Scholarworks

ScholarWorks is an open access repository for the capture of the intellectual work of Montana State University (MSU) in support of its teaching, research and service missions. MSU ScholarWorks is a central point of discovery for accessing, collecting, sharing, preserving, and distributing knowledge to the Montana State University community and the world.

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Scholarship & Research

Recent Submissions

Is Nuclear Energy the Most Promising Energy Source for a Sustainable Future?
(Montana State University, 2025-05) Beatty, Ryan; Kahle, Grant
50+ years of safe, secure, and reliable operations of clean electrical power generation has proven that nuclear energy must be a part of our nation’s future clean energy portfolio. In the past, public opinion has inhibited the growth of this electricity source; today, the pressure of climate change is forcing the world to make a radical change in the way our society generates electricity. Almost 20% of our electricity generation currently comes from nuclear power and meeting our future energy needs will require a much larger role for nuclear in the future. Our first research objective was to gain a better understanding of public opinion and knowledge of nuclear energy in Montana; and importantly, the foundation and reasoning for their views. We designed a survey that asks whether the respondent is favorable or unfavorable and why they hold that opinion, then whether they feel knowledgeable or unknowledgeable about nuclear energy to produce electricity. We identified several stakeholder/cohort groups to research and our survey was distributed to these groups, including legislators and government administrators, utility companies, prospective nuclear site community members, nuclear energy experts, environmentalists, economists, and MSU students and faculty. Our second research objective was to gain an understanding of why nuclear reactor construction costs so much. We researched the costs through summaries of techno-economic analyses of the construction and operation of previous nuclear power plants. To achieve this goal, we held extensive interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. We have found that the upfront costs of licensing, engineering and construction of reactors are the most important barriers nuclear energy has to overcome. Nuclear energy can decrease costs by: legislative reform, new reactor volume and series construction, and supply chain availability. Once in operation the costs are low, stable and lay the groundwork for an abundant clean energy future.
Measuring the Electrophysiological Effects of Space-Related Altered Gravity on Primary Neurons
(Montana State University, 2025-05) Zannoni, Amelia E.; Oftedal, Nathan A.; Kunze, Anja
Microgravity, a space related condition where gravitational forces are significantly weaker than on Earth, has modulatory effects on neuronal structure, function, and synaptic density which are all key features of neuroplasticity. However, altered gravitational environments' influence on neuroplasticity remains vastly under-studied. To gain understanding of these mechanisms, we investigated electrophysiological behaviors of embryonic rat cortical neurons (eRCN) under altered gravity environments. We conducted our experiment in two phases; the first phase, the cells experienced one condition of either high or low magnetic force field and the second phase we switched conditions. We switched magnetic field conditions to model leaving Earth’s gravity and returning vice versa, mimicking neural adaptation to microgravity and re-entry. We developed a model of altered gravity by generating a high magnetic force field, which measured 0.563 T, and one low magnetic force field which measured 0.036 T, using neodymium 1.27 cm x 1.27 cm permanent magnets. We cultured the dissociated eRCN’s on 60-electrode microelectrode arrays (MEA). After 12 days in vitro, we incubated half of the cultures with functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (10 µg/mL), while the rest were used as control. We recorded spontaneous activity in neuronal cultures using the MEA2100 (Multi Channel Systems, Germany) after each change in magnetic field condition. The preliminary results suggest observed changes in spike rate and amplitude between conditions. Our study may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying spaceflight-induced neuroadaptations and inform strategies for controlling behavioral neuronal risks associated in long-duration space travel.
A Simulated Microgravity Biofilm Reactor with Integrated Microfabricated Sensors: Advancing Biofilm Studies in Near-Space Conditions
(Elsevier BV, 2025-02) Ketteler, Haley M.; Johnson, Erick; McGlennen, Matthew; Dieser, Markus; Foreman, Christine M.; Warant, Stephan
Studying biofilms in a microgravity environment currently relies on one of two scenarios, collecting planktonic aggregates in rotating wall vessels or performing experiments in the microgravity environment of space on the International Space Station. While informative techniques, both have their limitations when studying surface-attached microbial communities. A simulated microgravity biofilm reactor (SMBR) was developed to study biofilms in microgravity, coupled with the integration of microfabricated sensors for internal system monitoring. The establishment of simulated microgravity was demonstrated through computational fluid dynamic modelling revealing low fluid shear stress conditions (<1 mPa) throughout the reactor and on the wall surface. Microfabricated resistance temperature devices integrated in the reactor walls confirmed the capability for continuous sensor measurements during operation with the ability to perform traditional microbiology analyses on the sensor surface following an experiment. Microbiological analyses established that there were no significant differences in biofilm growth between sensor and wall surfaces within the reactor. With the integration of defined sampling surfaces, the SMBR allows for in-depth biofilm analysis in a repeatable and accessible manner allowing for a greater understanding of the effects of microgravity on biofilm.
Planning Amidst Uncertainty: Identifying Core CCS Infrastructure Robust to Storage Uncertainty
(MDPI AG, 2025-02) Olson, Daniel; Yaw, Sean
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a critical technology for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but its large-scale deployment is complicated by uncertainties in geological storage performance. These uncertainties pose significant financial and operational risks, as underperforming storage sites can lead to costly infrastructure modifications, inefficient pipeline routing, and economic shortfalls. To address this challenge, we propose a novel optimization workflow that is based on mixed-integer linear programming and explicitly integrates probabilistic modeling of storage uncertainty into CCS infrastructure design. This workflow generates multiple infrastructure scenarios by sampling storage capacity distributions, optimally solving each scenario using a mixed-integer linear programming model, and aggregating results into a heatmap to identify core infrastructure components that have a low likelihood of underperforming. A risk index parameter is introduced to balance trade-offs between cost, CO2 processing capacity, and risk of underperformance, allowing stakeholders to quantify and mitigate uncertainty in CCS planning. Applying this workflow to a CCS dataset from the US Department of Energy’s Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership project reveals key insights into infrastructure resilience. Reducing the risk index from 15% to 0% is observed to lead to an 83.7% reduction in CO2 processing capacity and a 77.1% decrease in project profit, quantifying the trade-off between risk tolerance and project performance. Furthermore, our results highlight critical breakpoints, where small adjustments in the risk index produce disproportionate shifts in infrastructure performance, providing actionable guidance for decision-makers. Unlike prior approaches that aimed to cheaply repair underperforming infrastructure, our workflow constructs robust CCS networks from the ground up, ensuring cost-effective infrastructure under storage uncertainty. These findings demonstrate the practical relevance of incorporating uncertainty-aware optimization into CCS planning, equipping decision-makers with a tool to make informed project planning decisions.
Prey depletion, interspecific competition, and the energetics of hunting in endangered African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus
(Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2025-01) Creel, Scott et al.; Goodheart, Ben; Reyes de Merkle, Johnathan; Becker, Matthew S.
Large herbivores are in decline in much of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, and true apex carnivores like the lion ( Panthera leo ) decline in parallel with their prey. As a consequence, competitively subordinate carnivores like the African wild dog ( Lycaon pictus ) are simultaneously experiencing a costly reduction in resources and a beneficial reduction in dominant competitors. The net effect is not intuitively obvious, but wild dogs’ density, survival, and reproduction are all low in areas that are strongly affected by prey depletion. To assess whether these correlations are causal, we tested the hypothesized mechanism, using data from 13 wild dog packs in two ecosystems to relate the energetic costs and benefits of hunting to variation in prey density, while controlling for the effects of local lion density, pack size, the number of dependent pups, and the level of protection. All of these variables affected the energetic costs and benefits of hunting. In areas with low prey density, the magnitude of movements and vectorial dynamic body acceleration (a measure of energy expenditure) both increased, the mass of killed prey decreased, and the number of kills per day did not change detectably. Programs to reduce or reverse the decline of large herbivore populations should be an effective means of improving the status of endangered subordinate competitors like the wild dog, and should be a high priority. Our results demonstrate the utility of research that integrates data from biomonitoring with direct, long-term observation of endangered species, their competitors, and their resources.