This thesis explores open questions regarding molecular forms and interactions of natural and synthetic aromatic compounds present in soils and sediments.
Plant biomass-derived black carbon (biochar) generated through incomplete natural and anthropogenic combustion processes is a major source of aromaticity in terrestrial ecosystems. Chapter one represents a detailed account of...
There is an urgent need to lower the concentration of sulfur in diesel fuels. Growing concern over environmental effects caused by burning sulfur-containing diesel has led the world to higher standards in fuel refinement. Because of these lower standards, many techniques have been researched to remove sulfur containing compounds or...
The discovery of GW170817 provided the first empirical evidence that merging binary neutron star systems are both progenitors of short gamma-ray bursts, as well as the primary sites of the nucleosynthetic rapid-neutron capture process. Initially detected as gravitational wave (GW) and gamma-ray burst (GRB) triggers, GW170817 was well-localized and follow-up...
Civil engineers are aware of the impacts of structures on the global environment but the environmental impacts of a fire within these structures remains unknown. Fires present a unique hazard as it is difficult to predict the probability of the occurrence and the intensity. Traditional methods to identify the environmental...
Improving crop cultivars for use on organic farms is pertinent, as current elite germplasm is less resilient within the more variable context of organic farm environments. Although a growing number of studies have focused on organic plant breeding in cereal crops, very few have focused on vegetable crops, especially those...
Since the collapse of World Trade Center building number seven (WTC7), significant research has been done to understand the behavior of steel structures in fire and enable engineers to account for the behavior of steel framing systems exposed to fire during design. Despite these efforts, there are still significant barriers...
The behavior of mass timber beam-to-column connections under seismic loading is not yet well understood. Mass timber beam-to-column connections must have the ability to maintain load-carrying capacity despite the deformations that will be imposed on all components of the building during seismic events. This behavior is called deformation compatibility. The...
As bipedal robots move ever closer to being integrated into all manner of real world envi-ronments there is a necessity to push their dynamic capabilities to meet or exceed those of humans and animals. Advancements must be made to address ordinary challenges that arise everyday in the same environments that...