ABSTRACT. In accordance with Hershey's Corporate Social Responsibility, Hershey Chocolate of Virginia (HoV) is trying to mitigate its impact on climate change and the environment. They are striving to become more sustainable and efficient in operation by exploring alternatives in waste disposal management, and onsite renewable energy generation via an anaerobic digester. Hershey Chocolate of Virginia is seeking to increase the solid content of its anaerobic digester’s waste sludge to reduce waste removal costs, increase efficiency, and to process more waste. We helped HoV accomplish this through the implementation of a dewatering system for their onsite anaerobic digester, and by conducting a cost benefit analysis of the system with a focus on sludge removal costs. The final deliverables includes an Excel detailing the cost savings, a professional report detailing our findings, and two presentations to key members of Hershey on our findings.

ABSTRACT. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an emergent and adaptable human pathogen commonly found in hospitals. P. aeruginosa is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis patients and poses an additional threat to immuno-compromised patients as a result of its pathogenicity. The promise of bacteriophage therapy has gained recent interest due to the need of an alternative yet effective treatment to combat multi-drug resistant isolates. A potential strategy involves using an endolysin; a class of lytic enzymes that hydrolyze the bacterial cell wall in the viral replicative process. Continuing further, purification of bacteriophage endolysins for clinical use offers promising results given their potential broad range, effectiveness, and ability to bypass regulatory frameworks. To help in the establishment and validation of a standardized approach to bacteriophage endolysin therapy, six unique Pseudomonas phages have been isolated and sequenced being PlaquesPlease, Stalingrad, DDSR119, Waldo5, Persinger, and Dolphis. Through genomic analysis of the Pseudomonas phages using DNA master, an endolysin has been chosen based on the conservation of the endolysin protein sequence. Using a conserved protein sequence or can aid in illustrating the relation between the protein motifs and antibacterial efficacy of an endolysin. The chosen endolysin gene will then be cloned, purified, and tested on Pseudomonas species for bactericidal activity.

ABSTRACT. The production and degradation of starch within the plant system is key for the survival of the organism during day and night cycles. The stored energy is harnessed through the work of many different enzymes, including the family of proteins: β-Amylases. Breaking down long chains of starch into smaller carbohydrates, including the disaccharide maltose. The model organism Arabidopsis thaliana has 9 different β-Amylases (BAM) proteins. Some, but not all of the BAM’s have the ability to hydrolyze starch. 2 of the inactive proteins are hypothesized to be transcription factors as they contain N-terminal DNA binding domains. Each BAM seems to have its own unique characteristics, although the specificity in these functional differences is not clear. The protein of interest is BAM2 as it is the only protein to have allosteric regulation in that it needs KCl to be active. Another unique feature being that BAM2 displays sigmoidal kinetics while the other active BAMs exhibit hyperbolic kinetics. The objective of our research is to create an assay that can show the kinetics of BAM proteins, that is both rapid and sensitive while also having the ability to collect real time data. This is done using the complex Maltose Binding Protein – Green Fluorescence Protein (MBP-GFP). When maltose is bound to MBP it causes conformational changes to GFP allowing it to become active and fluoresce. Molecules that are not maltose will produce less of a fluorescence when compared to the fluorescence seen when the reduced sugar maltose is bound. In essence we will be able to track the production of maltose from chains of starch to see the kinetics of different BAM proteins. We saw that inducing an environment of MBP-GFP and Starch/Maltodextrin with BAM1 created a 2x and 3x increase in fluorescence respectively.     

ABSTRACT. The rapid movement to industry 4.0 involves developing smart manufacturing processes and systems. The decision-making process in the manufacturing automatic process control at the machine level is usually linear and direct decisions unlike human operators that can use cognitive judgment to control the quality and sustainability of a process. The research on analyzing feedback and non-linear relations at the machine level is limited within manufacturing sustainability research. The objective of this study is to integrate data analysis and feedback loops into machine sustainability process control and enable dynamic decision making by analyzing non-linear relations at the machine level. The method incorporates feedback theory from system dynamics and machine digital machine control. A case study was conducted on a laboratory prototype composed of a mini CNC mill, Arduino, raspberry pi and a series of sensors for process control. The prototype makes a dynamic decision (stop or continue) to protect a machine tool by analyzing process temperature data, machining program information, and quality requirement. The result from this research contributes engineering management community by providing a sustainable decision-making solution for the advancement of developing smart manufacturing systems.

ABSTRACT. Managing labor intensive warehouse logistics usually involves challenges such as lack of standardization and tracking accuracy. Department productivity tracking provides meaningful information for warehouse management decision makers regarding forecasting, budget control, and efficiency improvement. This study focuses on a module based structure industry which has become popular in commercial events because of its convenience of assembly and disassembly. The objective of this study is to develop a systems approach for productivity improvement in labor intensive module structure warehouses. The method incorporates operations management principles and utilizes creative method design from systems science to systemically improve labor productivity in the warehouse. A case study was conducted on a construction based labor department of the company Hargrove LLC. On-site data was collected and analyzed to quantitatively measure the performances of various operations. The developed method is able to enhance labor productivity and generate reliable forecast of production and economic requirements. The outcome of this research will include a reduction in production uncertainties, contributing to the engineering management by providing a viable way to improve warehouse logistics productivity.

ABSTRACT. Despite many improvements in awareness and technological changes, drinking and driving (DWI) in the United States continues to be a serious issue taking more than 10,000 lives annually and, in Virginia, over 250 lives each year. Over the last 30 years, there have been substantial reductions in DWI fatalities and crashes. However, these gains occurred in the first fifteen years. During the previous 20 years, DWI fatalities have remained relatively constant as a percentage of all fatal crashes. This project collected secondary data from multiple sources, develop a DWI data set of DWI in Virginia, reviewed the DWI literature, and talked to experts to develop a formal system dynamics computer simulation model. The model was used to endogenously replicate historical data, examine future trends, and to test different countermeasures aimed at reducing DWI in Virginia. The paper concludes that past efforts to curb DWI have been successful, but only up to a point. Our dynamic hypothesis is that social drinkers have left the system and thus reduced the incidence of DWI, and that hardcore drinkers have not responded and remain in the system. The conclusion is that countermeasures need to be re-thought for hardcore drinkers and that a passive technological solution will be required to further reduce DWI in Virginia to an acceptable level of zero fatalities.

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this project is to assess the likelihood of a United States’ withdrawal from the Middle East in order to support the creation of effective Russian foreign policy. It will look at the potential hypotheses to explain this phenomenon, informed by multidimensional cultural, social, geospatial, and political explorations of the aforementioned issue. The question of likelihood of U.S. withdrawal will be evaluated through the application of multiple methods including Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, Geospatial Analysis, and Causal Analysis through Causal Loop Diagramming/Systems Dynamics. Conclusions from each of these methodologies will help to inform the next, resulting in a comprehensive study of the current situation and power dynamics of the region. The individual methods will allow for a thorough representation of the various multidimensional aspects of the problem that will be assessed; therefore, creating a more inclusive and precise judgment of the problem at hand. Conclusions from this analysis will also provide necessary and new insight to Russian government decision-makers who are interested in U.S. policy and actions in the region. Russian customers could utilize this information in order to assess and modify their own strategies of influence and control within the region. The conclusion gleaned from the evaluation of this question is pertinent in helping the Russian Government reevaluate its role in the Middle East. While many countries hold stakes in the Middle East, the primary focus of this evaluation will center on U.S. and Russian actions, involvements, and options in the future.

ABSTRACT. Sponsored by Deloitte, the goal of the project is to assess the adoption and implications of artificial intelligence such as unmanned weaponry, facial recognition, and machine learning by China, Russia, and Iran. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the beginning of using computer science to automate processes of human intelligence into machines, teaching them to “learn”. This technology is becoming widely sought after and is creating a competition between state actors in a race to develop and implement the technology in a variety of ways. The project will identify key causal variables within each individual actor and technology trend and converge the two to create plausible future scenarios for the implementation of the AI technology. The analysis will hopefully close a gap in information about the future implications of AI in the next 10 years and help the United States Government identify, anticipate, and prepare for them.

ABSTRACT. Technological improvements and increased accessibility to educational resources, systems, networks, and technology allow malevolent actors and nation-states to turn to asymmetric cyber warfare due to its low cost, relative anonymity, and potential for high reward. Two important nation-states that use cyber as a part of their military strategy are Iran and North Korea. Previous research has been done on their relationships, infrastructure, and cyber actions separately, however there is information that can be gained from looking at these different areas in the context of a military strategy. This analysis assesses Iran and North Korea’s implementation of cyber into their overall military strategy via their partnerships, proxy groups, and technical infrastructure. Understanding the similarities and differences of North Korea and Iran’s cyber strategies helps to better understand the complex and evolving problem of cyber warfare. The implications of our findings are a better understanding of the cyber threats against the United States and identifying Iran and North Korea’s potential targets and vulnerabilities, since that is where our sponsor has a vested interest.The research uses a variety of analytical methodologies, including timelines, social network analysis, divergent scenario development, and strategic relevance check.

ABSTRACT. China’s use and development of adversarial artificial intelligence (AI) promotes their ability to engage in cyber warfare, obtain personal data, and lead technological innovation on a global scale. Chinese nationals have repeatedly hacked into networks, both publicly and privately owned, in order to illegally obtain personal information as seen from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hack of 2015 and the Equifax hack of 2017. Additionally, the popular social media platform, Tik Tok, is owned by a Beijing-based company and is currently under national security review because of its potential ability to gain intimate data from the user’s personal device. This project utilizes structured analytic techniques and tools in order to better understand how China interacts with other companies, financial institutions, and academic institutions to further develop and later deploy adversarial AI. Such techniques will also aid in the development of unlikely but significantly impactful scenarios as well as highlight China’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their current AI strategy. It allows us to better understand the potentially harmful implications the US is facing and will face in the AI realm as well as provide opportunities for the US to better protect its citizens and national interests.

ABSTRACT. Since 2014, the amount of white supremacist groups in the United States has grown steadily over time and in 2018 hit the highest it ever has in history. There are concerns that if this trend continues then their impact and capabilities will increase the spread of hateful ideologies across America. This project mainly analyzes the group’s funding along with their online and public presence that fueled the rise of white supremacist groups and how they sustain themselves and overcome obstacles in order to continue to survive in today’s society. Given all of this, intelligence analysts and law enforcement can potentially use these findings to better deal with the current pattern that we are witnessing and determine the most prominent factors to focus on when combating white supremacist spread of influence.

ABSTRACT. We studied the determining factors for integrating Competitive Intelligence (CI) software into businesses everyday processes. In doing so, our research objective was to gain insight as to why some major firms and some smaller firms are adopting various CI software, as well as the impact of that software, in order to help firms understand the diverse costs and benefits. We conducted plenty of research through over fifteen interviews with employees at large companies on their employment, or lack thereof, of CI software. We found that the firms that employ CI software were in agreement, holding a relatively positive view towards their chosen software. There was plenty of overlap of multiple significant features that firms were reliant on, such as freeing up analysts from the collection process, allowing more time for analysis and data management. Through the Comparative Influence Classification, we determined that factors such as budget, alternative software capabilities, and capability to scale to a large firm were all drivers in the decision-making process in choosing to employ CI software. Counterfactual reasoning was another method used to help generate useful and impactful results for our client. This method is futures based, so it allowed us to generate three plausible future scenarios involving the CI software market to analyze how various purchasing trends such as price, scalability, and customizability would be impacted by that scenario. Specifically, one scenario generated saw a sharp increase in the diversity and capability of CI software which could lead to many firms down-sizing and getting rid of some employees that can be replaced by this software. We observed that the majority of firms who do employ CI specific software are pleased with the results and outcomes. However, it is not a necessity for a firm to adopt this software in order to be successful. If a small business has the budgetary capabilities, it is recommended to demo numerous CI software to see if the interests aligns with the specific firm, as there are notable businesses that are gaining benefit.

ABSTRACT. Increasing global demand, combined with the volatility of fossil fuels, has called for a large-scale increase in renewable energy production. Photovoltaics hold significant potential, but by nature, solar energy is intermittent and lacks dispatchability. We are working alongside researchers from around the world to create innovative solutions that utilize semiconductors found in solar cell technologies in new ways. Our project harnesses photoelectrochemical water-splitting, which uses light energy to dissociate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. When the water-splitting device is submerged in saltwater and illuminated by sunlight, oxygen and hydrogen gas are produced on opposite surfaces, and can be either released or collected and stored for later use. This device imitates the light-driven catalysts found in the chloroplasts of photosynthesizing plants, which is why it is so aptly named the artificial leaf. Stored hydrogen can be burned in a fuel cell, producing electricity with a byproduct of pure water and no greenhouse gas emissions. In the lab, we are investigating two strategies to improve artificial leaves: introducing a transparent, electrically-conducting scaffold made from textured SnO2:Sb to support the BiVO4 water-splitting photocatalyst, and applying a thin FeOOH co-catalyst coating to the BiVO4 surface to enhance the efficiency of the water-splitting process.

While this process has not yet achieved optimum efficiency, we are continuing the experimental effort to improve the performance of JMU artificial leaf prototypes. Once fully integrated into society, hydrogen produced from artificial leaves can be burned in small fuel cells  in hydrogen-powered vehicles, while large-scale fuel cells can be used to provide both electricity and fresh water to island and coastal communities. Studying the artificial leaf as an emerging technology allows researchers to identify sociotechnical imaginaries through scenario analysis and systems dynamics modeling. Insights collected from experts in the field will inform project characteristics as design fictions are implemented. Existing policies, cultural views, stakeholder analyses, ethical key questions, local job/revenue creation, and the co-production of technology and society are each thoroughly explored to hypothesize how artificial leaves will be integrated into coastal communities.

ABSTRACT. The use of plastic packaging in the US has increased 120 times since 1960. A major industry contributing to immense plastic waste is the beauty industry. The beauty industry is constantly changing and growing in light of an influx of celebrity influencers on social media platforms. According to National Geographic, it has become a five hundred billion dollar per year industry globally; and it largely relies on plastic packaging. This project is about the power of influence. What causes one to make the switch to a more sustainable lifestyle? We are investigating how we can influence consumer behavior within the beauty industry. By analyzing social media and surveying students, we are studying marketing strategies, social psychology, and “influencer” techniques to encourage consumers and businesses to “go green”. Inspired by the quickly adopted “no-straw” movement, how can we translate that consumer motivation to other products?

ABSTRACT. This project addresses positive and negative impacts of using a vertical hydroponic system for small-scale food production. The experiment conducted in this study compares two indoor vertical grow tower systems; a hydroponic grow tower and a soil-based grow tower. In particular, this experiment explores the units' embodied energy costs, maintenance costs, the nutrient quality of the plants grown in water vs. soil, payback time, and trade-offs when compared to purchasing foods from a larger agricultural system. For the purposes of this research, the focal crop of Red Russian Kale was used across three trials, each trial spanning 28 days. Each harvest was analyzed through biomass yield and nutrient analyses to provide data for: nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, boron, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and aluminum. These data represent the quality of the plants grown in the two growth mediums. Through additional research, the systems have been assessed to determine if the economic value gained by producing food for household level consumption with these methods offsets the initial investment, maintenance, energy, and other costs. This research informs an analysis of how household level hydroponic systems can be evaluated with regard to sustainability and feasibility in an urban setting.

ABSTRACT. This Capstone project is designed to test biochar-based greywater filtrations systems, and grow crops using greywater (filtered and not filtered). The project design includes 3 different types of filters: activated carbon, and large and small biochar. The plants that I will be growing are Mustard seeds and will be in a controlled area at a lab in the ISAT building. All the plants will have the same type of potting soil. There will be a total of 10 trays, two trays for each of the 5 types of water. Inside each tray will be a total of 18 plants. In total I will have 180 plants. These plants are put on trays at a random order. I will also be measuring the plant growth that is occurring, plant tissue sampling and which filter would be best for growth. The type of grey water that I am filtering will be coming from used shower water. The water will come from me and from members of the other greywater capstone Jake, Raven, and Max. The volume of water for each filter during each trial will be 2 liters. The control that I have for this experiment is tap water that will not be filtered through any of the three filters. I will also be testing greywater that has not been filtered on plant growth and nutrient content. When doing the tissue samples for the experiment I will be looking at the amount of nutrient content in the plant and the soil quality.

ABSTRACT. Autonomous vehicles are an emerging technology that could have massive benefits for elderly and handicapped individuals if utilized correctly. These populations are often overlooked when discussing autonomous vehicles, so the purpose of this study was to learn what would make these vehicles most impactful to them. I spoke one-on-one with participants and asked them a series of questions regarding their mobility and car interactions, as well as what those affected individuals know about these vehicles and how they potentially see autonomous vehicles benefitting them.

Results

Conclusion

ABSTRACT. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are overgrowths of algae creating a thick goop on or near the surface of a body of water. They are a major environmental concern in all 50 states. These HABs occur when high concentrations of Aureococcus anophagefferens form due to a variety of environmental factors such as intense sunlight, slow moving water, and elevated levels of nitrogen. These factors leading to excessive HABs are linked and affected by the increase in global climate change as well. In the past 30 years, HABs have become increasingly detrimental, leading to “dead zones” that strip oxygen from the water and end up killing aquatic species. Nutrient pollution from human activities have made this problem significantly worse. To understand what really makes HABs flourish, it’s essential to look at the effect of microbial interactions within algal strains. We collected 3 non-axenic (not pure) strains and 3 axenic (pure) strains of algae in freshwater. These non-axenic strains of algae contain the bacteria aureococcus. By isolating bacteria from non-axenic strains and adding it back to the axenic strains, carrying out long term growth and stress experiments, and performing fluorescent readings, we can determine how the presence of aureococcus affects the growth in HABs formations.

ABSTRACT. As the threat of climate change looms near, the species extinction rate grows higher as intolerant species die off due to overconsumption, habitat loss, invasive species, and pollution, creating the need to act on this extremely complicated system. This project is an attempt to alleviate the burden placed on environmental scientists during this stressful time-period by devising new and improved methodology incorporating modern day technology to more efficiently determine nesting grassland bird populations in Front Royal, Virginia. Grassland birds are an intolerant indicator species that when observed can provide a holistic view of the potential health of the surrounding ecosystems. By combing Infrared Camera technology, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology, the time and man-power required could potentially be reduced, paving way for other research and remediation to be conducted.

ABSTRACT. The sustainable design has been focused on lightweight design and material selection in traditional manufacturing products. The concept of bioinspired design studies geometric and mechanical properties of nature structures and apply the complex geometries into product design. One challenge around this concept is that manufacturing product design is case specific and modifications are usually required to achieve the promising performance. Topology optimization offers a unique way to strategically identify the ideal geometry for product design. The objective of this study is to integrate sustainability considerations into topology optimization for bioinspired structures manufactured with additive processes. The method incorporates economic and environmental considerations as well as additive manufacturing feedstock and process factors in product design and additive manufacturing when evaluating design alternatives of bioinspired structures. The topology optimization is used to locate the near optimized geometry based on the complex biomimicry shapes. The method is demonstrated by a case study on three structures, bone, auxetic and lily pad. Sustainability assessment and finite element analysis were conducted to evaluate the functionality and economic environmental performances of the design alternatives. The results of this research offers new insights into the design, manufacture and application of smart lightweight structures in engineering fields and contributes to the engineering management by providing a systems engineering approach to the lightweight material structure design realm.

ABSTRACT. The United States produces large amounts of plastic waste including sixty million water bottles being thrown away each day. The goal of our capstone project is to create a self sustaining plastic recycling workshop that can produce lucrative products marketed to several demographics. This will be done by recycling 3D printer scraps procured from 3D printers around campus. We will use these scraps to create new 3D filament and create products from this recycled filament. Once this goal is accomplished we will explore recycling plastic bottles and other plastic products to create 3D filament. This project will also explore an outreach program to inform the local community of the project and the benefit of recycling plastic.

ABSTRACT. With the duties and responsibilities of the military, they are on the cutting edge of R&D and the latest and greatest technologies. One significant problem effecting thousands of soldiers are injuries to the lower limbs, specifically the knees, as a result of high impact to the joints and muscles. Through the research of biomechanics and ergonomics during human locomotion of running, cause and effects fatigue, muscular activation during running, gait cycle force analysis, and biomimicry of kangaroos, we were able to identify lower limb exoskeletons as a viable solution to the problem. The purpose of this research was to develop a relatively inexpensive prototype of a passive lower limb exoskeleton to aid in injury mitigation and muscular efficiency for soldiers. The hypothesis was that a lower limb exoskeleton would reduce injuries by reducing stride length and increases stride frequency to lower impact on the knees while running. The prototype was tested on a 2-mile course with changes to load while running. The key results were seen from the spring systems potential to increase average stride cadence/frequency by 6-14% and reduce impact on joints and muscles by increasing the number of steps and reducing high center of gravity oscillation by 13-27%. Furthermore, this study provides evidence and research that proves that a passive lower limb exoskeleton design, which increases stride frequency and reduces stride length, can mitigate injuries to the lower limbs when running with weight by reducing the impact forces on the knees and improving running economy.

Key Words: Lower limb, exoskeleton, ergonomics, biomechanics, gait cycle, gravity, fatigue, injury, biomimicry, soldiers, efficiency, ruck marches.

ABSTRACT. Synthetic biology is a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field in biology and engineering. Techniques in synthetic biology aim to redesign and manufacture biological components or systems that don’t exist in the natural world. Application of these techniques into undergraduate programs prepares a succession of practitioners to develop creative and impactful solutions for wicked problems. The purpose of this project is to perform a proof-of-principle that new techniques like gene synthesis with DNA oligos and Gibson Assembly can be successfully implemented in an intermediate-level undergraduate course. Benefits of these techniques include their relative ease, versatility, and cost-effectiveness over PCR and restriction enzyme-based gene cloning. The results of this work will inform updates to ISAT 305: Instrumentation and Measurement in Biotechnology for the Fall of 2020.

ABSTRACT. Merck & Co.’s resounding mission is to “Save and Improve Lives”, something that the company executes on by manufacturing and distributing vaccines. According to Julie Gerberding, an Executive Vice President at Merck, one can count the number of lives saved by the company by counting the number of vaccine doses given. One of the highest risks in a vaccine manufacturing facility is the improper preparation of buffers. Buffers, which consist of a mixture of raw materials and water, are critical for shepherding the product through chemical and biological reactions. Improper preparation of buffers has the potential to introduce the wrong set of raw materials to the manufacturing process at the wrong time, resulting in the loss of a batch. In an industry partnership with Merck & Co., this study aims to analyze Raman spectroscopy as a proposed solution to identify improper buffer composition in a product. Raman spectroscopy does not alter chemical composition while maintaining the sterile boundary around a sample, making it favorable in the pharmaceutical industry. Study results will be used to determine if Raman spectroscopy can assess the quality of the buffers involved in this production process.

ABSTRACT. This project considers whether Burnshire Hydroelectric LLC, a mini-hydroelectric operation on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, can regulate its impoundment to assist downstream communities dependent on surface water in times of low river flow. With the unpredictability of weather patterns and a forecast of increased drought associated with climate change, the Burnshire case study is timely, given that the downstream municipality of Strasburg, Virginia, has had to enact water restrictions for residential use on numerous occasions. Following an earlier ISAT capstone that estimated pondage, this project uses that data, in association with regulations, to propose pulsed releases to increase flow, thereby allowing Strasburg to continue operating at close-to-normal levels. This project contributes to a small but growing literature on the possibility of drought relief using the pondage of mini-hydroelectric operations.

ABSTRACT. In the United States and worldwide, scientific organizations have found with great confidence that current energy technologies and practices significantly contribute to global warming. This is due to the scale on which industrialized and developing countries use fossil fuels to drive their economic development. This realization has sparked a global movement to implement sustainable energy technologies such as wind, solar and hydroelectric to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the transition from traditional fuel sources to renewable fuel sources have implications for established energy infrastructures. Grid instability continues to be a challenge as renewables are brought into the electrical grid.

Due to the variable power of wind speeds, solar exposure and river flow, further technological advancements are required to supplement or replace the base load power capacity supplied by traditional thermoelectric power plants. Currently energy storage systems appear to be the best solution for supplying power at opportune times, to mitigate grid instability. Energy storage systems have a simple role in the energy infrastructure which entails storing electricity while demand is low and supplying electricity while demand is high. To prove the viability of energy storage systems, this project summarizes their general technological benefits and performs a case study analyzing the financial benefits of a battery energy storage system for a mini-hydroelectric power plant.

For this case study, Burnshire Hydroelectric, LLC., Woodstock, Virginia, a mini-hydroelectric facility is modelled for an optimal battery energy storage system. The modeling requires the analysis of power production, river flow data, locational price of electricity, and ability to engage in capacity markets. Using river flow data, power production, price of electricity and the cost parameters of battery technologies found in academic research, the return on investment of such system is modelled assuming the plant will actively engage in load following and receive capacity payments from its regional transmission operator.

ABSTRACT. Due to sea level rise, issues such as shoreline erosion and land loss are becoming increasingly severe in areas along the Chesapeake Bay. In Virginia’s Middle Peninsula specifically, these issues present significant challenges to local policy makers to devise long term solutions for problems that are not yet fully understood. Within this report, small-scale projects that increase resilience, such as living shorelines and increased land elevation, are examined to assist in future land use and infrastructure planning decisions as sea level rise continues to challenge coastal communities. As these projects must also meet the water quality regulations of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, the balance of science, policy, and response to an immediate threat can better assist decision makers in planning for the future of sea level rise along the coast of Virginia.

ABSTRACT. Currently in today’s workforce, there is a shortage of employees for manufacturing and labor jobs. At the same time, there is an overwhelming rate of homelessness in which able-bodied citizens are not in position to work or maintain a life. We plan to research and investigate the reasons of homelessness to be able to prepare a solution for a more successful reentry back into society for these citizens as well as help the with getting these employers more employees.

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this capstone is to develop a more efficient process of sorting for a particular subsystem at Friendship industries. The current method used is the pieces are dumped onto a conveyor belt while employees manually sort and place similar pieces into buckets. While a fully automated system would remove the need for the employees, this is not our goal. Friendship Industries employs those who have trouble finding employment elsewhere. Thus, the automated process implemented will assist employees, not remove them.

ABSTRACT. As testing new research and technologies in space with smaller nano-satellites becomes more prevalent, so too do the opportunities for smaller entities to develop more cost effective small satellites from which to test future technologies. The JMU CubeSat team will be developing and testing a wireless mesh network of small satellites. As part of this effort, we will create a secure database, and utilize this data storage and transmission method to offer a service with a goal of providing commercial data transmission in low Earth orbit for a fraction of the cost. CubeSats are becoming an attractive alternative to multi-million dollar satellites for businesses that want to create a network or secure database in space. Our overarching objective is to develop a platform that opens up more research opportunities with a goal to creating scalable technology from which to develop a viable business and to establish a professional network where future students can experience CubeSats and further develop JMU’s engineering and ISAT global footprint.

ABSTRACT. A wide range of technologies have been proposed to explore ways that changing lighting within the environment can positively enhance sleep. In this project, we have developed and implemented a set of lighting protocols in hopes of enhancing sleep in student populations. Using the Philips Hue system, a gradated set of color and brightness levels were programmed into light bulbs. Wirelessly controlled through a hub, we were able to distribute this systems into a number of student housing units in order to test multiple subjects within a single student apartment simultaneously. Subject data were collected using participant surveys before, during, and after each test to determine if the preprogrammed set of changes to lighting in the subject’s sleep environment impacted sleep and sleep satisfaction. Ultimately, it is our hope that this data can serve as a basis for a set of commercially viable lighting systems that can be marketed to enhance the quality of sleep in student populations.

ABSTRACT. This presentation will cover the likes of cloud computing, specifically using an open source tool OpenStack. There will be a slight emphasis on software defined networks (SDN) as it is implemented directly by OpenStack through its networking module Neutron. SDN will first be covered lightly, touching on what it is/does, what it plans to accomplish and lastly, how to implement it in a simple manner using an open source SDN controller, OpenDaylight. From there, this leads directly into the likes of OpenStack, a direct implementation of the SDN framework. Again, OpenStack will be explained, defining what it is, and what it achieves. Then OpenStack's value and future use-case will be evaluated, perhaps comparing it to the likes of the most popular cloud computing platform, AWS. Lastly, the implantation and creation of an OpenStack test scenario will be shown, detailing development stack creation with DevStack, sample image and instance creation (ubuntu server/desktop, windows server & windows 10), along with network and user management.

ABSTRACT. The goal of the project is to recycle used cooking oil from Myanmar to make a useful products such as methyl ester and glycerol. Three samples of oil were collected from the different restaurants in Myanmar during summer 2019. Traditional method of transesterfication of used cooking oil was carried out using sodium hydroxide and methanol to transform the oil into methyl ester. To speed up the reaction, and yield of the product, sodium methoxide was then introduced as a catalyst. The two sets of products from three different samples- one without the catalyst and one with catalyst were then analyzed using FT NMR and IR spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT. The aim of this project was to perform a pre-feasibility assessment of a floating treatment wetland system of two stormwater retention ponds. The ponds in question belong to James Madison University, and serve as a stormwater BMP and mitigation effort for construction runoff as the University plans to expand its East Campus. Effects of increased construction on the ponds’ water quality, overall ecological health, and aesthetic appeal pose critical issues. The overall purpose of this project was to cross-analyze water quality conditions with the civil engineering plans of two stormwater retention ponds to determine if the system would be viable for pollutant removal, aesthetic improvement, and ecological health of the water. Physical and chemical constituents of the water’s quality were analyzed for a one-year period, including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. Data was analyzed to determine the chemical makeup of the water, the ecological system it supports, and establish if a floating treating wetland system was viable for the removal of phosphate, nitrate, and suspended solids. The physical and structural design, maintenance, and operation requirements of a floating treatment wetland system was assessed against the ponds’ current physical conditions and management plans while a list of native hydroponic plants was compiled and assessed for pollutant removal and cost per planting density.

ABSTRACT. Virtual Reality creates a level of immersion capable of enhancing teaching and learning opportunities. The purpose of this project is to explore the nature of Virtual/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) and how it can be used as an additional teaching tool for higher education through the use of a proof-of-concept. VR/AR have become more prevalent within the last decade, and are slowly integrating their way into our diverse domains, such as the military, medicine, entertainment, and education. While there are current practices of VR/AR in education, this project will focus on promoting their use in higher education by discovering how it can be used effectively and affordably.

ABSTRACT. In recent years, the U.S. automobile industry has shown renewed interest in the electric vehicle. However, the widespread adoption of this technology has been halted because of consumers’ uncertainty and lack of knowledge associated with electric vehicles. This project explores the three main concerns amongst consumers that impede the widespread adoption of electric vehicles: an insufficient battery range and associated range anxiety, a lack of charging infrastructure to support an electric transportation industry, and the high upfront cost of an electric vehicle. After exploring these factors, we have three preliminary conclusions: (1) range can meet the daily needs of most consumers, but is still not sufficient for long-range trips, (2) more public charging infrastructure needs to be installed for multi-dwelling use, as well as for long-range trips, and (3) the price of an electric vehicle will continue to decline as more consumers adopt the technology. This project further analyzes these barriers specific to Virginia and provides an assessment of how equipped Virginia is to support an electric transportation sector.

ABSTRACT. In doing this one of the key elements was assessing where James Madison University is as a campus. Doing this a critical view was taken of the documents published by the university and descriptions of awards given. Next, they were analyzed how this meshed with what students were being taught in courses over many departments. Towards the end, the next steps were gauged for what would be best to improve the environmental impacts. In doing this our main resources were interviews with staff at James Madison and other community members, we also used online reports to see the ways that they view their operations.

ABSTRACT. This project focuses upon using geospatially gathered data points, Pathfinder Office software and ArcGIS to develop several different maps of First Mountain State Forest for the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF). These maps include spatial data from the Rockingham GIS Department, ESRI’s Aerial Imagery captured through GeoEye, and data collected by myself. These maps and data points are to be used in conjunction with another project, overseen by Dr. Ahmad Salman, in which the water quality of the different tributaries within First Mountain State Forest is to be tested in order to determine if the area is habitable for Brook Trout that currently reside in the polluted Shenandoah, South and South Fork Shenandoah Rivers. In order to do this, the property needs to be visually represented in detail so that the team that is testing the water can accurately, effectively and efficiently find and test significant tributaries that feed into Boone’s Run proper.

ABSTRACT. Research thus far has established a general understanding of typical patterns in the US during different ENSO phases, but the relationship between ENSO and lightning has rarely been researched. While El Nino (warm phase) is typically associated with stronger storm patterns in the winter along the Gulf Coast due to a shift in the subtropical jet stream, La Nina (cool phase) has been associated with less rainfall and storm activity in the Gulf Coast. The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between planetary teleconnections, synoptic scale air masses, and micro scale phenomena, specifically lightning data, in the continental United States. A few studies have looked into global variability of lightning on ENSO time scales, but because of the global scale and non-integration of a synoptic classification, they deviate from the methodology used in this research. This study involves analyzing the lightning distribution from 2002 to 2015 within the SSC air mass based on the ENSO conditions spatially, temporally, and statistically. Patterns in the lightning frequency and density and the air mass type frequency is assessed in correlation with the ENSO conditions of the time period: weak, moderate, or strong warm/cool phases or neutral phases. These patterns are first assessed on a national scale looking at overall ENSO distribution for lightning in all seasons. Then, winter lightning is studied in relation to ENSO and the SSC air mass type. Lastly, a reanalysis of synoptic characteristics of the highly correlated events will be assessed to understand how the lightning pattern occurred.

ABSTRACT. As technology continues to develop and become more advanced, researchers can collect vast amounts of data over extended periods. This is incredibly useful when conducting research on the changes in the environment and the human landscape. However, when dealing with large quantities of data it can become difficult to process, analyze, and ensure the accuracy of the analysis. While conducting analysis on lightning patterns over Bangkok, Thailand from 2012 to 2019, processing methods were developed to conduct analysis for such a large dataset. The processing methods were then repeated over another city in Thailand. Utilizing opensource software, databases, and graphical models, efficient and repeatable analysis was conducted.

ABSTRACT. Dust has been a long-term issue for most manufacturing plants. Specifically, this capstone addresses respirable dust at Hershey of Virginia manufacturing plant. A mixture of peanut dust, sugar, flour, and other material collects on surfaces in the area. The Stuarts Draft plant employs over 12,000 local workers. This makes respirable dust a hazard for thousands of people as they interact with various machines and ingredients at the plant. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 provides Industrial Hygiene (IH) standards that Hershey must adhere to. Students will work with the plant’s Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Specialist, Kimberly Shimko, through the beginning of 2020 to address the dust issue. The goal of this project is to complete an industrial hygiene consultation regarding dust collecting in the peanut press area of the factory and propose a solution to mitigate the issues found.

ABSTRACT. Accurate impervious surface calculations are important to many municipalities due to the high volumes of surface rainwater runoff caused by high impervious surface density. Municipalities must deal with this runoff through the establishment and maintenance of drainage facilities. To help offset the added cost of these facilities, many municipalities impose taxes and fees on privately owned impervious surfaces such as homes, driveways and patios. Currently, in order for a city like Harrisonburg to calculate tax parcel impervious surface density, aerial images must be manually digitized or mapped autonomously using predictive models. These methods of impervious surface calculations can cost municipalities thousands of dollars and/or hundreds of man hours. The purpose of this project is to devise and test a novel procedure for updating municipal tax parcel impervious surface calculations in an effort to help reduce the time and cost currently required to perform these updates. The devised procedure establishes a statistical relationship between current aerial imagery attributes, such as mean pixel value, texture, homogeneity, etc. and past impervious surface calculations. Tax parcels where actual impervious surface density differed greatly from the model’s expected density were flagged to be looked at manually for possible update. This procedure is useful to municipalities because it vastly cuts costs and labor time compared to other methods currently available. Although this project is a case study for the City of Harrisonburg, this procedure could potentially be tailored to other municipalities that have access to high resolution aerial imagery and pre-existing impervious surface maps.

ABSTRACT. Hodges Draft is a small brook trout stream in Augusta County on the proposed route of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. For nearly 4 years, this stream was monitored monthly for water quality and habitat conditions at locations above and below the proposed crossing using protocols established by Trout Unlimited. In March 2018, tree felling took place to clear the route for pipeline construction. This tree felling occurred approximately 150 yards above the lowest sampling location directly adjacent to the stream and on a very steep slope. Since that time, pipeline construction has been suspended which provided an opportunity to evaluate tree felling in isolation from other construction-related impacts. To evaluate the impact of the tree felling, this study compares water quality and habitat conditions before and after the activity. Both upstream sampling locations on Hodges Draft as well as a location on nearby Ramseys Draft are used for comparison to the impacted location. Water quality as measured by temperature, conductivity, and clarity shows no statistically significant response to the tree felling. Habitat conditions as measured using pebble counts show a possible trend towards finer-grained materials but significant natural variability exists in these measurements. All of the data for this study are shared through a citizen science portal with the larger effort by Trout Unlimited to monitor pipeline impacts should construction activities commence in the future

ABSTRACT. The goal of this research is to develop an algorithm which can be applied to radar imagery to detect change. This technique would allow changes due to redevelopment, natural or man-made disaster, varying economic conditions, or other unforeseen factors to be more easily detected. The National Aerial Imaging Program's(NAIP)high resolution imagery is only obtained during certain years, which creates a deficiency in the process of change detection during the years which imagery is not obtained. This affects decision makers who may need to rely upon this data to make informed choices about policy or disaster response. The National Landcover Dataset will be used to train the algorithm we develop. We have elected to assess if the more easily accessible L-Band radar imagery, obtained during interim years of NAIP imagery, from NASA JPL's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar(UAVSAR) can be utilized with the algorithm applied to it, to help rectify this deficiency.

ABSTRACT. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and many Haitians are not able to sufficiently provide food for themselves and their families. The people of La Gonâve, an island located in Haiti’s Gulf of Gonâve, are no exception. With eroded, infertile soil and unsustainable practices such as deforestation and nonproductive gardening, it is necessary to offer a means by which people can provide for themselves. This plan aims to address this issue by establishing a community garden, as well as fruit trees to promote tree planting and preservation, in the town of Nan Boukan, La Gonâve. To this end, various types of plants were researched for their viability in the climatic and soil conditions of La Gonâve, via journal reports and entries by gardening experts. Three fruits and vegetables were chosen for their lack of complex growing requirements, resiliency in heat and poor soil, and usefulness to the people of Nan Boukan. Two fruit trees were chosen for similar purposes, as well as for their potential level of contribution to reforestation efforts. While this plan seeks to establish sustainability in vegetation-growth, it was determined that a singular model of a potentially wide-reaching plan would be ideal for spreading these practices. Community members would be compensated to monitor and upkeep the planting site, and an educational pamphlet would be provided to community members to promote and inform about sustainable planting. Because immediate crises like poverty and hunger prevent many Haitians from picturing long-term solutions, the success of this plan lays in encouraging people to plan ahead and consider preparatory methods that will be able to provide resources indefinitely down the line.

ABSTRACT. Dust accumulation and buildup within manufacturing facilities can cause numerous health effects for workers. This risk can also put workers and the surrounding community at risk of hazardous explosions. Dust explosions are catastrophic events that can occur within an industrial setting when combustible dust comes in contact with an ignition source or when accumulations reach a particular threshold. These explosions can result in injury or death to workers near the event and catastrophic damages to the plant. In 2008, the Imperial sugar refinery plant located in Georgia experienced a dust explosion within the factory resulting in fourteen deaths and forty injuries. The Hershey manufacturing facility, located in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, has several issues with excessive dust buildup, particularly in their sugar pulverizing section. This buildup is the result of manufacturing processes that handle certain ingredients such as sugar and cornstarch which have the ability to take form as dust particles and pose a risk for combustion.

ABSTRACT. In light of the increasing popularity of electric vehicles in recent years, it is important to know, from the producer’s and consumer’s perspectives, what the future holds and how to follow the trends. This project does not only focus on the feasibility of removing an internal combustion engine from a vehicle and replacing it with lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor, but also the possibilities and impacts of the widespread implication of this type of technology into the society we live in today. That being said, the main focus of the project to date, is the physical and economic feasibility of the do-it-yourself gas to electric conversion of a motorcycle, specifically a 1985 Honda Nighthawk CB650SC. This first phase of the project involves the entire process of building a working electric vehicle from the empty frame of a once gas-powered motorcycle. The next phase of the project will be focused on the complimentary infrastructure, mainly solar charging. This will include an in-home solar charging station to reduce the amount of power taken from the grid as well as smaller solar panels integrated into the motorcycle itself for quick, incremental charges at rest stops or when the motorcycle is not at home. Because of the lack of technology in present day, finding a better power source for the electric motor will be saved for the third phase. As of now, the motorcycle will be powered by lithium-ion batteries with a specific energy of 200 W-h/kg, but the goal is to utilize the 500 W-h/kg that lithium-sulfur batteries will provide once they become available for commercial use.

ABSTRACT. Building materials are an essential component in determining a home’s energy efficiency. The process of heating and cooling a building accounts for more than half of residential energy consumption in the United States. By incorporating Styrofoam, we hope to improve a home’s energy envelope due to its well-insulated properties. Styrofoam waste is a growing issue among waste management because there are limited recycling outlets for the material. Our project aims to provide an outlet for Styrofoam waste while developing a solution to improve home energy efficiency. This problem was approached from a holistic view between the social, economical, and business aspects. The design will be superior to common building materials such as wood framing, Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) blocks, and cinder blocks, because of its lightweight characteristics, thermal properties, and durability. The Styrofoam block was designed with the goal to minimize cement use while reducing the overall weight and cost. The Styrofoam was obtained from local Sentara locations after being used for insulin packaging. A full scale design was then produced to ensure the product’s viability and to further test the structural and thermal properties. While testing was in process, customer development interviews were conducted to understand the market perspective of the product. Based on the interviews conducted, it was determined that there is a viable market and need for our product to achieve a sustainable future. Styrofoam waste is a growing concern, and this innovative building material is one solution to solving this problem.

ABSTRACT. The ever-growing global energy demand and the mounting environmental impact due to increasing consumption of fossil fuels call for not only more utilization of renewable energy sources but also more conservation of energy, higher energy system efficiency, and more recoveries of energy from waste heat. Power production from low-grade heat sources ranging from 80°C to 150°C can be achieved via the use of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) which operates at lower evaporating to condensing pressure ratio than conventional steam-based Rankine cycle. The main goal of this proposed project is to build a heat recovery system on James Madison University campus using the spent domestic hot water from one of its students’ dormitories as heat source to generate electricity via an expander that was converted from an air-conditioning scroll compressor and runs in an organic Rankine cycle.

ABSTRACT. The use of drones for search and rescue can greatly increase the effectiveness of search and rescue teams. The ability to have a drone autonomously search landscapes for people would further increase the effectiveness of search and rescue teams as a person would not have to control the drone, allowing them to contribute to the effort on the ground. These autonomous drones will be built from scratch and equipped with the necessary components to process the data locally, creating an independent autonomous system. By using reinforcement learning for autonomous flight and thermal image recognition, we plan to make autonomous search and rescue drones an integral part of search and rescue teams.

ABSTRACT. One of the many issues facing the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) today is the growing overload of data that analysts need to sort through and exploit. According to the World Economic Forum, the world’s data is expected to reach 44 trillion gigabytes by 2020, meaning that there are “40 times more bytes than there are stars in the observable universe.” For the IC, this means that technology needs to assist analysts in sorting the collected data, and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) may have the solution. The DIA is currently developing a multi-dimensional program incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, which will streamline data collection and analysis to find critical information and patterns quicker. However, seemingly no one knows how to integrate these new and complex technologies into the analytic tradecraft of the U.S. IC without significantly disrupting the intelligence cycle, agency cultures, and established analytic standards. The goal of our project is to provide valuable insight into this problem to determine the inter-related impact of technology integration on analysts and agencies, how the technologies will likely change intelligence collection and analysis, and offer a recommendation on how to integrate the technologies to achieve the best results.

ABSTRACT. This project analyzes the effect of the Venezuelan Humanitarian Crisis on the United States as well as neighboring countries such as Colombia and Brazil. The report further studies the competing power dynamics between Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, and his internationally recognized challenger, Juan Guiado. The power struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guiado is causing significant social and economic impact in the region, more specifically Colombia and Brazil. Their struggle to provide resources for their citizens while trying to manage the impacts of the large numbers of refugees entering the country is leading to a shortage of resources and an increase in conflict. Through the utilization of Causal Loop Diagramming and Geospatial Analysis, this project will comprehensively present the current state of Venezuela and the region. The purpose of the analysis is to provide the United States with a firm understanding of the framework of the issue to assess future strategies for U.S. economic interests, as well as track trends in a rise of anti-american sentiment in the region.

ABSTRACT. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment plan that has forged geopolitically strategic economic, political, and security ties between China and Africa. With Chinese weapons exports to Africa exponentially rising within the last decade, China is creating greater profit margins in this industry by establishing arms production facilities within several African countries using the BRI, creating potential risks for U.S. interests in this region. This research project aims to investigate the likelihood of China building more armament factories in the continent, as well as forecast where said factories will be located based on China’s motives and international strategy. Multidimensional methodologies that enforce critical thinking are utilized to minimize cognitive biases and bridge gaps in knowledge, such as Counterfactual Reasoning and Hypothesis Testing. Geospatial tools that provide a mechanism for targeting locations are also employed throughout the research process, including the application of satellite imagery and ArcGIS products. Applying these methodologies and technologies helps the team establish a comprehensive examination of the topic at hand, reducing the number of assumptions made and mitigating potential limitations of the data available.

ABSTRACT. The Southern islands of the Philippine Archipelago have seen persistent Islamic insurgency since the late 1960s. After decades of conflict between the Government of the Philippines and ethnically Moro secessionist groups, the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) marks the final conclusion to the Moro Conflict in the Southern Philippines. Carving out an autonomous region within the Southern Philippine island of Mindanao dubbed the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the BOL provides the first opportunity for self-rule by the Moro people since the 19th century. Headed by a governing body comprised of former Islamic insurgent fighters and Philippine government officials, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has been given the responsibility of ensuring the enforcement of the provisions of the BOL.

However, persistent challenges continue to threaten the law’s implementation, and endanger the relative peace that has followed the end of the Moro Conflict. Corrupt and bureaucratically inefficient local governments, deep-seated clan hostilities, hold-over Islamic insurgent groups, and the complicated process of disarming and integrating former insurgent fighters into civilian life all threaten the newly formed government’s ability to enforce its laws and protect its citizenry. The success or failure of enforcement of the BOL will have serious security and political implications for both the Mindanao islands and the ratifying Duterte Administration.

Using futures directed analytical thinking strategies alongside Intelligence Community Structured Analytic Techniques, our team seeks to forecast plausible developments of governance and security within the BARMM over the next two years leading up to the 2022 Philippine presidential elections. Following the formation and curation of select scenarios most likely to occur within the BARMM in the next two years, our team strives to compile a list of indicators that our client—the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC)—can use to monitor the onset of our projected scenarios.

ABSTRACT. Properties and Analysis of Kon Tiki Kiln Produced Biochar

ABSTRACT. In light of the future consequences of climate change, this capstone project highlights sustainable practices which can be incorporated on both the individual and communal scale to aid in ecosystem and community resilience, and further involves analyzing the opportunity for the integration of sustainable urban farming techniques as well as green infrastructure into local communities. In a formal lab setting as well as at the local nonprofit Vine & Fig, our team conducted experiments on crops grown using greywater that has undergone biochar filtration. The experiment was designed with the intention of being implemented within urban farms, home gardens, and general landscaping practices. The process highlights the concept of closed loop systems, otherwise known as zero waste systems, and how incorporating such systems can increase community resilience by benefiting municipal waste management, wastewater treatment systems and facilities, as well as increase the health of surrounding ecosystems. A proper greywater system takes water from multiple sources within a household or business and diverts it to be used for growing plants, watering lawns, or even growing crops. This not only repurposes what would traditionally be considered wastewater but also relieves some level of stress on local water sources. Additionally, the filter medium for the greywater system can be made of biochar, another multi-purpose product and process. Biochar can be made from locally sourced biomass, and, via the low-CO2 emitting process of pyrolysis, the production process can generate heat for greenhouses. After the biochar has served as the filtration medium, it can then be incorporated into the soil to increase moisture and nutrient holding capacity, thus reducing the system's waste even further. This study examines the viability of using greywater as well as used biochar filters to grow appropriate foods in place of standard tap water to reduce water consumption and waste.

ABSTRACT. Wind energy is one of the most prominent forms of energy production within the renewable energy sector and it is expected to increase. Currently, wind energy costs approximately $1,300 USD for one kilowatt of electricity which is a number set to decrease to just below $900 USD by the year 2050. Wind energy is much more expensive to produce than solar energy but it is one of the most reliable forms of renewable energy generation. My project will work on decreasing the cost of wind energy significantly. Transportation and construction costs take a bulk of the cost to build a wind turbine, along with maintenance and the volume of material needed in the manufacturing process. I was presented the opportunity to work on a vertical axis wind turbine system that will use bamboo as a predominant building material. By using Moso bamboo in particular, the cost of manufacturing, transportation, and maintenance will be dramatically reduced, making wind energy a much more viable option for both utility and residential. The design resembles a darrieus vertical axis wind turbine but uses bamboo for the shell of the blades combined with sail cloth to complete the shape. The result of which, will bring the weight of the overall system to a fraction of the current systems used today.

ABSTRACT. In recent years, drones have become a practical solution for data collection in both the commercial and academic fields. The use of drones allows for data collection in areas where danger to the user or disrupting the environment is of particular concern such as: military operations and surveillance in locations where maneuverability is difficult. The information gathered by drones may contain sensitive information, leading to an increased value on the security of that data. Without proper security services, information may be used in unforeseen, or even dangerous ways, such as planting false information or leaking particularly sensitive data. To ensure security, services such as confidentiality and authentication are introduced to the system. Confidentiality is performed through encryption which discloses understandable data only to those authorized to view it. Authentication not only ensures the verifiability of the source of the data, but it also ensures integrity which is the accuracy, completeness and consistency of data. Unwanted data manipulation, in addition to making the data useless for its intended purpose, can lead to misguided assumptions of the information and subsequent misinformed actions. To maintain both data confidentiality and data integrity, collected data was encrypted so that even if unauthorized parties were to gain control of the data or hardware, the information would be safe. The objective of this capstone project was to maintain both integrity and confidentiality of the data collected from sensors placed within a node as an autonomous drone traveled to and from each node location. The sensors were built and designed to collect data for rainfall, temperature, humidity, Ultraviolet (UV) index, and soil moisture. The sensors were connected to a Raspberry Pi 0 W and the data collected by the sensors was stored into one categorized, parsable, and time stamped csv file that could be transferred to a Raspberry Pi 3 attached to the drone acting as the central node in the system. The data was transferred from the nodes to the central node located on the drone through a socket connection. A DJI F450 Flamewheel quadcopter served as the drone for experimentation and autonomous flights. A Pixhawk 4 was used alongside a telemetry system, GPS and Remote Control to design and execute a predetermined semi-autonomous flight path. Mission Planner, a drone ground station software, was used to map out the flight path, speed and altitude. This project served as a proof-of-concept showing communication with a wireless sensor node has the capability to be deployed for collection of data in remote areas efficiently and effectively while ensuring data maintains confidentiality and integrity. Improvements made as a continuation of the previous groups work include, data security, data organization, additional sensors, semi-autonomous flight and flight tracking. Data logs of flights were recorded and reviewed via Mission Planner.

ABSTRACT. In the last 40 years, craft beers were introduced into the American culture. Craft brewers had to face difficult obstacles when trying to grow their companies because experts in the beer industry did not recognize microbreweries as legitimate businesses. A high price came with craft beers and consumers were hesitant to spend more money on beer when there was a far cheaper option. These small brewers started to focus on quality above all and began selling to local communities in order to grow the craft industry. Now the high demand for craft brews caught the attention of large corporate companies. In 2016, Devils Backbone (DB) was acquired by Anheuser Busch InBev for $25 million. Devils Backbone is now expected to meet the corporate quantity and quality standards. Our goal is to help DB during their expansion while focusing on promoting their quality standards by automating their testing process with the use of AWS to host a database and website development to display our analyzed results.

ABSTRACT. Indoor Localization is an emerging technology that can be implemented in different types of building (e.g., Medical Center). Localization Algorithm utilizes centroid algorithms to triangulate the location of a node based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). The algorithm runs on an edge node that measures the RSSI of a given access point. Our experiments show that the closest measurement is -30 dBm (power ratio in decibels to milliwatt) when the node is closest to the access point. The max measurement of -100 dBm is a very weak signal strength when the edge node is at the furthest distance. The centroid algorithm records all the access point measurements gathered by the edge node to identify the location within a building (e.g., medical hospital).

This project discusses the application of distance vs. RSSI testing, along with the accuracy of the measurements. Further research discusses the localization algorithms to include machine learning to aid with location accuracy. Distance vs. RSSI utilizes the distance formula to relate the RSSI dBm value from an edge node to a distance measurement from the Access Point. Our indoor localization project is implemented in the JMU Engineering/Geo building to test the application of tracking a person indoors via an edge node unit and RSSI values. We also collected data (and perform tests) at medical centers (e.g., Sentara RMH).

ABSTRACT. The SAWBRID Project is being developed to assist with professor and student relations to make it easier to schedule appointments during professor’s office hours. The project involves placing a ultra low-power screen that is connected to a Raspberry Pi and is programmed through Python on the professor’s door. An application will be developed then used by students and professors to communicate with the Raspberry Pi in order to display appointments, office hours, and other information. The stakeholders for our SAWBRID Capstone would include students, professors, administrators, and even coders. A possible future prototype may even be capable to be used in businesses for their managers, CEOs, receptionists, etc. A social benefit of this Capstone could be an improved relationship between the students and professors, allowing for a more personal and relatable relationship between the two. Just like it’s social, the political dimensions are relatively small, however since the product would be used within the ISAT building, administrators would need the President or Dean of JMU to approve this device to be used on the JMU campus. The SAWBRID will also give the user ethical benefits of security and privacy, allowing for messages and private information on the device or app to be only available between the student and professor. The technical dimensions to connect the ultra display with any user’s mobile device involves programming an app that can be connected through wifi to the ultra low-power display that has a Raspberry Pi to send/receive information to/from the mobile device. The system will be connected through the Pi and mobile device making it simple to connect to multiple different ultra low-power displays, depending on your professor, and very portable since the user may use their mobile device to connect to the system. A future add on to the prototype would be to incorporate sensors on the side of the display, allowing for it to turn off and save energy when a user is not standing in front of the screen. Along with the sensors, a set of security measures will be implemented to allow for a safer connection between ultra low-power screen and mobile device using C.I.A. (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability). The interface will also have to be secure in order to preserve the privacy of students and professors alike. This project will serve as a proof of concept.

ABSTRACT. Water quality is important to the health of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in streams across the world. Many tributaries in the North Fork Rivanna River watershed have been identified as impaired because of excess sedimentation. This project assessed water quality in an unnamed tributary to Flat Branch near the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport. This stream has an incredibly poor benthic macroinvertebrate community that points to more than just over-sedimentation. These symptoms appeared to point towards some toxic compound being present in the stream. Because of its proximity to the airport, we investigated the potential run-off of deicing salts in hope to find the cause of the impairment. We did this through using conductivity probes and observing the relationship between conductivity and deicing salt use during winter weather. We found a direct positive correlation between winter weather events and an increase in conductivity, however the conductivity never reached levels that would be indicative of toxicity caused by the magnitude of Siemens alone. Based on our findings and our research we determined the impairment of the stream to be caused by a combination of over sedimentation and deicing agent runoff from nearby roads as well as the airport upstream.

ABSTRACT. In this Capstone project, team members Dorothy Caserta and Quin Roberts worked with adviser Dr. Jared Stoltzfus to create a Natural Swimming Pool (NSP). A NSP is a constructed body of water with the intended use of swimming that mimics and utilizes natural functions and that is purified and filtered through the biological activity of plants free from the use of chemicals. The site of the NSP is located in Linville, Virginia on a seasonal stream channel that doubles as a storm water drain. At the beginning of this project, the stream bed was a grass pasture with eroding banks and few aquatic species present. At the ecological level, the objective of this capstone is to increase ecological function, improve water quality, create a self sustaining habitat for native species, reduce erosion from storm events, improve the water quality downstream, and to provide recreational opportunities. We have based our approach on bio-retention ponds which reduce Nitrogen, Phosphorus and E Coli levels, but the results for our NSP will not be conclusive until the plants have reached maturity. Additionally, this project hopes to challenge conventional views of nature and natural as being a separate entity.We hope to show that applying a sustainable lens when constructing something such as a swimming pool is an easy way that communities, families, and individuals can come together to change the way that we consider and think about ways to make systems more green and sustainable.

ABSTRACT. With the rise of easily accessible information, the relationship between the public, journalists, and scientists has become increasingly complex and dynamic. Analyzing this relationship is vital in understanding how science media influences policy, public perception, and the future. We are an anticipatory science magazine that addresses this complex relationship through single topic chapters with the goal of encouraging systems oriented thinking in regards to the future. It was hypothesized that if a complex system or relationship can be distilled into a form that was informative, but engaging and different, then people would read about it and enjoy it. Our first magazine, The Moon, Earth, and Beyond takes a look at how we have, do, and will interact with the cosmos and outlined the political landscape surrounding space exploration and tourism. Our second issue From Spark to Quark is about looking at energy as a form of life and how the perception and recognition of energy has changed and will change. These magazines were a massive opportunity to practice gaining and using interactional expertise to discuss with various experts how their experiences paint the future through their mental models of tomorrow. In the end Kostas and Noah had the chance to speak to 8 experts: Metalworker, astrophysicist, digital ethnographer, president of a renewable energy startup, STS researcher, and former governor of Colorado Bill Ritter Jr.

ABSTRACT. There are currently over 15,000 estimated victims of sex trafficking in the United States today, meaning these individuals are forced, tricked, or coerced into sexual exploitation. These unacceptable levels of sex trafficking in the United States are due to a complex and dynamically changing system that leaves narrowly-defined interventions less effective. Our research uses systems modeling to analyze a variety of contributing variables and feedback loops within the cycle of human trafficking, some of which include the relationships between traffickers, buyers, and victims; the most vulnerable populations to sex trafficking, such as runaways and foster children; and potential deterrence policies such as harsher punishment for buyers. Through this research, we aim to identify and communicate which variables, relationships, and interventions need more attention and investment, including specific policy revisions and further research areas.