Improvement behaviors, specifically double loop, have been linked to successful lean implementations. Although the lean literature supports individual cognitive transformation to double loop learning as an important element of lean success, there remains a strategic methodology to achieve sustainable double loop behavior. Perceptions toward behavior and employee satisfaction have been...
Geospatial data analysis is a multifaceted discipline encompassing the collection, processing, and visualization of diverse datasets. It models and delineates the interactions of people, objects, and phenomena within geographical spaces and predicts patterns based on the relationships between different locations. Despite significant advancements in geospatial data engineering and analytics over...
The HENRI system was developed to narrow the pulse width of TREAT from 89 ms to below 60 ms with the goal of improving the test reactor's ability to simulate RIAs in LWRs by rapidly injecting helium-3, a strong neutron poison, into the core. A coupled model using the CFD...
This dissertation presents novel, field-activated smart material systems for the actuation and control of autonomous robots. Smart materials, a type of material whose properties can be changed with an external stimuli, represent a promising direction to expand upon existing robotic control and actuation methods, particularly in the sub-fields of soft...
Ultrafast spectroscopy has recently gained momentum as a powerful, noninvasive characterization toolset capable of studying a diverse array of samples with applications in chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, and more. Two popular ultrafast spectroscopic techniques include femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) and femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS). The latter of these techniques...
Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, entailing a significant socioeconomic impact. A primary source of back pain can be attributed to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration allowing nerve ingrowth, facet joint arthritis, disc bulging, and osteophyte formations that press on nearby nerve roots or the spinal cord. While...
Hyperuricemia is the condition of excessive presence of plasma uric acid ≥ 6 mg/dl. Conventional clinical/hospital urate-lowering treatment includes the administration of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs or xanthine oxidase inhibitors. Numerous drawbacks can be observed from these conventional treatments. In patients with refractory gout symptoms and tumor lysis syndrome, recombinant uricase...
The accelerated development in water-energy systems calls for advanced modeling and optimization tools to improve technologies’ performance. Water desalination is a manifestation of water-energy system that is challenged by different operational constraints. The scarcity and uneven distribution of freshwater around the world makes water desalination an indispensable process to address...
Ultrafast spectroscopy can exploit the structure-function relationship of chemical- and biological-based systems. More specifically, femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) provides ground- and excited-state vibrational information with simultaneously high spectral (spatial) and temporal resolutions. The electronic counterpart, femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA), complements FSRS data analysis as part of a comprehensive approach...
Arctic warming is exposing thawing permafrost to repeated freeze-thaw, a disruptive process that can alter soil biogeochemistry and physical structure. To investigate the impact of permafrost exposure to freeze-thaw, soil response was tested across three scales: 2.5 cm³ aggregates, a forested hillslope, and two sites at contrasting latitudes. XCT imaging...