To investigate the relationship between specific topographical features and crash rates in rural areas, evaluate the influence of weather-related factors such as fog, rain, and ice, and design topography-specific safety strategies. The study will also assess how these factors interact with socio-economic, socio-technical, and demographic contexts to inform equitable and effective safety interventions for diverse rural communities.

Virtual reality use for training is on the rise. While it can be beneficial for its effective delivery of content, it is important to make sure the applications are designed in such a way that is psychologically safe and healthy for users. This project has two parts: The first part involves understanding the aspects of psychological safety (in the workplace) and devising design suggestions for virtual reality training applications. The second part involves building an example application that implements some of the example designs designated in the first part.

Develop a Machine Learning (ML)-driven system to analyze and improve ergonomic safety in construction projects. The project aims to identify and mitigate ergonomic risks associated with design elements, construction tasks, and workflows, reducing musculoskeletal injuries and improving worker well-being.

Accident investigation is a critical aspect of safety management, aimed at uncovering the underlying causes of accidents or failures in equipment or personnel. This process helps prevent the recurrence of such incidents, ultimately reducing organizational losses due to direct and indirect costs associated with accidents. The objective of this project is to equip students with hands-on experience in accident investigation techniques and to cultivate their ability to develop effective corrective actions for preventing future accidents.

Non-STEM students will engage in a project focused on biofabrication, a rapidly growing field with substantial environmental and health implications compared to conventional processes. Particularly, they will delve into the technique of electrospinning. The conventional electrospinning method employs hazardous organic solvents, impeding its wider application and clinical translation. The students will explore an alternative approach known as green electrospinning, which uses environmentally friendly solvents. They will experiment with two biopolymers, examining biosafe solvents and various process parameters such as voltage, distance between electrospinning needle and collector, viscosity of polymers in solvents, and nozzle size. Through this research, non-STEM students will contribute to the advancement of biofabrication techniques with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and health considerations.

The Industrial Hygiene project addresses the pressing concern of safeguarding workers’ well-being against occupational noise hazards, a prevalent issue in the American workplace. With millions exposed to hazardous noise, it’s crucial to equip students with knowledge and practical skills in noise assessment and control.

In response to the growing need for inclusive and safe community spaces, the SUP project aims to engage non-STEM students in safety analysis and engineering design. Focusing on creating an accessible community park that caters to a diverse range of community members, including children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities, the project seeks to bridge safety engineering principles with practical design solutions. By merging safety analysis, engineering design, and community engagement, this project seeks to empower students with valuable skills while contributing to the creation of a welcoming and universally accessible public space.

In this project, our objective is to electrospin cancer cells and study their genotype to determine the expression levels of oncogenes. Electrospinning is a versatile technique that can be used to produce nanostructured materials, including cell-laden scaffolds for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. By electrospinning cancer cells onto substrates, we aim to create a model system that closely mimics the tumor microenvironment, allowing for the investigation of oncogene expression in a controlled setting.