some of the largest and most wide-ranging fishes in the ocean1. Elasmobranch identification is difficult due to morphological similarities between species, and the high risk of encountering cryptics. These are evolutionarily distinct, but physically identical to more common taxa, and can only be identified using genetics. Misidentification is a major obstacle to shark science, especially considering new data showing that >70% of all elasmobranchs have been lost in the past 50 years, and many sharks are now shifting ranges in response to global …

Growth And Nutrient Uptake Of Ulva Lactuca: Theoretical Nutrient Removal And Fertilizer Reuse Potential, Audrey Crawford

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Eutrophication is a major problem in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL)  
• One natural response to eutrophication is increased algal growth
• Previous studies identified Ulva lactuca as one of the fastest-growing macroalgal species in the lagoon (Whitehouse and Lapointe, 2015) 
• Ulva lactuca also has potential use as a fertilizer, creating a link between nutrient removal and beneficial reuse
• This study aimed to quantify nutrient uptake rates of Ulva lactuca in order to estimate how much nutrient load could theoretically be reduced through large-scale cultivation

Does Information Loss Bias Our Estimates Of Predation In The Fossil Record?, Ashcon Davachi

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Predation in fossil marine-ecosystems is generally estimated through analysis of time-averaged prey assemblages.
• Do time-averaged assemblages reflect predation on smaller ecological time scales?
• In this project I compared estimates of predation-related damage to snail shells derived on two ecological time scales to determine whether information loss biases our estimates of predation in the fossil record

Waste Not, Get Watts: Waste-To-Energy And Gas-To-Energy Systems Comparison, Sydney E. Cordeiro

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) systems generate power by converting waste into usable energy through processes such as combustion and gasification, reducing reliance on landfills and recovering energy from discarded materials.¹ Gas-to-Energy (GtE) systems produce electricity from natural gas using high-efficiency generation technologies like gas turbines and combined-cycle plants, offering reliable and efficient power output.² This comparison evaluates the feasibility and scalability of WtE and GtE systems for Florida Tech, determining which approach would better meet campus sustainability goals.

Thermoelectric Migraine Cooling Cap, Emily Ralston

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Migraines affect millions of people and can cause serious pain and discomfort. Many people use ice packs or cooling wraps to try to reduce the pain, but these only stay cold for a short amount of time. Because of this, there is a need for a cooling system that can provide longer and more controlled cooling. This project focuses on designing and building a wearable cooling cap that uses thermoelectric cooling technology. The goal is to create a system that can cool the head while moving heat away toward the neck area and help reduce migraine discomfort.

Recycling Spent Brewing Yeast As A Shrimp Feed Supplement, John Denvir

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

The aquaculture industry relies heavily on commercial fish feed, which accounts for over 50% of production costs and limits farm profitability worldwide[1]. Breweries generate about 3 gallons of high-strength wastewater per gallon of beer produced, much of it discarded as an oxygen-depleting pollutant from spent yeast[2]. Therefore, this project tests recycling spent brewer's yeast into a sustainable fish feed supplement to cut aquaculture costs and divert brewery waste from waterways, promoting circular food systems.

Brevards Microplastics: A Literature Review And Proposed Methods To Study Florida Beaches, Kenna Peters

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

With populations along coastlines rapidly increasing so does the risk of microplastics entering the environment. Previous studies have found that 68% of microplastics found in the environment come from man-made cellulosic materials like rayon. Little information is known about the distribution, transportation, and final location of microplastics once they are introduced. Brevard County contains multiple types of beaches that differ substantially in human activity levels, urban density, and land-use patterns. Having a full picture of microplastic distribution and intensity is vital to understanding and reversing the impact these pollutants have on the environment.

Current Capture, Maggie Palmer, Colin Stefan, Ricky Gay, Sofia Scarpa, Hayden Linkel

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Current Capture aimed to design, develop, and test a prototype of a hydropower turbine that is scalable and deployable. The design considers the harsh ocean environment, corrosion in the material selection, efficiency in the blade choice, and structural positioning in the housing extremities. Two NACA foil composite blades were designed and manufactured to perform an experiment and analyze the velocities and RPMs.

Reefstarter Deployment System, Dylan Alvarez, Jacob Elston, Alex Ketchen, Jaidyn Lodens

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Threats from coastal erosion drive the need for effective and sustainable protection methods. 
• Interlocking concrete reef blocks dissipate wave energy while also supporting habitat restoration.
• Current deployment methods are inefficient and require significant human interaction.
• A compact hydraulic lifting system should enable increased safety, control, and efficiency

The September 17th, 2025, Gigantic Jet Off The Puerto Rican Coast: A Case Study, Jaedon Benbow

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

Gigantic jets (GJs) are an electrical discharge that propagates upward from the top of a thunderstorm, reaching altitudes between 70 and 90 km, terminating in the lower ionosphere (Lazarus et al., 2021). This GJ event occurred on 5:33:53 UTC on September 17th, 2025. Despite the rarity of gigantic jets, tropical regions like Puerto Rico have a higher likelihood of occurrence due to more available convection. This GJ event was caught on radar. This provides additional data helpful for analyzing this case.

The Forecasting Challenge Of Snow Cover Induced Temperature Depressions, Lucas Silva

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Snow cover can keep the surface layer cool in the day and amplify cooling at night
• Unexpected SCITDs can cause sudden freezes, deteriorating travel conditions
• To what extent is the forecast accuracy of the NWS affected during SCITDs?

Midwest Extremes: Quantifying 26 Years Of Excessive Heat Events And Demographic Risk, Nasir Grant

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• According to Vose et al. (2017), the Midwest experienced the largest increase in average minimum temperature among all regions of the United States which is a noticeable risk to the Midwest population.
• The climatology of the Midwest is majority hot summer humid continental and includes warm summer humid continental and cold semi-arid.
• This study investigated cities that have experienced high counts of (EHEs) and positive population growths in between 2000 and 2020 while plotting the cities into a risk map.

Factors Contributing To The Intensity Of Two 2022 Lake Effect Snowstorms At Lake Erie, Johnny Murray

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Lake effect snow (LES) is a weather phenomenon in which cold mass air passes over relatively warm waters, forming localized bands of snowfall. (Niziol, 1987) 
• LES events are common during the winter months in Buffalo, NY due to the city’s location along the northeastern edge of Lake Erie.
• November 17-20 and December 23-27 in 2022 were two prominent LES events.
• Total maximum snowfall for the events were 81.2” in Nov and 51.9” in Dec. 
• High snowfall totals were in part due to the length of these events, being ~60 hours in Nov, and ~120 hours in Dec.

Correlation Between Particulate Matter And Aerosol Optical Depth Following The 2023 Wildfire Smoke Event In Nyc, Trinity Abraham

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• In June 2023, Canadian wildfires transported smoke into NE U.S., impacting air quality in places such as NYC (Figure 1)
• Climate change increases wildfire frequency and intensity, raising the likelihood of future longrange smoke transport events (NASA, 2025) 
• PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ refers to the mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air that can penetrate the respiratory system (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2025)
• AOD measures how light is affected by aerosols, with higher AOD indicating greater aerosol concentrations (NASA Earth Data)
• Investigating the relationship between AOD and surface PM concentrations can improve early warning systems to support preparedness …

Photoswitchable Metal Chelators, Rhea Sharma

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Student Publications

Develop a light-responsive chelator that switches between OFF and ON metal-binding states, enabling spatiotemporal control of metal coordination.

Comparative Phytochemical And Antioxidant Analysis Of Acalypha Wilkesiana Extracts Using Different Solvents, Tj Cataloni, Victor Chibuzor Johnson, Gabrielle Depowski

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Student Publications

Medicinal plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. Antioxidants play a critical role in combating oxidative stress associated with chronic diseases. The extration of these compounds depends on solvent polarity, affecting yield and composition. Acalypha wilkesiana provides an excellent model for such studies. This work presents an evaluation of phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of A. wilkesiana extracts obtained using solvents of varying polarity.

Thiocoumarin As A Photocaging Scaffold: Synthesis And Light- Triggered Release, Angelina Gaffey, Gabrielle Depowski, Victor Johnson

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Student Publications

Photocaging involves inhibiting a molecule’s function with a photolabile protecting group (PPG), allowing for precise spatiotemporal control and release of the molecule in vivo. Photocages which respond to UV light upon single photon irradiation have limited use in vivo due to cytotoxicity. Thiocoumarin is a promising photocage which absorbs in the visible light region and can cage multiple essential neurotransmitters, such as GABA and glutamate. In addition, thiocoumarin can be easily tracked through live cells due to its persistent fluorescence throughout the caging process. In this project, GABA was utilized to explore the properties of thiocoumarin as a light-triggered photocage.

Sustainable Ethanol Production From Agricultural Waste, Eva Shealy, Bre Venditti, Muath Alharbi, Jacob Dymock

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Student Publications

This project presents a commercial-scale process which converts waste corn stover into fuel grade ethanol through syngas fermentation. By integrating thermochemical conversion with microbial processing, the design explores an innovative pathway for ethanol production, resulting in a lower-impact alternative to traditional processes.