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- Creators: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program
- Creators: College of Health Solutions
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Resource Type: Text
- Status: Published
Description
Objectives: To explore the feasibility and effects of using a meditation mobile app 10-minutes a day for 4-weeks to reduce burnout (primary outcome), improve mindfulness, reduce stress, and depression in physician assistant (PA) students compared to a wait-list control.
Methods: This study was a randomized, wait-list, control trial with assessments at baseline and post-intervention (week 4). Participants were asked to meditate using Calm for 10 minutes per day. A p value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The majority of participants (n=19) stated using Calm helped them cope with the stress of PA school. The intervention group participated in meditation for an average of 76 minutes/week. There were significant differences in all outcomes for the intervention group (all p ≤0.06). There was a significant interaction between group and time factors in emotional exhaustion (p=.016) and depersonalization (p=.025).
Conclusions: Calm is a feasible way to reduce burnout in PA students. Our findings provide information that can be applied to the design of future studies.
Methods: This study was a randomized, wait-list, control trial with assessments at baseline and post-intervention (week 4). Participants were asked to meditate using Calm for 10 minutes per day. A p value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The majority of participants (n=19) stated using Calm helped them cope with the stress of PA school. The intervention group participated in meditation for an average of 76 minutes/week. There were significant differences in all outcomes for the intervention group (all p ≤0.06). There was a significant interaction between group and time factors in emotional exhaustion (p=.016) and depersonalization (p=.025).
Conclusions: Calm is a feasible way to reduce burnout in PA students. Our findings provide information that can be applied to the design of future studies.
ContributorsWorth, Taylor Nicole (Author) / Huberty, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Will, Kristen (Committee member) / Puzia, Megan (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The goal of this thesis project was to build an understanding of supersonic projectile dynamics through the creation of a trajectory model that incorporates several different aerodynamic concepts and builds a criteria for the stability of a projectile. This was done iteratively where the model was built from a foundation of kinematics with various aerodynamic principles being added incrementally. The primary aerodynamic principle that influenced the trajectory of the projectile was in the coefficient of drag. The drag coefficient was split into three primary components: the form drag, skin friction drag, and base pressure drag. These together made up the core of the model, additional complexity served to increase the accuracy of the model and generalize to different projectile profiles.
ContributorsBlair, Martin (Co-author) / Armenta, Francisco (Co-author) / Takahashi, Timothy (Thesis director) / Herrmann, Marcus (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Solar panels need to be both cost effective and environmentally friendly to compete with traditional energy forms. Photovoltaic recycling has the potential to mitigate the harm of waste, which is often landfilled, while putting material back into the manufacturing process. Out of many, three methods show much promise: Full Recovery End-of-Life Photovoltaic (FRELP), mechanical, and sintering-based recycling. FRELP recycling has quickly gained prominence in Europe and promises to fully recover the components in a solar cell. The mechanical method has produced high yields of valuable materials using basic and inexpensive processes. The sintering method has the potential to tap into a large market for feldspar. Using a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) analysis, the three methods could be compared on an economic basis. This showed that the mechanical method is least expensive, and the sintering method is the most expensive. Using this model, all recycling methods are less cost effective than the control analysis without recycling. Sensitivity analyses were then done on the effect of the discount rate, capacity factor, and lifespan on the LCOE. These results showed that the change in capacity factor had the most significant effect on the levelized cost of electricity. A final sensitivity analysis was done based on the decreased installation and balance of systems costs in 2025. With a 55% decrease in these costs, the LCOE decreased by close to $0.03/kWh for each method. Based on these results, the cost of each recycling method would be a more considerable proportion of the overall LCOE of the solar farm.
ContributorsMeister, William Frederick (Author) / Goodnick, Stephen (Thesis director) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The project consists of steps that a Formula SAE team could take into developing their first carbon fiber monocoque chassis. The project is based on an interview with a successful team that has build carbon monocoques for the last several years. The project covers the steps into designing a carbon monocoque, including aspects that need to be highlighted in the design process as well as an outline of the overall rules and regulations regarding carbon fiber monocoques. The project also encompasses simple finite element analysis procedure that would introduce teams into carbon fiber composite sandwich analysis and its applications in racecar monocoques. The project also includes steps in manufacturing a carbon fiber monocoque beginning from methods to acquire necessary materials to the final process of de-molding the monocoque. The method has been used before from several FSAE teams, proving its viability. The goal is that through this report, teams could have an idea of where to start in developing their carbon monocoques and have a clear path to take on going from initial designs up until a final finished product.
ContributorsEhrke, Lawrence Herman (Co-author) / Andiyastika, Gede P. (Co-author) / Patel, Jay (Thesis director) / Middleton, James (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The operating principles of bicycle drivetrains have remained largely static since the invention of the derailleur in 1905. A bicycle-specific Continuously Variable Transmission has the potential to eliminate many of these issues. This paper explores the current state of bicycle CVT technology, details the advantages and disadvantages of these designs, and analyzes the many human factors that play into their adoption. Finally, a conceptual design for a novel bicycle CVT is described, and a physical model is created to demonstrate the mechanical principles of operation.
ContributorsBurgard, Kyle (Author) / Singh, Anoop (Thesis director) / Trimble, Steven (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Many high school students demonstrate an overall lack of interest in science. Traditional teaching methodologies seem to be unsuccessful at engaging students \u2014 one explanation is that students often interpret what they learn in school as irrelevant to their personal lives. Active learning and case based learning methodologies seem to be more effective at promoting interest and understanding of scientific principles. The purpose of our research was to implement a lab with updated teaching methodologies that included an active learning and case based curriculum. The lab was implemented in two high school honors biology classes with the specific goals of: significantly increasing students' interest in science and its related fields; increasing students' self-efficacy in their ability to understand and interpret the traditional process of the scientific method; and increasing this traditional process of objectively understanding the scientific method. Our results indicated that interest in science and its related fields (p = .011), students' self-efficacy in understanding the scientific method (p = .000), and students' objective understanding of the scientific method (p = .000) statistically significantly increased after the lab was administered; however, our results may not be as meaningful as the p-values imply due to the scale of our assessment.
ContributorsCotten, Kathryn (Author) / Hoffner, Kristin (Thesis director) / Stout, Valerie (Committee member) / Lynskey, Jim (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
The goal of this project was to conduct a preliminary performance analysis of an early Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) design by Lockheed Martin. NGAD is a sixth-generation air superiority initiative for the United States Air Force (USAF), not to be confused with the United States Navy variant, looking to replace the F-22 Raptor due to rising tensions with China in the Pacific. A three-stream double-bypass adaptive cycle engine (ACE) model was developed in MATLAB to analyze thermodynamic states throughout the engine and generate performance data such as thrust and fuel requirements. The variable area bypass injectors (VABIs) of an ACE allow it to improve range and thrust while also reducing spillage drag when compared to a standard low-bypass turbofan for military aircraft. The aircraft was simulated at 15, 16, 17, and 18 km, and at a cruise Mach of 1.8, in accordance with expected NGAD requirements. Engine performance data was then used, alongside rough aerodynamic data based on the aircraft’s geometry, to determine the ideal wet weight, dry weight, and wing loading for an assumed air-superiority mission profile. Plots of wet weight, wing span, and wing area as functions wing loading were used to visualize the design space for a given mission.
ContributorsTokishi, Shane (Author) / Wells, Valana (Thesis director) / Dahm, Werner (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Introduction: This research examined the prevalence of Chinese older adults’ risk factors (perceived racial discrimination, fear of COVID-19), protective factors (resilience, community support), and mental health status (depression, PTSD) in Chinese older adults aged 65 years and above during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the relationships between risk and protective factors and their mental health outcomes were explored.
Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis using the anonymous survey data collected by a research team. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the distributions of the variables; and hierarchical multiple regression models were conducted to examine their relationships.
Results: The sample included 90 Chinese older adults in the United States. The participants demonstrated a moderate level of fear of COVID-19 (M= 21.55, SD = 4.75; range 10-33). The participants scored on the lower end of the perceived discrimination scale (M = .40, SD = 1.44 before COVID-19; M = .77, SD = 1.54 during COVID-19; range 0-7). Resilience (M = 29.02, SD = 5.78 on a scale of 0-40) demonstrated a moderate to moderately high level of resilience. As for community support, 40.3% of participants reported receiving assistance or information regarding COVID-19 from local Asian organizations, indicating a moderate level of community support. The participants reported a relatively low score for PTSD (M = 0.75 SD = 1.17 on a scale from 0 to 5) or depression (M = 2.76 SD = 2.72 on a scale from 0 to 27). Consistent with hypotheses, findings of hierarchical regression models suggested that the risk factors fear of COVID-19 and perceived racial discrimination were positively associated with PTSD symptoms while resilience was negatively associated with PTSD symptoms. Differently, none of the risk factors were significantly associated with depression symptoms while resilience showed a negative relationship with depression symptoms.
Conclusion: The findings of this research will help public health officials better understand the needs of minority and aging communities to best support them during crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ContributorsMang, David (Author) / Chia-Chen Chen, Angela (Thesis director) / Li, Wei (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis investigates auxetic structures' specific energy absorption properties, characterized by their negative Poisson's Ratio (NPR). Auxetics, derived from natural materials and engineered designs, are increasingly applied in automotive, aerospace, and defense industries due to their enhanced material properties like indentation resistance and fracture toughness.
The research commenced with a thorough literature review to gather relevant methodologies and insights into auxetic geometries. This was followed by analytical experiments and simulations focused on the re-entrant auxetic pattern, known for its simplicity and effectiveness. The study tested modifications to this pattern, aiming to enhance energy absorption by adjusting parameters like base thickness and adding filets.
Simulations were performed using ANSYS 2023 R2, modeling the materials under plane stress conditions to assess their mechanical responses. Two main variants were examined: the Enhanced Stiffness pattern, which alters thickness, and the Filet Re-entrant pattern, which incorporates fillets to reduce stress concentrations. Results indicated that both modifications improved energy absorption compared to the standard re-entrant design, with Filet patterns showing superior performance due to their efficient stress distribution.
This work extends the understanding of auxetic materials, demonstrating significant potential to improve safety and functionality in engineering applications through advanced material design.
ContributorsSastriawan, Yoga (Author) / Kang, Wonmo (Thesis director) / Safari, Hamid (Committee member) / Mahmoudi, Mohammadreza (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The objective of this project is to determine whether a finite-element model can predict the threshold temperatures at which mechanical failure will occur in perovskite-silicon tandem modules. No such computational thermomechanical analysis has been performed on perovskite-silicon tandem modules. Previous literature has demonstrated the effectiveness of finite element methods in predicting cracking of perovskites under bending loads and for characterizing the thermomechanical behavior of solar photovoltaic devices. This work computationally synthesizes these two research areas to determine design criteria for mechanically robust next-generation tandem photovoltaic devices and modules.
ContributorsMachbitz, David (Author) / Rolston, Nicholas (Thesis director) / Ladani, Leila (Committee member) / Murthy, Raghavendra (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor)
Created2024-05