Embry-Riddle partners with private and public entities to assist in developing solutions to today's and tomorrow's aeronautical and aerospace problems. Here at the world's largest aviation-oriented university, our focus on applied research is unique.
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51-60 of 273 results

  • Humanistic STEM: Blending Humanities and STEM to Increase Undergraduate Student Engagement, Knowledge, and Skills

    PI Debra Bourdeau

    NSF IUSE #2120807

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Exploration: Aerospace Student-Teacher Program for Innovation, Research, and Education (ASPIRE)

    PI Samantha Bowyer

    CO-I Ronnie Mack

    Aerospace Student-Teacher Program for Innovation, Research, and Education (ASPIRE) aims to provide high school students and educators with the opportunity to immerse themselves in experiential learning in the scientific environments and receive mentorship from trained scientists.



    ASPIRE program aims to strengthen the future of advanced manufacturing in aircraft and air mobility where 100 high school students across three to four schools per year (total 11 different high schools in 3 years) and 100 educators will be engaged per year. Among the high school students, 20 students will be selected and involved in an eight-week summer interdisciplinary research program (SKY-CARE: Summer Program for High School Youth in Career Aerospace, Aviation, and Research Education) with dedicated mentors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). Among the 100 educators, 20 educators will be given a classroom supplies grant to provide experiential learning activities to their students.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Wind Powered Water Pump

    PI Jeff Brown

    CO-I Christopher Hays

    The vision of the Wind-Powered Water Pump project is to develop a template for the development of long-range water transportation in areas where no other external energy sources are available.

    In the developing world, the transportation of water from its source to an area of need can be troublesome. Many of the men and women in developing communities must exert strenuous amounts of effort to walk the miles to retrieve the few gallons of water that will be used over the following day(s). As representatives of the Honors Students Association, we propose a solution to this problem – a wind-powered water pump. This pump will eliminate the trek to get water, by efficiently and cheaply transporting the water to them.

    Due to the lack of infrastructure and no external source of energy, the water pump must be powered with energy acquired by its own means. The project team will be conducting research into the efficiency and feasibility of multiple designs to accomplish this goal. The project will be divided into teams, each with a unique task deemed necessary to the completion of the project. Each team will be comprised of at least one, possibly two upperclassmen as leads and then primarily first-year students within the Honors Students Association. The team leads will be put into contact with a willing faculty advisor who will serve as a guide through the more challenging aspects of the project. Through this structure, teams will be able to accomplish their respective tasks while making progress toward accomplishing the project’s goal. 

    Categories: Undergraduate

  • Student Perceptions of Pilot Pathway Programs and Motivation to Join

    PI Lauren Burmester

    CO-I Becky Lutte

    This study seeks to explore what motivates university students to join airline pathway programs, their perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks, and how these perceptions can inform strategies to enhance program effectiveness and increase participation.

    The research will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, supported by the College of Aviation's Strategic Initiative Grant, involved a comprehensive literature review and the development of a survey instrument and interview protocol. The second phase, supported by the FIRST Grant, employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of student decision-making. Participants include university students enrolled in aviation flight programs, with a target sample of 200 survey respondents and 10-15 interviewees. Data collection involved online structured questionnaires, distributed via Qualtrics, and in-depth interviews to explore personal experiences and expectations.

    Quantitative data will be analyzed using statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, while qualitative data will undergo thematic analysis. A comparative analysis will identify differences in perceptions between participants and non-participants of pathway programs. The findings will provide valuable insights into student motivations and inform strategies to maximize the impact of these programs, addressing the broader challenges facing the aviation workforce. Key deliverables will include a literature review, an annotated bibliography, a survey instrument, an interview protocol, and recommendations for further research funding and presentation at an industry conference. The final manuscript will be submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal, with results presented at an industry conference.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Gold Standards Training and Evaluator Calibration of Pilot School Check Instructors

    PI Paul Cairns

    CO-I Andrew Dattel

    ​A key component of air carrier advanced qualification programs is the calibration and training of instructors and evaluators and assurance of reliable and valid data in support of such programs. A significant amount of research is available concerning the calibration of air carrier evaluators, but no research exists regarding the calibration of pilot school check instructors. This study was designed to determine if pilot school check instructors can be calibrated against a gold standard to perform reliable and accurate evaluations.

    Calibration followed the principles and theories of andragogy and adult learning and teaching, including an emphasis on the cognitive domain of learning, learner-centered instruction, and human resource development. These in combination with methods commonly used in aviation instruction aimed to increase the effectiveness of the calibration. Discussion of these combinations is included. A specific method for delivery of the calibration was provided along with a complete lesson plan. This study used a one-group pretest-posttest design. A group of 10 pilot school check instructors was measured before and after receiving rater calibration training. Statistical measures included raw inter- and referent-rater agreement percentages, Cohen’s kappa and kappa-like statistics for inter- and referent-rater reliability, Pearson product-moment correlations for sensitivity to true changes in pilot performance, and a standardized mean absolute difference for grading accuracy. Improvement in all the measurements from pretest to posttest was expected, but actual results were mixed. However, a holistic interpretation of the results combined with feedback from the check instructors showed promise in calibration training for pilot school check instructors. A thorough discussion of the limitations and lessons learned from the study, recommendations for pilot schools, and recommendations for future research is included. 

    Categories: Graduate

  • Examining Unstable Approach Predictors Using Flight Data Monitoring Information

    PI David Carroll

    CO-I David Esser

    The approach and landing phase of flight is statistically the most dangerous part of flying. While it only accounts for 4% of flight time, it represents 49% of commercial jet mishaps. One key to mitigating the risks involved in this flight segment is the stabilized approach. A stabilized approach requires meeting rigorous standards for many flight parameters as the aircraft nears landing. Exceeding any of these parameters results in an unstable approach (UA). The energy management (EM) accomplished by the flight crew, represented by the EM variables in the study, influences the execution of a stabilized approach.



    While EM is a critical element of executing a stabilized approach, there appears to be a lack of studies that identify specific EM variables that contribute to UA probability. Additionally, several possible moderating variables (MVs) may affect the probability of a UA. Fortunately, modern jet transport aircraft have Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems that capture a wealth of information that enable the analysis of these EM variables. This study used FDM data to answer the questions about what influence a set of EM variables has on the probability of a UA event. The analysis also determined what impact a set of possible MVs, not directly related to EM, has on these EM variables influence.

    The analysis used logistic regression (LR) to investigate FDM information. The LR provided estimations of odds ratios for each of the variables and the interaction factors for the MVs. These statistics defined a model to evaluate the influences of the EM and MVs, providing answers to the research questions posed. The results determined the model was a good fit to the data but had poor discrimination. The model supported three of the original seven EM hypotheses and none of the 28 MV hypotheses.

    The study identified three specific EM variables that significantly influenced the probability of a UA event. Of the MVs, only one significant influence was revealed but was opposite that hypothesized. Identifying the EM variables, and examining their impacts, shows their importance in preventing UAs. Further, the results help prevent future UAs by informing the design of training programs. Additionally, the current effort fills gaps in the current body of knowledge, as there appears to be a lack of studies in the areas investigated.

    A gap in the body of knowledge filled by investigating an area of limited research and the results provide practical application in the analysis of EM-related events. Aviation safety practitioners now have additional information to identify trend issues that may lead to the increased probability of a UA event. Finally, this study was one of very few granted access to actual operational FDM information by an air carrier. The data were crucial in evaluating the proposed model against real-world flight operations, comparing theory to reality. Without access to such closely held information, the research for this dissertation would not have been possible.

    Categories: Graduate

  • Developing and 3D Printing sUAS Fixed-Wing Aircraft for Educational Use

    PI Joseph Cerreta

    CO-I David Thirtyacre

    CO-I Scott Burgess

    The capability of commercial off-the-shelf 3D printers has increased rapidly over the past few years, and the ability to design, print and assemble sUAS could save academic institution resources and provide students excellent training.


    Multirotor sUAS have limited endurance, range and payload carrying capabilities. Recently, the ability to print fixed-wing sUAS platforms from commercial-off-the-shelf 3D printers have lowered the barrier to entry for meeting the demands from industry with systems that are low cost and can carry electro-optical and thermal infrared sensors, multispectral and LIDAR sensors. Additionally, the advent of fixed-wing full motion video (FMV) capable drones has ushered in a new era of educational possibilities. The integration of 3D-printed fixed wing sUAS in the online classroom presents several opportunities.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Developing Autonomous, Targeted Feedback in Precalculus

    PI Darryl Chamberlain

    The overriding goal of this project is to investigate student knowledge in a Precalculus course at ERAU-W in order to construct autonomous, targeted feedback for free-responses questions to enhance students' online learning. This will be accomplished by analyzing student responses to exam questions and interviewing students to probe how their mathematical conceptions correspond to their exam responses. 

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • The Development and Validation of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS)

    PI Barbara Chaparro

    PI Joseph Keebler

    CO-I Mikki Phan, User Experience Researcher, Google

    The purpose of this research is to develop and psychometrically validate a new instrument that comprehensively measures video game satisfaction based on key factors. The video game industry often conducts playtesting sessions in order to provide insight into players’ attitudes and preferences. However, quality feedback is difficult to obtain from playtesting sessions without a quality gaming assessment tool. ​



    A new instrument measuring video game satisfaction, called the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS), with nine subscales emerged. These scales included Usability/Playability, Narratives, Play Engrossment, Enjoyment, Creative Freedom, Audio Aesthetics, Personal Gratification, Social Connectivity, and Visual Aesthetics.

    The GUESS was developed and validated based on the assessments of over 450 unique video game titles across many popular genres. Thus, it can be applied across many types of video games in the industry both as a way to assess what aspects of a game contribute to user satisfaction and as a tool to aid in debriefing users on their gaming experience. Based on current best practices of scale development and validation, the project used a mixed-method design that consisted of item pool generation, expert review, questionnaire pilot study, exploratory factor analysis (N = 629), and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 729).

    Results from this multistage process demonstrate that the GUESS can be administered to video game players with various gaming experience (e.g., newbie/novice, hardcore/expert) playing a variety of game genres. Ratings of all the items per factor can be averaged to obtain a score of each subscale and average scores for each subscale can be added together in order to obtain a composite score of video game satisfaction. This can aid game designers in determining aspects of a game to improve as well as emphasize to target gaming markets. 

    Since its development and validation, the GUESS continues to be used to understand video game satisfaction across platforms and user groups by both the GEARS and User Experience Research labs at ERAU as well as gaming labs from other universities. 

    This was dissertation research by Dr. Mikki Phan supervised by Dr. Barbara Chaparro and Dr. Joseph Keebler.  Mikki is now a User Experience Researcher at Google in Mountain View, CA. For more information, see Phan, M. H., Keebler, J. R., & Chaparro, B. S. (2016). The Development and Validation of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS). Human Factors, 58(8), 1217-1247 and http://www.wired.co.uk/article/science-can-now-determine-how-good-any-video-game-is . Contact Barbara.Chaparro@erau.edu to obtain the GUESS instrument.

    Mikki Phan, PhD​ Mikki Phan, PhD

    Categories: Graduate

  • A Boltzmann Simulator for Porous Media Flows

    PI Leitao Chen

    ​This project develops numerical simulations through parallel development of a Boltzmann model to capture and elucidate multiscale thermos-fluids behaviors in porous media, as well as the fluid-solid interactions.

    ​To accurately simulate porous media flow problem, a kinetic model based on the Boltzmann equation (BE) was developed. Two primary reasons justified the choice of a BE-based approach over conventional Navier-Stokes (N-S) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. First, the fluid flow within porous media often occurs in extremely narrow channels, representing high-Knudsen-number flow regimes. The Knudsen number (Kn), defined as the ratio of molecular mean free path to the smallest channel dimension, indicates that traditional N-S equations are physically inadequate for accurately describing these flow conditions. Conversely, BE-based models are well-established to yield physically accurate results for high-Kn flows. Second, from a computational standpoint, the BE inherently involves a simpler mathematical structure due to its linear advection term, substantially reducing computational overhead compared to the nonlinear N-S equations. This simplification significantly improves computational efficiency, especially critical for simulating flow within complex porous structures. To better capture the complex boundaries in porous media, a meshless discretization method of the BE has been developed in this project. This meshless approach entirely eliminates dependency on mesh generation, offering significant advantages in accurately simulating flow through porous media.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

51-60 of 273 results