Graduate and Professional Student Publications and Conference Presentations

Permanent URI for this collection

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 20 of 54
  • Item
    Ethics of a New Frontier: Understanding the Link Between Knowledge and Opinions of AI Art
    (2024-01-02) Mitrani, Ariela; Gu, Guofei
    The rise in popularity of AI-generated images has brought up concerns regarding the ethics of training AI using artists’ work without compensation. Because this is a relatively new phenomenon in the public eye, we have very little understanding of both the public opinion on the ethical implications of using AI to create “art,” and the legal options available to these artists. In this study, we wanted to identify people’s views on AI creating art, and how those views are related to their knowledge of various aspects of AI art. By conducting an initial survey of a variety of artists as well as non-artists, we were able to get a clearer picture of public opinion about AI art and identify the biggest issues people are grappling with when it comes to AI art. Then, through a second survey focused on the link between people’s knowledge of the surrounding legal and technical aspects, we were able to identify which of those issues would likely be longer-lasting topics of discussion rather than knee-jerk reactions to changing technology.
  • Item
    Microgrid Protection with Penetration of DERs - A Comprehensive Review
    (2022 IEEE Texas Power and Energy Conference (TPEC), 2022) Cisneros Saldana, Jorge I.; Samal, Smrutirekha; Singh, Hemkesh; Begovic, Miroslav M.; Samantaray, Subhransu R.
    Distributed Energy Resources (DER) early uses as a backup generation has been progressing toward permanent Distributed Generation (DG), along with the development and enhancement of new technologies over small-scale generation. Over last few years, increasing penetration of renewables in the distribution networks at consumer level raises concerns on protection, control, stability and reliability. Considering the DG integration and wide variations in operating conditions of the microgrid, relays experience protection issues at fault current level violating important tripping decision rules. This study reviews the impact of DG penetration as integration means on traditional overcurrent (OC) protection schemes, being the most common and widely used relaying scheme in radial distribution networks. This paper reviews the most representative methods with respect to various challenges uncovered by exhaustive studies and validations and reported in the literature. Further, potential adaptive and intelligent schemes are also discussed for enhancing the performance over traditional protection schemes in microgrids.
  • Item
    Adult learners’ college access and choice process: A literature review.
    (Student Affairs on Campus, 2023-07-27) Hearn, Shelby; Long, Monteigne
    Higher education has experienced a shift in the demographics of undergraduate students as the enrollment numbers of adult learners continue to increase. The college access and choice processes for these students are different than those of traditionally-aged undergraduate students. Moreover, adult learners may face certain barriers to higher education, primarily associated with their multiple responsibilities and competing priorities. Researchers have developed models that explore college access and choice with limited research on the processes for adult learners. Higher education leaders must adapt their practices to intentionally focus on increasing access for adult learners. The literature review will provide several models for better understanding the college access and choice processes for adult learners.
  • Item
    Advising student veterans: The role of advisors in fostering success
    (NACADA - Academic Advising Today, 2022-08-22) Long, Monteigne
    Student veterans have been an integral part of college campuses since the passage of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more commonly known as the G.I. Bill. Higher education saw a resurgence of student veterans following the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, the most significant investment in veterans’ education since the original G.I. Bill (McCready, 2010). Student veterans have always been non-traditional students due to their age and experiences, as well as being more likely to be married, have children, and be employed (Olsen et al., 2014). Student veterans face unique challenges compared to their traditional counterparts (Kirchner, 2015), but they also bring myriad strengths to the college campus. The need for veteran-specific advising is considerable given the number of student veterans who have entered higher education in the past decade (Miller, 2015). Student veterans have different needs regarding their academic advising. They may require specially designed services related to several critical areas including pre-enrollment advising, financial aid, academic support, and graduate and professional school (Molina & Ang, 2017). This article aims to provide advisors with the following: (1) an overview of student veterans and their transition to higher education; (2) a theory to guide practice in advising; and (3) practical implications and best practices for advising student veterans.
  • Item
    Book Review: Leaps of faith: Stories from working-class scholars
    (Sage Journals - New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 2021-09-01) Long, Monteigne
    Working-class scholars are a unique and sometimes marginalized population in higher education due to their upbringings that may be starkly different from those of their colleagues. Many times, they are first-generation college students who struggled with under-preparedness, inability to afford college, and feelings of otherness. Leaps of Faith: Stories from Working-Class Scholars presents the personal narratives of 23 such scholars. Each with a unique story, there are shared themes among the narratives, including the challenges of varied cultural upbringings; overcoming imposter syndrome; first-generation college student status; grit and resilience; and the importance of possessing social and cultural capital. In 20 chapters, some of which are coauthored, the scholars chronicle their journeys to, through, and beyond higher education.
  • Item
    Enhancing Microgrid Protection: Wavelet Response Analysis for Islanded and Grid-Connected Modes
    (2023 North American Power Symposium (NAPS), 2023-10-17) Cisneros Saldana, Jorge I.; Begovic, Miroslav M.
    Microgrid systems have emerged as a viable solution to address the challenges associated with conventional power grids, such as reliability, resiliency, and sustainability. The protection of microgrids plays a crucial role in ensuring their safe and efficient operation. This paper presents a novel approach to enhance microgrid protection by applying wavelet response analysis for current measurements. The proposed technique utilizes a differential technique for fault identification in both islanded and grid-connected modes. The proposed enhanced microgrid protection scheme provides an innovative and robust solution for ensuring the reliable fault detection of microgrids in both islanded and grid-connected modes of operation. Simulation results highlight the application of wavelet response analysis offering a comprehensive and efficient approach to detect and mitigate power system abnormalities, contributing to microgrid systems’ overall stability and resilience. The proposed technique can effectively identify abnormal conditions by implementing wavelet transform to analyze current waveforms through differential relaying techniques distinguishing between short circuit faults, external disturbances, and tap loads. Simulation studies were conducted on a representative 4-Bus benchmark microgrid model to evaluate the performance of the protection scheme. Results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed scheme in accurately identifying symmetrical and asymmetrical faults, effectively segregating tap loads, and contributing to the reliability and resilience of microgrid systems.
  • Item
    Measuring and Preserving the Texas A&M Century Tree using Mobile LiDAR
    (2023-10-25) Schmidt, Hailey E; Nelson, Mackenzie; Jones, Justinn J
    As a symbol of Texas A&M University, the Century Tree is one of the most recognizable landmarks in College Station, Texas. This massive Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) has been growing at the university since the late 1800’s, and supports numerous traditions and scholarships important to the campus community. As part of a new monitoring and preservation effort, we employed the use of mobile LiDAR as a non-invasive approach for estimating physical parameters of the tree and creating a 3D digital rendering. Our study suggests that LiDAR- derived measurements are more precise than traditional field-based methods for estimating tree height and diameter at breast height in an urban setting. These measurements can be utilized alongside species-specific allometric equations to estimate values previously calculated by collecting samples which may damage the tree. This study also contributes to the ability of LiDAR point clouds to be used as a tool for cultural preservation alongside historical recordkeeping.
  • Item
    Girls’ and young women’s leader identity development: a scoping review
    (Gender in Management, 2023-06-26) Dixon, Sakina; Niewoehner-Green, Jera Elizondo; Smulowitz, Stacy; Smith, Deborah N.; Rutstein-Riley, Amy; Thomas, Trenae M.
    Purpose – This scoping review aims to examine peer-reviewed literature related to girls’ (age 0–18) and young women’s (age 19–30) leader identity development. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a scoping review. A research librarian was consulted at the start of the project. Two sets of search terms (one for each age group) were identified and then used to find publications via our selected databases. The search results were uploaded to Covidence and evaluated using the determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final sample of articles for the review was analyzed using exploratory coding methods. Findings – From the analysis, four domains were identified that influence girls’ and young women’s leader identity development: relationships, personal characteristics, meaningful engagement and social identities. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to solely explore girls’ and young women’s leader identity development. The factors and domains identified provide useful guidance for future research and practice. The findings reveal considerations about leader identity that can inform the creation of effective leadership development initiatives for girls early in their lifespan. These interventions could provide girls with a strong leadership foundation that could drastically alter their leadership trajectories in adulthood. Previous research has conveyed the advantages of having more women participate in leadership. Thus, this potential not only benefits girls and women but organizations and society at large.
  • Item
    Social Class Supports: A book review
    (Student Affairs on Campus, 2023-07-27) Long, Monteigne; Dunn, Dalvin
    The overall number of U.S. undergraduate students has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. This growth had been due, in large part, to an influx of students from low-income families and students of color (Fry & Cilluffo, 2019). In 2016, 20% of dependent undergraduate students were from families in poverty, up from only 12% in 1996, suggesting that more poor students are enrolling in and attending postsecondary institutions (Fry & Cilluffo, 2019). With the increase of this student population, institutions must be adequately prepared to support and sustain them through programs and practices that are intentionally designed to address the needs of poor and working-class students.
  • Item
    Voltage-Based Frequency Synchronization for Phasor Measurements in Microgrid Protection
    (2023-10-25) Cisneros-Saldana, Jorge Ignacio D.; Begovic, Miroslav M.
    The accurate measurement of current phasors is crucial for the reliable and effective protection of microgrids. However, the presence of harmonics and variations in the fundamental frequency due to the integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs), can lead to errors in current phasor measurements in islanded microgrids. In this work, we propose a novel approach to current phasor measurement in microgrid protection that utilizes voltage-based fundamental frequency stabilization. The proposed method is based on the use of voltage measurements to synchronize a set of variable frequencies, and three-phase signals to track changes in the fundamental frequency and adjust the current phasor measurements accordingly. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective in reducing errors in current phasor measurements caused by variations in the fundamental frequency, at the same time it can segregate between a fault and a tap load. The proposed method has the potential to enhance the performance of microgrid protection systems and ensure the reliable operation of microgrids.
  • Item
    Nature and Recreation in a Pandemic: The Impact of COVID-19 on Outdoor Recreation
    (2023-05-22) Pilgreen, Daniel
    Community lockdowns to hinder the spread of SARS-CoV-2 significantly altered the daily lives of people around the globe. Shifting from commuting to work to a work-from-home lifestyle compressed daily life into single spaces, such as bedrooms, home offices, and living rooms. The purpose of this study is to understand how COVID-19 lockdown catalyzed reconfiguration of leisure time, specifically outdoor recreation usage and connection to nature. This research conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with four outdoor recreationists to develop an understanding of changes in outdoor recreation participation using Grounded Theory. Results suggest that individuals experienced a collapsing of their once separated lives into a life that lacked distinctive separate of work and leisure time. This collapsing was catalyzed by their perceptions of COVID-19 and the impact of safety precautions in response to the pandemic. Despite a shift in their separated lives, participants used multiple techniques to adapt to this change, including purposeful recreation, recreation justification, finding nature close to home, and alternative recreation.
  • Item
    Causes and Policy Recommendations for Low Contraceptive use in Pakistan
    (Humanities and Social Sciences Review, 2017-01) Raza, Fizza
    According to Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2012-13), Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with existing level of unmet demand for family planning services being as high as 20%; however, the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) continues to remain lowest in the region of South Asia. This study is undertaken to analyse the factors that hinders the translation of fertility desires into real contraceptive behaviour. It will first examine the existing literature on the issue to analyse the trends in contraceptive use with respect to various background characteristics such as place of residence, level of education and provincial affiliation. The results of research indicate that contraceptive use differentials have reduced with respect to the variables named above, owing to the success of Lady Health Worker (LHW) programme. However, various other socio-economic and psychological factors such as opposition from husbands and mother in laws, fear of side effects and supply side difficulties as indicated by previous studies on same subject continues to hinder the use of contraceptives in the country.
  • Item
    False Analog Data Injection Attack Towards Topology Errors: Formulation and Feasibility Analysis
    (IEEE, 2018-12-23) Cisneros-Saldana, Jorge Ignacio D.; Zhou, Yuqi; Xie, Le
    In this paper, we propose a class of false analog data injection attack that can misguide the system as if topology errors had occurred. By utilizing the measurement redundancy with respect to the state variables, the adversary who knows the system configuration is shown to be capable of computing the corresponding measurement value with the intentionally misguided topology. The attack is designed such that the state as well as residue distribution after state estimation will converge to those in the system with a topology error. It is shown that the attack can be launched even if the attacker is constrained to some specific meters. The attack is detrimental to the system since manipulation of analog data will lead to a forged digital topology status, and the state after the error is identified and modified will be significantly biased with the intended wrong topology. The feasibility of the proposed attack is demonstrated with an IEEE 14-bus system.
  • Item
    Feather and serum corticosterone of birds sampled in west Texas
    (2023-04-05) Martinez, Viridiana; Grace, Jacquelyn K.; Poole, Rebecca
  • Item
    Passeig Barcino: Interficie de Barcino
    (2023-04-05) Baaske, Benjamin; Caffey, Stephen; Esquivel, Gabriel; Roldan, MIguel; Alston, Thoms; Warden, Robert
    How can architecture contribute to the architectural experience of archaeology? Architecture is the manipulation of sensory elements encountered by inhabitants of a space. Therefore, architecture serves as interface for the architectural experience of the inhabitant i.e. the building as interface. Architectural experience is the sensation evoked in an inhabitant by the manipulation of sensory elements in a space. The architecture exists as an objective reality, while the architectural experience is unique to each individual. The objective reality of the architecture is misinterpreted, but the pooling of collective experiences in a cumulative discussion of events creates an optimal understanding of the architecture. This concept lies at the core of epistemological and hermeneutical study, particularly in the study and interpretation of archaeology. Archaeology is the recovery and observation of material information to create interpretive narratives of the past. Building more accurate interpretive narratives of the past rely on the ability to accumulate knowledge and multiple perspectives of the objectively true reality, while presenting and discussing that information. These perspectives take the form of unique events in place and time. Optimizing the presentation of such events requires the manifestation of a plurality of events given equidistance from the central, objective reality. Such an intervention calls for the space to be the object, ungrounding an envelope, and identifying with the geochronological law of superposition through reverse stratigraphic behavior.
  • Item
    Network-based optimization techniques for wind farm location decisions
    (Frontiers of Engineering Management, vol. 5, no. 4, p. 533, 2018, 2018-11-29) CISNEROS-SALDANA, Jorge Ignacio D.; BUTENKO, Sergiy; HOSSEINIAN, mohammadhossein
    This study aims to find appropriate locations for wind farms that can maximize the overall energy output while controlling the effects of wind speed variability. High wind speeds are required to obtain the maximum possible power output of a wind farm. However, balancing the wind energy supplies over time by selecting diverse locations is necessary. These issues are addressed using network-based models. Hence, actual wind speed data are utilized to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach.
  • Item
    XGBOOST MODEL FOR PARK VISITATION PREDICTION IN A MID-SIZE CITY
    (2023-04-05) Huang, Xinke
    Parks have a significant impact on residents’ health and social activities. By using smartphone mobility data tracking the activities of 28 parks in the College Station and Bryan Metropolitan area of Texas, USA, I present the temporal and spatial patterns of park usage within a two-year timeframe. I model the effects of the socio-economic, built environment, climate, surrounding points of interest (POI), and spatial/accessibility factors on park visitations through a machine learning model. The results show that climate change and nearby POIs such as restaurants and gas stations are significant factors enhancing park visitations while having hotels and apartment complexes are not. The study also reveals how smartphone mobility data can be applied to case studies investigating urban design/planning and understanding the social and adjacent points of interest associated with urban greenspaces. It provides empirical evidence on park visitations as well as what factors future planners, landscape architects, and park managers should consider when deciding on park investment and planning decisions for mid-sized cities.
  • Item
    Mechanics of an Architectural Sublime: From Sublime Philosophy to Architecture Parlante and a Translation into Design
    (2023-04-05) Baaske, Benjamin
    The sublime encompasses an opposition of amplified attributes of emotion and experience. These attributes are not commonplace, but are deeply entrenched in human thought, in a place designated the sublime. Throughout history, the sublime has experienced redefinition and reinterpretation since its inception by Cassius Longinus in the first century of the Common Era (or the age of Christ, AD). Nicolas Boileau’s translation of the text in 1674 influenced and popularized the little-known theory. The sublime is typically pitted against beauty in the philosophy of aesthetics. The sublime affixes itself to meanings of “elevation”, “loftiness”, or “height.” Beyond meaning, it has culminated relationships to “ecstasy, grandeur, terror, awe, astonishment, wonder, and admiration” (Doran, 2015). In architecture, the idea of “the sublime” is often applied to the French “visionary architects” of the late 18th century: Étienne Louis-Boullée, Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, Jean-Jacques Lequeu, Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, et al. Another term applied to the works of these visionaries is “architecture parlante”, or “speaking architecture” (Gargus, 2011). A slate of examples across their works show designs communicating the architecture designation of their respective concept. Boullée uses vague and ambiguous titles for his projects such as, “Conical Cenotaph”, “Entrance to a Cemetery”, “City Gate”, etc. [Figures 1-3]. While Ledoux uses a similar technique in creating titles for his projects, the works all indicate a site and context for their application. Lequeu, like Boullée, is apt to assign function to his designs, and does not indicate specific site context: “Cow’s Stable on a Cool Meadow”, “The Prince’s Hunting Gate”, “A Small House in the Egyptian Style”, etc. [Figures 4-6] (Lemagny, 1968). Discussion on the French visionary architects can digress into debate on their stylistic lineage and connection to future styles, or movements in architecture. These designs rely on classical elements and emerge at a time when Neoclassicism is heavily criticized (Perouse de Montclos, 1974). However, the classical elements composing these compositions are manipulated in ways which distance them from a Neoclassical rhetoric in design: deconstruction (Ledoux’s “House of the Director of the City of Chaux”) [Figure 7], scale (Boullée’s “Metropolitan Cathedral”) [Figure 8], or asymmetry (Lequeu’s Meeting Place of Bellevue) [Figure 9]. The simplification of architectural elements, or “purity of form”, can also be interpreted as a kind of proto-Modernist style (Campagnol, 2015). This technique of simplification amplifies the geometric qualities of the composition, an attribute key to the Modern aesthetic. Another interpretation lies in the movement’s name (architecture parlante) and its more absurd examples. By definition, the architecture is communicating itself, its purpose. This stance harkens to a postmodern reading, not unlike Robert Venturi’s “Duck” (Venturi, 1966). Reiterating “communicating itself” as a governing principle to their designs, the French visionary works may liken themselves to even more contemporary ideas in design, such as object-oriented ontology. Instead of asking (as with Louis Kahn’s brick) a building material what it wants to be, object-oriented ontology (and possibly architecture parlante) asks, “What does the building want to be?” (Godel, 2012). The architecture of the 18th century, French visionaries fascinates in the grandiose, the absurd, and the terrifying. Boullée, in particular, builds massive monuments and fantastic infrastructural projects, imposing mass and grandeur upon their helpless subjects. Ledoux applies a more meticulous and orderly imposition through careful symmetry and manipulation of scale elements within a composition. Lequeu delights in the absurd, while (at times) applying similar techniques of pure form and scale manipulation within a composition. The effectiveness of this juxtaposition of beauty and terror with the compositions of architecture parlante create an inherent comparison to, or encompassing of, the sublime. Beyond the designs themselves, the French visionaries represented their work in deliberate ways. While some examples of Boullée stand out in the realm of the fantastic, his techniques, and that of the other visionaries are not unique in their own right. However, the techniques in representation applied to their respective designs create compositions of that which can be undoubtedly understood as sublime. Their works echo the aspects of grandeur, terror, and awe. Within their work, a conflict is rendered out. Works termed “architecture parlante” do not reside in a realm of beauty, a realm where an absolute is subjectively applied. Rather, these works reside in the realm of the sublime, where pleasure and terror are amplified and allowed to create fantastic expressions of paradoxical unities. This work will examine the concept of the sublime, architectural works labeled as “sublime”, and seek to extract the underlying connections from a sublime concept into a sublime architecture. Through this examination of the philosophical sublime and the architectural sublime, techniques in expressing sublimity in architectural design and representation can be discussed. This discussion can add to the discourse of architectural philosophy by exploring the mechanics of the sublime and how those mechanics translate to an architectural sublime.
  • Item
    Network-based optimization techniques for wind farm location decisions
    (Frontiers of Engineering Management, 2018-11-29) Cisneros-Saldana, Jorge Ignacio
    This study aims to find appropriate locations for wind farms that can maximize the overall energy output while controlling the effects of wind speed variability. High wind speeds are required to obtain the maximum possible power output of a wind farm. However, balancing the wind energy supplies over time by selecting diverse locations is necessary. These issues are addressed using network-based models. Hence, actual wind speed data are utilized to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach.
  • Item
    Dataset for Plasma Generated Ozone and Reactive Oxygen Species for Point of Use PPE Decontamination System
    (2022-10-27) Huang, Min; Rathore, Kavita; Baky, Md Abdullah Hil; Lassalle, John; Hasan, Md Kamrul; Burnette, Matthew; Campbell, Christopher; Kraus, Jamie; Wang, Kunpeng; Jemison, Howard; Pillai, Suresh; Pharr, Matt; Staack, David
    This dataset is for a paper reporting a plasma reactive oxygen species (ROS) method for decontamination of PPE (N95 respirators and gowns) using a surface DBD source to meet the increased need of PPE due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A system is presented consisting of a mobile trailer (35 m3) along with several Dielectric barrier discharge sources installed for generating a plasma ROS level to achieve viral decontamination. The plasma ROS treated respirators were evaluated at the CDC NPPTL, and additional PPE specimens and material functionality testing were performed at Texas A&M. The effects of decontamination on the performance of respirators were tested using a modified version of the NIOSH Standard Test Procedure TEB-APR-STP-0059 to determine particulate filtration efficiency. The treated Prestige Ameritech and BYD brand N95 respirators show filtration efficiencies greater than 95% and maintain their integrity. The overall mechanical and functionality tests for plasma ROS treated PPE show no significant variations.