Student Defenses

Author: Janel Niska Date/Time: June 13th, 2025 at 10:00AM EST Location: EGR 2164, Glenn Martin Hall Committee Members: Title of Dissertation: Process and Techno-Economic Modeling for Waste-to-Energy Processes to Identify Effective Facility Scaling  Abstract: This dissertation presents a techno-economic analysis (TEA) of waste-to-energy (WTE) biofuel production using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The study focuses on facility scaling, feedstock dynamics, unpiling strategies, […]

Author: Yiren Qin Date/Time: June 19th, 2025 at 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST | Zoom: Meeting ID: 437 810 4474   Passcode: DZ24RZ Location: JMP 3106B, J.M. Patterson Committee Members: Title of Dissertation: A Physics-Based Eulerian Framework for Modeling Firebrand Showering in Regional-Scale Wildland and Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Simulations Abstract: Landscape-scale fire risk modeling plays a vital role in fire management

Author: Sangkyu Lee Date/Time: June 16th, 2025 at 1:15 pm EST Location: JMP 3106B, J.M. Patterson Committee members: Title of dissertation: Analysis of fire behavior of pressure treated wood and wood-plastic composite subjected to deposition of glowing firebrands Abstract: The frequency and severity of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) fires continue to rise globally. Firebrands are smoldering embers generated from vegetative or structural materials during a WUI

Author: Rachael Sexton Date/Time: June 12th, 2025 at 9:30am EST | Join Online Location: EGR 2162, Glenn Martin Hall Committee Members: Title of Dissertation: Measuring Network Dependencies from Node Activations Abstract: This thesis develops a method for inferring dependency networks from binary data by describing and accounting for sources of systematic bias. Node “activation” data is a common source of complex

Author: Hayden RichardsDate/Time: May 12th, 2025 at 9:30 AM ESTLocation: Martin Hall, EGR-2164Committee members: Title: EFFECTS OF MECHANICAL SHOCK ON RELIABILITY OF EMBEDDED COMPONENTINTERCONNECTS IN PRINTED HYBRID ELECTRONICS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES Abstract:The advantages of Printed Hybrid Electronic (PHE) assemblies are ofconsiderable interest to designers of electro-mechanical systems,especially for applications in extreme environments. With additionaldevelopment, PHEs may offer reliability advantages

Author: Vijay Preetham Meruva Date/Time: May 8th, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST Location: Martin Hall, Room EGR-4164B | Zoom Committee members: Title: Development of Modeling and Optimization Methodologies to Facilitate Transition of Heat Pump and Refrigeration Systems to Lower GWP Refrigerants Abstract: In light of Kigali Amendment, Fluorinated Gas (F-Gas) regulations, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Author: Nathan Hill Date/Time: April 25th, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST Location: AJC-1117 Committee members: Title of Thesis:  3D-Printed Microfluidics for Hydrodynamic Particle Arraying Abstract: Cell trapping devices have become integral platforms for performing a wide variety of biological and medical studies, and have contributed to significant advances in many fields, including cellular development, drug testing, and cancer research. By

Author: Ethan Rosenfeld Date/Time: April 24th, 2025 at 10:30 AM EST Location: DeWalt Seminar Room (Room 2164), Glenn L. Martin Hall Committee members: Title of Thesis: Development of a Portable, Low-Cost Platform for Nucleic Acid Amplification and DetectionAbstract: Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) play a critical role in clinical diagnostics by enabling rapid and highly sensitive detection of genomic sequences associated

Author: Harsha Walvekar Date/Time: April 24th, 2025 at 12:00pm EST Location: DeWalt Seminar Room (Room 2164), Glenn L. Martin Hall | Zoom Committee members: Title of Thesis: Component Selection for Use Beyond Manufacturer’s Specifications Abstract: 

Author: Zachary Coogan Date/Time: April 18th, 2025 at 11:30 AM EST Location: DeWalt Seminar Room (Room 2164), Glenn L. Martin Hall Committee members: Title of Thesis: Development and Deployment of a Soft Robotic Gripper: Harnessing Pressure for Object Recognition Through Deep Learning  Abstract: Soft robotic manipulators are uniquely suited to handle objects with diverse textures, shapes, and stiffnesses, thanks to their highly