U.S. Public and Private Higher Education
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
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University of Bristol: Research Shows Veterinary Deal Would Increase UK Agrifood Exports to EU by More Than a Fifth
BRISTOL, England, April 26 (TNSres) -- The University of Bristol issued the following news release:
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A veterinary deal with the European Union could increase UK agricultural and food exports by more than a fifth, according to new research.
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The study, conducted by the University of Bristol Law School and Aston University Centre for Business Prosperity, analysed the agricultural and veterinary aspects of trade deals around the world to estimate their impact on exports. It then modelled the potential impact of different types of agreement on UK exports to the EU.
Veterinary Agreements
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BRISTOL, England, April 26 (TNSres) -- The University of Bristol issued the following news release:
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A veterinary deal with the European Union could increase UK agricultural and food exports by more than a fifth, according to new research.
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The study, conducted by the University of Bristol Law School and Aston University Centre for Business Prosperity, analysed the agricultural and veterinary aspects of trade deals around the world to estimate their impact on exports. It then modelled the potential impact of different types of agreement on UK exports to the EU.
Veterinary Agreementsspecifically focus on regulations and standards related to animal health and welfare, as well as to the safety of animal-derived products such as meat, dairy, and seafood. They aim to align, harmonise, or recognise veterinary requirements and certifications, and reduce the number of inspections between countries to facilitate the safe and efficient trade of live animals and animal products.
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), implemented in January 2021, eliminates tariffs and quotas but does not remove non-tariff barriers to trade. These can be particularly burdensome for agricultural and animal-derived food (agri-food) exports, involving complex rules and requirements, production of extensive documentation and veterinary checks.
The UK agri-food sector is a cornerstone of the UK economy, with exports worth pound sterling25 billion and employing 4.2million people. Although the sector is growing overall, exports to the EU shrank in 2022 by 5% compared to 2019, in part due to the new trade arrangements. This has led to calls for an EU-UK veterinary agreement from business and agri-food organisations, including the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, UK Food and Drink Federation, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and British Veterinary Association.
Analysing data from the World Bank on 279 trade agreements and export statistics from over 200 countries, the researchers found that shallow agreements, that went little further than provisions already covered by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, had significant negative impacts on agri-food exports.
However, where trade agreements went beyond WTO provisions to include more commitments on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (which aim to protect countries against risks relating to pests, diseases and food safety) and were legally enforceable, they had a robust, positive impact on exports, particularly exports of animal products and food.
Applying this to the UK-EU relationship, the team estimate a veterinary agreement that went beyond the existing TCA provisions would increase agri-food exports from the UK to the EU by at least 22.5%. Imports from the EU would also increase by 5.6%.
In the 203 countries studied for the research, positive effects of deep trade deals that included provisions on agriculture took between 10 and 15 years to manifest. But the UK might not have to wait so long, according to report co-author Professor Jun Du, Director of Aston University's Centre for Business Prosperity.
"There is no blueprint out there that mirrors the UK-EU relationship. Most veterinary agreements are agreed as part of a trade deal between countries that haven't previously had close alignment and it takes a while for the benefits to take effect.
"Until recently, the UK had frictionless agri-food exports to the EU, so it's possible that a supplementary veterinary agreement to reduce some of the frictions created by Brexit could allow trade that previously existed to pick up again quite quickly."
However clear the economic arguments, the legal and political barriers to a veterinary agreement still remain. The researchers address these in their report, suggesting that the best format for the additional measures would be as a supplementary agreement to the TCA. The key question for the UK government in negotiating such an agreement would be what the EU demanded in return.
Co-author Dr Greg Messenger, Associate Professor in Trade Law and Policy at the University of Bristol Law School, said: "The closest model is the EU-Swiss relationship, which sees Switzerland largely follow EU law. That's unlikely to be an option for the UK. As we wouldn't expect to eliminate all paperwork, we could both agree that our rules meet each other's standard for phytosanitary protection.
"As most of our rules are still essentially the same as the EU, that wouldn't require any major change, though we'd have to agree a greater level of coordination in relation to the development of new rules."
Paper
'Enhancing the Brexit Deal: Exploring the Impact of a UK-EU Veterinary Agreement on Agri-food Trade' by Jun Du, Greg Messenger, and Oleksandr Shepotylo
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JOURNAL: https://www.lbpresearch.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Deep-trade-agreements-and-trade-in-Agriculture-and-food_v12.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/april/veterinary-deal.html
TCC Connect ELearning Instructional Design Team Lauded for Excellence
FORT WORTH, Texas, April 26 -- Tarrant County College issued the following news release:
Tarrant County College's online campus, TCC Connect, has won another award for curriculum development. The Texas Digital Learning Association presented its Outstanding Commitment to Excellence and Innovation in Digital Learning (2 Year Higher Education) award to the TCC Connect eLearning Instructional Design Department at the annual TxDLA conference in March.
The award celebrates significant advancements in digital learning. The team, led by senior instructional designer Kim Estes, was recognized for its
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FORT WORTH, Texas, April 26 -- Tarrant County College issued the following news release:
Tarrant County College's online campus, TCC Connect, has won another award for curriculum development. The Texas Digital Learning Association presented its Outstanding Commitment to Excellence and Innovation in Digital Learning (2 Year Higher Education) award to the TCC Connect eLearning Instructional Design Department at the annual TxDLA conference in March.
The award celebrates significant advancements in digital learning. The team, led by senior instructional designer Kim Estes, was recognized for itstransformative contributions to digital education, particularly in artificial intelligence, accessibility and open education resources.
One judge cited the team's innovative solutions and a commitment to excellence as key to its being honored.
"Their efforts in developing AI policies, continuously improving the peer-developed course program, and ensuring accessibility in digital materials are aimed at providing an equitable learning environment for all TCC students," said Francisco Garcia, TxDLA Awards Committee chair and 2024-2025 TxDLA president-elect.
The eLearning Instructional Design team leads discussions on artificial intelligence in education, supports the faculty with resources to improve course accessibility, and developed the Campus Accessibility Roadmap.
Its work extends TCC's influence globally through contributions to open education resources, conference presentations, published articles and multimedia support for international events on education topics.
"Winning this award is a testament to our team's hard work and the collaborative spirit of our entire campus community," Estes said. "The eLearning Instructional Design team's focus has always been on fostering an inclusive and innovative educational atmosphere that not only meets the current demands of digital learning but also anticipates future challenges."
TCC Connect offers flexible learning through online and weekend classes. Students can earn a fully online associate of applied science degree for select programs, as well as certificates and a variety of courses to help them achieve their educational goals.
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Tarrant County College is one of the nation's largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas' Top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive two-year college with six campuses in Tarrant County and online classes, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds, including Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degrees; workforce and economic development programs; technical and skilled trades programs; and customized training for area businesses and corporations.
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Original text here: https://news.tccd.edu/2024/04/25/tcc-connect-elearning-instructional-design-team-lauded-for-excellence/
Swansea University: High-Spec MRI Scans Help Radiotherapy Target Tumours More Accurately
SWANSEA, Wales, April 26 -- Swansea University issued the following news:
People having cancer treatment in Swansea are now benefiting from far more targeted radiotherapy - made possible by charitable donations.
All patients undergo CT scans as part of the radiotherapy planning process. For many tumours, these CT images are combined with MRI scans to delineate between healthy and diseased tissue.
The MRI scans used in the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital are those obtained during the diagnostic process.
As they can be several weeks old by the time radiotherapy planning starts,
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SWANSEA, Wales, April 26 -- Swansea University issued the following news:
People having cancer treatment in Swansea are now benefiting from far more targeted radiotherapy - made possible by charitable donations.
All patients undergo CT scans as part of the radiotherapy planning process. For many tumours, these CT images are combined with MRI scans to delineate between healthy and diseased tissue.
The MRI scans used in the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital are those obtained during the diagnostic process.
As they can be several weeks old by the time radiotherapy planning starts,the tumour could have changed when the treatment begins.
Another drawback is that patients are not scanned in the same position as radiotherapy treatment. Combined, these factors could mean inaccuracies which reduce the quality and effectiveness of the radiotherapy.
Now a partnership between the cancer centre and Swansea University means patients can have CT and MRI scans in one visit. This provides the most accurate picture possible for the therapy planning.
Although it will be used for several types of cancers, it will initially be for patients with brain tumours.
The collaboration has been made possible by an award of pound sterling73,000 from the South West Wales Cancer Fund, the official charity of the South West Wales Cancer Centre (SWWCC).
This will pay for sessions on a very high-spec MRI scanner owned by the University and located in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science's ILS2 building on the Singleton campus. Up to 300 patients will benefit over the next two years.
Consultant oncologist Dr Owen Nicholas, who leads the multidisciplinary team from the health board and university, said: "We always need a CT scan because that is how we plan the radiotherapy and calculate the dose.
"But MRI scanners are much better for looking at soft tissue organs. The brain is a prime example. You want to look at where the brain tumour is in relation to the normal tissue. It means we can target tumours more accurately and avoid the healthy areas that we want to avoid."
Like many centres around the UK, the SWWCC does not have a dedicated radiotherapy MRI machine. So the scans used are those obtained during the diagnostic process, with the possibility the tumour might have changed in the meantime.
If a clinician feels a new scan is required for radiotherapy planning, a request has to be made to the diagnostic MRI department. Given the pressures on NHS services, that impacts on capacity.
The University scanner has been used to undertake diagnostic scans on health board patients. But it is more powerful than Swansea Bay's so is used predominantly for research - so capacity is not an issue.
Dr Nicholas said: "We are co-located on the Singleton site so patients can have both scans in one visit - CT in the radiotherapy department and MRI in the university. They are only 200 yards apart. It really makes sense as a collaboration."
Catherine Sherry, from Neyland, was the first person to benefit from this new approach. She underwent surgery last month after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain tumour. She said her consultant told her she needed radiotherapy as soon as possible once she had recovered from that.
Catherine had the radiotherapy mask made, had a CT scan and then the MRI scan during the same visit.
"It's amazing. They told me they get the results really quickly so they can look at the scans and start the radiotherapy much quicker."
This collaboration between the health board and university also creates opportunities for research, clinical trials and advanced techniques.
And it has been made possible by the generosity of patients, families and everyone who contributes to the South West Wales Cancer Fund. Dr Nicholas said that, without the funding from the charity, the programme would not have gone ahead.
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Original text here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-events/news/2024/04/high-spec-mri-scans-help-radiotherapy-target-tumours-more-accurately.php
Shippensburg University: Minds@Work Conference - Celebrating Ship's Student Research, Scholarship and Creativity
SHIPPENSBURG, Pennsylvania, April 26 (TNSres) -- Shippensburg University issued the following news:
On April 23, 2024, the Minds@Work Conference was showcased at Shippensburg University. This annual event provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate students to present their academic research and creative knowledge across various fields and disciplines. Both students and faculty worked together to provide their unique perspectives and research on a given topic. The event included departmental conference panels, an honors symposium and poster presentations.
Dr. Charles E. Patterson, president
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SHIPPENSBURG, Pennsylvania, April 26 (TNSres) -- Shippensburg University issued the following news:
On April 23, 2024, the Minds@Work Conference was showcased at Shippensburg University. This annual event provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate students to present their academic research and creative knowledge across various fields and disciplines. Both students and faculty worked together to provide their unique perspectives and research on a given topic. The event included departmental conference panels, an honors symposium and poster presentations.
Dr. Charles E. Patterson, presidentof Shippensburg University, emphasized the importance of Minds @ Work by stating that it "prepares Ship students for the demand of graduate pursuits, as well as some of the challenges our students may experience in their chosen profession." Ship's Interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Nicole R. Hill also emphasized the importance of the event, noting that the collaboration between faculty and students has a great impact on the growth and development of the university community.
As a APSCUF president at Ship, Aaron W. Dobbs expressed the collaborative nature of the faculty-student research that makes Minds @ Work possible. "...we lead the way in a collaborative construction of knowledge through the enterprise of faculty-student research across the disciplines that comprise our campus".
On behalf of the Shippensburg University Foundation, Leslie Folmer Clinton, President and CEO of the SU Foundation, acknowledged gratitude for the continuous support of undergraduate student-faculty research. The foundation's commitment to providing opportunities for students to engage in important research does not go unrecognized.
Ship is proud of the hard work that students dedicated to their research. The Ezra Lehman Memorial Library Research Award honored student contributions to research, with winners receiving cash prizes for their commendable work. This year's awardees, Jeffrey Grimes and Jeremy Satayawan Putra, provided and presented outstanding research in their fields of study.
A wide range of research projects were presented at Minds @ Work, showing the diverse interests of Ship students. One of the many poster presentations on display included the biology department's ongoing analysis of Babesia species in ticks collected within Pennsylvania. Babesiosis is a rare and severe disease that is caused by the bite of a tick infected with the Babesia, a parasitic species. The research was led by Julian Barnhart, Cejay Cocco, Phylicia Hockman, and Noghan Keiser under faculty sponsor Dr. Alison Fedrow, associate professor of biology.
In the Communication, Journalism and Media Department, Katerina Negron conducted a comparative analysis of male and female athletes in the media, comparing representation, pay disparities and sexualization. This research project was sponsored by Dr. Dhiman Chattopadhyay, associate professor in communication, journalism and media.
Danielle Claycomb, a geography and earth science major, related her expertise to global languages and cultures research on German beer culture by analyzing German beer's influence on climate change. She researched how temperature changes affect beer taste and availability and how breweries adapt. The faculty sponsor for this project was Alison Feeney, professor and chair of the Geography and Earth Sciences Department.
Minds @ Work serves as a demonstration of Ship's commitment to encouraging academic excellence and innovative research. Through collaboration between students and faculty, Minds @ Work continues to allow students and faculty to explore a variety of subjects and conduct meaningful analyses on creative topics.
To explore more about the event and to learn more about the different research that was presented, visit here to view the Minds @ Work program and read through the abstracts of various student and faculty research projects.
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Original text here: https://news.ship.edu/2024/04/25/minds-work-conference-hosted-by-shippensburg-university/
SUNY-Geneseo: Bio Major Had a 'Great Day' at International Conference
GENESEO, New York, April 26 -- The State University of New York's Geneseo Campus issued the following news:
Jakob Pericak '24, a senior biology major from Buffalo, NY, credits the experience of presenting at GREAT Day with his success presenting at an international conference, the World Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy), which was held in Athens, Greece, in March.
Pericak, who works part-time at Erie Retina Research (ERR)-- a company that studies diseases of the eye and alternative treatments--submitted an abstract and poster to COPHy 2024 for a case study he is involved with
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GENESEO, New York, April 26 -- The State University of New York's Geneseo Campus issued the following news:
Jakob Pericak '24, a senior biology major from Buffalo, NY, credits the experience of presenting at GREAT Day with his success presenting at an international conference, the World Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy), which was held in Athens, Greece, in March.
Pericak, who works part-time at Erie Retina Research (ERR)-- a company that studies diseases of the eye and alternative treatments--submitted an abstract and poster to COPHy 2024 for a case study he is involved withat ERR. The case study Pericak presented is of a port delivery system known as SUSVIMO, which administers medication to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration, a common eye disease in older adults. Pericak explains that the port, which is implanted in the eye and slightly bigger than a pencil tip, will reduce injection treatments for the disease from monthly to once every six months.
Pericak was excited, though also a bit nervous, to submit an abstract to COPHy, but he said that his participation in GREAT Day 2023 gave him valuable experience in preparing and presenting his research. He learned how to explain materials, methods, and results to an audience that didn't necessarily have prior knowledge of his research topic.
Under the guidance of assistant professor of biology Josephine Reinhardt, Pericak honed his science writing skills and mastered the art of presenting research at academic conferences. The poster presentation style at GREAT Day mirrored that of COPHy 2024 Congress, a similarity that Pericak found immensely helpful. "I thought GREAT Day was really helpful, and it definitely lessened the stress of it all," Pericak said.
Pericak, armed with the skills he acquired at SUNY Geneseo and ERR, has already begun making significant contributions to the field. He has developed case studies and written scientific literature and is a co-author of two pending articles in the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases. His future plans include taking the MCATs and specializing in ophthalmology in medical school. He also intends to continue his work at ERR, writing case studies and eagerly anticipates more publications in the near future.
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Original text here: https://www.geneseo.edu/news/bio-major-had-great-day-international-conference
SUNY's University at Albany: Noteworthy - Research Grants, Awards and Publications
ALBANY, New York, April 26 (TNSres) -- The State University of New York's University at Albany issued the following news:
The latest developments on University at Albany faculty and staff who are receiving research grants, awards and other noteworthy attention.
* Carl J. Bon Tempo, associate professor in the Department of History, won an Organization of American Historians/Japanese Association of American Studies Japan Residencies Fellowship for 2024. As part of the two-week fellowship, Bon Tempo will give six lectures in Japan from May 23 to June 8 on topics related to 20th century American
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ALBANY, New York, April 26 (TNSres) -- The State University of New York's University at Albany issued the following news:
The latest developments on University at Albany faculty and staff who are receiving research grants, awards and other noteworthy attention.
* Carl J. Bon Tempo, associate professor in the Department of History, won an Organization of American Historians/Japanese Association of American Studies Japan Residencies Fellowship for 2024. As part of the two-week fellowship, Bon Tempo will give six lectures in Japan from May 23 to June 8 on topics related to 20th century Americanpolitical history, with a special focus on immigration and refugee history, human rights history and recent American politics.
* Margaret Gullick, director of UAlbany's Center for Human Services Research, has received $180,000 from the Catholic Family Center of Rochester to support the "Kinship Navigator System of Care Evaluation" project. The research is examining federally approved kinship support programs to help determine which program best matches local program implementation across New York State. The project also is assessing the state's new "Kinship Champion" program to better understand its implementation and impacts to resource access for caregivers.
* Marina A. Petrukhina, Carla Rizzo Delray Professor of Chemistry, received $514,366 from the National Science Foundation for her project, "Contorted and Strained Molecular Nanographenes: Multi-Electron Storage and Reduction-Induced Transformations." The three-year award will fund an investigation aiming to improve understanding of charge-transfer effects in the emerging classes of highly warped and twisted nanocarbon scaffolds to promote their use in energy storage, conducting and quantum computing devices.
* Jennifer Manganello, professor at the School of Public Health, received $15,000 from UPenn's Annenberg Public Policy Center for a new research project to examine the potential for integrating AI tools such as chatbots into state and local government websites to reduce administrative hurdles that can make it difficult to access essential services. The work will focus on state developmental disabilities offices and will be conducted with a collaborator at the University of Delaware. Mila Gasco-Hernandez, research director at the Center for Technology in Government, is contributing to the project.
* Cynthia Najdowski, associate professor and area head in the Department of Psychology, was awarded the 2023 Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize for her 2022 paper "Toward a psychological science of abolition democracy: Insights for improving theory and research on race and public safety," published in the journal Social Issues and Policy Review. Najdowski shares the award with collaborator Phil Solomon of Yale University. Najdowski also recently published "Effects of dehumanization and disgust-eliciting language on attitudes toward immigration: a sentiment analysis of Twitter data" in the journal Psychiatry, Psychology and Law. The study used Twitter data, machine learning and sentiment analysis to examine the role of social media in shaping feelings towards immigrants in the U.S.
* Wim Van den Noortgate, a professor of statistics and methodology at KU Leuven in Belgium who is here as a visiting scholar, will deliver a seminar titled "Many cents make dollars: Network meta-analysis of single-case studies," on Friday from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in Catskill 204 and via Zoom. Presented by associate professor Mariola Moeyaert and the Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology, the seminar will explore the use of multilevel meta-analytic models for single-case experimental designs in research.
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Original text here: https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2024-noteworthy-research-grants-awards-and-publications-2
Advanced Mathematical Modeling Research Using Machine Learning Gets Started at Idaho State University
POCATELLO, Idaho, April 26 (TNSres) -- Idaho State University issued the following news:
Building accurate models relating to climate, machines, or the cosmos requires sophisticated mathematics. That's where folks like Idaho State University Professor Yury Gryazin and his students are stepping in.
Recently, Gryazin, an expert in numerical analysis and scientific computation, and his collaborators at the Berkeley Lab in California and Rice University in Texas started researching novel machine learning algorithms related to simulations and computer modeling. To support this effort, the U.S. Department
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POCATELLO, Idaho, April 26 (TNSres) -- Idaho State University issued the following news:
Building accurate models relating to climate, machines, or the cosmos requires sophisticated mathematics. That's where folks like Idaho State University Professor Yury Gryazin and his students are stepping in.
Recently, Gryazin, an expert in numerical analysis and scientific computation, and his collaborators at the Berkeley Lab in California and Rice University in Texas started researching novel machine learning algorithms related to simulations and computer modeling. To support this effort, the U.S. Departmentof Energy awarded the team a $4 million grant under a newly established "Scientific Machine Learning for Complex Systems" program. Digital models are used across the STEM disciplines and simulate everything from Earth's weather and the movement of seismic waves to the operation of particle accelerators and nuclear reactors.
"Practically every new development is first modeled using advanced numerical approaches," said Gryazin. "Recently, major advances in machine learning algorithms have opened new directions for developing faster and more accurate computational methods for such simulations."
Gryazin and his students are focusing on the uncertainty quantification part of simulation problems. Typical uncertainty quantification problems of interest include certification, prediction, model and software verification and validation, parameter estimation, data assimilation, etc. Uncertainty quantification helps researchers determine how reliable the model's predictions are.
"You've probably seen a survey or poll with a margin of error of plus or minus a given percent," Gryazin said. "Uncertainty quantification is similar to that, except it is for models and simulations."
Because the development of many models requires data from sometimes millions--or more--data points, finding the margin of error for these scientific models is exponentially more complex than the average survey. Using advanced methods of applied mathematics and statistics, Gryazin and the students will create and train new neural network algorithms--a type of machine learning that is structured like a human brain--on already known data and will subsequently test their approach. During testing, the algorithm's success or failure will hinge on how well it can predict the correct results when given a new set of real-world data that was not present in the initial training set. Specifically, they'll work with algorithms used for subsurface imaging systems like those used to detect landmines, air pockets, pollutants, and more. Three students from multiple disciplines at Idaho State will be working on the project.
"This new opportunity to collaborate with experts from esteemed institutions like Berkeley Lab offers an invaluable chance for learning," said Adil Ahmed, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering. "Also, working alongside leading researchers in the field makes this project especially exciting to be a part of."
The group hopes to publish its initial results by the end of 2024, when their first new subsurface neural network algorithms will be developed and tested.
"Students working on this project will gain invaluable experience solving important problems in exciting new areas of research in collaboration with world-class researchers from the country's top scientific centers," Gryazin said.
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Original text here: https://www.isu.edu/news/2024-spring/advanced-mathematical-modeling-research-using-machine-learning-gets-started-at-idaho-state-university.html