2923 research outputs found
Sort by
The Quatrain - Volume 1
No full textThe Quatrain is managed by students at Louisiana Tech University and advised by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts. The journal is housed in George T. Madison Hall, where undergraduates collect, assess, and edit submissions from student writers and artists.
The Quatrain is a print and electronic project for people who value quality undergraduate writing and art. Full-dress researched, academic essays and scholarly explorations; photography; life-writing; sculpture; cultural criticism; work that has a reflective, autobiographical style; and creative writing in all its forms: We simply seek to display samples of the interesting, original, and quality work being produced by gifted students and emerging talents.
Visit us at thequatrain.com to learn more
The Quatrain - Volume 8
No full textThe Quatrain is managed by students at Louisiana Tech University and advised by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts. The journal is housed in George T. Madison Hall, where undergraduates collect, assess, and edit submissions from student writers and artists.
The Quatrain is a print and electronic project for people who value quality undergraduate writing and art. Full-dress researched, academic essays and scholarly explorations; photography; life-writing; sculpture; cultural criticism; work that has a reflective, autobiographical style; and creative writing in all its forms: We simply seek to display samples of the interesting, original, and quality work being produced by gifted students and emerging talents.
Visit us at thequatrain.com to learn more
The Quatrain - Volume 6
No full textThe Quatrain is managed by students at Louisiana Tech University and advised by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts. The journal is housed in George T. Madison Hall, where undergraduates collect, assess, and edit submissions from student writers and artists.
The Quatrain is a print and electronic project for people who value quality undergraduate writing and art. Full-dress researched, academic essays and scholarly explorations; photography; life-writing; sculpture; cultural criticism; work that has a reflective, autobiographical style; and creative writing in all its forms: We simply seek to display samples of the interesting, original, and quality work being produced by gifted students and emerging talents.
Visit us at thequatrain.com to learn more
The Quatrain - Volume 2
No full textThe Quatrain is managed by students at Louisiana Tech University and advised by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts. The journal is housed in George T. Madison Hall, where undergraduates collect, assess, and edit submissions from student writers and artists.
The Quatrain is a print and electronic project for people who value quality undergraduate writing and art. Full-dress researched, academic essays and scholarly explorations; photography; life-writing; sculpture; cultural criticism; work that has a reflective, autobiographical style; and creative writing in all its forms: We simply seek to display samples of the interesting, original, and quality work being produced by gifted students and emerging talents.
Visit us at thequatrain.com to learn more
The Quatrain - Volume 3
No full textThe Quatrain is managed by students at Louisiana Tech University and advised by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts. The journal is housed in George T. Madison Hall, where undergraduates collect, assess, and edit submissions from student writers and artists.
The Quatrain is a print and electronic project for people who value quality undergraduate writing and art. Full-dress researched, academic essays and scholarly explorations; photography; life-writing; sculpture; cultural criticism; work that has a reflective, autobiographical style; and creative writing in all its forms: We simply seek to display samples of the interesting, original, and quality work being produced by gifted students and emerging talents.
Visit us at thequatrain.com to learn more
Annual Report 2025
Full text linkAs we reflect on the past year and look to the future, we are entering a new era for the College of Engineering and Science (COES) — one marked by renewed vision, fresh leadership, and bold ambition.
With the arrival of Dr. Jim Henderson as Louisiana Tech’s newest president, the energy and momentum across our campus is palpable. Here in COES, we are embracing this spirit of progress with open arms. I am honored to serve as the dean of this incredible college, and I’m joined by a dynamic group of new leaders who are ready to shape the future of engineering and science at Louisiana Tech.
This year, we welcomed Rosilynn Gillum as our director of development and Lindsey Murry as our director of communications and outreach. We also strengthened our leadership team with the appointments of Dr. Arden Moore as associate dean of research and, effective June 1, 2025, Dr. Mary Caldorera-Moore as associate dean of undergraduate studies. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Hisham Hegab, who has graciously served in the interim role of associate dean of undergraduate studies following Dr. Heath Tims’ promotion to CEO of the Louisiana Tech alumni association. Dr. Hegab’s leadership and support have been invaluable during this time of transition.
At the heart of this new era is a refined mission: to cultivate a dynamic and supportive environment that produces job-ready graduates and transformative research. This mission reflects our commitment to preparing students not just for today’s opportunities but for the challenges of tomorrow. It also speaks to our dedication to research that improves lives, builds resilient communities, and shapes the future of technology and innovation.
Within the pages that follow, you’ll find inspiring stories of faculty and students who are pushing the boundaries of innovation and research in their fields. You’ll meet alumni who have harnessed the power of their COES education to make meaningful impacts in the world. You’ll see how our industry partners are walking alongside us — helping to shape programs and tapping into our top student talent. And you’ll revisit favorite annual events that continue to define the unique culture and spirit that make COES a remarkable place to learn, grow, and lead.
Collin D. Wick, Ph.D., Dean and Daniel D. Reneau Eminent Scholar Chair, College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech Universityhttps://digitalcommons.latech.edu/coes-annual-reports/1013/thumbnail.jp
Structural and Computational Results on Equitably Dissectible Graphs
Full text linkThis dissertation introduces the class of equitably dissectible graphs — graphs whose vertex set can be recursively partitioned into two parts whose sizes differ by at most one where the two induced subgraphs are connected. In Chapter 2, we show that a graph is equitably dissectible if and only if it has a spanning tree that is equitably dissectible, and we use this result to establish connections between the class of equitably dissectible graphs and Hamiltonian graphs. We also fully characterize the equitably dissectible spiders of the form S3(a) and S3(a, b), identifying a family of unruly spiders that are not equitably dissectible. In Chapter 3, we investigate the subclass of equitably dissectible trees, establishing structural bounds on the maximal degree of such trees. Chapter 4 examines equitable dissections in complete multipartite graphs, including a complete characterization of equitably dissectible complete bipartite graphs. In Chapter 5, we address the computational complexity of determining whether a graph is equitably dissectible and present algorithms that detect equitable dissections in trees. Finally, Chapter 6 explores equitable dissections in broader contexts, including arbitrarily vertex-decomposable graphs and combinatorial observations
A Study of Rural Health Care for Chronic Care Management Using Machine Learning to Determine Costs
Full text linkManagement of diabetes or heart disease may be uniquely challenging for older individuals with multiple chronic conditions[1]. Chronic Care Management would target patients living with comorbidities in Louisiana, who are not receiving sufficient healthcare services and help them receive the care they deserve[2]. This study is aimed at comparing the results of rural Louisiana Medicaid recipients with comorbidities to the National Averages. We will also use Machine Learning to predict Churn and Medical Costs. To help us identify these patients with comorbidities, we decided to use NCQA Quality Measures. We identified several measures from NCQA that we wanted to use, but we narrowed it down to five[3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. We acquired the blinded data from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Medicaid data. This data is in the form of claims received from hospitals and doctors’ offices for patients in the Medicaid program[8]. After calculating our measures, we used the data we have created to predict the churn of patients in and out of Medicaid using Logistical Regression and Random Forest Classifier models. Finally, we used the initial data and machine learning to predict future costs of the rural patients using the ARIMA model. This study shows that rural communities in Louisiana have much lower rates of adherence to doctor visits and medication therapy than the national average. However, these rates are improving and have improved significantly over the six-year period of which this study investigated. We had positive results for both machine learning models in churn, but the best results came from not only the Random Forest Classifier but also from the inclusion of the data from the measures. The cost of medical care is increasing gradually on a monthly basis, but it still remains on a slow steady pace. Chronic Care Management systems would help improve patient outcomes, by helping patients manage treatment and doctor/hospital visits. By getting the patients the care they need more promptly, we can stave off worsening conditions and lower the overall costs of patient care
Is There an Association Between Food Literacy and Diet Quality in Young Adult College Men?
Full text linkFood literacy skills can improve dietary intake in young adults as it provides them with the tools they need to make healthier food-related decisions. The benefits of improving food literacy includes the reduction in the risk of prevalent, preventable dietrelated diseases such as obesity, T2DM, heart disease, and other chronic diseases that plague the Unites States today. Previous literature reports primarily on college female samples. Because a large proportion of the samples in the available studies are female, the current literature may not reflect young adult men’s food literacy and its comparison to their overall diet quality. The purpose of this research study was to determine if young adult male university students’ food literacy skills were related to their diet quality. The objectives were to determine the young men’s food literacy skills and the diet quality and then compare the two with their eating behaviors. This study utilized an analytical cross-sectional study design with an electronic questionnaire. The electronic questionnaire was developed with Qualtrics Survey software. The questionnaire contained the consent to participate and 41 items that included the Eating and Food Literacy Behaviors Questionnaire (EFLBQ), the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (REAP-S), researcher-developed questions, and demographic items. Measures of central tendency were calculated to characterize the variables. A Spearman’s rho correlation test was performed to determine the correlation between ELFBQ scores and REAP-S results. This was completed for the EFLBQ composite scores and for each factor individually. An ANOVA was run to compare ELFBQ scores and REAP-S results with Eating location, area of study, academic standing and cooking frequency. The Total REAP-S score was related positively correlated to the EFLBQ health and nutrition factor r(259) = .196, p= .001 and negatively to EFLBQ convenience factor r (259) = -181, p= .003. As the food literacy score increased, so did the frequency of evening meal preparation r(258 )=.239, p \u3c .001. Food literacy was higher in students who ate at the table (EFLBQ score = 57.5), followed by in front of the television or phone (EFLBQ score = 54.7) and lastly, in the car (EFLBQ score = 44.8). In the validating study for the REAP-S tool by Johnson et al. (2018), an average score of 33.6 was found in a healthy population aged 18-50 years. In this current study, the average REAP-S score in this sample of male college students was 25.6, indicating a lower diet quality in the younger male adult population. The only difference seen in diet quality by academic standings was between freshman and juniors, with freshman having a better diet quality despite lower food literacy. This is consistent with the findings that diet quality decreases as age increases, as many universities now require freshman to purchase meal plans, giving freshman have access to hot meals, fruits and vegetables on a consistent basis. Freshmen had lower food literacy than juniors and graduate students. This may be related to the development of food skills as students move off-campus and begin to be responsible for their own meals on a daily basis. This supports the belief that food skills can be learned and can influence diet quality and ultimately support health promotion efforts. In conclusion, Food literacy and diet quality were positively related in this group of young adult male college students. Food literacy was higher in men who ate at the table, cooked an evening meal, and were older students. Food literacy is a skill that is learned, so providing young men with the correct tools through educational interventions may result in improved health outcomes
Enhancing University Retention through Faculty/Staff Mentor-Mentee Relationships: An Interpersonal Communication Approach
Full text linkThis study investigates the role of interpersonal communication in faculty and staff mentorship and its impact on undergraduate student retention, focusing on struggling students at Louisiana Tech University. With a national retention rate of 68.2% and persistent disparities among underrepresented groups, improving student retention remains a critical issue in higher education. The research addresses a gap in understanding how communication practices, such as active listening, empathy, and constructive feedback, influence mentorship effectiveness. Guided by Interpersonal Communication Theory and Social Support Theory, this qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 12 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis revealed key findings: mentors who demonstrated empathy, maintained proactive and accessible communication, fostered trust and open dialogue, and provided supportive feedback significantly enhanced students ’sense of belonging and academic confidence. These practices contributed to students\u27 academic persistence and overall retention. The study offers practical recommendations for designing mentorship programs that emphasize effective communication, alongside suggestions for future research on mentorship dynamics. These findings highlight the importance of relational support in fostering student success and advancing institutional retention strategies