AUETD (Auburn University)
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Doctoral Education in Chemistry: 21st-Century Challenges and Prospects for Reforms
No full textDoctoral education in chemistry (DEC) plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge, training independent researchers, and preparing graduates for diverse career paths. This dissertation examines the goals, priorities, and outcomes of chemistry doctoral education through two perspectives: handbooks and faculty perspectives. A strand of the research also provides insights into the experiences of women faculty in academia, highlighting how they navigate systemic challenges and the supports that aid their success.
Using the backward design framework, the study first investigates learning goals of programmatic elements in chemistry graduate handbooks, assessing their alignment with broader educational goals. Findings suggest that many handbooks lack explicit learning goals, indicating a gap in structured program design based on backward design.
Faculty perspectives reveal a range of intended goals for doctoral training, with two primary goals: preparing students for competitive careers and cultivating independent scientists. Secondary goals include fostering critical or independent thinking, generating novel research, and institutional ranking contributions. Further analysis highlights some degree of misalignment between doctoral education’s structure and workforce demands, with concerns over inadequate professional skill development. This research highlights the need for reforms in chemistry doctoral programs that bridge these gaps, ensuring that chemistry PhD graduates are well-equipped for both academic and non-academic careers.
This dissertation also examines the goals/outcomes of the programmatic elements, offering a comprehensive evaluation and insights for improving its alignment with doctoral education goals and 21st-century professional skills. Building on this evaluation, key structural challenges within DEC were identified, offering evidence-based insights to guide future reform efforts.
In addition, this dissertation highlights how women faculty navigate academia amid structural barriers, emphasizing the critical role of mentorship, institutional support, and equitable policies in fostering their success and retention.
Overall, this study provides evidence-based insights to improve chemistry doctoral programs and broader STEM education initiatives, while identifying strategies to support women in advancing academic careers more effectively
Nutritional Evaluation of Newly Established Peach (Prunus persica) Orchard in the Southeastern USA
No full textPeach production in the southeastern United States faces increasing challenges due to
climate variability, complex soil profiles, and evolving orchard management practices. This thesis
evaluates the nutritional dynamics, physiological responses, and vegetative development of young
peach trees in a newly established orchard in central Alabama. Three commercial cultivars:
‘Augustprince’, ‘Fireprince’, and ‘Rubyprince’ were grafted onto two rootstocks (‘Guardian®’ and
‘MP-29’) and subjected to varied fertilization rates (25%, 50%, and 100%) and irrigation regimes
(irrigated vs. non-irrigated) across two growing seasons (2023–2024).
Physiological measurements, including stomatal conductance, photosynthetic assimilation, and
chlorophyll content, were paired with growth metrics such as trunk cross-sectional area, tree
height, shoot length, bud, and node count. Foliar and pruned wood nutrient content were analyzed
to quantify nutrient accumulation and removal across treatments. Soil and nematode profiling
ensured experimental integrity by ruling out confounding stressors. Principal Component Analysis
revealed clustering based on rootstock performance and irrigation status, with potassium and
magnesium contributing significantly to treatment differentiation.
Results showed that irrigation consistently enhanced growth and physiological performance,
especially in late-season cultivars during periods of drought. ‘Augustprince’ demonstrated
superior shoot length, node count, and nutrient uptake, highlighting its resilience and suitability
for southeastern conditions. Notably, trees receiving 50% of the recommended fertilizer rate
performed comparably to those receiving full rates, suggesting opportunities to reduce input costs
and environmental risk without compromising early tree vigor. These results are preliminary.
Subsequent evaluations of fruit yield and quality are planned to validate and strengthen the
conclusions
Dietary Ketones are an Emerging Strategy to Attenuate the Adverse Cardiorenal Effects of Short-Term High Salt Loading
No full textBackground: Excessive dietary salt is a major risk factor for hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and impaired renal function. Recent studies suggest protective cardiorenal effects of exogenous ketone supplementation; however, these findings are mostly derived from animal models. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to 1) cover the mechanisms between salt and cardiorenal health; and 2) examine whether high salt and ketone supplementation may offset the adverse effects of high salt in young adults. Methods: Fifteen participants (11 Males/4 Females, age 27 ± 4 years, body mass index: 26 ± 4 kg/m2) were analyzed from our randomized, crossover study. Participants completed three 10-day conditions: A) low salt: dextrose capsules and placebo drink; B) high salt: salt capsules and placebo drink; and C) high salt + ketone: salt capsules and ketone drink. We assessed changes in blood pressure (BP), renal blood velocity (RBV), and renal vascular resistance (RVR) at baseline and during sympathoexcitatory maneuver. Acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) indexed to urine flow rate were assessed. The product of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) including the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system were also assessed. Depending on data normality, repeated measures ANOVA or the Friedman test and mean ± SD or median(IQR) are reported with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: BP did not differ between conditions (ps≥0.62). There were no differences in baseline RBV (p=0.65) or RVR (p=0.79). No effects of diet were observed during sympathoexcitatory maneuver for MAP (p=0.89), RBV (p=0.71), and RVR (p=0.26). Sodium excretion increased with salt loading (p=0.04). There were no changes across conditions for AKI biomarkers including NGAL (p=0.59), KIM-1 (p=0.50), and IGFBP7*TIMP-2 (p=0.81) or in creatinine clearance (p=0.59). Plasma renin activity remained unchanged across conditions (p=0.16). However, aldosterone was suppressed with salt loading (p=0.01), with no difference between the high salt and ketone conditions. Conclusion: In our preliminary data, we did not observe significant changes in cardiorenal outcomes following high salt and ketone supplementation in healthy, salt-resistant younger adults. Additional data, particularly in salt-sensitive individuals, is needed to confirm our findings
Straight Pipes: Inheritance and Environmental Injustice in Alabama Black Belt
No full textThis thesis explores how race, environmental conditions, and governance structures shape the persistence of straight piping in the Black Belt region of Alabama. Based on qualitative and in-depth interviews with engineers, legal experts, public health officials, and community activists, five interconnected themes emerged: the legal barrier of heirs' property, the racialized landscape of infrastructural disinvestment, the limitations of standard engineering fixes, bureaucratic fragmentation, and the rise of grassroots activism. These findings suggest that straight piping is not merely a matter of infrastructure installation, but rather the result of entangled structural inequalities embedded in historical, legal, and governance arrangements. One key finding is the double hurdle of heirs' property as both a legal impediment to securing sanitation, but also as an institutional alibi for inaction. Similarly, the exclusion of rural Black communities from infrastructure planning and investment processes directly answers the central research question about how race and governance combine to sustain environmental degradation. By foregrounding local knowledge, the study contributes meaningfully to environmental justice scholarship, rural sociology, and the sociology of infrastructure by providing a richer understanding of the allocation, contestation, and frequent evasion of control, expertise, and accountability
Unseen Burdens: Secondary Traumatic Stress and the Mental Health Challenges of Female Educators in K-12
Get PDFThis qualitative study explores the lived experiences of secondary traumatic stress (STS)
among female educators working in K–12 public schools. While trauma-informed practices have
become more prominent in student-centered interventions, there remains a lack of attention to the
emotional impact that repeated exposure to student trauma has on teachers themselves. Using
semi-structured interviews with fifteen female educators, this research sought to understand the
emotional, professional, and personal consequences of STS, as well as the systemic factors that
exacerbate or alleviate it. Findings revealed that participants regularly encountered trauma
narratives involving abuse, neglect, violence, and loss, leading to symptoms of emotional
exhaustion, burnout, and feelings of isolation. The study highlights the significant role of
administrative support, professional learning, and access to mental health resources in shaping
how teachers cope with STS. This study contributes to a growing body of literature that affirms
STS as a pressing concern in the education profession and underscores the need for systemic,
trauma-informed approaches that support teacher wellness. Future research is recommended to
expand understanding across gender identities, geographic contexts, and the long-term impacts
of STS on educator retention and student outcomes
Assessing the Impact of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) on Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Outcomes of Women and Children in Nepal
Get PDFThis study explores the relationship between Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions and three critical public health outcomes in Nepal: household food insecurity, child malnutrition, and women’s nutritional status. Using data from the 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), we analyze how WASH factors influence food security, child nutrition, and women’s Body Mass Index (BMI) across diverse populations.
Among the 13,786 households surveyed, 6,007 were classified as food insecure. Households relying on spring water experienced the highest levels of food insecurity, while those with on-premises drinking water, private sanitation, and handwashing resources had lower food insecurity levels. Ordinary least squares regression confirmed that the presence of soap, water treatment, and improved sanitation significantly reduced food insecurity, whereas poverty and shared sanitation facilities increased the risk.
Further analysis examined the impact of WASH on child malnutrition among children aged 0–59 months. Binary logistic regression results revealed that water on-premises was protective against stunting, while children from poor and middle-income households had higher odds of being stunted or underweight. Urban residence was associated with lower odds of stunting and underweight, but wasting was more prevalent in urban areas. Additionally, access to piped water reduced the likelihood of underweight and wasting, while a higher number of young children in a household increased the probability of stunting and being underweight.
The study also assessed the association between WASH conditions and women’s BMI among 6,291 non-pregnant women aged 15–49. Multinomial logistic regression results indicated that women with access to water on premises and piped water had higher odds of being overweight or obese. Additionally, women from non-Hindu and non-Brahmin/Chhetri ethnic groups, those with access to flush toilets, and those residing in urban areas were more likely to be overweight or obese.
These findings underscore the role of WASH infrastructure in shaping food security, child nutrition, and women’s health outcomes in Nepal. Strengthening WASH infrastructure and addressing socioeconomic disparities through integrated policy interventions may thus improve food insecurity, child malnutrition, and women nutrition
Minimum Weakly Saturated Graphs and Bootstrap Percolation in General Host Graphs
No full textBootstrap percolation in graphs, also known as bond percolation, originates as a method to study ferromagnetism in 2D and 3D lattices, though it has more recently been used to model other more complicated networks of physical, biological, and sociological natures. Percolation theory has widespread applications including studying the spread of disease and information through social networks, testing the robustness of the internet and power grids, protecting ecosystems in the face of losing keystone species, understanding the development of neuronal cultures, and analyzing the role of dynamical arrest in forming complex condensed states of matter. Weak saturation and edge bootstrap percolation are two variations on this process, both of which measure the presence of certain subgraphs H inside of a given graph.
A graph G is weakly H-saturated if one can obtain K_n by adding one edge to G at a time, where each additional edge creates at least one new copy of H. The minimum number of edges needed for a weakly H-saturated graph G on n vertices is known as the weak saturation number of H, written wsat(n,H). A graph G is minimum weakly saturated if wsat(n,G)=|E(G)|-1 for some n.
We explore classes of minimum weakly saturated graphs and their connection to the H-bootstrap percolation process, as well as weak saturation in a more general setting than the complete graph
Mechanical Performance of Additively Manufactured Soft Materials for Ultrasound and Biomechanical Simulation
No full textAdditive manufacturing has enabled the fabrication of anatomically accurate, customizable models for use in medical training and human-interactive technology development. Anatomical manikins produced through these techniques provide a safe, repeatable, and risk-free environment for users to practice and refine clinical procedures or test assistive robotic systems. However, challenges remain in achieving both anatomical fidelity and functional compliance. This thesis explores the design and fabrication of additively manufactured anthropomorphic manikins for two applications: physical simulation in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training and passive validation for upper-limb exoskeletons. In Chapter 2, a passive hand and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint model was developed for biomechanical assessment of joint stiffness for future instrumentation using a J5 Digital Anatomy Printer (DAP). Anatomical fidelity was achieved through additive manufacturing, the PIP finger model, as well as void-infused thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), was assessed based on ROM and elastic modulus to ensure appropriate joint compliance via uniaxial displacement, respectively. For POCUS training, a methodology is introduced in Chapter 3 to generate anatomically accurate right upper quadrant (RUQ) models from medical imaging using 3D Slicer. Tissue-mimicking Materials available on the J5 DAP were assessed for their echogenic properties through grayscale intensity analysis, highlighting both their potential and limitations for material tunability and echogenicity for ultrasound realism. The findings of this work address the feasibility of using 3D-printing techniques for soft material prints to fabricate anatomically and mechanically realistic manikins. These manikins have potential utility in enhancing ultrasound medical training and supporting the validation of rehabilitative hand exoskeletons
A Process-Based Approach to Model Pesticide Dynamics in Non-Floodplain Wetlands: WetQual-PEST
No full textPesticides can pose significant environmental challenges once they enter water
bodies. Wetlands are increasingly recognized as cost-effective, nature-based solutions for
attenuating pesticide loads delivered to surface waters, yet pesticide cycling in wetlands
remains poorly represented in many water-quality models. This thesis develops and
evaluates a physically based modelling framework (WetQUAL-PEST) to capture
pesticide fate in treatment and non-floodplain wetlands. Stochastic calibration against
1991 Atrazine data in Des Plaines Project Wetland (Illinois, USA) produced daily
concentration Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.81–0.92 (median 0.91) and a median
PBIAS of 2.35%. Applying the plant-extended framework to lindane data from the
shallow, three-stage Hájek Wetland+ system (Czech Republic) highlighted photolysis
rate, water-column porosity and Henry’s law constant as most sensitive parameters,
whereas macrophytes accounted for approximately 3% of the total lindane mass removal
but contributed to a ~5% reduction in peak aqueous concentrations. These findings
demonstrate the importance of incorporating detailed vegetation processes, daily
hydrological data, and data driven uncertainty analysis to improve predictive skill of
wetland models. Overall, this research demonstrates that WetQUAL-PEST is well suited
for screening daily pesticide loads and concentrations in wetlands, and quantifying key
process controls, across diverse compounds and wetland configurations
Development and Application of a Coastal Community Flood Resilience Planning Toolkit
Get PDFResilience of communities against natural hazards has always been a concern of planners and engineers, but the 21st century has seen a sharp increase in the exposure of our built environment to increasing frequency and intensity of these events. Flooding has grown to be of particular importance given the wide breadth of citizens who live within proximity to coastlines, rivers and are exposed to more intense rainfall with an ever-widening lens of those in direct danger of this hazard. In fact, the US Senate estimates that flooding generates between 496.0 billion in direct and indirect damages annually (Jec 2024). However, planners and engineers have struggled to adapt the traditional transportation planning process to include measures related to resilience against these flood events due to a lack of proper assessment tools. This has led them to create their own methodology for evaluating their community’s vulnerability and where to prioritize investments for future mitigation practices.
This document aims to describe a flooding resilience evaluation toolkit developed to address this apparent gap between academic knowledge and practical application so that communities can begin to incorporate flood resilience into their planning process. This toolkit will consist of an excel-based GIS attribute table calculator program and an online vulnerability assessment map that will be (a) centered around quantifiable performance measures, (b) utilize readily available data sources, (c) be scalable across different geographies and regions, (d) provide visual and/or analytical insights into resilience impacts, and (e) be validated and assessed. The results of this effort show that the toolkit can accurately utilize existing flood prediction models and census records to identify areas of concern for planners and engineers to better prioritize project development. This is accomplished with nine, literature-based performance measures to compliment existing databases and build on the knowledge of infrastructural, economic and social resilience evaluations. These performance measures were incorporated into both an excel-based and online tool that can work in tandem to form the full toolkit. The application of this toolkit in a case-study evaluation of Mobile Bay found that the online portion is ideal of initial assessment of current conditions, while the excel-based tool is meant for subsequent, in-depth analysis and possible impact changes from future mitigation practices. Furthermore, a subsequent destination-choice model found that the level of resilience of a coastal community to flood hazards has a direct effect on visitation rates to these communities, suggesting that resilience improvements do not just affect infrastructure, but economic performance as well. This toolkit can greatly improve the transportation planning process to include preliminary resilience assessment that can compliment existing economic, social and infrastructure methods in one, concise program