The impact of undergraduate research experiences on students' academic development and retention in STEM fields is significant. Students' success in STEM fields is based on developing strong research and critical thinking skills that make it essential for students to engage in research activities throughout their academic programs. This work evaluates the effectiveness of undergraduate research experiences with respect to its influence on student retention and academic development. The cases presented are based on years of experience implementing undergraduate research programs in various STEM fields at Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) funded by HSI STEM Grants. The study seeks to establish a correlation between students' retention rates and academic development and students' involvement in undergraduate research experiences and programs during their academic journey. The work also delves into different mentoring approaches, including group-based and mentoring by individual faculty. This study provides the engineering and STEM education community with a deeper understanding of the advantages of undergraduate research experiences in enriching STEM and mentoring practices that can increase students' participation and mold their academic and professional character.
An innovative desalination method called electrosorption or capacitive deionization (CDI) has significant benefits for wastewater treatment. This process is performed by using a carbon fiber electrode as a working electrode to remove hexavalent chromium ions from an aqueous solution. The pH, NaCl concentration, and cell voltage were optimized using the Box-Behnken experimental design (BDD) in response surface methodology (RSM) to study the effects and interactions of selected variables. To attain the relationship between the process variables and chromium removal, the experimental data were subjected to an analysis of variance and fitted with a quadratic model. The optimum conditions to remove Cr(VI) ions were: pH of 2, a cell voltage of 4.
... Show MoreThis study provides an empirical and strategic contribution to the revenue management literature by investigating the transition from static cost-plus pricing to a dynamic, elasticity-based framework within state-owned extractive industries (SOEs). While dynamic pricing is extensively studied in flexible, data-rich private markets, its application in structurally rigid SOEs within transitional economies remains a critical research gap. Drawing on primary fiscal and production data from the 2024 fiscal year of the General Company for Mining Industries (SCMI), we developed a mathematical model to determine optimal pricing ( ) based on marginal cost principles and demand elasticity. The findings demonstrate that replacing rigid accounting rout
... Show MoreIn this study, the photodegradation of Congo red dye (CR) in aqueous solution was investigated using Au-Pd/TiO2 as photocatalyst. The concentration of dye, dosage of photocatalyst, amount of H2O2, pH of the medium and temperature were examined to find the optimum values of these parameters. It has been found that 28 ppm was the best dye concentration. The optimum amount of photocatalyst was 0.09 g/75 mL of dye solution when the degradation percent was ~ 96 % after irradiation time of 12 hours, while the best amount of hydrogen peroxide was 7μl/75 mL of dye solution at degradation percent ~97 % after irradiation time of 10 hours, whereas pH 5 was the best value to carry out the reaction at the highest degradation percent. In additio
... Show MoreTo evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of three minimally invasive (MI) techniques in removing deep dentin carious lesions. Forty extracted carious molars were treated by conventional rotary excavation (control), chemomechanical caries removal agent (Brix 3000), ultrasonic abrasion (WOODPECKER, GUILIN, China); and Er, Cr: YSGG laser ablation (BIOLASE San Clemente, CA, USA). The assessments include; the excavation time, DIAGNOdent pen, Raman spectroscopy, Vickers microhardness, and scanning electron microscope combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX). The rotary method recorded the shortest excavation time (p < 0.001), Brix 3000 gel was the slowest. DIAGNOdent pen va
Background: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can monitor the transmission of COVID-19 and viral alterations. Objectives: To provide information about testing techniques and infection control measures, as well as to direct the development of vaccines and treatments for the Corona virus. Methods: Six Iraqi SARS-CoV-2 strains were investigated using whole-genome sequencing using the next-generation sequencing method. The sequencing was carried out with an Illumina MiSeq system, and phylogenetic analysis was carried out for all Iraqi sequences retrieved from GISAID. Results: The analysis of the isolates from this study showed that all the sequences from the most recent wave, which happened in the summer of 2022, were primarily clustered
... Show MoreThe main objective of this paper is to develop and validate flow injection method, a precise, accurate, simple, economic, low cost and specific turbidimetric method for the quantitative determination of mebeverine hydrochloride (MbH) in pharmaceutical preparations. A homemade NAG Dual & Solo (0-180º) analyser which contains two identical detections units (cell 1 and 2) was applied for turbidity measurements. The developed method was optimized for different chemical and physical parameters such as perception reagent concentrations, aqueous salts solutions, flow rate, the intensity of the sources light, sample volume, mixing coil and purge time. The correlation coefficients (r) of the developed method were 0.9980 and 0.9986 for
... Show MoreThe main objective of this paper is to develop and validate flow injection method, a precise, accurate, simple, economic, low cost and specific turbidimetric method for the quantitative determination of mebeverine hydrochloride (MbH) in pharmaceutical preparations. A homemade NAG Dual & Solo (0-180º) analyser which contains two identical detections units (cell 1 and 2) was applied for turbidity measurements. The developed method was optimized for different chemical and physical parameters such as perception reagent concentrations, aqueous salts solutions, flow rate, the intensity of the sources light, sample volume, mixing coil and purge time. The correlation coefficients (r) of the developed method were 0.9980 and 0.9986 for cell
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