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Understanding the Complete Spectrum of the Left-Wing and Environmental Movement: A
Data Driven Approach
This research project aims to add to the understanding surrounding the degree and
nature of terrorism, nonterrorist criminal activities, pre-incident behaviors, and
failed/foiled plots perpetrated by those motivated by a left-wing and environmental
ideology in the United States. More specifically, this project will utilize secondary
sources (e.g., court records, media reports) to assess the modus operandi of left-wing
and environmental violent extremists with a specific focus on indicators of malevolent
creativity & innovation and criminal expertise.
Project Field of Study:
Sociology & Criminal Justice
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michael Logan
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Prelicensure Nursing Students Attitudes toward Patients with Cancer Revisited
Since cancer affects most families in America and the number of cancer survivors is
growing, there is an urgent need to explore reasons why prelicensure nursing students
lack the aspiration to care for patients with cancer on a Nationwide level; a study
which has not been investigated previously.
Intervention:
This is a mix-method descriptive survey design study. Qualitative and quantitative
data will be obtained through an original online survey with follow-up telephone interviews.
Survey questions were derived from current nursing education literature. Recruitment
will be conducted via a National Student Nurses Association email distribution.
Project Field of Study
Nursing
Faculty Mentor
Tracy Ruegg PhD ANP-BC AOCN
Kawther Hamash PhD RN
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Design of a compact high vacuum system with a semi-confocal Fabry-Perot cavity for
Fourier transform microwave spectrometer
A major difficulty in the rotational spectroscopy research is the vacuum system. The
frequency band of molecular rotational motion lies in the microwave region with a
wavelength of 1 -10 cm. A pair of big reflectors is needed to withhold the microwave
beam pulse in the Fabry-Perotrot cavity. To achieve 1,000-10,000 reflections before
the signals die off in a high-Q resonator down to 3 GHz, the two mirrors should have
~0.5 m diameters and need to be ~1 m apart to form a near confocal cavity resonator,
which needs an even larger vacuum chamber to accommodate it. Since the O.D. of flanges
is ~ 40% larger than the I.D., the vacuum system will be too big to pass the single
open door for most KSU research labs. In view of this, I propose to build a semi-confocal
Fabry-Perot cavity resonator which uses a flat disk reflector to take the place of
one spherically curved mirror. This design not only enable us to use a half-sized
vacuum chamber to accommodate the cavity but also allow us to use the flange itself
as a mirror to further lower down the cost. The gold plating or coating will be used
to improve the reflection and corrosion resistance of the flange-mirror. MATLAB and
SolidWork will be used for calculations and 3D graphic design of the entire system.
This is an interdisciplinary research project which integrates the powers of science
and engineering technology.
Project Field of Study
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Engineering
Math
Faculty Mentor
Lu Kang
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Georgia DPH campus sexual violence prevention initiative
A new sexual violence prevention initiative is being piloted at KSU this year. The
initiative involves gathering student input, experiences, and opinions that will contribute
to recommendations regarding ways to decrease sexual violence on Georgia campuses.
Students will be relied upon to help design data collection tools and methods. They
will then work with other students to anonymously gather their opinions and experiences
regarding sexual violence at KSU. This opportunity is open to all undergraduate and
graduate students. Time requirements are flexible but not expected to exceed two hours
per week on average. While this is an unpaid opportunity, students will benefit from
real-world research experience addressing an issue that impacts countless students
nationwide. The initiative is being directed by Dr. Kevin Baldwin of Applied Research
Services, Inc. It is funded by the Georgia Department of Public Health and the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Project Field of Study
Psychological Science
Faculty Mentor
Kevin Baldwin
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Change a Legislative Narrative: A Negotiation Strategy
This project explores the communication challenges within the legislative world. The
purpose of this project is to establish the current narrative influencing lobbyist
obstructions. Then, we will explore a new theoretical model for changing the narrative
for negotiation success.
Project Field of Study
Communication and Media
Faculty Mentor
Robin Smith Mathis
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Solar/LED Illuminated Sign
Light travels within two parallel flat planes, just like in optical fiber, very well
without scattering. The project is to design, test and implement illuminated signs
using LED lights in the background. The result will be signs, Logos etc. for businesses
or organizations, or uniersities, or even street intersections. Imagine street signs/names
well lit and clearly visible from a distance. Using solar photovoltaic charging,
these signs could be alive without power supply, like in rural roads.
Project Field of Study
Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Mir Atiqullah
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The Needs of the Counter Terrorism Workforce and the Utility of Existing Datasets
The current project is two-fold, examining both the counterterrorism (CT) workforce
and the academic literature to identify the most up-to-date technologies and datasets
that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can provide its CT workforce. In doing
so, this project has two primary objectives. The first objective is to understand
better the data-related limitations and needs of individuals in the CT workforce.
The second objective is to identify existing datasets related to domestic violent
extremism (DVE) and targeted violence and synthesize that information in a helpful
format for the CT workforce. The project offers guidance for formulating easy-to-use
resources that can be shared across DHS partners and inform operational training.
The output from this project will provide our counterterrorism workforce with actional
intelligence.
Project Field of Study
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Faculty Mentor
Michael Logan
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Subsurface Investigation using Groud Vibrations
The project will involve creating a ground vibration data collection system using
our existing geophones. A geophone is an accelerometer installed at the ground surface
to capture the acceleration response of the ground to any seismic disturbance. The
data will be used to estimate the engineering properties of the soil and locate voids
or soft spots in the ground.
Project Field of Study
Civil and Enviromental Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Adam Kaplan
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Design and Construction of Ground Penetrating Radar Testbed
Ground penetrating radars are used for subsurface exploration purposes, and for locating
underground utilities. CEE department has multiple-size radars ready to be used for
research. This project is about designing and building a controlled earth fill with
known objects at known depths to be used as a test bed for research purposes. The
testbed is a v shape ditch of 50 feet long and approximately 5 feet deep and located
at the KSU Field Station. Basic training on using ground penetrating radars will be
given. The project will involve a literature survey, design, and construction activities
such as filling and compacting the soil.
Project Field of Study
Civil and Enviromental Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Adam Kaplan
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Association of Hospital Unit Team Virtuousness Scores with Eight Hospital Unit Measures
This ongoing study is exploring the relationships between hospital unit team virtuousness
scores and eight hospital unit measures. Team virtuousness refers to a team climate
in which virtues and character strengths are practiced, supported, and encouraged.
Students who work on this study will help manage implementation of an online team
virtuousness questionnaire and gather hospital unit data. A statistician will analyze
the data to determine any associations between hospital unit team virtuousness scores
and unit measures of quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, and unit staff
engagement and turnover.
Project Field of Study
Nursing
Faculty Mentors
Lynn Varagona
Nancy Ballard
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STEM-PASS: Peer Augmented Success & Support using Brain Augmented Technology (BAT)
Research
Different cognitive skills are required during a teaching and learning exercise. Attention
is an important variable to measure during this process because it plays a fundamental
role in the accumulation of information with the stimulus of the learner’s memory
during the assimilation of knowledge. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate
the impact of 3D Immersive content used as a tool for stimulating student concentration
when compared with the use of traditional D2L teaching and learning tools.
Project Field of Study
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Cyril Okhio
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Epidemiological Modeling of MisInformation Diffusion on social network
Characterizing the misinformation diffusion on social networks enables us to understand
the properties of underlying media and model communication patterns. In this research
project, we will use epidemiological modeling to study the spread of misinformation(rumors).
Project Field of Study
Mathematics
Faculty Mentor
Pengcheng Xiao
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Genetics of healthier muscle aging
Skeletal muscles play a vital role in everyday activities. With aging, muscle tissue
accumulates detrimental changes, which negatively impact the quality of living and
promote morbidity and mortality. Our lab studies muscles using the fruit fly - a useful
model organism for genetic research. With this project, we would like to identify
genetic conditions associated with stronger resistance of muscles to aging. We plan
to screen multiple lines of flies to find those that demonstrate significantly better
preservation of their muscle function during aging. Next, we will apply bioinformatics
methods to identify genetic polymorphism (mutations) linked to this condition. Finally,
we want to use the fly data to search for similar mutations in humans.
Project Field of Study
Molecular & Cellular Biology
Faculty Mentor
Anton Bryantsev
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How air quality affects sport participants’ well-being: Soccer in the Streets near
MARTA stations
Soccer in the Streets is a non-profit organization for the metro Atlanta area’s recreational
and community soccer programs. The Soccer in the Streets’ one notable program is StationSoccer.
In this program, participants play soccer on the mini-fields built inside or near
MARTA stations. For families with resource barriers to both travel and safe places
that can accommodate soccer games, the “world’s first transit soccer league” enables
metro Atlanta kids and adults to participate in sport activities and adopt healthy
lifestyles. In 2020, approximately 1,700 youths and 200 adults participated in this
program.
Project Field of Study
Exercise Science and Sport Management
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Kyu-soo Chung
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STEM Peer Augmented Success & Support (STEM-PASS)-Using TI-Robotic Kits and EEG-enhanced
Brain Augmented Technology Research
The Brain Augmented Technology BAT aspect of this study will research event-related
potentials (ERPs) which reflect the electrical activity of neurons that underlie cognitive
and sensory processing. Our EEG and ERPs laboratory will enhance our ability to investigate
the neural processes underlying, for example, attention, memory, inhibition, and language.
The in-house EEG systems have high performance relative to other systems.
The supplied Texas Instrument Robotics System Kit will help students to: Learn software
development methodology: Understand how to set up an Integrated Development Environment
(IDE): Learn import and export Code Composer Studio (CCS) projects: Learn critical
debugging information of memory usage and performance of the software on the TI-RSLK
processor: and Learn to create a control system by combining the sensors with the
actuators.
Project Field of Study
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Faculty Mentors
Dr. Cyril OKHIO
Dr. Ted Grosch
Dr. Austin Asgill
Dr. Max North
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Undergraduate Research Opportunity In The Field Of Population Genetics
Population genetics deals with genetic differences within and between populations
and is a part of evolutionary biology. It is used to detect genetic diseases and genetic
risk factors for multifactorial diseases, understand diseases using insights obtained
from genetic risk factors and treat diseases using these insights. Theoretical population
genetics bridges mathematics and evolutionary biology. The corner stone of population
genetics is the Kingman coalescent. Using a new calculus, fractional calculus, we
introduced the modified version of Kingman coalescent, which we call fractional coalescent.
In this research, you will learn how by using Kingman's coalescent and fractional
coalescent we could identify and understand the forces that produce and maintain genetic
variation in populations.
Project Field of Study
Mathematics
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Somayeh Mashayekhi
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Maternal Reprogramming of Cellular Memory at Fertilization
Students will be trained in genetics, bioinformatics, and cytological techniques as
they investigate mechanisms that underlie maternal epigenetic reprogramming at fertilization.
Project Field of Study
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Brandon Carpenter
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Monitoring bird-building collisions on campus: Project Safe Flight Georgia (Georgia
Audubon)
Birds are vital to our everyday lives. They pollinate, they disperse seeds, they devour
pests, and they bring us great joy and inspiration. However, birds are in trouble.
While they face many pressures, one that is present on Kennesaw State University's
campus is that of collisions with structures. Between 365 million and 1 billion birds
are estimated to perish each year from colliding with buildings in the United States,
the 3rd leading cause of avian death. Bright lights at night, shiny glass exteriors,
and transparent facades can be deadly as birds struggle determining what is and isn't
a clear pathway during flight.
Project Field of Study
Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Sarah Guindre- Parker
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A Stride Towards Healthy Populations: A Mixed-Methods Study of Population Health Content
in Prelicensure Nursing Curricular
This exploratory sequential mixed methods study aims to investigate the extent to
which population health content is integrated into prelicensure nursing curricula
in the United States.
Project Field of Study
Nursing
Faculty Mentors
Dr. Modupe Adewuyi
Dr. M'Lyn Spinks
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Impact of Clinical Experiential Approaches During COVID-19 Pandemic on Pre-licensure
Student Nurses' Dementia Care Competence
This is a sequential explanatory mixed-method designed study. The purpose of the study
is to evaluate the efficacy of the clinical experiential approaches being used by
nursing programs during the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to pre-licensure nursing
students' dementia care knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Project Field of Study
Nursing
Faculty Mentors
Dr. Modupe Adewuyi
Dr. Kathleen Morales
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Confined Collective Migration of Breast Cancer Cells of Different Clinical Subtypes
(Mechanical Engineering, Math, Biology, and Art)
Cells utilize different mechanisms to migrate based on the microenvironments the cells
reside in: on two-dimensional surfaces, cell migration is mostly driven by actin polymerization;
in confined spaces, it can be driven by water permeation, which comes from polarized
distribution of membrane ion channels and directional ion fluxes across the cell.
We will study collective migration of breast cells with both mathematical and experimental
approaches, along with a component of artwork, and have openings for undergraduate
researchers.
Project Fields of Study
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Mathematics
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
School of Art and Design
Faculty Mentors
Yizeng Li
Glenn Young
Eric Albrecht
Craig Brasco
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Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
The Center for Machine Vision and Security Research (CMVSR) is pursuing innovative
research projects falling in the areas of machine vision, pattern recognition, machine
learning, convolutionary neural networks (CNN), artificial intelligence, and evolutionary
computation.
Project Field of Study
Computer Science
Faculty Mentor
Chih-Cheng Hung
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A Comprehensive Approach to Support the Requirements Analyst Before, During, and After
Requirements Elicitation Interviews
Requirements engineering is the set of activities concerned with determining and communicating
the expectations for a new or modified product, and the contexts in which it will
be used. Requirements elicitation, i.e., the practice of collecting these features,
called requirements, is the first of these activities and is recognized as a critical
and difficult stage in the development of software systems. Among the available elicitation
techniques, interviews with stakeholders are the most commonly used in practice. However,
a comprehensive approach to improve the effectiveness and the quality of requirements
elicitation interviews has not been studied yet. This research aims at filling this
gap by providing a set of novel techniques and tools to support the analyst before,
during, and after the interview.
Project Field of Study
Software Engineering and Game Design
Faculty Mentor
Paola Spoletini
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Atlanta's Immigrant Crossroads: Untapped Potential or Utilized Promise for Newcomer
Integration
Recently several municipalities in the Atlanta area have declared themselves “welcoming
cities” to immigrants and refugees. Atlanta is a new immigrant gateway destination
and a region at the crossroads of receptivity (Singer, Hardwick, and Brettel, 2008).
Project Field of Study
Geography & Anthropology, Social Work and Human Services
Faculty Mentors
Paul McDaniel
Darlene Rodriguez
