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All thesis-option graduate students at Purdue must deposit the final products of their research with the Purdue University OGSPS Thesis & Dissertation Office. The Thesis & Dissertation Office will help ensure that all pre-requisites for deposit have been fulfilled and that your thesis or dissertation meets the quality standards established by the Graduate Council Standing Committee on Theses and Dissertations.

Controlled Data

Students who are working with data that is subject to EAR, ITAR, DFARS Clause 252.204-7012, or other controlled data need to follow a specific process to submit their thesis or dissertation. This process is outlined at  Guidance Document - Controlled Thesis Submission Process .

Your Thesis/Dissertation review MUST be an in-person review with a member of the Thesis Office. Email [email protected]  to schedule.

Your document is  NOT  to be submitted through the Hammer repository.

Your document is  NOT  to be run through iThenticate.

If any students, faculty, or staff have questions, do not hesitate to contact Nicole Moody  or Elizabeth Wagner .

The Deposit Process

1. complete the electronic thesis acceptance form (etaf) and required surveys.

• The ETAF should be initiated after your final defense and will be available through your Plan of Study portal. You will not be able to make any edits to a submitted ETAF. If your selections need editing, contact us. Please allow AT LEAST 2 business days the ETAF to be signed by all committee members and to receive departmental approval.
• The Processor of the ETAF will process your form once you've completed step 2 of the deposit process and complete the required survey(s).

A helpful guide to initiating your ETAF is available here:  Student Instructions for Initiating the Thesis Acceptance Form (PDF) .

• Master's candidates need to complete OGSPS Exit Questionnaire before their defense.
• Doctoral candidates need to complete OGSPS Exit Questionnaire and the Survey of Earned Doctorates before their defense.

2. Submit your ETD to Hammer Research Repository  (HammerRR)

• Once your ETAF has been approved through the Thesis Form Head, you will receive an email with instructions on how to upload and submit your final deposit to HammerRR. At this point, you will be able to log-in to your Plan of Study portal and find the link to submit your thesis to HammerRR.
• After you've created a profile and have uploaded your ETD, a staff member of the Thesis & Dissertation Office will review your submission for any formatting errors and will contact you regarding necessary changes. This process will continue until you have met a satisfactory formatting condition, after which, you will receive an email regarding the acceptance of your ETD to OGSPS.
• You must upload your thesis to HammerRR at least 24 hours in advance of the Deposit Deadline to allow our staff adequate time to review your submission. ETAF 9 must be approved by the 5pm deposit deadline.

3. Pay the Deposit Fee

• Master's Thesis Fee $90.00
• Ph.D. Dissertation Fee $125.00

Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis Campus West Lafayette candidates will pay the deposit fee through their myPurdue accounts. The thesis fee will appear in a candidate's student account 5-10 business days after the HammerRR submission is approved.

Purdue Regional Campuses Calumet and Fort Wayne candidates will pay their fees to their local bursar's office as part of the clearance process by their regional campus thesis advisor.

IU Indianapolis Campus IUI candidates will receive an emailed bill following their successful deposit.

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• Thesis/Dissertation Office

The Thesis/Dissertation Office ensures candidate compliance with formatting and deposit requirements as stated in the current thesis manual. The office processes paper and electronic theses/dissertations for placement in Purdue Undergraduate Library Storage or submission to ProQuest Information & Learning for microfilming and digitization. The office also provides instructional outreach to candidates, departments, staff, and faculty via scheduled thesis formatting and deposit workshops.

Thesis Help [email protected]

Carla Coffey Graduate Records Coordinator of Theses & Dissertations [email protected] (765) 496-0864

Lisa Williams Credentials Analyst [email protected] (765) 494-2607

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For theses, the Purdue Polytechnic Institute has adopted the APA, parenthetical citation format as implemented by Purdue University as the format for theses and dissertations. For students in departmental or school MS programs (AT, BCM, CGT, CIT and TLI [IT]), additional information may be available on your department's graduate web site.

Formatting Your Thesis

TECH 646 (a required course for most students) assists the student in developing their proposal and therefore covers how to format the thesis or dissertation. Students who are not required to take TECH 646 may use the following guidelines to ensure their thesis or dissertation is acceptably formatted.

Foremost, students should use the University Microsoft Word Thesis template which is available on the graduate school's web site . This template has styles included within it to make formatting less cumbersome. The Graduate School also holds seminars on use of the template and following the formatting requirements.

Students should NOT use the LaTeX format provided by the university. Instead, if a student desires to use LaTeX, they should use the attached template .

Note that there are a few things that the Word template will not do. Even when using the thesis template, students must:

• Ensure that they do not use vertical lines in tables.
• Properly format captions for tables and figures (including proper italics for each).
• Ensure proper tabs for each paragraph and proper hanging indents on references.

Other specifics of the format can be seen in this example document that can be used as a guide for formatting theses and dissertations.

Formatting Review for Theses

Students are required to meet with the their Thesis Format Advisor at least two weeks before they defend their thesis. The last date to meet with the Thesis Advisor for a thesis formatting appointment is two weeks prior to the last day to defend the thesis. A thesis formatting appointment is mandatory. Students who do not meet with the Purdue Polytechnic Thesis Advisor and get the appropriate approval signature on the Form 9 will not graduate at the end of the semester.

Thesis advisors in the Purdue Polytechnic include the following:

The Thesis Formatting Review requires the following steps:

• Scheduling the meeting to occur before the thesis/dissertation defense.
• Submitting an electronic copy of the thesis via email to the Thesis Advisor two days prior to the review meeting for submission to the iThenticate plagiarism checking software.
• Attending the Thesis review meeting.

Note that the thesis format review does not apply to directed projects. Only theses and dissertations are reviewed for format requirements.

Scheduling Formatting Appointment

To make a thesis formatting appointment with the Thesis Advisor, students will need to email the contact shown above. Once the thesis has been approved, the student may schedule a defense. It is recommended that students make an appointment with the thesis advisor as early as possible.

Providing an iThenticate Copy

Two days prior to your scheduled Thesis Advising appointment, you should email a complete copy of your thesis as a single Word or PDF document with no images to your Thesis Advisor. After receiving your document, the Thesis Advisor will submit your electronic document to the iThenticate application to verify there is no plagiarism within the document. At the Thesis Advising appointment you will be able to review the results of the check as well as receive the electronic results.

NOTE: You should bring a USB drive or other storage media with you to the Thesis Advising appoint so that you may receive a copy of the iThenticate results.

Attending the Formatting Appointment

Please e-mail Dr. Newton ( [email protected] ) a copy of your dissertation two days prior to your formatting appointment.

Thesis Pre-review

If a student is in doubt whether their document is formatted correctly, they may email a sample from their thesis to the Thesis Format Advisor for review and comment. “Pre-review” meetings are also a possibility but must occur before the sixth (6th) week of each semester.

Three-Article Dissertation Format (Alternative)

Having an article-based dissertation is a collection of 3 (minimum) published (or accepted for publication without further revision) research articles in high quality refereed journals related to a common theme. Prior to submission to the journals for publication, the candidate must obtain approval of each article and the journals from all current Committee members. The relationship between the articles and theory bases they are drawn from must be described in an introductory chapter. Crosscutting themes, conclusions, implications and recommendations that may be drawn from across the articles must be described in a concluding chapter. 

Students are required to be first author, and confirm their contributions of each article before their listings according to the following Multiple Author Policy.

Requirements

Multiple Author Policy

(Adapted from Morgan, 1984)

A author is a person who has used professional skills to make a significant contribution to a published article and who can take public responsibility for its content.

A significant contribution is a contribution without which the article would have been seriously compromised in scope or quality. A significant contribution to a research project may be made by an author in one or more of the following research phases:

• Conceptualization and design,
• Methodology and/or simulation design,
• Data Collection,
• Conclusions, and/or
• Recommendations

Types of work that are specifically excluded from this definition are as follows:

• Referring subjects to researchers,
• Performing routine laboratory work, data entry, or analysis,
• Any nonprofessional work, and
• Proofreading or correction of the format or style of the article.

Unjustified multiple authorship dilutes the value of authorship, reduces the credibility of the study and can violate the essential principle that science can advance only through the work of those who understand what they are saying.

Reference: Morgan, P. P. (1984). How many authors can dance on the head of an article? Canadian Medical Association Journal, 130, 842.

Student authors are required to confirm contributions to each paper with the following statement.  My contributions within the parameters of this article are:  _____________________________________________.  List each author and their contribution to this article. An example may look like this style from the Transportation Research Record:

Author Contributions

The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception and design: Author1lastname, I.; data collection: Author2lastname, X.; analysis and interpretation of results: Author3last, Z, and Author1lastname, I.; draft manuscript preparation: Author1lastname, I. and Author4last, Y. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

A dissertation authored using this structure will need to include acknowledgement of prior publication within the respective chapter, and permission from the Journal for publication with the following statements.  The Journal of ________________________ ________________________________ provided permission for me to publish this article titled ___________________________________________ in this dissertation.  Please attach permission letters in Appendices.

Although each journal may have specific statement requirements, the acknowledgment should be single spaced and appear 3 single spaces under the chapter title. Consult your publisher regarding required information that should appear in this acknowledgment.

Three-Article Dissertation Contents

All dissertations will conform to Purdue Polytechnic and Purdue Graduate School formatting and format review guidelines. A typical article-based dissertation will use the following structure:

Preliminary pages

• Statement of Approval and authorship page
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgments (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures

Main Body pages

• Introduction of Dissertation Research and Overview of Purpose and Significance of Research.  Research question(s) addressed overall, and the question(s) addressed in each published article. Discussion of how these articles address the research question. Additional information may need to be provided; e.g. the survey development may need more discussion and to be supplemented with the IRB information and a copy of the survey instrument; or other pertinent research details that may not appear in the specific articles. 
• Published Article #1
• Published Article #2
• Published Article #3
• Additional Published Articles numbered
• Discussion of overall contribution supported by the contributions of each article. Crosscutting themes, conclusions, implications and recommendations that may be drawn from across the articles must be described.

Back Matter pages

• Appendix (Include Permission Letters for Previously Published Articles)
• Vita (optional)
• List of Publications (optional)
• Forms and Documents
• Graduation Candidate Resources
• Grade Appeals
• University Graduate Student Resources

Home > ETD > OPEN_ACCESS_DISSERTATIONS

Open Access Dissertations

Dissertations from 2018 2018.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Construction and Real Estate Development Companies in Developing Countries: An Assessment Model , Ahmed Nabil Abdel-Salam

Effect of Cue Cardinality, Cue Representation and Judgment Options on Human Judgments , Harsh Wardhan Aggarwal

Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Geometric Reflections in Terms of Motion and Mapping View , Murat Akarsu

An Overall Policy Decision-Support System For Educational Facilities Management: An Agent-Based Approach , Haya Bader Albader

Beer to Stay: Brewed Culture, Ethnicity, and the Market Revolution , Brian Alberts

Translocation of Neonicotinoid in Maize and Nontarget Impacts to Water and Soil , Adam Alford

Identification of Novel Therapeutic Targets for Chronic Pain , Doungkamol Alongkronrusmee

A Framework for Comparative Life-Cycle Evaluation of Alternative Pavement Types , Saeed Alqadhi

Process Characterization and Optimization of Roll-to-Roll Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition for Graphene Growth , Majed A. Alrefae

She is a computer scientist: a quantitative comparison between the effectiveness of game design studios and robotics at enhancing women's learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identification with computer science , Ali Nazil Alshammari

Experimentally validated quantum transport models for tunneling devices based on novel materials , Tarek A. Ameen Beshari

Interparental Conflict as a Context for Early Child-Parent Attachment Relationships , Laura Yanett Anaya

East Asian International Students' Interdependent Happiness: The Role of Acculturative Stress, Dialectical Thinking, and Collectivistic Coping , Yaping Huang Anderson

Avian Immunogenetics and Evolution of a Passerine Bird in the Face of Malarial Parasites , Jennifer D. Antonides

Large Scale Constrained Trajectory Optimization Using Indirect Methods , Thomas Antony

A Performance-Based Framework for Guiding Enroute Air Traffic Control Sector Design , Julian R. Archer

Bridge Load Rating: A General Procedure for Load Rating Bridges without Plans , Rafael Ricardo Armendariz Briones

Comparison of Brachypodium and Wheat Response to Hessian Fly , Abdelrahman Ahmed Abdelhady Mohamed Awad

Spin-Torque Sensors for Energy Efficient and High Speed Global Interconnects , Zubair Al Azim

Analysis of Packaged Air Conditioning System for High Temperature Climates , Ammar M. Bahman

Modeling and Simulation of Blood Flow past the Distal Anastomosis of the Arteriovenous Graft for Hemodialysis , Zengding Bai

Minimal Models of Rational Elliptic Curves with non-Trivial Torsio , Alexander J. Barrios

"Do I Even Remember the List?': Identity, Place, and Legal Consciousness of Marriage Among LGBTQ Individuals." , D Ross Beall

Studies on the Impact Initiation and Kinetics of Condensed Phase Reactives with Application to the Shock Induced Reaction Synthesis of Cubic Boron Nitride , Matthew T. Beason

Using Computational Musicological Approaches and Informatics to Characterize Soundscapes in Diverse Natural and Human-Dominated Ecosystems , Kristen M. Bellisario

Holostream: High-accuracy, High-speed 3D Range Video Encoding and Streaming , Tyler Bell

Multi-Hazard In-Plane Response of Steel-plate Composite (SC) Walls: Out-of-plane and Accident Thermal Loadings , Saahastaranshu R. Bhardwaj

Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding the Measurement of the Area of Rectangles , Cetin Kursat Bilir

Photoassociation in 87RB BECS and in Ultracold 7LI85RB , David Blasing

A Pragmatic Methodology for the (Queer) Self , Elaine M. Blum

YshB is a positive regulator for Salmonella intracellular survival and facilitates the spatio-temporal regulation of bacterial pathogenesis , Rajdeep Bomjan

On the Computation and Composition of Belyi Maps and Dessins d'Enfants , Jacob A. Bond

Raw Material Variability in Food Manufacturing , Brian A. Bourquard

Sex, Culture, and the Politics of Fashion in Stuart England , Emilie M. Brinkman

‘MakingThings Happen’ in Cross-sector Partnerships: A Multiple Case Study , Priyanka Shah Brunese

Three Essays on Skill Heterogeneity in Frictional Labor Markets , Jacklyn R. Buhrmann

Religion and Movement Activism in 1960s Chicago , D. Trevor Burrows

An Investigation of Micro-Surface Shaping on the Piston/Cylinder Interface of Axial Piston Machines , Ashley Busquets

Quantifying Human Heat Stress in Working Environments, and Their Relationship to Atmospheric Dynamics, Due to Global Climate Change , Jonathan R. Buzan

Gist of a Gest: Learning Gestures for the First Time , Maria Eugenia Cabrera Ubaldi

Understanding the Molecular Mechanism of Arsenic Tolerance and Accumulation in Pteris vittata , Chao Cai

Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Functional Analysis of Tissues and Biomaterials , Luyao Cai

Characterization of Type I Collagen and Osteoblast Response to Mechanical Loading , Silvia P. Canelón

Data-driven Resource Allocation in Virtualized Environments , Lianjie Cao

Modeling of Bearing Dynamics Using Combined EFEM-DEM Method , Lijun Cao

Regulation of Intestinal Lipid Storage and Mobilization , Alicia L. Carreiro

A Solidarity Economy on the Border: Examining Historical and Contemporary Case Studies in El Paso, Texas as De Facto Contributors to a U.S.-Based Movement , Michelle E. Carreon

Using Tangible Interaction and Virtual Reality to Support Spatial Perspective Taking Ability , Shen-Kuen Chang

Social Brokerage, Psychology, and Innovation in Intra-Organizational Networks , Hongzhi Chen

Proteomics Strategies to Develop Proteins of Post-translational Modifications in Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Disease Markers , I-Hsuan (Blair) Chen

Label free chemical imaging reveals novel metabolite signatures in living model organisms , Jing (Andy) Chen

Assessment of urbanization impacts on surface runoff and effects of green infrastructure on hydrology and water quality , Jingqiu Chen

Computational optimization of networks of dynamical systems under uncertainties: application to the air transportation system , Jun Chen

Conventions of the Commons: Technical Communication and Crowdsourced Digital Publishing , Amelia Chesley

Choosing Wickedness: Moral Evil in Kant's Religion , Changtze Chia

Computational Learning for Hand Pose Estimation , Chiho Choi

Sustainable Supply Planning of By-Product Minerals: A Case Study on Indium , Chul Hun Choi

Computational Methods for Matrix/Tensor Factorization and Deep Learning Image Denoising , Joon Hee Choi

The Relationships of Social Cognitive Career Theory Factors and Cybersecurity Research Self-Efficacy , Rylan C. Chong

Strategies to Create Interfacial Patterning and Epitaxial Architectures Using Controllable Anisotropic Wetting at Scales Layers , Shi Wah Choong

Thermal & Non-Thermal Signatures From Galactic Nuclei , Ian Christie

Investigations of the Electrical, Vibrational and Optical Properties of Graphene-based Materials , Ting-Fung Chung

Measurements of Transition Dominated by the Second-Mode Instability at Mach 6 , Brandon C. Chynoweth

The Human Dimensions of Invasive Plant Management on Family Forestlands: A Case Study in Indiana , Mysha K. Clarke

Secular Discourse in Postcolonial West African Narratives: Problems and Perspectives: A Comparative Study , Malick Coly

Gender and Parental Support to Adult Children in Later Life , Gülçin Con

Quantum correlations in nanophotonics: from long-range dipole-dipole interactions to fundamental efficiency limits of coherent energy transfer , Cristian L. Cortes

On the Front Line: Locating Mentorship in the Composition Practicum , Sherri Elaine Craig

Manipulating Light Quality, Light Intensity, and Carbon Dioxide Concentration to Optimize Indoor and Greenhouse Production of Annual Bedding Plant Seedlings , Joshua Ken Craver

Folate Receptor Beta as a Marker of Immunosuppressive Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells and Tumor Associated Macrophages in the Tumor Microenvironment , Gregory Micheal Cresswell

Modeling Anthropogenic Disturbance of Wildlife , Laura E. D'Acunto

The Influence of Biomass Burning Aerosols on Stratocumulus Clouds over the South-East Atlantic , Sampa Das

Producing Nanoscale Laser Spot and its Applications , Anurup Datta

Modeling the Behavioral Landscape Ecology of a Reintroduced Carnivore , Casey C. Day

Hispanic Acculturation and Perceived Discrimination's Impact on Emerging Adult's Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Over Time: A Longitudinal Investigation. , Hector F. De Los Santos

Multidimensional Nonlinear Optical Imaging , Fengyuan Deng

Political Order in the Modernizing Mormon Kingdom, 1887-1896 , Mark Denninghoff

Structure-Function Analysis of a Flavivirus Non-Structural Protein , Michael J. Dibiaso White

Conceptualizing Individual Disaster Resilience: Benchmarking Tools for Individual and Social Coping Capacity for a Disaster Resilient Society , Lindsey J. DiTirro

Behavioral Pharmacology of Alcohol and Legal Psychostimulants , Meridith Tracy Doyle

Characterization of Manifold Microchannel Heat Sinks During Two-Phase Operation , Kevin P. Drummond

Pathology or Neurodiversity?: Cognitive Accessibility and the Rhetorical Construction of ADHD in Higher Education , Samuel James Dunn

Design Methodology for a High-Frequency Transformer in an Isolating DC-DC Converter , Veda Samhitha Duppalli

Understanding the Relation Between Sexual Objectification and Ostracism , Maayan Dvir

Polysulfide Mitigation at the Electrode-Electrolyte Interface: Experiments in Rechargeable Lithium Sulfur Batteries , Arthur D. Dysart

Teacher Identity and the Role of Relational Coaching , Melinda R. Ehmer

Highly Excited States of Small Molecules and Negative Atomic Ions , Matthew T. Eiles

GNSS/INS-Assisted Multi-Camera Mobile Mapping: System Architecture, Modeling, Calibration, and Enhanced Navigation , Magdy Elbahnasawy

Improving Information Alignment and Distributed Coordination for Secure Information Supply Chains , Omar Eldardiry

Efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods , Youhan Fang

Plant cell wall modification during tomato processing and its effects on the physical and rheological properties of end products , Xing Fei

Design and Development of Adaptive Intrusion Management for Cyber-Based Systems , Muhamad Felemban

Spin-orbit interaction and electron spin qubits in silicon quantum dots , Rifat Ferdous

Global On-line, Interactive and Simulated Learning Techniques via BIRS , Janet L. Fourman

Enzymatic Inhibition By Lignin During Second Generation Ethanol Production , Antonio Carlos Freitas dos Santos

Metaethical Mooreanism , Jonathan Fuqua

Understanding the adoption, maintenance, diffusion of urban stormwater management practices , Yuling Gao

Acute Effects of Contractile Activity on Skeletal Muscle Exosomes , Ron T. Garner

Plant Mediated Effects on Tritrophic Interactions in the Solanaceae-Hornworm System , Michael A. Garvey

Food Quality Versus Quantity: Consumer's Value Perception and the Influence of Eating Style , Li Ge

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Finding Dissertations

• America: History and Life Index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. Covers over 2,000 journals published worldwide. Strong English-language journal coverage is balanced by an international perspective on topics and events, including abstracts in English of articles published in more than 40 languages.
• Historical Abstracts Abstracts of selected journal articles, citations of books, book reviews and dissertations on the history of all parts of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to present.
• PsycINFO This database contains more than one million citations and summaries of journal articles, book chapters, books, dissertations and technical reports, all in the field of psychology. It also includes information about the psychological aspects of related disciplines such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, anthropology, business and law. Journal coverage, which spans from 1887 to present, includes international material selected from more than 1,700 periodicals in over 35 languages.
• Sociological Abstracts This database abstracts and indexes the international literature of sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. The database provides abstracts of journal articles and citations to book reviews drawn from thousands of serials publications and also provides abstracts of books, book chapters, dissertations, conference papers and working papers. Cited references are included for many journal articles.

Dissertations & Theses

The Purdue University Libraries collects, preserves, and provides access to dissertations as original works of scholarship in conjunction with doctorates awarded by the University. Other pertinent student works such as master's and honors theses may also be collected.

What is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?

At Purdue, “thesis” typically refers to a Master’s program and “dissertation” refers to the Ph.D program. In the early years a thesis was written in many undergraduate programs (i.e B.S. in Engineering).

How can I find dissertations that were written at Purdue?

The Purdue Libraries holds one copy of each title from 1882 to present. In some cases these have been marked confidential or have restrictions in place for a limited period of time. The original paper copies do not circulate and must be viewed in Archives and Special Collections. These can be requested through the Libraries catalog . Please log in to request your item. When the request is received, it is pulled from the storage Repository and delivered to be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the 4 th floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (HSSE). This is located in Stewart Center, 504 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907. You will receive a confirmation email when the item is ready along with directions to the Archives.

More information:

The first Thesis is available to be viewed in Archives and Special Collections . Early Purdue University Theses and Dissertations (starting in 1882 and scanned up to 1906 so far) have been scanned and are available online. Open access copies are available online through the Theses and Dissertations, Purdue e-Puds (including some copies from ProQuest). Copies available for loan: Some of the theses and dissertations have been microfilmed and can be requested for off campus use through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) . Also, some paper duplicates will show up in the catalog, please request the copy that does not say “Only viewable in the Archives.” Alumni can request an electronic copy of their theses or dissertation from the past by contacting [email protected].  If you have questions about depositing your thesis or dissertation, please contact the graduate school Thesis and Dissertation Office . 

How can I find theses or dissertations from U.S. institutions?

Go to Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) . It offers a comprehensive listing of bibliographic entries for theses and dissertations in the Dissertation Abstracts database. Theses and dissertations listed since 1997 are available in PDF digital format for users affiliated with Purdue University with access to theses and dissertations from CIC institutions. For those entries not full-text, 24-page previews are available. For non full-text entries and possible borrowing of non-Purdue titles, consult Interlibrary Loan .

How can I find dissertations that are free?

• From Center for Research Libraries (CRL) search for available paper-bound titles. CRL has more than 750,000 uncataloged foreign [non-U.S. or Canadian] doctoral dissertations, of which approximately 20,000 are presently in this database. Please consult with CRL if you are unable to find a dissertation that you may require.
• Cybertheses permits access to selected French dissertations from 1972 to the present. This database can provide access to another index where full-text provision for selected dissertations [theses in French] may be provided.
• NDLTD - Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations . NDLTD provides access to thousands of digitally available dissertations and theses. Both U.S. and foreign dissertations and theses can be accessed through this site for those institutions participating within this association.
• << Previous: Scholarly Societies, Associations & Journals
• Last Edited: Aug 14, 2024 11:20 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/amstudies

Learning Based Image Analysis - Quality Assessment, Tracking and Classification

This dissertation presents four distinct studies in the fields of image processing and machine learning, focusing on applications ranging from quality assessment for raster images in scanned document and virtual reality facial expression tracking to compression for continual learning and food image classification. First, we shift the traditional focus of image quality assessment (IQA) from natural images to scanned documents, proposing a machine learning-based classification method to evaluate the visual quality of scanned raster images. We enhance the classifier's performance using augmented data generated through noise models simulating scanning degradation. Second, we address the challenges of virtual facial animation in immersive VR, developing a domain adversarial training model to generate domain invariant features and combined it with manifold learning methods for accurate facial action unit (AU) intensity estimation from partially occluded facial images. Third, we explore the use of image compression to increase buffer capacity in continual machine learning systems, thereby enhancing exemplar diversity and mitigating catastrophic forgetting. Our approach includes a new framework that selects compression rate and algorithm, showing significant improvements in image classification accuracy on the CIFAR-100 and ImageNet datasets. Finally, we combine class-activation maps with neural image compression in food image classification systems to adapt to continuously evolving data, extending buffer size and enhancing data diversity, which is validated on food-specific datasets and shows potential for broader applications in continual machine learning systems. Together, these studies demonstrate the versatility of image processing and machine learning techniques in addressing complex and varied challenges across different domains.

Degree Type

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Electrical and Computer Engineering

Campus location

• West Lafayette

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

Additional committee member 2, additional committee member 3, additional committee member 4, usage metrics.

• Computer vision
• Image processing
• Signal processing
• Artificial intelligence not elsewhere classified

OWL Program for Dissertation Writers (PhD students) - Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Purdue University

OWL Program for Dissertation Writers (PhD students)

Intensive Writing Experience for Dissertation Writers

 For PhD students writing a dissertation

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Thesis & Dissertation Overview 

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When writing a long document such as a thesis or dissertation over a sustained time period, writers may find it difficult to stay motivated and make progress. Some institutions offer “dissertation retreats” or camps for helping writers make progress. An Intensive Writing Experience (IWE) is a similar event in which a writer makes a concerted effort both to make progress on a document and to become a better writer. The writer sets aside a predetermined amount of time in order to make progress on a particular writing project, such as a dissertation.  The material here is meant to be used to conduct a Personal IWE that a writer can use when a group event such as a retreat or camp is not available.  

This section contains detailed directions for setting up a Personal IWE.  We've included vidcasts and handouts useful for a potential three-day event covering a variety of writing-related topics. Writers can view the vidcasts and read through the handouts and then apply what they have learned to their own writing. We suggest starting with the handout entitled “Conducting a Personal Intensive Writing Experience (IWE)”; this will provide details for structuring time and offers a schedule for the order of topics across a multi-day event.

Career and Technical Education

Master of Science (MSEd)

Advance Your Career

The graduate program in Career and Technical Education prepares leaders who are concerned with education and training that enables youth and adults to pursue their careers. The program serves professionals from the Career and Technical Education curriculum disciplines, guidance and counseling, special education, academic content areas, adult education, training and development, as well as human resource development and management in the public and private sectors.

This online program has rolling admission . Applications must be fully complete and submitted (including all required materials) and all application fees paid prior to the deadline in order for applications to be considered and reviewed. For a list of all required materials for this program application, please see the “ Admissions ” tab.

Application Deadlines

July 1 is the deadline for Fall applications.

November 15 is the deadline for Spring applications.

March 15 is the deadline for Summer applications.

Program at a Glance

• Major/Department: Curriculum and Instruction
• Research Area: Career and Technical Education
• Degree Objective: Master of Science in Education (MSEd)
• Program Delivery: Online/Distance
• Does this program lead to licensure? * No , this is a non-licensure program
• Application Deadlines: July 1 (Fall), November 15 (Spring), March 15 (Summer)

Start Your Giant Leap with One Small Step

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Foundations

• EDCI 54100: Contemporary Issues in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 55000: Career Education
• EDCI 64500: Organization and Administration of Career and Technical Education

Curriculum and Instruction

• EDCI 54300: Instruction in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 54400: Career and Technical Education for Special Needs Learners
• EDCI 55200: Generalizable Skills Instruction in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 64800: Curriculum in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 65300: Seminar in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 69500: Internship in (Career Education, Career Pathways, Generalizable Skills Instruction, Special Needs, Field Experience in Business and Industry, Shadowing and Mentoring)

Administration and Policy

• EDCI 54500: Planning in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 55300: Leadership Development in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 64400: Legal Issues in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 64600: Supervision in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 69500: Internship in Career and Technical Education Administration

Disciplined Inquiry

• EDCI 59000: Individual Research Problems
• EDCI 64700: Research in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 64900: Assessment in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 65000: Program Evaluation in Career and Technical Education
• EDCI 65300: Research Seminar
• EDCI 69800: Thesis Research
• EDCI 69900: Dissertation Research

Additional Courses Applicable to CTE Licenses

• EDCI 24200: Principles and Philosophy in Vocational and Technical Education
• EDCI 24400: Leadership for (CTE) Youth Organizations
• EDCI 35700: Occupational Internship
• EDCI 35800: Organization and Coordination of Vocational and Technical Education
• EDCI 45000: Techniques of Cooperative Vocational Education

Graduate Competencies

Graduate students in the Career and Technical Education program will satisfy the six (6) graduate competency areas and components within each area. The competencies can be satisfied by successfully completing one or more of the activities listed within each competency area (see Guidelines below). A variety of venues such as courses, internships, and school-based activities can be used to satisfy the competencies. Diversity, access, and equity issues and practices are expected to be infused and pervasive within all competency areas and activities that satisfy student competency attainment. Each student’s approved graduate competency plan will be reviewed at least once each semester. All successfully completed competencies will have documentation in the form of products. After the student has satisfied all competencies and required activities, the advisor and committee members will conduct a final review and evaluation of the student’s portfolio. Upon final approval, a statement of certification of successful completion of the graduate competencies requirements will be forwarded by the advisor to the College of Education Graduate Studies Office for inclusion in the student’s file.

Monitoring and Assessment Procedures

• Student receives and reviews the Graduate Competencies Guidelines.
• Student meets with advisor to discuss his/her plan to satisfy the graduate competencies.
• Student develops his/her graduate competency plan.
• The advisor and committee review and approve the plan.
• The student implements the plan and develops the portfolio.
• The student and advisor meet at least once each semester to review the plan, monitor progress, and evaluate formatively the portfolio.
• All requirements in the graduate competency plan will be completed and satisfied no later than the middle of the last semester before expected graduation.
• The advisor and committee members review and evaluate summatively the student’s portfolio.
• The student delivers a presentation of his/her portfolio during or prior to the final oral examination.
• A statement of certification is forwarded to the College of Education Graduate Studies Office for inclusion in the student’s file when all of the graduate competencies have been satisfied.

Competencies

• Write a literature review
• Produce a proposal
• Literature review
• Conduct a research project
• Plan and implement a program
• Develop program or instructional materials
• Write a journal manuscript
• Prepare a thesis
• Research project
• Program improvement project report
• Instructional materials
• Journal manuscript
• Plan and deliver a workshop
• Present at a professional conference
• Present at a seminar
• Prepare a conference paper
• Write a project report
• Prepare and/ or publish a journal article
• Workshop presentation report
• Conference presentation report
• Seminar presentation report
• Conference paper
• Project report
• Journal manuscript/article
• Prepare a critical and reflective paper
• Write a critical analysis paper (critique)
• Develop a professional philosophy statement
• Critical analysis paper
• Philosophy statement
• Participate in workshops
• Attend professional conferences
• Maintain memberships in professional organizations
• Prepare a professional portfolio
• Workshop participation report
• Professional conference report
• Organization membership(s) log
• Prepare a report and critique of a conference or workshop
• Present at professional meetings
• Participate actively in professional associations
• Mentor colleagues
• Plan and deliver inservice workshops
• Provide technical assistance to colleagues
• Conference or workshop critique
• Professional meeting presentation report
• Professional association participation journal
• Mentoring log
• Inservice workshop report
• Technical assistance log

The competencies, activities, and products will use several venues that include courses, internships, independent studies, thesis research, seminars, comprehensive written examinations, oral examinations, school-based activities, professional organization activities, community activities, and others identified by the student, advisor, and/or committee members. The student will select one or more activities to satisfy the components of each competency area with the guidance of his/her advisor and committee members.

In addition to a submitted application (and any applicable application fees paid), the following materials are required for admission consideration, and all completed materials must be submitted by the application deadline in order for an application to be considered complete and forwarded on to faculty and the Purdue Graduate School for review.

Application Requirements

Here are the materials required for this application

• Transcripts (from all universities attended)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• 3 Recommendations
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• International Applicants must meet English Proficiency Requirements set by the Purdue Graduate School

We encourage prospective students to submit an application early, even if not all required materials are uploaded. Applications are not forwarded on for faculty review until all required materials are uploaded.

How to Apply

When submitting your application for this program, please select the following options:

• Select a Campus: Purdue West Lafayette (PWL)
• Select your proposed graduate major: Curriculum and Instruction
• Please select an Area of Interest: Career and Technical Education
• Please select a Degree Objective: Master of Science in Education (MSEd)
• Primary Course Delivery: Distance

This program does not lead to licensure in the state of Indiana or elsewhere. Contact the College of Education Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) at [email protected] before continuing with program application if you have questions regarding licensure or contact your state Department of Education about how this program may translate to licensure in your state of residence.

• Ackerman Center
• Serious Games
• CnI Online Fac
• Curriculum Studies
• Education for Work and Community
• Elementary Education
• English Education
• English Language Learning
• Learning Design and Technology
• Literacy and Language Education
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education
• Social Studies Education
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Counseling and Development
• Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Educational Psychology and Research Methodology
• Gifted Education
• Special Education

James Greenan

Questions contact the office of graduate studies at [email protected] ..

College of Agriculture welcomes 10 new faculty members this semester

• Story by Devyn Raver
• Photography by Joshua Clark
• August 20, 2024

Andrew Johnston, clinical assistant professor, Entomology

After working as a researcher and collections manager for the National Ecology Observatory Network Biorepository at Arizona State University, Andrew Johnston has joined the Department of Entomology as a clinical assistant professor. Johnston holds a bachelor’s degree in entomology from the University of Delaware and both an   M.S. and Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from Arizona State University, where he focused on insect evolution. Johnston is an active member of the entomological collections community, serving on the Entomological Collections Network’s executive board, and as a lifetime member of the Coleopterists Society. His expertise in beetle systematics and biodiversity informatics has shaped his research on insect diversity and distribution. At Purdue University, Johnston will focus on enhancing the understanding and accessibility of insect diversity through taxonomic revisions, species distribution studies and the development of identification resources, which will be used in 4-H entomology programs . He will also identify and provide information on insects submitted by homeowners, commercial growers, state agencies and Extension educators, offering control methods for pest species. Johnston looks forward to collaborating with experts across the College of Agriculture, leveraging his global network of researchers and collections professionals. In his free time, he enjoys camping, exploring landscapes, playing music and board games and collecting insects for both personal enjoyment and research.

Anna Paltseva, clinical assistant professor, Agronomy and Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Anna Paltseva has been appointed to the position of clinical assistant professor in both the agronomy department and the horticulture and landscape architecture department . Before joining Purdue University, Paltseva served as an endowed assistant professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she established The Delta Urban Soils Laboratory . Holding a Ph.D. and a Master of Philosophy in earth and environmental sciences from The Graduate Center at City University of New York (CUNY) and an advanced certificate in geographic information systems from CUNY Hunter College, her research focuses on urban soil contamination, urban agriculture and the ecosystem services provided by urban green infrastructure. Her recent publication, Urban Soil Guide: a Field and Laboratory Manual , highlights soil testing and makes soil science more accessible to a broader audience. Additionally, her platform, House of Soil , bridges the gap between soil science and regenerative fashion. Passionate about sustainability and global environmental issues, Paltseva aims to establish a global urban soil science program at Purdue that merges scientific research with community-focused applications. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys biking, gardening and photography, all of which allow her to engage with nature in diverse and meaningful ways.

César Escalante-Guardado, clinical assistant professor, Botany and Plant Pathology

César Escalante, formerly a postdoctoral research fellow at the USDA National Soil Dynamics Lab at Auburn University, has joined the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology as a clinical assistant professor. His academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the National University of Agriculture in Honduras, where he completed an undergraduate thesis in Mexico that sparked his passion for agricultural research. Escalante continued his studies at Louisiana State University, earning both his master’s and Ph.D. from the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology. His research expertise encompasses plant pathogens – viruses, fungi and bacteria in vegetables and row crops – and their impact on plant physiology. By integrating classical and modern plant pathology techniques, Escalante provides timely solutions for disease management to growers. In his new role, he will not only continue to offer expert advice over the phone but will also have the opportunity to visit farms and observe crop conditions firsthand. Beyond his research, Escalante enjoys hiking and watching soccer and football.

Christie Shee, clinical assistant professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Science

Christie Shee has joined Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES) within the Office of Academic Programs , bringing a diverse academic background and wealth of experience. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from Ohio State University, followed by a master’s degree in animal sciences with a specialization in ruminant nutrition and a Ph.D. in entomology with a specialization in plant-insect interactions, both from Purdue University. Her doctoral research focused on exploring how plant volatile organic compounds and insect aggregation pheromones can be harnessed to develop innovative pest management strategies for organic farming. Prior to joining NRES, she worked at the Office of Indiana State Chemist and the John Martinson Honors College . Shee taught interdisciplinary courses that connected environmental sciences with cultural perspectives on habitat and biodiversity loss. With a strong dedication to education, she is excited about mentoring students who are committed to environmental stewardship and making a positive impact on global environmental challenges. In her spare time, Shee likes reading, gardening and spending time with her array of pets, including cats, guinea pigs, fish and arthropods.

Hanyu Chen, clinical assistant professor, Food Science

Hanyu Chen has joined the Department of Food Science after earning both her Ph.D. and master’s degrees in food science from Cornell University, with concentrations in food engineering, microbiology and applied economics and management. Prior to her appointment at Purdue University, Chen served as a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell, where her work integrated food safety, engineering and processing to enhance the safety, quality and sustainability of agri-food systems. Her research focuses on novel processing technologies to optimize the agri-food supply chain, efficient value-added processing of agri-food products and waste valorization leveraging cloud computing systems. Chen’s work also emphasizes effective microbial control and microbiome modulation in production environments to ensure food safety and minimize the chemical footprint. With her interdisciplinary expertise and strong commitment to education and collaboration, Chen is eager to help design and develop online food science courses tailored for a diverse audience. Outside of her research, Chen enjoys playing tennis, spending quality time with her family and hiking to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Patrick Ruhl, clinical assistant professor, Forestry and Natural Resources

Patrick Ruhl, a new addition to the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harding University and both a master’s and Ph.D. in wildlife science from Purdue University. His research has examined the role of plethodontid salamanders as bio-indicator in forest ecosystems, particularly the impacts of intensive timber harvesting on eastern red-backed salamanders in Jennings County, Indiana. Additionally, Ruhl has conducted research on bird populations in clearcuts of the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – a century-long study assessing the social and ecological impacts of forest management in Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests – to understand how mature forest birds interact with early successional habitat during the post-fledging period. Before joining Purdue, Ruhl was an assistant professor in the biology department at Harding University, where he taught biostatistics, herpetology, ornithology, environmental science and ecology lab, as well as monitored undergraduates in research projects focused on habitat use and foraging strategies of birds. With six years of valuable teaching experiences, Ruhl is excited to support and guide FNR students as they prepare for careers in wildlife, forestry and aquatic sciences. Beyond his professional pursuits, Ruhl enjoys introducing his sons to the outdoors and participating in birding and ecotourism trips with his family to explore native flora and fauna around the world.

Peter Euclide, assistant professor, Forestry and Natural Resources

Peter Euclide has been appointed assistant professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) . He joined Purdue University in 2021 as a collaborative researcher between the biology department and FNR, and in 2022, became a senior aquatic ecology research scientist. In this role, Euclide used a combination of modern genomic and ecological methods to study animal movement, local adaptation and evolution, contributing valuable insights for management and conservation efforts. He also served as a fisheries specialist for the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Euclide holds an undergraduate degree in organismal biology from Kent State University, an M.S. from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Vermont. Prior to joining Purdue, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he focused on fish and mammal population genomics and managed a collaborative Great Lakes-wide walleye research program. His research, which has resulted in over 20 publications, centers on the population ecology, genetics and local adaptation of Great Lake fish species. In addition to his research, Euclide reviews manuscripts for several publications, such as the Journal of Great Lakes Research, the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science and the North American Journal of Fisheries Management. Continuing his tenure at Purdue, Euclide looks forward to advancing his research in an independent lab focused on understanding how fish populations are evolving in response to human activity. Beyond his research, Euclide enjoys bike riding, kayaking, gardening and hiking.

Petrus Langenhoven, clinical assistant professor, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Petrus Langenhoven, formerly a horticulture and hydroponics crop Extension specialist at Purdue University, has been appointed clinical assistant professor within the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture . In his Extension role, Langenhoven contributed to 11 funded research projects focused on soil health and holistic crop management. He currently serves as a liaison to the Indiana Mint Market Development and Research Council and directs the Purdue Student Farm . After attending Boland Agricultural High School in South Africa, Langenhoven earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy and entomology, followed by a master’s and Ph.D. in agronomy from Stellenbosch University. With 16 years of experience in horticulture development, he worked at the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa and the NGO Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products. Notably, he served as Country Director in Zambia and Chief of Party for a USAID-funded project designed to increase smallholder horticulture incomes. His expertise spans developing local food systems, supporting commercial vegetable growers and advancing organic plant product industries through supply chain analysis and market development. Langenhoven’s current research focuses on cover cropping and using plant and animal-based compost to improve soil fertility. Dedicated to enhancing soil nutrient management and farm profitability, he seeks to create climate-smart solutions that boost crop yields and minimize reliance on conventional fertilizers. In his free time, Langenhoven likes gardening, woodworking and watching rugby, basketball and soccer.

Thomas Butts, clinical assistant professor and Extension weed specialist, Botany and Plant Pathology

Thomas Butts has joined the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology as a clinical assistant professor and Extension weed specialist. In his role, Butts will focus on innovative weed management strategies using cutting-edge technologies like robotics, drones and lasers in addition to utilizing herbicide applications. This fall, Butts will also co-teach a graduate-level course on advanced weed biology and ecology and will develop a future course detailing technology use for weed management. Butts earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, with a major in agricultural business and minor in soil and crop science. He continued his education with a master’s in agronomy and weed science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he focused on Amaranthus spp. (pigweed) management, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, specializing in application technologies. Following postdoctoral research on soybean agronomy at Wisconsin, Butts served as an associate professor and Extension weed scientist at the University of Arkansas, concentrating on rice and soybean weed management. At Purdue University, Butts is dedicated to developing novel equipment and strategies for weed identification and management, especially in response to rising herbicide resistance. While his research is technology-driven, Butts is committed to translating these innovations into practical solutions that benefit farmers and their operations. Joining faculty, he is excited to expand his expertise across field and horticultural crops while supporting both organic and conventional growers. Outside of his professional life, Butts enjoys hiking and exploring parks with his family and is a passionate sports enthusiast.

Trey Malone, Boehlje Chair in Managerial Economics for Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics

Trey Malone, formerly an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas, has been appointed to the Boehlje Chair in Managerial Economics for Agribusiness in the Department of Agricultural Economics . During his time in Arkansas, Malone gained valuable insights into the dynamics of the agri-food supply chain, deepening his understanding of the complex agribusiness management necessary for U.S. food production. Before this role, Malone served as an assistant professor at Michigan State University, specializing in agricultural marketing strategy, where he explored various agri-food supply chains, including dairy, corn, soybeans and specialty crops. Holding graduate degrees in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University, his research focuses on the impact of consumer behavior changes on agricultural marketing strategies, the economic effects of public policies on agri-food systems and sustainability and resource management in agriculture. Over his career, Malone has published 63 peer-reviewed journal articles that received over a dozen awards. As the Boehlje Chair, Malone is excited to leverage Purdue University’s extensive resources and collaborative environment to advance research and education in agribusiness, continuing the tradition of impactful agricultural economics. Outside of work, Malone is a passionate sports fan and enjoys outdoor activities such as downhill skiing and hiking.

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PVM Faculty Member Recognized by Texas A&M University as Rising Star Alumna

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Dr. Michelle Tucker, Purdue Veterinary Medicine assistant professor of large animal surgery, received special recognition by her alma mater, the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS). Dr. Tucker is one of seven Texas A&M VMBS alumni recognized in May at the college’s 2024 Outstanding Alumni & Rising Star Awards Ceremony. Dr. Tucker received the Rising Star Award, which honors Texas A&M VMBS graduates who completed their education within the last 10 years and have made significant professional accomplishments early in their careers including public service and volunteer activities that serve to positively reflect upon their alma mater. Dr. Tucker was recognized as a rising star in large animal surgery, driven by her exceptional surgical skills, passion for research, interdisciplinary knowledge, and mentoring abilities. After earning her Texas A&M DVM degree in 2014, Dr. Tucker completed two equine internships, one in private practice and one at Kansas State University. She then pursued advanced training at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, completing a residency program in 2020 and becoming board certified in large animal surgery by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. “Dr. Tucker enthusiastically embraced all types of surgical patients, having a penchant for difficult and complex cases,” a nominator said. “Our caseload at Western College is about 70% horses, and the remainder was cattle, sheep, goats, and camelids. She nevertheless took on the non-equine caseload and developed considerable expertise in managing those cases.” In 2021, Dr. Tucker earned her PhD in large animal clinical sciences at the University of Saskatchewan and joined the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty as assistant professor of large animal surgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Dr. Tucker’s PhD thesis was on using new technology to improve surgical correction of upper airway obstruction in horses, and she is now continuing her research into 3D airway modeling that may be used to predict patient outcomes of different equine surgical procedures. One of her award nominators emphasized that Dr. Tucker has published her PhD work in top-tier veterinary journals and presented her research at major national and international conferences. With the benefit of her bachelor’s degree in biosystems engineering and biology from the University of Kentucky, Dr. Tucker also received praise for navigating various disciplines to not only expand her own knowledge but also to set a new standard for comprehensive and holistic animal care. “Dr. Tucker collaborated with many throughout her Ph.D. program and into her post-doctoral position, seeking out relationships with somewhat unexpected groups, such as engineers, physicists, and 3D printing designers,” one nominator said. “I am confident this is the type of interdisciplinary vision that will open countless One Health possibilities for her in the future and keep pushing the boundaries of what veterinary medicine can achieve.” Dr. Tucker also was praised for her role in mentoring students, interns, and residents and her enthusiasm for teaching and training future professionals.

Congratulations Dr. Tucker!

Writer(s): Purdue Veterinary Medicine News | [email protected]

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 20 August 2024

How a midwife became a neuroscientist to seek a cure for her son

• Elizabeth Landau 0

Elizabeth Landau is a science writer based in Washington DC.

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Terry Jo Bichell (pictured in her laboratory) was part of a 2016 campaign in which scientists shared their inspirational stories. Credit: Wes Duenkel

Working scientist profiles

This article is part of an occasional series in which Nature profiles scientists with unusual career histories or outside interests.

Terry Jo Bichell sensed there was something different about her fifth, youngest child when he was just a baby. At first, doctors and friends told her that she was being neurotic, that there was nothing wrong. But when the boy, Lou, couldn’t sit up properly at the age of one, a paediatrician decided to run some tests.

A blood test revealed that Lou had Angelman syndrome, a rare developmental disorder with symptoms such as impaired motor function, limited or no speech, seizures and difficulty in sleeping. It affects one in 12,000 to one in 20,000 individuals, and there is no known cure.

Bichell heard about this diagnosis in 2000 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she was teaching at a midwifery school at the time. She remembers that, soon after, she walked half an hour to get to an Internet-connected computer to learn more.

But merely reading about Angelman syndrome didn’t satisfy Bichell. She wanted to help to find a cure, or at least a treatment — even if it meant becoming a scientist herself.

In July 2000, Bichell flew to Finland with her mother and the baby to attend the first major international conference on Angelman syndrome in Tampere. “It was the first time I had really been interested in hard science” as opposed to health care, Bichell remembers. “And it was just fascinating. And it felt like we were on the verge of a treatment, and all we had to do was just reach through the curtain, and we’d be able to figure it out.”

Sleepless nights

Angelman syndrome is named after British physician Harry Angelman, who, in 1965, noted three children with poor muscle control and abnormalities of the brain, skull and eyes, and who frequently laughed. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that scientists identified a mutation in the UBE3A gene, on chromosome 15, as the cause. Most people have both maternal and paternal copies of UBE3A , and the condition is most commonly the result of the maternal copy being absent or damaged. Overexpression of a protein linked to the same gene has been linked to autism spectrum disorders 1 .

At the Tampere conference, Lou’s sleep challenges were exacerbated by jet lag and the long daylight hours near the Arctic Circle, and Bichell would do 3 a.m. walks with him in the hotel lobby. That’s how she got to know Arthur Beaudet, a geneticist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, who helped to establish the connection between Angelman syndrome and UBE3A . Beaudet found himself sleepless at the same time, and the two of them discussed starting a clinical trial in San Diego, California, where Bichell was then based. The idea was to test supplements called folate and betaine as possible treatments for Angelman syndrome, on the basis that these substances might lessen some of the symptoms. Although the trial proved unsuccessful, it led to Bichell becoming a coordinator and part-time co-investigator for research into the condition.

At that point, Bichell hadn’t trained in medicine, genetics or neurobiology. She had, at first, worked as a documentary film-maker, but her career aspirations changed during a film shoot in Côte d’Ivoire in 1986, when she saw a baby die after a difficult birth. The experience made her determined to become a midwife, and subsequent degrees in nursing and public health equipped her for her new calling.

In 2000, Bichell partnered with Lynne Bird, a clinical geneticist at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, to raise funds for and undertake Angelman research projects, including the folic acid and betaine trials. In a subsequent study on the natural course of the condition, Bichell interviewed more than 100 families of children with Angelman, work that she continued at Vanderbilt University after her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006.

Lou’s sleep difficulties persisted, and Bichell remembers feeling sleep-deprived herself while driving to Vanderbilt to teach pre-literacy skills to children with Angelman. She began to wonder whether the circadian system had some connection to the disorder. “I didn’t think that anyone else in the world would be interested in following up on those hunches,” she says.

Biology homework

Eventually, Bichell decided she couldn’t sit back and await developments that might help Lou. She resolved to train as a neuroscientist and, one day, to determine the direction of research herself. “I was almost 40 when he was born, and that meant that I was probably going to die 40 years before him,” she says. This meant that “somebody else was going to have to take care of him all that time”, so she felt she had better find a treatment for the condition.

Aged 49, she enrolled in a neuroscience PhD programme at Vanderbilt in 2009 and found herself doing homework alongside her teenage daughters, who were also studying biology.

Initially, Bichell worked in a laboratory specializing in Angelman syndrome. But when the principal investigator decided to quit research, she lost her funding to probe the very condition that she had set out to study.

To stay in the programme, she would need to redirect her energy to a topic she knew nothing about for her dissertation. So, Bichell joined the lab of neuroscientist Aaron Bowman to work on Huntington’s disease, an inherited neurodegenerative condition. In retrospect, she appreciates the shift. “It expanded my mind beyond just Angelman syndrome, so then I was able to learn about a lot of other disorders and think more globally,” she says.

But the question of how the circadian system plays a role in Angelman continued to nag at Bichell. At Vanderbilt, she found an ally in Carl Johnson, who specializes in studies of circadian rhythms but knew little about Angelman syndrome. “She basically sucked me into this,” he says. Johnson had a small grant to support her investigations, which led to peer-reviewed papers demonstrating links between circadian rhythms and the condition 2 .

Being a PhD student in her fifties came with challenges. Whereas most graduate students could check on their experiments in the evenings, Bichell needed to pick up her children from school, take them to sporting events and cook their meals. (Lou attended Nashville public schools with the help of an educational assistant.) She would sometimes set an alarm in the middle of the night so that she could have uninterrupted research time on campus. “I would be there in the dark with all those creepy lab sounds going on, and nobody else there,” she says.

One night in 2010, while 11-year-old Lou, his father and two of his sisters slumbered at home, Bichell found herself crying in the lab, unable to wipe her tears off her nose because her hands were in a sterile area. “I just felt like, ‘This is horrible. What am I doing to my family? What am I doing to myself?’”

The mini-lab manager

But Birchell’s schedule became more sustainable when she created what she called a “mini-lab” of undergraduate students to work and study with her. Just as a principal investigator would, she delegated a host of small tasks to the students, but remained in charge of the experiments and analysis. The group learnt as a collective, rather than competing with one another.

“I felt like I was a mum to all my students and grad students. I was feeding the kids dinner, and then I was going back to the lab and feeding the cells,” she says. “It was all the same”, she laughs, just on “a slightly different scale”.

For her dissertation, Bichell investigated the role of manganese — which is essential for cells and yet toxic when overabundant— in mouse models of Huntington’s disease 3 . Exposing the mice to supplemental manganese led to a rebalancing of the natural urea cycle, a crucial process that mediates ammonia’s removal from the bloodstream. Her findings support the idea that the mutation in HTT , the gene that causes Huntington’s, leads to a deficiency of manganese in the brain, which contributes to increases in urea and ammonia, also in the brain. More research is needed to determine whether manganese could be involved in treatment, Bowman says.

Bowman, who now heads the School of Life Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, remembers the unusually large audience at Bichell’s thesis defence in September 2016, including the many undergraduates who had worked with her, plus faculty members, other graduate students and her family. “She got a standing ovation,” Bowman says. “I have never seen that before. Usually there’s polite clapping.”

Bichell never had expectations of going into academia after her graduation: “There’s no time for me to have a career like that,” she says. Instead, using the broadened perspectives she gained in her PhD work, she founded COMBINEDBrain, a non-profit body that connects patient-advocacy groups with clinicians, researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Its goal is to speed up research on treatments for rare genetic neurological disorders, including Angelman syndrome.

“She’s a bridge-builder,” Bowman says. Bichell’s diverse experience gave her credibility among both researchers and patient-advocacy communities, and “there are very few people in this world that can stand strong on both sides”, he says.

Combining forces

Today, Bichell’s son Lou is 25 years old. His speech is limited to “mama”, “dada” and a few approximations of other words, but he uses about 25 sign-language adaptations. Through an iPad app designed for non-speaking individuals, he can construct short sentences. He cannot be left alone in a room.

Bichell is confident that in her lifetime, a “disease-changing” treatment for Angelman syndrome will be found, and thinks that such a treatment would need to go hand in hand with widespread screening of newborns for the condition. COMBINEDBrain is one player in a large collaboration that plans to undertake a whole-genome sequencing study among infants aged 3–12 months who show signs of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Bichell is also hopeful that gene therapies will improve the quality of life of people with Angelman’s syndrome. Lou is currently taking part in an open-label clinical trial, meaning that participants know whether they are receiving an experimental therapy or a placebo. Bichell’s mother, who helped to look after Lou at the conference in Finland more than two decades ago, now assists with caregiving during the treatments in Boston, Massachusetts.

Now that their other children have grown up and moved away, the Bichell family offers rooms in their home to local musicians, who help out with Lou in exchange. Their farm includes a horse, donkey, chickens and bees. Bichell takes care of her grandchildren and teaches a translational neuroscience course at Vanderbilt. To fit everything in, she sometimes works late at night and sleeps only in short spurts, as she did during her graduate studies.

“I always have ten things going on at one time,” she says. “Eight people living in my house, ten animals to take care of, two careers. That’s the only way I really know how to do things.”

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02723-9

Khatri, N. & Man, H.-Y. Front. Mol. Neurosci. 12 , 109 (2019).

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Shi, S.-Q., Bichell, T. J., Ihrie, R. A. & Johnson, C. H. Curr. Biol. 25 , 537–545 (2015).

Bichell, T. J. V. et al. Biochim. Biophys. Acta Mol. Basis Dis. 1863 , 1596–1604 (2017).

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