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Panel #9: Workforce and Training Needs
No full textPanel #9: Workforce and Training Needs
Addresses the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, discussing workforce challenges, skill gaps, and training programs to build a robust cyber workforce.
Moderator: Parker Northrup (ERAU Prescott)
Panelists:
• Matt Mayes (Aerospace Village) • Kandy Phan (Sandia National Labs) • Rajendra K. Raj (RIT) • Drew Recker (Lockheed Martin) • Jayla Thirtyacre (FBI
Numerical and Experimental Study of Solidification Behavior in Thermal Storage Systems
No full textThis dissertation investigates thermal energy storage systems for building applications through experimental validation, computational modeling, and geometric optimization of phase change material (PCM) systems. The study addresses limitations in empirical data, HVAC integration, and configuration design for building-integrated storage. A literature review of ice thermal energy storage methods, focusing on resistance networks, quasi-steady techniques, and enthalpy-based formulations, provides the foundation for PCM model development. A shell-and-tube system using PureTemp 8 and ethylene glycol was tested under controlled conditions, and results validated a quasi-steady analytical model with axial discretization as well as CFD simulations using the enthalpy-porosity method. The investigation extended to an air-PCM system employing PureTemp 20 in an inline tube bank downstream of a mini-split air conditioner, with CFD models incorporating SST k–ω turbulence modeling and validated against experimental and analytical benchmarks. Parametric analysis evaluated the influence of airflow rate and inlet temperature on solidification progression, heat transfer, energy storage capacity, and system performance. Geometric optimization compared rectangular and cylindrical encapsulations under constant PCM volume, using Fourier number and thermal-aerodynamic indices to assess design trade-offs. The results provide validated modeling approaches and experimental benchmarks for PCM systems under HVAC-relevant conditions, along with a framework for selecting and optimizing geometries based on application-specific requirements
Robust Adaptive Rigid Body State and Mass Property Estimation Via Unscented Kalman Filter on TSE(3) with Process Noise Estimation
Get PDFMass property estimation, including mass, center of mass, and moment of inertia, is a crucial yet challenging problem in spacecraft autonomy and astrodynamics. Knowledge of mass properties of a spacecraft is essential for future astronautical missions, as changes in the mass properties of a spacecraft due to a shift in cargo distribution often require a careful and costly recalculation to ensure applied control inputs produce the desired results. As spacecraft missions grow in both duration and number, meeting the need for precise and accurate measurements becomes increasingly complex. Stochastic effects, such as angle and velocity random walks, along with persistent external disturbances, lead to drift in state measurements over time. These cumulative errors become significant during long duration missions. To mitigate these effects, some form of state estimation scheme becomes necessary. This thesis presents a robust adaptive estimation scheme, a dual UKF framework de- fined on the tangent bundle of the special Euclidean group, TSE(3), tailored explicitly for nonlinear mass property estimation. The external environmental disturbances due to massive primaries are then modeled via the circular restricted full three-body problem, which extends the classical circular restricted three-body problem by incorporating rigid-body dynamics through the SE(3) formulation. As process noise, a necessary statistical quantity of the system for Kalman-type filters, is often hard to analytically determine, the algorithm is made robust and adaptive to a variety of different systems through the use of a process noise estimation technique. In this thesis, two different methods of process noise estimation are compared to assess their performance and determine which may be an optimal approach. Furthermore, a dual method is selected for state and parameter estimation over a joint method for its robustness in the presence of noisy time-series data and for ease of implementation in the absence of a direct measurement model for mass properties. Finally, the numerical stability of the algorithm is investigated through Monte Carlo analysis, and its performance is demonstrated in numerical simulations of a rigid-body spacecraft in cislunar orbit
The Core-Collapse Supernovae Particle Physics Interactions
Get PDFThis study investigates the role of specific particle physics interactions in simulations of core collapse supernovae, with a focus on understanding how varying levels of inclusion impact the accuracy of gravitational wave predictions and results of simulations. Different research groups often approach these simulations with varying degrees of complexity, cutting corners by omitting certain reactions or simplifying others. This project systematically evaluates the implications of these choices, comparing the particle physics interactions included, the dimensionality of the simulations, and the governing equations used. Our goal is to identify how these factors influence the precision of numerical simulations. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and drawbacks of including different particle interactions, we aim to improve the development of simulations used by instruments like LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory)
Airline Quality Rating 2024 & 2025
No full textThe Airline Quality Rating Report is a product of academic research from the previous co-authors Dr. Dean Headley and Dr. Brent Bowen. The research originated at the W. Frank Barton School of Business, Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. Throughout the 34 years this rigorous research has been conducted at the University of Nebraska, Purdue University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Dr. Bowen and Dr. Headley’s research on the development of the national Airline Quality Rating (AQR) is viewed by more than 75 million people each year and is annually featured by national news outlets such as ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, NBC’s Today Show, C-SPAN, USA Today, The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Aviation Week and Space Technology, the network evening news shows and in numerous other national and international print and electronic media. Bowen and Headley have served as invited expert witnesses before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Operations and as invited speakers and panelists for such groups as the National Academy of Sciences/Transportation Research Board, Department of Transportation, and other congressional and executive panels.
Their body of research has been recognized with awards from the American Marketing Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Travel and Transportation Research Association and others.
After the retirement of both Drs. Headley and Bowen, and careful consideration from the co-authors they invited and endorsed Dr. Andrea Irish, who is a highly qualified researcher at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to continue their work moving forward. For full bios on the former co-authors and current author of this report, please refer to Appendix A
Stable Coronal X-Ray Emission over 20 yr of XZ Tau
Get PDFXZ Tau AB is a frequently observed binary young stellar object in the Taurus Molecular Cloud; XZ Tau B has been classified as an EXOr object. We present new Chandra/HETG-ACIS-S observations of XZ Tau AB, complemented with variability monitoring of the system with XMM-Newton, to constrain the variability of this system and identify high-resolution line diagnostics to better understand the underlying mechanisms that produce the X-rays. We observe two flares with XMM-Newton but find that outside of these flares the coronal X-ray spectrum of XZ Tau AB is consistent over 20 yr of observations. We compare the ensemble of XZ Tau AB X-ray observations over time with the scatter across stars observed in point-in-time observations of the Orion Nebula Cluster and find that both overlap in terms of plasma properties, i.e., some of the scatter observed in the X-ray properties of stellar ensembles stems from intrinsic source variability
SHIELD: Semantic Heuristic Intelligence for Ensuring Legitimate Direction
Get PDFAs the automation of robotic systems becomes increasingly prevalent, the risk of malicious hijacking grows in parallel. While robotic systems maintain human oversight for critical operations, they remain vulnerable to communication channel attacks that can compromise mission integrity. Physical components like firmware and sensors offer inherent security through their specialized nature, but the network communication interfaces between robots and operators present significant attack vectors that could lead to mission compromise, physical damage, or asset loss. This research implements and evaluates a mission assurance framework for ROS2-based autonomous systems. The framework employs a local Large Language Model (LLM) to establish baseline mission parameters, continuously monitor command structures, and detect anomalous instructions that deviate from authorized mission profiles. Our implementation deploys this framework on a physical robot running ROS2 and custom Python 3 modules. The system captures initial mission parameters as a semantic reference model, then continuously validates incoming commands against this model to identify potential attacks. Upon detecting unauthorized command patterns, the system triggers a fail-safe protocol, suspending operations until secure communication is re-established through predetermined authentication methods or, alternatively, continuing to execute the mission based on predetermined settings. We evaluate the framework through a series of controlled communication-channel attacks, measuring detection accuracy, false positive rates, and mission completion metrics. Results demonstrate the practical viability of semantic-based mission assurance mechanisms in preserving operational integrity during active communication compromise attempts. This work contributes to the growing field of cyber-resilient autonomous robotics by providing an implementable approach to mission assurance that balances operational flexibility with security requirements
Critical Thinking with AI: Understanding AI Hallucinations
No full textAm I hallucinating or is it just these citations? This webinar will guide you through the fake citations (hallucinations) that are produced by generative AI programs. You will learn how to determine if a citation is an AI hallucination and learn basic prompt engineering to help minimize hallucinations
Ash Mountain an Ekphrastic Poem by Nicholas Patterson
No full textAsh Mountain is an ekphrastic poem that details the iconic World War II photograph of the Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima. Told through the eyes of a veteran reflecting on sacrifice, unity, and legacy. The poem transforms the still image into a living meditation on resilience. The moment captures six Marines, indistinguishable as individuals, collectively enduring a hard-fought battle. Their motion becomes both literal and symbolic, depicting the struggle to lift not only the flag but also the weight of war, memory, and national identity