engineering thesis proposals

Thesis Proposal

Note: This article is partially based on the 2017-2018 MechE Graduate Student Guide (PDF) . Please check the latest guide for the most-up to date formatting requirements.

Criteria for Success

A strong thesis proposal…

• Motivates your project and introduces your audience to the state-of-the-art for the problem you’re working on.
• Explains the limitations in the current methods through literature review and/or original analysis. This should also explain why the limitations matter and why they’re the right ones to focus on.
• Clearly explains your technical approach to make specific improvements to some part of the field.
• Uses original analysis and literature to support the feasibility of the approach.
• Describes what is original about your work.
• Provides a practical outline for completing this research : a degree timeline laying out quantifiable hypotheses, experimental/numerical/theoretical techniques, and metrics for evaluation .

Structure Diagram

Meche-specific structure requirements.

Your thesis proposal should be limited to 6 pages including figures and references.

In addition, you need a cover page that (only) includes:

• tentative title of the thesis
• brief abstract
• committee chair and/or advisor should be indicated
• include their official titles, departmental affiliations, and email addresses

The purpose of your thesis proposal is to introduce your research plan to your thesis committee. You want the committee members to come away understanding what your research will accomplish, why it is needed ( motivation ), how you will do it ( feasibility & approach ), and most importantly, why it is worthy of a PhD ( significance ).

You intend to solve a real and important problem, and you are willing to dedicate years of your life to it, so use your proposal to get the committee excited about your research!

Analyze your audience

Unlike many of the papers and presentations you will write during graduate school, only a select few people will read your thesis proposal. This group will always include your PhD committee and your research advisor, and may include other interested MechE faculty or scientists and engineers at your funding source.

Therefore, you will typically have a good understanding of your audience before it is written. This can allow you to tailor your message to the technical level of your specific audience. If you aren’t sure what your audience could reasonably be expected to know, be conservative! Regardless, your audience is always looking to answer the questions: “ what is this research, how will you perform it, and why does it matter?”

While the small audience may make you less interested in committing time to your proposal, the exercise of motivating and justifying your work plan will be critical to your PhD.

Follow the standard structure for research proposals

While some variation is acceptable, don’t stray too far from the following structure. See also the Structure Diagram above.

• Introduction . Provide only the necessary information to motivate your research, and show how it fits into the broader field. What is the problem you are trying to solve? By the end of the introduction, your audience should understand the basics of what you will do and why you will do it.
• Background/Methodology . Describe the current state of the art and related research fields in sufficient technical detail. The goal is provide just enough detail to give the reader a sound understanding of the limitations and the need for new work. Do not go into detail that does not directly help in understanding your You are not trying to make your reader understand everything about the topic or demonstrate how much you know.
• Objectives . Although not strictly necessary, this section lets you summarize concrete goals of your work, and can help to serve as a checklist for yourself as you move through the process. This is best for projects that tackle many interrelated problems. Think of this as a list of concrete (quantifiable) goals that you want to accomplish.
• Proposed Work. Explain how your work will solve the problems that you have identified. How will you address the objectives above? Provide just enough technical specificity to leave the reader with a firm grasp of what you will do.
• Provide a set of time-structured goals and deliverables. While this is not strictly necessary, your committee will want a timeline when you meet with them, so it can help to start planning now. You want to graduate, so make sure that you have a plan to do so!
• This is a standard section listing references in an appropriate format (MLA, APA, etc.)

Consider the logical sequence of your sections. After the introduction, your audience should be intrigued by a key problem, and intrigued that you know how to solve it. Through the background, they learn that this problem is more difficult than they originally realized. Finally, in the proposed work they learn that your proposal addresses the additional complexity introduced in the background, and they have confidence that you can actually solve the problem.

Summarize the current research field

You need to have a strong grasp of the broader research community. How can you contribute, if you don’t know what is done and what needs to be done?

The point here is not to educate your audience, but rather to provide them with the tools needed to understand your proposal. A common mistake is to explain all of the research that you did to understand your topic and to demonstrate that you really know your field. This will bore your audience, who either already knows this information or does not see why they should care. It’s more important to show where current gaps are. Cut anything that doesn’t answer the what and why of what people are doing. Your depth of knowledge will come through in your thoughtful proposal.

Justify the significance of your work

Answer the question: “What happens if your work is successful?” Again, you are trying to convince your readers either to give you funding or to work with you for three (or more) years. Convince them that your project is worth it.

Your research doesn’t have to revolutionize your field, but you need to explain concretely how it will move your field forward. For example, “Successful development of the proposed model will enable high-fidelity simulation of boiling” is a specific and convincing motivation, compared to, “The field of boiling modeling must be transformed in order to advance research.”

Justify your research plan

Identify the steps needed to overcome your identified problem/limitation. Though your PhD will evolve over time, the tasks and timeline that you identify in your proposal will continue to help determine the trajectory of your research. A good plan now can save a lot of work a few years down the road.

A strong research plan answers three key questions:

• g., “In order to engineer material properties using mesoscopic defects, it is necessary to characterize the defects, measure how they affect material response, and identify techniques to reproducibly create the defects at specific sites within a material.”
• g., “In my PhD, I will focus on developing high-speed dynamic imaging techniques to characterize transient defect states in metallic nanowires. I will then use these techniques to measure the properties of nanowires fabricated with three different processes known to produce different defect structures.”
• How will you evaluate success in each step? These metrics should be concrete and measurable! Putting the thought into metrics now will make it easier for your committee (and yourself) to check a box and say ‘you can graduate.’

Each of these questions should be supported by details that reflect the current state of the art. Technical justification is critical to establish credibility for your plan. Reference the material that you introduced in the background section. You should even use your research plan to tailor your background section so that your committee knows just enough to believe what you’re claiming in your plan.

Based on the tasks and metrics in your plan, establish specific reflection points when you’ll revisit the scope of your project and evaluate if changes are needed.

Include alternative approaches

You won’t be able to predict all of the challenges you will encounter, but planning alternative approaches early on for major methods or decision points will prepare you to make better game-time decisions when you come up against obstacles. e.g.,

I will develop multi-pulse, femtosecond illumination for high speed imaging following Someone et al. Based on the results they have shown, I expect to be able to observe defect dynamics with micron spatial resolution and microsecond temporal resolution. If these resolutions are not achievable in the nanowire systems, I will explore static measurement techniques based on the work of SomeoneElse et al.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

This is a recent MechE thesis proposal, written in the style of an IEEE paper. 1,022 KB

• Honors Undergraduate Thesis
• Program Resources

Thesis Proposal Examples

The Honors Undergraduate Thesis program requires students to submit a research proposal to the Office of Honors Research prior to advancing to the Thesis semester.

Generally, a scientific research proposal will include a brief introduction to the research topic, a literature review, and a methodology that will explain how the student plans to meet the objectives of the research. A proposal in the Arts and Humanities will generally include an introduction and a creative work (e.g. screenplays, short stories, artwork) or theoretical analysis.

Students will create a signature cover page for the thesis proposal that will list the entire committee and HUT Liaison. The Thesis proposal cover page template can be found here .

The following are examples of substantially researched, properly formatted research proposals and their respective signature pages. These examples should be used for reference only and not necessarily as templates. Students should his or her Thesis Chair and committee regarding the structure of the proposal, information that should be present, and documentation style.

What is a Thesis Proposal?

A thesis proposal is a document that outlines the thesis topic, defines the issues that the thesis will address, and explains why the topic warrants further research. It should identify a problem and provide a proposed solution to that problem.

Proposals representative of the sciences (both hard sciences and social sciences) should generally include the following:

• A brief introduction, which will define the thesis topic and explain the purpose of the thesis.
• A literature review that outlines the most relevant readings and theories which pertain to the thesis topic.
• A methodology section, which should include the research questions, hypotheses, participants, materials, and procedures.
• A bibliography or reference list. Most of the sources should be from peer reviewed articles or books. As with other academic papers, the use of internet sources should be limited.

For students conducting more theoretical or comparative analyses, the structure could also take the form of chapters that define and specify each concept, and a concluding chapter that brings all of these ideas together.

For students in the arts, a proposal and thesis may take the form of a creative project. In this instance, the proposal may include:

• A brief introduction, which includes the thesis statement, general intent of project, what the project should accomplish, and justification for considering the project a legitimate endeavor.
• A literature review, which includes any supporting literature that justifies the intention of the project.
• A method for accomplishing the project. Include any necessary background or equipment needed for the project, where the project will be conducted, and a proposed timeline for completion.
• A bibliography or reference list.

An alternative structure would be for students who are writing their own short stories, novellas, or screenplays.

Here, the thesis should include a clear mastery of the skill set by producing chapters of the novella, poetry selections, or the working/final screenplay. [/accordion-item][/accordion]

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Engineering > Electrical Engineering > Theses and Dissertations

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

On the Performance Enhancement of Beamspace MIMO and Non-orthogonal Multiple Access for Future Cellular Networks , Sinasi Cetinkaya

Enhancing Smart Grid Security and Reliability through Graph Signal Processing and Energy Data Analytics , Md Abul Hasnat

Fabric-Based Organic Electrochemical Transistor Towards Wearable pH Sensing Electronics , Nestor Osvaldo Marquez Rios

Novel Systems Engineering Framework Analysis of Photovoltaic Models and Equations , Peter R. Michael

Deep Learning Enhancement and Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning: A Data-Centric Approach , Hung S. Nguyen

Cyber-Physical Multi-Robot Systems in a Smart Factory: A Networked AI Agents Approach , Zixiang Nie

Multiple Access Techniques Enabling Diverse Wireless Services , Mehmet Mert Şahin

Deep Reinforcement Learning Based Optimization Techniques for Energy and Socioeconomic Systems , Salman Sadiq Shuvo

Process Automation and Robotics Engineering for Industrial Processing Systems , Drake Stimpson

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Stability and Interaction Analysis of Inverter-Based Resources in Power Grids , Li Bao

Healthcare IoT System and Network Design , Halil Ibrahim Deniz

Video Anomaly Detection: Practical Challenges for Learning Algorithms , Keval Doshi

Data-Driven State Estimation for Improved Wide Area Situational Awareness in Smart Grids , Md Jakir Hossain

Deep Learning and Feature Engineering for Human Activity Recognition: Exploiting Novel Rich Learning Representations and Sub-transfer Learning to Boost Practical Performance , Ria Kanjilal

Assistive Technologies for Independent Navigation for People with Blindness , Howard Kaplan

Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Higher Order Statistical Analysis of Electroencephalography Signals , Seyed Alireza Khoshnevis

Accelerating Multiparametric MRI for Adaptive Radiotherapy , Shraddha Pandey

A Model-Based Fault Diagnosis in Dynamic Systems via Asynchronous Motors System Identification or Testing, and Control Engineering Observers , Kenelt Pierre

Improving Wireless Networking from the Learning and Security Perspectives , Zhe Qu

Improving Robustness of Deep Learning Models and Privacy-Preserving Image Denoising , Hadi Zanddizari

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

A Method for Compact Representation of Heterogenous and Multivariate Time Series for Robust Classification and Visualization , Alla Abdella

Dynamical System and Parameter Identification for Power Systems , Abdullah Abdulrahman Alassaf

Phasor Domain Modeling of Type-III Wind Turbines , Mohammed Alqahtani

An Automated Framework for Connected Speech Evaluation of Neurodegenerative Disease: A Case Study in Parkinson's Disease , Sai Bharadwaj Appakaya

Investigation of CoO ATO for Solar Cells and Infrared Sheaths , Manopriya Devisetty Subramanyam

Thermal Management of Lithium-ion Batteries Using Supercapacitors , Sanskruta Dhotre

Effect of Se Composition in CdSe 1-X T eX /CdTe Solar Cells , Sheikh Tawsif Elahi

Microencapsulation of Thermochromic Materials for Thermal Storage and Energy Efficiency of Buildings , Abdullatif Hakami

Piezoelectrically-Transduced ZnO-on-Diamond Resonators with Enhanced Signal-to-Noise Ratio and Power-handling Capability for Sensing and Wireless Communication Applications , Xu Han

Preparation and Characterization of Single Layer Conducting Polymer Electrochromic and Touchchromic Devices , Sharan Kumar Indrakar

Security Attacks and Defenses in Cyber Systems: From an AI Perspective , Zhengping Luo

Power System Optimization Methods: Convex Relaxation and Benders Decomposition , Minyue Ma

Metal Oxide Sensor Array Test Bed Prototype for Diagnostic Breath Analysis , Tiffany C. Miller

Packaging of Active RF Beamforming IC Utilizing Additive Manufacturing , Ryan Murphy

Adaptive Network Slicing in Fog RAN for IoT with Heterogeneous Latency and Computing Requirements: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach , Almuthanna Nassar

Development of a Bipolar Radiofrequency Ablation Device for Renal Denervation , Noel Perez

Copper Electrodeposition Assisted by Hydrogen Evolution for Wearable Electronics: Interconnections and Fiber Metallization , Sabrina M. Rosa Ortiz

Theory and Application of Dielectric Rod Antennas and Arrays , Gabriel Saffold

Advanced Organic Polymers for the Nanoscale Fabrication of Fiber-based Electronics Using the Electrospinning Technique , William Serrano Garcia

Transparent Planar Micro-Electrode Array for In-Vitro Electric Field Mediated Gene Delivery , Raj Himatlal Shah

High Speed Switching for Plasma Based Electroporation , Shivangi Sharma

Development of Small-Scale Power Supplies for Wearable Medical Diagnostic Devices , Donny Stiner

Novel Approach to Integrate CAN Based Vehicle Sensors with GPS Using Adaptive Filters to Improve Localization Precision in Connected Vehicles from a Systems Engineering Perspective , Abhijit Vasili

Modeling, Control and Analysis of Inverter-Based Generators in the Power Grids , Yangkun Xu

Fiber-Based Supercapacitor for Wearable Electronics , Rohit Lallansingh Yadav

Modeling, Identification, and Stability Analysis of Inverter-Based Resources Integrated Systems , Miao Zhang

Data-Oriented Approaches towards Mobile, Network and Secure Systems , Shangqing Zhao

Strategies in Botnet Detection and Privacy Preserving Machine Learning , Di Zhuang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Architecture design and optimization of Edge-enabled Smart Grids , Adetola B. Adeniran

Multimodal Data Fusion and Attack Detection in Recommender Systems , Mehmet Aktukmak

Artificial Intelligence Towards the Wireless Channel Modeling Communications in 5G , Saud Mobark Aldossari

Enhancement of 5G Network Performance Using Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) , Faeik Tayseer Al Rabee

Investigation of Machine Learning Algorithms for Intrusion Detection System in Cybersecurity , Mohmmed Alrowaily

Comprehensive Optimization Models for Voltage Regulation in PV-rich Multi-phase Distribution Systems , Ibrahim Alsaleh

Design and Implementation of Solid/Solid Phononic Crystal Structures in Lateral Extensional Thin-film Piezoelectric on Silicon Micromechanical Resonators , Abdulrahman Alsolami

Analysis of Computational Modeling Methods as Applied to Single-Crystal Organohalide Perovskites , Jon M. Bebeau

Development of a Monolithic Implantable Neural Interface from Cubic Silicon Carbide and Evaluation of Its MRI Compatibility , Mohammad Beygi

Performance Enhancement Techniques for Next-Generation Multi-Service Communication and Medical Cyber-Physical Systems , Ali Fatih Demir

Microfluidically Reconfigurable Millimeter-Wave Switches, Antenna Arrays and Filters with Fast-Actuation Using Movable Metallized Plates and Integrated Actuation , Enrique J. Gonzalez Carvajal

Multilayered Transmission Lines, Antennas and Phased Arrays with Structurally Integrated Control Electronics Using Additive Manufacturing , Merve Kacar

Cost Efficient Algorithms and Methods for Spectral Efficiency in Future Radio Access , Murat Karabacak

Design of DeLRo Autonomous Delivery Robot and AI Based Localization , Tolga Karakurt

Theory, Fabrication, and Characterization of Perovskite Phototransistor , Fatemeh Khorramshahi

Modeling and Control of Renewable Energy in Grids and Microgrids , Yin Li

Next-Generation Self-Organizing Communications Networks: Synergistic Application of Machine Learning and User-Centric Technologies , Chetana V. Murudkar

Reliability Analysis of Power Grids and its Interdependent Infrastructures: An Interaction Graph-based Approach , Upama Nakarmi

Algorithms Enabling Communications in the Presence of Adjacent Channel Interference , Berker Peköz

Electrospun Nanofibrous Membrane Based Glucose Sensor with Integration of Potentiostat Circuit , Kavyashree Puttananjegowda

Service Provisioning and Security Design in Software Defined Networks , Mohamed Rahouti

Reading and Programming Spintronic Devices for Biomimetic Applications and Fault-tolerant Memory Design , Kawsher Ahmed Roxy

Implementation of SR Flip-Flop Based PUF on FPGA for Hardware Security , Sai Praneeth Sagi

Trauma Detection Personal Locator Beacon System , Sakshi Sharma

Network Function Virtualization In Fog Networks , Nazli Siasi

Socially Aware Network User Mobility Analysis and Novel Approaches on Aerial Mobile Wireless Network Deployment , Ismail Uluturk

Spatial Stereo Sound Source Localization Optimization and CNN Based Source Feature Recognition , Cong Xu

Hybrid RF Acoustic Resonators and Arrays with Integrated Capacitive and Piezoelectric Transducers , Adnan Zaman

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Fabrication and Characterization of Electrical Energy Storage and Harvesting Energy Devices Using Gel Electrolytes , Belqasem Aljafari

Phasor Measurement Unit Data-Based Steady State and Dynamic Model Estimation , Anas Almunif

Cross Layer-based Intrusion Detection System Using Machine Learning for MANETs , Amar Amouri

Power Conditioning System on a Micro-Grid System , Tamoghna Banerjee

Thermal Response in a Field Oriented Controlled Three-phase Induction Motor , Niyem Mawenbe Bawana

Design and Development of a Wireless EEG System Integrated into a Football Helmet , Akshay V. Dunakhe

Machine Learning, Game Theory Algorithms, and Medium Access Protocols for 5G and Internet-of-Thing (IoT) Networks , Mohamed Elkourdi

Improving Stability by Enhancing Critical Fault Clearing Time , Ammara M. Ghani

RF Power Circuit Designs for Wi-Fi Applications , Krishna Manasa Gollapudi

Enhancing Secrecy and Capacity of Wireless Systems Using Directive Communications , Mohammed A. Hafez

Statistical Anomaly Detection and Mitigation of Cyber Attacks for Intelligent Transportation Systems , Ammar Haydari

Absorber and Window Study – CdSexTe1-x/CdTe Thin Film Solar Cells , Chih-An Hsu

Methods and Algorithms to Enhance the Security, Increase the Throughput, and Decrease the Synchronization Delay in 5G Networks , Asim Mazin

Piezoelectric ZnO Nanowires as a Tunable Interface Material for Opto-Electronic Applications , Anand Kumar Santhanakrishna

Security Framework for the Internet of Things Leveraging Network Telescopes and Machine Learning , Farooq Israr Ahmed Shaikh

Diversity and Network Coded 5G Wireless Network Infrastructure for Ultra-Reliable Communications , Nabeel Ibrahim Sulieman

The Design of Passive Networks with Full-Wave Component Models , Eric Valentino

CubeSat Constellation Design for Intersatellite Linking , Michael T. White

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Design of Micro-Scale Energy Harvesting Systems for Low Power Applications Using Enhanced Power Management System , Majdi M. Ababneh

A Study on the Adaptability of Immune System Principles to Wireless Sensor Network and IoT Security , Vishwa Alaparthy

Validation of Results of Smart Grid Protection through Self-Healing , Felipe Framil Assumpção

A Novel Framework to Determine Physiological Signals From Blood Flow Dynamics , Prashanth Chetlur Adithya

The Effect of Processing Conditions on the Energetic Diagram of CdTe Thin Films Studied by Photoluminescence , Shamara P. Collins

Physical Electronic Properties of Self-Assembled 2D and 3D Surface Mounted Metal-Organic Frameworks , Radwan Elzein

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Aerospace Engineering

Sample project/thesis proposal.

AE295A - Master’s Project Proposal Presented to Dr. Nikos Mourtos by Joshua Benton

September 1, 2011

Miniaturization, Integration, Analysis, and High-Altitude Flight Testing of a Scalable Autonomous GPS-Guided Parafoil for Targeted Payload Return

Background and context.

A parafoil is a special type of airfoil that is non-rigid and relies on dynamic pressure in flight to retain its shape. Due to their being non-rigid (and therefore foldable/packable), parafoils lend themselves very well to applications where controlled descent is required, but limited stowage is available for any sort of traditional wing structure. Also, compared to a traditional round parachute, parafoils have much greater directional control, improved glide performance, and the ability to adjust rate of descent by deforming the shape of the airfoil via control (or “toggle”) lines. These attributes of parafoils have made them very popular for human aerial descent, where the entire parafoil as well as a redundant backup can be stowed in a backpack and deployed rapidly when necessary.

In addition to manned applications, parafoils provide an attractive means to deliver a variety of payloads (e.g. military supplies, emergency equipment, food packages) to remote or inaccessible locations with a moderate degree of accuracy. This accuracy can be further improved by including an autonomous control system on the payload, which can effectively steer the parafoil in the same fashion as a human would, guiding it with a higher degree of precision to its landing point. In the last decade, several independent research efforts have focused on doing exactly this, providing complete, “intelligent” parafoil systems which autonomously steer themselves to a pre-defined landing point to deliver payloads (typically military supplies). Recent research efforts have improved accuracy of these systems from a few kilometers landing error to orders of magnitude less, depending on prevailing winds and initial drop altitude.

In my work at NASA Ames Research Center, we have identified a need to return small payloads (such as biological samples and small science experiments) from the International Space Station when desired or necessary, independently of the larger manned or supply vehicles which visit the Station with relative infrequency. Our proposed solution to this problem requires a means to guide the payload on the final leg of its journey to a selected landing point, with a high degree of precision, to aid in simple and immediate retrieval. The volumetric space available in the proposed return system eliminates rigid wing structures as a solution, and the gliding device for atmospheric descent must remain stowed until post-reentry. For these reasons, a parafoil system appears to be a very attractive solution.

In addition to ISS return applications, a well-developed autonomous parafoil system could be scaled larger and used for a number of other applications of interest to us, including the return of experiments from sub-orbital sounding rocket flights, which currently relies on slow, expensive, and frequently- unsuccessful water recovery from rented boats.

We have identified and worked with researchers at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California, on a GPS-guided parafoil device they are developing. From our collaboration, we have built our own version of their GPS-guided return device, and have drop-tested it several times from low altitudes (~3000 ft. AGL) from an autonomous UAV. We have also collaborated with colleagues and a student team at the University of Idaho in 3 high-altitude balloon drops of the device, but two of these drops resulted in failures: the first, failure to separate from the balloon due to tangling; and the second, failure for the parafoil to fully inflate.

Problem Definition and Approach

Though we have already fabricated a prototype version of the autonomous parafoil return device we wish to use for the ISS, there are still many problems to solve to make it a practical and feasible solution:

• Miniaturization of the autonomous control system : At present, the autonomous steering system that hangs below the parafoil is much too large volumetrically to fit within the confines of the ISS sample return system. A design of the physical structure and a more efficient packaging scheme are required to miniaturize the control system while still maintaining reliability and functionality. Smaller steering servos, more efficient line rigging and tensioning, and a smaller battery (while still maintaining design margin) are necessary to achieve this.
• Characterization of high-altitude parafoil aerodynamics : Due to the nature of the application we wish to use this device for, it is advantageous to attain steering authority at as high an altitude as possible. In doing so, the maximum achievable ground range of targeted landing is improved. Unfortunately, the functioning of a parafoil relies on dynamic pressure to maintain its structural shape, and high-altitude use is problematic due to collapse and “nose-diving” of the parafoil over its payload. To understand the maximum glide capability we can achieve with a parafoil return device, the aerodynamics of the parafoil at high altitude/low pressure need to be characterized and validated, through analysis and testing. CFD, vacuum chamber testing, and another high-altitude balloon test in April 2012 will be used to analyze and validate the performance of the parafoil at high altitude.
• Semi-rigidization of the parafoil structure : To eliminate the problem of parafoil collapse in low dynamic pressure, a method of self-deployment while maintaining packable stowage capability will be developed. A system of lightweight spring-like material will be added to the parafoil to make the structure “semi-rigid” and capable of maintaining its shape in a low pressure environment. Vacuum chamber testing will provide a means of validation prior to balloon flight testing of the integrated system.
• Software porting of advanced guidance code to a newer control board : At present, our version of the Naval Postgraduate School’s GPS-guided parafoil device uses a different microprocessor board than their device. Previously, I have only programmed our board to steer the device to a specified heading, rather than to a specific set of landing coordinates. A ported version of the advanced code exists, but is written for an older version of our control board, and has yet to be tested/de-bugged. As part of the development effort, the ported code requires modification for compatibility with the new version of the control board, debugging, and ground-testing.

As noted above, an opportunity exists to flight-test the entire system from a high-altitude balloon in April 2012 with the collaboration of the University of Idaho’s RISE balloon team. This is the same team we have worked with in the past and have developed an excellent working relationship and understanding of all necessary procedures and protocols for safe flight testing of the parafoil system. During flight, the payload and balloon are tracked via redundant GPS transponders on the APRS radio network (amateur HAM band), enabling precise recovery of the payload systems.

Data returned from the flight testing includes HD video (one camera up-looking to the parafoil and another looking 45 degrees to the ground); a GPS flight track including time and altitude via the APRS network as well as the data-logging control board of the parafoil device; and three-dimensional component velocity and acceleration of the parafoil payload via an on-board IMU.

Thesis Proposal Exam

The Thesis Proposal Examination consists of the preparation of a written research proposal (15 pages maximum) and an oral presentation and defense of the same before a faculty committee. The purpose of the examination is to judge the student’s apparent ability to plan and conduct high-quality, PhD-level research in chemical engineering. The topic, magnitude and significance of the proposed research should be suitable for the ensuing doctoral program.

There are no restrictions on candidate/advisor consultations, but the extent of these interactions must be disclosed to the examining committee and the graduate office.

The examination will be taken no later than May 31 in the year after passing the Doctoral Candidacy Exam (DCE). For most students, this thesis proposal exam will be taken during their second year in the graduate program. Failure to take the thesis proposal exam in a timely fashion, absent approval of a petition to the faculty for special consideration, constitutes a lack of satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree and constitutes grounds for removal from the PhD program.

The examination date must be chosen in consultation with the candidate’s advisor and the other committee members at least three (3) weeks in advance of the proposed examination date. After scheduling the exam, the candidate informs the graduate program office by completing and submitting the  Request for Thesis Proposal Examination Form (PDF).

A one-page  Project Summary  (PDF)for the written research proposal must be submitted with the Written Proposal. The Written Proposal and Project Summary must be distributed to the Graduate Program Office and the committee members at least one week in advance of the scheduled examination date.

A reminder of the various due dates will be sent to the student and committee after the examination is scheduled.

Examining Committee

The Thesis Proposal Examination Committee consists of at least three faculty members from chemical engineering (including the proposed Dissertation Committee Chair(s)) and at least one cognate faculty member from outside the Chemical Engineering Department. Most students use the Thesis Proposal Exam Committee members as their Dissertation Committee members as well.

The examination consists of the preparation of a written research proposal and an oral presentation and defense of the same before the Thesis Proposal Examination Committee. At the oral examination, the candidate will present a 20-30 minute summary of the research proposal and subsequently be asked questions on the proposal and related matters. The total time for the examination is typically 60–90 minutes. The committee may be expected to pose any question relating to the substance and background of the proposed research and the applicant’s preparation for conducting the research.

Immediately before the oral examination, the advisor shall inform the other committee members of the extent of the collaboration with the candidate and also give an impression of the candidate’s performance in research already conducted.

In evaluating the thesis proposal examination, the primary criterion will be the applicant’s apparent ability to plan and conduct high-quality, PhD-level research in chemical engineering, as measured by the scholarly and technical breadth and depth displayed in the examination.

The examining committee will rate the written proposal and oral presentation as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor and provide a few comments to explain the basis for the rating. A rating of Good signifies a proposal and presentation that just meets minimum standards and is the lowest possible passing score. These ratings and comments will be shared with the student and given to the graduate office.

Success on the examination fulfills one of the requirements for the PhD degree. A student who does not pass the thesis proposal exam in their first attempt may take it a second time but no later than October 15. Failing twice to pass the thesis proposal examination is considered sufficient reason to terminate the applicant’s enrollment in the Department’s Doctoral Program.

Thesis Proposal Exam Results Report

Guidelines for Preparing for the Thesis Proposal Examination

• The applicant should read the  Proposal Writer’s Guide  (Office of Research and Sponsored Projects of The University of Michigan). The discussion of the Introduction, Background and Description of Proposed Research sections will likely be the most useful.
• The  written proposal (WP)  may be organized in any form that the applicant feels is most appropriate but should include the items listed below. Some suggestions for suitable preparation for the  oral examination (OE)  are also indicated.

Introduction  (including a statement of the problem, purpose and significance of the research).

Background  (including a literature survey and a description of research already performed by the applicant).

WP:  The literature review should be selective and critical.

OE:  The applicant is expected to be intimately familiar with the relevant literature, the opinions of previous workers in the subject, and to be critical of shortcomings in earlier work.

Description of Proposed Research  (including method or approach and expected difficulties). This must constitute about 50% of the text of the written proposal. The Project Description should provide a clear statement of the work to be undertaken and must include: objectives for the period of the proposed work and expected significance; relation to the present state of knowledge in the field and to work in progress at Michigan and elsewhere. The Project Description should outline the general plan of work, including the broad design of activities to be undertaken and, where appropriate, provide a clear description of experimental methods and procedures.

WP:  A specific research program should be put forth (e.g., identify variables to be studied and their levels); the expected research program sequence; decision points expected during the course of the research; the methods of data reduction, evaluation, interpretation and presentation, etc.

OE:  The applicant is expected to display a thorough grasp of the physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, etc., relevant to the conduct of the theoretical or experimental research program. The methods used by others or proposed to be used should be thoroughly understood.

A  timetable  for conducting and reporting the research: The timetable should be clearly based upon the scope of the work described in the description of the proposed research.

List of references . Each reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers and year of publication.

Curriculum Vitae .

The written research proposal must not be longer than 15 pages of text (including figures, excluding title page, list of references, and CV), of which about 50% must be the description of the proposed research.

Use one of the following typefaces: Arial, Times, Times New Roman, Palatino (if using a Mac), Courier New, Palatino Linotype, Computer Modern family of fonts at a font size of 11 points or larger. A font size of less than 11 points may be used for mathematical formulas or equations, figure, table or diagram captions and when using a Symbol font to insert Greek letters or special characters.

No more than six lines of text within a vertical space of one inch.

Margins, in all directions, must be at least an inch.

While line spacing (single-spaced, double-spaced, etc.) is at the discretion of the proposer, established page limits must be followed.

The  project summary  (pdf) is not more than one page, and it should be a self-contained description of the activity proposed. The summary should include a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It must clearly address the intellectual merit of the proposed activity. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and, insofar as possible, understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader. Potential hazards and safety precautions should be identified. The members of the proposed dissertation committee should be included on the Project Summary.

Edinburgh Research Archive

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Engineering thesis and dissertation collection

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Application of optical flow for high-resolution velocity measurements in wall-bounded turbulence , asset maintenance of thick section fibre-reinforced composite structures , neural networks for channel estimation , design of new chemical sensors based on controlled morphologies of gold nanoparticles , big data analysis on long-span bridge structural health monitoring systems , investigation of a low-energy thermal energy recovery system for passive ventilation applications , nanostructured composite adsorbents and membranes for selective dye, oil and heavy metal ion separation , data-driven aerodynamic instabilities detection in centrifugal compressors , guided direct time-of-flight lidar for self-driving vehicles , properties and tunable nature of electrochemically-grown peptide-based hydrogels at single microelectrodes , thermal integration of waste to energy plants with post-combustion co₂ capture technologies , development and modelling of sustainable polymer–based membranes for gas separation and packaging , holographic single photon lidar for adaptive 3d imaging , operational data mining for offshore wind farm maintenance , dynamics of rigid and soft particles in a cross-slot flow at finite inertia , using machine learning for long-term track bed behaviour analysis and maintenance scheduling optimisation , developing a multi-scale parallelised coupled system for wave-current interactions at regional scales , uav-aided hybrid rf-optical wireless networks , turbulence in real-sea conditions and its impacts on tidal energy devices , investigating the role of mechanical and structural properties of scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering .

Theses and Dissertations Collection

Open Access Repository of University of Idaho Graduate ETD

Description

An open access repository of theses and dissertations from University of Idaho graduate students. The collection includes the complete electronic theses and dissertations submitted since approximately 2014, as well as, select digitized copies of earlier documents dating back to 1910.

Top Subjects

computer science ecology electrical engineering natural resource management mechanical engineering plant sciences water resources management education civil engineering environmental science animal sciences forestry engineering materials science agriculture biology chemical engineering wildlife management

Top Programs

natural resources education mechanical engineering computer science electrical and computer engineering plant, soil and entomological sciences civil engineering environmental science english water resources movement & leisure sciences animal and veterinary science anthropology chemical and materials science engineering geology curriculum & instruction bioinformatics & computational biology chemistry

1910 to 2023 View Timeline

1893 PDFs 395 Records 147 Embargoed ETDs View table

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